She Sells SeaShells By The SeaShore

Since I am going to the beach for vacation very soon I have been thinking about things I could do with seashells. Here are a few ideas....

Hmmm, wonder how many starfish are on this stunning mirror??

This is an easy project and so cool!

Here's something to keep you busy for awhile and use all those seashells you've collected!

Use a Rotozip to put a groove in the shell to use as place card holders!

Rope and shells made into napkin rings...perfect for your summer table!

Wow, this is stunning! If you have alot of shells..go find a lamp at a garage sale & get busy!

This is seashell encrusted letters...get the cardboard letters from Hobby Lobby and start attaching the seashells. Makes a great statement on a shelf or mantle!

You could get a fillable glass lamp and just pour in all those shells. Love how there are a few dyed shells in there to match the lamp shade!

Hope I find lots of shells on vacation!!

DARLENE

My Thrift Store Find And MakeOver

Hope you all had a great weekend! They just never are long enough, are they?!

Did you know that every monday you can check out all the thrifting and garage sale finds from about 100+ bloggers? Just go to Rhoda's blog-Southern Hospitality to find all the links or to participate in her linky party called Thrifty Treasures AND you can go check out how people all across blogland have transformed things they have over at Susan's blog-Between Naps On The Porch. Susan hosts the linky party called Metamorphosis Monday. So stop on by both of these blogs to get some great inspiration!

Today I am participating in both of these linky parties- Thrifting Treasures & Metamorphosis Monday.

I scored this framed mirror at the Salvation Army. It was $12...way more than I normally would have spent, but I liked the size and detail!

Now you know that I couldn't keep it as is! I had hubby remove the mirror (for use on a future project) and I proceeded to prime & paint it & distress it a bit. Then I painted a piece of Luann with chalkboard paint and Voila......a new chalkboard!

Now I made this to sell but now I'm wondering if I should keep it for my kitchen instead of the smaller one I made. So I need you to help me decide if I should stick with the smaller one I made for my kitchen or if I should sell the smaller one and keep this new large chalkboard?? Decisions Decisions!

Ok, time to vote on which one I should keep.

UPDATE: Ok, you all voted for me to keep the big one so...........

now I'm selling the smaller chalkboard. Let me know if you would like to buy it. Just leave a comment or email me at darlene@creativecarpetdesign.com

It is $39/$8 shipping

Thanks
~Darlene~

Don't Forget To Watch.........

If you all are obsessed with design and decorating like myself, don't forget to watch the new Design Star on HGTV.

It starts tomorrow 10/9 central!

I just got reminded myself by a commercial, so I made sure it all the episodes were scheduled to record. Too bad Layla didn't make it...that sure would have been fun routing for our blog friend! Maybe next year!

Salvation Army Find....Makeover

I want to start off by saying a "BIG THANK YOU" for all of you that sent me get well wishes and offered up prayers! Vertigo is AWFUL and makes you feel terrible! I had alot of people praying and I honestly believe I was healed! Thank you Jesus! I felt like a new woman on sunday and have felt great since!


Since I finally felt back to normal I wanted to get out of the house so the girls and I went out to our local Salvation Army and Goodwill Store the other day. I found a few things that I am making over. Here is the first item I found. It is one of those covered cheese tray things. It was $2.

I realized after I started painting it that I forgot to take a photo...so here it is half painted.

I sprayed it several coats of black spray paint after sanding it first. Then I polyurethaned it. Hey, if I ever want to use it for cheese...does anyone know if that would be safe?

For now I am using it to showcase a seashell, a starfish, and some sand dollars we found on our last vacation.

I think I may like it better if it was raised a bit so I may add some feet to it.

I am going to save the other things I bought to makeover to show you on Monday, so please come back and see.

Have a Super Day!
Darlene

I'm denying myself

I am missing my favorite foods! I shouldn't be even looking at these because it is just torturing me!






I am on day 8 of a diet and doing great. I have lost almost 8 lbs so far! Although I do fantasize about eating yummy foods again! So are you wondering what diet I am on?? Have you heard of the HCG diet? I had never heard of it until about 2 weeks ago when I started researching the net for ways to reset my metabolism. My metabolism had basically shut down. Anyway, found amazing testimonials from people who did this hcg diet and once they were off of it they had a great working metabolism and could eat normally. You can read about it here

Well just wanted to find out if any of my fellow blog friends have done this or are doing this diet?

This is my goal!

Take Care
Darlene

Our Finished Kitchen.....Finally! We LOVE it!

