Celebrate Valentine’s Day (and All the Holidays) with a Decorated Tree Year-Round

February 17, 2020 by 16 Comments

Welcome to the 577th Metamorphosis Monday! Many years ago, I used to race to get my Christmas tree down before the strike of midnight on New Year's Eve. Growing up here in the south, I used to hear folks say, "It's bad luck to keep your tree up beyond New Year's Eve." Pshaw! Who started that rumor anyway? lol Now I leave my tree up well beyond New Year's and I'm always sad when it's time to take it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Valentine's Day Decor, Valentine's Day Holiday Home Tagged With: ,



Tips On Using a Sweater Shaver & How I Almost Ruined My L.L. Bean Boots

February 3, 2020 by 32 Comments

Welcome to the 575th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! I hope you had an awesome weekend! Before I get into my Met Monday post, I wanted to share a few thoughts I had this weekend about the sweater shaver I just purchased a few days ago. I know several of you have shared stories from the past where you used an electric shaver/pill-fuzz remover and ended up having the device cut your sweater. I used … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: ,



Fastest Way to Remove Fuzz and Pills from Winter Sweaters

February 1, 2020 by 12 Comments

Since we're deep into sweater weather where I live, I've been very tempted to try out one of the battery-operated sweater shavers, the kind that removes pills and fuzz from sweaters. I've been using a sweater comb and it does work just fine, but with the number of sweaters I have, and wear (I wear one almost every day) it can take a while to de-fuzz them all.   Recently, I ordered the sweater … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



The Secret(s) to Keeping My Favorite Sweaters Looking New for Many Years

January 26, 2020 by 36 Comments

Welcome to the 574th Metamorphosis Monday! A few days ago I blogged about a unique company that specializes in making beautiful cashmere sweaters at affordable price points. I loved the story behind the company and ended up purchasing several of their sweaters. If you missed that previous post, you'll find it here: Two Hilarious Videos & Ordering Cashmere from a Company with a Sense of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods 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



How Do They Look & Which Way Is Your Favorite?

January 13, 2020 by 66 Comments

Welcome to the 572nd Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! I hope your week is starting off great! Mine has started off with an interesting twist. Unfortunately, my car left me stranded last night at the grocery store. I think it's probably a dead battery. Apparently, my battery doesn't like really cold weather. It's used to sleeping inside a garage at night in Georgia and not outdoors in Ohio. lol I've … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , , , , ,



2020 Calendar Insert & Delightful Dashboards for an Agenda

January 6, 2020 by 18 Comments

Welcome to the 571st Metamorphosis Monday! Toward the end of 2017, after years of buying a new agenda/calendar at the start of each year, I decided to make a change for 2018. I decided to purchase an agenda cover that I could refill each year. Having just fallen hard for Louis Vuitton after seeing one of their amazing antique trunks in an LV store while vacationing in Maui, I decided to go with an LV … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds Tagged With: , , , , ,



A Special Christmas Tea Party with a Scumptious Tea Party Menu

December 30, 2019 by 35 Comments

Welcome to the 570th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy New Year (almost) to you! I had planned to share a lamp switcheroo today but things have been so busy with the holidays, the kids out of school and weekend activities, I never got a chance to take photos in their room. I will do that soon and share how the new lamp looks with their holiday bedding.   The new lamp turned out to be not that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Table Settings, Christmas Tablescapes, Tea Party Tablescapes, Winter Tablescapes Tagged With: , , , ,



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: , , , , , ,



Rug Shopping and the Art of Making Fur Angels

December 16, 2019 by 20 Comments

Welcome to the 568th Metamorphosis Monday! Have you ever read the children's book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? It was a favorite of my son's when he was growing up and the title quickly became a common catchphrase in our home. For example, when we added hardwood flooring to our home, we instantly wanted rugs for the floors. If you buy a new handbag, you may find yourself longing for a new wallet. And … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: ,



A Christmas Makeover in the Making

December 9, 2019 by 33 Comments

Welcome to the 567th Metamorphosis Monday! Pssst: If you're joining Met Monday today, please mention the Met Monday party and link back to it in your blog post so those who are participating today will have a chance to receive visits from your readers. Blog parties, including Met Monday, only work when everyone joining the party shares a link to the party in their post. Thanks so much to those who always … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home Tagged With: ,



