5 Easy Ways To Show A Blogger Some Love

With Valentine's Day a little more than 2 weeks away, love is definitely in the air.  Don't forget to show those around you some love and why not start with your favorite blogger?

Yes I'm a blogger so all of the information below hits close to home, but this isn't just about me and my readers.  With all the blogs out there (over 6.5 million!) you are either a blogger, know a blogger, or enjoy reading a blog.  Are you doing all you can to help that small business succeed?

Wait, back up...small business?  Yep, that's exactly what a blog is to many bloggers - whether they sell ad space, own an online shop or offer freelance writing or other types of services (or are building their blog towards these) - the blog is their business and each of the five tips below will help to build and grow their business.

Home Organization: Utilizing the Utility Closet

For most homes storage is hard to come by.  Our house is no different.  We do, however, have a pretty rad utility closet.  Unfortunately, it tends to look like this most of the time.

Not an ideal setup to access and find items easily and definitely not a place that I would be proud to show off. Fortunately I'm channeling the great Ms. Barbara Reich this month and I'm whipping this closet into shape. You might have caught my first two successes when I cleaned the cabinet under the kitchen sink and tackled the bathroom cabinet.  And if you were paying any attention you already know that I'm taking part in Apartment Therapy's January Cure by making a list and getting things done!

Home Organization: Tackling The Bathroom Cabinet

Carrying on the organization trend and in keeping with Apartment Therapy's January Cure Day 5, I tackled another project off THE LIST - another black hole in our home that had been far too long overlooked.  The bathroom cabinet, like the cabinet under our kitchen sink, was in desperate need of some organization.

Just like in the kitchen we were using a rack to utilize some multi-level storage and just like in the kitchen it was failing.  Every time we opened the door something would fall out.  Sounds familiar, right?

I took everything out except the stackable drawers.  I went through everything - even the drawers - and purged a bunch of things that were either outdated, unused or not in the right place.  I found a new home on the cabinet door for my hair tools using a removable Command hook which opened up a whole drawer for toiletry items.  The drawers could still use some organization inside - perhaps some small bins to corral items - but for now it'll do.

The List of All Lists: January Cure - Day 1

I'm a little behind over here and completely missed the first few days of Apartment Therapy's January Cure.  It was probably my lazy side that was quite comfortable snuggled up on the couch so it took drastic measures and locked my motivated side up far away from Apartment Therapy feeds.  Luckily for my home's well-being - and my husband's sanity - my motivated side broke out of captivity because things were starting to get pretty chaotic up in her'.

The first assignment of the 31-day challenge was to create a Project List - going from room to room and writing down everything that needed attention.  Simple enough.  Writing lists is my forte - keeping track of that list and not losing it amongst the clutter is a whole 'nother story.  So in an effort to keep myself accountable I'm sharing the entire list here with you.

It just so happens that 2/3rd of our family came down with a nasty cold.  Luke and I have been cuddled up in bed together all day munching on goldfish and watching Lady & the Tramp and Downton Abbey.  After the third time watching the beaver take off Lady's muzzle (hmm...that doesn't sound quite right), I decided to break out the pad and pen and get to writing my Project List - starting with the bedroom of course.

Home Organization: Organizing The Black Hole

Has your home gotten a bit out of control, like mine?  Between all of the home projects we've been tackling lately our house has become somewhat of a hoarder's paradise.  Not quite the rat infested garbage heap that TLC likes to sensationalize, but pretty.dang.close.  It's just that there's so much to do and I just don't wanna do it!  (Picture me crossing my arms, furrowing my eyebrows and stomping my foot.)  You guys feel me?

Even though my choice would be to ignore the chaos for a little bit longer - I just can't.  So, rather than waiting until the first sign of spring for the proverbial spring cleaning - I'm getting started now.  We went hogwild this weekend and finally tackled a few areas that have been quite frustrating.  It all started when I walked into the kitchen and found the under-the-sink cabinet's contents on the kitchen floor.  Apparently, Josh thought it was a good time to try and fix our busted dishwasher.  That man certainly knows the way to my heart - for those of you that don't know, hand-washing dishes is my kryptonite.  So a little mess in an attempt to make me happy was alright with me.

With the cabinet already halfway emptied, I thought it was a good time to finally tackle this organization issue.  I failed to snap a "Before" photo, but this does a good job showing the ridiculous amount of things that were shoved in there - vases, bubbles, cleaning supplies, jars of screws.  I'm surprised a clown car didn't find it's way out of there.

