Vintage Dirty Laundry Basket

Do you ever pick something up that you don't need, but feel like you could find a purpose for it just because it's a good price and you kind of like it?

Of course not, I'm the only one.

You can't fool me, I know you do it too, maybe at Home Goods or Target, something ends up in your cart because you can't pass it by?

Well that's what happened to me a few years ago leaving a flea market with some friends. I saw a vintage basket and stand combo marked twenty bucks, and I briefly thought on it and said sure why not, and it came home with me.

First it sat in the garage for a year collecting saw dust. 

Then it went to the shed o'schidt for a couple more years compacting the dirt on it's facade.

And then last week my washing machine broke.

Farmhouse Table For Kids

I have mentioned before about the local auction house where if you see something you want to bid on it is often bundled with stuff you probably don't want.

I don't recall for sure, but I think what I wanted to bring home from a Spring auction was an antique sleigh bed, because there is one to work on in the garage, and to get that bed frame I had to take the other "junk" too.

Upon arriving home when the bundled stuff is inspected, occasionally the real jewel isn't what you thought you wanted and instead you discover a diamond in the rough.

Such is the case with this unwanted thickly painted black table that came home with auction items I did want.

While the table was in the garage, it was used for many things. It became a saw horse, and a narrow work table, then when my kids camped by the lake this summer it was hauled down the driveway as a camping food prep table.

TV Trays To Patio Tables

Last week Daughter #1 sent me a text asking if I wanted some old TV trays, and I don't think she thought I would say yes. She was cleaning out a closet and if she didn't have a use for them why would I?

But her text was timely, and I did have a use for them.

When I was a kid tv trays were made of metal, and in my mind I can still hear my mom's set clanking as they would hit each other on the stand. These days the trays are wood and I don't think they are called trays, the youngsters call them tables, but to me they will always be tv trays.

So a few days after the original text the six tv trays and their stands landed on my front porch.  I knew what I would use them for, and I knew I would paint them but I did have to think on how I wanted them to look.

Little Shed Makeover

We've got this little shed in our backyard and I'm going to take you on a 4-season tour of it, with a painted update and a sign.

The shed has lived 26 years in the same place and was moved to that spot from a different house, putting the actual age of the build at about 31.

The wood was hammered together back when men wore short shorts like Richard Simmons, which was the style while they were getting physical and listening to their body talk.

I didn't invent the length of the shorts or that song, but both were popular in the 80's when the little shed was born.  I'm not going to include the picture of my husband wearing that style, his children have already ridiculed him enough.

Thankfully mens shorts have since gotten a makeover, and it's time the little shed did too.

Behold the shed in the glory of early Spring. We took out a large shrub to the left and planted some hostas and grass and that's about the time I got the ambition to finally paint it.

Working right up close to it made me realize how really crappy it actually looked.

Before the Summer miracle that is paint

Honest Abe's Doggie Fav's

Even though around here we spend a great deal of time on home improvements, DIY and furniture makeovers, we also spend a lot of time with other peoples dogs as a pet sitting home, and now a new puppy of our own.

It's dog week here, but rest assured there are still some DIY projects that go along with new dog ownership, and I am not becoming a pet blog.   And lest you think I favor dogs, I also like cats, we just don't have one anymore, and I'm worried I could become the crazy dog lady.  But the truth is this little pooch has been occupying a lot of my time and the last three home projects all involved keeping the house and dog safe.

In the last post I told you how a new pup has claimed this place as his domain, what went in to the decision to get another dog after not having one for 1.5 years and how we were turned down for a rescue puppy because we have a doggie door that goes outside.  Today you'll find out his breed, and the products I am finding to be money well spent.

Abe's age is now 19 weeks, he's lived here for 10 and he's catching on to the rules very nicely.

And yes he is spoiled.

 Abe on his outdoor Coolaroo Dog Bed

Rusty Crusty Antique Milk Cans Refreshed

Around here sometimes yard junk goes to the woods to die.

