Monday

The Family Votes on Laundry Room Flooring

Back home here on the prairie....
when last I wrote.....
I asked for help deciding which flooring I wanted to update the 20 year old laundry room floor with because, well.... I suck at picking flooring. 

Without a doubt most of you picked the wood look vinyl.  This narrowed it down so next I brought in the experts who have suffered of my poor flooring choices in the past.

The family.

I gave the family the choice of the wood look vinyl.....

Or the next popular choice, the vintage hex tiles in gray tones....


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Friday

Laundry Room Flooring, Help Me Pick

Things around the ranch the last few months have been hectic and full of anxiety, not to mention all I remember of the winter is snow and freezing temperatures.

We were just starting to wind down on stuff, like two surgeries and tests, only to have someone suffer a broken heart (not of the medical kind), another one have a mysterious new suitor, and then catastrophe of all catastrophes ......
                                                            the washing machine broke.

There are plenty of appliances, gadgets and technologically advanced things that I can do without in my life, but my washing machine is not one of them.  And you know how it goes in the home of DIY'ers - one project leads to another.

So while we were busy taking out the old machines and putting in the new.....

I got the brilliant idea that it was time to update our laundry room flooring.


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Tuesday

Seed Starting

Over the years we have had many gardens - some a sorry excuse, some quite bountiful.

 
Our very first garden we had a bumper crop of cantaloupes.  Dozens.  There were only two of us back then to eat them all.  The last time I planted cantaloupes we harvested 3 the size of a dolls head with 6 people wanting to eat them.  Many went hungry.

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Thursday

Winner Winner Ducky Dinner


Clyde the Birthday Boy
Winner winner, ducky dinner

Ok, no.... not a duck dinner, or a duck winner, 
but I do have a winner and news from the land of duckens.  

In case you don't know what a ducken is, 
that's what you get when you are a 3 year old little girl.......
 and you put the words duck and chicken together.
Halloween '13, but appropriate for this time of year

So we don't have chickens and ducks here, we have duckens.

Last year I held a name the new ducken contest.   
If daughter #2 picked one of the suggested names the winner received a cake tester.  
Tina from What we Keep won with her suggestion of Clementine.


Now a year later I am happy to announce that Clementine, Cleo, and Hazel 
have started laying eggs - just in time for my Easter basket.  
So in addition to the two chickens laying eggs for us, we get up to 3 duck eggs a day. 

Duck eggs are suppose to add extra "umph" to baked goods.  
I haven't made a cake yet, but I did make a duck egg asparagus quiche.

Anyway.... Clyde the original duck and keeper of the ducken harem, had a birdday
and in honor of his second birdday 
I thought I would let him announce the winner of last weeks cake tester giveaway......


Enjoy the Easter weekend, we'll be having ham.... the duckens are all safe.


P.S. If you want to enter the giveaway for the big burlap coffee sack, go {here}.



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Sunday

Junkers United Barn Wood Window Cabinet


Welcome one and all and thanks for stopping in if you're visiting from one of the linked blogs.  I'm Bliss and you're at the ranch, where I redo junk and try to make projects for little or no cost.

This post is filled to it's junky little rim.... with a party and best of all links to the other Junkers United Team members and the projects they created specially for this party.

Barn Wood Cabinet, Bliss-Ranch.com
For my junk project I've upcycled one of the gazillion old windows I've accumulated.  It's not an earth-shattering-never-before-seen project, but for us it solved a storage problem......

the storage problem of where to keep the toilet paper.

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Friday

Black Purses

Today I have a tale to tell about purses, JC Penney, and a random act of kindness I received.

~ The Purses ~
Now I am not a purse snob in any way shape or form.  I can use a $10 purse just as easy as a $100 one.  I've got Gucci and I've got Garage Sale.

It always comes back to features for me, so in that way I am a purse snob, I like what I like for comfort and ease.

I don't like to fiddle around looking for my phone when it rings, in fact I don't like to answer my phone at all so there is a good chance I won't even if I can find it.

I need a certain kind of handle to fit comfortably in my small hands.  Not too long so it drags on the ground, and in the perfect purse world the handles would be just long enough to also wear on my shoulder.

Notice the rounded handles on all those retired purses.

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Wednesday

Cake Tester Giveaway & Moo Cards

It's that time again when I raid my daughters pretty baubles and decide I should give a cake tester away, compliments (unbeknownst) of her.

Cake Testers Blis-Ranch.com


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Friday

Plates, Plates, and More Plates

This post contains a things that some of you might not want to read.  It's probably going to provoke death threats and suggestions that I have an exorcism, as surely the devil is making me do what I do.

