Candidly Cozy

When an idea pops into my head, sometimes it's good, and other times...well, maybe we shouldn't dwell on those other times . The latest idea: Experiment with painting furniture, a risk I was willing to take.     The original buffet and hutch, sans paint, and middle glass due to an, ahem, indoor ball incident.    After several years with young children running about, and sticking with dark furniture to hide all those greasy little fingerprints, it's time to convert to a home of my dreams, and to me that would be a more cozy, farmhouse feel. One of the most obvious changes to begin any home transformation is furniture. Buying all new furniture is not an option for us, however DIY revamps are. The chalk paint craze over the last couple of years seemed like a viable option. I started researching, and the more I investigated, the more confident I felt about taking the gamble. I decided to start with one section of my house, the small dinnin

I like free stuff! For me it's easier to say yes, and dispose of an item myself, than it is to say no, and possibly miss out on that one special thing. Within reason of course, don't go dumping that horrid 1962 sofa bed on my front lawn, I assure you I wouldn't be very happy about that. One of the best givers of free stuff is my dear old dad. He's a treasure hunter of sorts, and isn't afraid to share his finds if he thinks I can " do something " with it. Recently he brought me several pieces of old weathered wood. Oh my, so many possibilities! Once I looked them over, I knew right away what I wanted to do with one of the pieces. It was the perfect shape and size for a rustic serving tray. It had the character I was looking for, and it was a very light wood, easy to move around with little effort, especially once loaded up with dishes, or holiday centerpieces. I only needed to make a few tweaks.  Abandoned wood reborn.  1) Before I could d

It's thrilling to see potential in something others would discard, or dismiss. In our garden shed we had just the item, an old toboggan, well used and abandoned by children who once rode it like a magic carpet in the land of snow and ice. Once the toboggan lost it's magic, it came to rest buried in the deep recesses of a corrugated metal coffin. Until now.  While venturing out of town, browsing quaint little shops and boutiques for inspiration, we came across a shop that had converted old wooden sleds into sweet little shelves, the perfect spot to display precious trinkets. I knew I wanted one! It was my partner in crime who mentioned that we still had an old sled in the shed. So I looked lovingly at my live-in-handyman, smiled sweetly, and suggested we give it a try.    DIY Toboggan Shelf   1) First the toboggan needed a good cleaning. It was musty, and a bit mouldy from storage. A nice bath of bleach did the trick. We tossed the o

I'm a collector by nature. I love beautiful things. I can't resist sparkle, charm, and uniqueness! Sometimes I believe there's magpie in my DNA. And it doesn't stop there. In my need to create, and investigate, I become well...obsessive. Perhaps it's better to say I like to immerse myself. When I fall in love with something, I typically fall hard, and the latest interest that has captured my heart is - succulents.     Echeveria - Lola     Those chubby drought loving plants that come in an array of pastels, and visually pleasing geometric shapes, that can be planted in adorable little pots. It didn't take long to figure out that they're in hot commodity, and the "it" indoor plant at the moment. I started noticing them everywhere, plastered near and far on my favourite home décor sites. I took notice, storing this epiphany for future reference. Then it happened, while out on a separate errand, a cart of succulents at m