The Best Way to Protect & Care for Outdoor Wood Furniture

March 10, 2014 by 85 Comments

Welcome to the 267th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a great weekend! This weekend I was busy adding a bit of protection to the Pottery-Barn-Inspired potting table I made recently. I'm hoping to move it up to the deck soon for spring planting and summer parties and I really don't want to see it become weathered and damaged over the years.   I've never before had to worry about protecting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden Tagged With: , , ,



Decorating the Porch for Spring

March 3, 2014 by 93 Comments

Welcome to the 266th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend was so nice here, especially Sunday. I threw open both doors to the porch and spent some time enjoying our 70+ degree weather.   I did a little pre-spring cleaning, dusting off a few things in anticipation of the warm days to come.   Recently, I came across this little bird feeder in Lowes. It has a rope attached and when … [Read more...]

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



Dining in the Library: When Dining Rooms Are Libraries, Too!

February 24, 2014 by 69 Comments

Welcome to the 265th Metamorphosis Monday! Thank you so, so much for all the sweet words of congratulations yesterday! If being a grandmother is just half as amazing as you've described, I am in for a wonderful journey! :) I was a bit preoccupied this weekend. Truthfully, I had trouble focusing on anything. I know you understand.  So, I don't have a Before and After from here in my home to share. I … [Read more...]

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



Battery Organization and Storage

February 17, 2014 by 80 Comments

Welcome to the 264th Metamorphosis Monday! I have a mini-met for this Metamorphosis Monday, something that's so simple but has me pretty charged. (Har, har...couldn't resist.) I get just as excited about the little improvements I make around here as I do the bigger ones. Do you do that, too?  This was my battery storage system--a gallon size baggy. Pretty sad, huh?   Whenever I needed a … [Read more...]

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



Build a Garden Shed From a Child’s Play Gym Set

February 10, 2014 by 34 Comments

Welcome to the 263rd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I came across a Before and After online that just blew me away. Angela who blogs at UnFussy Fussiness had a large play set in her backyard that her children had sadly outgrown and were no longer using. Shouldn't it be against the law or something for our children to do that? They grow up way, way too fast! Angela decided it was time to do something … [Read more...]

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



Gail Claridge’s Country Meadow Equestrian Ranch

February 4, 2014 by 52 Comments

What do you see in this picture below? Just an ordinary old barn, right?   Gail Claridge, an Interior Designer and the owner of Gail Claridge Interiors in Westlake Village, CA envisioned much more for this modest 50+ year old barn. Much more! Talk about a transformation! As amazing as this exterior looks, it doesn't compare to the inside! Let's go inside and take the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes, Home Tours



Fireplace and Mantel Makeover

January 27, 2014 by 54 Comments

Welcome to the 261st Metamorphosis Monday! I have an exciting Before and After to share for this Met Monday! This is one I think a lot of folks have contemplated for their own home. Michael, the blogger behind the popular blog, Rattlebridge Farm, purchased a beautiful home a while back and she's been busy renovating it. One feature she wasn't too crazy about was the brick fireplace in the living … [Read more...]

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



Mr. Rooster Grows a New Tail

January 20, 2014 by 62 Comments

Welcome to the 260th Metamorphosis Monday! So, I'm kind of late in sharing this, like a whole year late. The pictures vanished into never-never land in my computer but I came across them this weekend and thought this may be helpful if you have a ceramic something-another hanging around your home in need of repair. About a year ago I purchased a large white ceramic rooster online. Unfortunately, when … [Read more...]

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



Dining Room Upgrade: Add Picture Molding Beneath a Chair Rail

January 13, 2014 by 89 Comments

Welcome to the 259th Metamorphosis Monday! I don't have a major Before/After to share this week for Met Monday, but I do have one I'm resurrecting because it has been on my mind recently.  My son and his wife recently bought a new home so paint, hardwood flooring and other "home stuff" has been a hot topic in all our conversations. And can I just say, I'm loving it! It's so much fun to talk "house" stuff … [Read more...]

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



Organize Charging Cables with Cable ID Labels

December 30, 2013 by 53 Comments

Welcome to the 257th Metamorphosis Monday! My Before and Aftert today is a minor change here in the office. It's a small update but one that has made life a little easier. I love those kinds of tweaks, sometimes they can have the biggest impact. (Psst: If you're new to reading BNOTP, you can see the Before and After for the office in this previous post: Creating a Home Office)   See that … [Read more...]

