Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

A Simple Change Makes a BIG Impact in the Dining Room

Published on March 9, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

Two weekends ago the Hubs was in town shopping for some project supplies while I was home cleaning. He texted me a picture of several large area rugs on sale for half off at one of the stores and asked if I liked any. I certainly did and he said that was the only one like it that they had, so he swooped it up and headed to the cashier. When he got it home I noted that it was more grey than the beige it had looked in his text but I actually liked that even more.

We had been in sore need of a new rug in the dining room after the jute rug we had in there had taken the brunt of Brinley’s teething phase. We had moved the rug from behind the island over under the table as a temporary option but it was too small for the space and the pattern didn’t work there. This option fit perfectly, had a lovely neutral yet traditional pattern and is so soft and cushy I could probably sleep on it quite comfortably. Even the Hubs has commented how nice it feels underfoot!

The lighter color brings a whole new look to the space, and coordinates with the other grays and neutrals we already have in this space. It was a great change for spring – making the whole area light and bright.

Although I probably wouldn’t have picked this pattern if I’d been shopping online, in person it’s just enough style without being over powering. Plus it lets me have the lighter color I like to incorporate to combat our long winters but in a way that masks the dirt which collects in this high traffic spot – at least from what I’ve seen so far.

Now that we know how plush it is I’m on the hunt for a similar one to replace the aging rug that moved back to it’s original spot behind the island. We call that space the “playroom” because it’s were the dogs romp and usually take their toys to play with in the sunlight from the slider doors.

It’s surprisingly low profile for how soft it is. It literally feels like there’s a foam mattress hidden inside! It also seems fairly tightly woven which should help with my allergies, as things won’t be able to build up between the fibers. And the packaging says it was made in the USA which we can fully support.

I’m so in love with this new look and smile every time I see it. There are also a couple of other updates in this space you might have noticed in the photos. I’ll be sharing more detail about those changes soon, so stay tuned!

Save

The Finished Laundry Counter

Published on March 8, 2017March 8, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

I’m so giddy to be able to share this finished project with you all! Remember way back to No-Spend January of 2015 when we installed this cabinet where the plastic sink used to be? We’ve been living with a plywood top and no faucet for the sink since then which you’ve seen in a few posts like this. It functioned for what we needed and there were higher priorities to tackle but it secretly drove me NUTS.

So why did this project take so long to finish? We had a remnant piece of granite to match the kitchen and bathrooms but needed it cut to size and finished with the sink opening. I’d attempted to barter the service with no luck and every quote we had gotten was insanely high – like in the range of you’d think they were selling us brand new marble counter tops rather than finishing material we provided. So the hunt continued. Until the Hubs found a vendor who was willing to cut the granite using a template we provided for just a couple hundred dollars!

He used a gator board political sign that had been left out on the side of the road long after the elections to trace the plywood top. I was pretty proud of him for being genius enough to recycle material and help keep the roads clean! Once he had the template traced he cut it down and marked where the sink would be. The vendor said he did a great job and made it easy for them to layout the cuts. They also complimented him on the A-Frame he built to transport the slab to them and the finished counter home. Have I mentioned how I love having a spouse who can get things done?! 🙂

Miss Luna was not to pleased to have “her” space disturbed while we were installing the finished top, but she seems pretty ok with it now. Especially since it gives her another inch or two above her doggie siblings. Here, she does an excellent job of showing just how deep that sink really is!

The finished top makes all of my existing decor and laundry products look even better. On one side is the vintage iron I picked up at the antique store and our DIY laundry soap container. On the other is the last of our mason jar soap pumps – which I’ve been saving for this spot – and a simple little faux succulent planter from my recent spring project for a bit of greenery.

We did have to replace the faucet because we discovered that the one we’d saved from the original plastic sink didn’t have long enough posts to reach through the granite and the pull out nozzle required an extra line that we didn’t have space for. So the Hubs picked up a bargain faucet for around $50 and got that installed quickly. I took all of these pics last weekend with the old faucet standing in for the photo op, but the new one looks very similar.

Since we did the install ourselves, our total cost with the new faucet came in around $400, which was 100% worth it! I still haven’t really used the sink much since I’m still getting used to having a working faucet in this spot, but I really love having the option and seeing this clean, finished space each day when we come home.

