My Bathroom Reno.. part #1, the linen closet.

 Every home has many spaces.. each with it's own purpose.

I'm going to talk about the "Small little Closet" in my Master Bath

This closet is used about as much as my pantry in the kitchen.

"Look at this shameful space". When the townhouse was built you would think the contractors might have thought this out better?

Of all the rooms I truly care about, it's this little space.

Somehow I can make it better, somehow I can smile when I open the door, to reach for a towel or some soap.

This is the one spot in the house that "I need to be both useful and attractive"

I'm linking up to

Where Bloggers Create, 2nd Annual Blog Party 

 

My entire Master Bath is being re-done. New everything, Sink, Counter Top, Mirror and I'm going to try my hand at using the "Epoxy Paint" to change the color of the Tub and Tile. (If that does not work , or if I make a mess of it,then it's going to be replaced with new.

But first, the "Linen Closet"

It's small and very oddly shaped. The worst part of it is the 'wire shelves'. They do not hold much thanks to the 'bar' that holds it to the wall... "I hate wire shelves"!  They are put in almost all homes.  I have been on a quest to eliminate them since moving into my townhouse.. I did do the pantry the same year I moved in, and two of the bedroom closets....but "My bedroom" is next, and this past week I finally got to the linen closet! 

Below, is the pantry...I was not expecting company so don't look at the contents, just the shelving.  I spent three days putting the wood shelves in, using "L" brackets to hold weight!

Let me add one thing "I love a "Pop of Color" in my closets"

Makes it more inviting.

 

 Enough of that.. lets go back to the bathroom "linen closet"!

The first thing was to remove the wire shelving... this was so easy,,  "I just pulled" and it all came out.. (homes are made so well you know).. then had to use the screw driver to remove the remaining screws....

Then I had to patch the holes before painting....

Then to the "Home Depot" for more wood... had the man cut the wood for me... except he could only do the straight cuts.. I had to do the angles. (don't you just love the panel saw?)

 Let me first explain something.. "I love to not spend money, at least a lot of money". The inspiration for this project started when I found a good piece of wood in the trash... my neighbor was doing some work in his house and tossed a really good 'left over'. I took it home... measured what I needed then to the Home Depot for two more shelves... I found two scraps in their pile and they cost me all of $2.00... so the entire project cost me a total of $11.41 (that includes paint).....are you impressed yet?

I spent a bit of time at "Ikea" this past week and found such a happy color there.. Green, "Geico Green" was the color. It was shown with white, and the room set up was sending out "Grins and Laughing"... so this was my choice for the linen closet....

 

Then I used a 'Shiny white latex semi gloss' paint for the shelves.

 

As I said at the beginning, the closet is a "Very Odd Shape" and I had to measure the shelving.. the easiest way to do this was to put a piece of news paper on the floor of the closet and make a pattern. Then I put the pattern on the wood using my sharpie to trace the pattern.. then cut the odd shape with my trusty jig saw.

I'll tell you.. this was a very easy job.. and I have so much more room to store my linens! I love the "whow" you get when you open the door to the closet, and "I'm happy now"... phase 2, will come soon... the entire master bath will be getting a make over and I'll be sure to post it here....but, in the mean time.. take a look at my finished "Linen Closet".

Silly, I know!  Sometimes "I just sit and stare at my work and smile".  The Bath will soon go through some more makeovers.. the vanity will be painted "White" next week.. but in the mean time.. "This is my favorite space",,, really.. the only part of heaven where a mom can find peace and privacy!

I'm a simple woman,, don't need fancy or extreme, just cozy and nice looking makes me feel so peaceful inside.

Where is your favorite space?

Simply Brilliant Idea!!

There is not alot in the world that really gets my attention.. I mean crafting is one thing.. how many new
bows or how many chairs can we strip and turn into new?? Well I saw this idea and it blew me away! Simple Idea that can change the way we do things.. Homes with children,, books, toys... shelves!! Today I have to Feature two blogs I ran into,.... the first is...."Ada Brown" ... this blog told me of this idea... then turned me onto the woman who did this!!   Take a look!

