Bow Lipstick Case Repair & A Tale of Two Throws

Welcome to the 655th Metamorphosis Monday! A few years back I shared these absolutely gorgeous lipstick cases by the House of Sillage. I think I first came across them in a post on Instagram and I was smitten!   House of Sillage periodically comes out with new additions and they are always beautiful. Over the last few years, I've added to my collection and I use them all the time. I use … [Read more...]




Is it Time to Ditch Those Floral Valances in the Guest Room?

In some of my recent posts, we've been playing here in the guest room a lot. In one post I shared a new lamp I had purchased for this room. (See that post here: New Lamp for the Guest Room.)   A week or two later, I added some Ikea Oxberg cabinets down one wall as a fun, attractive way to corral all my handbags into one area. The guest room is so rarely used since family prefers the larger … [Read more...]




Lorelei’s Beautiful Laundry Room Makeover

Welcome to the 653rd Metamorphosis Monday! Last year, just before Christmas I shared some wonderful updates Lorelei made in her home shortly after moving in. Lorelei transformed the entry and her dining room with all new paint and the result was beautiful! If you missed that previous post, you'll find it here: The Magic of Paint: Lorelei's Dining Room and Entry Transformed.   Recently, … [Read more...]




2 New Lamps I Just Ordered & A Sale on a Sale on a Sale!

Ever since I ordered a new lamp for the guest room, I haven't been able to get this new lamp source I recently discovered out of my mind. Lamps are one of my favorite things in the world! Seriously! I always cram as many into a room as I can reasonably use, preferably one in every corner or area of a room. It usually works out where I end up with 4-5 lamps in each room.   The lamps I normally … [Read more...]




How are My Ameriwood System Build Kendall Cabinets Holding Up 3 Years Later?

If you've been following BNOTP for a while, you may remember approximately 3 years ago I set up these cabinets in my garage so I could corral all my dishes into one place instead of having them spread out over several cabinets/closets. My fine china is still stored inside, but these cabinets have worked great for my everyday dinnerware. (See that previous post here: The Great Dish Storage Experiment, Plus … [Read more...]




How to Gain Back Inches If You Shrink a Linen/Cotton Tablecloth or Napkins

Welcome to the 647th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Have you ever accidentally shrunk something in the wash or while drying? Cotton and linen seemed to be especially prone to shrinking. Recently Elena shared with me an awesome trick she discovered online for regaining some of those inches that can be lost when a cotton/linen item gets shrunk during the washing … [Read more...]




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

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




Have You Ever Had Your Roof Cleaned?

Have you ever had the roof of your home cleaned? In November 2019, I shared this photo of my home shortly after adding wreaths to the windows for the holiday season. When I took that photo, I think that was the first time I had noticed some blackish streaks on the roof.   I figured the streaks were some type of staining caused by the trees that surround my home and I wondered if there was a … [Read more...]




Do You Ever Move the Furniture Around in Your Home?

Do you ever move furniture around? I was texting with a friend recently who was moving furniture into different places in her home and she asked me that question. I replied back that I rarely ever did because in most of the rooms in my home, the furniture really only fits in the room one way. I have to eat those words because I ended up doing exactly that, moving some things around. One minor change made … [Read more...]




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

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




How to Make Whimsical, Floating Teacups for an Alice in Wonderland Party

Welcome to the 638th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! A few weeks back I shared this wonderful table setting Elena created for her daughter's birthday. Elena went with a whimsical Alice in Wonderland theme, a favorite of her daughter's.   As part of the decorations, Elena created these beautiful, magical floating teacups.   Every … [Read more...]




The Most Beautiful Vignette–So Much Inspiration!

I love, love, love when I get an email from a lovely BNOTP reader letting me know that something I have suggested has worked well in their home, too! That makes me so happy! Recently, after sharing my spring porch makeover where I mentioned how much I was loving these realistic-looking, faux tulips, I received an email from Sam.   Sam said, "Once again your recommendation was spot on! … [Read more...]




A New Way I’ve Found for Storing Silver or Silverplate to Slow or Prevent Tarnishing

A couple of months back I shared this wintery-themed table setting for Tablescape Thursday. The centerpiece for this table setting was two silverplate ornament trees purchased from Ross Simon around 20-25 years ago.   View this table in detail in this previous post: A Beautiful Bird-Themed China Pattern for Wintertime.   Since the ornament trees are silverplate, they have a … [Read more...]




A Salvaged Mirror Becomes a Memory-Filled Travel Bulletin Board

Welcome to the 634th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! A few days ago I was chatting in the comments with Cyndi, a lovely BNOTP reader, and now friend, about how much we were looking forward to traveling again in the future. Cyndi mentioned she was so looking forward to it, she had created a “travel bulletin board for posting snapshots of former vacations to remember … [Read more...]