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



Screened-in Porch Decorated For Christmas

December 16, 2013 by 136 Comments

Welcome to the 255th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend I played out on the porch, decorating it for the Christmas season.   The trees are all bare now, definitely looking like winter on the porch.   A view from the other end...   I used things I already had for the most part. The table was decorated simply with live greenery, a sweet glittery deer, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, The Holiday Home



Decorating the Front Porch for Christmas

December 9, 2013 by 79 Comments

Welcome to the 254th Metamorphosis Monday! For this week's Met Monday, I'm sharing how I decided to decorate the porch for Christmas this year. But first, let's take a quick look at the previous three years. For Christmas, 2010 I purchased a fir wreath and pine garland and embellished both with magnolia leaves from the magnolia tree in my front yard. It was also the first year I decorated the columns … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Porches, The Holiday Home



Decorate A Lantern For Christmas With Greenery From The Garden

December 2, 2013 by 66 Comments

Welcome to the 253rd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and an awesome weekend! I worked on Christmas decorations for the front porch and it's basically done, but it feels like something is missing. I'm not sure what just yet, but I'll figure it out and share it soon. So, for today I thought I'd share how I've decorated the gas lantern this year. Throughout the year, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, The Holiday Home



13 Wreaths for 13 Windows

November 25, 2013 by 80 Comments

Welcome to the 252nd Metamorphosis Monday! Does this ever happen to you? The Christmas season looms ahead and you say to yourself, I'm not going to decorate as much this year. I think I'll cut back a little. There will be less to take down and put away and it will be less stressful. Yeah, right. That seems to last about a day around here, then suddenly I wake up one morning, a changed woman. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, The Holiday Home



Beautiful Kitchen Makeover: Simple Changes with Dramatic Results

November 18, 2013 by 37 Comments

Welcome to the 251st Metamorphosis Monday! I have a fabulous kitchen renovation to share! Julie who blogs at Creating This Life, recently shared some great Before and After pics of her kitchen. Julie's home was 9 years old when they moved in. They took their time before renovating which gave them some time to figure out exactly what they liked and didn't like about their kitchen. BEFORE The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After



How to Paint Doors Like a Pro

November 4, 2013 by 68 Comments

Welcome to the 249th Metamorphosis Monday! One of the most basic DIY jobs we face at one time or another is painting. We've all painted a room or two in our time, haven't we? Paint truly has the ability to transform a space taking it from so-so to sooo beautiful! I've never been afraid to paint walls but doors have always been a bit of a mystery for me. More than once I've painted a door to … [Read more...]

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



Kitchen Renovation: Great Ideas For Small-Medium Size Kitchens

October 28, 2013 by 65 Comments

Welcome to the 248th Metamorphosis Monday! This week I have another fabulous kitchen renovation to share. Toni took her relatively small kitchen and accomplished two amazing feats: 1. She made it feel and look much larger 2. She converted every square inch in her kitchen into usable, hard-working space. If you have a small to medium size kitchen and you've been wanting to update it and make it much … [Read more...]

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



5 Denim Projects Made with Repurposed Jeans

October 26, 2013 by 8 Comments

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend! Thought I'd share what's been cooking over at Denim Do Over this week. Here are last week's posts, all made from repurposed denim, usually old jeans.  You'll find a link to the tutorial in the post, showing how to make each project. Don't sew? Many of the projects at Denim Do Over are no-sew projects! Do you have a denim project you would like to see featured … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Denim Do Over, DIY, DIY Crafts & Sewing



Transform and Update a Lamp with a New Shade

October 22, 2013 by 19 Comments

Marty is one of the best bargain hunters I know and after reading today's post, I think I need to start visiting the thrift stores more often. There are definitely some awesome deals to be found. I'm excited to share this guest post from my friend and fellow blogger Marty, from the blog A Stroll Thru Life.  At the end of the post you'll find a link to Marty's blog where you'll find lots of inspiring … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After



Kitchen Goes Light and Bright with Painted Cabinets

October 21, 2013 by 58 Comments

Welcome to the 247th Metamorphosis Monday! I love the way Candy described her kitchen renovation to me in a recent email. She said, "The entire renovation took 5 weeks, it was like having a baby, uncomfortable while it's happening but the end result was worth it."   Haven't we ALL felt like that during a renovation? Even a small redo makes me anxious and uncomfortable, especially when it's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After



The Witch is In!

October 14, 2013 by 81 Comments

Welcome to the 246th Metamorphosis Monday! I last posted about the front porch when it got a good bath and was relieved of all that yucky mildew and dirt it had accumulated during the intense rains we had all summer. Afterwards, I dressed the door with a fall basket. With October almost half over, it was time to change out the basket for something with a bit more of a Halloween … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, Porches, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , ,



Goodbye Mildew and Mold, Hello Shiny Clean Porch!

October 7, 2013 by 63 Comments

Welcome to the 245th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I shared an update to the front porch area of my home when I added two boxwood topiaries on either side of the porch. From a distance the porch looked pretty clean in the photos. If you look closely though, you'll see grayish streaks on the columns and the molding around the door. This spring and summer has been the wettest I've ever known … [Read more...]

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



Halloween Decorating and Dining

September 30, 2013 by 56 Comments

Welcome to the 244th Metamorphosis Monday! Holiday Before and After: Since tomorrow is the 1st day of October, I thought it would be fun to share some older posts filled with lots of Halloween decorating inspiration and ideas. This photo and the next one are from Pottery Barn a few years back. I love this porch!   Doesn't this make you want to paint your door orange just for the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, The Holiday Home



Decorate Your Porch for Halloween

September 23, 2013 by 64 Comments

Welcome to the 243rd Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for sharing so many great "blue" colors for painting a porch ceiling "haint blue" in the comments on the recent haint blue post. I'll try to create a post soon sharing all the ones you named in the comments and on Facebook. That should come in handy for anyone trying to find the right shade of blue for a haint blue porch ceiling. My friend … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, Porches, The Holiday Home



