Wife, Mother, Homemaker

Happy Monday my homemaking friends!  It's all dreary and drizzly here in Texas, which is not good painting weather.  I'm still working on those dining room chairs and can't wait to show you the finished product!  I just can't finish today because it's all yuck outside and the paint is taking for.  ev.   er.  to dry.  I'm hoping to have them all done soon. 

I was able to finish a few smaller projects today.  Do you remember me telling you that I was able to get some thrifting in over the weekend?  I found two very cool items for my kitchen:

I think I paid 5 bucks for the pair.  Score!  The only problem was they were the totally wrong color.  So I went to Wal-mart to pick up my BFF:

Just a few minutes later, I was adoring them:

Aren't they so pretty?  I've been wanting some color in my kitchen, and this was a great start!  These things are made of some heavy duty metal and I've seen them in department stores at ridiculous prices - I'm completely satisfied with my thrift store knock-offs!

Another thing I'm super excited to tell you about is that the hubs took the time to teach me how to use a few tools this weekend!  Jump up and down and clap, ok?  Cause that's what I did after I made my first project in all of 5 minutes.

First, I asked him to show me how to use the miter saw.  I already knew how to use it to make straight cuts, I had just never attempted to miter or join any corners before.

(Ignore the junk in the background people.  This is a working garage!)

Then I asked him to show me how to use the brad nailer ( I think that's what it is called?)

Heck yes, people, I am in LOVE with these tools!

So, after hubby's demonstration, I used the miter saw and the brad nailer and I made a

few cuts and put in a few staples.  It took all of 5 minutes to produce this:

What is it, you ask?  It looks just like a plain old picture frame, right?

Well, it is!  I made it out of some scrap wood hubby had laying around in the garage.  But the point of the lesson was not to learn how to make a picture frame, it was to learn how to miter corners.  I plan to use those skills to do something like this:

Do you see the character that molding adds to the room?  Ugh.  Love it!  I have been totally inspired by this woman and know that if she can do it, I can do it!  After completing the picture frame, I have every confidence something like this is possible for me.  I can't wait to put my new skills to work!

Have you learned any new skills recently that will help you make your house more of a home?  I'd love to hear about them!