How Do I Like My 2-Drawer Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher + Updated Kitten Photos

Welcome to the 885th Metamorphosis Monday! A few weeks ago, I shared the dishwasher I had chosen for the Dollhouse kitchen: a 2-drawer, Fisher & Paykel dishwasher.   If you saw that post, you may remember the interior photos that I shared of how it looked with dishes loaded inside.   I had to have an electrician install an outlet underneath the sink before it could be … [Read more...]




3 New Additions To The Movie Room, Plus, Washing Dishes By Hand For 10 Days

Welcome to the 883rd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you have had a fun, relaxing weekend! The past week around here has been a bit crazy. The Fisher and Paykal dishwasher I purchased a few weeks back was supposed to be installed on Friday, December 19. The installers arrived on time but were unable to complete the install, saying that I first needed to have an outlet installed under the … [Read more...]




Which Dishwasher Did I Choose For The Dollhouse Kitchen?

Welcome to the 882nd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had an awesome weekend! As I type this, I'm awaiting the arrival of an electrician who will hopefully be installing an outlet in the cabinet that's just underneath the sink area in the kitchen. Why do I need an outlet in that location? Toward the end of November, I purchased a new dishwasher for the Dollhouse kitchen. It was just delivered last week, but … [Read more...]




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

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




Would You Turn Your Living Room Into A Dining Room?

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




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

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




Should I Sell My Home in Georgia & Buy A Home In This Mountain Community?

Over the years, I've occasionally mentioned how much I would love to have a home in the North Georgia mountains. The Appalachian Mountains cover about 1/3 of the northern part of Georgia, an area known as the Blue Ridge Mountains. There's a community in that area that I have visited several times, and I've often dreamed of selling my current home in Georgia and buying a home there one day. I don't want to … [Read more...]




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

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




Halloween Hoodie + Updates For the Movie/Game Room, Including Additional Seating

This should probably be a Metamorphosis Monday post since it's filled with some fun updates. It seems like I'm always tweaking the movie room, especially now that football season is here. When my son, DIL, and grandsons are here for a movie, my grandsons always want to relax and munch on the freshly popped popcorn from the comfort of the two gray, overstuffed chairs. But when it's game day, I've noticed … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




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

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




The Perfect Corner Storage Bench For My Small Mudroom

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




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

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




A Shocking Discovery—The Dollhouse Continues To Surprise Me!

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




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

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




Shopping For Bookcases That Won’t Sag Or Bow

Recently, a lovely BNOTP reader emailed to ask if I had any recommendations for bookcases. I haven't had a lot of experience with buying bookcases, but I did recommend staying away from the Billy bookcase for storing heavy, hardback books since I experienced bowing/sagging shelves with the Billys that I purchased several years ago. It seems like I read a few years back that Ikea had started trying to beef … [Read more...]




Considering A Putnam Ladder For My Small Living Room Library

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




Let’s All Go To The Lobby To Get Ourselves A Treat!

One more goody has arrived for the movie room that I've been working on for the past couple of weeks.   The popcorn machine arrived, and it's so dang cute! It was a bit more challenging to put together than some of the items I've assembled over the years, but that was mostly due to the teeny, tiny images in the instruction booklet. I am super nearsighted, so I always take off my glasses to … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




Beautiful 4-Poster, Canopy Beds That I’m Considering For The Dollhouse Bedroom

Shortly after I moved into the Dollhouse, I purchased an inexpensive bed and mattress on Amazon so I'd have a place to sleep that wasn't a mattress on the floor. lol That bed is still working great, but I've been itching to change it out for a 4-poster bed. I figure if I ever decide to move to the Dollhouse full-time, bringing my current bed from Georgia along with me, I could always move any bed I purchase … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




A Small Office Update That’s Had A Big Impact

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




Catching Up: Thought These Were Worth Sharing Before I Delete Them

From time to time, I'll take photos of things that I think you would enjoy seeing, but they don't always fit into a post. Last night I was going through photos and came across quite a few pictures that I thought I'd share before I delete them. So here's a somewhat random collection of fun and interesting things that I hope you'll enjoy! This past summer, while walking around in my front yard, I looked up … [Read more...]




Yes, This Is Exactly What I Had In Mind

A few months back, I shared some ideas I had for the windows and chairs here in the Dollhouse dining room. In keeping with the cozy, relaxed cottage feel I envision for this home, I mentioned that I'd like to go with a Buffalo Plaid fabric for the dining room chairs. I would like a coordinating fabric for the windows, in addition to the plantation shutters I have planned. Hope to get the shutters ordered … [Read more...]




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

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




Yay! It Fits!

