Hathorn Hall - MS State University

This post is about 4 months late, but I still wanted to share my daughters living arrangements this year.  Another year in a dorm, but this is a soriety dorm.  Her hall is all Delta Gamma Girls.  Kinda the same set up as last year, but having her friends on the same hall has made it a lot of fun!  The soriety girls moved in over week earlier than everyone else, because they  had to prepare for rush.  Someone really did not think this out well.  Move in was at 3pm for the entire dorm to move in.....all 5 floors.  Guess what floor we had to move stuff to?  Yes, floor 5!  Thank goodness for the volunteers, about 4 of them hit the stairs with their arms full.  We took the elevator with full arms and someone still had to make another trip down.

She had about 1 hour to help and then she had to be back at the Soriety house for a meeting......That is all I have to say about that.  Basically, I did everything, but she didn't want me to hang any pictures...Get the picture?  LOL!  This is why the post is so LATE!

 Sorry....I didn't take a picture of the whole room.  But we turned the beds, so the girls could sit and lean against the wall. The chest and Refrigerator are between the beds.  We raised her bed almost the maximum height and used a sheet for a bed shirt.  She can hide lots of stuff under there.  She has one of those 3 drawer plastic storage containers for snacks, first aid, medicine, and etc under the bed and out the way....and who knows what else.  Last year, both girls had the same bedding, but a new roommate this year.  The new roommate has grey bedding and used pops of coral and blue, so it works!

 This is how I left it......

I did arrange some things on her desk and got the pictures out....Who knows how long it stayed just like this.  The first couple of weeks for the soriety girls is crazy and exhausting.

Room layout

 The TV is set in one the upper cabinets and then the cords are snaked down.  The other mom was going to take care of getting cords attached and hooked up to the cable.

 She wanted more pillows for the bed....I wonder how often it really gets made up and looks cute with the pillows, but moms usually try to please.  We couldn't find anything that we really liked, so I made some.  I am not a seamstress!  My mom is, but I never could get the hang of it.  I could cut out my own patterns for purses, but couldn't make those sew today and wear tomorrow patterns for dresses....LOL!  She needed some more color, besides, blue and corral.  She had a few yellow accessories, so we added yellow in pillows.

Delta Gamma's symbol is an Anchor

I think I did pretty good!  I printed an Anchor off the internet for a pattern.  I used the two sides fusible stuff to iron it onto the fabic and then used embroidery thread around the edges and for the rope.  I even put cording around the outside.

 

A small one with a painted on anchor.

SO, I finally got a picture of those pillows on the bed and some pictures hung.  She was suppose....to hang her picture board at the head of her bed, guess it is hiding underneath.

 

 CUTE!

For those of you getting ready to move into a dorm....I hope this post may help you.

Converting a Roll Top Desk....into a Bar......

How many of you own a roll top desk?  Meeee......It was one of the first pieces of furniture that I purchased.  Actually, I think I was maybe around 19 years old.   There was a solid oak store in town that carried finished and unfinished oak furniture.  I loved that store.  So, I have had this piece a very long time and it is a piece that I simply can't seem to part with......I was so proud of it.  I stained and finished by myself at such a young age.

It has been sitting in the same spot in this home (the barnominium) for 10 years and it has been a junk catcher.  The drawers were full and lots of stuff hidden under the roll top.  You and I know.... everyone has a place, a closet, something that seems to catch it all.  The desk sits in this kinda hall, but bigger than a hall between my office and the kitchen. I don't know what the heck the room was suppose to be...... 

Anyway, if you have read any of the previous post, I have been on the moving furniture binge.  I moved the living room furniture around, got rid of a couple of pieces, which allowed enough room to move the dining table into the den. Then I needed something in the kitchen, so I made an island bar out of pallets.  Now the imagination was on a roll.