We officially finished our kitchen today! WooHoo! I'm doing a Happy Dance!!

It was 95% done a month ago, but we just finished the little touch ups we had to do. We are so happy with how it turned out! I told hubby that I had to have EVERYTHING done today so I could take pics and participate in Metamorphosis Monday hosted by Susan from Between Naps on the Porch...and what a great hubby I have because he did it and then even helped me clean the kitchen so I could take photos.

We did this kitchen remodel all ourselves with exception of having the granite counters made & installed. If you would like to know how we refinished the cabinets step by step click HERE.

What we spent:

Primer-$15
Paint-$25
Polyurethane-$13
Glaze-$15
Cabinet Feet-$90
Silgranite Sink-$284
Price Pfister Marielle Stainless Steel Faucet,Sprayer, and Soap Dispenser -$135
New Venetian Gold Granite-$2237.50
2 Rattan Chairs -$200
Recessed light-$10
Crown Molding-$48
Beadboard-$15
wood appliques-$7
tumbled marble backsplash, grout,adhesive, & sealer -$300
chalkboard- frame was $2, chalkboard paint -$10
Oil Rubbed Bronze drawer pulls- $4 each/$32
OIL Rubbed Bronze door knobs- .90 cents each/$11.70
Whirlpool Side by Side Refridgerator -$1150
Hidden Hinges - $140
Under Cabinet Lighting -$60
Bottom Edge of Cabinet Trim - $20
6 Baskets -$75

TOTAL $4895.20

So that you can appreciate the AFTERS, I have to show you what the kitchen looked like before. This is the kitchen we installed ourselves when we bought the unfinished home back in 1993. Golden Oak was popular back then and tile was top of the line. We finished our home ourselves on a cash basis...and we didn't have any cash, so it was done on whatever we managed to save each month. Every month we would tackle another project to complete our home. All the while we lived in our unfinished home. It took us 10 yrs to complete the home! We have lived in our home now 17 yrs and last year decided to update the kitchen. Actually our 2 daughters said, "Hey, our home looks great, but when are you going to redo the kitchen?" We thought, "WHAT, our kitchen is fine!" That is what we thought until we saw photos of it and realized we needed to work on updating our kitchen..UGH! The work on a home never ends!!!

OK, don't laugh...our breakfast nook did look better in person.

Goodbye Golden (orangy) Oak!!!

Now without further ado...........

Our New Kitchen

With light on
With light off (just undercabinet lights are on)

Cream cabinets with subtle glazing
oil rubbed bronze knobs
tumbled marble backsplash
New Venetian Gold Granite
Took cab. doors off above microwave & added baskets

Did the same over the fridge (it's so much easier now) Totally recommend doing this!!




Hubby built this (it is the pedestal at the breakfast nook)
Added wood appliques for some interest on the false drawer fronts
Hey check out my legs...I painted the kickboard black to make it disappear and added bun feet to make the cabinets look like freestanding furniture...the custom look!
Crown molding was added by my talented hubby
I made the chalk board from a frame I got at a garage sale for $2
Would you join me for a glass of wine?
Showing the beadboard added to breakfast nook pedestal hubby built
My pretty feet! One of my favorite things we did in our kitchen! $90 well spent!
Our 13 yr old dog...Shelby enjoying the new kitchen!
closeup of the backsplash, switch plate cover
This is my other favorite...my Cafe Brown Silgranit Sink!! LOVE the size & depth!!
Faucet, Sprayer, & Soap dispenser is by Price Pfister Marielle in Stainless Steel


I made the Farmer's Market sign just for that area...oh and our last name is Farmer so it is PERFECT for us!




Closeup of the chalkboard I made

This is looking into the kitchen from the dining room
I had plans to use that corbel, but changed my mind so now it just sits on the counter

See the beadboard on the cabinet end
The tall, tiny door is my miniscule pantry
Closeup of beadboard and bottom of cabinet trim


Oh, the color of the walls is SW Clary Sage


My KitchenAid mixer looks great in the new kitchen!
Isn't this breakfast nook so much better than our old one?!!
The seagrass chairs are from World Market
I choose those so they would tie in with the baskets above the microwave, fridge
Large cream/wrought iron vase is from Pier One
(did you know that I LOVE vases..I do)


Hope you enjoyed the photo tour of our new kitchen! Hmmm, what can I redo next????
I know, I know...our master bedroom is next! I better give hubby a break first though! LOL

Take Care
Darlene