Ugly Duckling Dining Room No More! {Blogging Without Borders}

I am sooo excited to share my Ugly Duckling Dining Room makeover with you!!  This has been a project of stops and starts, but I am thrilled with the end result.   I had to think outside the box AND try things  I'd never done before...  a challenge in every way!  But I think you'll agree that the payoff is huge... and now I will have a fresh and FINISHED dining room for the holidays! Before I get to the big reveal, let me remind you where we … [Read more...]

Inspiring Blogger Interview: Linda from It All Started With Paint

It's back!  My Inspiring Blogger series resumes today with one of my favorite new bloggy friends, Linda from It All Started With Paint.  Sometimes you get connected with someone online and you just know you'd be friends IRL.  That's how I feel about Linda!  She's funny, enormously talented with a paint brush and drop cloths, but she's also REAL.   See for yourself!!  Here's Linda... How did you get started blogging? Let’s just … [Read more...]

Here and There Thursday!

I'm a busy gal today!  Finishing up some things in my Ugly Duckling Dining Room (yay!) and a pow-wow with my pal and booth business partner Michelle.  Oh, and more preschool prep.  Whew! Today I'm guest-posting over at The Mustard Ceiling!  Do you read Elizabeth's blog?  She's fabulous, generous, and extremely gifted.  And she's in the middle of a big move, so she is graciously letting me share in her space.  I hope you'll pop over and leave … [Read more...]

Not Quite There…

We're about two weeks into our school year already.  And I'm knee deep in this... and brainstorming bulletin board ideas, organizing my classroom and in general getting ready for the arrival of a new crop of Little Ones. Oh, and trying desperately to finish my Ugly Duckling dining room to share with y'all on Monday!  Did you catch a glimpse of what I was working on yesterday afternoon? If you follow me on Twitter (@heidimilton) or … [Read more...]

Painted Lady {Inspiration for the Secretary}

Monday already?  We had a busy weekend around here and I continued to press on with my Ugly Duckling dining room projects... slowly.  Lots of interruptions and a few stops and starts, but slow and steady wins the race!  I'll be so excited to share the reveal here next Monday! The light fixture is hung.  The mirror is in place.  But the biggest project I tackled was painting my aunt's secretary. Here she is before... it's been the home … [Read more...]

Just for Fun Friday

T.G.I.F!  We made it through the first week of school... though both high schoolers slept though blaring alarms this morning and had to be rousted manually (i.e. by Mom) so they could get to school on time.  Boo to early mornings. Yesterday I made some "Yippee!" kind of headway on the Ugly Duckling dining room, so I thought it would fun to share some little victories in what's turned out to be QUITE to undertaking. Remember my sad lamp on … [Read more...]

Thursday Treasure Seeking

Hey there, friends! Today you'll find me at Fancy Little Things continuing our conversation about treasures in our homes... Pop over and weigh in on what you consider YOUR treasures in your home! I'll be back tomorrow... HOPING I have a dining room lighting update for you!! Enjoy your day... … [Read more...]

DIY Baby Spoon Display {Ugly Duckling Dining Room}

I am totally in love with my baby spoon display in my dining room, so I thought I'd share the "how to!"   It all started with these small racks I found thrifting with Charity a few weeks ago... They were $2 each and I got them for 20% off -- $6 for the four of them. :-) I've also gotten in the habit of trolling the hobby stores framing department for frames on clearance... especially open frames.  Many were custom orders … [Read more...]

Ugly Duckling Dining Room: Wall Art {Blogging Without Borders}

Time for another update on my Ugly Duckling Dining Room as part of our Blogging Without Borders challenge! And this dining room is indeed having its Season of Change!  I'm in mid-stream on two major projects for the space, with a third about to ramp up this weekend -- yikes!   But I'm so excited by how it's coming together... slowly but surely. :)  Today you get to check out the wall art I've come up with for the room. Previously I had … [Read more...]

I Can’t Resist…An Occasional Chair

There's just something about a simple chair.  An "occasional" chair that by design and definition is a versatile furnishing in your home. I was looking through some vignettes I've pinned over the last several months and a common theme emerged...   Source: allumerdecor.blogspot.com via Heidi on Pinterest Source: ramblingrenovators.blogspot.com via Heidi on Pinterest Source: forevercottage.blogspot.com via Heidi on … [Read more...]