Another Obsession To Add To My Arsenal

Saturday, 7 am.  While every good wife would be in the kitchen fixin' her loving family a breakfast fit for royalty (or in our case, a bunch of lumberjacks), I'm sitting here glued to my laptop.  While catching up on some good ol' blog reading, I came across a post by Nate B. about his Vintage Gift Guide picks from V&M.  Curiosity led me on over to V&M which I hadn't heard of before.  With that one click, the clouds parted, the rains ceased and, unfortunately for my husband, I found my new online obsession. Vintage & Modern is the leading online source for unique vintage furniture, antiques, art, jewelry, fashion and design from around the world.  WHAT?!  Vintage shopping from the comfort of your couch?  I.AM.THERE.

How have I NOT heard about V&M before?!  Or have I?  I'm not completely convinced that this is actually my first visit - I think I stumbled upon it back in the day.   Why it didn't resonate back then, I'll never know.  But, now I'm hooked.

Not only does V&M have a drool-worthy collection of furniture & accessories - like this gorgeous antique gothic arch top window below.  It also has TV.  So, if I'm not annoying my husband enough by spending hours browsing the shops I can skip on over to the READ section (which also includes TV) and really check out.  And just when he's about to match me with some fantasy football "research" I'll just show him the Breweriana section and that's how I'll bring him over to the dark side.

So what about you guys?  Have any favorite online shopping destinations that fuel your home design obsession?

A Little Organization Is A Good Thing

Channeling Ms. Martha Stewart, I get a big urge to organize with the passing of the holidays or the changing of the seasons - whether it's one room, the whole house or this little ol' blog.  Earlier this week I packed up all the Christmas decorations, but as I mentioned before, there really wasn't much to pack up.  There's definitely some organization needed throughout the rest of the house, but that would require me to go to our freezing cold unfinished upstairs.  Not gonna happen.  So with the house out of the question for now and with a little motivation from Katie over at Bower Power, I decided to organize the blog.

I used to have a "Tutorials" page that was just a running list of the project name and a link.  Pretty plain, pretty uninspiring.  If I were looking at any other blog I probably would skip right past it.  Taking from my "get 'er done" resolution, I finally put in some work and updated my project page.  The "Tutorials" page has now been completely replaced by the "Project Gallery" page.

The Project Gallery is a much more attractive reference for my projects.  Rather than a running list of text, it's now a nice gallery of project snapshots that are hyperlinked to each respective blog post.  Not only is it more visibly appealing, but it also shows new readers my style and what this little blog is about, which is pretty much a little of everything...just like my eclectic style.

Pumpkin A'Plenty - 6 Ways to Put That Pumpkin Decor To Use

Now that we're fully into Christmas decorating season, what are you going to do with the leftover pumpkins that survived the fall?  Luckily, I have six ways to keep them from rotting on your front porch.

1.  Roast The Seeds

Who doesn't love baked pumpkin seeds?  Cut the pumpkin in half and separate the seeds from the membrane.  Rinse the seeds and allow them to dry on a paper towel.  Spray a baking sheet with oil, spread out seeds evenly, sprinkle with salt and bake for 10-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Store seeds in an airtight container.  Regular ol' pumpkin seeds a little too boring?  Try these tasty takes on the classic - cinnamon & sugar, ginger-orange zest, spicy and cheesy.

{VIA}

Can You Smell That Smell - Homemade Room Spray

Febreeze, move on over - there's a new, healthier girl in town and folks, she's easy.  If you can shake it - you can make it. 

You'll need:

• 2 cups distilled warm water
• 2-3 drops essential oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Spray bottle

First take some distilled water - you can either purchase some at the store, make your own or try the lazy girl's version (like me!) and just use cooled boiled water - pour it into the spray bottle and mix in the rest of the ingredients.  I've used lavender essential oil, but you could use whatever fragrance your little heart (or nose) desires.  Give it a good ol' shake and freshen your room or furniture items with a little spritz.

That Dang Hemnes Dresser

As I mentioned back in this post our well-built black bedroom furniture got the boot for the white Ikea Hemnes furniture when we needed to lighten things up.  But my dear Hemnes dresser couldn't hold up to my collection of clothes. 

I kept fixing the dresser only to have it burst open in a "you can't fix me, you can't fix me" taunt.  Even putting a few more nails into it did nothing to help.  Finally fed up with simply putting the dresser back together, I decided to fix this dresser once and for all. 