Transforming My Home, Table & Wardrobe This Cyber-Monday

December 2, 2019 by 22 Comments

Welcome to the 566th Metamorphosis Monday! Today is Cyber Monday! There are so many amazing deals going on right now, I had to share some of my favorites today. The ones I'm sharing will transform your home and your table for the holidays. Some will even give your wardrobe a holiday boost. Before we get into some of the amazing sales I've found, if you are starting to decorate for Christmas and will … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds Tagged With: , ,



Super Heros in My Refrigerator

November 25, 2019 by 15 Comments

Welcome to the 565th Metamorphosis Monday! I spent the entire weekend cooking, decorating and cleaning, mostly cleaning. I went ahead and made the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup that I plan to serve on Thanksgiving Day. The squash smelled so good roasting in the oven!   While it roasted, I got the onion, butter, apple and sage cooking. Ummm, I love the smells of Thanksgiving and Christmas … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



Decorating for the Holidays & Ironing the Wreath Ribbons

November 18, 2019 by 35 Comments

Welcome to the 564th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? Are you busy getting ready for visiting family and Thanksgiving? Since I do have family coming for Thanksgiving this year, I've divided my "To-Do" list into two basic parts: Decorating and Cleaning. I spent the latter part of last week and the weekend working on some of the decorating. I hope to finish that in the next two-three days, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor Tagged With: , , ,



The Treasures I Brought Back From England & How I’m Using Them Here at Home

November 11, 2019 by 48 Comments

Welcome to the 563rd Metamorphosis Monday! No major Before and Afters to post today so I thought I'd share some random updates along with the special souvenirs I brought back from England this past summer. By the way, I decided to give having my groceries delivered from Publix a try--a suggestion left in the comments on a previous post where I shared about Dorothy Lane Market in Oakwood, Ohio. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, England, Travel Tagged With: , , ,



Some Cozy Winter Updates That Would Also Make Great Gifts for Christmas

November 3, 2019 by 49 Comments

Welcome to the 562nd Metamorphosis Monday! I've been visiting with my grandchildren for the last two weeks but will be heading back home soon. On this trip, I brought up the chest-of-drawers from son's old bedroom visible below the top bunk in this old photo.   The chest ended up in one of the dormer windows of my grandsons' bedroom, replacing the train table that had been there. I would … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Gift Ideas, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



Updating my Autumn Wardrobe, What I’m Eyeing in the Sale

October 28, 2019 by 23 Comments

Welcome to the 561st Metamorphosis Monday! The weather here in Ohio has so been so pretty! The leaves are changing and everywhere you drive there are piles of golden and red leaves. I'll try to capture some photos for you soon and post those. Unfortunately, I think I'm trying to come down with a cold, I woke up with a very sore throat. I hope you are staying well and enjoying these beautiful autumn … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



Beautiful DIY Lit Pumpkin Centerpiece for Autumn

October 21, 2019 by 24 Comments

Welcome to the 560th Metamorphosis Monday! Good Morning from Ohio. I'm visiting family over the next few days and looking forward to sharing some of Ohio's beautiful autumn foliage. My Before and After for this week's Met Monday is a wonderful idea my daughter-in-law, Nancy, created for a beautiful fall table centerpiece.   She placed a pierced ceramic pumpkin down inside a gorgeous autumn … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fall Tablescapes, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor Tagged With: , , , ,



Peeling Porch Columns & A New Tablescaping Purchase

October 14, 2019 by 35 Comments

Welcome to the 559th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy October to you! Did you have a good weekend? It's been rainy here but that's okay because we really need the rain. I wasn't sure when my Met Monday post was going to go up since I awoke to no internet this morning. Using my phone I checked to see if there was a reported outage and found this. Thankfully it came back up faster than … [Read more...]