You know, it's that out of sight out of mind thing.

And such is the case with some antique milk jugs I have had forever that were stashed behind the backyard garden shed where I didn't have to see their rusty crusty-ness.

I hauled them out with the intention of giving them a makeover, I just wasn't sure what sort of a makeover that would be, but it seemed a shame to leave antique milk cans rotting in the woods.

The cans were sporting spray paint in a salmon color with sun signs stenciled on in yellow, from I don't know... maybe 20 years ago.

I picked the cans up at a garage sale and I think they were used on the deck holding plants till they were decommissioned behind the shed to wait for their next makeover.

Thrifting The Thrifty Style Team Way December

December is coming to a close and 2017 is going out in style, Thrifty Style Team style that is.

At the bottom there are links to the people I thrift virtually with every second Wednesday of the month - the gals of the Thrifty Style Team. 

But for this thrifty December trip I'm going to show you where it is I like to thrift, the real life team that I like to thrift with and how I spread around a little of the thrifted goods in my home and theirs.

Lazy Halloween Door Decorations

In these parts I'm known as the Halloween Queen.

From years past hosting a haunted trail in the woods, to some epic parties in the back shed, if I'm gonna do Halloween up, I'm gonna do it up right.

Usually.  But not this year.

Or for that matter not Halloween 2014, '15, or 2016 either.

Hard to believe the door things that you are about to see is the work of the same woman who made these awesome party invites......

Or whose party buffet spread sports glowing fake windows.....

Rustic Wedding Pallet Tables

Things here at the ranch are in high production mode at the moment for an end of September shindig and I've got pallets coming outta my....... shed.

There are things to do, and lots of 'em before a tent arrives in a couple weeks.

I would call the wedding of #2 Daughter a true DIY.

She is definitely a hands on bride and thankfully she knows her way around power tools - enough so that she is teaching the groom.

My kids grew up with hammers in their hands, so it's a bit unbelievable for my offspring, but the groom didn't.  Nope, he didn't grow up in a DIY family, no siree.

The groom has said he isn't even sure his dad owned a screw driver.

Hard for my kids to relate to that fact for sure.

Thrifty Style Team Trash To Treasure

You know the saying.

I really don't have to repeat it, but I will anyway......

One mans trash is another mans treasure.

For this months Thrifty Style Team, I will be decorating with someone's trash, and I tell 'ya, it is totally a treasure as far as I'm concerned.

In this case it was truly worth hopping in that dumpster.

Bliss Ranch 2016 Pick 'O The Litter Projects

I had my favorite projects of 2016, but that doesn't mean they were also my readers favorites.

So like the November election results, some of these reader project favorites of the year, might surprise you!

Even if they are not everyone's favorite, the Bliss Ranch Blog readers have spoken and these are the results......

The Top Eight

Pine Box Keepsake Gift

I have a rather wordy post today and it might get a little long.

A story for you, but it's not really mine to tell so I won't be including many of the more personal details. 

Just enough information to explain about a stinky pine box no one else wanted at a garage sale.

We have some friends.  Close ones.

Our families are pretty entwined, we have the old friends thing, the Godparent thing, the mentor thing, the previous boss thing, the kids are all friends thing, the be in each others weddings things, etc. etc. etc.. 

Even the family tree thing - some sort of third cousin deal I can never remember.  I think the grandparents were first cousins.

$10 Pallet Topped Side Table

Once upon a time I picked up a side table at a garage sale because I thought it was interesting.

If I recall correctly the lady told me her son or husband had put the table together from other parts of tables and spare wood.

She was sort of apologizing for it, but those facts just made the table more interesting to me, no apology necessary.

Fusion Mineral Paint with My Salvaged Treasures and Team Sutton Designs

In the past three posts I've mentioned I've got this fever, and quite possibly this fever could last not just for the rest of summer but into Winter and beyond. 

It's Fusion Mineral Paint Fever and I've got it pretty good.

