Dining Progress - Table Built

So we have been working away on the dining room. It is coming along. The past two weeks we finished the baseboards, painted the window, built, stained, and sealed the table.

So here is the dining room today (don't mind the random chairs.... Maddux insists on sitting in there right now)

Ready for a ridiculous amount of photos of a table??? Here we go....

So back to the to do list.


1. add board and batten to the walls to add in some architectural interest that matches the library.
2. paint the room white.
3. Paint the ceiling
4. Hang new Chandelier
5. Replace the light switch with a dimmer
6. Put up new baseboards
7. Build large dining room table
8. Find new dining chairs
9. Find colorful curtains
10. Large free standing mirror to bounce off more light
11. Wall decor
12. Table decor
13. paint window trim white
14. add woven blinds?

So it is getting there.
We did decide to build a couple of benches for now... just so we have some seating while we decide what chairs we want. We can't really agree on what to put in there and we first need to figure out the seating in the library so it all flows together. So right now we are building some 40 dollar benches that Ana-White put up. At least we know we can always use benches somewhere if they don't stay in here :) So even if it is a temporary solution we know we can re-use them somewhere else.

So this week we will be building the benches.
And hopefully be adding in curtains and some artwork to this room.
And you can see in these photos I have a long way to go to fill up that library. Luckily I just found a couple of boxes of books int he basement. So we are getting there.

Lemonade Stand

So a few weeks ago I was talking to my dad on the phone... who was spending the day with my niece. Who's birthday party was that Saturday. And he mentioned that instead of a gift... she wanted me to build her a lemonade stand ... because she had some huge ideas on how to build up her piggy bank this summer :)

So .... 

I found some online Inspiration..

Source: indulgy.com via Maya on Pinterest

And then... I kind of just made up the plans as we went...

If you are looking for a good starting point, or a full set of plans to follow there are some good ones Here on Ana White

and the final product is by far the cutest thing in this world.
So my niece wasn't around for me to take photos this week... so i recruited my little cheese ball :)

So stinking cute!!!!


I can't wait to get pictures of my nieces selling lemonade :) Especially with a pink butting and whatever cute accessories I can round up for the lemonade debut! :)

Linked up at T & J and Stephanie Lynn

DIY Console Table/Desk

A friend of mine asked me to build her a desk for her office.
She went onto Ana-White and picked out these plans found Here.

I normally take these photos outside.. it's easier to get the true color of the furniture outside for me. But since it was raining, I had to deal with inside photos.

Please ignore the green taped window. I have only been priming/painting that window for 3 weeks now. Someday I'll just finish it. And ignore the top secret project on the other side of the table. I will share that with you soon.

So let's focus on the table :)

I love this stain. Really love it. In fact, I will be using it on the dining room table we are building. The color is Weathered Oak. It's nothing less than awesome... I mixed in a little bit more grey.. and darkened it up just a bit.

So here is Melody's new table/desk.
Hopefully she loves it, If not. I love it... so I am willing to keep it ;)

I am seriously in love with this stain.
It is going to be a problem.

Baseball Side Table

A friend of mine sent me a link to a baseball night stand she had found online and wanted to know if I would be able to replicate it.

She sent me This Link

She dropped off a wood baseball bat... and I went out and bought a small circle table top. The base was a little difficult. since the link, she is using a base from a previous pedestal table... which I did not have. So I had to work on figuring out what I could use for the base. Well after trying to figure out... Someone commented to use a "base" as a base. So that is what we did.

We cut out the shape of a base and used that as our base of the table.

I keep saying base. its probably confusing to follow. but you will see.. in the photos. I promise.

I then painted the table tops and the "base" white... I hand drew on the seams of the ball. which is nerve wrecking by the way. free hand painting. when I was never a painter. but... I figured it out. and luckily.. this wasn't too difficult.
Then took some glaze and antiqued up the top and the bottom of it.

Isn't it adorable?

Linked up at Tatertots and Jello

Hopefully it fits in well with her son's baseball room! :)

Play Table and Chairs Giveaway!

Most days my sofa table is an action figure paradise.