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



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: ,



An Absolutely Ducky Idea for Shelving in a Bathroom or Linen Closet

September 2, 2019 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 553rd Metamorphosis Monday! How about a little silly fun for your Labor Day? Happy Labor Day to you, btw. I hope you are resting somewhere with your feet propped up, fruity drink in hand. Those are my plans for this afternoon! :) First off I have to state, this is NOT where I store my linens. I put this bit of fun together last night just so I could share a hilarious, adorable idea that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, DIY Organization and Storage, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds Tagged With: , , , , ,



Easy Way to Protect Leather Handbags from Strap Indentations During Storage

August 26, 2019 by 16 Comments

Welcome to the 552nd Metamorphosis Monday! One of the joys in my life when my son married was gaining a wonderful daughter-in-law. With each passing year, Nancy and I grow closer. We were just talking last night about how awesome it is that we have such similar tastes in decorating, food, fashion and especially handbags! lol This past weekend my son was out of town for three days so it was just us and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , , , ,



How I Replaced 3 Travel Toiletry Bags with 1 Awesome Hanging Bag

August 19, 2019 by 36 Comments

Welcome to the 551st Metamorphosis Monday! How do you pack your toiletries for travel? In the past, I've always used a combination of things. This bag below came as a gift when I purchased a cosmetic item--forgotten what now, it may have been a Clinique product. It has always been my catchall bag holding all the items that wouldn't fit in my smallish toiletry bag.   I purchased these … [Read more...]

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



Marie’s Beautiful Screened Porch Addition with Before & After Photos

August 11, 2019 by 37 Comments

Welcome to the 550th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I received an email from a Marie, a BNOTP reader. Marie saw the photos I've shared of my screened-in porch and decided to add one to the back of her home. This was the area where Marie decided to add on her porch.   Marie shared a few photos in her email showing the process of building the porch.   It appears in the photo … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Porches 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



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: , , ,



A Beautiful Way to Hang Pictures for a Balanced, Attractive Grouping

July 21, 2019 by 20 Comments

Welcome to the 547th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope you are experiencing a wonderful start to the new week. Since I'm currently in England on holiday and not actively working on a "Before and After" project, I thought I'd share a striking feature in the room where I'm currently staying. There's a rather long entry hallway just inside the door of my room here at The Duchess of Cornwall Inn in … [Read more...]

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



Tree-Lined Streets, Storybook Homes, Delicious Breakfast Casserole & Backyard Fun

July 8, 2019 by 48 Comments

Welcome to the 545th Metamorphosis Monday! Beautiful Oakwood, Ohio is so picturesque with its tree-lined streets. It truly feels like you've stepped back in time to a much simpler life, one where the mailman still walks door-to-door to deliver the mail, slipping it into the little slot right beside the door.   I could drive around all day just oohing and ahhing over all the beautiful … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After



Loose Ends and Answering Your Questions

July 1, 2019 by 32 Comments

Welcome to the 544th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a great start! For this week's Metamorphosis Monday, I thought I'd tie up some loose ends--a few of the topics I recently shared in previous posts. As you may recall, I've been trying to help my son/dil find a permanent solution to the prickly weed that's growing prolifically in their flowers beds. Thanks so much to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding



How I Set Up a Comfortable Computer Workstation in a Small Space

June 17, 2019 by 29 Comments

Welcome to the 542nd Metamorphosis Monday! For this week's Met Monday, I'm sharing a small computer workstation I set up in the guest room at my son and daughter-in-law's home. If space is limited in your home but you would love a dedicated spot for working on your computer, I can definitely recommend the setup I've created and will be sharing in today's post. A little backstory: I often plan or time … [Read more...]

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



Life in a Summer House, Step Inside a Cozy, Screened-in Gazebo

June 3, 2019 by 38 Comments

Welcome to the 540th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend was a busy one! I tend to be a home-body and will often spend my weekends at home unless a friend calls to lure me out. On Saturday, a friend picked up tickets to The Secrets Gardens of Avondale and off we went on a wonderful garden tour. That was followed by seeing Henry VIII at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse on Sunday with another group of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Gardening & Birding, Porches Tagged With: , , , , , ,



I Have Love Handles! Plus, a Little Jungle Fever!

