When To Match Picture Frames To Wall Color
Selecting frames for artwork can be tricky as frames totally change the look and feel of artwork. So, is there a time and place to match your picture frames to your wall color? The short answer is yes! It’s your house. Do what makes you happy. The short answer doesn’t make a good blog post though, so let me briefly elaborate. Match picture frames to wall color when the frame is too distracting. If the frame is distracting from the real start of the show, the artwork, paint the frame the same color as the wall so that the artwork pops. That’s what I did on our blue sunporch. I…
DIY Wood Acorn Wreath
If fall is your favorite season, you are going to love this DIY Wood Acorn Wreath. Bold words, I know. This wreath might not have pumpkins or spice but it does have an underrated but ready for its moment item – acorns. Yes, acorns. Wood acorns to be precise. If you didn’t know wood acorns were a thing, this craft is going to blow open the door of possibility for you. I, for one, can’t wait to see what you create. But let’s start with this Wood Acorn Wreath. Materials Needed: wood acorns (I used 16 acorns out of a package of 20.) 20 mm wood beads (I used 16…
My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Part 6
Welcome back to the delightful but infrequent blog series “My Latest Thrift Store Finds.” It’s not infrequent because I’m not thrift store shopping. No, no, no. Even I don’t have that much restraint. It is an infrequent series because I forget to write about my thrift store finds unless they are part of a larger story or project. This blog series is my attempt to right (or is it write?) that wrong. Here’s what has come home with me in the last few months. My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Chess Set Did you know chess is really popular with the middle school crowd? It has something to do with TikTok.…
Hide A Router and Modem In An Antique Radio Cabinet
What can you do with an unsightly router and modem? Hide them in an antique radio cabinet. Long before we got our entertainment via apps on our phones, radios broadcasting news, music, and entertainment were housed in ornate wood cabinets. Some sat on the floor. Others sat on tabletops. These radios became obsolete ages ago. Even I’m not old enough to have grown up with an antique radio. I had a boombox with two tape decks AND a CD player. I thought I was so cool. And modern. I see antique radios at thrift shops somewhat regularly for not a lot of money because no one really wants them. Even…
Art Updates In The Carriage House
At first, I was going to call this post “New Art In The Carriage House” but then I realized that none of the art is actually new. Most of it is new to me though. Semantics aside, I have some art updates in the Carriage House to share today. As a refresher, our Carriage House is a building on our property, separate from the main house, that has storage space on the bottom floor and a studio apartment on the top floor. That apartment is also where Handy Husband works and guests stay when they visit. At roughly 200 sq. ft., it’s a small but mighty space that performs multiple…
How To Turn A Clock Into A Picture Frame
What can you do with a clock that isn’t working? You can fix it, you can get rid of it, or you can turn it into a picture frame. Yes, it’s possible, under many circumstances, to turn a clock into a picture frame. Here’s how: First, start with any clock that has the potential to be a picture frame. This will most likely be a tabletop clock or mantel clock. I found this brass clock at the thrift store. Now, take apart the clock so that you can access the clock face. You might need a screwdriver for this part. Pay attention as you go or take a picture of…
In Praise Of Lath Art
Something old has piqued my interest lately – lath art. Broadly speaking, lath art is a type of folk art where pictures are made from thin strips of wood. Originally, these strips came from the lath strips of old plaster walls. Hence, the name. As someone who has removed a plaster wall or two, talk about a labor of love to salvage all those pieces and remove the old plaster in order to make it useable as an art medium. Today, lath art can be made from any strip of wood whether it is reclaimed, cut for this specific purpose, or something in between. Either way, creations like this take…
Petite Bench For An Outdoor Coffee Table
I spruced up a petite bench to use as an outdoor coffee table and have zero regrets, especially since this was a free project. Free meaning I didn’t have to buy anything new. Those are the best kinds of projects. This petite bench was hiding under a stack of pool chemicals in our pump house. It was left here when we moved in and I’m guessing it was originally part of a kid-size picnic table. Hence, the petite part. The bench needed a bit of love. I sanded off the flaky bits and added a few new nails to hold it together. I didn’t do much about the areas that…
I Finally Joined The Lamp In A Kitchen Trend
Have you noticed the lamp in a kitchen trend? As far as trends go, it’s probably an old one by now but in the past year I’ve noticed many bloggers and influencers with small lamps sitting on their kitchen counters. As someone who likes clutter-free counters and doesn’t have a ton of counter space to spare, I’ve mainly ignored this trend as something that isn’t for me. Until now. I recently discovered the practicality and utter joyfulness of having a small lamp in the kitchen. Let me tell you, I’m here for all the practicality and joy this world offers. I don’t mean to take away from the wholesomeness of…
Our Deck Is Ready For Summer
It’s almost Memorial Day, the unofficial kick-off to summer in the U.S., and our deck is ready for summer fun! And by fun, I mean eating. I have my priorities. Most of our dinners in the summer are eaten on the deck. Then there are the Double Ds. Drinks and dessert. Those are best enjoyed on the deck in the summer too. We’ll often turn on the party lights and sit on the deck with a drink in hand as the sun goes down and the temperature becomes tolerable pleasant. New Jersey summers are not to be trifled with. They can be hot, humid, and let’s not forget about the…