An Autumn Mantel and Fire Screen

September 18, 2013 by 75 Comments

It's been a while since I've posted a fall mantel, the last time was late September 2011. I only have one fireplace, thus one mantel in my home and it's in the den, a room with honey-colored judges paneling. (Picture below from last year, just after Christmas.)   Photography is always a bit of a challenge, even with a tripod. The walls just soak up all the light.   This is how … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home



Beautiful Front Porch Addition and Garden Oasis

September 16, 2013 by 74 Comments

Welcome to the 242nd Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! How was your weekend? It was beautiful weather here and you can definitely tell fall is on its way. The temps were really mild, even kind of cool at times. It was perfect weather for getting some outdoor projects done. I'll be sharing those before too long. In the meantime I have a fabulous porch addition to share!   Between Naps on the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With: , , ,



Decorate in White for Fall

September 10, 2013 by 65 Comments

It's late summer and the temps are still warm here in the south, but in the evenings there's a hint of fall in the air.   Yesterday I shared a new lamp I had just added to the porch. It's painted one of my fave colors, a soft green. I love the color combination of green and white. It feels so fresh and so alive.   I have a hutch here on the porch and it's painted in the same pretty … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks, Seasonal Decor, Thanksgiving Decor, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Porch Lighting: Create a Cozy Atmosphere with Lamps

September 9, 2013 by 67 Comments

Welcome to the 241st Metamorphosis Monday! Five years ago when I replaced my seen-better-days-deck with a screened-in porch, I purchased white wicker furniture, including a wicker swing for this space.  I couldn't really find any lamps I liked so I just decided to use lamps I already had thinking I'd eventually replace them with something better. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Lighting, My Nest, Porches, Porches & Decks



A Brick Walkway Redesign

September 3, 2013 by 63 Comments

In my front yard, there lives a Southern Magnolia, Grandiflora. And grand she is! I didn't place her here. Even with my limited knowledge of gardening, I know better than to plant a Southern Magnolia 10 feet out from a house. (Remember when the yard looked like this?)   Let's take a little ride in my time machine. The year is 1989 and we are house hunting or "trying out houses" as Chip who … [Read more...]

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



Boxwood Topiaries for a Traditional Landscape

September 2, 2013 by 86 Comments

Welcome to the 240th Metamorphosis Monday! How's your Labor Day weekend going? I hope you're having a fun one! Well, it took some doing but I finally found a couple of matching boxwoods for the planters I purchased recently for the front porch area. Remember these large containers I purchased a couple of weeks ago?  They replaced the too-small concrete pots that had been there for … [Read more...]

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



A Treasured Heirloom

August 26, 2013 by 142 Comments

Welcome to the 239th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently True Value asked if I would share a story about an "heirloom" piece passed down through my family. Immediately, a special chair came to mind. It's an heirloom piece that played an important part in our everyday life for many years, starting when we moved into our first home, a yellow cottage in a small Alabama town where my husband was stationed on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Decorating, Inspire



Create a Small, Sun-Loving Perennial Garden

August 19, 2013 by 69 Comments

Welcome to the 238th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I did a little more planting and if the rain will let up, I'm headed to a nursery today in search of plants for the large planters I purchased recently for the porch. I'm in a bit of a conundrum, though. Two of the nurseries I have talked to told me they will be getting large shipments in for fall, so I'm trying to decide: Do I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest



New Lattice Planters for the Porch

August 16, 2013 by 68 Comments

You know those days when you run and work, work and run, but at the end of the day you're not real sure what you've gotten accomplished. Lately some of my days are feeling that way. I'm kind of in never-never land or maybe a better term is landscaping limbo. I have about forty-eleven projects running through my head and some require decision making, some require additional money and some require input … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest



A Landscaping “To-Do” List and a Surprise “Before and After”

August 13, 2013 by 150 Comments

I've been putting off a major landscape renovation for several years. I knew it would have to start with some serious tree removal and the process would be expensive and emotionally taxing. I hate cutting down trees but there is no shortage of trees in my yard, my neighborhood or this area. If anything, as I drive around my area I see so many houses in the same situation mine was in--buried behind and under … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest



Adding Color and Whimsy to the Garden

August 12, 2013 by 80 Comments

Welcome to the 237th Metamorphosis Monday! This weekend was a first for me. It was the first time I've ever planted annuals in August. When I went shopping, I wasn't sure if I'd find any since I've never shopped for them this late in the season. Surprisingly the usual places (hardware stores, big box discount stores and garden centers) do have them, even in August. The selection isn't what it is in mid … [Read more...]

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



Paint Your Front Door Heritage Red or Peacock Blue

August 7, 2013 by 70 Comments

Recently, I had my front door freshened up with a new coat of paint.  The final coat of paint went on day before yesterday.  We ran into a little problem but finally found the solution...more on that in a sec. I stayed with my beloved, Benjamin Moore "Heritage Red."  I still love that color for a front door. Since the front door was being repainted, I decided to make a few changes.  I decided to remove … [Read more...]