Toni’s Elegant & Practical Solution to Upgrade Her Desk Space and Closet Storage

Last year, while I was staying with family and helping with my grandsons for a couple of months, you may remember that I purchased a desk to work at while I was there. I actually purchased a couple of desks during that time. The first one turned out to be a bit too shallow for my needs so I ended up purchasing a second one. My daughter-in-law and l were both desk shopping around the same time and I sent … [Read more...]




My Favorite Products for the Best Shiny & Clean “Afters”

Welcome to the 632nd Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Over the last couple of weeks, I've received several emails from BNOTP readers asking about the various cleaning products I use and have mentioned loving in previous posts. Since it's almost time for some serious spring cleaning, for this week's Met Monday I'm sharing all the products I love and use in my home. … [Read more...]




The Weirdest Thing, A “Shocking” Experience & How I Finally Solved It

So I've had the weirdest thing going on the past few months. At first, I thought it was a fluke but when it wouldn't stop I had to seek out a solution. I thought it was worth sharing because 1. It strikes me as kinda funny now looking back and 2. In case you've experienced this, maybe this weird little tale and how I solved it will help somehow. Update: I'm getting a lot comments asking if it's an … [Read more...]




10 Favorites, Must-Haves, & Time-Savers for the Kitchen

Carrying on in the theme of Monday's post where I shared some changes I've made that have enhanced my life in both small and big ways, I thought I'd share a few more tips/ideas I use on a daily basis that I've found to be super helpful-- only this time we're in the kitchen. Some of these I have touched on in previous posts but with all the staying in we're doing more right now, this seems like a good time … [Read more...]




3 Changes I’ve Made: 2 Time-Stress Reducers and 1 Just for Fun

Welcome to the 627th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! From time to time as I'm working around the house, I will see or think of something that I think would be a great little idea or tip to share with you. Often it's not anything that's worthy of a full post, but just an idea I think you may like or find handy. I've been thinking about writing this post for a … [Read more...]




Best & Easiest Way to Save or Preserve a Puzzle Without Using Messy Glue

Welcome to the 626th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Over the last few weeks I've had several questions about what I do with all the puzzles I complete and if I ever save them. In today's post, I'm answering that question and also sharing exactly how I preserve a completed puzzle that I wish to keep. Typically when I complete a puzzle, if it's one I especially … [Read more...]




Two Beautiful Transformations, All Through the Magic of Paint

Welcome to the 623rd Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! A few weeks back I shared how Lorelei transformed her dining room with paint. Lorelei liked the color I used in my dining room, Benjamin Moore, Raspberry Truffle and decided to use the same color in her dining room.   Beautiful transformation!   Here's a picture showing Raspberry … [Read more...]




So Whatever Happened to Those Peeling, Bubbling Columns…

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




The Magic of Paint: Lorelei’s Dining Room and Entry Transformed

Welcome to the 621st Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I have a wonderful transformation to share with you today for Metamorphosis Monday! Lorelei, a lovely BNOTP reader, recently shared a big change she made in two of the rooms in her home. Before we go inside, I have to share how beautifully Lorelei has decorated the exterior … [Read more...]




Sometimes Small Changes Can Make Your Heart Happy

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




Two Small Updates That I’m Loving!

Welcome to the 616th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! I'm running behind this morning. I have painters here to do some touch-up work on the front porch columns that were painted recently. They are also going to be painting the new screened doors that arrived a few weeks back. Then it will be time to get those installed.   Two New Purchases: Small but … [Read more...]




A Dead Computer & The 2 Things That Made The Power Outage Bearable

Finally, the power is back on. You know, it's amazing how fast our brains adapt to a new situation. I was working on a puzzle and listening to a book on Audible when a loud snap sound happened from the direction of my computer and the lights came on. It felt so weird to have electricity at my fingertips again, to be able to just flip a switch and have light in a room! lol I know that sounds weird but it was … [Read more...]




It’s Been a Whirlwind Month: Lots of Cleaning, Painting and the Doors Arrived!

Welcome to the 612th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! If you've been reading BNOTP for a while, you probably know I spent much of summer and the start of the school year helping with my grandchildren in Ohio. School is still just 3 hours a day there so it definitely makes it challenging for working Moms and Dads. Once I returned back home, it was full steam ahead! I … [Read more...]




