First I’ll show you some before and after pictures.Those are always fun!

Although the bureau was very functional (the drawers held returns and items that were left by visitors which needed to be returned), the piece was very dark and since my entry tends to be a little dark anyways, I wanted to brighten it up. The basket to the right of the bureau holds the kids’ shoes that they wear every day.

I typically only allow 1 coat per household member on the coat rack but sometimes they sneak in a few others.

My walls are currently painted a nice warm yellow but I didn’t like the looks of the finished coat rack on the yellow wall, so I decided to paint the wall white. I’m a little unsure of myself when it comes to making these kinds of decisions, so I only painted the one wall. I think I would like to paint the rest of the house white but I’m still thinking it through and that makes my husband happy because 1) he really wants to keep the yellow, 2) he hates painting and 3) it will be pretty expensive to hire out if he doesn’t do it. (I’m not sure I’m up to the task either!)

The next picture shows the wall white but no rustic coat rack yet.

I bought 3 baskets and placed them under a bench that I already owned and moved to the entryway. The baskets are now holding shoes and returns. It’s a necessity since the shoes need a place to go when the kids come in the door. It helps keep things clutter free, too and that’s always a plus!

Once the wall was painted we could hang our new coat rack up. My hubby did a splendid job.

If you would like to make one here’s what you need to purchase and the directions to make your own.

Supplies Needed

• 1×4 boards
• wood glue
• screw gun w/ screws
• paint
• 1×8 board (for shelf)
• 2 brackets to support shelf
• wood stain
• knobs

Step 1 – Cut your 1×4 boards the length that you want your coat rack to be, then lay them together as the picture shows.

Step 2 -Cut 2 boards the height of your coat rack to use for the backing that will hold all the boards together. (See picture)

Step 3 – Glue the backing boards on using wood glue.

Next you will screw it down.

To keep all the boards tightly together so there would not be big gaps, we used a clamp to hold the boards in place.

Step 4 – Pre-drill your screw holes so your wood won’t split when screwing the screws in, then once you have pre-drilled them, go ahead and screw them in all the way.

Step 5 – Paint your coat rack.

Step 6 – Add knobs. I purchased mine at Hobby Lobby and waited until they had them at 50% off.

Step 7 – I then cut a 1x8x5 board the width of the coat rack and then stained it. (Sorry, no pictures of this step.)

Step 8 – Then my handy husband screwed the brackets onto the coat rack, screwed the hole thing to the wall and lastly, mounted the shelf and screwed it on. The screws that went into the wall are hidden behind the shelf.

Thank you to my husband, Russell for helping me on this project. I couldn’t have did it without him… or at least it wouldn’t have looked near as good!

When I saw this entry way coat rack at Liz Marie Blog I fell in love with it and was especially excited because I knew I could make my own.

The coat rack on the right had to stay. The family is so used to hanging their winter  coats there during the winter season, that they I had a revolt on my hands when I attempted to take it away. I’d rather they hang their coats their than start throwing it on the bench!

Next time, I’ll show you the before and after of the entryway and how you can make this entry way coat rack, too.

Save

Lots of planning still to do.

Thirty-five people staying here. We’d better get that cabin completed!

I’m brainstorming ideas for activities we can do with the family. We started a tradition two years ago of playing the game crokinole but I want to add a prize to it.

At first I thought I’d get a trophy that would be given to the winner every time we have Christmas together (which is every other year) but now I’m mulling over making a little sign. I’ll keep you updated on what I come up with.

Depending on the weather, we’re hoping to have our Christmas Dinner in the pergola

like we did for the Castle Keeper girls’ Winter party.

How is your holiday planning coming along?

]]> https://treasuringthemoments.net/2016/12/16/a-winter-mantle-of-candles-pinecones-lights-and-some-joy-mixed-in/feed/ 6 https://treasuringthemoments.net/2016/05/09/why-everyone-needs-a-daughter/ https://treasuringthemoments.net/2016/05/09/why-everyone-needs-a-daughter/#comments Tue, 10 May 2016 00:30:27 +0000 http://treasuringthemoments.net/?p=702221 Are you paralyzed by indecision? Decisions about paint colors, home decor and related things?

If so, join the club of mothers over 40 who feel your pain.

Me and a friend were talking about that very thing this past week. We want to change up our home decor… we need a change and we really should update… but where do we start?

I can’t even make up my mind about a paint color or a small accessory.

She has the same problem. We find we depend upon our daughters because we wonder if maybe we’re stuck in the rut of past fashions and are afraid to move on with the times.

Just recently she purchased a ceramic bird for her kitchen and brought it home. Woohoo, a decision made! But apparently it was the wrong one – for her daughter told her she needed to take it back. “It’s too big mom. Get the smaller one.”

Sometime in the last year I decided to paint some picture frames. Now that is pretty daring for me. To take something perfectly good and change it up but the frames were getting a little beat-up so I figured there was no harm done.

I then had to decide where I wanted to place them all and settled on our stairwell that leads to the garage and a guest apartment.

A totally blank slate to work with.

And there I hung my painted frames that hold photos of my dear children.

And after a year and counting of having the frames in various stages of being painted, I had finally finished them and hung them.

Job complete. Check!

But I hadn’t checked with my daughter yet.

So I exuberantly asked her and heard what I didn’t really want to hear… that she doesn’t like it. Too cluttered.

Rats! I missed it again!

I’m exaggerating…

…but only just a teeny weeny bit…

No giving up.

Mom’s… We can do it!

So, Mother’s Day was pretty special. My daughter-in-law made a very special lunch.

And a tray of delicious chocolate confections that are all acceptable for those on the Trim Healthy Mama diet. So that means I can eat all of them and not feel guilty, right?

The peanut butter/chocolates were made specially for me since she knows I love Reese’s peanut butter cups.

