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February Decor & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #793
As I mentioned last Friday, we have been experiencing record-breaking cold temperatures as low as -48˚F (-44.4˚C) and it is still snowing nearly every day. Even when my weather app indicates no snow in the forecast, I look out the window and, sure enough, it’s snowing. As my kids say, “The snow is great until Christmas. After Christmas, it’s just annoying.” Honestly, the only nice thing about new snow this time of year is that it covers all the dirty snow banks with a fresh coat of pristine white. But then I start moving the snow off the sidewalks and driveway and it is all black and nasty again. Spring…
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Some of My Favorite Christmas Gifts & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #789
Now that the holiday chaos has settled and the children have returned to school, it is time for me to get back to regular life. No more sitting around in my pajamas, makeup free with messy hair, until lunchtime. I must resume the stay-at-home mom duties that keep me busy for 16-18 hours a day and leave me exhausted before the sun goes down. During the holiday break, I didn’t do much. In fact, I barely left my house except for a few times for various appointments as well as a family movie outing to see Avatar: Fire and Ash, which, by the way, is my least favorite of the…
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How to Protect Your Home During Peak Pest Season
Welcome to the season when pests become the uninvited guests in many homes! As temperatures drop, bugs and small animals often seek shelter with us. They’ll move themselves in, eat your food, enjoy your heating, and even set up breeding nests in the crannies and corners of your house-such cheekiness! If you’d rather not have to deal with these unwanted visitors, here are some key preventive strategies you can implement today. Hire Expert Pest Control If you’ve gone beyond the prevention stage and are now facing down a full-blown infestation, it’s sensible to hire expert pest control. Professional pest controllers have the specialist knowledge and equipment to swiftly and effectively…
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A Very Raggy Christmas & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #784
I hope all of my American friends had a lovely Thanksgiving filled with delicious food, wonderful company, and joyful blessings. But now that it is over, we are immediately in the Christmas season. I have been working on my holiday mantle displays for a few weeks with a focus on upcycling, thrifting, and using things I already had on hand. First I replaced the scarf valances with red plaid blanket scarves for a cozy festive feel. I have a tremendous amount of scarves of all sorts, styles, shapes, lengths, and fabrics. There are so many that I can’t possibly wear them all but they are too pretty for me to…
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Bedroom Makeover for a Teen Boy & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #783
Three years ago, I began some bedroom painting for my children. It started with the blue nebula photowall installed in the “game room”. A few months later, I painted the attached bedroom that my kids shared in bright orange and yellow at their request. It looked like a box of crayons exploded on the walls but it was fun and cheerful and totally appropriate for my 9 and 11 year boys. Last year, my niece came to stay with us for a few months and we converted the game room into her bedroom furnished with bunk beds borrowed from my neighbor and lots of feminine decor. We retained the blue…
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Homecoming, Halloween, Home Decor & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #781
For today’s post, I am just sharing some recent goings-on in my household and with my family. A few weeks before Halloween, Archie, who is now a freshman in high school (how in the world did that happen so quickly?), attended his first Homecoming dance. He and his friend went together and they just looked so darn handsome that it brought tears to my eyes! At my request, I also got a water fountain photo of Archie and his BFF who just happens to be the literal girl next door and one of my favorite humans on earth! Halloween followed Homecoming and we went big this year with homemade costumes…
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Vintage Sewing Machine Table Makeover & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #780
Back in July, I was on a local thrifting adventure when I found this amazing vintage Bradford sewing machine table for just $9.99. I was in need of another small table in my downstairs hallway after I had moved the vintage gossip bench to its new home and this table was the perfect size. Plus it had all of its original sewing machine parts with it. I have not yet tested it though to see if the machine actually works. I have a newer sewing machine that I purchased a few years ago that works just fine so I don’t really have a need for the vintage machine. Actually, I…
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Front Porch Makeover: Phase 1 Complete & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #770
Heading into the weekend of July 4, I decided to give my front porch a makeover. The wood was starting to look a bit too weatherworn for my taste and I figured a fresh coat of paint would cheer it up while also offering some weather protection for the aging wood. I actually believed that I could complete this project over the course of the 3 day weekend but I very quickly recognized that this was a crazy impossible goal. In fact, it turns out that this painting project is so big that I need to complete it in phases. Phase 1 was all about getting the paint onto the…
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Vintage Gossip Bench Makeover & Spread The Kindness Link Up On the Edge #768
This is a story about a vintage gossip bench, also called a telephone table, that was forcibly given to me against my will. Many years ago, my sister picked up this cute little piece of vintage furniture at a yard sale for $3. It sat in its original form in her shed until last summer when I visited and she insisted that I take the chair home with me. I argued that I did not have space in my car or my home for another piece of old furniture but she still managed to jam the thing into the back of my vehicle anyway. I couldn’t find any markings on…
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Brush Cleaning Hacks for Paint by Numbers Enthusiasts
Taking care of paintbrushes is an important part of enjoying any paint by numbers kit. Many people love these projects because they are relaxing, fun, and allow even beginners to make beautiful art. Clean brushes help keep colors bright and paint strokes smooth, making each painting look its best. Anyone working on easy paint by numbers projects will find that simple cleaning routines ultimately save both time and money.. Small brush care habits can make painting sessions easier, whether for a quick project or when exploring unique kits. Use the provided paint by number shop cleaning cloth after every session to prevent paint buildup. After each painting session, it’s helpful…