The threats will be a kin to what happens when someone paints a vintage piece of furniture and the crowd goes wild, and not in a good way either.

They don't like the message or the messenger at that point.

Plates for Mosaics Bliss-Ranch.com


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Wednesday

Alberts Barn Burn

This post is not for the faint of heart.  Or at least not for those who see a decrepit old barn and want to load all of it's wood in the trunk.

(Now that would be funny - someone trying to fit a whole barn in their trunk).

Alberts Farm Bliss-Ranch.com
Old Alberts Farm

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Friday

Vintage Pump Organ Knobs Turned Wine Stoppers

I'm not sure why I didn't think of this sooner, I mean I've had these knobs for two years.

Vintage Pump Organ Knobs Turned Wine Stoppers

They're vintage knobs from an old pump organ I believe, possibly Victorian.

At least that's what Google tells me.


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Tuesday

Restoration Hardware inspired Clock Knock-Off

I was gonna refrain from entering a project for a link party at East Coast Creative where a Creating With The Stars contest is going on for the next four weeks.  I just didn't have a new idea.

For the main contest Bloggers have been paired with Super Bloggers and each week they compete/create in a pre-determined category and the rest of us folks can vote for our favorite till there is one blogger left that wins it all.

There is also a link party of the same theme that anyone can link a project up to.

But I had to create something, I couldn't resist....... the theme this week is my fav - knock offs.   All the people of the land know I love a knock off challenge, so before the clock struck noon I was plotting.

The Mark
(The original photo has been removed, so I don't breech any copyright laws, but lets just say mine looks exactly like it)

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Wednesday

Lets Play Kitchen

When I was a little girl, play time was usually all about being a mommy.  I never played lawyer and can't talk about those times playing doctor.

I loved dolls, playing house or going to the pretend store.  I have all my old dolls, they are pretty scary and hidden under my bed.  Any with curly hair got a hair cut.

The play food was really tiny back then too.  If I'd of eaten that size portion all my life there would never have been any discussions with my thighs about their girth.

I think I need to find an old armoire and convert it into a play store like this one from  Inspired Whims....


For the past year I've been pinning ideas to my Kid Stuff Pinterest board of cute play kitchens, with the intention of making one for a certain 3 year old.


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Friday

Soda Crate Storage



Originally I made this crate for a guest post over with Angie at Knick of Time, and I decided that since a year has gone by it was time I showed it right here on my own blog.


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Wednesday

Bedroom Redo with a Door Headboard

Still cleaning out the archives here at the Ranch.  Today I have a glimpse into daughter #2's bedroom, that is while it's sort of clean......

(Originally this guest post was for Shanna at Just Us Four).

I laid in wait till my daughter was gone and sprang on her room with my camera.
Antique Door turned Headboard Bliss-Ranch.com
Door headboard with original back plate, glass door knob and key


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Friday

Tree Branch Alphabet Art

I regularly pin things to the Bliss Ranch Pinterest Boards that I intend on doing.  I'll be busy making stuff till the year 2050, which when I first typed that year it sounded so far away, but for a baby born today they would only be 36 years old.  Wow.

Tree Branch Alphabet Art Bliss-Ranch.com


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Wednesday

Baby Boy Gift Sign

Half Moon Bay California, quaint, fun town on the ocean.  That is where my BFF lives.  I'm not sure where those two young girls we used to be have gone, nor how we grew old enough for our babies to be having babies of their own, but you won't hear us complaining about that second part.

When her #2 kid welcomed #2 son into the world I set out to make a rustic gift for new little blue bundles' woodland themed nursery.

Baby Boy Gift Sign Bliss-Ranch.com


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DIY Enamel Look Tags

The year was 2012.  Spring sometime, who remembers.  I made these faux roller shades out of burlap coffee sacks from a tutorial by Donna at Funky Junk.  

Burlap Coffee Sack Valances Bliss-Ranch.com


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Friday

Talking Java At Cozy Little House

This post is for coffee lovers.  If you don't drink the stuff you probably won't get it.  Maybe water is your deal, and you start each day with a big glass and you're satisfied, happy, and ready to conquer the world.

More hydro-power to 'ya.                   


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Wednesday

Maple Syrup Make'n

Bliss Ranch has a lot of maple trees.  And you know what you can make from maple trees right?

Maple Syrup Bliss-Ranch.com

Maple syrup.


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Clothespins

What sort of collections do you have?

Me.... I've got all sorts.  Some I could part with, some I don't even like anymore, and some I can't get enough of.

Vintage and Antique Clothespins Bliss-Ranch.com


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Boys Bathroom Price Pfister Faucet

In the last century we, no scratch that, they, started a bathroom redo.  They is the boys, and since I don't use the boys bathroom and only go in their when forced, I was a bit stunned at such an ambitious undertaking by the males at the Ranch.