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



Chipmunk Baths

August 6, 2013 by 52 Comments

When I decided to sod my yard with Zeon Zoysia, to save money I planned to do it in two stages: Front yard, followed by the back yard next summer. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that was probably not such a great idea. I was concerned the grass in the front yard would get damaged next summer when the backyard sodding process got underway. I'm so glad now I went ahead and did both at the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, For the Love of Birds, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest Tagged With: ,



A Sweet Bird Girl in the Garden

August 5, 2013 by 97 Comments

Welcome to the 236th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I spent all day Friday and Saturday at the Haven Conference in Atlanta. On Sunday, I finished putting out another 25 bags of mulch. That brings the total to 102 bags of mulch! Normally it wouldn't take that much mulch but many of the beds/islands are empty, awaiting shrubs this fall. Today I'm taking you into the yard to … [Read more...]

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



Zeon Zoysia for the Front Yard

July 31, 2013 by 93 Comments

Yesterday was definitely a day of mixed emotions, first excitement, then some disappointment.  Though things didn't go quite as planned, I still have some fun "after" photos to share. The Zeon Zoysia sod was delivered and installation got underway. As the day wore on, it became apparent there wasn't enough sod to complete the job. The side yard and a portion of the back still needs sod, so instead … [Read more...]

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



Erasing the Messy Parts of Life

July 29, 2013 by 125 Comments

Welcome to the 235th Metamorphosis Monday! For this MM, I have a small "Before and After," something that made me a happy girl this weekend. I'm probably the last one on earth to discover this, but I thought I'd share it today in case it's helpful for you. Do you ever get these annoying little scuff marks on your walls?  They just appear, don't they? There must be little gremlins running through the … [Read more...]

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



Outdoor Outlet Switcheroo and A Brown Mulch Decision

July 23, 2013 by 62 Comments

So, I have this outdoor outlet that's been bugging me. When ever I take pics of the front porch for zay blog, it always sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. The outlet that was original to the house had quit working. When I purchased a new outlet, I thought a white outlet would be a nice change and look good with the white porch. Bad idea. I now realize I basically want the outlet to just … [Read more...]

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



The Quest for a Comfortable Desk Chair: Take 3

July 22, 2013 by 109 Comments

Welcome to the 234th Metamorphosis Monday!   The Quest for a Comfortable Chair: Take 3   I have a little office update, one I've been meaning to share for a while.  As you may recall, when I first put the office together, I started out with this chair (below) from Pottery Barn Teen. I loved how it looked but it turned out to be horrible on zay ole back.  Pretty? Definitely.  Practical? … [Read more...]

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



Landscape Renovation: Big Changes and Ready for the Sod

July 17, 2013 by 57 Comments

Things are starting to happen quickly now with the front landscape renovation. The stump grinder guy didn't make it out yesterday but he is on his way now as I type this. Then the slate will be clean for the sod installation on Tuesday. Yipee! Last week I drove by a few of the lawns installed by the company I've chosen to install my sod.  I've decided to go with Zeon Zoysia.  I like what I've read online … [Read more...]

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



101 Things You Can Do With Old Jeans, No.4: Upholster a Chair!

July 15, 2013 by 64 Comments

Welcome to the 233rd Metamorphosis Monday! I love blogging! I've met so many wonderful dearhearts while blogging and each one has been a blessing in my life. Recently after posting about some crafty things I made from old jeans here, here and here, I received a delightful e-mail from Carol.  Carol wrote: Susan, I follow all of your blogs and we have talked before, you make my inbox a joy to open … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Denim Do Over, DIY, DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decorating Tagged With: , , , ,



Make a Party Banner: Pottery Barn Inspired

July 8, 2013 by 102 Comments

9Welcome to the 232nd Metamorphosis Monday! How was your 4th of July weekend? I hope it was fabulous! We had a rainy one here in Georgia. The sun came out for a few minutes but unfortunately, it didn't last long. If you've been reading BNOTP this past week, you know I pulled out some old, worn and out of style jeans from my closet and found another use for them.   I recycled the back … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Denim Do Over, DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decor Knock-offs, DIY Decorating, Independence Day Crafts, Independence Day Decor, Independence Day Holiday Home, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,



Front Yard Landscape Renovation

July 1, 2013 by 109 Comments

Welcome to the 231st Metamorphosis Monday! Before I dive into this week's Met Monday, just wanted to take a second to answer a question I've been getting about the BNOTP newsletter, Postcards from the Porch. I haven't sent one out since Max passed because I just didn't have the energy to create blog posts and put together the newsletter, too. I will be starting it back up soon though, most likely this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, My Nest



Front Yard Landscape Makeover: The Beginning

June 28, 2013 by 96 Comments

Atlanta has a lot of nicknames, Hotlanta and The Big Peach to name a few.  My favorite has always been, the City in the Forest. Apparently, it got that name because when flying into Hartsfield Jackson, Atlanta appears to be nestled down into a forest.  The drought has taken its toll on a lot of trees over the last few years though, so not sure if Atlanta is still living up to its City in the … [Read more...]

