A Comfortable and Very Functional, “Forest-Themed” Desk Update

June 23, 2021 by 7 Comments

Several years ago, I had this fabulous, extra-large mouse pad on my desk. I love a super large mousepad because you never run your mouse off the pad, plus, it provides extra cushion for the arms and wrists.   When I shared this photo in a recent post, a BNOTP reader asked about that mousepad. I chose one with a large world map design back then because I had just started traveling a good … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Office/Craft/Sewing Room



How I Use 3 Monitors to Work and Play in My Home Office

June 14, 2021 by 34 Comments

Welcome to the 646th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Over the years, my monitor/desktop setup has changed several times. I've been using two monitors for many years. When I'm traveling and working from my laptop, I really, really miss having two monitors. Many years ago when I had cable TV, I purchased a Smart TV to place above my monitors thinking it would give … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , ,



So, How Did That Metamorphosis Work Out?

June 7, 2021 by 26 Comments

Welcome to the 645th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Still very badly missing my main computer. You get spoiled quickly when you normally work with two large monitors.  Once I get my new computer, I should have three monitors--looking forward to that. In the meantime, I'm still working from my small travel laptop.   So, I got an idea last night. I was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Kitchen & Breakfast Area



Would You Do This? A Big Change for the Upstairs Living-Bonus Room!

May 17, 2021 by 67 Comments

Welcome to the 642nd Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! In Saturday's post, I mentioned that I was contemplating making a pretty big change here in my upstairs living/bonus room.   This room is a bright, airy room with four windows: two windows at the end and two dormer windows that face the front of the house.   One … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs) Tagged With: , , ,



Problem Solved: Hide Those Not-So-Attractive Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

May 11, 2021 by 25 Comments

Earlier this week I shared some new additions to my master bath. I'm hoping to fully renovate at least one of my baths next year but in the meantime, I'm appeasing myself by adding little improvements and touches that make my heart happy. For example, I ordered this adorable birdie-themed tissue holder for the counter here in my master bath. Apparently, it's my favorite tissue holder since this is the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds Tagged With: , , ,



Two Small Bath Updates to Appease My Bath Renovation Yearning

May 5, 2021 by 17 Comments

I had a little eye scare recently--it started a couple of days ago. I had something floating across my vision and was seeing flashes occasionally at the top right corner of my right eye. The first time it happened, I thought it was sunlight glinting off my glasses, but then I noticed it happened when I didn't have my glasses on. I called the eye doctor today and they had me come in right away. They … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After



Changing Out My Winter Bedding for Spring-Summer

May 3, 2021 by 68 Comments

Welcome to the 640th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Changing out the bedding from fall-winter to spring-summer is not for the faint of heart. lol  Usually I wait until someone (like my son) is here to help me. My previous mattress was sooo much lighter and stiffer than my current one and changing the bedding was pretty easy. But my current mattress purchased a few … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After



Creating a Pretty, Little Beverage Station for My Home Office

April 17, 2021 by 45 Comments

Do you ever read blogs on the weekends or do you mainly just read doing the week? I often post on the weekend so was just wondering if you like to get a blog post in your Inbox on the weekend.  (Pssst: If you haven't already, subscribe to get an email whenever I post here: Subscribe for Post Updates. It's completely free and will let you know when a new post is up with a link to the blog.) A few months … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Office/Craft/Sewing Room, Seasonal Decor, Spring & Summer Tablescapes



2 Great Ways to Hide Those Unattractive, Metal Swing Chains

April 14, 2021 by 5 Comments

Recently when I shared how I've decorated the porch for spring, I received an email asking about the covers I have over the chains of the porch swing.   You got a closer view of them in this photo showing the large egg wreath I hung on the porch for Easter.   I've written a couple of posts over the years sharing in more detail about these covers which are really just electrical … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , ,



Making My Bed Like a Pottery Barn Bed

January 18, 2021 by 52 Comments

Welcome to the 625th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Over the past month, I've been getting regular emails from Pottery Barn reminding me that I have a $25 credit that's soon to expire. There's nothing that I particularly need right now but after about the 3rd time that email arrived, I decided to click over and check out their spring goodies. The first thing I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After Tagged With:



So Whatever Happened to Those Peeling, Bubbling Columns…

December 28, 2020 by 25 Comments

Welcome to the 622nd Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Last October, I shared some photos of my front porch columns and the developing issue I've had with them over the past year. It has been quite a few years since the porch was last painted. Trying to remember--I think I may have had it painted once since it was added on in 2008, but maybe it was just pressure … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Porches, Porches & Decks



Sometimes Small Changes Can Make Your Heart Happy

December 11, 2020 by 37 Comments

A few weeks ago I shared a little addition to my office space. If you look closely, you can just see it there to the side of my left monitor.   I'm not sure how, but I came across this clear tissue holder online and loved it. I liked how modern it looked, which is surprising since I normally don't care for modern decor pieces. I liked that it didn't fight the other patterns/colors in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), DIY Decorating, DIY Organization and Storage, Living Room (Downstairs), Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), Office/Craft/Sewing Room



Which Frame Do You Like Best with The Governor’s Party by Chuck Pinson?