A Fur Rendezvous Birthday

Published on March 7, 2017March 8, 2017 by Jenna2 Comments

The Hub’s birthday was this past Saturday and although we hadn’t planned to celebrate since we bought concert tickets for later in the year as our joint birthday/Christmas/anniversary gifts I had a last minute work obligation come up that required I help with an event at the annual Fur Rendezvous the same day so we made a mini celebration of it. Locally known as Fur Rondy, this 2-week long festival centers around everything winter and Alaskan with dogsled races, snow sculptures and other unique activities. The ceremonial start of the world famous Iditarod is also held during this time and we were able to catch several of the mushers starting the course as we arrived and made our way to lunch before my work event.

Although I’ve here for 4 years now, this is the first time I’ve been able to attend the ceremonial start so it was a fun experience for me to watch the teams go by and cheer them on. The first musher we saw was #61, Michael Baker. Each musher has an Iditarider on their sled during this portion of the race. These passengers bid in an auction to win these unique perspectives which come with traditions of their own.

The ceremonial course is 11 miles on Anchorage streets and park trails – and most of it is lined with crowds. It’s a very different scene than the rest of the race. The second musher we saw was #62, Nathan Schroeder. As you can see the trail on the city streets is well prepared and maintained during the event with trail workers along the entire route ready to remove debris and other hazards.

We walked down along the course and eventually had to cross over to the other side of the street. Here’s how the trail looks to those going down it.

Jason Mackey, #64 was the next musher to come down the trail after we crossed over to this side. He was a good example of how the musher also has to be athletic and use his body to control the sled.

2011 Champion John Baker, #65 came by next. Although I had a good vantage point from the sidewalk I was sure jealous of the guy crouched down along the snow berm with his camera. He was part of the official Iditarod crew which is why he was allowed to be so close to the action. I’m going to have to research how I might join that crew!

The last musher we saw was Anna Berrington – one of a handful of female mushers in the male dominated field.

We couldn’t stick around to watch the remaining seven mushers because we had a lunch reservation at Club Paris around the corner. This was another first for me, although the Hubs has been here many times during his Alaskan tours. I chose the Alaskan Cordon Blue sandwich which was a Cordon Blue made with halibut instead of chicken. It was prepared just right, keeping the halibut moist and flaky. The Hubs had teriyaki Tri-Tips, which I sampled and deemed to be even better than my choice. We ended the meal with creme brulee for desert. I added strawberry puree to mine while the Hubs enjoyed his plain.

After lunch I headed over to my work event while the Hubs went to the fur auction. I don’t have any photos from the fur auction, but you can probably imagine how the scene looked – auctioneers, bidders yelling and furs being shown off. Although not the same kind of fur, I spotted this beautiful bear statue with amazing painted on northern light colored fur as I made my way to my event.

The event I was assisting with was called Running with the Critters. It’s a new event this year and gives children a chance to experience something similar to the Running of the Reindeer. Mascots from all over Alaska came out to play the ‘critters’ and while some ran with the crowd, most lined up down the street to cheer on the runners and give them high-fives as they ran past. There were several really cute critters, including an otter and our own Peri Winkle the purple moose!

After the run Peri met part of the Fur Rondy Royalty just out side of the new Hard Rock Cafe. He was a big hit with tourists and locals and had to pause numerous times to oblige the photo requests.

Once Peri was done with his event I stuck around to watch the Running of the Reindeer. Similar to Spain’s running with the bulls – but with an Alaskan twist – the event raises money for Toys for Tots. The reindeer were led from their holding pen at the end of the track up to the starting line.

Several stayed behind in the pen, both to encourage the other reindeer to come back to the herd and to wait their turn for the second heat.

Several of the reindeer sported sponsors coats. I think a few of the reindeer got their sizes mixed up because a few were more snug than the others. 🙂

This reindeer had apparently already been pretty rowdy and was missing one of it’s antlers, which gave it a lopsided appearance.

And some just wanted to show off for the crowd even while waiting in the pen. Isn’t he just beautiful?!

As you can see there was quite a large crowd, so I wasn’t able to get up close to the barricade when the race started but I did spot the runners as they made their way down the street.

The reindeer tend to run in small groups so the runners have to be on the lookout for them to make sure they stay out of the way of their antlers, which are sharp and pointed this time of year.

It was a bit of a scramble when they did get back to the pen as the handlers had to get their lead ropes back on and most of the reindeer were not much interested in that.