May 27, 2019 by 28 Comments

Welcome to the 539th Metamorphosis Monday! How has your Memorial Day weekend been going? Hope it has been a relaxing one spent with family and friends. A while back I shared a little problem I was trying to solve. Last summer when I carried this handbag for the first time, I worried about the canvas fabric handles becoming dirty. I tried covering the handles with a Hermes twilly, a popular method I've … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



How to Keep Handbag Handles Clean & Protected from Dirt, Stains and Lotion

May 13, 2019 by 16 Comments

Welcome to the 537th Metamorphosis Monday! A while back I shared a wicker bag I had purchased a year or two ago. I carried this bag quite a bit last summer and really enjoyed it, but I had one concern that I couldn't resolve.   The handles of the bag are a heavy-duty, stiff, canvas type fabric. They feel nice and sturdy but since they are fabric, I've been worried they would eventually … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , ,



A Jaw-dropping Exterior Transformation: You Won’t Believe This Before & After!

May 6, 2019 by 45 Comments

Welcome to the 536th Metamorphosis Monday! A couple of months ago I was scrolling through Instagram and I came across a spectacular renovation. It was one of the most dramatic "Before and Afters" I can recall and I loved it! This beautiful home is located in Valdosta, Georgia which is very near the border where Georgia meets Florida. Here's how the home looked prior to its renovation by Wilson Design … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After 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: , ,



The Away Bigger Carry-On Bag: What Actually Fits Inside?

April 22, 2019 by 44 Comments

Welcome to the 534th Metamorphosis Monday! I'm back today as promised to share what fits inside this Away "Bigger Carry-on" bag that I purchased recently.   Here's how the Away bag looks when you open it up. The left side contains a zippered mesh pocket which is where I carried my laptop to Egypt and back when I purchased the aluminum version of the Away bag. You may recall, I returned … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Travel Tagged With: , , ,



A Pretty Organizer for Storing My Greeting Cards

April 15, 2019 by 51 Comments

Welcome to the 533rd Metamorphosis Monday! In this wide-angle view of my office, you can see a wrapping paper station I have hanging on the wall to the left. I added the gift wrapping organizer many years ago around the time I was putting this office space together.   I don't think this gift wrapping organizer is still available. They brought it back again a year or two after I purchased … [Read more...]

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



Like a Beautiful Phoenix Rising From the Ashes

April 8, 2019 by 46 Comments

Welcome to the 532nd Metamorphosis Monday! Several years ago I created a blog post about this beautiful coastal home that was once located on North Carolina’s Inner Banks (River Dunes) in North Carolina. The home was designed by Historical Concepts, an Atlanta Architecture and Design firm, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Coastal Living magazine.   Historical Concepts designed the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beach & Lake Homes, Before & After



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: , ,



This $16.99 Product Changed My Life! Seriously!

March 23, 2019 by 71 Comments

I am such a happy camper right now! For years I've had an ongoing issue for which I could never find a solution. It's been so annoying, I was seriously thinking I was going to have to invent a product to fix the problem myself. I even talked about it with a sales associate a few months ago, describing a product I was thinking about creating because I'm so tired of dealing with this issue! What am I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , , ,



How to Pack a Hat in Your Suitcase for Travel

March 18, 2019 by 28 Comments

Welcome to the 529th Metamorphosis Monday! Back in 2015 when I first started traveling, my very first trip was for a safari in Kenya. In reading about what one should pack for a safari, a hat was always right at the top of the list of recommendations, particularly a Tilley hat. I found one on Amazon that I really liked. The ribbon around the crown of the hat made it feel more feminine than the other … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Travel 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: , ,



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 … [Read more...]

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



Valentine’s Day & The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time

February 11, 2019 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 524th Metamorphosis Monday! Years ago I had a bunny-painted window hanging atop the windows in the upstairs family room.   After a while, I began to crave seeing the windows in their wide-open, natural state, so I took Miss Bunny down.   She now stands guard in the garage over a potting bench. I may move her back to the bonus room one day, but for now I really … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, BNOTP Library, Valentine's Day Decor, Valentine's Day Holiday Home



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: , , ,



Looking Forward to Less Ironing and More Playing This Summer

January 28, 2019 by 28 Comments

Welcome to the 522nd Metamorphosis Monday! A few months back, I purchased this fabric/clothes steamer pictured below. I've always wanted a floor-standing steamer. I wear almost nothing but cotton and linen clothing during the spring and summer months. I love how cotton and linen fabrics feel against my skin and how they breathe during the hot, humid days of summer. I don't even mind the wrinkles that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , , ,



