You're a MOM! You know... Master Of Many things. You're a homemaker, decorator, educator, and businesswoman. You do it all, including starting that side business that often includes editing photos for your blog. While there are some great photo editing sites available, did you know you can do some basic editing of photos with OpenOffice?
So you've taken this photo and uploaded it to your computer. It's pretty dark right? Easy fix.
From the Finder on your Mac (file ...
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Navy Blue Keegan Curtain Panel, Natural Wood Curtain Rods, and Less Chaos
Has your home ever felt chaotic? Not the people, but the furnishings? We've lived with pretty much the same furnishings and curtains since we moved into our home almost fifteen years ago. While I've added some pieces of furniture over the years, once something is set in place, it pretty much stays there. But lately I've been feeling like our home is a little chaotic.
It started this past winter when I decided to paint our kitchen walls in preparation for my daughter's high school ...
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Black Stained Antique Buffet
All of the stars seemed to align with this antique buffet. Solid wood. Dove-tailed drawers all in perfect condition and all that slide smoothly. All brass hardware present and accounted for. And the price was one I couldn't turn down. Aaaaah... yes, all of the stars aligned just perfectly.
Here's a peek at the buffet when I found it at the local thrift store.
You can see the top was really scratched.
You can also see that those scratches were no match for my DeWalt ...
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General Finishes Flat Out Flat Topcoat on Natural Wood
Not every piece of refinished furniture needs paint or stain. As a matter of fact, some pieces are better in their natural state. Restoration Hardware has even built a brand based on stained finishes that resemble naturally-aged wood. Let me tell you though, there's an easier way with General Finishes Flat Out Flat Topcoat.
My best friend from college actually found this brown-stained dresser on the curb. She had intended on bringing it home and painting it to place in her daughter's ...
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Preserving the Integrity of Solid Wood Furniture
There are certain types of furniture I prefer not to paint in order to maintain its original integrity. Solid wood antiques and mid-century modern furniture pieces are two that immediately come to mind. Even with some wear and tear these are often better refinished in stain. So today let's talk a little about preserving the integrity of solid wood furniture.
Why I refinish furniture
Painted furniture is all the craze right now. It has been for the past few years; but I didn't get into ...
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Layered Paint & Stain for a Naturally Weathered Look
Hello there! I've been missing writing to you this past week and am finally able to share with you this bench makeover with layered paint and stain for a naturally weathered look.
You see, my Mac laptop has slowly been dying to a pace where I was barely able to type a sentence in the past two weeks. The "spinning color wheel of doom", as they call it online, was constantly showing on my screen.
In the past, I've been able to clear that spinning wheel and continue working by catching ...
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Using Hockey Stick Wax to Repair an Antique Dresser
Today's furniture makeover took several hours of repair work, but it was so worth it. There was peeling veneer and swollen drawers, but several days of elbow grease and a little hockey stick wax took care of both. Yes, hockey stick wax. I explain how later in this post. Now, this antique dresser with Hepplewhite drawer pulls is absolutely beautiful dressed in dark navy blue.
At first look, the dresser looked as though it simply needed a refresh of the brown, stained finish. If you ...
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Building Brick Planters & Yard Work
What a gorgeous beginning to a long Memorial Day weekend and the perfect opportunity to get some yard work done. So many people we know travel this weekend every year to their lake and beach homes. Not us. We have our own bit of paradise right here at home; but we did need to get some yard work done. So my husband, our three teenagers, and myself spent the day spreading mulch, laying sod, pulling weeds, power washing, and building planters along the back walk.
When we first built the ...
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