Where they battle. discuss. create alliances (Hi I'm captain America. Hi I'm iron man. Are you my friend? yes. Are you my friends.. yes) then they beat up Batman.
That is usually the commentary of two action figures. Discussing before the alliance - are you my friend?
Once the friendship is decided, they team up and attack. and this goes on for hours until the two in the alliance are left standing. Then usually one ends the alliance... and there is one.

Lately though. My son has been watching the Justice League cartoon and its new to him. and it has introduced a new super hero he hadn't a clue about...Wonder Woman.

My favorite thing in the entire world... is when we will be wrestling. or he will be wrestling his dad. and he will stand up and yell "I'm wonder woman!" and then attack you with his imaginary wrist guards. cracks me up every single time. I need to get this on tape. before he realizes... wonder woman is a girl. :)

On with the project...
My living room. The room where action figure goes to die. They are everywhere. In the couch cushions. under the couch. under the table. hiding in the lamp shade

So one day while cleaning them up. and checking inside of lamps and jars and vases and pulling out super heroes out of everywhere and anywhere. I thought there was enough room between the kitchen and the dining room to give him a little play area of his own.

so I went on to Ana White and found these plans here and here

Now he has his own little spot to play. And maybe (crossing my fingers) this will keep superman out of my vases. Probably not though. Probably not. But at least he has his own table he can play on and use for whatever super hero battles his imagination comes up with :)

And the best part...

I built an extra one. Just like the one I built for my house. I built an extra table and 2 chairs.
Do you want one?

Here is what you have to do to enter!
You know the rules... Anywhere in the local are through Tinley Park to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Playroom Updates

One of my favorite playrooms ever is from the blog Perfectly Imperfect

Source: myidealhome.tumblr.com via Mary on Pinterest

I just love everything about it.

My inspiration for Maddux's table and chair set I built in ... I tried to pull from here.

I used This table plan  from Ana White to build it.

Before we had a coffee table in the middle... shown here

I went with a slightly rustic version. Painted the thing bright turquoise then dry brushed some white over it... and sanded it to wear in spots.

And now today it looks like this....

And another update... if you haven't seen it on my Snippets of Home. The updated trim around the media closet :) Now just to finish the trim around that window. :)

I plan on getting rid of that couch and building a daybed. That way we have an extra bed if we ever need for sleepovers or company or anything else.  And in my head... it works better in this room. We have a tv up in this room on the opposite wall which also is where we keep our gaming systems. So having a place to sit... for kids and adults is necessary. The trim is updated in the room except for the windows. I am putting off painting as many windows as possible for now. Once the weather warms up and I can pop them out and paint them it will be so much easier!

So next on the playroom list will be painting the window trim and building a twin sized daybed. Once I sell this couch on Craigslist it is.

Check out Perfectly Imperfect's spaces. It will make you insanely jealous. Her playroom is straight from a catalog. and her movie room... do not even get me started.

Small Rustic Bench Giveaway

Now, If the weather had cooperated I would have shown you what I love little benches for. I usually love them on front porches... drowning in flowers. Or pumpkins... Or anything really. Like...

Source: chickabug.com via Denise on Pinterest

or

Source: thegoodwillgal.com via Linda on Pinterest

Or... among a collection of things... Something like this

Source: ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com via Marilyn K Pfaff on Pinterest

But as mentioned... The weather is just plain terrible lately. That flowers were not an option. And I am a wimp and standing outside in the cold to take photos... was not appealing.  So you will have to deal with my mediocre photos in the house... and use your imagination.

So there you have it.

I mean you could use it for anything you want... Its yours if you win. It would also be cute in a play room. But I am disappointed the weather was not nice enough for me to drown it in porch like cuteness like i had planned.

On with the giveaway

This is facebook fan only giveaway.

To enter you must like my page on on facebook. which you can find Here

Additional entries... Refer a friend... Have them tell me you referred them and that will also be an additional entry.

Comment on the facebook post to enter!

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

Giveaway is short and sweet. Giveaway ends Saturday at 9pm. Winner announced Saturday night!
Must be in local area to win. Anywhere from Rockford to Tinley Park... anything in between. :)