Staining Pine Dark Espresso

I found a task I might dislike more than painting dining room chairs.

Staining twelve, six-paned grids and four bun feet.

Wood Spool Clock (s)

Ticktock.

Did you remember to Spring ahead and move your clock an hour into the future?

Or are you like me and still falling behind?

I've got a couple of clocks to show you that the time can't be missed due to their size.  You also have to have a wall big enough for hanging.

Baking With Bliss, German Chocolate Cake

I will start this post with my usual disclaimer * I am not a food blogger, I am a food eater*.

I cook.  I eat.  And I do plenty of both.

I do not enjoy taking photos of the steps involved to do either of those things, but sometimes when a recipe is worth passing along I've just gotta do it.

German Chocolate Cake

Not being a food blogger means several things.....

Fusion Paint Brush Cleaner

Scold me if you must, but I'm one of those lazy paint brush cleaner uppers and I don't take good care of my paint brushes.

On a good day I tend to just drop them in a tin can of water that contains other paint from other brushes.

And then I leave them.

Naughty paint brush owner.

If I ... think I might plan on possibly maybe some day eventually ... using the same brush with the same paint, I will stick it in a fold top sandwich bag.

For eternity.

Route 66 Stencils

Three years ago, and three months into my experience with blogging, there was this challenge over at Debbie-Doos blog called the Magazine Copycat Challenge.

I loved it.

The idea was to find something out of a magazine to be duplicated.

Tale of Two Playdough Recipes

I'm a playdough maker from way back.  31 years to be exact.

I've used the same recipe all 31 of those years, given to me by my BFF.

Over the years I tried a couple different ones, but always came back to the one she gave me - it was the best I tried and never failed me.

Where Are They Now... At The Ranch

This throw back Thursday I decided to write a "where are they now" post..... as in how are a few things from past posts fairing today or how is a new product I've received holding up.

I'll go two years back, one year ago, and one month ago.

First up is the oldie that I can't refer to as a goodie.  It's the one project I lay awake at night thinking about and not in a good way. 

Our vintage barber shop building that you can read about {here}.

So I Married A Creative ___?___.

It's a blog hop where 18 of us gave spouses the opportunity to spill their guts.

Ever wonder what the spouse behind the blogger has to say?
In my case he's the hands or feet in blog photos.

Some spouses might have clammed up when asked questions.