It’s become tradition to create funny costumes for the event and some get a bit outlandish. I’m pretty sure the reindeer don’t much care about what the runners wear and are more interested in getting back to their herd mates. This year someone ran as T-Rex, which was pretty hysterical to watch because apparently he’s not used to that much action and had to take a breather at the end of the course!

Another runner decided the finish line was a good spot for a snow angel. Mario and the nearby clown didn’t seem much impressed.

About that time one of the reindeer went rogue and decided to make a break for freedom. He seemed more interested in searching for something to nibble on, which is good for him because one of the runners turned back to catch a close up of the reindeer in a fur-speedo. Thank goodness there were additional layers along with that choice of attire!

The rebel reindeer eluded capture for several minutes as the handlers tried to herd him back to the pen, so finally one decided to follow the old adage of grabbing him by the horns and wrestling him down until they could get him back on a lead. The reindeer wasn’t hurt, just a bit disgruntled at no longer being free to roam the street.

It had been a long day and we still had a long drive home so we called it quits and headed for the truck. On the way we saw the carnival area which was in full swing on this clear and chilly day.

It was a fun day with lots of fun things to see. The Hubs enjoyed celebrating his birthday with a bit of Alaskan flair, so we might just have to consider doing something similar again next year!

Save

No-Cost Large DIY Tray

Published on March 2, 2017March 8, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

Here’s another quick project I did as part of my inventory for the holiday bazaar. This large tray started life as a cabinet drawer. When we installed the laundry room cabinet we took out the drawer on one side because we needed clearance for the sink drain. Knowing I could use it for something, I kept it and eventually took the tracks off. When I did, I immediately thought to make it into a tray.

But I was busy and it got set aside for more priority projects. When it was crunch time to create more inventory for the show I pulled it back out, dug through my stash of supplies and found two handles we had replaced on our desk cabinets. They were originally gold, but a quick couple coats of ORB gave them more of the farmhouse style I was going for.

The hubs helped me attach them, since I’m not good at making things line up. He also had the brilliant idea to use Q-Tips to paint the screw heads once they were in so they matched the handles’ new paint job! Have I mentioned recently how much I love that man? 🙂

Although it didn’t sell at the bazaar, it’s found a home in our guest room. It’s just the right size for the bed at 20″ by 20″ and can easily be moved to the hope chest when it’s bedtime. I plan to stage it with some simple toiletries guests might appreciate when they visit. I know I’ve seen similar set-ups on blogs I follow so I’ll be looking back to get an idea of what all I should include, but I’d love your suggestions as well.

Since I had the handles and spray paint on hand the entire project didn’t cost me a cent. Functional and free. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Linking up at: Knik of Time’s Talk of the Town, Tater Tots & Jello’s BFF and Savvy Southern Style’s Wow Us Wednesday, Stone Gable’s The Scoop and Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

Save

A Quick Update to the Craft Shelves

Published on March 1, 2017March 8, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

As I mentioned when I shared our new barn doors in the office I’ve been making a few changes to the craft shelves above the craft cart. Here’s how things looked the last time you saw this space – a random collection of containers and displays to store my finished inventory and on-going projects.

And here’s how it’s looking today. Much simpler and more stylish!

A bit of purging and rearranging reduced what I needed to store here so I was able to condense it all down to two containers. I found these cute baskets on sale at Michaels and with a coupon only paid about $10 for both. One holds finished inventory and the other has bits and pieces of projects in the works.

Since I’ve stopped making hair accessories and am focusing more on personal DIY and home decor projects I didn’t need the displays I’d used for the smaller pieces anymore so the mannequin was sold and my beloved metal grate became a note board rather than a display. The rusty oil can will eventually become a small lamp for this table. I’ve got the lamp making kit, but am still on the hunt for the right lampshade to get that project rolling.

I shopped the house, pulling a milk glass vase, small plant and wooden caddy to arrange with the frame I already had here. I also moved our little minion family over here from the other side of the room. They are much more visible now, which makes me happy and reminds me that we need to have a new minion made for Brinley! 🙂

I eventually want to get a vintage scale like this one to replace the wooden caddy, but I’m waiting to find a good bargain. until then the caddy brings a nice balance of tones and texture to the space, so I’m happy with it.

I still need to figure out something for the blank space next to the metal grate. My current idea is to make a fabric canvas that can be used as a backdrop for photographing small projects, similar to one a favorite beauty blogger of mine created. I’m thinking something a little lacy since this is one spot I could get away with it because it’s out of reach of the dogs.