Handbag Storage Idea: Protect Your Bags, But Keep Them Visible

January 21, 2019 by 22 Comments

Welcome to the 521st Metamorphosis Monday! Do you collect anything? Is there something that you truly love and are always on the lookout for when you're out shopping or antiquing--like rare stamps or first-editions of your favorite books? I know someone who used to collect cute pig figurines until everyone in her family caught on and she became inundated with them. lol My mother-in-law used to collect … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods 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: , , , ,



Keep Silver Jewelry Visible, Yet Tarnish-free While Stored Away

December 31, 2018 by 19 Comments

Welcome to the 518th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy New Year to you! Any exciting plans for New Year's Eve? I have something I just discovered that I'm super excited to share with you for this week's Metamorphosis Monday! Over the past 20 years, I've collected or have been given as a gift, several pieces of silver jewelry. Some jewelry, like the silver jewelry from Tiffany & Co., comes in a little … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds 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



Pottery Barn Inspired Christmas Garland: Bigger and Better Second Time Around

December 3, 2018 by 48 Comments

Welcome to the 514th Metamorphosis Monday! I had hoped to do an update on the installation of the Ring Doorbell today, but I need one more part to fix an issue it's having. Hopefully, the part I've ordered will arrive this week, then I'll be able to complete that final post. So watch for that coming up real soon.   Pottery Barn Inspired Christmas Garland Gets an Update Many, many years ago … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Decor, Christmas Gift Ideas Tagged With: ,



A Family Christmas Mantel & The Best Cyber Monday Shopping Finds

November 26, 2018 by 24 Comments

Welcome to the 513th Metamorphosis Monday! My sweet daughter-in-law, Nancy, has been sick the past few days with a yucky cold, but this weekend she was feeling much better and started pulling out the Christmas decorations. It was so much fun seeing my grandson's reactions to the trees, lights and pretty decorations. There were a lot of Ooohhs and Ahhhs and WOWs! One of the areas that saw a makeover … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Gift Ideas, Thanksgiving Decor



Easily Add Lighting to Attics, Closets & Sheds & A Wallet Update I Just Made

November 19, 2018 by 39 Comments

Welcome to the 512th Metamorphosis Monday! I have two quick updates to share for this week's Met Monday. Hope you find these helpful! I store the majority of my Christmas decorations here in the upstairs bonus room eaves. As seen below, there are little doors that lead to that storage area.   That area can be quite dark, especially when all the wreaths I hang on my exterior windows are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , ,



Great Storage Idea for Handbags Or Collectibles & All the Details To Create It

November 12, 2018 by 21 Comments

Welcome the 511th Metamorphosis Monday! If you've been reading BNTOP for a while, I know you're familiar with this view of my home office.   On the other side of my office, there's a cozy, little reading corner.   Several years ago I hung a Bucket List Travel Map above the chair here in the office, hoping it would keep me inspired and focused on seeing more of our big, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods



As Requested: Instructions & Resources to Make a Beautiful Colonial Williamsburg Fruit Fan for Christmas

November 5, 2018 by 36 Comments

Welcome to the 510th Metamorphosis Monday! I awoke this morning around 4:00 am. I would say I'm still on Egypt time but I was doing this even when I was in Egypt. I wonder if that's why I got sick, not getting enough sleep. I don't know what's up with my body wanting to wake up so ridiculously early every day, but I wish it would stop. I'm still sick but feeling better each day. Thankfully, the fever … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , ,



Thinking Ahead to Christmas: Colonial Williamsburg Style Door Idea

October 22, 2018 by 31 Comments

Welcome to the 508th Metamorphosis Monday! I had an interesting start to my morning! I awoke around 4 am Egypt time and was laying in bed thinking about my Met Monday post when the power went out. I noticed it immediately because the A/C stopped and everything went very dark. It's a weird feeling to be on the top (5th) floor of a hotel and have all the power go out. Fortunately, I knew where my phone … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, DIY Crafts & Sewing Tagged With: , , , , ,



10 Halloween Crafts for the Home and Table

October 15, 2018 by 15 Comments

Welcome to the 507th Metamorphosis Monday! I'm leaving for Egypt today. I plan to post a good bit while I'm away. Hopefully, I'll have some fast WiFi in the hotels where we'll be staying. I'll also be posting a lot to Instagram while I'm away. Instagram is the easiest and quickest way to share in real time, so be sure to look for updates there each day. If you would like to follow my adventures … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Crafts, Halloween Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , ,