November 23, 2020 by 61 Comments

Welcome to the 617th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! I had planned to share some holiday decorating on the porch today, but I didn't finish the decorating since I stopped to wash the swing covers. That's an older photo below from a previous summer when I removed the covers for washing.   So instead of a decorated porch, how about looking at some … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After



Bringing Out the Cozy: Fave Flannel Sheets & New Art for My Bedroom

November 2, 2020 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 614th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! This post is going up a bit late because I changed horses midstream. lol When I awoke this morning, all I could think about was how much I wanted to put my flannel sheets on the bed. I'm definitely in the mood for some autumn/fall decorating. Time to cozy up the house before the cold weather arrives! Though I'm … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



A Cute Retro-Style Refrigerator for My Home Office

October 21, 2020 by 31 Comments

Often when sharing an update here in my bedroom, I end up sharing this view of the room. But just around the corner and out of view is another room.   Previously this was a 4th bedroom, or 5th if counting the Bonus/Frog room, but the first owners of my home closed off the entrance to this room from the upstairs hallway, cut a big opening in the wall to connect it to the Master Bedroom and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Office/Craft/Sewing Room



The Best Desk Chair I’ve Ever Had: An Update for My Home Office

October 5, 2020 by 22 Comments

Welcome to the 610th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Today is going to be a busy day around here. The two screened doors for the porch are being delivered and painters will be here cleaning and painting the front porch and washing the decks and the exterior of the screened porch. The cleaning/painting was actually supposed to be done earlier in the spring but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , , , ,



My Screened Doors are Ready and I’m Sharing the Exact Cost

September 7, 2020 by 68 Comments

Welcome to the 606th Metamorphosis Monday! I definitely had a case of sticker shock when I saw the bill for my new screened doors. Maybe I should call it invoice shock instead of sticker shock. In any case, it took my breath away! lol A few months ago I shared the damage that was done to the doors on my screened porch last winter when some very bad mice (or was it rats?) decided to take up residence … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Porches & Decks



Butterflies for the Wall & The 2 Screened-Door Designs I Chose for the Porch

August 10, 2020 by 30 Comments

Welcome to the 602nd Metamorphosis Monday! My daughter-in-law, Nancy, recently added these adorable butterflies to a wall in the downstairs hallway of their home. She liked them so much, she decided to order two more packages. So there will be a lot more butterflies joining these real soon.   They are subtle against this pale yellow wall and sooo pretty! I love how she arranged them, feels … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Fun Updates for My Home Office: Some Additions and One Subtraction

August 3, 2020 by 41 Comments

Welcome to the 601st Metamorphosis Monday! It's been ages since I shared some updates here in my home office. I put this room together many years ago, Over the years it hasn't changed a ton, but there have been some little updates and tweaks along the way. The furniture I chose for this room so many years ago was Pottery Barn's Bedford furniture. Bedford furniture was designed to mix and max to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: ,



Add Stars to the Ceiling of Your Bedroom, Living Room or Theater Room for a Magical Experience

July 27, 2020 by 67 Comments

Welcome to the 600th Metamorphosis Monday! Last week I shared this photo of a bedroom with a star-covered ceiling. I loved the look of this so much, I ordered a few stars to see how they would look on my bedroom ceiling.   After doing a little test run with a few stars, I decided to go for it. I ordered a bunch more stars from different companies and got to work placing them on my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds Tagged With: , , ,



Starry Starry Night, Turn Your Bedroom Into a Starry Haven for Sleeping

July 20, 2020 by 51 Comments

Welcome to the 599th Metamorphosis Monday! Have you ever ordered something and when it arrived it exceeded your expectations? That doesn't happen very often, does it? I've been wanting to create a starry sky effect on my bedroom ceiling but my first attempt didn't work out so great.   At first, I ordered one of those machines you see online that projects stars onto the ceiling. I should … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, DIY Decor Knock-offs, DIY Decorating



A Front Yard Landscape Update, Green Beauty Boxwoods Growing Like Weeds!

July 6, 2020 by 37 Comments

Welcome to the 597th Metamorphosis Monday! Over the past few months, I've had several requests to give an update on the front yard landscaping I completed back during Spring 2016. I've been meaning to share an update because I'm absolutely stunned how much the Green Beauty Boxwood shrubs I planted back then have grown! Here's a before photo that was taken that May not too long after I planted all the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, In the Garden



Turning Lemons into Lemonade: New Doors for My Screened Porch

June 22, 2020 by 35 Comments

Welcome to the 595th Metamorphosis Monday! You know that old saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade? Well, today's Before and After is definitely a case of me trying to turn some pretty sour lemons into some delicious lemonade. But before I pour you a glass of lemonade, I want to share some napkins I'll be using later this week in a patriotic table setting, in case you are in need of napkins … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,



A Low-Cal Indulgence, A New Floor Lamp for My Bedroom & Puzzles are Back!

June 17, 2020 by 22 Comments

Working on a table setting for tomorrow's Tablescape Thursday, but thought I'd pop in with a few goodies and ideas I've been wanting to share ever since I arrived back home. One of the first things I needed to do upon my return was head to the grocery store to stock up on a few things. If you've been reading BNOTP for a bit, you may know I'm not the biggest fan of hot coffee, but I do love iced coffee, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Puzzles Tagged With: ,



Loved This Lamp So Much, I Bought It Twice!