I’m really loving the simple farmhouse vibe this space has now. It’s a big change for just $10 since the only thing I bought for the update was the two baskets. We’ve been making a couple of other simple changes around the main area of the house recently that have a similar style so things are really starting to feel cohesive. I’ll be sharing those updates very soon, but in the meantime I’d love to hear you think of the changes so leave me a comment below.

Linking up at: Knik of Time’s Talk of the Town, Tater Tots & Jello’s BFF and Savvy Southern Style’s Wow Us Wednesday, Stone Gable’s The Scoop and Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

Save

Recent Thrifty Finds

Published on February 28, 2017March 6, 2017 by Jenna2 Comments

Today I wanted to share my finds from a few recent thrifting expeditions. I haven’t been out to the thrift stores in a while as I was trying to pare down what was already in our home, but I couldn’t stay away forever. I love the hunt too much. My motto when thrifting is always if I don’t have a spot in mind for an item or am absolutely in love with it I don’t bring it home. This motto is only amplified by my desire to simply this year so this is all that made it home from three different trips! I’d say that’s pretty good will power.

My three trips were to Goodwill, the Salvation Army shop near my office and a local home decor consignment shop. The Salvation Army used to be a great source for cheap home decor items, but since the massive Goodwill opened a few miles away the inventory at Salvation Army has suffered. I think they are also loosing some of their volunteers to the competition or the changing economy because the store seemed very disorganized this visit. The Goodwill was well organized but I notice their pricing is often higher and not always consistent as it depends on which volunteer handles each item. But I was still able to find some good bargains, so without further ado – here’s my latest thrifting haul!

First up is this sweater I found at Salvation Army. I’ve been wanting to make some sweater pumpkins the last couple of fall seasons but can’t ever find good textured sweaters at the thrift stores that time of year so I decided to start looking for them all year and preparing a stock pile. I think I can make two medium to large pumpkins and a few smaller ones out of this sweater and it was half off clothing day so I only paid $4!

There were several pumpkins at Goodwill that day, but this one caught my attention with it’s unique stem and pretty colors. I may eventually paint it to be a bit more neutral, but we’ll see how I feel about it closer to fall. I think I paid around $5, which is much less than I’d pay in a department store.

I found this cloche tucked away on a bottom self at the Goodwill and was immediately smitten with it. I’ve got a few cloches already but I like using them in different vignettes and knew if I tired of it after I give it an update I could easily sell it so it was a no brainer. It was a bit pricey but these types of pieces don’t come around often at my thrift stores and the dome was real glass not plastic so I could see the value. Plus I had a coupon for 20% off which made it a bit more acceptable.

I also snagged this wooden candlestick as soon as I saw it at Goodwill – although I have to admit I walked past it and didn’t notice it the first time because it was tucked behind an assortment of other decor items. It’s solid and chunky, which is just what I’ve been wanting. Nice big candlesticks like this don’t come up often around my stores so at $5 I didn’t hesitate. I plan to give it a white wash paint and distressing to match two other similar candle sticks I got on the buy/sell page for $20 to create a coordinating trio for my spring mantel.

This little Princess House glass container caught my attention at the Salvation Army where I found the white sweater. I’m not sure where I’ll use it exactly but could think of several possible scenarios which fit my requirement for purchase and at $3 it was a reasonable option.

Lastly was this cool copper pot I spotted at the consignment shop. It came as part of a fire starter kit, although I really was just interested in the container as decor or a planter. My mother-in-law has several similar – albeit larger – pieces that I’ve always adored so I couldn’t pass this one up. It was $15 which was a bit pricey, but I figured that there was a bit of value in the fire starter pieces as well and because this was consignment rather than a thrift store I wasn’t expecting bargain basement prices.

I set the fire starter pieces aside for when the fire pit is back in use this summer and have been thinking up options for my new little pot to decide which I like the best. Current ideas are as a decor vase, a planter, or a small fire pit for our patio table come summer using a citronella candle or table top tiki torch. Which idea do you like the best?

Linking up at Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

Save

Easy Faux Planters

Published on February 24, 2017March 8, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

As I promised earlier in the week, I’m sharing how I made some cute little faux plants. It started with a variety of small containers I had previously had succulents in along with a few new items. The succulents had met an untimely fate during one of Brinley’s “puppy moments” and had been empty for a while so I wanted to refill them but with Alaska still well in the grips of winter there weren’t many options to choose from. While browsing Michaels the other day I spotted these little faux succulent stems (ignore my supervisor’s photo bomb – LOL!).