 

Look at this... these are "Rain Gutters"... they are on the side of my house!!

Amazing!!

For your kids room!! Why did I not think of this years ago when I had kids and toys and books all over their room??

http://adabrownboutique.blogspot.com/2010/02/because-everybodys-doing-it.html 

Here is the link.. Please go take a look at her blog and if you are like most of us with children.. this is such an amazing idea.. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zaluma2/2789930573/in/set-72157606909564340/

The Irish have their day... so do my Italians!!

We will be celebrating "St Pattys Day" soon and being half Irish and half Italian I felt the need to celebrate my Italian heritage by going to my favorite Italian store... I mean they have 'good stuff' there...  "Mazzaro's Italian Market" here in St. Petersburg, Fl... is the next best thing south of the Bronx! 

                              The front of the store does not tell the story of what is inside... so come on in and smell the food.. feel the atmosphere, listen to the talk of the Italians .......

             The religion greets you when you enter... although they don't push their thoughts on their customers they do celebrate their feelings on the subject.... 

 

Then you enter the world of the "Food"... raw, cooked, spiced, boxed... so much food!

This is the worlds largest "Provolone".. yes this is a 1200lb chunk of cheese! They can't cut it for another  year.. it's got to age more!

There is also two refrigerated cases of cheese... imported cheeses from all over the world.

Walk around the corner and you will smell your way to the bread ovens.. they make every kind of bread my Italian ancestors love... 

Then we come to the "Sweets"... and the one that has me doing a dance for is the "Rum Balls"... 

I could just eat one of each sweet in this case!

But knowing it's going to lay on my hips at a very fast rate I was so good and ordered a Ciabatta, with butter and a really good cup of coffee.

Being the good Italian that I am I had to order a bit of Gelato... Spumoni to be exact! My will power just went out the window.. but it was so worth it!

 

My sister and I spent about two hours in this wonderful store.. we were good and did not eat alot.. we did spend a bit of time checking out the bread baking area.. it had many people working there and it was fun to watch... I did try to 'pan' the photo...not too bad! I hope it posts here on my blog for all to see.. (no it was cut in half, sorry).


Time to say good by to this wonderful store... I celebrated my Italian heritage this day.. so now I can say "Happy St Patricks Day" with out guilt!

 

Ok...Ok... had to share one more photo.... The Pepperoni... how can we leave without the Pepperoni?

Bye Italian store... bye .......

  

For the Irish in me and for the Italian in me!!

And to all of you, celebrate your heritage in style!

The Seasons are changing..... thank you!

I took a walk outside today.... my yard needs a team of people to clean it up!  As you all know the cold and freezing came to my part of Florida,, it really did alot of damage to my yard....How happy I was to see my 'yellow rose bush in bloom'.  
I also have a new toy... a made for TV toy.. this new 'tool' is a blower, vacuum and makes the leaves into mulch... I can't wait to get outside and use it.  This was a gift from my sister.. everyone needs a sister like my "Dolly".

 

I wish all of you could have heard the 'bull frogs' in the creek out back last night. Was a symphony going on out there, loud too!

My little Angel friend sits in the front of the house.. greeting the critters and the humans that may come by.

 

 

For some reason I get a kick out of the 'metal dragonflies' scattered around my yard!

Some of my friends don't understand them... but I do!

 

I have a neighbor... you know the ones.. who look at your yard and make comments! This one told me "Your yard looks like a trailer park"... I did not know if I should 'laugh or cry'! Now I don't have alot of 'stuff' around my yard.. the front only has a bird bath and one little angel? The back, now that is another matter.. but it's so large back there you really miss most of the little statues and things... awww,, this guy is just an old grouch!

   

The bench sitting way back in the 'south 40'... (as my husband calls it!) I found the bench several years ago sitting on the side of the road.. for the trash man!.. well, it ended up in the back of my car and I bought some new seat wood to repair the broken slats.. I'll tell you the back of the bench is made of a really nice metal floral motif and could be used for wall art when the bench wood has finally seen it's last day!