How I Protect My Cashmere-Wool Scarves from Moths & Other Dastardly Bugs

As you know if you've been reading BNOTP for very long, this girl doesn't do cold weather. Not. A. Fan. However, over the years I've come to discover that winter isn't near so bad if you have the right gear, i.e., quality coats, Uggs, warm sweaters, Uggs, woolly scarves, Uggs, wool socks, Uggs--you get the idea. ;) Next to woolly Uggs, my other favorite cold-weather gear is soft, wool or cashmere … [Read more...]




How Teresa Protected the Vachetta Leather on her Beautiful LV Croisette Bag

Welcome to the 608th Metamorphosis Monday, a blog party sharing fabulous Before and Afters! If you are a handbag lover, especially a Louis Vuitton handbag lover, you are going to love today's Before and After! Recently my friend, Teresa, purchased a beautiful Louis Vuitton bag from the LV boutique. You may remember me mentioning Teresa before here on the blog. Teresa and I met through the blog when she … [Read more...]




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

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




Two Storage Upgrades, One…Adorable, Both Very Practical!

Happy Wednesday! Hope your week is going great! I have a couple of small tweaks to share today. One I knew I would love because I just made the same upgrade at home a few months back, but the other one was a delightful surprise! I'm obsessed with how both turned out! You may remember a few months ago I upgraded the old flatware storage organizer I had been using for years to this clear expandable one … [Read more...]




Two Before & Afters: One a Success, One a Fail–at Least for Now

Welcome to the 605th Metamorphosis Monday! My son and daughter-in-love purchased all new furniture for their living room a few months back. Now that the boys are a bit older, it was a great time to make some upgrades/changes. They purchased beautiful leather sofas, new end tables, new lamps, and donated a few things that no longer worked in the room. Two of the items they donated were a couple of old … [Read more...]




Armoire-Wardrobe Transformation Including Wallpaper & Beautiful Antique Mirror

Earlier in the spring, I shared a wonderful Before and After of this old cedar armoire. Phyllis and her husband, Jerry, completed an amazing transformation!   If you missed that post, you'll find it here: Amazing Transformation: Beat Up Wardrobe Becomes a Beautiful Storage Armoire.   Shortly after I posted that beautiful armoire makeover, Franki, a BNOTP reader, shared a few … [Read more...]




Carpet Treads For a Beautiful and Safer Staircase

Welcome to the 604th Metamorphosis Monday! Want to know when a new post goes up at Between Naps On The Porch? Subscribe here for free updates: Subscribe for Updates. A few months, back my daughter-in-love, Nancy, added a touch of pretty carpet to each of the treads of the main stairway in their 1920s cottage home.   In addition to being a pretty accent for the staircase, the carpet made … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




Making a Few Changes and Upgrades, From the Kitchen to the Bath

Welcome to the 598th  Metamorphosis Monday! It's funny all the things you notice when you're home a lot! I've been making a lot of small changes, little updates in both the kitchen and bath that are really long overdue. For example, a while back I noticed the wood tray I store my flatware in had somehow gotten stained over the years. I'm guessing something splashed or dripped inside the drawer … [Read more...]




This is What Happens to a Porch When You Abandon it for 3 Months! It Ain’t Pretty!

Welcome to the 594th Metamorphosis Monday! It was a long drive back home, but it actually passed quickly as I listened to the book, My Friend, Anna: The True Story of a Fake Heiress, via Audible. I think the book is going to be made into a movie. Actually, it would probably make a better movie than it did a book--the book definitely drags at times where I think the movie would be pretty … [Read more...]




Create a Beautiful, Arched, Balloon Garland for Birthdays & Other Special Occasions

During the first part of June, it's Birthday Central here at my son's home. My son's birthday is immediately followed by my youngest grandson's birthday, which is followed a few days later by my daughter-in-law, Nancy's, birthday. So there was a lot of decorating, partying and cake-eating happening over the past week or so! For my youngest grandson's 4th birthday celebration, Nancy decorated in a … [Read more...]




How We’re Zooming (and Escaping) While Stuck Inside

If you're stuck inside, my philosophy is you might as well have some fun with it. Over the past few weeks, my grandsons have had a few virtual meetings with their classmates, hosted by their teacher. After a couple of those, I got an idea. I ordered some fun backdrops for their meetings like the one shown below. I also ordered a couple I thought my daughter-in-law, Nancy, would enjoy for some of the Zoom … [Read more...]




A Beautiful Blue & White Vintage and Antique Dish Collection

Welcome to the 606th Tablescape Thursday! A few days ago I shared Phyllis's beautiful living room renovation including the wonderful cabinetry her husband, Jerry, built to display her blue and white china and transferware collection. If you missed that previous post, you'll find it here: Stunning Room Renovation: Perfect Display Space for Beautiful Transferware. After seeing this gorgeous display, I … [Read more...]