I decided to turn this little unknown room into a drink station.  Backing up.......When we purchased this place and was doing the renovation, I had a hole cut in the wall between this room and the kitchen for a bar.  I purchased some really nice bars stools.  No one.....ever....sat over there!  Since, I made the island bar and moved the bar stools, it opened this little room up to be something else.  Thus, the idea, of a drink station and move traffic out of my little kitchen.

I decided to make the desk into a bar.  First, I had thought about taking the roll top off.  After further inspection, that was not possible, as it actually sits down into the top of the desk. OK, so I was leaving it alone..... I cleaned out the roll top, cleaned out the drawers, well most the drawers.  Some stuff had to stay.  My husband uses one for his wallet and such.

I decided to use some the paint that I had painted the island with and painted the back wall inside the roll top to brighten things up a bit.  I also, painted the sides of one of the drawers for a pop of color.  I was rolling......I used the same Turquoise paint on that Red wall behind the desk.  I love it!  On the wall I used the dry brush technique.

looking in from the kitchen

Looking thru pass thru

A trip to the winery to restock.

I used what I had...and that was a clear platter, a peice of scrapping paper and a D ran off on the computer.  At some point, I will get something to replace it.

 I've got other bar tools, but they didn't make it into the drawer before the picture.

 Stocked the lower drawer with Grapefruit, Pineapple and Apple juice...Well some extra wine as well.

And the best thing about the bar in the desk.....I can shut it down!

The OTHER side of the room:

That is the sofa table sitting below the counter, that came out of the Living Room.  It is being used here temporarily.  Over Christmas, I had two more coffee pots set up and of course the coffee.  I am thinking that I will look for a buffet or add cabinets here for more storage....or maybe nothing.  Any thoughts?

looking into the kitchen

Thanks for dropping by, leave a comment and let me know that you were here.......

A Pallet Island Bar

I had grown tired of walking around the dining room table in my kitchen.  I was looking at my den and thinking.....if I moved this there, and that there, and got rid of the sofa table and love seat, the dining table could be moved into the den.  We have a huge entertainment center and I didn't want to move it, without being sure.  I measured everything and cut out paper diagrams of the furniture to scale, so I could check to make sure.  It did and I am happy with the new look!

With the table gone out of the kitchen, the kitchen looked huge.  I wanted an island bar.  I have two really nice bar stools that never get used.  I priced built island bars, I looked at furniture pieces that could be converted, I searched Pinterest, I thought about making my own out of stock cabinets.......Then, like a lot of projects happen....I was out in the garage and I see this window that I had purchased, but done nothing with.  I had pallets and some scrap lumber.  I had time!

Measure, Measure....was the window long enough to use as a top to the bar, was the pallets tall enough for the bar stools?  OH my gosh....Yes!  Lucky me!

First, I worked on the window.  I knew this would be the biggest decision making problem.  I wanted to use the Gallery Glass paint on it.  I had to come up with a design.  It took me a couple of days to resolve....

A cross with a star and horse shoe.  Since, my window had two panels, I did them in reverse.  Then, to put the bar together...Hubby helped me on this project!  He doesn't usually, I don't know how I got lucky!  I didn't take any before paint pictures.  What is wrong with me?  I found a chalk paint recipe using Plaster paris and mixed up some red and some turquoise. I painted the red first and then topped with the turquoise.  Last step was to wipe it down with a walnut color stain.

I had ran down to the dollar store for something and saw this cute baskets.  Perfect for holding dish towels and freeing up a drawer.  I only have 3....One had silver ware, one cooking tools (packed) and one for dish towels.  I got to rearrange some things...Excited about the small stuff!

 The bar stools are getting used now!

The window had a grove on each end of course for sliding up and down.  I used some old cowboy rope to fill the grove.  Last step will be to mount the horse shoe for a towel holder.

This gives me a LOT more moving room in the kitchen!

And the table works fine in the den!

Evidently, Maggie loves to be in the pictures!

Deck Stain

I finally got around to working on the deck.  It is really large.  I am guessing 20 x15, with a ton of spindles. Who knows when it last had a cleaning and stain.  We have owned the place for three years and it looked rough when we purchased the house.