I knew they’d be perfect to fill several of the small containers so I picked up a few. As you can tell from the empty spots on the holder above, I’d tested out the stems on a small piece before I decided to write a post about the process. But since it went well here we go. We’ll start with this cute glass cup I picked up at IKEA the last time we were in Portland.

I fill it 2/3 full of moss I already had on hand to create a base for my arrangement.

I pulled several of the grassy stems from the holder and started bunching them together. Once I had a grouping I liked I put them down into the center of the moss in the cup.

I fluffed things around a bit until I liked how everything looked and called it done. Next up was this cement bowl I found at a local boutique shop.

Since this one was larger than the glass cup and solid I filled most of it with crumpled up paper from an advertisement that came in the mail. I was enjoying the pretty spring colors on the paper, which was a nice little inspiration.

I added moss on top of the paper, leaving a small area in the center open to put the stems.

After I added the grassy stems I randomly placed some of the small succulent stems around the perimeter. It was ok, but looked a bit crowded and not really what I was envisioning. So I kept fussing with it, trying a variety of arrangements.

Eventually I pared it down to just the grassy stems and some white flowers left over from a project long ago. Its the perfect look for early spring.

Here’s a quick shot of the other planters I whipped up using the same method. This little galvanized container came from a boutique in Portland and looks sweet next to the lamp in the guest room.

You might have spotted the succulent grouping in the small crock on the sewing table I shared recently. It was a little too much brown in here until we refinish the table so it’s moved to the laundry room, which I’ll share soon.

And of course the succulent planter you saw earlier this week with my fun little scroll art.

I love how real they all look, yet they require zero maintenance, which is perfect for my schedule these days! 🙂 I’ve got a few more of the succulent stems so there might be a few more arrangements in the coming months, but for now I’m enjoying having a bit of green around the house even though it’s deep white outside.

Linking up at: Knik of Time’s Talk of the Town, Tater Tots & Jello’s BFF and Savvy Southern Style’s Wow Us Wednesday, Stone Gable’s The Scoop and Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

Save

DIY Serving Tray

Published on February 23, 2017March 6, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

This was a quick project I did as inventory for my holiday bazaar show back in November. I had wanted to share it back then but life with the crunch of show prep I didn’t get a chance to take step by step photos to share. Luckily, it’s such a simple project that I can explain it pretty easily and since it didn’t sell I still have it around to photograph!

I started with a plain wooden cutting board I picked up at the thrift store for around $4. It was looking pretty worn so I gave it a good cleaning and then a light coat of stain to bring it back to life. Next we added the leather handles. Can you guess what they were in a former life?

If you guessed a belt you’re right! The Hubs had several belts that no longer fit or were worn out in spots. This one was literally hanging on by a thread at one spot but the rest was still in good shape so I guesstimated how long I wanted the handles and cut two pieces to the same length. The Hubs attached the edges of the belt pieces to the board with this fancy screws we got at the hardware store after pre-drilling holes for them so they wouldn’t split the wood.

And that’s it. See I told you it was simple! I’m actually pretty glad it didn’t sell as we’ve been using it quite often for snacking on the couch or when I want to work on something but still be comfy.

I’d love to leave it out on the ottoman like this with some cute seasonal decor staged all the time but the Hubs assures me that the dogs would chew the handles and I know they would certainly knock off anything I had sitting on it so it typically lives on top of the media cabinet so it’s nearby whenever I need it. It’s a good thing I love those heathens. 😉

Linking up at: Knik of Time’s Talk of the Town and Savvy Southern Style’s Wow Us Wednesday and Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before & After Party!

Save

Talkeetna in the Winter

Published on February 22, 2017February 22, 2017 by Jenna2 Comments

My photography MeetUp group recently got together to explore Talkeetna, AK. Although I’d been past the turn off for this little town many times on our trips to Denali, I hadn’t yet stopped in to check it out so this was the perfect opportunity to do just that. We met up at the Roadhouse for breakfast and socializing first. It was in the negative temps outside so the warm interior with yummy handmade specialties was a great way to start the visit. There was a small bakery selection in the display cases and a variety of specialty syrups and sauces above.

The staff pulled out several of the trays so I could get a better look at the massive options from specialty cinnamon rolls, to meat pies and unique Alaskan items such as “Rudy in a Parka” – which was an oversized version of a pig in a blanket but with reindeer sausage. That’s what I chose to try and was very satisfied with it.