Open Shelving Gets A Trim

Remember that open shelving we installed awhile back?  We made the 4-foot long shelves from the Ikea Valter brackets and simple 1x12 white wood boards.  I love our open shelving.  It's freed up cabinet space where we used to house our plates and bowls and cleared up counter space where our glass jarred food staples used to hang out.  But what I'm not too fond of are the thin boards and the unfinished edges of each shelf.

While the boys (the hubs, my dad and my brother) were hard at work on the mudroom and while we had all the tools out, I garnered some motivation (and possibly guilt over being the only one not doing anything) and decided to finally get these shelves up to par with a quick little fix.  I pulled out a couple 1x2s from our stash to update each shelf with mitered trim.  The 45 degree miter cuts were incredibly simple thanks to the use of a chop saw, but they could also be cut using a miter box and hand saw.  I cut three trim pieces for each shelf and left the back of each trim-free since they wouldn't be seen.

DIY Halloween Costumes

What?  It's been over a week since Halloween?  Rather than get caught up in the details let's just take a look at our rad DIY Halloween costumes this year. 

The hubs and I stepped out on the town the Saturday before Halloween for some much needed grown up fun.  We threw these little numbers together last minute using things we had at home, plus some makeup and hair assistance from the neighbors. 

Say hello to Frankenstein and Frankenstein's Bride.

Not too shabby for pulling it out a couple hours before the party.  And guess what?  That's my wedding dress!  Frankenstein's bolts - those are painted marshmallows.  They did a pretty damn good job of sticking too.  My hair - that's the end result of some crazy teasing and a disgusting mixture of egg whites and elmer's glue.  I woke up the next morning still rocking the hair style.  It.Didn't.Move.  Luckily it came out pretty easily in the shower with the ol' smear on a bunch of conditioner, brush through, rinse and wash method.

DIY // Homemade All-Natural Liquid Laundry Detergent

I've just used the last of my supply of powdered all-natural laundry detergent and it worked great.  Rather than just refilling, I thought I'd try out the liquid version and boy, do I like it!  First off, both the powdered and liquid detergents are HE safe.  Second, it makes so much more for about the same cost and Third, you can add scent to it.  {I added lavender essential oil}. I think I'm a homemade liquid detergent convert!

What You'll Need:

DIY // How To Migrate From a Blogger Address To a Dot Com

Like Portlanders and their birds, you might have noticed that bloggers are choosing to put a (dot)com on it by dropping the .blogspot, .wordpress or .typepad part of their address and using their own custom domain.  Does that make them more official?  I think so!

And in great follower fashion...I put a (dot)com on it.  From now on, this little place I call internet home will be http://www.revamphomegoods.com. Did you notice?  Probably not.  But, I'm totally official now!  Well, in my mind anyways.  So, what if all you can remember is the old address, http://revamphomegoods.blogspot.com?  Well, no problem!  All .blogspot traffic will be automatically redirected to Revamp Homegoods.  Relieved?  I bet.

So, how did I make the transition from unofficial blogger to official blogger?  Easy.  Google.  Or better yet, Blogger.  I bought the domain name http://www.revamphomegoods.com from Blogger (via GoDaddy) for $10 a year, by accessing my Settings on the Blogger's Dashboard.  Under the Publishing section you have the option of using .blogspot.com or it asks you if you'd like to use or purchase a custom domain.  I crossed my fingers as I checked to see that revamphomegoods.com was available and when it said yes, I went through Google Checkout to finalize the purchase.  After purchasing, all I had to do was sit and wait while Blogger did it's thing and about 20 minutes later my blog had changed automatically from .blogspot to its new custom domain.  That easy and that quick! 

And yes, technically it already had a (dot)com and all I did was drop the .blogspot, but I really wanted to be hip and reference Portlandia.  Okay?

There you have it.  The quick and easy change that you guys probably wouldn't have noticed had I said anything!

So, what about you other bloggers?  Have you made the switch?  What path did you take (the easy blogger route or the difficult millions of questions and questionably expensive route?)

Ask Michelle: Updating a Vintage Sofa

It's our first "Ask Michelle" Q&A where Michelle Dirkse, Interior Designer, answers your tough design questions!  Did you miss our interview with Michelle?  Check it out here.  Now let's get on with the question...

Hey Michelle,

I have a vintage sofa that was given to me after my Grandma passed.  It has amazing lines, but the upholstery leaves much to be desired.  With a large extended family, we are tough on furniture.  What is the best fabric to use that is both classic and will stand up to a lot of wear?