April 25, 2020 by 45 Comments

If you've been reading Between Naps On The Porch for a while, you know I'm a crazy lamp lady. I don't remember when my love of lamps started, but at some point many years ago, I discovered how much prettier, cozier and better the rooms in my home looked by lamplight--the more lamplight, the better! Overhead lighting can make a beautiful room feel cold and sterile--pretty much the opposite of cozy. For … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Guest Room), Bedroom (Master), DIY Decorating, Living Room (Downstairs), Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), Office/Craft/Sewing Room, Porches & Decks



3 Ways to Decorate a Hutch for Spring and Summer

April 22, 2020 by 21 Comments

From reports back home, I know my screened porch is covered in this stuff right now. Ugh.   I'm trying to imagine it looking more like this, though.   There's a hutch on the porch that I always love decorating for spring and summer.   This is the dishware I most often use on the porch: Ma Maison by Tabletops Unlimited, designed by Darrio … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: , , , , , ,



2 Before & Afters: How My Daughter-in-Love, Nancy, and I Work from Home

April 13, 2020 by 27 Comments

Welcome to the 585th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend! I have an exciting, pretty "Before and After" to share today, actually a couple of Before and Afters! You may remember a while back I purchased this small desk to use when visiting my son, daughter-in-love and grandchildren. In the past, I always brought along my laptop. Combined with an exterior monitor, this set up worked … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , , , ,



On the Hunt and I’ve Found a Keeper!

April 6, 2020 by 73 Comments

Welcome to the 584th Metamorphosis Monday! Back in March 2015, I wrote a post about my search for the perfect sleeping pillow. At that time, I had just ordered a new mattress/box springs for my bed and had foolishly tossed my old pillows thinking I should replace those, too. Unfortunately, the new pillows I purchased were super uncomfortable and I really regretted getting rid of my old ones. I found … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



A Dining Room Update That’s Been a Long Time Coming

March 2, 2020 by 142 Comments

Welcome to 579th Metamorphosis Monday! Many years ago, long before I began blogging, I had the walls in my dining room papered in a pretty, yellow and blue (with touches of raspberry red) wallpaper. These pictures, taken just before a little dinner party with friends, do not do the wallpaper justice. The paper was a beautiful, elegant pattern and I loved it for many years.   Back then, I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Dining Room Tagged With: , , , ,



8 Ways to Brighten Your Home (and your Spirits) During These Cold Winter Months

January 20, 2020 by 26 Comments

Welcome to the 573rd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I was chatting via email with Selma whose beautiful table setting I featured a few weeks ago. During our email conversation, Selma asked if in a future post I'd share some ways we can brighten our home during these cold winter months. I know our homes can sometimes feel a bit empty and sad after we've put away all our festive holiday decorations. One … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY, In the Garden, My Nest, Travel



Delight the Little Ones with a Christmas Bedroom Makeover

December 23, 2019 by 64 Comments

Welcome to the 569th Metamorphosis Monday! Merry Christmas and the most happiest of holidays to you! Today I'm sharing a fun, whimsical makeover I semi-completed for my grandsons' bedroom recently. I say semi-completed because the artwork I ordered to go above their beds wasn't the quality I expected and had to be returned. I've also ordered a different lamp and will share how it looks once it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Son's), Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, My Nest Tagged With: , , , , , ,



A Recent Kitchen Upgrade That’s Life Changing & Eating Dinosaurs for Breakfast

November 26, 2019 by 21 Comments

Family is en route right now so while I have a moment I wanted to share a life-changing update I just made in my kitchen (in case you find it helpful) and something that should make breakfast a lot more fun for the little ones this week. I just purchased this fun waffle maker and I can't wait to see my grandsons' faces when I serve them dinosaur waffles for breakfast! They are dinosaur obsessed right now … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Kitchen & Breakfast Area



A Cozy Autumn Winter Bed & A Big Sale Announcement

October 7, 2019 by 71 Comments

Welcome to the 558th Metamorphosis Monday Happy Autumn to you! I've been playing around a little in my bedroom, changing out the summer sheets for something a bit cozier for fall.   You may remember I recently ordered these sheets to pair with my winter bedding. (Sheets are available here: Woodland Sheets.)   I've never shown my bed turned down here on the blog. Do you know … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After Tagged With: , , , ,



Easiest, Fastest Way to Remove Lint and Dust from Bedding and Dust Ruffles

September 29, 2019 by 41 Comments

Welcome to the 557th Metamorphosis Monday~ I had meant to post this weekend but unfortunately, I've been under the weather. Thankfully I'm feeling a bit better this evening so I thought I would go ahead and get tomorrow's Metamorphosis Monday post up for you now. Update: Before we get into this post, just discovered that Mr. Pheasant went on sale this weekend, 30% off! You'll find him on sale here: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes Tagged With: , ,



Proof I Will Never Grow Up, As If You Needed It

September 16, 2019 by 20 Comments

Welcome to the 555th Metamorphosis Monday! Remember the dinosaur bookends I bought for my grandson's bedroom...   ...when my daughter-in-law and I completed a full makeover of their room?   Yup, I'm talking about the ones there behind the dinosaur eggs. lol   I loved them soooo much when we did the makeover...   ...I decided I had to have a set … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Office/Craft/Sewing Room