I did take care of one important detail...........

Price Pfister Faucet Bathroom Redo Bliss Ranch.com

 The Ashfield Price Pfister faucet.


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CitraSolv Transfer Method, Napkins and Chairbacks

As my faithful readers might recall, recently I redid some dining room chairs I bought on craigslist.  The "recently" part was, ohhhh, a year in the making.  Obviously I didn't rush into that redo!
Citra solv fabric transfer method Bliss-Ranch.com

Working with anything fabric is out of my comfort zone.  I can't sew and even fabric projects that don't require sewing intimidate me.

Unlike my chairs, this project is quick, simple, and took me less than a year.  Originally this project was a guest post for Fox Hollow Cottage.

I was trying to look all crafty and impress Shannon's readers.  Hopefully no one passes out because I actually did a tutorial.


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Throwback Thursday Link Party Guest Host

Thursday has a new meaning here at Bliss Ranch.  Well at least one Thursday a month.

And that's because I will be a monthly guest host for the Throwback Thursday link party.  Now I didn't say throw down party, I'm not taking up wrestling.  Throwback Thursday is a link party that as soon as it hit I loved it.

Why did I love it?  Because it didn't matter if I had a new post to link up, in fact that's the idea, a NOT new post, get it.... a throwback.  You are SUPPOSE to link up a post from your past.

I thought about linking ones that were so old most people never saw them....
like my very first feature ...
                                  from my very first month of blogging....
                                                                           of my very first ever link party.....

Valentine Vignette Bliss-Ranch.com
A Valentine vignette from The Copy Cat Challenge at Debbie Doos.  If you want to see the magazine vignette that I copied you will have to click {here}.


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Saturday

The Napkins, The Barn & Fox Hollow Cottage

You've seen the dining room chair backs, and heard how I loved the whole process of redoing those chairs (my nose just grew because that is a complete lie) but you did not see a tutorial on how to transfer the image.

Mostly that's because when I'm in the zone, stopping to take photos almost never happens.  That and my tutorials usually suck.

But when I do a guest post I don't skimp.

So while my friend Shannon is on vacation in my old stomping ground of Southern California, I'm at Fox Hollow Cottage today with a tutorial on how I took some old muslin napkins and used the image from my chair backs and made matching napkins.

muslin napkins


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Thursday

Lamp in a Box

Have you heard of Lamp in a Box?

Ford Lamp in a box, Bliss-Ranch.com

Well let me just tell you; they are P.D.C.... Pretty Darn Cool.  This one arrived at my house as a Christmas gift from the Lamp in a Box folks.

For the base there are several styles and the usual finishes.  Mine is satin nickle.

There isn't anything extraordinary about the base, but that's because for me it's all about the shade.

I have this little corner in our bedroom where I like to curl up to read.  I'd tell you that's with a good book, but more than likely I'm answering emails or reading blogs on my Ipad. 


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Monday

Laundry Room Makeover Plans

I have a laundry room makeover coming up.  The thing is, it's not my laundry room.

That means there has to be some trust that I won't do something stupid in there.

Nope this isn't my laundry room, this one is much cleaner with by far less laundry.

Basic downstairs laundry room
However I remember the days when I happily washed this little girls clothes for her.  I also remember after she started washing her own clothes - static cling caused a thong to stick to one of her dads sweatshirts.  I deposited it in her room out of sight - dad wouldn't of been able to handle that!


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Sunday

Favorite Mug Desserts at Bliss Ranch

It's January and while everyone is busy getting organized, eating healthy and shedding pounds, I'm snuggled in for a long winters nap with a goal of my own.

Chocolate Fudge S'mores Mug Cake from How Sweet It Is


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Wednesday

Dining Room Chairs With a Vintage Grain Sack Look

It's been a while since I first posted about the 6 dining room chairs that came to live with me from an ad on craigslist - they came along with two turkeys on sale from the grocery store for Thanksgiving - that we ate.

You know how you are so excited to finish a project that you hurry up to work on it and then you love the whole process so much you stretch it out for a year because you wanna extend the process of the whole mess since you are having so much fun and you don't want it to end?

Me either.

But Thanksgiving 2013 arrived, two more turkeys were purchased and eaten, and the chairs were completed.

And now 2 months later, January 2014, their debut......

Dining Room Chairs With Vintage Grain Sack Look, Bliss-Ranch.com


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Monday

2013 Project Collage

I realized as I was putting this 2013 project collage together that my computer holds a lot of pictures.

