In List Mode for Undercover DIY week!

In six weeks hubby leaves for LasVegas for a work conference! 

Which means I will be in DIY mode ALL WEEK! 

Can I get a whoop!

I have been busy making my secret list of things I want to get done sans hubby!

He likes to get his hands dirty and get our never ending list of things completed, 

but lets be realistic....

He is a bit of a detail, disect, lets make a road map three times over before it even gets started, type of guy.

We don't mesh. 

Thank goodness for conferences, that's all I can say! 

A few things I know are top priority for me,

like,

-------> Finishing our drop ceiling off. We have a few pieces missing waiting for duct work to be dropped down to meet it. 

Cambridge White ceiling tiles from Home Depot

---------> Digital Thermostat moved to a different location to be ready to paint our living room accent wall. 

Speaking of which, I love this accent wall. Its not a typical location when talking accent walls, but they have definitely pulled this off! {via Pinterest}

----------> Finish installing our gas fireplace top...right now we have our venting pipe exposed.....for three years....{ we won't go there, that's an entirely new post}

Combination of wood and brick. Two great textures in one design makes for  a nice balance. {via Pinterest}

-----------> Install NEW LEGS on my Kijiji find nightstands to raise them up higher to the height of our mattress.

See the distance in height? Much too short. My plan is to find wooden, flat side balls to raise it up! 

-----------> Install mirror surround in both bathrooms!

From House of Smiths! {Have you been to their site? B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l!}

Easy peasy tutorial for this framed mirror!

All items that he thinks we need to 'take time to do'

I can't wait to see his reaction!

Priceless! 

DIY Window Frame Collage Hack

Love those framed collage pictures using old windows and frames but can't seem to find one to use?

Remember this Cabinet Door Collage Frame I completed back in the fall for a gift for my mom?

I was fortunate enough to find the frame at our local ReStore in the city for $5! ......But, alas, I haven't seen one since. 

I have seen tons of posts of people looking for frames to buy for tremendous amounts of money!

 No way I say!

Watch Saturday morning for my re-hack on window frame collage using Dollar Store frames and paint!

Closet Turned Office Inspiration

Its hard to believe Back To School is just over a month away for students here in Ontario.

It feels like summer has just begun!

I have a teenager heading to high school for the first time this fall! She really wants to have an updated, grown up space to complete her homework.

We have thought about taking apart her closet and transforming it into her desk area!

I have found some great inspirations for transforming her closet into a desk area!

Here are two of my favorites!

I love this closet office redo by Susie from  SusieHarrisBlog!

Did you know she refinished the table with Martha Stewart Polished Silver paint!

I think its darling!

Open Concept Office Nook by Mandy from House of Rose!

I love the grey walls against the white desk and shelves. Lovely contrast. 

Have you turned your closet into an office? Tell me about it in the comments!

Melissa xo

Parmesan and Crunchy Bacon Potato Boil

I have a secret. 

My hubby  is an uh-mazing cook.

No, seriously.

Look at what he made in the time it took me to go out for a few groceries yesterday.

He is such a charmer.

Its super simple, cheap on the pocket book and easy peasy to make. 

Promise!

All you need is potatoes, bacon, parmesan cheese, black pepper and chive flakes!

Thats it, thats all!

You can make it in 4 steps! 20 minutes, you are done as dinner!

Boil potatoes. Drain. Fry in frying pan.

Fry bacon to wonderfully brown tone and crunchy!

Cut bacon into small pieces and layer on top of potatoes.

Layer parmesan cheese, pinch of black pepper and chive flakes.

That is it! 

Layer the goodness on your favorite plate, grab a big fork and dig in! 

Dinner time!

Mod Podge Dimensional Magic Rocks!

I'm a Mod Podge girl.

Always have been.

Always will be.

The possibilities are really endless. Seriously.

Have you seen what they have out now in the line of Mod Podge? 

I really love Mod Podge Dimensional Magic.

I mean L-O-V-E 

with a capital L to the O to the...you get the picture, right?....right?

What is one item in your Mod Podge line you can't get enough of? 

Join me this week when I share some projects I have completed using Mod Podge Dimensional Magic!

For now, time to share these DIY from others that I love! 

{great idea with Valentine's Day right around the corner}

Vanessa from Tried and True

Decorative Mason Jars from Mod Podge blog

Anthro-Inspired Knobs from Diapered Knights

Grungy Candle Giveaway!

Since there are so many, many views on my Grungy Candle tutorial, its time to give some away! 

Want to win your own set? Simple and easy peasy!

Visit my Facebook page! Renovating 519

Comment under this post and Share the post afterwards! Grungy Candle Giveaway!

Giveaway closes today at 1pm EST, its a quick one! Act fast!

Winner will be chosen today after 1pm and announced here on the blog and on the FB page!

Good luck!

Next Time Around Consignment Shop~

Local to the Tri.Cities/Cambridge, Ontario Canada? 

Check out Next Time Around Consignment Shop! 

 Next Time Around is a specialist home furniture and decor consignment store serving the tri-cities area of 

Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo. 

We are committed to stocking only the finest pieces of gently used furniture and home decor

 on consignment along with new trendy decor.

Here are a few of my favorites!

Kijiji Free Nightstand Find-Before

Confession time. 

I like

L-O-V-E 

Kijiji.

Anyone who knows me, knows how much time is spent checking it out and driving to pick ups. 

 This is my latest find!

For FREE!

Two nightstands!

With a-l-o-t of work to be done to them, but thats ok! 

                                                                Antiqued handles

 

 Inside of the frame

Inside of the drawers lined with tacky paper. 

The top of the nightstands

This is what my goal is! To remove the bottom drawer, fix the frame, change out the hardware and paint it up!

HGTV Top 10 Decor Items That Need to Stop!

