Another Beautiful Wreath From Lynch Creek Farms, This One May Be My Favorite

Welcome to the 879th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend! For this week's Met Monday, I'm sharing the wreath I ordered this year from Lynch Creek Farms. This will be my third year ordering from them. For reference, here are the Christmas wreaths that I've ordered from them for the previous two years.   Sorry about this terrible photo...note to self, don't take … [Read more...]




Decorate Your Kitchen For Christmas With Festive Knob Covers & The Fairy Door Arrived

Welcome to the 878th Metamorphosis Monday! Yesterday, I shared a Before and After that I recently implemented in my kitchen to solve a problem I've been having ever since I bought a stainless steel refrigerator. If you missed that post, you'll find it here: How I Solved The Never-Ending Fridge Fingerprints Issue. In today's Met Monday post, I'm sharing a few ideas I'm considering for sprucing up the … [Read more...]




Incredible Kitchen Renovation: So Many Beautiful, Functional Designs & Features!

Welcome to the 877th Metamorphosis Monday! I am so excited about the wonderful kitchen renovation that I'm sharing with you in today's Before/After Metamorphosis Monday post! You may recall that a few weeks back, I shared Heather's beautiful guest bath renovation in this post: Beautiful Guest Bath Renovation.   Heather and her hubby just completed a major kitchen renovation that is both … [Read more...]




How Would You Fix This “Holey” Mess In The Butler’s Pantry & Upstairs Bath?

Welcome to the 876th Metamorphosis Monday! I awoke to this scene this morning. Thankfully, it should melt over the next day or two.   A previous owner of the Dollhouse shared with me that the bathrooms, kitchen, and Butler's Pantry were all renovated approximately 20 years ago. I love the renovations, especially the bath renovations that were done in a way that preserved the original 1938 … [Read more...]




Jackie Has Done It Again! She Transformed Her Home For A Murder Mystery Party!

Welcome to the 875th Metamorphosis Monday! Every year, Jackie hosts an exciting Halloween party for friends and family. Each year, she chooses a different theme. I am always excited to see what she has planned for her guests! Jackie wrote, "Just had my annual event at my home this past weekend. I changed it up a little. It was a Murder Mystery Party called Death of a Gangster. The invitations said: A … [Read more...]




Decorating The Window Boxes For Autumn

Welcome to the 873rd Metamorphosis Monday! Toward the end of September, about a week before I fell and injured my hand, I redid the two window boxes on the front of the Dollhouse. It was time for some fall color!   These were the flowers that I purchased, a mix of orange and yellow florals. I wanted to mix in a few pumpkins, too. It took a bit of trial and error to find the right size … [Read more...]




Opening Up My Heart Again

Welcome to the 872nd Metamorphosis Monday! The day you adopt a pet is the day you set yourself up for one of the future worst times of your life. After losing Max over 12 years ago, the pain was so excruciating and lasted so long (really, it never ends), I couldn't bring myself to adopt another cat. As time passed, the pain became more tolerable, but never left.   During the time that Max was … [Read more...]




Beautiful Small Bath Renovation—You’re Going To Love This Before & After!

Welcome to the 871st Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I was chatting via email with Heather, who just completed a wonderful guest bath renovation. Heather's bath is a small one, like the one I've been working on here in my home, so I couldn't wait to see photos of how it turned out. After seeing her photos, I am starting to think these smaller bathrooms are the most fun to renovate! Heather shared two … [Read more...]




Finally, Progress Has Been Made, Plus, Some Thoughts About Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper

When I purchased the Dollhouse a little over a year ago, this is how the guest/half bath on the main floor looked. The red was striking and a fun look for a small guest bath, but not what I wanted for this space.   Updating this bath has been a slow process, as I've been working on other projects, plus I've encountered a couple of speed bumps along the way. I had an electrician remove the … [Read more...]




Would You Turn Your Living Room Into A Dining Room?

Welcome to the 870th Metamorphosis Monday! Before we get into today's post, how about a little eye candy to start your week? Last week, I mentioned that I had once again stumbled across the sunroom where I first saw and fell in love with some pretty, scalloped-designed wicker furniture. I knew I had seen it on Instagram, but couldn't remember where until I came across the cover of this book by the talented … [Read more...]




Plantation Shutters For Double Windows: Bifold Design Is Often A Better Choice

Welcome to the 869th Metamorphosis Monday! First off, thanks so much for all your great input on Friday's post, where I asked if you thought it would be a good idea for me to sell my home in Georgia and replace it with a home in the north Georgia mountains. (If you missed that post, you'll find it here: Should I Sell My Home in Georgia & Buy A Home In This Mountain Community?) It has always been a … [Read more...]




