When The Nester inspires..

If you don't follow The Nester, you are missing out! 

I adore everything about her!!

 Her motto: it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. 

She encourages to embrace the homes we are in. 

She inspires..she loves the imperfect, perhaps my favorite thing!! 

She wrote The Nesting Place, which is a book full of not only inspiration pictures, it's full of great advice to love the home, rental or not.

I ohhhed and awwwed over her clock way before her book came out. 

I'd been dreaming of transforming a clock that was given to us for out first Christmas from hubby's parents. 

It's a treasure, yet didn't fit the look I was going for..so it stayed tucked away in a box. 

I was afraid to change it.

So many times we stop right there. 

Afraid! 

Afraid to hurt the giver..I know it stopped me from this little makeover for years! 

Then I realized, it's still that same sweet gift, but I'll love it all the more. 

I asked hubby, he has learned that little projects like this bring me joy and he didn't mind at all with me painting it. 

Some would say pieces like this are meant to stay..yet, why, if it's hidden in a box for no one to enjoy?

Last week, as I was flipping through her book once again, I remembered our clock tucked away. 

It was time..it was time to not be afraid. 

I knew we would love it. 

So I pulled it out and started. 

There were a few ohhhh, what am I doing? 

Will my mother-in-love be hurt? 

Will she love it?

 Am I destroying our treasure?

I love it, hubby loves it and it's the quirky part my kids giggled over. 

It's full of fun and brings sweet joy!!

It's no longer in a box, tucked away. 

It's being appreciated like it should. 

So many times, it's treasured pieces like this, that make you afraid to change them. 

I'm so glad I did!! 

All back to The Nester motto: it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!! 

Do you have treasures hidden away? 

I hope this inspires you to reconsider the ones tucked away. The ones you would love even more if you weren't afraid..

Thanks for stopping in,

Naomi 

She didn't pick PINK!?

Remember that little girls room that got fresh crisp white paint? 
Also remember that one wall I did a color wash on to lighten the bright pink way back in March? 
Ya..it's no more!! 
It drove me crazy..so we painted it white too. Yes..if you don't like it, just paint it white has become the thing to do..oh help me!! Where did the time go?
I also realize that this poor little princess has waited a long time for me to finish her sweet room!!!

Last week we went to pick paint for her dresser. I finally figured it out! Just do it..she will love it no matter what. I thought she would pick something pink for sure. She surprised me with Valspar Sea Kiss. It's such a pretty color!!

I have had a lot of you asking me how I refinish my pieces. 
I like simple!!
One of the reasons I love liquid deglosser so much is that it is so simple. No sanding required!! 

A good wipe down is all you need! 

I LOVE this dresser! 

It's part of a set Hubby bought me when we first got married from a friends garage sale. I am still completely giddy about these pieces! They are made so well, and will probably outlive me!

Can we talk about color samples for a bit?! I LOVE THEM..for under $3, I painted this entire dresser and had left over paint! Ya..$3!! You don't need to have a lot of money to be able to make your pieces pretty again, or even change them up as your taste changes.

I'm constantly changing things in our home. It's what I love..thrift store, distressed, make all things pretty kind of junkie! I wake up dreaming of creating, and go to bed the same. Samples are great for any project.

 You also know, my sander is never too far away and sometimes I use blades to distress too. 

Last, I finish with wax...wax on, wax off! 

I've used it for many years, and its protected all our pieces really well. 

I leave you with a sneak peek of our progress. 
I've collected vintage floral sheets for a while now and hung one of my favorites for curtains. 
Love this!
 I have a giddy little girl, which makes me giddy!! Haha..I love having a girl!

Be blessed sweet friends!!

Love,

Naomi

Our ever changing Stools!

These stools are probably gonna live with us forever!! 

Do you have some like this?

They are simple and they have held up to some pretty crazy things in this house! 

I purchased them from Walmart many years ago and came in a natural finish. 

Since then, they have been red, then turquoise, and now a new Black!! 

Today I want to share them with you because I'm really loving them!!!

Painted in a basic black, I then added a stencil I'd used a few times already to add some numbers. They are a basic stencil made with my Cricut. Painted the numbers with leftover white paint, then went crazy distressing them to reveal all the previous colors!!

 

How fun are they?

 A little paint to make old stools feel new again. 

I love them!!

Once I achieved the right amount of distressed areas, I simply waxed them. 

Thats it...so simple and easy! 

The power of paint on 2 little stools that needed to be loved a bit longer!!

Have a great day!

Love,

Naomi

Our new Entry!

Welcome!! Come on in and stay awhile, won't you!? 

Today I'm sharing the first space you see when you are welcomed into our home...our entry way!

Our entry received some much needed love...I am absolutely loving our new space! It all began with this sweet pew..I've been wanting one for a really long time. 

This one is special! We watched sweet friends say their "I dos" with these pews out in an open field, under gorgeous oak trees..it was dreamy! 

Hubby was asked if I'd want one..hello? Yes yes yes!!! In fact hubby went ahead and bought 2, one for me and another my sister bought! I can't wait to show you where hers is! 

These pews were long, 12 ft long! I'd been dreaming of having one in our entry..so sweet as he is, he chopped it down to the perfect size for our space.  

I love it!!

In our entry, we also have a small closet, one that is always overflowing! So for friends to have a place to hang they coats and things, wasn't happening. I loved all the ideas of having extra ways to hang all of it! 