A Blue Painted Chest for a Beach-Themed Upstairs Family Room

September 9, 2019 by 64 Comments

Welcome to the 554th Metamorphosis Monday! I'm not sure why, but every time I order any kind of furniture from Amazon, my local UPS always delivers it busted up and damaged. Remember the multiple ordering attempts I made when trying to get cabinets for my garage? I ended up ordering them via Walmart and had them delivered to my local Walmart Market where I picked each cabinet up in my SUV and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs) Tagged With: ,



What If Gray Lamps…and Finally, The “Personalized” Pillow Shams Are Here

August 9, 2019 by 37 Comments

A few days ago I shared a Before/After my daughter-in-law and I completed in my grandsons' bedroom. (View that post here: Bedroom Makeover: Dinosaur Themed Bedroom for Two Dinosaur-Loving Boys.)   The week before this bedroom makeover, I stopped by my local At Home store and picked up some lamps I hoped would work with the bedding and the chest we planned to use.   The night … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Son's), Before & After, DIY Decorating, Lighting



Bedroom Makeover: Dinosaur Themed Bedroom for Two Dinosaur-Loving Boys

August 5, 2019 by 81 Comments

Welcome to the 549th Metamorphosis Monday! In a previous post, I shared some plans my daughter-in-law, Nancy, and I've been working on for the bedroom belonging to my two grandsons. The boys, ages 3 and 5, were ready to graduate from their convertible crib/toddler beds to big-boy beds. I had saved my son's childhood bedroom furniture all these years, so I loaded the two beds into my SUV and headed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Son's), Before & After, DIY Decorating Tagged With: , , , , ,



Designing a Bedroom for Two Dinosaur-Loving Boys

July 29, 2019 by 76 Comments

Welcome to the 548th Metamorphosis Monday! If you've been following BNOTP for a while, you may remember when I turned my son's old bedroom into my home office. This collage below shows the various parts of the room prior to taking the beds apart and moving everything out of the room. (See how the office turned out in this previous post: Designing and Creating a Home Office.) My son was in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Son's), Before & After, DIY Decorating Tagged With: , , ,



Dressing Room Update is Complete and a Dharuma Hydrangea Update

May 14, 2019 by 23 Comments

Before I share my recent dressing room update, I thought I'd share a small garden update. Back in the summer of 2014, I planted a Dharuma Hydrangea behind my mailbox. I was told that they do well in full sun and are fairly low-growing. I didn't want a big shrub in this spot since space was limited. Do you see the little Dharuma there just behind the mailbox?   Here's a photo of it a few weeks … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), DIY, DIY Repairs and Fixes Tagged With: , , ,



A Brilliant Invention & Correcting a Regrettable Decision

April 29, 2019 by 26 Comments

Welcome to the 535th Metamorphosis Monday! Back around 2008-2010, I used to sit and create blog posts in the evenings after work at the little vanity desk located on the left side of this dressing room off the master bedroom. During that time I started having shooting pains down both arms, starting at my neck. That's when I realized the vanity was a few inches too short to work as a desk and made the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes Tagged With: , ,



A Lamp for the Recently Added Console and a Spring Porch Update

March 25, 2019 by 38 Comments

Welcome to the 530th Metamorphosis Monday! Spring has really come to Georgia. The Bradford Pear trees are in full bloom and the daffodils are beginning to wane, having bloomed for weeks now. Spring flowers and warmer temps have a way of motivating us to get going on some of those repairs and projects we've been putting off. A few months ago I shared how mice or rats had decided to create little doors … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , ,



Like It Should Have Always Been There

March 11, 2019 by 40 Comments

Welcome to the 528th Metamorphosis Monday! For last week's Met Monday I shared a console table I had ordered for storing the items I often need when taking a cycling class on my Peloton bike.   You may remember when the box arrived, there was a big gash on one side. It was the box you see below on the right. When I opened it, I found one of the shelves was badly dented. I started to return … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After Tagged With: , , ,



I’m Pretty Sure I Hold the Title for the Most Botched Furniture Deliveries

March 4, 2019 by 37 Comments

Welcome to the 527th Metamorphosis Monday! If they were giving out awards for the most botched furniture deliveries, I have no doubt I would be in the running for first place! So though I don't have a finished project to share, at least I can share a solution I have in mind for a small ongoing problem I've been experiencing.   Just off my master bedroom is a small dressing room. It was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After Tagged With: , ,



My Absolute Favorite Cleaner for Removing Denim Transfer Stains

February 19, 2019 by 28 Comments

A while back I shared a big issue I was having with denim transfer on the leather seats of my car. Since my leather driver's seat was so badly stained, in desperation I tried several products that normally you wouldn't use on leather after various leather cleaning products failed to work. The cleaner that worked the best at that time was Formula 409, but again, I wouldn't really recommend that for leather, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: ,



After All That Garage Dish Storage, What’s Left Inside?

