Refreshed And Updated Front Porch Walkway

Over the years our front porch steps and walkway have seen a lot of use.

Everything from little kids chalking on hopscotch squares and spilling their bubble blowing soap mixture, to bikes and foot traffic.

And then there were those couple years of duck doo from the crapping quackers.

The walkway and porch started out getting a fresh coat of sealer seasonally - usually in the Spring -  and in it's first years of life it looked wonderful, but 20 years later not so much.

From time to time the exposed aggregate also received an acid wash to clean things off, like rust stains from hard water dripping when the hose was left leaking.

But when repeated rough winters caused a long crack in the walkway and some sinking, it was time to give the walk an affordable fix that would revive it.

How To Sew An Envelope Pillow

I know what you're thinking after reading the post heading.... no way, Bliss didn't make a pillow, she can't sew!

You're right.  I have something special for you in more ways than one.

The person is special.  The fact that she is guest posting is special.

I put out a call for some guest posts - long time readers know I do quite a few of those myself - and when I need a hand I know just who to ask.

But first I've gotta fill 'ya in on the state of affairs around the Ranch.......

You see we have company coming in a couple weeks and it's time to get serious about some things around here.

Like painting that Jack & Jill bathroom remodel we started months ago.  Or sealing the grout on the awesome South Cypress subway shower tile so people can actually shower in it.

Also sealing the poured concrete counter tops.  Washing the rest of the haze off the floor tiles.... hanging mirrors, electrical for lights, finish the plumbing, you get the idea - the list goes on and on.

Don't Toss Your Worn Out Welcome Mat

Welcome to July's

And boy do I really mean the welcome part this month, in fact, I'm putting out the whole welcome mat for you!

Farmhouse Cement Plank Patio Table, Part 2

Our family is growing.  I'm not getting any older of course.

What started out as a couple of young newlyweds building a life, turned into a large family of eight.  Six kids - four boys and a couple girls.

The oldest two flew the nest, and then the family grew by a daughter and son in law, and eventually two grand kids arrived.

This August another little peanut will debut as #1 Daughter and that son in law I mentioned start their family.

Cement Plank Farmhouse Patio Table

Math fact - most patio tables will not seat the amount of people that my family needs to seat for a meal outdoors.

Which actually means most tables won't do that for a price I'm willing to pay.

And then there is the fact that if something I desire can be made by the man with the power tools, basically that adds up to I won't be making a purchase of the item even if I found an affordable one I liked.

Painted Pond Fish

I get a lot of my ideas from fellow bloggers. 

You know how someone can look at something and see it in a new light, update it, and the next thing you know you're looking at something similar that you own and thinking, hey I can do that!

That was the case with this old scaly chipping fish decoration that I had setting next to our pond for ten years, and I'm going to show you how easy it is to update something with a fresh coat of paint.

!!Sweepovac Winners!!

Thank you to everyone who entered to win the in wall vacuum from Sweepovac USA.

The two winners are:

Powder Coated Steel Pond Bridge....From A Garage Sale

On a recent outing with daughter #2, cruising around at some city wide garage sales in I don't even remember what town, there was nothing extraordinary going on even though we did have two large furniture pieces stuffed into the back of my vehicle.

One for me, one for her.

We came to a house that had a mattress set and a sea of pink kids clothes in the yard, and as I hit the gas to keep on going I saw it....  

is that a pond bridge sitting among-est their sale items? 

Before I even got out of the car I decided the odds were against me finding the one thing we really could use, at of all places... someones garage sale.

Mini Dessert Banners

When I host a party I usually gather all these great ideas that I want to incorporate into the event.

Trouble is many of those ideas have to be assembled or carried out at the last minute while I'm running around making sure my hors 'd oeuvres don't burn, as guests arrive early and my hair is still in a towel, so lets just say it's not unusual for a great idea to be forgotten.

Sweepovac USA Giveaway

It's time to enter a

 GIVEAWAY here at Bliss Ranch

Don't know what a Sweepovac is?

Well first let me just say you want one.

Sweepovac is an in wall vacuum unit that has helped me keep up with all the dog hair  and dust on the floor around here.

I've ditched the dustpan and I'm pretty tickled about that.

From the Sweepovac web site:

"Sweepovac is a revolutionary kitchen vacuum that eliminates that pesky dirt-line often left behind by using a dustpan! It is easily placed in any kitchen by installing it in the bottom of the cabinets and does not require a central vac system. Its strong suction, removes dirt in seconds and its sleek design allows for no loss of space".

Sweepovac In Wall Dust Vacuum

Last week I showed you a bunch of dog photos and told you about my life as the dog whisperer, how I host a few doggie guests at a time that sleep in my mudroom while their owners go on vacation.

I also told you I would show you one of the coolest products to pass through the Bliss Ranch doggie door and I think you will understand why it's so great to have it around here.

