Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is less than a week away.  Yikes!  I'm not sure what I'll be doing for my father, father-in-law, or husband this year...I better get on that!

Anyway, I thought I would share a couple of Father's Day gifts from years past:

I made this for my father-in-law last year:

My father-in-law used to play scrabble on the computer all the time.  I found this idea somewhere (if you know the origin of this idea, please let me know so I can give credit) but couldn't find any scrabble tiles.  I ended up finding printable scrabble tiles online.  I cut out all the fake tiles I needed, glued them on a black piece of card stock, & framed it.  Simple & sweet!

This is what I made for my dad last year:



This is a Wendy original!  To make this, I bought a plaque from Hobby Lobby for about $1.50.  I used some leftover stain around the edges.  Then, I printed a map from Map Quest from our address to my parent's address.  The big, blue line shows the path from our town to where my parents live.  I zoomed it out enough to have both my city & my dad's city fit on the plaque.  Then, I wadded up the map, painted it with watered down brown paint, & let it dry in the sun.  You can see a similar process here.  Once dry, I cut it to size & decoupaged it to the plaque.  Then, I added some stickers from Hobby Lobby to say, "don't forget your keys".  I also added a vintage camera sticker, a sticker near our hometown that says, "Wish you were here!" and an arrow sticker that points to where we live.  Then I had my husband drill pilot holes (I think that's what they're called) & screw in the hooks.  I love the way this turned out!

Below is a gift I made for my husband for Father's Day in 2006. 

I found this idea in an old MomSense Magazine.  To make this, I took a picture of my husband & son together (This was before my daughter was born.) and had a 5x7 printed in sepia.  Then, I took an 8x10 mat & painted it cream.  Once that dried, I used painters tape to make stripes and painted them tan.  Finally, I decoupaged the picture to the mat & wrote "Happy Father's Day 2006" below it.

So, there you have it!  Hopefully these ideas will inspire you.  Now, what are you doing for Father's Day?  I need some ideas fast!

Wendy



Joining these parties...
Show & Share at Just a Girl


  

Secretary Feature & Why I'm So Tired!

I would like to thank Courtney at French Country Cottage for featuring my secretary makeover.  I failed to mention in my post that I found it on Craigslist for $75!  Others on Craiglist were priced around $250, so I feel that I got a GREAT deal!




Be sure to visit Courtney's blog.  It's not too late to link up to her Feathered Nest Friday party!

On another note, I haven't been doing the blogging thing much this week (other than my pre-scheduled posts) since I decided to complicate my life by starting two big projects at the same time!  (Why do I do this to myself???)  By morning I have been working on staining the deck (Three days down & about four to go...who knew it would take SO long...) and by night I have been adding dirt, flowers, & mulch to the front landscaping.  (We can finally cross something off our list, but you'll have to wait until next week to see it!)

I'm taking a break from the deck today, since the forecast calls for thunderstorms.  Instead, I will be taking the next 2 & 1/2 days to deep clean & organize the house, as we have company coming on Sunday!  Let's just say the dishes haven't been loaded in the dishwasher for two days & my kids emptied the recycling container on the kitchen floor to make something for the "carnival" they were having while I was busy staining the deck! 

Well, I just heard Eliana say, "Zeke, do you want to play carnival again?".  Better go before they empty out the garbage can!!

Buffing the Buffet

This table sat in the entryway of our old house.  When we moved, it was too big for our new entryway, so I decided to move it into the morning room, to serve as a buffet of sorts.

{Sorry for the REALLY bad quality...}

After moving it, I was concerned the pine color would look bad near our kitchen table, so this became my very first strip & stain project.  My original idea was to strip & stain the whole table, but after struggling to get just the flat top stripped, I decided that was a bad idea!  After lots of stripping & sanding, I cleaned off the top & stained it with Early American stain by Minwax to match our kitchen table.  Then, I wiped on polyurethane in a satin finish.

I primed & painted the rest of it in a cream color & then sanded it down to distress it a bit.  Finally, I rubbed some of the stain on the cream paint to make it less bright & to age it a bit.  For the final touch, I added some green knobs, which go well with the green of my new secretary.

