Last week, I ran into Home Depot to get some paint for our new Adirondack patio chairs. Outdoor paint seems to go far compared to interior paint. There are only four chairs, so I thought about getting a quart. However I decided it was best to get  a gallon on paint-- in the future, I can repaint the chairs using the same paint. Also, I will have leftover paint for other patio projects. All of the items can be the exact same color, plus, I don't have to spend more money. BUDGET is always key when I complete projects. Having purchased external paint by the gallon before, I expected to pay less than $20. $17 something plus tax to be exact.  

After I figured out which shade of black would fit my theme, I went to the paint counter.  Well, like everything else, paint has gone up. The lady in paint said a can of non primer paint was $23.  It wasn't a huge deal, but we started talking. I explained I was just painting a few chairs. She mentioned there was a section  of discounted paints. My eyes opened wide. Discounted? Please show me. 

This was the best and worse thing she could have done. Surely I would not find black enameled exterior paint. Who else would have a shade of black in their patio? Not only did I find a better brand of enameled paint for $9 in black, but a gallon of polyurethane for $3.80 AND 2 cans of rose gold spray paint for $2 and change. The paints were put back because the person who had the colors mixed ended up not taking them. It wasn't the exact shade of black I picked out, but I didn't care! It was black and at the end of the day, I am going to be washing bird poop off the chairs. However, the spray paint was there because the tops were cracked! Uhmmmmmm, score.  ​

I left the store spending exactly what I was planning on spending, but I had alot more. Point of the story: check the discounted paints if you aren't looking for a specific shade of paint. Heck, check it even if you are because you may be surprised. 

They are also great to hold candy and party snacks. You can fill the bottom of jars with something decorative to add your theme. Hot glue and a few print outs of thematic items bring life to a party table. They can also be used for candles and well, flowers (who knew vases can actually hold flowers). 

The one draw back is, it can be expensive to find vases in colors you like, or you may not be able to find the exact color you are looking for.  Right now, gold is popular.  However, I love rose gold. It has become an accent in my home during the holiday season.  When I designed my daughter's room, I used rose gold.  It was the perfect accent for a little girl.  Since our kitchen renovation, I want it to be a staple color. Something we would see throughout the home daily.   

I've been looking for rose gold decorations, but they are far and few between. Spray painting existing vases leftover from previous projects was the perfect idea. I was able to get rid of items I already had and create something I can use. It also allowed me to try out a technique I'd seen on Pinterest; tape and spray paint designs.  

The reason I went for ombre and translucent over fully covering-- I want these to be more flexible for design later. These can be used for flowers or candles. If I put candles inside, you will be able to see the flame  from inside the holder. During Christmas, I can still fill them with ornaments for my table setting. ​

Have you ever thought, I wish I could make a table that fit in here better? We need storage at the front door; what can I do? Well, my answer was build a custom table for our items.

Most of the furniture/decor in our current home came from our previous house. That means, it was purchased before children, with different styles and served a different purpose. 
I always wanted a true foyer.  A little room that led into the living room. Our new home finally gave me that space. The table that was in our foyer was purchased 9 years ago.  Even though it is a writing desk, it severed as a craft desk for my office in our old house. It is a nice small table, traditional in style, perfect for a small entryway.  When we moved into this home, I put the desk in the foyer instead of my office. 
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After we had kids, the collection of shoes at the front door, along with bags, mail, work supplies, daycare items began to pile up. As we head out the door in the mornings, we needed somewhere to place my coffee cup, lunchbox and laptop while I buckle the kids in the car. The foyer table, with decorations on it, proved to be too small. 

Before heading to the store I created my plans.  Not only the size I wanted, but the style. How did I want the piece to look? What was the style of the foyer? What would look better in the space? What decor did I want on it? What did I want to put in the cabinets? What was my budget? How could I make sure I got everything I wanted and not spend more than I would at a store?  At first I was going to built a traditional table. A simple wood table top with in stock turned legs. The only downside, I still wouldn't have a place for shoes and odds and ends. I researched foyer cabinets with storage, then, I looked at foyer tables I liked in stores. This helped me figure out my styles, needs and most importantly, dislikes. Knowing what you don't like is more important than knowing what you like. 

When you are calculating the height, be sure to add the height of the plywood and the legs. My legs were 4 inches and the plywood is close to an inch thick on both the top and bottom of the cabinet. That give me 35 1/2 overall inches, or roughly 36. Make sure your table isn't too tall for your space once you add on your legs. 

I don't know how this got started, but everyone thinks baking soda and vinegar are the answers to all household cleaning.  Wellllll, I'm here to tell you, it's not. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way. A few years ago, we had a dishwasher that barely worked. The house was brand new, so we assumed the dishwasher was just cheap, which was why it didn't work. Nope, it was something major. Before I learned this, I tried all sorts of home remedies to fix it. My last idea was baking soda. DO NOT BUT BAKING SODA IN YOUR DISHWASHER! 

It clogged our machine. There was water EVERYWHERE! Thank God we had tile floors throughout the first floor. It was terrible. TERRIBLE. After mopping, fussing, and mopping, I called my home warranty company. They sent a plumber out who named the parts we needed. He also said, don't use baking soda in the machine. Why? It clogs it over time. If you want to clean you machine, run it empty. There are also special dishwasher cleaners in the store like this one Click. You place the entire bottle in the machine upside down. Please don't be like me and mess up your machine. 

Happy Cleaning!