The patio makeover is "ON" this weekend!

Good morning friends!  After some thought I've decided to take down my Trash Pickin Thursday party.  I am getting so busy with actual decorating jobs (yay!) that I don't have enough time to devote to trash picking consistently (*sniff sniff), but if you find something in the trash or rehab something you found, certainly post it to my weekend party, Shop The House Sunday!

It's FINALLY sunny and beautiful here in South Texas, so I'm itching to start my back patio makeover on Sunday!  So far, here are the elements I'm working with:

This Frontgate teak chair I found in the trash!

This really cute garden stool I found at Big Lots for $20

This little bistro table given to me by a friend (i. e. FREE!)

My patio set which is in need of spray paint (hammered bronze?) and new cushions.  I have a love seat, 2 chairs, 2 footstools & a coffee table.

I really wanted new patio furniture, but we're getting ready to put in new plank flooring (yay! It's finally happening!) so money is TIGHT, SUPER TIGHT!

So, off I go to try to make this hodgepodge mess into something great!  I'll be posting on the patio makeover soon! 

Welcome to NEWBIE Wednesday!

Hello everyone and welcome to another addition of "Welcome to NEWBIE Wednesday"!  After a week hiatus for Spring Break, I'm excited to get back to this weekly feature! 

Each Wednesday, I will introduce you to some NEW, or as I like to call us, NEWBIE, bloggers who are fun, creative and just plain COOL!

This week I would like you to meet Micah and her blog The Yellow Front Door!

Micah and her husband Casey are living what she likes to call "the exciting suburban life" in Kansas City with their two dogs.  They moved from a brand new duplex to a 70-year-old house in July 2008.  Micah started blogging to keep her out-of-town family and friends updated on projects they were doing around the house, since that seems to be how they spend most of their free time.

She really didn't think anyone would be reading her blog except for her mom and sister.  Although Micah has a burst of creativity every now and then, she's not ashamed to admit that she "borrows" decorating ideas from other people all the time!  Micah describes her decorating style as "beachy classic/casual" - anything that reminds her of Hawaii is welcome in her home.

Check out the beautiful beachy tablescape on her coffee table!

Before...

And after...

She thinks paint is the most powerful decorating tool, whether you use it on your walls, furniture, or accessories.   

Here's the power of paint, Micah-style!

Before...

And the easy, breezy after...

And check out how painting chairs & adding some fresh accessories transformed her dining room!

Before...

And after...

Wow!

Check out the headboard she made for her master bedroom. 

Before...

And the "ooo la la" after...

Living room transformation!

Before...

And the beautifully updated after...

I love that she painted the brass on her fireplace WHITE!  Easy to do and WOW, what a difference!

So go check out The Yellow Front Door and say hi to Micah!

I can't wait to see what she shows us next!

Thanks for checking out this week's "Welcome to NEWBIE Wednesday"!

Shop The House Sunday!

Happy weekend everyone and welcome to Shop The House Sunday!

Here is the project I just completed!

A chalkboard made out of a cabinet door!

I guess this should really be a combination "Trash Pick" and "Shop the House"!  Remember these beauties, saved from Mr. Garbage Dude a few weeks ago?

And....I still have a whole door left over because I found 2! 

I used a combination of Turquoise & Blue Latex paints from Pierce's room re-do
{the color is really much prettier "live".  It looks light in the picture}

I was going to buy a faceted crystal knob, but didn't feel like getting off my butt to go to the Depot, so...

I painted the gold knob with white spray paint and then painted the recessed inner the turquoise color.  I had a bunch of Swarovski crystals from my chandy makeover, so I tied one on with some white grosgrain ribbon.

Then, Mr. FYN had the brilliant idea of adding little white cup hooks to the bottom and using to hang keys. 

{Occasionally, Mr. FYN will scare and delight me all at the same time by being interested in my decorating projects!}

So, I will be adding hooks and reposting the update.  This piece will hang in the entryway from our garage.

 

Okay, now it's your turn! 

"Shop" your house (in your pajamas if you wanna!) and create something for free!

Projects can be ANYTHING,  like repurposing an item, moving something to a different room for a new look, a recycled project, painting projects, organizing projects, tablescapes, rearranging furniture...the sky's the limit.

THE ONLY RULE?  

YOUR PROJECT MUST USE ITEMS YOU ALREADY OWN. 

We're sharing projects that cost NO MONEY.  

Can't wait to see everyone's ideas for FREE decorating!

Link up and party!  

1.  Use the link for your POST, not the link for your blog.

2.  Link back to this party, with the button on the right side or a text link.

Linky will be up through Monday morning, to give everyone time to shop, create, show and tell!

I'm also linking this project up to:

Its So Very Creative at Its So Very Cheri!Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch! Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff! Make it for Monday at Cottage Instincts! 

New appreciation for this great land of ours!

Have any of you ever been to West Texas?  I had this preconceived notion that anything west of San Antonio was ugly and barren.  Boy was I wrong!  We drove through West Texas on our way back from skiing in Red River, NM.  I have a brand new appreciation for this part of the state and I'm looking forward to going back to explore!

 

Beautiful sunset over the mountains & plateaus of West Texas

Windmills.  There were fields and fields of these!

The McDonald Observatory in the mountains outside of Ft. Davis

Have you heard of Marfa, TX?  Best known for their "mysterious lights", I knew of this town because of a feature in Domino magazine several years ago.  I can't wait to go back to Marfa soon!

The Thunderbird Hotel & Restaurant

This is the bank in Marfa.  I was peeling my face off the car window drooling over all that gorgeous iron and tile work!

 Now where else are you going to find a PINK fire station?!

 Now we have a "thing" for ballroom anything in our house.  I was lucky to spot this great sign!

 This is the gas station turned art studio that was featured in the Domino spread

 The local movie theatre.  I just love old signs!

We also drove through Roswell, NM and cracked up at all the alien references!

Even the streetlights were "themed"!

We found a great place to rock climb in West Texas and I loved shooting these pictures!

 Even an imaginary gun can be fun!

Always the "hams"!

Okay, now we'll be serious!

 Pierce & Dad

 My brother-in-law pointing the way home!

 Sis-in-law & my nephew....awww!

Brett & his sister, Cristi

  Cale & Pierce, cousins and buddies!

 Aunt Cristi with Cale & Pierce.  This is one of my faves!

 My beautiful niece, Ashton.  So easy to take good pics of her!

Chance & Ashton, our resident teenagers!

  Beautiful kids & scenery!

I snapped this in the car in Southern New Mexico.  Isn't it beautiful?

 Pierce & Cale loved playing in the snow at Red River!