The Blueprints Reveal A Big Surprise For This 1938 Cape Cod Cottage

Welcome to the 868th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a great start. A few weeks ago, I shared an idea I had been mulling over for the master bedroom in the Ohio house, the house I affectionately refer to as the Dollhouse, since it has so many cute dollhouse-like features. Before buying this house, I had noticed in the real estate photos online that there was only one bedside … [Read more...]




Unique, Beautiful Wallpaper That I’m Considering For My Small Mudroom

Welcome to the 867th Metamorphosis Monday! A few months ago, I chose this whimsical wallpaper for the 1/2 bath that's located on the main level of the Dollhouse. Why haven't I had it installed yet?   There are two reasons: Reason #1. The wallpaper installer requested I choose the white paint he'll need for the lower half of the wall, and I don't really have a good way to match to the existing … [Read more...]




Great Dresser, But It Has 2 Defects That May Be Fixable. Welcome Your Suggestions!

Welcome to the 866th Metamorphosis Monday! I hope you are enjoying some rest this Labor Day weekend. We had a fun game day here and chowed down on City Barbecue at halftime. Georgia won 45 - 7, so that was a great game to kick off our very first game day in the movie/game room. For this week's Met Monday, I'm sharing a new addition to my bedroom: a large dresser I put together a few … [Read more...]




Hanging Doors, Where Does That Laundry Chute End? Lots Checked Off The To-Do List!

Welcome to the 865th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? I hope it was awesome! It's been so nice here during the day, the kind of weather that makes you want to get outside for a walk. I managed to get a walk in with family, but mostly I was inside all day Saturday and part of Sunday since I had a handyman here making 7 different repairs. Some of the repairs were small things like adding a small … [Read more...]




It’s Been Two Years Since I Stopped Coloring My Hair, Here’s How It Looks Today

Over the past couple of months, I've had a few requests to do an update on the journey I've been on to grow out my natural hair color. When I started this process in September 2023, I read and learned as much as I could about how long it would take. One of the bits of information I came across said that hair grows 1/2 inch per month and that it takes a year to reach the ear, approximately 1-1/2 years to the … [Read more...]




The Perfect Corner Storage Bench For My Small Mudroom

Welcome to the 864th Metamorphosis Monday! I have been eyeing this bench for at least a year. I kept wondering how it would look in my small back entry that I often refer to as a mini-mudroom.   This is the spot where I envisioned using it. I noticed in the "Question and Answer" section HERE, someone asked about the depth of the cushion, and the answer was 14.8 inches. The diagram at that … [Read more...]




How The Guest Bathroom Wallpaper & The Bedroom Window Addition Look In Reality

Welcome to the 863rd Metamorphosis Monday! I hope you had a fun, relaxing weekend! Before we get into the main part of today's post, I want to share one small "adjustment" I made to this seating area here in the office, in case you ordered this ottoman and would find it helpful. You may remember that I ordered this charming, scalloped ottoman for this cozy reading area in my office. When I shared it … [Read more...]




Snack Preparatons For Game Day & Changes/Additions To The Movie Room

Welcome to the 880th Tablescape Thursday! Football season is just around the corner. Are you a big football fan? If so, which is your favorite team to watch? I'm not exactly a huge sports fan, but my son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren definitely are. What I am a fan of is parties! lol When I set up the movie room a few months back, I was hoping it would be a great spot for watching sports throughout … [Read more...]




A Shocking Discovery—The Dollhouse Continues To Surprise Me!

Welcome to the 862nd Metamorphosis Monday! This house keeps blowing my mind! I've owned this cute cottage home for just over a year now. I thought I had uncovered all its secrets, all its hidden history over its 87-year existence. NOPE! Before I share this recent discovery, I promised you a view of how the front of the house looks with all the new plantation shutters installed.  This also ties in with my … [Read more...]




Teascape With Lenox Winter Greetings, Plus A New Addition To The Office

Welcome to the 879th Tablescape Thursday! Update: The party is now active! Yay! Since I don't have a lot of my dinnerware here at the Dollhouse, I thought I'd combine two ideas together for today's post. On this last day of July, let's enjoy a Christmas in July Teascape, combined with a Before and After. Normally, this area of the office looks like this, but there's been a new … [Read more...]




Easy, Practical Solutions For 3 Common Problems + A Bonus Tip

Welcome to the 861st Metamorphosis Monday! Do you use doorstops in your home? I've never lived in a home that didn't have those throughout the house where needed—until now. Not sure why, but doorstops were nowhere to be found here in the Dollhouse. I only spotted one when I moved in, a baseboard doorstop that was missing its cap. Unfortunately, the lack of doorstops has led to some damage in a few places, … [Read more...]




Plantation Shutters For The Upstairs Bedrooms & Baths + A Sycamore Bark Palooza!

