I tend to use traditional bed frames in my rooms. I have too many cool antique beds that I absolutely adore to just make a funky headboard instead. However, it doesn’t keep me from dreaming. I fantasize about building a really cool bookshelf/cupboard/table around my mattress so I have room for all the books, magazines, tissue boxes notebooks and other stuff I realize I want after I am cozily tucked under the covers. Failing that, here are a few ideas for creating a headboard: Cutting a shape from plywood and upholstering it. So eighties, but I hear the clothes are back, so why not compound our bad judgment and bring back eighties decorating ideas, too? (If shoulder pads come back, I’m not doing it again. They were horrible the first time... [Read more]

Yesterday, I shared a few reasons to re-think buying a house. Today, I went to look at a few handyman specials and have a few more reasons to add to the list. And by the way…When they say handyman special? I think it is code for “This house should be condemned due to mold, structural and hazardous waste issues.” Wow. A scribbled sign on the door that says “Don’t drink the water.” After I read the sign, which the realtor pulled down because it was unauthorized, I took a closer look at the surrounding houses and saw that a lot of them had gallons of water lined up on their porches. Hmm. The ability to enjoy the view and fresh air from inside without actually using a window or door. Yup. When you see four inch gaps in the walls, you... [Read more]

So, you’re house hunting and you come across the house of your dreams. And the price? It’s a steal! Before you sign on the dotted line for 30 years of mortgage payments, you may want to make sure you aren’t buying a 30 year rehab project you didn’t plan on doing! Here are five reasons to re-think buying a house: Water in the basement or signs of water damage. (Or backed up septic mess. Ick!) If that water has been there long, it may have weakened the house foundation. Even if the foundation is okay, all of that water may have created a mold mess. I’ve noticed over the years that houses with water in the basement that I’ve looked at seem to go on the market over and over again because of problems the buyers discover after they move... [Read more]

I was browsing through murals online today and I got wall envy. I desperately want a mural. However, I’m not sure exactly what I want and where I want it. So, I decided to make a temporary mural on one of my walls to see if I liked the way it looks. Kind of like the temporary tattoos kids wear for fun. After I started working on my mural, it occurred to me that it might be a good option for artistic people who lived in apartments and other temporary situations and who didn’t want to have to repaint their walls when they needed to move on to a new place. I drew my mural on a wall painted with semi gloss house paint using a watercolor crayon because pencils could leave a permanent mark and I wanted everything to be pretty much temporary.... [Read more]

I have a big rubber stamp I carved that is basically a geometric pattern. I like it, but, by itself, it isn’t much to look at. I was playing around with it and realized that it made a pretty wallpaper like pattern. Now, I have plans to primer a small wall in a boring little nook so I can stamp away with the hand carved stamp to see what it looks like. If you don’t want to carve your own stamp, you can still make your own hand stamped walls. There are a ton of foam stamps with all kinds of patterns available at your local fabric or craft store. I prefer to use acrylic craft paints to stamp patterns on walls because I like the consistency and the fact that I can clean off my stamps. If you decide to use house paint instead, plan on only... [Read more]