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



Screened-In Porch Addition: Patio Becomes Screened-In Porch

June 24, 2013 by 56 Comments

Welcome to the 230th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I received an email from author, Amy Gamet. She shared some exciting news.  Amy's husband had just completed work on their new screened in porch.  In the picture below you can see how the back of their home looked before work had begun. Before: Construction was just getting underway in the picture below.  The brick wall surrounding the patio … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With: , , , , , , ,



A Patriotic Porch for the 4th of July

June 17, 2013 by 65 Comments

Welcome to the 229th Metamorphosis Monday! When we last visited Marie's beautiful Victorian home, it was decorated for Easter. If you missed that post, you'll find it here: Decorating for Easter A few months before Easter, the porch was decorated with red garland and big red hearts for Valentine's Day.  It was still cold weather and the trees were all bare. Spring is here, actually almost summer … [Read more...]

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



Historic 1852 Ski Cabin, Restored & Updated

June 10, 2013 by 37 Comments

  Welcome to the 228th Metamorphosis Monday! Thank you so much for the loving comments you left on my weekend post and on Facebook. I've read each one and appreciate them more than you know. Metamorphosis Monday: Last September Cornelia shared pics of the restoration and renovation process they had started on their historic ski cabin located in the Swiss Alps in the Canton of Grison.  The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes, Home Tours Tagged With: , , ,



A Tabletop Greenhouse for Growing Herbs

June 3, 2013 by 80 Comments

Welcome to the 227th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Monday! Hope your weekend was wonderful! Today for Met Monday, I'm sharing a small update out on the porch.  I don't often change things out here since I'm pretty happy with it, as is.  If I make a change something else usually has to leave. A while back I made an update to the small oval table under the Summer Breeze sign.  You may remember, it got … [Read more...]

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



Find A Previous Post Faster: Blog Tweaks

May 20, 2013 by 40 Comments

Welcome to the 226th Metamorphosis Monday! Rain, rain go away!  Have you been coping with what seems like endless days of rain?  If so, you're probably about as sick of rain as I am. Thankfully, the rest of the week is supposed to be a lot nicer here. The weather kept me from working on an outdoor project I had planned on tackling and posting about for Met Monday. Since I was stuck inside I decided to … [Read more...]

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



Beautiful Porch & Deck Additions: Amazing Transformation

May 13, 2013 by 63 Comments

Welcome to the 225th Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!  Hope your weekend was fabulous!  Mine was relaxing, spent with good friends. Unfortunately, my son lives too far away for us to spend Mother's Day together but at least we were able to talk on the phone. I really should check into skyping, that would be better than just the phone.  Do you Skype and if so, do you like it? HGTV Magazine and a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Home Tours, Porches Tagged With:



Fill Those Summer Pots and Planters Without Blowing the Budget

May 10, 2013 by 89 Comments

This past Sunday I managed to get a little planting done before the rain started back.  Most of the planting took place on the deck off to the right of the porch, the one with the bottle tree. Come spring, I'm always looking for ways to spruce up and add color and life to the deck without spending a whole bunch.  Bottle trees are a great way to add color and liven things up and they require no … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Garden, Gardening & Birding, In the Garden, Nature, Porches Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,



8 Months of Procrastination Finally Ends

May 6, 2013 by 70 Comments

Welcome to the 224th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a wonderful weekend.  This was one of those weekends where I had a long list of things I really wanted to get done but Mother Nature had other plans.  It rained "monsoon style" all day long on Saturday, but being the determined, crazy woman that I am, I dragged the tall urns from the deck onto the porch and replanted those as I had planned. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Repairs and Fixes, For the Love of Birds, Gardening & Birding, Nature Tagged With: , , , ,



Solar Post Caps for the Decks

May 3, 2013 by 66 Comments

Exhausted!  That describes me today. Every year or two I have a company come out to pressure wash the decks and screened-in porch.  The process is exhausting but everything always looks great once it's done.  I had to take the sheers back down.  I also covered up the outdoor speakers and the table since it was too large to really move anywhere. The outdoor wicker was moved onto the deck. Table … [Read more...]

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



The Morning Room

April 29, 2013 by 73 Comments

Welcome to the 223rd Metamorphosis Monday! Do you have a room in your home that's your absolute favorite spot to be in the early morning? My upstairs family room is that room for me. You may recognize the next 2-3 pictures since I've shared them before here on BNOTP.  This room is a cheerful, bright room, but early in the morning it's truly a sunny, happy spot to be.   One of the reasons this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Inspire, Living Room/Bonus (Upstairs), My Nest



Cover Metal Swing Chains for a Softer Look on the Porch

April 22, 2013 by 77 Comments

Welcome to the 222nd Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend?  We had nice weather here and I decided it was time to get to work on priming the new screened door out of the porch.  While I was priming it, I had a "uh-duh" moment.  I wish it had been an "Ah-ha" moment, but unfortunately it wasn't.  No, it was definitely an "uh-duh" moment. I suddenly realized in the midst of priming, there was … [Read more...]

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



A New Screened Door for the Porch

April 15, 2013 by 100 Comments

Welcome to the 221st Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all the wonderful comments you left on Friday's post. I'm so grateful for all your well wishes and prayers...please know that. I'm way behind in responding to e-mails so if you e-mailed me in the last week or so and haven't heard back, I hope to get caught up on my e-mail correspondence over the next few days. Each day I'm getting stronger and … [Read more...]