As we sat and ate one of the group members who comes to Talkeetna a lot told us about the history of the area and how the Roadhouse becomes a gateway for visitors from around the globe who have come to summit Denali. During the summer months she said it’s not uncommon to have a variety of nationalities in this small room swapping tales, creating music and interacting. Around the room there are flags for teams who have successfully summited the mountain and photos of some as well.

In one corner monies from around the world have been posted, sandwiched between terrain maps, team flags and more photos of successful climbers.
And on the far wall was this interesting cuckoo clock. I wasn’t able to get the history on the piece but imagine it arrived as a gift from a foreign visitor many years ago.
With a full belly for warmth I bundled up and headed out in to the frigid temps to capture a few more of Talkeetna’s quirks. I loved the textures of the old building and signs next to the smooth icicles hanging from the roof line.

Across the street was a pizza place with eclectic artwork. I can easily envision this place in the summer with dread headed servers taking patrons orders on the patio. A few more steps down the street was the beer garden of Denali Brewing which I’m sure is also another hot spot during the summer tourist season.

In the center of town – which was literally right next door to the brewing building on the main street – was the Fairview Inn. It seems to be the major hotel in town. I didn’t venture inside but the rules sign out front did make me smile because it’s definitely not something you’d see many other places.

Across from the Fairview Inn was Nagley’s Store, which looked like it had been pulled right out of a scene from Northern Exposure. This is the towns general store for all your basic goods. While the sign on the front of the building seemed relatively new, the two on the side of the building quickly reminded you that this place has been around for a long, long time.

Next door to the general store was this little stand. I’m assuming it’s a vendor booth during the tourist season but during the winter it’s a collection of local wildlife bones and antlers.There were several signs around town describing early pioneer life and how Talkeetna was settled as a trading post.

There were also some interesting art displays including this one that was above a house with several salmon inspired designs. I got the sense that there’s a strong artist community here, which makes sense because the surrounding scenery is quite inspiring.

There were also a handful of historic cabins and homes that were preserved with signage describing how they were significant to the history of the town.Due to the extreme cold I didn’t stick around to read all the signs or investigate any of the sights in depth. Instead I wandered the side street just off the main road taking in the sights and identifying spots I’d like to come back to check out in the warmer months. But the snow and ice did have a special beauty to it as it clung to the buildings.

At the end of the main road I spotted this establishment, which I assumed was another brewery type vendor. I just loved the Alaskan signage and door handle. Next door was another historic cabin in need of a bit of restoration.

I stopped back into the Roadhouse to warm up since I could no longer feel my fingers and learned that the group planned to head over to the park at the end of the main road to see where the rivers met and the landscape opened up to views of the mountains. This was obviously the main snow machine trail in town and access to nearby hunting areas.

As we reached the riverbed I heard the train whistle nearby so I hurried down the trail and caught the train just as it made it’s way across one of the trestle bridges.As I returned to the group who had set up to photograph the mountains I saw that one of the members had ventured out into the snow drifts where her shoe had gotten stuck and frozen in place! Like most photographers, her primary concern was handing over her camera for safekeeping, then the group leader helped dig her out.
Once she was safely in the vehicle warming back up I got a few shots of the mountains, including Denali, which graced us with a fairly clear vantage. The clear day made the panoramic view amazing.

I had to get back to town for an appointment that afternoon so I bid farewell to the group and headed back toward the highway. Along the way I remembered to stop at a viewpoint I’d spotted on my way into town which gave another great view of the range and The Great One.

I’m pretty sure the Hubs and I will be back this spring or summer to explore a bit more when everything is open and I’d like to try the zipline through the trees at the edge of town. I’ll be sure to share that adventure here when I do! 🙂Save

Save

A Quick & Easy Makeover

Published on February 21, 2017March 6, 2017 by JennaLeave a comment

Here’s one of the quick little projects I’ve done recently. I spotted this little scroll decor piece on one of the local buy/sell pages for $1 and just couldn’t pass it up. Here’s how it looked when I bought it.

Although it was cute in it’s original state I thought it would look better with a metal finish rather than the faux stone one it had. A couple quick coats of ORB spray paint and it’s got a whole new look.

I’m not sure where I’ll use it just yet, but for now it looks pretty next to another of my quick projects, this mini faux succulent planter. I’ll share how I made that later this week!