Mini-Makeovers at Country Living

A while back I was asked if I would contribute a photo and idea for a story on Country Living's website.  It was all about quick mini-makeovers... I spent a few days thinking it over and kept coming back to the pantry post I had done a couple weeks before.  As a busy mom myself, nothing makes me feel better than a makeover that is quick and easy and combines organizing and decor all in one.    

Above is the photo I sent them... I had such a great time rearranging our pantry and took the opportunity to give our old cabinet a little makeover at the same time.  

BEFORE:

 As you know, I love the old cabinet we use as a pantry but the inside did look a little rough.  Although the outside is painted white, I had never done anything inside other than give it a thorough cleaning.  I actually like the all wood interior in its natural state, but I thought the door could use a little freshening.  So I painted a coat of white on and then a light coat of ASCP in Paris Grey, followed with a little clear wax.  

AFTER:

I love the way it turned out... it not only looks better, but feels better to the touch.  In addition, I put a coat of ASCP Paris Grey on the lower shelf, which is the only part of the cabinet that is not original.     

You can find the tips I shared here, along with several other great ideas shared by some fantastic bloggers (I love the sugared berries by Gourmandistan so much that I plan on making some to use for Jillian's birthday cake coming up in a couple weeks).  I'm so honored that Country Living asked me to be a part of 7 Mini-Makeovers You Can Finish Fast... I hope you'll head over and check out all the inspiration! 

A Tree Swing

 I have this memory of a tree swing at my grandparents' country home.  It hangs from a huge weeping willow tree branch in New Mexico and it's where I spent countless hours as a child swinging and daydreaming. 

We have a couple huge trees on our property (and when I say huge, I mean huge).  When we first moved, my husband hung a swing from one of the trees and we had so much fun swinging from it.  But unfortunately, last year the tree had to come down as it was dying and since then we have been meaning to hang another.

 So over the weekend, in the midst of working on the chicken house and installing a new kitchen floor, I added another project to our my husband's list and asked him to cut a piece of old barn wood that I could sand for the base of the swing.  In my mind, it was just a simple project of tying a rope to a piece of wood and hanging it, but fortunately Justus was a little more realistic and put some more time in it to ensure it would be a swing to last (smile).

 The base of the swing is 20" long.  It's an extremely old piece of wood that was warped, but that made it just perfect for this project.  I sanded it and applied a coat of poly before Justus drilled holes on each end and bought 30' of hemp rope to string through the holes.  He had the perfect location for the swing, but it meant climbing way up high on the ladder (and scaring me half to death).  He drilled pilot holes in the branch, screwed in eye screws and attached the rope to D-rings. 

 This is the side of the yard that once was our driveway, but we moved it to the other side of the yard last year and gradually the grass has started to grow back.  You can kind of see in the picture above how the rope is secured to the branch.

  There is something so magical about climbing on this old-fashioned swing... inevitably, you feel like a kid again as you go flying through the air and there is just no way you can keep a smile off your face.

 Of course Jillian goes running for the swing any time we go outside. 

 "Higher, higher...!"

 Rosetta has gotten her turn as well, although she's a bit more cautious (or maybe I should say, I'm a bit more cautious). 

I love her sweet little laughter.  

Isn't it funny how our childhood memories can influence us later on so much?  I didn't really realize until writing this how many little things I enjoy and find beauty in because of memories at my grandparents'.  Like the sound of our screen door squeaking as it opens and closes, and how I planted lemon-balm by our front porch because it reminded me of the peppermint my grandma always had growing next to their patio.  Every time I sit on our new wooden swing, it just takes me back to those carefree summer days as a child... I can almost smell the peppermint and the roses and hear the screen door slam as I would swing back and forth...

Catching Up

I hope you had a wonderful Easter!  

We've been quite busy during the past couple weeks with projects, more projects and of course our day to day routines.  The trees are all budding now and it's just beautiful... I've found myself running outside in between rain (and snow) showers to bring in some of the blossoms to enjoy.

One of the things about blogging that I am most thankful for is that it has taught me to stop and take in the beauty of the smallest things.  Just two years ago I know I would have been too preoccupied to spend more than a fleeting moment observing the first blossoms of a new season.  Now I find myself not only noticing, but looking...

With a little fresh water, the buds bloom practically overnight and stay beautiful for at least a week. 

Our chicken house now is in its final stages and while it rained over the weekend, Justus installed new flooring in our kitchen (so exciting).   

My favorite part of the chicken house so far is the huge door Justus built.  It has certainly entertained the girls while I spend a little time here and there working on getting it all painted!

Saturday while we were working outside, I commented to Justus how grateful I was to be outside... I didn't hear noise from the cars driving down the road... all I could hear was the melody of the birds singing and my heart felt full with thankfulness as I took in the beauty of all the spring blooms and our two darling girls chasing each other around the yard.

    I'm sorry I don't have anything special to share today, but I thought it was about time I got back to my blog after a little unplanned break (smile).  I've missed talking to you all!  I hope you have a great week.