Protect Your Suitcase from Scratches with a Pretty Luggage Cover

October 8, 2018 by 51 Comments

Welcome to the 506th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend? This is a long weekend for some folks since today is Columbus Day. It's also Thanksgiving for our northern friends in Canada. Happy Thanksgiving, Canada! I spent the weekend getting some things done I've been putting off--like spiffing up the screened porch for autumn. I haven't done any decorating on the porch, yet--but I did take time … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Travel Tagged With: , , , ,



The Away Bigger Carry-on Bag: Lydia and Instagram Made Me Do It!

October 1, 2018 by 48 Comments

Welcome to the 505th Metamorphosis Monday! Over the past three years as I've traveled abroad, this adorable bag has always been my carry-on bag. There are many things I love about it, including its two interior pockets. One is perfect for carrying a laptop and the other, a zipper pocket, is great for smaller items like electrical cords, mouse, Rx, etc... I always get so many comments/compliments on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Travel 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 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 Perfect Spot for Leaf Peeping & A Creative Way to Repurpose Vintage Crab Pots

September 3, 2018 by 19 Comments

Welcome to the 501st Metamorphosis Monday! Did you have a great weekend? Hopefully, you have today off and are enjoying a long, 3-day weekend. I usually post during the weekend, but this weekend I gave myself the full weekend off and worked on some things here inside the house...mostly just a lot of organizing and cleaning. I guess that's not exactly taking the weekend off, now that I think about it. … [Read more...]

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



Celebrating Our 500th Metamorphosis Monday!

August 27, 2018 by 82 Comments

Welcome to the 500th Metamorphosis Monday! We just celebrated 500 Tablescape Thursdays a few weeks ago. This week we've hit our 500th Metamorphosis Monday! I was thinking back this evening about how Met Monday first began. Our Met Monday party began a few weeks after I shared Before and After photos in a post on January 2, 2009 of a change I had made in my dining room. (See that post here: Dining Room … [Read more...]

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



A Plain Brick Home Gets The Most Beautiful Transformation! Love!!!

August 20, 2018 by 46 Comments

Welcome to the 499th Metamorphosis Monday! Ever pass by a beautiful home, a home that's solid and well-built but just feels like something is missing? Here in the south we have a lot of clay soil, so brick homes are everywhere. You'll find entire neighborhoods filled with homes made of brick in many different shades and colors. Sometimes the brick will vary greatly in color and add so much interest and … [Read more...]

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



A Visit to the Newbridge Museum of Style Icons

August 13, 2018 by 33 Comments

Welcome to the 498th Metamorphosis Monday! I've been away the past few days visiting family. As I was thinking about what I might share with you today, I remembered a fascinating stop we made during my trip across Ireland last year. I think it was on the same day we visited Blarney Castle. As we were heading back to our manor home for the night, we stopped for a little shopping excursion inside the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Ireland, Travel 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: , , , ,



Genius Ideas To Make Travel A Lot Easier

July 16, 2018 by 21 Comments

Welcome to the 494th Metamorphosis Monday! I don't have a typical "Before and After" to share this week, so I thought I'd share some products that could definitely transform the way you travel, making your travels a lot easier. Recently Zenda left this comment below on this post: My 5 Essentials for Traveling Internationally. Susan, I wanted to thank you for recommending the anti-theft travel bag. I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods, Travel 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: , , , ,



Tour this Beautiful Victorian Home Decorated for the 4th of July

July 2, 2018 by 46 Comments

Welcome to the 492nd Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! It's the start of a brand new week, looking forward to sharing it with you! On Saturday I shared a few photos of how Marie's beautiful Victorian home is decorated in celebration of this year's Independence Day.   Let's go in and see how she decorated inside!   The family room was very festive! I bet the mantle is so … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Independence Day Decor, Independence Day Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , ,



Aloha!