Stunning Room Renovation: Perfect Display Space for Beautiful Transferware

Welcome to the 587th Metamorphosis Monday! Good Morning! Hope you are staying well and enjoying some beautiful weather in your area. We've been taking a lot of walks, I think it does us all so much good to get out of the house, especially now that spring has arrived in our area. Last Monday, I shared Phyllis's amazing Before and After of the armoire below. She and her hubby, Jerry, have some serious … [Read more...]




Loved This Lamp So Much, I Bought It Twice!

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




Amazing Transformation: Beat-up Wardrobe Becomes a Beautiful Storage Armoire!

Welcome to the 586th Metamorphosis Monday! Recently, I was chatting via email with Phyllis who blogs at The Relevant Tea Leaf. She shared pictures of an amazing transformation she and her hubby, Jerry, completed. Phyllis and Jerry, were given this old cedar armoire that was in pretty rough shape. Phyllis had plans for how she wanted to use the armoire, but the original opening was too narrow for … [Read more...]




Spring Cleaning and All My Favorite Cleaning Products In One Post

Recently I received an email asking about the Eye Vac I purchased a few years back. I still love and use it allll the time! It and my Mopnado have made keeping my floors clean so much easier/faster. That email got me thinking about how this is the time of year so many of us would normally be doing our spring cleaning. Since we are all home so much more this spring than we ever have been before, I thought … [Read more...]




Fastest Way to Remove Fuzz and Pills from Winter Sweaters

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...]




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

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...]




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

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...]




How I Clean My Travel Tote and Protecting It From Damage on Future Trips

When I traveled to England earlier this summer, I had an experience while going through security that sent me on a search. Whenever I fly domestically, or even sometimes when traveling via car, I use this blue and white bag as my travel tote. It holds everything I need and is the perfect size to be my "Personal Item" when flying. I decided to use it on an international trip for the first time when I … [Read more...]




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

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...]




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

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...]




Easy Way to Protect Leather Handbags from Strap Indentations During Storage

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...]




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

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...]




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

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...]




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

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...]




Designing a Bedroom for Two Dinosaur-Loving Boys

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...]




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

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...]




Dramatic Luggage Before & After & The Best Amazon Prime Deals, Including iPads!

Welcome to the 546th Metamorphosis Monday! Update: While I'm in England, I'll be posting photos frequently on Instagram. It's the fastest way to share the beautiful cottages and gardens of England since WiFi may be iffy for writing blog posts. Follow Between Naps On The Porch on Instagram here: BetweenNapsOnThePorch. If you haven't joined Instagram, it doesn't matter. Just bookmark that link above and … [Read more...]




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

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...]




Getting a Wave or Wrinkle Out of a Silk Tie

Recently I purchased a couple of Hermes ties for my son for his birthday.   When he opened them a few days ago, one of the ties had an odd, little wave effect going on toward the bottom of the tie.   Each tie had been packaged in its own box, and the boxes had been standing up vertically in the bag. I guess this particular tie slipped down and sorta crumpled up a bit in the … [Read more...]




All My Cleaning Favorites Together in One Post!

Over the last couple of weeks, I've gotten several emails from BNOTP readers asking about a particular cleaning product I've shared in the past in a previous post. In today's post, I'm pulling them all together in one place, so this will be a great post to bookmark for future reference. These are my absolute favorites, the ones I use every day and always meet my high expectations. Hope you find this post … [Read more...]




Dressing Room Update is Complete and a Dharuma Hydrangea Update

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




No More Groceries Rolling Around in Back!

Have you ever had that, "Oh great, not again!" feeling driving home from the grocery store? As you turn a corner, you hear all the grocery bags in back turning over. That's normally followed by the sounds of can goods and jars rolling around crashing into each other. You get home and find the bread squished and the bananas in the corner buried underneath a can of peas. Ugh. To solve this issue, this … [Read more...]




A Brilliant Invention & Correcting a Regrettable Decision

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...]




A Tip From the Inventor: Car Handbag Holder Used with a Center-Open Console

About a month ago I shared an awesome product that solved an ongoing problem I've been dealing with forever: trying to keep my handbag out of the sun when I'm out running errands or on trips AND trying to keep it out of the floor whenever I have to stop suddenly.   This awesome car handbag holder (purchased HERE) has been working beautifully despite the fact it's really designed to work in a … [Read more...]




A Pretty Organizer for Storing My Greeting Cards

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...]