For the end of summer I'm introducing you to blogs who use Fusion Mineral paint just like I do.  These are non sponsored posts, and these gals aren't slackers like I've been this summer.

When it's cold and snowy outside I'm going to be wondering why I didn't paint more this summer while it felt good to be outside.

My friend Betsy from My Salvaged Treasures, has painted a project or two and inspired me countless times - COUNTLESS TIMES I tell 'ya twice because it's worth repeating.

Fusion Casement With Funky Junk and My Patch Of Blue Sky

Have you caught the fever yet?

This is the third installment of Fusion Fever.....

Fusion Mineral Paint fever that is.

Things are really heating up with two projects from Fusion Mineral Paint in Casement.

I've gone through my fair share of the neutral warm white that is Casement.  In fact it is such a go-to shade of mine that I panic if my jar starts to get low.

Oh Hail!

This is a long post.

I'm not in the mood to do any two or three part'ers, in fact I might be downright cranky lately.

If you stopped in today to see the latest dresser I painted you will be disappointed.  My apologies to both you and my sponsors, but you'll have to get over it.  And if you don't want to read a few condensed real life chapters in the book of Bliss Ranch without pretty DIY photos, well then -  auf Wiedersehen, adiós, and sayonara.

Everyone knows that life comes with ups and downs, major and minor crisis's, and then there are the things that are really nothing more than an inconvenience and a pain in the butt.

This is a post about nothing more than inconveniences and pains in the butt.....and maybe a silver lining.

For those inconvenient things that are just more of an annoyance I am pretty able to see the humor and make a little lemonade.  Just not the kind of lemonade Beyonce makes. 

This is where I announce there is no need to leave pity comments like I'm soooo sorry you have to deal with this.  The truth is - no one is more annoyed than me that I have to deal with these messes - it's all gonna pass - and it's not a big deal in the overall picture of life, so lets laugh about this schmidt shall we? 

Gentleman's Dresser For Baby

The thing about birthing six kids is that inevitably, one by one, they grow up.

Blink, and a couple are feathering their own nests with a mister or missus.

Blink again and you are converting a vintage gentleman's dresser into a diaper station for the new little man that one is preparing to welcome.

I'm pretty tickled about this, just not tickled pink.

I'm tickled Little Gray Lamb.

Life's Ruff Dog Bed

It's a dogs life isn't it? 

Sleep when you want, someone brings you your food, and it's ok not to shave your legs.

Now I'm not claiming for one second I came up with the idea of turning a headboard into a dog bed.  If you look on Pinterest you can find a gazillion of 'em to use as inspiration.

Not only do I not claim stake to the idea, I didn't make this one either.

My ever increasingly talented #2 daughter got out the saws and used her skillz.

She trekked out for a day of garage sales with me and came home with this five dollar twin headboard, which was exactly what she was on the hunt for.

The Dirt On The Potting Bench Sign

If you go through our gate with the watch out for dog-doo sign hanging on it, walk straight toward a shed with a barn cupola on top, take a left, go past the patio with the rock pond, the play ground and the deck, across from the pool, on the far side of the yard at the edge of the woods, wedged between the empty squirrel feeder and some wood for the fire pit ....... you will arrive at the final resting place of my potting bench.

I can get dirty there and it doesn't matter.

How I Found My Style Sundays

Have you ever visited Pamela at the blog From My Front Porch To Yours?  Pamela is quite the popular gal, probably because she has quite the popular style sense, so if you have never stopped in to see what she is decorating in the Southern way, you should.

A couple of years ago when she asked me if I would like to share my style on her feature 'How I Found My Style Sundays', my first thought was "me... style"?. 

Then I thought about how it takes all sorts of tastes to make the decorating world go round and that somewhere there is probably someone who thinks this mismatched collage of stuff I've put together in my home, is stylish, and maybe I could inspire them. 

So I agreed to do a post about my style and today for Throw Back Thursday, while the grass is green and the trees start to bloom for Spring, I'm re-posting it here on my own blog.