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



Adobe Photoshop Tip: How to Remove Unwanted Objects from Photos

April 7, 2013 by 71 Comments

Welcome to the 220th Metamorphosis Monday! A while back I took you on a little tour of my home town.  It was around Christmastime and the homes were decorated for the holidays. This house has always been one of my faves.  It reminds me a little of the home in the movie, Father of the Bride.  (You can tour that movie house here: Father of the Bride Movie House Tour) When I used this picture in a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Blogging, DIY, DIY Photography Tagged With: , , , , ,



Master Bedroom and Bath in Historic 1833 Home

April 1, 2013 by 42 Comments

Welcome to the 219th Metamorphosis Monday! A while back I shared a wonderful Mardi Gras table setting in the dining room of Sandi's beautiful historic home.  You'll find that tablescape here: Mardi Gras Table Setting and Decoration.) Sandi's home was built in 1833 and she's been restoring it since 1991.  For this Met Monday, I'm sharing some of the ways she transformed her historic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Historic Homes, Home Tours Tagged With: ,



Bedroom Ideas for Spring: Children’s Bedroom

March 29, 2013 by 32 Comments

While I was visiting with my friend, Marie recently, I asked if she had decorated her granddaughter's bedroom for spring.  I remembered how cute it was decorated for Christmas (shown below). She said she had made a few changes in the room for spring so I couldn't wait to see it and snap a few pics to share with you. There's plenty of room for all 4 grandchildren when they are all here on the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Easter Decorating, Easter Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , , ,



Decorating for Easter

March 25, 2013 by 66 Comments

Welcome to the 218th Metamorphosis Monday! Last month I shared how my friend, Marie decorated her beautiful Victorian home for Valentine's Day.  The Valentine's Day decorations served a dual purpose since they were also in honor of the 4th annual "Hearts for Heroes" reception Marie hosted in her home in honor of the armed forces and our local military personnel. Marie has her spring/Easter decorations … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Easter Decorating, Easter Holiday Home, The Holiday Home



Make a Starfish Napkin Ring: A Pottery Barn Knock-off

March 18, 2013 by 106 Comments

Welcome to the 217th Metamorphosis Monday! This week for Met Monday, I'm sharing a crafty Before and After. I made a quick pass through Pottery Barn a few nights ago and spied some cute starfish napkin rings. It's kind of hard to see in this pic I snagged from the PB site here, but the ring part of the napkin ring is covered in jute yarn. I couldn't tell what the yarn was wrapped around while in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beachy Tablescapes, Before & After, DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decor Knock-offs, Spring & Summer Tablescapes Tagged With: , , , , ,



Wide Ironing Boards Make Ironing Easier

March 11, 2013 by 94 Comments

Welcome to the 216th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I made an upgrade most folks would probably not get too excited about, but I'm actually pretty excited!  While out shopping a couple of weeks ago, I found myself in the ironing board isle of a local home product store. Guess what I discovered?  Ironing boards come in wider sizes! Did  you know this?  I had absolutely no idea. I didn't buy an ironing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Napkin Folds, DIY Organization and Storage, Easter Napkin Folds, Napkin Folding Tutorials, Thanksgiving Holiday Home, Thanksgiving Napkin Folds, Valentine's Day Holiday Home, Valentine's Day Napkin Folds Tagged With: , ,



Inching Toward Spring: An Update for the Porch

March 4, 2013 by 112 Comments

Welcome to the 215th Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I had planned to post a tutorial for the fun napkin fold I used in last week's St. Patrick's Day table setting.  I know several folks asked for that and I promise that will go out in my very next post, which should be tomorrow.  For this Met Monday, I have a little change out on the porch to share, one I've been needing to make for a long … [Read more...]

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



Small Entry Makeover: Add Storage and Function

February 18, 2013 by 45 Comments

Welcome to the 213th Metamorphosis Monday! Spring has come early to the Atlanta area.  I'll have to take some pics to share what's popping up around here.  The daffodils are up, the red bud trees are blooming and the tulip magnolias are gorgeous!  Are things beginning to bloom where you live?  Love this time of year! Update for a Small Entry: I have an inspiring "Before and After" to share for this … [Read more...]

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



A Comfy Desk Chair for the Office

February 11, 2013 by 88 Comments

Welcome to the 212th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend?  Were you in blizzard territory?  The pictures I've been seeing online are amazing! For this Met Monday, I'm sharing a "comfort" change I made in the office this weekend.  It was one I was reluctant to make but finally decided it needed to be done. If you have been reading BNOTP for a while, you may remember when I purchased my desk … [Read more...]

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



Restoration Hardware Inspired Bathroom Renovation

February 4, 2013 by 76 Comments

Welcome to the 211th Metamorphosis Monday! I have had so much fun reading your comments on the Downton Abbey Personality Quiz.  Y'all know your characters and your reactions to the quiz results were too funny!  The comments kept me laughing all weekend as more and more folks took the quiz and left a comment.  Thanks to Derrick (aka Lord Grantham) for humoring me and choosing the foxhunt/cigar/billards … [Read more...]