Here is a closer picture of the details:

Here is the whole table:

As soon as we order a light & get the fabric for the curtains (It's on back order...ugh!) this room will be finished (for now, at least)!  I'll keep you posted!

Wendy



I'll be linking this post here:

Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed



        

Refinished Table

I have always loved this table.

It is an antique that had been in my dad's family for a long time.  I'm pretty sure my dad grew up eating at this table, as did I.  I was thrilled when my parents decided to get a new table & gave this one to my husband & I for our first home.  My mom stripped & stained it for us & it looked great.

However, two kids & ten years had it looking worn & feeling sticky (very sticky).  I decided it was time for a little sprucing up.

{See what I mean!}

I only wanted to refinish the table top, as the legs & sides still looked good (& this amateur didn't want to take those on!).  I stripped it twice, cleaned it with mineral spirits & "000" steel wool, & sanded it down, until it was ready for Minwax Early American stain (our favorite stain, & the original stain my mom used on it ten years ago).  It got one coat of stain & three coats of brush on polyurethane in a satin finish.

Here is what it looks like now:

I think it feels much prettier now! 

Now I just need to scrub down the rest of the table & all the chairs to remove the stickiness & milk spots from them!  (Anyone know how to get milk spots off chair legs?  Mine always seem to reappear once they are dry.)

We are still working on our summer projects & currently are working on three projects at once (morning room, front retaining wall & landscaping, & the concrete patio below the deck).  Hopefully, I'll be able to fully cross something off the list soon!

Wendy  

Headboard Feature!

I would like to thank Jackie at Simple Home Life and Vanessa & Heather at At the Picket Fence for featuring the Curvaceous Headboard in my daughter's room!

I always get so excited when I see that one of my projects was featured.  I really appreciate it!

If you have never visited these blogs before you should definitely check them out.  They are full of inspiration & have great Friday link parties!

  

My Personal Secretary...

Most moms feel that they need a personal secretary to help with busy schedules, paperwork, and to keep the household running smoothly.  Well, I finally have one...

{Okay, so maybe I was kind of misleading!}

I had been wanting a secretary for the kitchen/morning room, ever since I saw the one in Andrea's kitchen (Oak Ridge Revival).  Our only computer is in the study, which is in the front of our house, away from the kitchen & family room.  Because of this, my daughter gets away with sneaking lots of food & making huge messes while I am busy keeping up on my blogging! 

{Case in Point...That would be her polishing off her 6th popsicle!}

I thought this spot in the morning room, which is opened to both the kitchen & family room, would be a great place to compromise keeping up with my blogging & my kids!  It will also make a great spot for meal planning & couponing.

Anyway, the secretary had some minor imperfections, & I knew I didn't want to take on stripping & staining this piece because of all the details.  I decided to paint it instead.  Here's what I came up with:

I decided to paint it a cream color on the outside & a light green inside the display cabinet.  Then, I wiped it with stain to tone down the cream & give it an aged look.

Here is a picture of the inside.  On the top shelf I placed a wedding picture, plate from Hobby Lobby, & my newest piece of pottery, a pinch pot my son made in art class (my new favorite!).  Below that, I placed a silver tray from Dollar Tree, crystal bowl with flowers, & a framed letter.  On the bottom shelf I placed a basket (okay, I'll admit, I was running out of extra accessories at this point!) & one of my grandmother's dessert plates.

Now I just need to get a laptop to make it functional!  (That may be a while though!)

Have a great weekend!

Wendy



I'll be linking to these parties:

Show & Share Day at Just A Girl
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Simply Creations Friday at Simple Home Life
Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence

Involving Color Feature!

Just wanted to let you know that Jena at Involving Color added my son's & daughter's room & family room to the room galleries on her site.  You can see the feature here.

If you have never visited Jena's blog, you'll definitely want to check it out!  You are sure to find lots of inspiration in the room galleries & from her lovely before & after home tour!

Thanks for the feature Jena!

Click below to see the original blog posts from the rooms featured:

Pretty In Pink Bedroom
Nautical Boy's Bedroom
Family Room