HGTV put out there Top 10 Decor Items That Need To Stop!

Take a look through the list found here and see what faux-pas you are in with you decor style!

Some of their choices for overdone decor style include, 

Love Letters

This one I don't agree with. You can find a lot of great variations of text decor to add to your room. The key is being subtle. You don't need to broadcast that you use it for decor. The key is less. 

******

This is my go-to find for a great variation of LOVE LETTERS.

I love the simplicity of these wood fonts from Design Dining and Diapers. Simple. Pretty. Soft. 

TRELLIS RUGS

I love a trellis rug. It all comes down to the size of pattern and the color choices. 

I love this yellow one, but It looks pretty powerful and overbearing in the room. 

******

This is a great example of balanced placement between a trellis rug and living room seating.

When incorporating a trellis rug in a large area, its important to keep everything in proportion. 

The large trellis pattern against the solid seating keeps the room grounded. The smaller scale ottoman with opposite pattern direction is a versatile piece that doesn't get lost and misplaced in the pattern of the rug. This living room design by Decor Chick is perfect in my books! 

I DO agree with these though...time to go!

Buddha

Hanging Lamp

Take a look through the HGTV link and see which pics ring true to you. 

Do you agree? Disagree with their finds?

Social Media Mini Info

Social media boggles the mind for some. It doesn't need to be. Once you know the basics of how everything 'works', its smooth sailing!

I have had a few business owners urge me to put together a 'how-to' of social media to help them get accustomed to using the sites.

I have also had my mother quite frequently refer to Twitter as texting and texting as phoning in. Yes, I would say she needs a mini info post :) 

Love you Mom! xo

For me, I am a self taught/learner type gal. Everything I do, which some days its more than others, is learned from trial and error.

I hope you find my mini info post helpful! Feel free to comment at the end of the post with any questions!

                                                             ~SOCIAL MEDIA~

The big social media anchors currently are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram as most of you know. 

Are you on each of these?

Facebook 

Twitter

Pinterest

Instagram

If you are a blogger, its important to at least have 3 out of 4 of these social media sites. 

Reaching to your audience is important to keep you traffic moving and conversations stimulating. By having consistency in these social media anchors keeps you connected and intertwined .

 Facebook

Facebook just announced its in the 10th year of being up and running. With millions of registered users, it stands as one of the top sites for blogger networking. 

Your fans have the ability to share your posts and pictures, increasing your fan count which increases your traffic on your page and comments. 

Twitter

Twitter is a quick and easy site to be a part of. It allows you to connect and interact with fans on a current, in the moment, level. By posting statuses, it keeps your fans up to date on the happenings with your and your blog or business. 

Some bloggers like the idea of being able to reach many people in a short amount of time. It allows for you to stay balance at home whether it be along side of your spouse, children, and household life. 

By having the app on my phone, it saves time and convenience. You can literally tweet from anywhere in a moment's notice. 

Pinterest

Think of it as a larger, personalized inspiration board. All of your favorite images in one spot. You can group them in like categories on 'boards'. 

Pinterest is just one more site where your fans may follow your activity by way of images. 

All three are great sources of social media. 

I personally do not have Instagram but I should!...as my teenage tells me :)

Benjamin Moore Marlboro Blue Accent Wall

I love a great accent wall. 

It serves as a great balance for a room and allows your focus on colors and shapes to be centered. It also is a useful focal point if your room is smaller in size.

 {Basic rule of thumb is to choose a color for your accent wall that is darker than your other wall color} 

Choosing colors that strong contrast and immediate impact make for a statement piece. If you are looking for a more subtle and classy blend, choose a color for your accent wall that is two or three shades off of your original three.

Which wall to choose for an accent wall?

Most designers and DIY'ers choose their accent wall based on furniture placement , door and window locations as well as light. 

I choose our back wall of our master bedroom for our accent wall. It faces the east and is located perpendicular to the window. It allows for a steady stream of natural light for the majority of the day. 

Our queen size bed will also be placed on the accent wall with two night stands flanking each side.  

The room is on the smaller side for a master at 10x12. 

By choosing Benjamin Moore Marlboro Blue as an accent wall will serve as a great contrast in a small space. The color is very traditional and can be adapted to almost any space of any size. 

Accent walls can be completed and designed is so many different methods and mediums used. 

Stenciling. Wallpaper. Picture clusters, Vinyl art. 

I love this stenciled accent wall designed by Kerri from A Pop of Pretty, apopofpretty.com It offers up a great balance of smaller, detailed pattern with a larger scale bed frame. Its the perfect combination. 

The possibilities are endless. 

When you design with a focal point in mind, you have yourself an accent wall. 

Its as simple as that!

{For those of you interested, the stock number for Benjamin Moore Marlboro Blue is HC153}

Wall Paint Choice for Master Bedroom and Ensuite

Finished a few last minute paint touches to the master bedroom and ensuite bath today! 

We choose to go with Behr Premium Plus in Parchment Paper 

I absolutely LOVE this tone. 

Especially when the morning and midday sun catches it at just the right moment.

Parent Club Giveaway!

The Toronto Sportsmen's Show is coming up next week February 6-9th! 

Are you going?

 Ever been? 

The Parent Club is holding a giveaway to win your very own tickets to attend! 

With endless amounts of ways to enter, you WILL find one..{or more}..thats right for you!

Follow the link here!

Looking Back on 2013

The year of 2013 was a great year! 

Looking back, I'm pretty proud of the things I managed to get completed around my home, some added here and some waiting for pretty posts for this year of 2014! 

Take a look at the top 4 most popular posts on my blog from 2013! 

Feel free to revisit them! 

DIY Grunge Candle Tutorial

$20 Makeover Armoire

Cabinet Door Collage

DIY Fabric Memo Board-Keeping tacks in place