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



Natural Fiber Ottoman or Stool for the Office

January 28, 2013 by 107 Comments

Welcome to the 210th Metamorphosis Monday! Last night I happened to turn on the TV while Downton Abbey was on.  I can never remember exactly when it comes on so I always end up watching it in bits and pieces over the week as the episode is replayed over and over on PBS.   I watched last night until the foreshadowing became too foreboding.  An arrogant, know-it-all doctor and talk of swollen ankles was … [Read more...]

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



Resin Candle Covers and Silk-Wrapped Bulbs for the Bedroom Chandelier

January 21, 2013 by 88 Comments

Welcome to the 209th Metamorphosis Monday! I have a little master bedroom update to share for this Met Monday.  You may remember, back in November I updated the candle covers on the chandelier in the dining room. The old plastic covers had gradually yellowed over the past 16+ years and were looking pretty bad.  I also replaced the regular bulbs that were so glaring on the eyes with silk-wrapped bulbs. … [Read more...]

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



Office Update: Finally Found the Right Spot

January 14, 2013 by 142 Comments

Welcome to the 208th Metamorphosis Monday! How was your weekend?  We've been having unusually warm weather...70 degrees out on the porch yesterday and today.  Crazy!  This is January, right?  Yesterday was my birthday and I'm not sure when I remember a birthday this warm.  Loving it while it last, though. I have a small Before/After for this Met Monday, one I thought I'd share in case it's helpful or … [Read more...]

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



A Fabulous Gift-Wrapping and Craft Room

January 7, 2013 by 56 Comments

Welcome to the 207th Metamorphosis Monday!   The last few weeks I've been sharing the amazing metamorphosis that happens each Christmas in the home of Governor and Marie Barnes.  It's been a joy to share their home decorated for this special holiday. This will be our last post, although I may put one together showing all the trees.  Marie decorates 16 trees and I don't think that's counting the fairyland … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, Christmas Home Tours, DIY Organization and Storage, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , , , , ,



A Cabin Renovation & Restoration on the Russian River

December 31, 2012 by 56 Comments

Welcome to the 206th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently I shared a wonderful Christmas table setting created by Julio who blogs at Beaux Mondes Design.  It was all I could do to not spill ALL the beans last Tablescape Thursday because I was dying to show you more of this wonderful cabin. When Julio and Dan bought their "Russian River Dacha" it was in need of some serious restoration love.  The previous … [Read more...]

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



Tour a Beautiful Victorian Home Decorated for Christmas, Part II

December 24, 2012 by 29 Comments

Welcome to the 205th Metamorphosis Monday! Happy Holidays!  All this week we'll be continuing our tour inside this beautiful Victorian home belonging to Governor Roy and Marie Barnes.  If you missed any of the previous posts, I'll link to them at the end of this post. This beautiful home has been transformed for the holidays.  Marie starts the metamorphosis in August so everything is ready in time for … [Read more...]

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



Decorating the Porch with Cedar Garland and a Snowflake Wreath

December 17, 2012 by 100 Comments

Welcome to the 204th Metamorphosis Monday! For this Met Monday, I'm sharing my front porch decor for the holidays. Once again I used my Pottery Barn Knock-off Garland along with fresh cedar around the door.  (Pottery Barn Knock-off Garland tutorial can be found here: Pottery Barn Inspired Garland Tutorial: Make Your Own for 1/3 the cost.)   One change this year...the cedar garland has … [Read more...]

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



Atlanta Botanical Garden: Garden Lights, Holiday Nights

December 10, 2012 by 51 Comments

Welcome to the 203rd Metamorphosis Monday! Recently the Atlanta Botanical Garden went through an amazing metamorphosis.  Each year during the Christmas season, the gardens become a magical fairyland.  A lovely friend of mine works there as a volunteer and she invited me along for the opening night this year.  It truly was awe-inspiring and I'm taking you along, too! Can you just imagine all the … [Read more...]

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



Don’t Throw Out Those Dead Christmas Tree Lights

December 3, 2012 by 90 Comments

Welcome to the 202nd Metamorphosis Monday! Georgia is a crazy place to live, weather-wise.  If you have a convertible you're pretty much guaranteed a few days every single month, even during the wintertime, when you'll be able to throw down the top and enjoy the warm breezes. We're in one of those periods right now.  This was the scene in my kitchen yesterday.  The door to the porch was wide open and it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Christmas Crafts, Christmas Decor, Christmas Holiday Home, DIY, DIY Decorating, DIY Repairs and Fixes, The Holiday Home Tagged With: , ,



Open Up a Staircase and Create a Fabulous Mudroom

November 26, 2012 by 36 Comments

Welcome to the 201st Metamorphosis Monday!  Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Recently, I was chatting via email with  Maggie from the blog, Crunchy Diva.  Maggie's been hard at work renovating her home and you're going to love her amazing staircase makeover and mudroom addition!   Here's Maggie to take you through this beautiful "Before and After." Hi folks! I’m Maggie from Crunchy Diva and I’m … [Read more...]