My mudroom is a good size, it's also where I have a computer so I can spend time with the dogs when they come inside to nap.

Kreg Jig Winner - Me!

There's a group of six ladies who host a weekly link party titled "Creativity Unleashed", and they also host giveaways.

Who doesn't like to win a prize right?  I know I do.

So when time is on both Mick Jagger's side and on mine, I cruise around to my favorite blogs.  If it happens to be a day I've got a project to link I will include it, and if there is a giveaway I'll follow the rules and enter.

For sure I can't win if I don't enter, so why not throw my name in the hat since I'm already there.

Paper Lunch Bag Star Decorations

A week or so ago I ran across a time lapse video of how to make paper bag stars inexpensively, for decorating if you have any events like baby showers, bridal showers, kids birthday parties, etc.

I didn't think of this idea on my own, although I did have flashbacks of making paper snowflakes when I was a kid.  If you Google the idea you will find more than one video.

The stars looked fun to make, and were certainly simple enough if you had a glue gun and a sharp pair of scissors.

Not everything I make from the internet turns out, and not everything is as simple as it seems in a video.

These paper bag stars were, and they get a two thumbs up.

How I Tamed My Wild Hair, Part 1

I got a wild hair to write this post, and that hair is on my floor in case you were wondering where it was at.

You're used to stopping in here and seeing DIY, with furniture painting, wood re-purposing, sheetrock-mud slinging, and tidbits on how to take junk and make something useful from it.

But outside of those topics believe it or not I have a regular-irregular normal-abnormal life that I don't blog about.

Inspirational Sign For A Certain Boy

When I started blogging a certain little boy was just barely 4 years old.

He's aged a bit and lost those chubby preschool cheeks.

Now he swings a bat, rides anything with wheels, and plays with his little sister, but mostly he likes to hang out with his Grandpa.

I made a positive inspiration sign a couple years ago for his sister.

The kind of sign I hope she reads from time to time, especially as a teenager, and takes the words to heart.

So it makes sense that the certain eight year old should have a sign too, with words I would want him to read as he gets older, and to put into practice.

The sign started out as a smooth piece of MDF and I sponged a coat of Fusion Mineral Paint in Ash as the background.

Letters were cut and placed on the wood, (twice because I messed up but we won't go there) then another coat of Ash was applied to help with bleed under the vinyl before the top color goes on.

For the background color I chose Little Lamb Gray from the new Tones For Tots line of Fusion Mineral Paints.

Little Lamb is a soft gray, the paint goes on excellent, and sadly my jar of it is empty.

A rustic barn wood frame was whipped up by the grandfather.

The quote is said to be an old Indian saying, I didn't come up with it.

How many eight year old's do you know who has their grandfather as their best friend, and how many men do you know who can say they are their sons and their grandsons best friend? 

I hope you can answer "many" to that question.

I can.

The grandfather is still his own four sons best friend.

That is quite an accomplishment to have the people that know you the best, think you are worthy of the title.

It didn't happen by accident.

I believe it's because of the way that man has lived his life, which happens to be relevant to the words on the sign.

So for that certain eight year old boy, the grandfather is a wonderful example of the good wolf.

And that man - the father and grandfather - who continues to make a difference in the lives of his own sons, now has the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the grand kids he loves.

Because he only feeds the good wolf.

Simple Dresser Top To Hold Changing Pad For Baby

I think that's the longest post title I've ever had.  Probably unnecessary, but who cares.

I could have just called it Dresser Pad Holder.  Or Diaper Changer Pad Frame.

Whatever, it's the simple pine frame Brawn built to hold a foam diaper changer from moving around on top of a baby dresser that I redid for daughter #1 who's adding on to her family.

And that was a long sentence to match the long post title.

Decorative Suitcase Thrift Store Decor

Summer is here and so is Thrift Store Decor for June.

The once a month get together of jazzed up thrifted items brought to you by the Thrift Store Decor team of bloggers.

Now grab your travel brochure, because I'm packing your stuff for a quick trip.

There is this chick from Minnesota who knows her way around a paint brush.

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.

Cement and Concrete Projects

A couple weeks ago I did a post about This That and The Other Thing, which basically was a stall because I didn't have time to write a new post while we were working on outside projects.

Well guess what?  This is another stall, but with some photos of project progress.

Summer season doesn't really get started in Minnesota till June anyhow, and now that the wet leaves are cleaned up and winter washed away from everything, we can have at projects that seem to move from the to-do list year after year.

New Kitchen Hardware

Once upon a time there was this IKEA Rast hack contest.

Instructions; Hack a plain, unfinished pine IKEA dresser into something that could win votes, and if you placed in the top three you would receive a hardware makeover prize  for a room of your choice from Hickory Hardware.

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.