Slipcover for a Lampshade

You may have seen this lamp that I am using on my entry table at the summer cottage. It did not look like this when I purchased it. I found it in the clearance section at Hobby Lobby. It was a little wobbly. So I carefully removed the felt from the bottom and tightened the nut to correct the wobble. Then I stuck the felt back on. It was a  quick and east fix. While the shade was cute, it wasn’t really my style for this setting. So I purchased an inexpensive replacement at Garden Ridge. I...

Refrigerator Pickles

One of our favorite summertime treats is refrigerator pickles. We do not have a vegetable garden, just a few tomato plants in pots. While driving down the road recently, I saw a young boy selling tomatoes and cucumbers from his mother’s garden. I decided to stop and make a purchase. I bought a few tomatoes and cucumbers and took them home. Just as I got inside the house, it occurred to me that I should have bought more. I hopped back in the car and drove back to where he was. He was beaming to see...

My Favorite Spot to Relax

If you’ve visited this blog regularly, you’ve seen this spot before and probably won’t be surprised to find that my favorite spot to relax is on the screened porch of our summer cottage. I would much rather be outside than inside so I spend a lot of time here enjoying the view. When we built this home a few summers ago, a screened porch was an absolute must have. It was non-negotiable. The builder screened the top porch and we screened the bottom. We have found that the screen is a necessity due...

Repurposed Piano Parts–Entry Table

One of my latest projects has involved the dismantling of my grandmother’s old upright piano. It involved a tremendous amount of work but it was great fun. I am in the process of recycling all of the parts. My first repurposed item was an entry table for our summer cottage. Due to limitations in the size of the lot, the layout of the house has a long, narrow hallway coming from the entry. The photo makes the hallway appear wider than it is. Actually it is only four feet wide, wall to wall...