~ René

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Hey René,

I'm so happy to hear that you've decided to keep your grandmother's sofa and make it your own!  Reupholstering a vintage sofa is a great way to get a custom look without the custom price, while also getting to hold onto something that's already meaningful to you.  I picked up my grandfather's 8 foot long sofa last weekend and I'll be doing the same thing.

Here's my plan of attack:

Organizing Your Life One List At A Time

It seems like many are on an organizing kick and I'm right there with you.  In my previous life, I was an executive assistant and event planner.  I had to be on top of my game at all times and to do that I was HIGHLY organized, which means I kept lists.  Lists upon lists upon lists.  But, as a stay at home mom, I find that my daily planning and organization has pretty much fallen to the wayside.  I still tend to make general lists (like groceries), but they are few and far between and at some point during the day that list gets stolen by Mr. Grabby-hands and ripped to shreds.  I've been feeling like I'm always one step behind and that is a feeling I just don't enjoy.

I NEED to be more organized.  So, I set out to be one step closer to sane by setting up a weekly to-do list and one list turned into four.

The first came way as a FREE PRINTABLE! thanks to A Pair of Pears.  This list allows me to write down appointments, activities and things that need to get done.  I print off a few at a time, so that I know what's coming in the weeks ahead.

 

And for you fellow DIYers, crafters or general creators, this FREE PRINTABLE! from Perideau

DIY // Homemade All-Natural Laundry Detergent

Our house is going au-naturel!  And no, that doesn't mean we'll be sitting around in our birthday suits (you're welcome.)  Along with eating more vegetables, I want to get as many harmful chemicals out of our house which means replacing all cleaning products with homemade all-natural versions. My first attempt at homemade cleaning products was laundry detergent.  We used to use Kirkland's (Costco) eco-friendly liquid detergent and when the giant bottle finally ran out we replaced it with an all-natural powdered detergent.

Here's how I made my own super inexpensive and HE safe (very low suds) homemade all-natural laundry detergent.

Supplies (these were found in our chain grocery store's laundry aisle):

14 Days of Valentines: Day 12 Paper Heart Bookmark

It's day 12 of 13 Days of Valentines, my attempt at one Valentine's inspired craft each day.

The hubs and I both share the reading bug and we NEVER have a dedicated bookmark to save our spots.  (We're not really corner folders...we love our books too much.)  I've found myself using the closest thing I can find to save my page...like an Amazon gift card, someone's business card, a stray piece of paper, or a tissue (clean, of course!)

Well, not anymore!  We've got our very own set of colorful heart shaped corner bookmarks.

Paperback Smiles

We had a surprise waiting for us in the mail and I just had to share.  I'm always excited to receive my favorite online marketplace, Amazon's, smile and this day was no different.  Today, I had two wonderful books waiting for me.

The first book had me drooling when I first spotted it online.  And I know, I'm a little late in the game but better late than never, right?  I just can't bring myself to pay full price for a book, so I wait until there are used copies or it has a drastic price cut.  Luckily the latter was the case and I finally picked up a copy of Grace Bonney's book, Design Sponge at Home.  It. Is. Amazing.  I can't wait to shut myself in tonight and just devour the entire 390 pages.  If you have any interest in home design then RUN and get a copy of your own.  You'll thank me for it.

The next was a book geared towards fostering learning in children.  Mariah Bruehl's Playful Learning - Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder is an amazing educational resource for children 4 to 8.  Why not exactly "home" related, it does give great tips on how to organize your home or room to be a playful learning environment.  Mariah also provides wonderful activities that inspire and teach your children.  Even though, he's younger than the target audience, I can't wait to incorporate these into Luke's daily routine.

 

I'm always looking for inspiration, so which books have been instrumental resources in your life?

Until next time,

DIY // Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

I stumbled upon the 2011 Pinterest Challenge:  Fall Edition while checking out some plans for a kitchen island over at Ana-white.com and I was all over it.  If you're asking, "What in the Sam Hill is Pinterest?"  Then, please allow me to ask, "Where in the Sam Hill have you been?!"  If you're asking yourself, "What's the Pinterest Challenge?" Then, I'll just keep my smart comments to myself.

You know all those Pinterest pins you've been addictively pinning like they're going out of style?  The ones that you say "I can totally make that" and then they just sit there collecting internet dust?  Well, now's the time to roll up those sleeves, step away from the computer and get to work.