Thank you so much for all the suggestions in yesterday's post regarding what type/brand of windows I may have here in the Ohio house, aka, the Dollhouse. I will keep you posted on what I'm able to do with those three foggy windows in the future. In the meantime, yesterday was a busy day around here! My third order of plantation shutters was installed, this time in three upstairs bedrooms and two … [Read more...]




Cute Pool/Beach Totes & Need Your Help In Identifying This Window Brand/Manufacturer

Welcome to the 860th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? I hope your week is off to a great start! I spent an hour or so yesterday removing all the window coverings in the upstairs part of the house since the plantation shutters I ordered for the upstairs are due to be installed tomorrow. I couldn't wait to remove these ancient old shades in the bedrooms and upstairs bath! They are old and … [Read more...]




Considering A Putnam Ladder For My Small Living Room Library

Welcome to the 859th Metamorphosis Monday! Remember this photo from a few days ago—a lot of puzzles and books! The puzzles had been stored on a long shelf at the top of the master bedroom closet. I cleared those out for future/anticipated painting in that closet. The books had been on my office bookshelves, and since I was tired of seeing the three Billy Bookcase shelves bowing under the weight of the heavy … [Read more...]




Movie Room Updates, Including Some Great Movie Night Snacks & Treats

Welcome to the 858th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? I hope you had a fabulous 4th! I spent mine with family and it was a lot of fun. I drove up a couple of days in advance to get settled in before all the festivities got underway. I don't often attend fireworks displays because of the gridlock traffic that usually follows, but this year was different. We saw a wonderful fireworks show that was … [Read more...]




A Little Before/After To Correct An Annoying Lilly Pulitzer Dress Sleeve Issue

Welcome to the 857th Metamorphosis Monday! I have a little Before/After to share that you may find helpful if you've ever run into a similar issue (that I did) with the sleeves of a dress or shirt. One of my favorite styles from Lilly Pulitzer is their Pilar Tunic. This dress is so cool and comfortable! I enjoy wearing it so much that over the past two years, I've added it to my summer wardrobe in three … [Read more...]




Two Very Different Home Offices In Two Very Different Homes

Thanks so much for all your great suggestions for outdoor patio/deck furniture brands to consider for my round patio at the Dollhouse! I have a lot of homework to do, checking out all your suggestions. I had no idea there were so many great options! Since returning home to Georgia, I've been thinking about how very different the office in the Dollhouse is from the one here. In this older photo, before I … [Read more...]




Shopping For Outdoor Furniture: Polywood vs C.R. Plastic

Welcome to the 855th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! One of my future goals for the Dollhouse is to purchase outdoor furniture for the patio. That may not happen this year, but I definitely want to do that by next summer. (The photo below is from when the home was listed for sale several years back.)   Here's another view of the patio looking back toward the house. Before … [Read more...]




Plans Are In Motion For The Powder Room! It’s Gonna Be Wild!

Welcome to the 854th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? I hope it was fabulous! For this week's Met Monday, I'm sharing a few updates I've made to the guest bath, along with some big changes that will be coming this summer, if not sooner. This small powder room is located on the main floor of the Dollhouse. Ever since moving in last June, I've been itching to make some changes in this room. I … [Read more...]




New Lighting For Small Mudroom & Basement Stairs, Plus, A Wonderful Surprise!

Happy Weekend! I have a few Dollhouse updates to share, updates that I've been hoping to have done ever since moving into the Dollhouse. In this photo from when the home was listed for sale several years back, we see the back hallway that leads both out to the garage and around the corner to the basement. The light in that small entry/mini mudroom has been on my radar ever since moving … [Read more...]




Choosing The Right Size Pillow Insert For Your Pillow Cover Or Pillow Sham

When I purchased inserts for the Euro pillows and shams for my bed in 2014, the company from whom I purchased them, Bed of Roses, recommended that I size up 2 inches for the inserts. In other words, if a Euro sham measures 26 x 26, they recommend a 28 x 28 insert. I loved their inserts because they were so substantial and heavy. When they arrived, I could have sworn they were from a design house that an … [Read more...]




Some Fun Additions To The Movie Room + Adding Lights To The Basement Stairs

Welcome to the 853rd Metamorphosis Monday! We had our second movie night in the recently created movie room and it was so much fun!   The movie kit I purchased a while back included "official" movie tickets that the boys filled out for the invited guests. Attendees weren't allowed to enter the theater until an usher/Maitre d' had taken their ticket, returning the stub as proof of admission. … [Read more...]




More Plantation Shutters For The Dollhouse & A Simple Change With Big Results!

Welcome to the 852nd Metamorphosis Monday! There have been so many updates at the Dollhouse over the past two weeks, both small and large. I often wish things moved at a faster pace. It's easy for me to focus on the things I still desperately wish to get done, forgetting just how much I have accomplished over the past year. Sometimes, to calm my always-plotting-the-next-update-brain, I will walk from room … [Read more...]