First, I needed to clean it.  I used a power washer with just water.  I mean I had use the pressure!  I had it set to the brick setting and had to getting pretty close to the wood.  Care must given in order to not do damage to the wood.  Make sure you keep the wand moving.....It took me at least half a day.  It is a large deck and then all those spindles with 4 sides, and hand rails.

 It was already looking better.....just being cleaned.

And, the lattice....OK, I am done with the deck part, but in the process, I dripped stain on this dang lattice.  I tried removing with paint thinner.  That didn't work.  Then, I tried Acetone.  Yep, that does the trick, but I haven't gotten it done yet.

We were only there for a couple of days, and I had to let everything dry well before staining.

Next trip, Stain!

And, the next trip and the next trip.......

I used the 7 year Olympic.  I hope I get at least 5 years.  All those spindles were very time consuming.

Then, we found some copper tops and solar lights at Lowes.

I am really proud of it!

The last trip over, my view from the sunroom.

I kept getting FATTER!

I haven't posted since.....May!  This past summer was crazy busy and most of it would not interest you, so we will leave it at that.  I did get some projects finished this summer and I will be getting up to date pretty quick.

But, today, I wanted to talk about Weight and the dreaded diet.  I have written several times before about how I struggle to keep the weight off.  I am active, ride horses and exercise, I don't over eat, I pay attention to what I eat, I try to eat pretty clean, almost 0 junk and Minimum sodas 2-4 a week.  BUT, this summer the weight was creeping on me, bouncing back and forth. I was sluggish in the morning.  I am usually up and at it!  I was terrified and was really starting to feel like it was trying to spiral out of control.  I do feel like part of this is due to change in life....perimenopause.....I am not liking getting old!

I have lost 15lbs! Yep back down to what I was in my 30's.  Years ago, when I was going to the gym 3-4 days a week, I wrote down my body measurements and I kept them in a drawer.  I am excited that I am back down to those measurements and  I haven't exercised a lick.  I am talking extra exercise.  I had a summer garden and I rode horses, my regular activities.  But, I didn't walk like I have been doing for years, my floor exercises or weight lifting.  Again, It was a crazy busy summer.  Things have calmed a bit and I did start exercising this week, because I need to tone up.

How did this happen?  The important thing here.....I am NOT selling this product!  I am just sharing, because it worked for me.  I was sluggish and it gave me energy.  I carry weight in my hips and thighs and that is the first place that I lost weight, instead of losing everywhere else, then the hips.

We were at the All American Youth Barrel Show in Jackson, MS in the later part of June.  Wayne Pedigo with Healthy Steps had his booth set up.  Wayne has been part of the horse world for years.  I just stopped to chat and saw the bottle of Plum Skinny on the counter.  I asked about it.  He told me that it suppressed the appetite and gave energy.  I told him that I was putting on weight although I was eating very little and I was having a problem getting starting in the morning.  He gave me a two day sample.  Before the show was over, I had bought my first bottle.  It gave me energy to get rolling, and I had to make sure I ate something.  The weight starting coming off. The next month I ordered the Fat Blocker Plus.  As, I stated earlier, I eat pretty clean, but I do occasionally have a baked potato or go out for Mexican.  I lost that pesty 5lbs pretty quick.  I was just looking to get back to my 140, but I have stayed on it and the weight has slowly kept coming off.  I weighed after Thanksgiving......132lbs.  I use to think my scales were broken, like stuck on anything over 140, now I feel like, I really need to verify this somewhere else.....LOL!

NOTE:  This worked great for me! And, I have several friends that are using it too and are very happy.  But, products work different for different people.  My dad who REALLY needs to loose weight, said they made him to nervous.  This could have been just energy and he didn't get out of the chair to get rid of some of it.

