favorite summer photos

When I can't sleep, I often pull out the laptop and edit family photos.

Obviously, I struggled sleeping last night!  Here are some of my favorites so far this summer. 

Snow Shack.  Tiger's Blood all the way!

An afternoon of fort building.

We went bowling and it was so fun to watch Belle - she got such a kick out of the whole thing.  It's safe to say, age four is my favorite.

Love this guy.  He won the bowling game and fortunately he didn't gloat.  Nothing brings out my "spice" more than when he rubs a win in my face.  A little competitive, no? 

Belle's gorilla impersonation.

I know - too many of Isabelle.  I can't help it, she's just so dang cute.

I love that he poses for me when I pull out the camera!

My boys. :)

So much sass for such a little tike!

Okay, okay…the last one.  Promise.
This one cracks me up.  We were in the car and Maddie gave me the, "Mom, mom, take a picture of me" routine.  Though I'm not exactly sure what it is she's doing…?

Summer break's almost up, so I'm feeling the pressure to kick up the fun!

violet, lilac or magenta

I'm picking paint for this Jenny Lind bed.

 I like the idea of a purple, but I haven't decided which shade yet - violet, lilac or magenta.

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bbc/uk

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Any thoughts?

inspiration roundup

Happy Monday!  Here's some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing this week.

508 Restoration and Design created a line of painted animal silhouettes from scrap barn wood.  Love them.

We've had our kitchen table going on ten years now and I would love to have Zac built something similar to this.  A pre-worn table would eliminate the stress surrounded by kids and utensils!

Even though my house looks nothing like this, I'm still drawn to white spaces.  They're so calm.

The style of this stair runner would make a great DIY rug.

This wallpaper be great in a little girls' room.

Our piano is under the stairs like this sofa - I like the idea of adding a more modern gallery along the open diagonal.

 

These planter boxes are such a great idea!  Tutorial here.

painting trick: the lunch sack

I put the last coat of paint on this vanity on a sweltering 115 degree afternoon.  My garage wasn't that hot, but it got close.

The intense heat speeds up the dry time of the paint and can prevent it from self-leveling correctly.  This can leave a rough feeling to the paint.  The surface looks great, but feels a little gritty as you run your hand over the surface.

This local guy taught me the greatest trick.  

Enter…the lunch sack.

Even the finest grit sandpaper will leave small scratch marks in a finished surface, but a paper bag will not.  (I've also heard of turning your sandpaper disks over and smoothing out the surface with the soft back side).

Grab your paper sack and run it over any surface that feels a little rough.

You'll be amazed at the difference it makes in the feel of the surface.

weddings, outlets and instagram

The last few days have been all over the place.  Well…really the last two weeks.  We were in Utah for a week, followed by a few days of post-vacation mess and then the realization that my kids start school in less than a month! and we haven't done nearly enough of the fun stuff this summer.  So that's what we're focusing on - the fun stuff…with a little painting mixed in between.

I'm on instagram.  I love it - maybe a little too much.  You can follow me there, @natty_cox or on twitter @nattybydesign.

Did you catch the photos of this reception?  If I could do it over again, I'd want mine to look just like this one.  Design blogs and pinterest, where were you ten years ago?

I just put in an order for a few of these.  I can't wait to eliminate the two inch gap behind our dressers!

Later on this week, I have one of the all-time best painting tips to share, so make sure to check back!

tips and tools for stripping furniture

I wish I had some magical tip to completely eliminate the necessity for stripping furniture.  I don't.  But, I can share the tools and products I use to make the process easier.

My favorite stripper is Citristrip, you can find it at most hardware stores.  It doesn't contain harsh chemicals like methylene chloride and because of this, is safe to use inside.  It says it stays active for up to 24 hours, but this is rare.  The citristrip needs to be wet to stay active, so if you're working in severe weather conditions, you'll need to continually reapply to allow it to work properly.

I use the same $3 brush to apply it on all my projects.  Avoid using anything nice because it will most likely be ruined.  Apply the Citristrip in thick coats for the best results.  To contain the mess, I roll out plastic or butcher paper over my drop cloths so the mess can be easily disposed of when I'm finished.

It was 115 degrees outside while I applied stripper to this antique vanity.  I was constantly reapplying thick layers to keep it wet enough to allow the product time to eat through the paint.

My favorite tool, is the in 5 in 1 painter's multi-tool.  It's cheap, it works great for scraping paint, applying putty and getting into tight crevices.  Get one!  I promise you won't regret it.

Some people like steel wool for removing paint in detailed areas or get to the last of the paint off before sanding.  I prefer a green scrubber from the kitchen.  They're easy to get a handle on, they don't gum up as quickly and they don't come apart like steel wool often does.  They work wonders when soaked in mineral spirits before scrubbing.