February 18, 2019 by 61 Comments

Welcome to the 525th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? Hope you had a great one! It rained here a lot so I mostly stayed inside. One of the questions I'm often asked in comments is where I store all the dishware you see me using in table settings for Tablescape Thursday. If you've been following BNOTP for a while, you may remember that back during the summer of 2017, I added several cabinets to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, My Nest Tagged With:



This Was Not How I Wanted to Kick Off Spring

February 4, 2019 by 66 Comments

Welcome to the 523rd Metamorphosis Monday! I'm dreaming of spring and some porch time.   But before spring arrives, I'll need to fix this thanks to a very bad mouse. Either a mouse or rat, not sure which, decided to chew his way in through one of the screened porch doors. In an effort to stop the intruder from getting onto the porch and decks again, my pest control guy blocked the hole. He … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , ,



An Ornery Weather Station

January 14, 2019 by 40 Comments

Welcome to the 520th Metamorphosis Monday! Unfortunately, I'm still sick with some kind of virus. My throat is still really swollen. If I'm not better in the next day or two, I'm going for a strep test.  I don't really have a Before and After to share since I spent much of yesterday (when I felt up to it) doing boring stuff like putting wreaths back into storage under the eaves in the upstairs family … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: ,



Easy Storage for Winter Boots, Keeps Them Upright-No Slouching or Falling Over

January 7, 2019 by 30 Comments

Welcome to the 519th Metamorphosis Monday! Whooo, I'm back home. I got in quite late last night after the always-long drive home from Ohio. The drive went by relatively fast since the weather was awesome (no rain!) and I was listening to a really good book all the way home. The book I was listening to via Audible was, Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure The Deadliest Disease in History by Dr. Jeremy … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Closets & Pantries Tagged With: , , , ,



Oh, The Surprising Things You’ll See Through a Ring Doorbell!

December 18, 2018 by 50 Comments

Back on November 28th, I blogged about my intentions to add a Ring Doorbell to my home for increased security and convenience. If you missed that original post, you'll find it here: Finally Doing It-I'm Adding a Security Camera to my Front Porch. Today I'm sharing how the installation went along with one hiccup I encountered and how I solved it. If you have any questions after reading this post,  leave … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Repairs and Fixes, Entry/Foyer, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , ,



A Wreath Switcheroo: Staying With a Natural Green Wreath From Now On

December 17, 2018 by 32 Comments

Welcome to the 516th Metamorphosis Monday! A week or two ago I shared how the porch was decorated for Christmas. You may remember I wasn't thrilled with how this ornament wreath looked against my red door. I'm using it elsewhere, it looks great out on the screened porch.   So, here's how the porch looks now.   I was a little worried at first about the performance of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Porches, Porches & Decks



Did Those Boxwood Shrubs Bounce Back? Sharing a Few Landscape Updates!

September 24, 2018 by 41 Comments

Welcome to the 504th Metamorphosis Monday! Back in May 2016, I redid the landscaping directly in front of my home. I chose Green Beauty Boxwood shrubs as my foundation plants and this was how they looked on the pallet at the store just prior to having them delivered.   Here's how they looked after I planted them over the course of a few days. It was a challenge keeping them watered until I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding Tagged With: , , ,



From Broken to Better, This Project is Done! Well, at Least for Now.

September 22, 2018 by 36 Comments

I'm considering this little project complete for now. When I last shared this room, one of the little Dept. 56 lit houses I had purchased on eBay had not arrived. There's a story about that--I'll share it toward the end of this post. For the picture below, I had the shutters in the office closed and all the lamps in the office turned off. I lit a couple of candles to help my camera capture the lit … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , ,



Cozying Up The Office with Dept. 56 Lit Houses and a Few New Bookcase Additions

September 17, 2018 by 74 Comments

Welcome to the 503rd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! For this week's Met Monday, I thought I'd give you a quick update on what I've been up to with the bookcases here in the office. There have been a couple of additions but also quite a few subtractions.   Can you tell I've reduced my collection a bit? I took a huge stack (probably a shelf's worth) to Goodwill this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , ,



A New Autumn Wreath for the Front Door

September 14, 2018 by 50 Comments

Summer is still very much with us here in Georgia with temps in the upper 80's and low 90's every day. I love the hot weather so I'm not complaining. Though it's not feeling one bit like fall, I came across a beautiful fall wreath recently that I couldn't pass up. I usually have a hard time finding a wreath I like because often they are just too small. I like a nice big wreath that fills out my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Halloween Decor, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor Tagged With: , , , , , ,



A Fun Lighting Update for My Home Office

September 8, 2018 by 49 Comments

Welcome to the 502nd Metamorphosis Monday! Happy weekend to you! I hope you're having an awesome one! I know it's not Monday yet, but I have an appointment on Monday so I thought I would go ahead and put this post up now. Before we dive into a mini-project I'm working on in my office, if you're a Talbots credit card holder, Talbots is having a big sale right now sitewide. (I got this yesterday, so … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , ,



The Easy Way to Dry or Preserve Limelight Hydrangea Blossoms

August 25, 2018 by 25 Comments

How is your weekend going? I've been working a little outside. I need to be working A LOT outside! There's tons of weeding to be done...and other stuff. One little project I knocked out was cleaning out the interior and exterior of this Lazy Hill Farms birdhouse. I didn't think I'd be posting about it so neglected to take any "Before" pictures, but it was yucky. We've had soooo much rain this spring and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding Tagged With: , , ,