Had The Dollhouse And Its Roof Cleaned—How Did It Turn Out?

Welcome to the 851st Metamorphosis Monday! When I moved into this adorable cottage last June (aka, the Dollhouse) I noticed a lot of deferred maintenance. The couple from whom I purchased the home worked in a job where they knew they would only be here for 2-3 years, and I'm guessing they didn't want to spend $$$ on a house they would only be living in for a short time. In the photo below, a bit of dark … [Read more...]




Movie Room Is Done, Complete With Pachinko, Popcorn, & Concessions

Welcome to the 850th Metamorphosis Monday! I hope you had a great weekend and spent it doing something you enjoy! Happy Mother's Day! Also, a Happy Mother's Day to all those dearhearts who are wonderful mothers to much-loved furry and feathered friends! You have a Mother's heart, for sure! For this week's Metamorphosis Monday, I'm sharing the final reveal (minus one more lamp and bookshelf fillers) of … [Read more...]




Lots Of Movie Room Updates—Plus, Which Console Basket Do You Like Best?

Welcome to the 849th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! Over the past few days, I've been working on completing the last of the projects here in the Dollhouse basement.  I'm very close now to reaching the point where I feel like the room is done—it just needs a couple of more additions. You may recall from a recent post that the room has looked like this for around 8-9 … [Read more...]




Creating A Home Theater & Media Room: Progress Has Been Made

Welcome to the 848th Metamorphosis Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! I've been busy as a bee working down in the basement, setting up a theater/movie room, of sorts. If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember seeing the next two photos when I shared them in a post shortly after moving into the Dollhouse. If it can be avoided, I've never been a big fan of having a TV over the mantel. … [Read more...]




Creating A “Home Theater” In The Basement, Mesh WiFi, & A Wallpaper Sample

Have you ever set up a Home Theater System before? I can't remember what sent me down this path—wait a minute! Yes, I do! It was the idea of creating a fun place for my grandsons to enjoy when they visit. I've had this idea in the back of my mind ever since I purchased this velvety-soft sectional sofa back before Christmas. Sometimes I feel like a cat chasing a laser pointer. I'll begin work on one project … [Read more...]




Beautiful, Whimsical Wallpaper For My Guest Bath & Mini-Mudroom

Welcome to the 846th Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks for all your awesome input yesterday regarding the baskets for the filing cabinet console I recently added to my office. I had to agree with those who left comments saying that neither the 3-basket or the 4-basket option worked well since the 4-basket looked crowded and the 3-basket option looked awkward. I have removed all the baskets for now, so it's back … [Read more...]




Three Baskets, Or Four, For The Lateral File Cabinet?

I was going to save this update for Metamorphosis Monday, but I'd love your opinion now since I need to make a decision, then return something that I'll be sharing in this post.   You may remember that I recently ordered a lateral file cabinet for the office. It all started with me wanting something on which I could place a lamp. That's often the crazy way I decorate: Want lamp lighting in one … [Read more...]




A Planned Addition For My Office & I Need Help Identifying This Flower

Welcome to the 845th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! I hope you had an awesome weekend! I have a few Before/Afters to share that are currently in the works. In this older photo of my office, taken before I added the table between the chairs and moved the floor lamp to the sunroom, notice the blank spot on the left wall underneath the windows.   Here's another view of that area the day the … [Read more...]




I Bellied Up To An Oxygen Bar In Breckenridge—Did It Help?

Welcome to the 844th Metamorphosis Monday! During the time my son was growing up, we visited Breckenridge, Colorado, to ski a total of three times. During each visit, we would have a little trouble breathing the first two to three days. It was always very minor, not enough to stop us from any of the activities we had planned. I distinctly remember that the only time I noticed the altitude change was when I … [Read more...]




Beautiful Breckenridge, Sleigh Rides & Oxygen Bars For Altitude Sickness

Welcome to the 843rd Metamorphosis Monday! Getting up at 3 AM for an early morning flight isn't much fun, but seeing this sunrise through the plane window helped make up for it.   Our room in Breckenridge was such a wonderful surprise. This is my 4th time visiting Breckenridge and my first time staying in a room with a balcony view of one of the slopes. It only takes a minute to reach the door … [Read more...]




A “Sign” Makeover + The Mountain Home I Stayed In Is Now For Sale

Welcome to the 842nd Metamorphosis Monday! Several years back I moved this small blue chest to the hallway just outside my upstairs living room/bonus room.   Though the color of the chest worked great in my bonus room, it seemed a bit crowded over in the corner of that room.   Unfortunately, that was the only place it would fit in that room, so I ended up moving it.   I … [Read more...]




My Crazy Moving Adventure & The Awesome Discovery I Made In The Process!