June 11, 2018 by 46 Comments

Welcome to the 489 Metamorphosis Monday! I made it! This was the view from my side of the plane as we were flying into Maui. You can see the shadow of the plane which I thought was kinda cool. This evening I was reading more about Maui online. I find it fascinating how this island was formed! Wikipedia states: Maui's diverse landscapes are the result of a unique combination of geology, topography, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Hawaii, Travel, United States



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: , ,



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: , , , ,



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



A Scam for Free Advertising

May 7, 2018 by 63 Comments

Welcome to the 484th Metamorphosis Monday! I've had to remove today's post. Sadly it appears to have been a scam to get free advertising. If you're a blogger, here's how this scam worked: I received an email a few weeks back that purported to be from a reader of BNOTP. The email was signed, Brenda and Bruce. In the email, Brenda and Bruce shared the makeover of their screened porch to a three season … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After Tagged With: , ,



Home-Made Salsa Recipe: Delicious & Easy to Make

April 16, 2018 by 18 Comments

Welcome to the 481st Metamorphosis Monday! I have a yummy treat for you for this week's Met Monday! My friend, Linda, a native Texan, makes a fabulous salsa that's always a big hit with all of her friends and family. Whenever there's a get-together in the works, she always gets requests to bring her delicious salsa. Recently when Linda made it for a party, she took some photos of the process so I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Independence Day Holiday Home, Independence Day Recipes, Recipes 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: , , , ,



A Mini-Lifestyle Improvement

April 2, 2018 by 51 Comments

Welcome to the 479th Metamorphosis Monday! Good morning! Hope you had a great weekend! For this week's Met Monday, I thought I'd share a mini-lifestyle improvement I made recently. You may recall me mentioning in an earlier post that I ditched my cable TV a while back. I rarely ever watched TV since there was never anything on that really interested me. I just couldn't justify the expense when my cable … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, DIY Repairs and Fixes 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: , , ,



The 7 Hair Products I Couldn’t Live Without, Plus a Bonus Tip!

March 12, 2018 by 46 Comments

Welcome to the 476th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I shared a new tool I'm using for de-frizzing/curling/styling my hair. This thing is amazing, don't know how I ever lived without it! If you missed that post, you'll find it here The Best Hair Styler Tool I've Ever Used and this styling tool is available here: Styling Tool.) For this week's Met Monday, I thought I'd share the other products that I've … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Gift Ideas & Awesome Finds Tagged With: ,



A Handbag Organizer for the Hermes Evelyne Bag, or Other Narrow, Thin Bags

March 5, 2018 by 35 Comments

Welcome to the 475th Metamorphosis Monday! Do you use an organizer in your handbag? I just became aware of bag organizers a couple of years ago and love them! Bag organizers are often designed for larger totes to help make better use of the large space those bags afford, as well as to keep things better organized. After surviving my "near-death experience" in Germany, as I jokingly and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Organization and Storage, Fashion & Beauty Tagged With: , , , ,



A Safari, Travel-Inspired Bedroom Guaranteed to Delight Any Guest

February 26, 2018 by 25 Comments

Welcome to the 474th Metamorphosis Monday! Delphine enjoys traveling and has collected some wonderful memorabilia over the years. When she designed her guest room, she was inspired to decorate in a delightful travel/safari theme What a fabulous idea for a guest room since anyone lucky enough to sleep here would most likely love all things, travel.   For this travel-themed bedroom, Delphine … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Africa, Before & After, DIY Decorating, Travel Tagged With: , , , , ,



Chevron Walls Turn a Home Office Into a Beautiful Nursery

February 19, 2018 by 15 Comments

Welcome to the 473rd Metamorphosis Monday! Before I get into today's fabulous Before and After, wanted to let you know of two awesome sales that are currently going on but about to end at two of my favorite shoppes. Talbots has a huge pants and jeans sale going on, pants that are normally $95 and up are currently on sale for $19.99! That sale ends today. You'll find all the pants that are included in the … [Read more...]

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



Easy Way to Remove Pills and Fuzz from Cashmere & Wool Sweaters

February 5, 2018 by 34 Comments

Welcome to the 471st Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope you had an awesome weekend! For this week's Met Monday, I have a great little tool to share, something I've been meaning to share all winter. At the start of fall this past year, I noticed a lot of my sweaters were covered with little pills here and there, especially my light-weight cashmere sweaters. I have a battery-operated pill-remover … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Fashion & Beauty, Favorite Fashions & Home Goods Tagged With: , , , , , ,