     

Take a look at the large 'crack' on the side of the 'chiminea'... Yep, I found this in someones trash, cracked in three pieces... it came home with me and I got out the 'liquid nails' and it's been holding up for about 5 years now! I love it in the back... but, I don't use it for a fireplace... I'm sure the whole thing will crack and be very dangerous!

I have been pushing the season.. Think Spring, Think Spring.. but we here in Florida will go right into summer. Any day now it will be in the 80's and I will be happy along with my friend, St Francis...he does not like the cold!  I have been wheezing and sneezing for weeks now.. I can't believe it but I had an old fashioned 'head cold'... you know the one where you need a tissue every 20 minutes... well.. this is Florida.. I have not had a head cold since leaving Illinois 15 years ago.. Texas had no colds??

Anyway... "Think Spring"!! I know it's coming cause my "Easter Lilly's" are all coming up out front!  Think Spring!

Play along food.....

Grandma is at it again.... My grandsons have a play area in their classroom, with dishes to 'make believe' cooking and serving... Gina wants to give them the freedom to 'choose' their adult profession and being a 'Chef' is on the list.  She asked me to create 'felt food' for them... So here I go!
I did first look on the net for a few photos to give me some guidance and I was amazed how many people make 'Felt Food"....
I then went to my local "JoAnns" for felt.. I did find all the colors needed but "Buns", not the correct colors for "Hamburger or Hot dog buns"??  I'll have to make do and maybe add a bit of paint?

 

First let me gather all the supplies. Tacky gule or needle and thread?

Grapes? Eggs, sunny side up or scrambled?  hmmmm... scrambled seemed a but much. Sunny side up it is!

I then went to cutting the felt in the shapes of each food. 

Gina asked for "Eggs and Bacon"... 

And what would food be for three little boys, age 2, 4 and 6, without the ever present Hot Dog.

Grandma had to put "Salad" on the menu. They need their 'greens'.

The "French Frys" were a trick and not the correct color.. but, these are young boys mind you, I don't think they will mind?

Gina said "The boys love Ravoli" 

A few 'Grapes' to give them their 'fruit'

I had such fun making 'Felt Food'.... I used a needle and thread and a bit of 'craft cotton filler' to stuff them... now lets see if I can put them in a packing box without smashing them... Their on their way to "Guam" for the boys play house!   Have fun 'guys'!!

    

I'm linking up to

  We can do it Cheaper @ The Virginia House                            

"St Patty's Day"

I come from a very "Irish" Mother named "Mary Eileen Murray". Her father came to America as a young man from Ireland toting along his very English wife.
He was one of the Irish that had to work hard to establish himself living in New York, doing different trades, until he had the good sense to join the United States Coast Guard and served in WW1 and WW2.  He and his wife, Cora B Davis, created 5 children. One being my mom... 
                                                     

 

As most of you know the Irish had a rough start in America. They were considered a lesser people and most worked as laborers and house maids.  After my mom grew into a young woman she met my father. Anthony Gerbino, (who also was in the USCG) from a very Sicilian family who came to America 'on the boat".... Moms marrying an Italian was a very big "No No" in those days because it was considered beneath  the Italians  to even socialize with the Irish.  Mom told me so many stories of her early days in the 1940's when she was shunned by his family and friends. I would like to add, my son, Thomas, is a Lutinent in the USCG and my youngest daughter is married to a CG man, carrying on the family tradition.

 

Today I'm so happy to say being half Irish and half Italian is not a bad thing anymore, so celebrating "St. Patricks" day was and is a big thing in my home.  My grandfathers name was, "Thomas Partick Murray"... how much more Irish can one be?

During the time I lived in Chicago I witnessed the turning of the Chicago River, Green. 

 

Another time I lived in San Antonio TX, and walked the River Walk while it was Green.

 

 

To all of you, Irish or not, or 'just a little bit" Irish let me say 

"Happy St Patty's Day"

Follow that rainbow and let all your dreams come true!