Welcome to the 841st Metamorphosis Monday! Have you ever rented a U-Haul truck before? In October of last year, a few months after purchasing a cottage home near family in Ohio, I needed to move a few pieces of furniture from my home in Georgia to the Ohio house, aka, The Dollhouse. I had just purchased a dining set (table, leaf, and 6 chairs) online for the Dollhouse dining room, and had a wicker dining … [Read more...]




The One Thing I Don’t Like About My White Hair & How I Fixed It

Welcome to the 840th Metamorphosis Monday! In early February I received this lovely comment from Helène asking for an update on the hair grow-out process I had blogged about in September 2024 in this post: A Personal Transformation, This One May Surprise You! When I read Helène's comment, I didn't think I had much of anything new to share—it seemed like my hair had been growing super slow during the winter … [Read more...]




2-Drawer Dishwashers: Which Brand Is Best & What Are The Pros & Cons

Welcome to the 838th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? We were having a tease of spring here in Georgia, but it's gone now and winter is back! This happens every year, of course, that little tease of spring that lasts about a week before the cold returns. At least it doesn't look like what I'm seeing through my RING doorbell in Ohio. I'm so glad I'm not there right now!   I have a cute … [Read more...]




A Few Of My 2025 Goals For This Lovely 87-Year Old Cottage, aka, The Dollhouse

Recently a lovely BNOTP reader asked what my goals or plans were for the Ohio cottage, aka, the Dollhouse, this year.   I do have quite a list of things I would like to accomplish this year, starting here in the kitchen. Last year I replaced the ancient refrigerator that had multiple broken shelves and a non-working icemaker. One appliance down, three to go! All of the other appliances are … [Read more...]




2 Budget-Friendly Ways To Protect Your Bags From Stains

Welcome to the 837th Metamorphosis Monday! I've been working on a post all morning, but it is taking a lot longer to write than I had expected. So how about something fun and fluffy, some eye candy for this week's Met Monday! I think this post is going to be a lot more fun than the one I was working on for today. Ha! Many years ago, while shopping in the Hermes Boutique in Atlanta, I came across a bag I … [Read more...]




Out With Old, In With New! Such A Huge Improvement!

Welcome to the 836th Metamorphosis Monday! When I first moved into the Dollhouse, there was a lot of neglected maintenance that needed to be done. One of the first things I dealt with was replacing the garage door opener. The previous owners had never used the garage to house their cars during the two years they lived in the home. Since they moved frequently due to their career, they opted to use the garage … [Read more...]




A Small Office Update That’s Had A Big Impact

Welcome to the 835th Metamorphosis Monday! I have a simple Before and After this week, but it's an important one. Back around August of 2022, I purchased a new desk chair for my home office/studio.   This chair has been great and is super comfortable. I've really enjoyed it! (Chair is available in 3 colors here: Comfy Desk Chair.)   Off and on over the past few months, I started having … [Read more...]




So This Is New And Different—And Just A Little Bit Weird

Welcome to the 834th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a fantastic weekend! I'm back in Georgia now, arrived back home late Friday evening and spent part of the weekend unpacking the car, grocery shopping, and washing clothes. Are you caught in this Polar thing that's moving across the country and dropping the temps to single digits or lower? The heat has been running almost non-stop so I've had my warm … [Read more...]




6 Times I DIYed What I Could Not Find Or When The Cost Was Too High

Welcome to the 851st Tablescape Thursday! Since I will be on the road driving all day either tomorrow or on Friday (depends on the weather/road conditions) I'm posting this week's Tablescape Thursday a day early. Several of these projects are table, summer dining, or entertaining related, so now would be a great time to start planning if any of these projects sounds interesting to you. Have you ever come … [Read more...]




Take A Tour Of Beautiful Sunnyland, A True Labor Of Love Throughout Its Restoration

Welcome to the 833rd Metamorphosis Monday! Kathryn, a lovely BNOTP reader, recently shared some wonderful photos of her beautiful 1909 home in Kansas named Sunnyland. Don't you love that name?! Kathryn wrote, "The name, 'Sunnyland' is etched in limestone on the turret. The house was built in 1909 and we are the 6th owners. The original owners were pioneers of the town and made money as the town grew. … [Read more...]




Love My New Ergonomic Keyboard & Mouse, It’s Available In Pink & White, Too!

Welcome to the 831st Metamorphosis Monday! I hope you had a fabulous weekend! My Before/After this week may seem like a small change, but it has had a nice, positive impact. For several years I have been hoping to replace my ancient keyboard. I've always disliked how wide it is. It makes me sit with my right arm canted way out to the right when using my mouse. I was concerned that it would eventually cause … [Read more...]




Yay! It Fits!