Vintage Mailbox Towel Holder

For throw back Thursday I'm revisiting a post about my boys bathroom.  I guess I am going to need to do an update too, because the signs have all been taken down and a blank wall awaits me to make something new.

~~~~~~

I'm going to boldly go where no woman should go - my boys bathroom -  so I can show you the vintage mailbox I turned into a towel holder.

16 years ago.

I thought I was being so stylish and unique.

I'm pretty sure everyone who saw it thought I was odd hanging an old mailbox anywhere, let alone in a bathroom.

Mayo Haters Coleslaw

I'm not a fan of mayo. 

I'm president of the I Hate Mayonnaise Club.  At least I thought I was till I Googled it and found out there is a real club for mayo haters with someone who says they are the prez, so I'm not alone.

There is like a whole underground of mayo haters out there.

Corn-hole Game #2

When I made a beanbag toss game last summer for our yard I also got a great idea.

Make some as gifts for family.

That sounds easy and doable in July, but by the time December rolled around I could tell with all the other projects we were working on that those weren't going to happen.

So instead I took the pair that my son in law uses and built years ago, and gave them a make over.

This is how they started......

Throw Back Thursday Valentines Copy Cat Vignette

I'm going on my own little trip down blogging memory lane.  

Since it's Throw Back Thursday, as well as the day before Valentines Day, I decided to revisit one of my first posts.

New York New York Hotel Las Vegas

While I'm giving reviews of Las Vegas I thought I'd stick one in of where we stayed, in case someone wanders by looking for an opinion on it.

The New York New York hotel is on the far end of the Las Vegas strip over by the airport, but we didn't hear any air traffic. 

These theme resorts are huge and take up a lot of property.

800 Degrees Pizza

I'm no food critic, I just like what I like.

And I like pizza.  A lot.

Pizza is the kind of food that even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

Basically I've never had a pizza I didn't find palatable.

Fiona at Just Paint It White

Fiona.

Isn't that a pretty name?

No I don't have a bun in the oven and I'm not naming a new pet.  Although the name would be fitting for either.

Old Neon Sign Museum

Ever hear of the Neon Museum? 

Well to me it's like the museum king of rusty chippy old signs, and I'm gonna take you there to see some of the coolest vintage signs ever. 

Romantic Faucet from Build.com

It happens over time.

The romance fades.

The faucet that has been purchased for a new home gets old or wears out from use.

Maison Blanche Pewter Organza Topped Table

Summer of 2013 I picked up this scratched table for $7.50.

Before Christmas I put it in place in all it's beat up glory to see if I was going to like the size.

I did.

I brought this garage sale table home for a few reasons, one of which being it wasn't gonna break the bank.  

Paint Like Me Givewaway Winner

Winner Winner!

I'm out of town without access to post the details of who won all the goodies above,  SO..... 

hop over to Fox Hollow Cottage  

and read the announcement from Shannon.

Good luck, I truly hope it is one of my readers.

Vegas Baby!

No I don't have a Vegas trip to giveaway in addition to yesterdays Maison Blanche giveaway, which you have all week to enter {here}, and no I'm not going on a trip where I will gamble my life savings and leave my children penniless.

I'm smarter than that. 

Wait, we don't have any life savings, we've been spending it all.  Hmmm.....

But yes I am heading to Las Vegas this month, so it's story time at the Ranch about previous visits as I prep you for the reviews to come when I get back.

This post won't have any DIY photos - I DO do things other than projects you know!

Vegas and I are no strangers.  Growing up in the Los Angeles suburbs of the San Fernando Valley, my first trip there was when I was 16.

Paint Like Me Giveaway

Who likes to win stuff raise your hand? 

Brushes, and sprayers, and paints oh my!

Spotlight Feature at Junk Chic Cottage

Kris from Junk Chic Cottage and Susan from Must Love Junk have a regular feature on their blogs called Saturday Spotlight, The Real Life Behind The Blogger.

I tell 'ya they have had some blogging power players in their spotlight.  I enjoy reading about every guest, and I'm always inspired by something I've seen on both blogs as well as those of their guests.

Kris's Dining Room

A Big Old Heavy Sander

What possess someone to write a post dedicated to a power tool?

Ours is not some slick shiny new contraption that I'm like overly proud of or anything.

Nope, it's rather a dirty old rusty beast the size of Alaska.

And heavy!  If I used this more I'd probably qualify as a weight lifter.

Pine Coffee Table Makeover

The year 2013.

The date, December 24th, yes Christmas Eve.

I was working on a gift project and had a fail.  It was a dresser with a photo transfer that I messed up.

So I went to plan B which was to paint all the pertinent information on the dresser front, of the couple it was being gifted too.

Positive Affirmation Sign

A few weeks ago I made a sign for a certain 4 year old who is beautiful inside and out, and while I normally would piece together my own words or sayings - at which I've been known to spend hours doing - I didn't have hours in December.

And as it turns out I didn't need hours after I saw this free printable perfect for a little girl of great worth who can do hard things and make good choices.

Lego Table Nightstand Upcycle

The first project of 2015 was actually one of the last projects of 2014.

Made in the dark of night like most of the end of the year gifts created here, and right down to the wire with time.

2014 Pick Of The Litter Projects

Another year over.

The days march on the same no matter if we would like them to speed up or to slow down.

In the world of blogging with a life of making projects, it's nice to be able to look back and see concrete evidence that I did in fact accomplish something on the to-do list.

December Unwrapped

For the month of December the elves at Bliss Ranch were busy cobbling together Christmas presents.

Glass Lampwork Bead Cake Tester Giveaway

I don't often do giveaways, but it's that time of year again where I raid my daughters pretty baubles and decide I should give a cake tester away, compliments of and unbeknownst to her.