Remember my stack if sweet barn wood?! 

Ya, some of it has the prettiest paint on them. I knew this old wood would be perfect for hooks! Full of zillions of nails, it took a while to pull all of them. So worth it tho! I also searched through old pieces of unused trim, some that was used and started stacking them to make my shelf to hold hooks.

I'm pretty excited about this one! I had no help...ekkk, I know!! Hubby has taught me how to use all his tools and has also gotten me some of my own. I'm officially in love with a nail gun! 

 

I decided that leaving all the pieces as is was the best way. We hung it and knew it was perfect for what we needed!

I usually let things be a bit before I finish...if you only knew how many unfinished things I've got myself into! Oh wait, you just might...let's see, 3 kids bedrooms in the middle of change and a porch still not completely done. It feels good to get this space partly finished, for now. 

While letting it be a bit, It began to feel to dark so I added a bit of white. Addicted to whites..you know! 

I shopped the house for items we already had. I want to paint the frames, and add some favorite pics of fun family memories. 

For now, I'm playing around with it. I'm sure this area will be a fun to change it up over time..and now when you come in, your coats won't be stashed all over the place! ;)

Thanks got stopping in..enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

Xoxo,

Naomi

White & Barn Wood Lockers

I'd been on a hunt for a set of sweet lockers for a long time..I've found many, but the prices were always too high for what I was willing to pay. Then one day a dear friend let me know of a set that was on craigslist..

They were perfect..well I could see they could be Perfect!

You like?

They didn't start off this pretty!

They were covered in who knows what.

I prayed that whatever I was scrubbing off of these guys wouldn't kill us.

I do these things to myself...

Saving the torn, broken, unwanted things,

they make me happy!

Can you Imagine for a moment, 

the joy God feels when He can take our broken lives, 

swoop us up and save us?!

All my projects remind me. 

I hope they always will.

I taped off all the tags, handles and gave them 2 coats in a white enamel spray paint.

I love the power of paint!

Every time when I pull tape..I sing! 

It's my favorite part. 

As you can see the sides of these lockers were by no means pretty.

A stack of the greatest salvaged barn wood has been waiting for a project just like this!! 

After pulling a ton of nails, rough sanding them, hubby helped me attach them to the top and sides.

  

White & Barn Wood

I think they were meant to be together! 

They add some much need storage to this family of 6...and I think 

they sure are Pretty!

Love,

Naomi

A date with a vintage ironing board!

I have a sweet friend...her name is June, and she is pure joy!

 Let me tell you, she knows the Word...you need something, she will quote a verse for it. She is 92 and full of wisdom!! I sure miss her..a group us ladies would meet up every Thursday for breakfast, well recently sweet June hurt her back and has resulted in her moving into a retirement home. I need to go visit her today...

When she moved she sold pretty much all of her belongings...I can only imagine how hard that would be!!

This vintage ironing board...well lets just say my heart skipped a beat when I heard it was on the list to be sold. Miss June used this sweet thing for all her ironing..isn't it lovely?!

I pulled off all the covers that covered it..at first, I was just gonna leave it natural. 

Then one day my sister called and had been to an amazing place full of treasures (which you so need to take me to, sister) and she told me about a vintage ironing board where the top was painted in stripes. Ahhhh...stripes!! Lovely..right?!

So this morning...I had a date with this vintage ironing board!

I gave the top a quick coat of white paint.

Added masking tape to make stripes, and topped that with chalkboard paint!

Pulled the tape..and got out my favorite blade. Yes it's old and so needs to be thrown out, but we have finished some great projects!

Do you like this new vintage ironing board? 

I can pull it out anytime I need that extra surface space. 

A bit of fun, and every time I'll see this piece..it will take me back to those sweet Thursday mornings listening to Miss June share her heart for God! 

Will you join me in praying healing over my sweet friend?

I would love to be able to have more Thursday morning breakfasts with her!!

Thanks for stopping in, I hope you were inspired!

Who says an ironing board need to stay an ironing board?

Have a blessed day!!

Xoxo,

Naomi

My little girls room makeover begins with some whitewashing!

Hi everyone!! 

It's been awhile...and it's time for another Project!!

In between projects you can always find me posting away on Instagram :)

Today I want to share with you my sweet little ones room makeover. 

As you know, I love my whites..well the builder beige walls in my sweet little ones room were looking dingy. She is my "lets color on walls kinda girl". 

They needed to be repainted and out came my white!! 

It's crisp and fresh! 

Open to add whatever colors we decide to go with. 

I love how whites look with pops of color.

This little girl absolutely LOVES her pink wall and requested to keep it. 

Which little girl doesn't?!

We toned down this bright pink with whitewashing it.

 I wanted it to feel soft. 

Whitewashing is so simple..

1 part paint to 1 part water. 

That's it, just wash it on, wipe it off...you get the idea.

Be prepared...it is pretty messy!! 

Yes..wear gloves! 

I'm a who needs gloves kinda girl..ha, really, do wear them, your mani will thank you!

There you have a toned down whitewashed pink wall! 

We are patiently waiting on our wood floors, which somehow had to be reordered. 

Fingers crossed at them arriving today! 

Enjoy your weekend!! 

I'm off to make decisions on repainting her furniture. Stay tuned..more to come on this sweet princesses room!

Be blessed,

Naomi