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



Dining Room Addition: French-Pleated Check Draperies

November 19, 2012 by 125 Comments

Welcome to the 200th Metamorphosis Monday!  We've officially been celebrating your fabulous Before and Afters for 200 weeks now!  Wowza!  Thank you so much for joining the party each week and sharing your amazing creativity and talent!  I'm looking forward to 200 more! The Accidental Decorator: Well, the Accidental Decorator has been at it again.  As I've mentioned before, I seem to fall into some of the … [Read more...]

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



Transform Your Chandelier with Resin Candle Covers and Silk-Wrapped Bulbs

November 16, 2012 by 65 Comments

Greetings!  How has your week been?  Are you ready for the weekend...the last weekend before Thanksgiving?  Doing any baking or cooking in advance?  Cleaning and readying the house for family?  This next week is going to be a busy one for many folks. Last week I wrote about a little "upgrade" I'm giving the chandelier in my dining room.  You can read the story of how I found/purchased this chandelier in … [Read more...]

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



Beeswax Candle Covers and Satin-Wrapped Bulbs for Chandeliers

November 6, 2012 by 55 Comments

I've been working on a lot of little small projects around the house lately. One of the projects I have going right now involves the chandelier in my dining room.  In a previous post, I mentioned there was a little story that goes with this piece so I thought today might be a good day to share it.  Do you like little stories?  If so, grab a cup of coffee or a glass a wine and I'll share my chandelier … [Read more...]

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



Labeling the Baskets in the Closet Expedit

November 5, 2012 by 50 Comments

Welcome to the 198th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I made a trip to a lighting store in search of some items to "upgrade" a chandelier in my home.  I'll be posting about that soon and can't wait to share it!   Ballard Designs outlet is just a few blocks away from the lighting store.  Since I'm rarely in that area, I decided to stop in. The parking lot was packed which is unusual even for a Saturday. … [Read more...]

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



Getting Organized: It’s the Garage This Time

October 29, 2012 by 93 Comments

Welcome to the 197th Metamorphosis Monday! Have you ever done this? Sunday I drove over to the dollar store in search of a clear glass vase or some clear glass votives for a little project I had in mind for Met Monday.   I found votives that were just right but didn't put them in the shopping cart immediately.  I thought I'd look around the store a bit to make sure they were what I really wanted to … [Read more...]

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



HomeZada, Software to Manage Your Home and Makeover Project: Awesome Giveaway

October 22, 2012 by 65 Comments

Thanks so much to all who entered the HomeZada Giveaway.  With this giveaway, really everyone is a winner because with the basic membership (which is free) you create a home inventory, upload property documents and contacts for easy access and create seasonal checklists to help maintain your home.   So if you didn't win, have fun using the basic membership! Chosen by random number generator, the winner … [Read more...]

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



Contemplating New Window Treatments for the Family Room

October 16, 2012 by 153 Comments

For many, many years my family room looked like this.  About ten months ago I nixed all the faux greenery on that end of the room.  It was all looking pretty faded and tired, so it was time for a change.   I haven't missed the greenery at all.  The de-fauxing took place right after Christmastime last year so my tree was still up.   See those cascades/jabots.  They have been hanging … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, Living Room (Downstairs), My Nest Tagged With: , , ,



Make Pumpkin Topiaries for an Autumn Porch

October 15, 2012 by 124 Comments

Welcome to the 195th Metamorphosis Monday! Right after I added a front porch onto my home around 4 years ago, I bought some faux topiaries from a local store here in Atlanta.  I would have loved real topiaries on the porch, but I knew I'd never remember to keep them watered and they probably wouldn't survive in the shade of the porch. The faux topiaries turned out to be an expensive mistake.  They … [Read more...]

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



Upgrading the Necessary Room

October 12, 2012 by 66 Comments

Good morning!  It's Friday!  Are you looking forward to the weekend?  I really wanted to spend the weekend going on the Georgia Trust Ramble in LaGrange, GA, but instead I'll be staying home getting some cleaning and other  non-fun stuff done around here.  Yuck...tours are way more fun. Speaking of things that are less-than-fun, this is what was happening in my home this morning at 8:30 AM.  Two new … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Baths, Before & After, My Nest Tagged With: ,



Make a Crow Tree Centerpiece for Halloween

October 8, 2012 by 66 Comments

Welcome to the 194th Metamorphosis Monday!  So, tell me!  How was your weekend?  It was really pretty here in Georgia, perfect fall weather.  I've been finishing up some last-minute decorating on my porch...I'll be sharing that soon. A few days ago for Tablescape Thursday, I shared a fun Halloween inspired table setting with a crow tree centerpiece.   For Metamorphosis Monday I'm sharing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Before & After, DIY Crafts & Sewing, DIY Decor Knock-offs, Halloween Crafts, Halloween Decor, Halloween Holiday Home, Halloween Table Settings, Halloween Tablescapes Tagged With: , , ,



Decorating the Screened Porch for Fall & Halloween

October 1, 2012 by 97 Comments

Welcome to the 193rd Metamorphosis Monday! Greetings!  How was your weekend? If you follow BNOTP on Facebook, you know what I was up to this weekend and WOW, am I tired!  It's a good tired, though.  I spent much of the weekend decorating the porches for fall and Halloween. For this Met Monday, I'm sharing some fun changes I made to my favorite "room" in the house, the screened-in porch.  It was … [Read more...]

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