Welcome to the 830th Metamorphosis Monday! Eager to get this partially assembled cabinet out of my living room, I spent most of the day on Friday finishing it up. Once assembled, it ended up being two large, heavy pieces. The top half was incredibly heavy! As soon as I reached the part where the top section had to be placed atop the bottom half, I knew I was going to need help getting that done. I still … [Read more...]




Christmas Home Tours & The Start Of Creating A “Theater” Room In The Basement

Welcome to the 828th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! It was a really busy one here with Christmas festivities and home tours. We lined the streets of our community with paper bag luminaries and it looked really beautiful! Unfortunately, I had a gigantic limb fall off the tree in my front yard a couple of days prior. It was out on the curb awaiting pickup—kinda bad timing … [Read more...]




New Furniture For My Study & A Most-Special Gift From Fortnum & Mason

Welcome to the 827th Metamorphosis Monday! It was a long drive back to the Dollhouse but listening to a book definitely helped pass the time. The weather was great the whole way and traffic was really good to me on this trip up. I tend to overdue a bit on these trips back to the Dollhouse, as I always squeeze in as much as humanly possible into my SUV, so the loading and unloading is quite the workout. I … [Read more...]




Hanging 13 Wreaths, This Year’s Front Door Wreath & Loading Up The Sleigh

Welcome to the 826th Metamorphosis Monday! It's been a busy week as I prepare to head north again. I started to hang the wreaths on the windows earlier in the week and found them all painted shut. Even though the painters had the windows slightly raised when they painted the exterior this past summer, the windows still managed to weld themselves shut during the intervening months.   Thankfully, … [Read more...]




What I Bought During The Early Black Friday Deals—Never, Ever Thought I’d Buy This!

I made a rather big purchase for the basement in the Dollhouse recently. As I was thinking about that choice this morning, it reminded me once again how so many of the choices I make when decorating a room are guided through raw emotion and fantasy. I know that sounds weird, but some rooms do that to me—immediately bringing a scene into view, like a motion picture playing in my head where I can envision the … [Read more...]




2 Updates In The Office, Including A Major One—Plus, The Home Alone House Is Back!

Welcome to 825th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I have two updates to share here in the office, one I wish I had done ages ago. When I first chose furniture pieces from Pottery Barn's Bedford Modular Collection for my home office, as soon as they were delivered, I had a local glass company out to my home to measure the tops so protective glass could be cut to the exact dimensions of … [Read more...]




A Cozy Reading Corner For A Cottage Home Office

Welcome to 823rd Metamorphosis Monday! A few days ago I shared a chair I had added to the office. In that post I asked how you liked it, and the reviews were mixed. If I counted, I think more of you liked it than didn't, or perhaps the ones who didn't were just being polite. lol   I was a little surprised that a few folks didn't think it worked well with the rug. I love mixing prints as you … [Read more...]




Furnishing The Sunporch & Some Additional Updates I’d Like To Make

Welcome to 822nd Metamorphosis Monday! A few weeks ago I rented a U-haul to bring up the table and six chairs I had purchased for my cottage home in Ohio, aka, the Dollhouse.   I still need to create a post to share more about that little adventure! The table was the very first thing to go on. It was still in the box that it had arrived in and was placed flat against the front wall of the … [Read more...]




A Kitchen Update, A Cozy Chair For My Office, Winter Needs & The Sale Ends Today

A few days ago I shared a cozy update here in the kitchen—an adorable gingham-shade lamp I added to the counter for some cozy, evening lighting. (I closed the shutters for this photo to partially simulate nighttime in the kitchen.) In the comments of that previous post, Elena mentioned that she had a couple of lamps in her kitchen, too. That comment caught my eye because I had been thinking of adding a … [Read more...]




How To Change The Direction The Door Opens On A Speed Queen Dryer

Welcome to the 821st Metamorphosis Monday! The laundry room in this 86-year-old house I purchased at the very end of May, is located down in the basement. Over the years as I've checked out homes that were listed for sale in this area, the laundry room was pretty much always in the basement, usually in an unfinished part of the basement. I have to wonder what the original homeowners of the homes in this … [Read more...]




2 New Additions For The Butler’s Pantry & 1 For The Kitchen

One of my favorite rooms in the Dollhouse is the Butler's Pantry. A few weeks back I shared in a post that I was thinking about purchasing a toaster oven since the oven that's here in the Dollhouse kitchen takes absolutely forever to pre-heat. I'm used to my double oven back in Georgia which heats up super fast. I ended up buying the toaster oven (that's also an air fryer)  I mentioned in that previous post … [Read more...]




A “Smelly” Before and After, How I Store My Perfume Collection

A few weeks back I shared a little update I wanted to make in this upstairs bath. Notice the cabinet on the wall to the left in this photo from when the home was listed for sale a couple of years ago.   Right after I first moved in and began exploring various rooms, as soon as I opened this cabinet in the hall bath that is located just outside the master bedroom, I thought how perfect it … [Read more...]