If you're really in a bind, struggling with stubborn paint in hard to reach nooks and crannies, then a steel wire brush can be your best friend, but I would be very careful because they can do a lot of damage on softer woods.

I hope this was helpful.  If you have any other go-to tips, I'd love to hear them!

a summer schedule and a messy house

This summer I've come up with a schedule that has allowed me to really enjoy having my kiddos home for the summer.  One week "on", one week "off".  One week where I head to the garage early and get several hours of painting in each morning.  Then the following week is an off week where I take and edit photos, schedule blog posts and really focus on getting the kids out for some fun adventures during the week.

This schedule really works for me because I get sad hanging out in the garage everyday knowing my kids are inside.  Now it's much easier because I tell myself it's only six days and then I'll have the next eight off.  It also lessens my mommy guilt - and that's so nice.

It motivates me to push through my client projects quickly.  Whatever I don't get finished in those six "on" days carries over into my "off" days and that's no good.

The only problem with this schedule is that on the "on" week, my house can be a wreck.
I am meticulous when it comes to my house.  I like it clean.  I always make sure it's in perfect condition before heading to bed so I can wake up to a clean house.

On this particular morning I was in the garage when the kids woke up, so they had to fend for themselves for breakfast.  I came in an hour later and my house was a disaster!

 Applesauce in the bathroom sink a la Charlotte.

 And a game fiesta in my bedroom.

I guess this is what I get for telling them they couldn't watch tv.
I was not a happy camper.

girls night and a GIVEAWAY

I love having my kids home for the summer.  Not much of a schedule, lazy afternoons and lots of time together.  That being said, it does get a little complicated with my painting schedule.  With as busy as I have been in that regard, finding balance is hard.  It is my responsibility to make sure my kids have a great summer and it is also my responsibility to help out financially at the moment.  Figuring out how to do both well leaves me a little rundown sometimes.

I have a great group of friends that used to get together regularly, but as our families grow, there is less time to get out and enjoy girls time.  We recently decided to get together and head out to dinner at Applebees.  It was much needed and so good for all of us to check out and enjoy some time catching up and eating yummy food. (Applebees has the most delicious Chicken Caesar Salad!)  The atmosphere there is casual and relaxing and we ended up chatting and eating for over two hours!  Our server was great and didn't try to shove us along so she could reseat our table.  That is always nice.

I usually feel a wee bit guilty getting out and enjoying time with friends, but I always come home so glad I did because I'm rejuvenated and ready to be better in all my areas in my life.

If you don't follow Applebees already, they are on Youtube, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr.  They are encouraging us females to get out and enjoy some much needed time socializing with friends.  Many of us do not make as much time for that as we need to and Applebees is working to get us out to enjoy some great company and good food.  

They are hosting a giveaway to allow you to do just that.

Could you use a girls night out too?  Leave a note in the comments section telling me why and be entered to win in a $150 Applebees giveaway!

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 7/9/12 – 8/3/12.

Be sure to visit the Applebee's Life Is Better Shared page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí reviews and find more chances to win!

duncan fyfe antique table

I've actually had this antique drop leaf table for over a year.  I bought it to refinish and slowly buried it in sandpaper, rags and loose hardware.  It has served me well as my collect all table - it will be missed.

This before photo doesn't do it justice…it was in terrible condition.

I love the brass toe caps.

The table is fully functional though the sides droop slightly when lifted.

I see it working great accessorized as an end table or between two tall chairs.

Details in the shop.

a recipe: Tunnel of Fudge

Happy 4th!  

We're in Utah for the week visiting Zac's family.  I was super excited to get away for the week and then two hours into our 13 hour drive, our AC compressor called it quits.  It was 115 degrees through Arizona and 105 in Utah.  Our van was literally over 90 degrees for 10 of the 13 hours.  The poor kids were drenched in sweat, but because we were traveling on a Sunday none of the repair shops along the way were open!

Luckily it's in the shop now and it's only taking four of our five day trip to fix.  Awesome.  

Anyway, for any of you looking for a delicious dessert recipe to take to a barbecue or get together  tonight, this is one our family favorites.  

Tunnel of Fudge.  Mmmm.

Looks delicious, right?

Here's the recipe.

Cake:

1 3/4 C. sugar

1 3/4 C. butter

6 eggs

2 C. powered sugar

2 1/4 C. flour

3/4 C. unsweetened cocoa

2 C. walnuts

Glaze:

3/4 C. powdered sugar

1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa

4 to 6 tsp. milk

Heat oven to 350.  In mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter, beat till fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.  Add powdered sugar and mix well.  By hand, add flour, cocoa and nuts.  Pour batter into greased and floured bundt pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until top is set and edges begin to pull away from pan.  Let cool 20 minutes, then invert to cool completely.

Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over cake.

And I think I created a printable 3 x 5 recipe card.  You'll have to let me know if it works.