And look, here’s evidence that even my burly mountain man has some soft moments. haha

The nine reasons why I love being a mom, mother-in-law and grandma.

]]> https://treasuringthemoments.net/2016/05/09/why-everyone-needs-a-daughter/feed/ 1 https://treasuringthemoments.net/2015/12/15/a-teapot-winter-mantle/ https://treasuringthemoments.net/2015/12/15/a-teapot-winter-mantle/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2015 20:46:54 +0000 http://treasuringthemoments.net/?p=701844 I can’t believe 2015 is almost over! It has been quite a year. I am feeling more disorganized than I ever have before and lack of motivation and too much busyness is the culprit, I’m sure. So this is something I’m going to want to try and change this coming year.

But that’s for another post. Today I want to show you my winter mantle.

My mom and I worked on this one together when she was out at Thanksgiving time.

She enjoyed it so much and I loved doing it with her. Plus it was a big help to me.

I told her I like to try new ideas each year instead of repeating.

My Christmas teapot came to mind as something I wanted to use and that became what we based the rest of the mantle around.

I love the wooden sign I made last year – “O Come Let Us Adore Him”.

How are you doing organizational wise? Do you feel like me – pretty disorganized?

Did fall really begin on September 23? I’m a bit late to the game but I did finally get around to getting out my fall storage container with the few decorations that I have. It’s so much fun to decorate for the seasons.

I love my little owl with his little pinecone breast and twigs for where his ears?? should be…

The twigs are random but cute.

Kind of like our conversation yesterday….

We were talking about a few of our boys being colorblind.

FALL blocks made by my 12yo son, Justus.

They have trouble with seeing the color green.

And we were wondering how much of the world they miss out on.

Toilet paper rolls covered with fabric make a good-looking and easy pumpkin craft.

Made by my 9yo daughter, Audrey.

But then from her corner in the back seat, Audrey piped up and in all seriousness said……

“That’s because their third dimension is damaged.”

Wooden pumpkins made by my 17yo daughter, Serenity.

Do I have a genius on my hands? Third dimension and color blindness….

A connection I had never thought of.

Twig ears and a third dimensional color blindness issue…

random, but…..

kind of fun.

Is your house Fall ready? Thanksgiving plans in the making?

We’re going to be grandparents again!

Little Shalom will be a “big” sister, Lord willing, in November. We’re delighted that our kids love children and count them as precious gifts and very happy for the new addition coming to our family.

And more exciting news for my son and his family. They will be building themselves a small house and if all goes well moving in before their new arrival! That will be so very nice for them!

I am happy to say I was able to get to those envelope pillows and had success making two! They were so easy! The tutorial was very simple to follow and you are even given directions on how to figure the different measurement no matter the size of your pillow. And it’s simple math…thankfully.

Here’s the link to the video tutorial.

This is the back of my pillows.

I only made the printed pillow covers.

The others are pillows I purchased at Target.

Making progress but I still need to figure out what I want to do on that wall above my headboard.

One step project at a time it’ll eventually get done…

My daughter, Serenity ordered a few pillow forms through the mail a long time ago but decided not to use them.

Instead of paying the return postage we kept them and instead of taking up closet space, I think I’ll actually use them on my bed! That’s what they’re for after all. So yesterday, I picked me up some fabric and my plans are to get them made today. I found a really great tutorial online for making an envelope pillow slip cover that looks quite easy so I’m going to try it.

I would say it’s much cheaper to buy pillows already covered instead of buying pillow forms and fabric. These pillows are going to be costing me about $15 each. That seems pricey to me but then again I haven’t checked pillow prices for awhile.

Here’s the fabric I’ll be using.

Keeping my fingers crossed that this project will be as easy as it looks!

Butler’s Pantry

In yesteryears, the Butler’s Pantry was a place to store silverware and other kitchen items that were not edible.

Although I loved so many of the suggestions that it was actually hard to choose one, I ended up picking Butler’s Pantry because I found it easiest to say when I was directing someone to go and get an item from there. It just seemed to slip out so easily.

I finally got around to painting the name on the door the other day. I wish now I had did it different. I would have purchased a decal with the name Butler’s Pantry from Etsy.

I made a stencil using my Silhouette Cameo. That worked great but maybe I should have used a cardstock adhesive because when I placed it on the door, I couldn’t get it to totally lay flat so overspray would get under the letters and caused my letters not to be crisp.

In between the words “Butler’s Pantry” I painted a covered serving dish.

Sometimes your results aren’t what you were really wanting and this is one of those times. But all these projects are learning experiences for me which is very valuable in its own way.

One of the benefits is now none of my kitchen helpers will lose their way and stand and wonder in front of the several doors we have, “Just where is that Butler’s Pantry” when I send them downstairs.

One little item…

But then I remember there is a sale on blackberries and clementines so I call to ask him to pick that up, too.

Three little items…

He doesn’t do much shopping at our local Sprout’s so finding the liquid iron was a bit of a chore but after rounding up two employees, the liquid iron was plucked from the shelf and safely deposited into the shopping cart.

Next were the blackberries. Two ninety-eight was the price tag. $2.98?? “A bit high but she wants them,” and into the cart they went. Next were the clementines. “Hmmm, this 5-pound bag is a better bargain. Does she really want this 2-pound bag?”

That’s when I got a call.

“Okay, so the clementines aren’t a bargain. Forget those. Blueberries for $2.98? No, they’re supposed to be $.98.”

I carefully check over the newspaper insert and see that the blueberries are part of a 72 hour sale that doesn’t start till Friday so the blueberries are rejected.

That night I’m hearing about the wonderful pomegranates that were purchased for the kids, “and I got some kiwi’s, too.”

“But where are the bananas?”

At least he remembered the liquid iron.