It Took a Year to Get It Right, But Finally This Makeover Is Complete

August 6, 2018 by 37 Comments

Welcome to the 497th Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments on Saturday's post. It was so heartwarming and encouraging to read your comments and stories! You shared so many of the same thoughts I have and I truly appreciate each and every comment. I was so surprised by how many of you had actually had the opportunity to visit A Classy Flea in person! I know a lot of folks … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Living Room (Downstairs) Tagged With: , , , ,



Hang a Little Painting Where It Will Surprise and Delight

July 25, 2018 by 34 Comments

Earlier in the spring I shared this wee painting of one of my tablescapes. (View this little teascape in detail here: St. Patrick's Day Tea.) The painting was a surprise painting done by a lovely artist and reader of BNOTP named, Fifi. After she let me know she had created the painting, I purchased it from her but never got around to having it framed.   Life got in the way and I never got … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Kitchen & Breakfast Area, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , , , , ,



A Few Porch Updates & A Garden Seat Makeover

July 9, 2018 by 46 Comments

Welcome to the 493rd Metamorphosis Monday! Did you go out of town for the July 4th week? This past week always seems like a big week for travel. This weekend has been a productive one for me as I've worked on a few things I've been putting off for a while. One chore I had been procrastinating on was giving the wicker seating group a good cleaning. I've had the two chairs and the settee (all made of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , ,



Deck Updates, Great Deck Cleaner and a Little Garden Whimsy

June 4, 2018 by 57 Comments

Welcome to the 488th Metamorphosis Monday! Last week I shared some deck updates I was working on. In between all the big storms we've been having this past week, I've been working on spiffing up the deck for summer. Before In this photo from last week, you can see the decking was super dirty from all the yucky stuff that had fallen from the giant tree whose trunk you can see there at the end of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, My Nest, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , ,



51 Reasons You Need a Screened Porch

May 29, 2018 by 40 Comments

  1. Spring 2. Summer 3. Fall 4. Winter (depending on where you live) 5. Shade 6. No mosquitoes 7. No flies 8. No bugs. Period 9. Your dog will thank you 10. Your cat will thank you   11. Ceiling fans swirling overhead 12. Soft music + breezes and birdsong = heaven 13. Rainstorms 14. Sweet tea tastes better on a porch 15. Coffee tastes better on a porch 16. Wine … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , ,



A Bottle Tree Makeover for Summer & A Bit of Furniture Re-arranging

May 28, 2018 by 57 Comments

Welcome to the 487th Metamorphosis Monday! For this week's Met Monday, I have more of a "Before and Middle" than a "Before and After." See the bottle tree that's out on the deck in this photo below? (View this beach-themed table setting here: Beach-themed Tablescape.)   I love bottle trees, love their folklore and whimsy. If you've never heard of bottle trees, they have an interesting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , ,



Dharuma Hydrangea, A Low-Growing Hydrangea That Loves the Sun

May 23, 2018 by 31 Comments

Back in the summer of 2014, I planted a few flowers around my mailbox including a Dharuma Hydrangea that was supposed to do well in full sun and be low-growing. I didn't want a big shrub in this spot since space was limited. Do you see it there, just behind the mailbox?   Here's a photo of it a few weeks after it was first planted.   As I was leaving to go someplace one evening … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: , , ,



Home Water Softeners, Whole House Filters, De-Stressing & A Few Shopping Finds

May 21, 2018 by 53 Comments

Welcome to the 486th Metamorphosis Monday! This past week while I was out of town was definitely a challenging one. It all started when I had a plugin update appear on the dashboard of the blog that turned out to be a bad update. You may have noticed some issues last week with Between Naps On The Porch. In the process of trying to fix the issues the bad update caused, my hosting company actually … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, My Nest, Porches & Decks



Trying Once Again, But Still Coming Up Short

April 23, 2018 by 84 Comments

Welcome to the 482nd Metamorphosis Monday! I wasn't sure if I'd be able to write this post this morning. Last night while working on a puzzle here in the office, I started noticing I couldn't see very well out of my left eye. Immediately I could tell it was another ocular migraine. This is only the 3rd or 4th one that I've ever had. With the previous ocular migraines, there was no headache afterward, but … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: ,



Beach Escape

April 19, 2018 by 36 Comments

Welcome to the 499th Tablescape Thursday! I almost pulled out bunny plates again today. lol I still had one more table setting in mind using bunny plates, but it was such a gorgeous day and so warm out, I ended up going a completely different direction.   We are headed to the beach for this week's Tablescape Thursday with  a fun beach-themed table setting.   Do you have a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beachy Tablescapes, My Nest, Porches & Decks, Spring & Summer Tablescapes, Tablescape Thursday Tagged With: , , , , , , ,



Okay, But I Could Set the Building On Fire…

April 18, 2018 by 25 Comments

Yesterday I was stapling some papers together when my stapler up and died. The spring inside broke and after several frustrating moments trying to reconnect it, I gave up. Normally I would have persisted but I've been ready to ditch that stapler for a long time since it has always jammed about every other time I used it. In searching for a new stapler I came across one I knew I had to get. Do you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Inspire, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , ,



