Painting The Guest Cottage Front Door

 We perused facebook marketplace.  We were looking at antique stores (this predates the "Big Quarantine"). I even looked at a company in Springfield that crafts high end custom wood doors in vintage styles.  What we wanted was a front door for the guest cottage that had some character.  Solid. With a window. And that we could afford.

Then my husband was digging through my stash in my shop and found one.  Yep, I already had one.  Maybe not as old or full of character as I desired -- but you can't argue with FREE. To add character we found some old scalloped trim pieces (yes, also in my shop) and attached them to the top and bottom of the window on the exterior side of the door.

Then we choose Home Depot's color of the year -- "Back to Nature" to paint the exterior side. Another piece of the guest cottage puzzle done.

My Thrift Store Reopened!

Our church is having video support groups.  At one of our zoom "meetings" they asked what each of us missed the most during the quarantine .  I said I missed my thrift store. It reopened this week, and I finally had a chance to put on my latex gloves and go.

I like my thrift store for a variety of reasons.  They have special sales every day.  Each week they have a different colored hang tag on clothing that is only 25 cents.  (25 cents! You can't get much for 25 cents!) Saturdays they sometimes have mega-sales: like 50% off the entire store, or today when I went all clothing was only $1.  $1 means for coats, formals, dresses, mens clothes, whatever!

All of the money goes to Missouri Council Of The Blind -- so it all goes to a great cause. There are days I get a senior discount.  If you spend $100 (accumulative) you get a $10 discount.

Today I spent a big $33 and got a huge trash bag packed with clothes.  I got three long dresses in my size -- I usually scramble when I have to go to a formal event but now I will be ready.  One of the dresses fit great and was a keeper.  One had damage I failed to see before I bought (but hey, it was only a buck!).  One was a bit to small on the top but I am going to try to sell it on ebay.

I got several items for my husband that he was actually excited about, including these shorts! One of my sons is flying in from California in a couple of weeks, so I got him some things.  And I managed to get a few more things for myself.

Sliding Door For The Guest House Bunkroom

The bunkroom will be just large enough for two built-in bunks and a little standing room beside the beds..  There is not room for a door to swing in.  And with two other doors opening out to the tiny "hallway", there is not room for another door to swing out either. So we decided on a sliding door, one with history of course.

First I "shopped my shop" where I keep things for resale, no luck.  But after clearing out my outdoor antiques booth, I found this door.  It had been camoflauging the top of a modern plastic folding table in my booth.  I had forgotten that I had it.  I had used it for that same purpose for over 6 years.  Time for it to shine.

First it was a little too narrow.  So my husband made one more "panel" and attached it to one side.  Then I mixed about a 50/50 paint-to-water wash.  I only did one long "panel" at a time so that I could quickly go back over it with a rag and remove any excess paint.  That helps to give it something of a transparent effect. After letting it dry, I went over it lightly with a palm sander.  Then I quickly brushed on a stain and instantly removed it.  That way the bare wood peaking through has some character.

The "smooth" side will face the hallway area.  The side with horizontal bars will face the inside of the bunkroom.  I think both sides look interesting.

My Husband's Corona Virus Isolation Project #10 -- Two Boot Trays

 With the addition of lots of rain and chickens, our mud room was looking like --

 well, a muddy room.

So my husband started the hunt for a "boot tray" where we could set our boots when we came in.

I suggested this little berry basket.

(At that point it did not have a corrugated metal insert or a handle.)  

Nope, too small for his big boots and not heavy duty enough.

But he said he would go ahead and make it for the guest cottage.

After looking at farm stores and on-line, he decided to make one himself.

 He used old barn wood that we already had.

And "Helmsman" wood finish that we already had.

And corrugated tin that we already had....

And made the nicest looking boot tray that I have ever seen.

Goodbye to mud in the mud room.

Free No-Sew Curtains For The Ozark House Day 33

 I keep whining about the amount of money we are spending.

An inexpensive curtain rod runs about $25,

each inexpensive curtain panel costs about the same.  Ouch.

I found some old fashioned cheapo metal roads in the "attic" and an

idea formed for the upstairs curtains.

When I owned an antique store I used these vintage sheers for the windows.