The Plantation Shutters Are Finally Here! Do They Look The Way You Expected?

Welcome to the 820th Metamorphosis Monday! Oh my gosh, I have so much I want to tell you about the trip up to Ohio but I will save that for a future post because it was quite the adventure. Ha! Everything went really well until I hit the Cincinnati area. They had completely shut down all of I-75 North for the weekend to do road work. When I first left early that morning, Waze said something implying I-75 … [Read more...]




My September Favorites for Met Monday, Plus 3 Tempting Items Currently On My Wish List

Welcome to the 819th Metamorphosis Monday! Whenever I'm at the Dollhouse, there are always a lot of Before and Afters to share. If things go as planned this week, I'll soon be sharing how the dining set I ordered looks in the dining room. One update I made recently for the Dollhouse dining room was adding silk-wrapped bulbs to the dining room chandelier. Here's how those style bulbs look in the dining room … [Read more...]




Awesome Way To Lift Furniture, Wish I’d Known About This Tool Long Before Now!

Oh my gosh, I just recently discovered and used the most amazing tool! Have you ever wanted to lift up a heavy piece of furniture, but didn't have anyone available to help? I have been wanting to remove these little knob-like feet from under the bun feet on my desk for a while now since my desk is a tiny bit higher than I would like it to be.   These are smallish feet that I wanted to remove. … [Read more...]




Retiring & Replacing An Old Flag, Plus 2 Bits of Really Good News!

I love it when I'm out walking and pass by a home proudly displaying our country's flag. I've always wanted to fly the American flag on the front of my home in Georgia, but the only place that a holder could be mounted is on one of the columns, and the columns are round in shape. I've never found a holder that I thought would work properly on a round column, plus I had some issues a few years back with the … [Read more...]




Dollhouse Updates: You’ll Never Believe How Much I Brought Up This Time!

Welcome to the 818th Metamorphosis Monday! So much has happened since I shared my last post for Tablescape Thursday. As I'm sure you've heard, we had a big weather event across the southeast. I was scheduled to head to the Dollhouse last Thursday, but I stayed put until things looked better in my area mid-day Friday. I had one of the best drives up I've ever had with very little traffic and no major backups … [Read more...]




A Personal Transformation, This One May Surprise You!

Welcome to the 817th Metamorphosis Monday! When my son was in elementary school, I worked in his school as a "Media Parapro" assisting the librarian. I was in my early 30s, probably around 32 or 33 when I started getting teased by the teachers. I was beginning to get a few gray hairs but hadn't even noticed since they were on the side of my head where I couldn't see them. I didn't think much about it at the … [Read more...]




6 Major Purchases That Could Not Wait: What I Purchased & Why

When I bought a second home a few months back, I wasn't sure how long it would be before I moved there full-time. So I had some tough decisions to make about what to purchase for the home right away, and which things could wait. After thinking it over, I did what I always do when I'm in an unfamiliar situation and not exactly sure where to start—I started with the "knowns." In my mind, there were two … [Read more...]




2 Updates For A Cottage Dining Room, One Is Small But Surprisingly Impactful!

Welcome to the 816th Metamorphosis Monday! If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember when I changed out the badly yellowed, plastic candle covers on my dining room chandelier for Lumiere's beautiful, realistic-looking candle covers.   At that time, I also upgraded the bulbs in my chandelier to these beautiful, silk-wrapped bulbs. I love this look for a chandelier sooo … [Read more...]




The Best Way To Remove Tape Residue From Hardwood Flooring

Welcome to the 815th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was awesome! I have a house full of painters here right now, they are working on finishing up the painting in the kitchen and the basement.  I'm still anxious and nervous about how the kitchen desk restoration will look in the kitchen once that is completed. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out. Today, I'm sharing a smallish … [Read more...]




Luxury Bathing: A 1938 Cinderella Bathtub, Plus Knob Upgrades For 2 Laundry Chutes

Welcome to the 814th Metamorphosis Monday! I'm back in Georgia and work will start back up again in the kitchen next Monday. I'm glad to have a week to get caught up before work begins again. Hopefully, they will be done this next week with the painting and the rebuilding of the desk. A week or so ago I shared how I had the unique and unusually-shaped tub in the Dollhouse master bath reglazed. I could … [Read more...]




Another Dollhouse Upgrade—Wish I Had Done This Sooner!

Over the years, I have really enjoyed having a Ring doorbell at my home in Georgia. It has captured some fun moments, in addition to being handy for knowing when a package has been delivered. Also, if working and the bell rings unexpectedly, I love being able to talk to the person at the door to see who it is and what they need. I've found that it saves a lot of unnecessary … [Read more...]