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




2 Beautiful New Updates For The Front Porch

It arrived early! I ordered this wreath from Lynch Creek Farm around November 24th and it arrived this past Monday, well before the original projected delivery date.    I love how it looks; it's exactly like the photo I saw online! I was surprised by how wet it was. LCF must spray them well before they bag them to ship them out. It was so incredibly fresh, like the greenery was picked that same … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




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

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




A Cozy Reading Corner For A Cottage Home Office

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




Creating A Cozy Seating Area For The Office, How Do You Like The Chair(s) I Chose?

The last time we checked out the office was a few weeks ago when the plantation shutters were added to this room. Around that same time, or maybe it was a few days after, I stumbled across a chair I really liked while shopping for something else on the Home Depot website. I didn't realize HD had branched out into offering furniture on their site. It reminds me of the days when the Home Depot Expos were … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




Silk-Wrapped Bulbs For The Dinining Room Chandelier & Updated Dish Storage

Welcome to the 836th Tablesape Thursday! When I last shared the dish storage here in the Dollhouse, this is how things looked.   After bringing up several more boxes, this is how things look now. The new additions are the rest of the soup tureens that had been stored inside the china cabinet in my dining room, and Noritake Colburn dinnerware and coordinating glassware that had been stored in … [Read more...]




Finally Tracked Them Down & They Are Just What I Needed For My Kitchen

A little over a year ago, my son and daughter-in-law completed a full renovation of the kitchen in their charming, 100-year-old home. The renovation turned out beautifully! If you would like to see the 1970s version of their kitchen before its renovation, plus all the changes that were made, you'll find that link at the end of this post. One of the updates that took place during their renovation was the … [Read more...]




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

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




A Favorite Addition For The Dollhouse Office & Mystery Puzzles For Autumn & Winter

I tried to resist, I really did. I even tried to borrow it! What am I talking about? When I last visited the Dollhouse, I  really wished I had my puzzle board with me. I had come across some intriguing mystery puzzles and was itching to try my hand at one. I don't have a table at the Dollhouse that's large enough to put together a 1,000-piece puzzle, and even if I did, working puzzles on a puzzle board has … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




When Am I Selling My Home & Moving? Answering All Of Your Questions

Ever since I shared in a post that I had purchased a home near family in Ohio, I've received quite a few questions via comments and emails. Today, I thought I'd try to answer some of those questions, although I'm not sure I have all the answers myself. Before we jump into the questions, let me give you a little background about how I came to find the home I've come to affectionately call the "Dollhouse" due … [Read more...]




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

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




Another Dollhouse Upgrade—Wish I Had Done This Sooner!

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




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

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




A New Addition To The Kitchen & This One’s A Definite Winner

Welcome to the 827th Tablescape Thursday! Still no dining table here in the Dollhouse, however my sales guy at Rooms to Go has been trying to find a way to get the one I wanted delivered here without it costing a blooming fortune. Since they don't deliver to Ohio (yet) is this the universe telling me to not buy this table? I know it's not the absolute highest quality, although it felt quite sturdy when I … [Read more...]




What Is The Name of That Blue Paint In The Bedroom, Bathroom & Your Office?

Ever since I shared a tour of the upstairs part of the Dollhouse in THIS previous post, I've had several comments and emails asking if I know the brand/name of the blue paint that was used for the Master Bedroom, Master Bath, and the FROG (Finished Room Over the Garage) that I'm using as my office. Recently, I came across several paint cans in the Dollhouse basement, and as I cleaned those off before moving … [Read more...]




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

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




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

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




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

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




Beautiful Updates For The Dollhouse Office & The Desk Is Finally Here!

Happy Friday! Hope your week has been a great one! I've gotten a tremendous amount accomplished here in the Dollhouse this week, including in my office. I will be adding some more items this weekend, so will share even more updates for Metamorphosis Monday, but I thought it would be fun to share where things are as of right now. If you've been following along the last couple of months, you'll probably … [Read more...]




Dollhouse Dining Room Updates & Mail Served On A Silver Platter ;)

Welcome to the 826th Tablescape Thursday! I finally figured out why everything is so hectic when I'm here at the Dollhouse. It usually goes like this: Today, I had two appointments scheduled. Just two. I had a shutter company representative stopping by at 8:30 to take an order for some plantation shutters, and later this afternoon I have a meeting/call with a developer to look into a new blog design. That … [Read more...]




So Many Updates For The Dollhouse, & More To Come!

Welcome to the 808th Metamorphosis Monday! Whenever I'm here at the Dollhouse, I always feel a lot of pressure to get stuff done, and get it done right now! That's because my time is always limited since I have projects going on back in Georgia, too. The minute I pull into the driveway, I'm on the go. I usually have appointments set up with repairmen or tradesmen starting the very next day, so there's no … [Read more...]




Grandfather Clock Relocation & Refrigerator Shopping For The Dollhouse

Welcome to the 806th Metamorphosis Monday! However you spent it, I hope you had a fun, relaxing 4th of July weekend! This wasn't one of my favorites since I was kinda all over the place. I spent two days in Big Canoe while the hardwood floors on the main floor of my home were being refinished due to a leak from the icemaker hose behind the refrigerator in the kitchen. The holiday delayed the process a bit, … [Read more...]