Tips for Cleaning Pollen Off a Screened-in Porch & A Feeder for Dried Mealworms

April 9, 2018 by 67 Comments

Welcome to the 480th Metamorphosis Monday! Yesterday I had a comment from Mark who said: Have a similar porch to yours and we love it already. It is coated in pollen. Do you ever hose yours off??? What is your cleaning routine? We are in NC and the pollen is 3 ft thick 🙂 There is not an easy way for water to run off, like yours, but wondered what you normally do. Normally when I'm using the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: , , , ,



The Hunt for a Pretty Spring Wreath

March 26, 2018 by 51 Comments

Welcome to the 478th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I was watching a YouTube video where the vlogger had just purchased a large, floral wreath for her front door. It had huge hydrangea blossoms all around it, and I loved it. Update: It may have been peonies now that I think about it!  I checked to see if I could order one online for my front door, but was unable to locate the shop. The vlogger had … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor Tagged With: , , , , ,



A Little Spring Update for the Porch

March 19, 2018 by 73 Comments

Welcome to the 477th Metamorphosis Monday! Good Morning! Sharing a mini-Met today that may be opening a big 'ol can of worms. I'm good at that...opening up cans of fat, wiggly worms! See those striped cushions on the chairs in this older photo taken back around the 4th of July?   They were never quite what I wanted for the porch, but worked in a pinch a few years back when I couldn't … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , ,



How Did Those Brown Deck Railings Hold Up This Winter? An Update!

March 14, 2018 by 48 Comments

Last summer I shared an issue I was having with my white painted deck railings. I love having a white porch and loved my white deck railings, but...   ...I was not at all happy with how the tops of the deck railings were always looking. Even after having them freshly painted, they would be back looking like this in no time at all! Argggg!   It's pretty much impossible to keep … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Repairs and Fixes, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,



A New Toy in My Cleaning Arsenal & Bunny Plates for Easter

March 10, 2018 by 52 Comments

I follow a few kitty Instagram accounts and they keep me in stitches daily. One account that I follow (bonnieclydekitties) shared the coolest tool for helping keep hardwood or tile flooring clean. I don't have pets now, so I don't have to worry about fur as she does, but I do have a lot of hardwood flooring to keep clean. My whole house is hardwood flooring now, except for one room, my upstairs family … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Organization and Storage, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , ,



A Closer Look at Where I Work and Play: My Home Office Space

March 7, 2018 by 53 Comments

Today as I was dusting and tidying up the office, I realized it's been a long time since I shared any photos of this room. Not a lot has changed in here, but I thought it would be fun to post a little tour of this space where I spend so much of my time. Pssst: To view other rooms in my home, click on the category "Home Tours" at the top of the blog, then click "My Nest" where you'll find links to every … [Read more...]

Filed Under: My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,



The Perfect Mudroom Hall Tree with Bench, Drawers & Cubbies

January 22, 2018 by 57 Comments

Welcome to the 469th Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all your input on which bag to go with in yesterday's post! I need to tally up the votes but reading through all the comments, I'm pretty sure the Prada bag came out the favorite, followed by the Chloe Drew. Based on your comments, I went ahead and ordered the Prada bag that night. I will compare it with Chloe bag that I had already ordered … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, Laundry Room, My Nest



Closet & Door Updates: Small Storage Bench for Putting on Boots and Shoes

November 6, 2017 by 44 Comments

Welcome to the 458th Metamorphosis Monday! So what do you think? This door was a struggle! I'll spare you all the details, but here's the final finish.   This was the "Before" with a cat door that was no longer needed and the other side badly scratched up by a previous home-owners dog.   The new door was installed, and unfortunately cut too short by the installer. So sadly, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, Closets & Pantries, DIY Organization and Storage Tagged With: , , , , ,



How to Get a Sample of Any Paint Color, Even Older Colors No Longer Available

October 30, 2017 by 41 Comments

Welcome to the 457th Metamorphosis Monday! Have you ever come across a great paint color online, perhaps on a blog or on Pinterest, only to discover it's an older color that's no longer available? I often get emails or messages from BNOTP readers asking how they can get the color formula for the yellow paint I've used in so many rooms of my home.   This yellow is an older Duron color … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Before & After, Dining Room, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Entry/Foyer, Kitchen & Breakfast Area, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , , , ,



Deck “Before And After” with “Lodge Brown” Solid Stain for the Deck and Railings

October 23, 2017 by 76 Comments

Welcome to the 456th Metamorphosis Monday! Sorry this is going up a bit late. The painters are here finishing the staining of the basement door so I've been downstairs working with them this morning. The makeover of the two decks on the back of my home is complete. I like the brown railing a lot more than I ever thought I would. The stain color is Sherwin Williams, Lodge Brown.   Before, when … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , , ,



A Closet Update: Hacking Shelves for Boot & Shoe Storage

October 20, 2017 by 34 Comments

Years ago, shortly after my home was built in the early 1980's, the first owners turned the bedroom that's beside the master bedroom, into a dressing room/closet area. (Read more about that in this post: If These Walls Could Talk: A Mystery Alcove. The bedroom was around 12 x 13 feet and they closed off the door/entrance from the upstairs hallway and cut a large double opening from the master bedroom, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bedroom (Master), Closets & Pantries, DIY Organization and Storage, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, My Nest Tagged With: , , , ,