Anyway....Here is Wayne's web site, http://healthysteps.com/weight-loss-energy   1- 800-804-4566
If you call he doesn't charge shipping  ******Dec special, Buy one Plum Skinny and get a Fat Blocker Plus at  1/2 off

*****Please let him know that Melinda sent you!  Again, He did NOT pay for this endorsement.  I do NOT make any commission off sales, but he may would send me a free bottle.  I just wanted to share!

Thanks and Happy Dieting!  This is the Easiest Way I have ever lost weight!
If you give it a try, come back and comment on how it is working for you.

Dressing up a Bookcase

We have 4 Built in Bookcases in our dining room....Yes, Four!  First, for the life of me, I had trouble deciding what to put in them, so they didn't come across as junky.  So, I looked on Houzz.com and typed in Bookcases in the search area.  I looked at a ton of pictures of bookcases.  Houzz also has a discussion area.  In the discussion area, you can upload pictures of your problem area and ask what to do with it.  Then some crafty people and some Professionals will usually offer their advise as how to best to solve your problem.  Say you are having trouble arranging furniture.  Upload pictures of each wall and room dimensions.    Wow, that kind went off subject....so back to the bookcases.

Second, I have seen people put wallpaper in the back of the bookcases, Paint the back of the bookcase.....I wanted something!

Even with a pretty decent display, the bookcase still seemed naked!  I settled on Burlap.  You have seen the Burlap curtains that I made for this room, Right?  Click here, if you haven't. 

If you have ever worked with burlap or you haven't....You can't just cut a straight line, but I will show you how you can!

Measure out what you need.  See those little strings on the side.  Find the one at your mark and pull it all the way out, leaving a gap and where you will cut, giving you a straight line.  I tried to measure out exactly what I needed, because I knew trimming after I got it up, probably would not work.  Someone on Houzz.com said you could use Liquid Starch to put fabric up on the back of a bookcase.....It did Not work for burlap, so I used Wallpaper glue.  I got a tub of it from Lowes Hardware store.  Since burlap is very porous, I used a paint brush and painted the glue onto the back of the case and then hung the fabric.  Pretty easy!  Smooth from the middle out! Kinda hold it, so it doesn't slip about while smoothing.

 It made a Huge difference in how they look!

Much warmer!  I love how it turned out.

One of the bookcases was made into a bar.   I used paintable wallpaper on the back of it.

  So you have any bookcases, that you have dressed up?

An Ole Window Screen

I was holding off on putting this project on my blog, because it is a Mother's Day present and she hasn't received it.  She did see a picture on my phone.  See she she lives out of town, I didn't think we were going to get to see her, but we did....and I didn't have it with me. 

Any how, a faux stained glass project is what inspired the project.  I had some old screens out of my Nanny's shed (her mother).  They have been sitting in my garage and I have pondered......what to do with them. 

Faux Stain Glass...Click Here for Tutorial

I have thought several times about doing one of these windows to go on my front porch and I thought why not the screen.  It would look good out on her patio.  Flying by the seat of my pants, not knowing how paint was going to work out a  screen, I gave it a shot.  I used the Lead Paint tape to do the Large flower, but just free hand painted everything else.  The picture does not give this project credit.  It is kinda a elementary picture, but you can only do so much on a screen.  It is really pretty when held up to the sun.  I have different blues across the top for the sky, greens across the bottom for grass and Garden sayings written around the border.  I sprayed 4 coats of Polyurethane on it, because I really have no idea how this product holds up outside. 

What do you think?  Has anyone else done one of these projects?

Necklace Holder

I made this when I redecorated my daughters make-up room.  She had necklaces everywhere, on hooks, in drawers, and in bags.  I needed something on this wall and I wanted color.

I had some picture canvas on hand.  I painted it and then screwed in little coffee cup holders across the bottom.  OK, the half glasses, I hear you saying, "I couldn't paint it that pretty."  Really! You can.  I just picked out some different pinks and slopped the paint on the canvas, stroking back and forth. I added paint till I was happy.  If you mess up your project.  Just let it dry and then repaint.  Simple Suzy.

I think it is super Cute!