They have a tiny little pattern, and when they have the sun shining thru

them and are blowing in the wind....

well, there is nothing more romantic.

So I kept them for 15 years waiting for such a time as this.

 I used some shorter ones in the bathroom.

First I wrapped the ugly curtain rod with a longer sheer.

 Then I draped the sheer sections over the rod and tied the ends together.

It took 9 of them + the one wrapped over the rod. 

I wasn't about to hand hem all of those to length.

I kind of love the casual,

irregular look of them.

(And just image those blowing in the breeze!)

Easy Upgrade To $10 Walmart Curtain Rods

 We continue to hemorrhage money for the new house.

Yesterday I spent....well, alot.... for a new bed.

So when I was looking at purchasing four curtain rods today,

I definitely felt poor.  After checking Lowe's,

Home Depot, Target, Kohl's and Bed Bath & Beyond I dreaded the thought

that I might have to shell out between $22-$45 per curtain rod.  

Then I went to Walmart.  $10 per curtain rod.

But look closely at the above photo and you can see why.

Plastic finials. Sigh.

So I purchased my $7  go-to Rustoleum Metallic Spraypaint,,

this time in Flat Burnished Amber.  Love this stuff.

After a couple hours the cheesy plastic finials

looked like a million bucks

(or at least like $22 bucks).

#easyupgrade

Painting On A Jute Or Sisal Rug -- Day 14

 This new house is costing us dearly.

We are hemorrhaging money --

my husbands words.  After refinished the hardwood floors and

purchasing three Magnolia Home rugs, our floor budget was busted.

So I dragged these two garage sale rugs out of storage.

I paid $5 for the top jute one, and a big $6 for the bottom sisal rug.

Problem was, I hated the designs on the front.

Above is the turquoise one.

 

But the backs were great, and plain except for the rolled hem.

I did a quick internet search and people paint on these rugs all the time.

The recommendation is always to use primer as a first coat.

This heavier sisal rug had a rust and black tiger stripe action going on (ysh) in the front.

 

So today I painted a thick primer on the underside rolled hem,

which will now be the top side.  I wanted it white,

so I will probably just leave it with primer.

TWO good size quality rugs for $11,

that won't break the bank.

Even our bank.

Vintage Bathroom Makeover -- The "Thrifty Highlights"

Okay, so this is the outdated main floor bathroom.

You can see that we were up against a tight, long space.

It was going to be a huge project to get it looking attractive.

And cost a bundle in labor alone.

So anywhere we could save a few bucks, we did.

Here are the thrifty highlights.

The three backspash areas around the sink were put together from

a box of scrap tiles that were purchased at a garage sale for $5.

The first challenge was putting them together artfully.

They were applied to sticky contact paper the same dimensions as the wall space.

(The second challenge came when the contractor had to

try to replicate the design on the wall.)

 Salvaged 4" wood.  I literally got them out of a barn,

but we think they were from an old building that was torn down.

Lots of interesting nails and nail holes. I bought them on a Monday,

washed them at the above carwash on Tuesday (it took about $14 worth of quarters),

and the guys installed them on Wednesday.

 Flooring. I needed something easy to clean, waterproof and that would blend

into a vintage bathroom.  I found three boxes of this vinyl flooring at Home Depot.

Clearanced for $11 a box instead of  $45.  I also applied for a Home Depot credit card and

received a $25 credit.

Thus, the whole floor cost me $8.

You are actually looking at three "budget" areas of the bathroom here.

Top left are two "bullseye" trim pieces that I bought to go above one of the doors.

I paid $2 each for the trim pieces. The door originally had similar ones, which had been removed when the ceiling was dropped. We were also able to locate a matching top trim piece, to fit between the bullseyes over the door.

The vintage milk glass & porcelain light fixture was only $5 at a garage sale.

We knew it would look great above the white porcelain "vessel" sink and mosaic backsplash.

 We only used the cabinet doors and hinges off of the cabinet, which I paid $35 for.

Do not be sad for the cabinet, one of the guys cut some of the project barn wood to cover

the hole in the top.  I already sold it at my vintage booth.

See how the whole bathroom came together in the "after"

reveal, click here.