And in those pictures there are a lot of projects I never posted about in 2013.  If you would like to see the projects I did post about, just click on the Gallery of Projects link at the top.

2013 Project Collage Bliss-Ranch.com

My favorite post of last year?


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Thursday

A Christmas Project FAIL


The stockings were hung by the chimney with care and nary a problem......

A large piece of subway art I finished up as a gift turned out fantastic......


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Faux Crates & Real Bells

I'm a little behind this year on everything.  Even with letting some things go that I do every year, I'm still watching the days fly by trying to accomplish and prepare for some of our family traditions.

Faux Crate Christmas Tree Stand Cover

These gift crates, or faux tree crates are almost finished and will be delivered.  If you would like, you can read last years great crate post, to see who gave me the inspiration, and find out how I made them.

This year I made three - three piece, backless, bottomless, three sided crates.  When they are easily screwed together they slide under the Christmas tree and hide the tree stand. 

Faux Crate Christmas Tree Stand Cover

Now don't be telling my friend Dii, who reads my blog, that one of those is hers.  Just in case she doesn't recognize her last name, and the year she got married. 

I wanted her to have it under her tree before she hosts a big family Christmas bingo party,  but it's still on my dining room table.  Have I mentioned I'm behind this year? 

Bell Ornaments

That same friend made me some red, green and bronze bell ornaments.  I love them.

 Dii ..... I'd like about 100 more of these please.  In your spare time is fine.

Bell Ornaments

I also have a giveaway winner for some Rockin' & Roastin' coffee from Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer ............

Joey Kramer Aerosmith Rockin' Roastin' Coffee

Random number generation / Random Numbers

Generate a random number between and  = 21  

Cassie from the blog Primitive & Proper, come on down, 
I've got some coffee for you that is gonna rock your world!




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Simple Decorations at the Ranch

Last night I sat down to do a rather lame decorating post and instead spent the whole time on phone help with our cell phone provider who had messed up our account.  I'm over it, as long as my phone works when I check it in a few minutes.

 Now I can get back to the lame decorating post I intended.


Yes, those are plastic ornaments, from a garage sale, under a cheesedome cloche.  I bought them to use outside on my decorated window ledges.

My window ledges have not gotten decorated.

I had excellent organization - cutting the greens and red dog wood branches before the snow flew.

I simplified this year.  Not because I wanted too, out of necessity.  I needed that extra week we usually have between Thanksgiving and Christmas.


Brawn is responsible for decorating the top three feet of our tree, so don't judge it.  It's about 15 feet to the tip of it, and I'm not standing on a ladder and leaning into the tree.  You know what would happen.  And saying each year "don't put all the same kind of ornaments next to each other, mix it up",  I guess falls on deaf ears.

I realize vintage measuring apparatus turned into a star are not anything new.  However when our tree top star fell from the sky I had to find something proto while Brawn was up on the top of that ladder.  Hence the big star - it's 17 inches across - but I love it.

I wanted the lights to twist between it, but I dare not ask for too much for the top three feet.

There is nothing else vintage on my tree this year.  We went a different route.  So of course the star is a bit out of place with all the glass bulbs.

These glass bulbs never made it any further than in a pottery bowl on a very dusty willow coffee table.  Festive enough, and fuss free.  They are staying.

We have poinsettias all over the place that have white lights strung through them.  Big punch, pretty impact, and easy.

The nativity has it's prominent place. 


The only thing that involved any effort, I didn't even do!  My daughter wrapped a big picture in the dining room.

Me?.... I stuck an upside down poinsettia arrangement in the light fixture and called it good.  10 second decorating this year.

And I'm really ok with all of it.  I'm putting my effort into the things that matter, like enjoying my family.  Don't get me wrong, I love decorating for Christmas and making it warm and cozy for all who are here, and fussing and making new things, but not at the expense of running myself ragged.

There are only so many hours in a day.

So this year at the ranch, it's plenty Christmasy inside, just simple.  And there is not one thing wrong with that.


The metal yardstick tree topper thingy is linked up at:

Salvaged Junk Stars @FunkyJunk
Super Saturday Link Party @ItAllStartedWithPaint


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Saturday

Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee Giveaway


I'm gonna talk a little bit coffee...
        a little bit the life of Bliss...
and a little bit rock & roll.

 Joey Kramer's Rockin' & Roastin' coffee, music to your lips. 

Rockin' & Roastin' Coffee Bliss-Ranch.com
How do you like your coffee?  Rocking?

Served roastin' hot on the deck like that photo above?

With a side of 6 inches of snow and a 39 below windchill?  Yes 39 below ZZZEROWW.

You can't see the steam that was wafting up from the cup for all of 3 seconds before it turned into ice, but it was there.


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