So Many Lighting Updates, Plus A New Console Table For the Upstairs Hall

Welcome to the 813th Metamorphosis Monday! When I first moved into the Dollhouse, it was a dim, dark place! I didn't have any lamps, yet, and a lot of the lighting either wasn't working properly or contained dim, low-wattage bulbs. For example, the master bedroom has an overhead ceiling fan with a light attachment, but one of the bulbs was physically shattered and the other bulb was a 40-watt bulb. I was so … [Read more...]




Reglazing, Refinishing The Bathtub—How Does It Look? Plus, Hummingbird Visits!

Over the years I've had the pleasure of going on a lot of historic/old home tours, almost always at Christmastime. I've also attended gatherings and holiday parties that were held in very old homes. One thing I've noticed about really old homes is that "things" are not always perfect. During a holiday party, if you happen to visit the bathroom, you may notice a little darkening of the grout over in a corner … [Read more...]




Office Updates: New Console, New Desk Chair, More Baskets, & A Refrigerator Update

Welcome to the 812th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a fantastic weekend! I've made some exciting and useful updates in my office recently that I'm excited to share, but first, I want to give you an update on the refrigerator that was delivered the middle of last week. I'm cautiously optimistic because this one is doing a lot better than the dented one that was previously delivered. The current arrived … [Read more...]




Yay, It Has Arrived! Plus, A Halloween Piece I’m Obsessing Over!

Welcome to the 829th Tablescape Thursday! I finally have a non-dented refrigerator! Yay! The new one arrived a week sooner than Lowe's had predicted and it was delivered yesterday.   You may remember from a previous post that when my LG CounterDepth, Door-in-Door refrigerator was delivered a few weeks ago, it arrived with with a big gash in the box and two very obvious dents in the front just … [Read more...]




From Hidden, Weedy, Window Boxes To Window Boxes Filled With Flowers

Welcome to the 811th Metamorphosis Monday! Back when the Dollhouse was listed for sale in 2022, this is how the landscaping looked in the front yard. Notice the small tree on the right that's planted right up against the house. Two years ago when this photo was taken, you could barely see the window box behind it on the lower window, and you couldn't see the one under the top window at … [Read more...]




How To Remove Tape & Sticky Glue Residue From A Painted Door, You’ll Never Believe What I Used!

See that closet door on the other side of the room here in the office? All the closets in this home badly need to be painted, but that particular closet had another issue, and I'm not just talking about the bare bulb light with the pull-string that hung right in your face when you opened the door. Thankfully, that's gone!   On the inside of the door, someone had stuck tape on it, then had … [Read more...]




Great Storage Solution For The Home Office Closet Or, Really, Any Closet

Remember this room? ;) Right now, this room almost seems like it's from another lifetime. I love this office, it's very different from the one I'm gradually putting together in the Dollhouse.   This is probably a good time to explain a little better how I'm kind of envisioning this room looking if/when I finally move to the Dollhouse permanently. The Pottery Barn Bedford file cabinets/storage … [Read more...]




How Do I Like My New LG InstaView, Door-in Door, Counter-Depth Refrigerator

Welcome to the 810th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? I hope it was a great one! We ended up spending all day Saturday at a huge, 364-acre amusement/water park called King's Island. We arrived a few minutes after 9:00 am and didn't leave for 12 hours! What an experience! We hit the ground running as soon as we entered the park, making our first ride the Diamondback roller coaster, which is … [Read more...]




Larger Rug For The Office, Dented Refrigerators, & A Great Dish Soap Dispensing Brush

So, how's the 9' x 12' rug look here in the office? It arrived yesterday, a day earlier than projected, and my oldest grandson helped me get it into the room. It arrived folded in a big, rectangular package. We were a team cartwheeling it up the 7 stairs to the office, moving it into place, and getting it up underneath the desk. In the photo below, you can see how the 8 x 10 rug looked that I shared a few … [Read more...]




So Many Kitchen Updates, Plus, My New Speed Queen Washer & Dryer Are Here!

Since moving into the Dollhouse, I've been gradually updating a lot of the things that I need and use every single day. Recently, I shared the repairs and updates I made to this super wide drawer here in the kitchen. I am still crazy in love with the expandable flatware/organizer that I found for it. It drastically improved the functionality of this drawer. (Expandable organizer can be found here: … [Read more...]




Damaged Bookcases, Triple Monitors, Drawer Organizer, Best Shampoo, Shutters Ordered & More!

Welcome to the 809th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a fun, relaxing weekend! I was busy as usual working on projects in the Dollhouse. On Saturday, I shared the updated office with a new rug and plans I had to add bookcase cabinets behind my desk here in the office. Update: I've had some questions about the rug, it's available in several sizes/colors here: All-Wool Rug.   This was the … [Read more...]