Door & Deck Progress

October 16, 2017 by 69 Comments

Welcome to the 455th Metamorphosis Monday. My porch is still a storage area for much of the deck furniture.   I think they will be doing a final coat of stain in some areas either today or tomorrow. After that dries, life can return to normal. I'll be really happy to get all this furniture out of the porch and back onto the decks. lol   Before I share how the deck handrail … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest, Porches & Decks



Running Away From Home & A Dragon Finial

October 3, 2017 by 122 Comments

Stain decisions...Ugg. I'm running away from home. Today. How I dislike making these type of decisions, but it's time and it has to be done. I visited a Sherwin-Williams store today near my home to choose a stain color. Shockingly, they didn't have a single stain chart brochure that I could take back home. They told me they were all out and so were all their other stores. Not one Super Deck sample stain … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , ,



A Belleek Castle Lamp Gets a Major Makeover: The Before & After

October 2, 2017 by 112 Comments

Welcome to the 453rd Metamorphosis Monday! When I was in Ireland the last week of August, I visited the Belleek Pottery Factory. After a tour of the factory (see that tour HERE) we shopped inside the gift shop where I fell in love with this castle lamp and placed an order for one. The lamp would be built and delivered to my home in approximately 6-8 weeks. While I was still in Irleand, I shared the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, My Nest, Office/Craft/Sewing Room Tagged With: , , , ,



Plant Stand Makeover, Forever-Dirty Deck Railings and a Mopnado Update

September 25, 2017 by 63 Comments

Welcome to the 452nd Metamorphosis Monday! I've made a decision about which company I'll be using for cleaning and staining the decks. They will also be pressure washing the exterior of the house and staining the door that was recently replaced inside. (Read more about that HERE.) Unfortunately, the door may hold up the deck cleaning since the replacement door was cut too short and will have to be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, My Nest, Porches & Decks Tagged With: , , ,



A Gazillion Little Tweaks

September 4, 2017 by 52 Comments

Welcome to the 449th Metamorphosis Monday! I really didn't know what to name today's post because I've been like a frantic little bee ever since returning from Ireland. I've been buzzing all over this house, working to tie lots of little loose ends together. You would think it was spring...this urgency to get things spiffied up around here. Maybe it's the early morning waking hours that has me so … [Read more...]

Filed Under: DIY Organization and Storage, Living Room (Downstairs), Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs)



Tablescaping Storage for Dishware, Flatware, Napkin Rings, Napkins and Glassware

August 10, 2017 by 138 Comments

Welcome to the 464th Tablescape Thursday! Update: Since I had some issues with the shelves that came with these cabinets not holding the weight they are "supposed' to hold without bowing, I had melamine shelves cut to the size needed at Home Depot. I replaced every single shelf that wasn't a "fixed" shelf with the Home Depot melamine shelves at the cost of $7 a shelf. The HD shelves are thicker and much … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Closets & Pantries, DIY Organization and Storage, Tablescape Thursday



CabinetGate: Progress Has Been Made

August 7, 2017 by 88 Comments

Welcome to the 445th Metamorphosis Monday! When I last left you in the saga of what I'm now dubbing CabinetGate, ;) I had just two of six cabinets in place, the other four having been completely destroyed during delivery.   Little recap: After assembling the two cabinets that arrived in good shape (they were delivered by a different delivery company) I filled them with napkin rings, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Closets & Pantries, DIY Organization and Storage Tagged With: , , , , ,



Answering Your Questions

July 31, 2017 by 36 Comments

Welcome to the 444th Metamorphosis Monday! As I've been blogging about adding storage cabinets for some of my dishware down one wall of my garage, I've received a lot of questions about this project. I thought this Met Monday would be a good time to answer those all in one post. If I miss one, feel free to ask it in the comments and I'll add that question to this post. As you may recall, these are the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Closets & Pantries, DIY Organization and Storage



How I’ve Spent the Last 48 Hours

July 25, 2017 by 48 Comments

I've been a busy bee the last 48 hours. I don't know what has gotten into me, but I've been going non-stop! After this Frye tote arrived recently, I decided I wanted to add a bag organizer to it so it would have more support across the bottom whenever I carry heavy items like my laptop. I researched online forever and even contacted Frye. No one makes an organizer for this bag, but I found one that was a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Closets & Pantries, DIY Organization and Storage, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds



Completed for Now: Storage for Charger Plates, Flatware, Napkins and Napkin Rings

July 20, 2017 by 69 Comments

Welcome to the 461st Tablescape Thursday! If you've been reading BNOTP the last few weeks, you know I had some big plans for one wall in my garage. I purchased four of the cabinet below on the left and two of the cabinet on the right in hopes of creating some awesome storage for organizing a lot of  my entertaining/tablescaping wares. I thought it would be great to have everything together in one place … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Closets & Pantries, DIY Organization and Storage, Tablescape Thursday Tagged With: , , , ,



Not Again!

July 19, 2017 by 48 Comments

Is there such a thing as bad tree karma? If there is, I think I have a terrible case of it. A few months ago, a large tree in my back yard that had been leaning since the day I moved in 26 years ago, decided it was tired of leaning and gently laid itself down across the length of my backyard. Scared the willies out of me when it fell since it was late at night. I sat listening inside my office wondering … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Garden, Gardening & Birding