A Silver Jewelry Keeper Update & How to Find That Elusive, Much Sought-After Item

A while back I shared a new idea I had just discovered for storing silver jewelry. I needed a better method for storing mine because keeping it stored away in little tarnish-free bags also kept it out-of-sight and out-of-mind. As a result, I never wore it. This was the storage system/piece I purchased and today I thought I'd share exactly how I've decided to use it and something awesome I just recently … [Read more...]




This $16.99 Product Changed My Life! Seriously!

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...]




My Absolute Favorite Cleaner for Removing Denim Transfer Stains

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




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

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...]




Beautiful Calendar Inserts for Any Agenda, Especially for the Louis Vuitton Fan

Last summer I was offered a trip to Maui, Hawaii by a friend who had booked a week there but ended up not being able to go due to another commitment. (Read more about that trip under the Travel category at the top of BNOTP here: Travel.) During that trip, I did some shopping which included visiting a Louis Vuitton store in Whalers Village. While inside, I spotted the most beautiful antique trunk. Until … [Read more...]




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

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...]




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

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




Why My Laptop’s Built-in Camera Has Been Covered for the Last 10+ Years.

Many years ago, before I had ever heard of blogs, I took my then computer laptop to a computer store to have it repaired. When I placed it on the counter inside the repair shop and opened it up, I was a little embarrassed. Before leaving home, I had forgotten to remove the folded up yellow Post-it note I had taped over the camera. I hastily removed it, mumbling something about having heard you could be … [Read more...]




Finally Doing It–I’m Adding a Security Camera to My Front Porch

I've been thinking about adding a security camera to my front porch for a long, long time. Fortunately, I've never had a package or anything go missing from my porch, but a camera could come in handy for that, as well. The main reason I've been wishing to add a camera is in hopes of avoiding unnecessary interruptions. So often when I'm working in the office or somewhere in the house, I'll hear the doorbell … [Read more...]




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

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...]




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

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...]




Thinking Ahead to Christmas: Colonial Williamsburg Style Door Idea

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...]




12 Cleaning Products I Would Never Want To Be Without

A few days ago I received an email from Jane, a lovely BNOTP reader asking about the furniture polish I use on my furniture. Today I thought I'd do an updated post sharing a lot of the products I use around my home for cleaning, maintenance and such. The ones I'm sharing are all products I truly love and enjoy...dare say, couldn't do without! This is the furniture polish I've been using now for several … [Read more...]




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

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...]




A Fun Lighting Update for My Home Office

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...]




The Perfect Spot for Leaf Peeping & A Creative Way to Repurpose Vintage Crab Pots

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...]




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

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...]




Living the Life of Reilly and A Luxurious Gift Idea

Recently in a post, I shared some fun ideas for hanging art or small paintings down low where they can be appreciated while sitting nearby. (See that post here: Hang a Little Painting Where It Will Surprise and Delight.) Cindy left this comment on that post. A friend’s cat has his own art gallery at his level. Every visit, I check to see if he has added to his collection. Small pieces that are … [Read more...]




Wonder If Goldilocks Ever Shopped for a Handbag Organizer

Welcome to the 495th Metamorphosis Monday! Back around Christmastime, I purchased this bag when my SA called to let me know they had gotten one in the color I wanted. It took three tries, but I have finally found an organizer that works beautifully with this bag.   I really like a little organization in my bags, so I went in pursuit of a handbag insert/organizer as soon as I purchased this … [Read more...]




Build a Vision Board: Inspiration & Daily Reminder of Your Dreams and Goals

Thoughts become things, this I do believe. Do you remember when the book/video called "The Secret" was all in the news? Though I couldn't get on board with much of what it espoused, one premise I took to heart was the idea that our day-to-day thoughts do greatly impact almost every facet of our lives. I truly believe, that which you focus on will often come to pass, be it good or bad. Of course, I'm … [Read more...]




A Few Porch Updates & A Garden Seat Makeover

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...]




The Great Dish Storage Experiment, Plus Some New Chargers & Napkin Rings

Welcome to the 503rd Tablescape Thursday! I've just returned from spending three weeks with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons. I had never planned to stay quite that long but due to various reasons involving a delayed refrigerator delivery, my return date kept getting pushed out. When the day came that I had planned to leave, my son and dil pointed out Mother's Day was only 3 days away. I hadn't … [Read more...]




3 Fabulous Themed Table Settings & A Brilliant Napkin Ring Storage Idea

Welcome to the 501st Tablescape Thursday! Between Naps On The Porch readers have some of the best ideas! Two lovely BNOTP readers came up with a clever idea for storing napkin rings: they both use pants hangers! Cynthia shared two photos showing how she stores her napkin rings. She uses pants hangers, the type that open out on one end.   You can store a lot of napkin rings this way and … [Read more...]




A Mini-Lifestyle Improvement

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...]