Stairway Post Swags From The Woods

Usually before the snow flies I go to the woods and gather some raw product for making porch decorations, boughs and to hang on the stairway rail inside.

LED Retrofit Kitchen Lights

I've seen the light.

The white LED light that is..... and it's good.

New kitchen ceiling LED lights

Junkers Unite Vintage Scale Sign

How much does St. Nick's toy bag weigh?  Or does it whey?  Or maybe it jingles all the way?

Maybe it does all three?

Well if Santa's toy bag is...
hanging on an antique scale...
hanging on a sign...
hanging on a wall...
hanging at my house...
then I could give you an exact amount of what Santa's bag weighs, wheys or ways.

Log Reindeer

A popular project around here this time of year are these log reindeer.

Originally I posted about them a year or so ago for a Christmas in July link party, but now that I'm really feeling Christmas is on it's way, unlike in the month of July, I decided the deer should appear in December.

Handmade Ornaments

Making ornaments back in the olden days before Google or Pinterest, people either had to come up with an idea themselves, rely on magazines and the ideas of friends, or reinvent something they saw and make it better.

I'm going to share 11 of the 25 years worth of ornaments I've made.  These might not be the cream of my crop, but they were the ones I could easily find in the ornament bins.

2005 - Santa made from shotgun shell casing

Bins Under The Coat Cubby

Pretend you hear a little dinner bell as my butler Mr. French announces that "organization is served".

Do you remember Mr. French?  Probably only if you were watching TV in the 60's like me.

15 Upcycled Christmas Decorations

Wanna see some fun upcycled Christmas decorations?

On a HomeTalk board that I curated?

Yes you do.

Click {here} to head to HomeTalk for a peek-e-poo at the upcycled treasures

The Cold Snap Called Winter

My friends got my back.

And this time of year they want it covered so it stays warm.

Thanks to Tina from What We Keep, who lives in the warm south, for understanding my true feelings about winter in the north, and sending me links to clothing that display my disdain.

Winter is extra long when Mother Nature starts sending flakes from the sky in November.  So maybe we could just skip right over it?

Buy it {here}

Magazine Monday is Back...Only For Today

I'm not a fan of mayo. 

I'm president of the I Hate Mayonnaise Club.  At least I thought I was till I Googled it and found out there is a real club for mayo haters with someone who says they are the prez, so I'm not alone.

There is like a whole underground of mayo haters out there.

Coat Tree Street Sign

This oak coat tree has lived with me for 27 years.

It's held many a fall jacket, and many a little toddler snowsuit.

Kodak Dresser 4 Throwback Thursday

For Throwback Thursday, TBT for you letter savvy readers, I decided to revisit one of my most popular blog projects, a Kodak dresser from 2012.

I'm throwing it back 2 1/2 years in blog years.

This dresser was the second one I painted, and the second one I lettered on.

Yup, that's right I got a big 'ol letter "P" for Paint - from Paint U...niversity.  I better buy a jacket.

$5.00 Piano Bench

I picked up a piano bench at the same auction as a headboard that I turned into a cottage entry bench.

Five buckaroos.

Easy Map Drawer Tags

Back in the olden days the "boys" room contained more than one boy. 

Now it's home only to our youngest; his big bro snagging a room of his own after the next in line left and the next in line before that left it vacant.

The girls each managed to hang on to their respective rooms.

It's a yearly chore to sort through clothes that have been grown out of or ones that have just wore out from wear.

I have not figured out how to slow down the growing process of children, therefor halting the drawer purging and the resulting necessary purchase of larger sizes of cotton.

Fixing "No-Reply Blogger" on Wordpress, G+ & Blogger

I consider this post a public service announcement that benefits me.

I love my readers.  I happen to think they are the cream of the crop. 

Funny, kind, and loyal.  So for that I thank you all.

Little French Style Table

I won't claim to know French style.

I'll just claim that I like it.

I will also claim that I don't have any of it, unless you count an old metal sign I recently took down that says Bon Appetit.

And I won't claim to have bought, painted, or incorporated this cute little table into my home either.

Upcycled Entertainment Center

Mission:  Find a small-ish console of some kind that is cheap, not too large and doesn't stick out too far.

Who:  #3 kid, #2 son

What:  New wall TV needs a base without taking up precious floor space

When:  ASAP

Where:  Garage sale or thrift shop

Why:  Because mom makes cool stuff

Winter's Coming

With the arrival of Halloween, I thought I would say good-bye to Fall in my neck of the woods.

Right from the comfort of my own yard.

Ghosts Made With Old Kids Clothes

It's getting creepy around the ranch.

And creepy to me isn't cute.

You might think this little ghost gang is cute, but I think ghosts are creepy.

The SCARE in Scarecrow

Shock-tober wouldn't be complete without posting about our scarecrow.

If you have been around Bliss Ranch for a couple years you have probably met him before.

A few years ago, 8 apparently, in 2006 BB (Before Blogging), I decided to make a scarecrow using sheet rock mud and stuff from around the yard.

Meet Punkin Noggin.....

Halloween Photo Booooth

Last Halloween I got it in my head that I wanted to use my Ipad and create a photo booth for our Halloween party.

We had enough on our party plate and I didn't want the build to be a big process.

Basically what that means is if I want to get my way I better K.I.S.S. .... k.eep i.t s.imple s.tupid.

Haunted Halloween Portraits

My absolute favorite Halloween project that I have ever made are Haunted Portraits  I spied from Tracy over at CrowsFeetChic.

I've made two versions of these.

The first version was inside the house for a mystery dinner party, the other was in the back shed for a large throw down the grog party.

For both projects I intermingled photos of our friends with photos from the internet, all printed in black and white or sepia.

Cracks. Me. Up. 

The Eyes Have It