2 Mysteries In This 1938 Cape Cod: 1 Marked Solved, 1 Still Unsolved. Any Ideas?

Welcome to the 804th Metamorphosis Monday! Buying a 1938 Cape Cod has been an interesting, intriguing, and sometimes challenging experience. Some days are days are challenging, and some days are filled with mystery and intrigue. In a recent post, I shared a mystery electrical switch that I discovered in an unusual spot in the master bedroom. If you look closely at this picture of the room when the home was … [Read more...]




A Few Bathroom Updates & Cute Daisy Towels

I'm back home in Georgia, arrived late yesterday afternoon. The painters arrived bright and early this morning. There's been lots of pressuring washing going on, the actual painting outside will start tomorrow. I'm not doing a color change, just refreshing the exterior paint in the areas that are painted. During my time in Ohio, you know I had to make a few visits to my favorite grocery store, Dorothy … [Read more...]




Beautiful, Affordable, Comfy Bed & Mattress, Plus, A Special Secret Storage Space

Welcome to the 803rd Metamorphosis Monday! If you've been following along, you may remember that the closing on the Dollhouse took place on the 30th of May. The sellers had asked to stay through the 14th, but they ended up moving out on the 8th, except for a few items that they came back for over the following week. They graciously allowed me access to the house a bit earlier, which worked out great since I … [Read more...]




More Dollhouse Adventures, Including Trapping Myself In One Of The Rooms!

It feels like I've been working on projects inside the house for weeks and weeks, when in reality I've only had access to the Dollhouse for about a week. I'll be sharing the temporary sleeping quarters I've created for this week's Met Monday. Over the past week, when I haven't been building something, taking boxes to the nearby recycling center, meeting with internet installers, electricians, plumbers, … [Read more...]




Setting Up My New Office & Playing In The Dining Room

Welcome to the 802nd Metamorphosis Monday! So much has happened over the past week since the closing on May 30th. I wish now I had kept a diary of sorts, detailing each day. At the end of each day, I fall asleep the minute my head hits the pillow, but if you were to ask me what I did that day, I'm not sure I could remember half of it. I've been in almost constant motion since arriving in Ohio. Things are … [Read more...]




Let’s Tour the Basement, Bedrooms, Baths and Gardens In The Home I Just Purchased

Welcome to the 801st Metamorphosis Monday! When I last left you on Saturday, we had just taken a tour of the downstairs part of the home that I recently purchased. If you missed that post, you'll find it here: Not Going To Make You Wait—Let's Go Inside The Home I Just Bought.   Before we head upstairs, let's go downstairs and check out the basement.   You may remember from my … [Read more...]




Not Going To Make You Wait—Let’s Go Inside The Home I Just Bought

The closing on the house went great yesterday—no hiccups. There were 5 of us present at the closing: the title agency representative (not sure of her exact title), the seller, the seller's realtor, my realtor, and of course, yours truly. The representative leading the closing sat at the head of the big conference table with the seller to her left and the buyer (me) to her right. Our realtors sat beside us, … [Read more...]




Exciting (And Just A Little Scary) News

Remember this adorable cottage playhouse—the one I've had a crush on for so many years? I've always loved its design and imagined how wonderful it would be if it were built to grownup size. Well, about a month ago I made an offer on an adorable cottage, and my offer was accepted. Yikes! It doesn't look exactly like this cute cottage, but it does share some similar characteristics. I'm truly in love with it … [Read more...]




Hope This Tip Will Save You A $149 Electrician Visit—Still Can’t Believe It Worked!

Thanks so much for your helpful comments and suggestions yesterday. I am much, much better today and feeling right back to normal, thank goodness! No more wall paper stripping without a mask on! So, I have to share this crazy "lighting" thing I just discovered in case you ever run into this issue. Hopefully, it will save you from having to call an electrician and pay a troubleshooting fee, as I just had … [Read more...]




Covering Edges Of Melamine Shelves & What Happened To My Fave Wallpaper Remover

Welcome to the 797th Metamorphosis Monday! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! I've been working on a few bathroom projects this weekend. One of the tasks I worked on involved the shelves in the closets of both upstairs baths. When this house was built many years ago, I'm not sure why, but the closets were built with wood boards inside for shelves. I think they were 1 x 12s or something like that. There are … [Read more...]




The Upstairs Living Room Window Seat Just Got A Much Needed Update

A few days ago, I made a small update/repair here in the upstairs living room, aka the bonus room or FROG.   It turned out so well, I thought I'd share it in case you find it helpful. When I moved into this house so many years ago, the upstairs living room already had window seats under all the windows.   There's storage built in under each of the window seats. The two dormer … [Read more...]




Sharing A Much-Needed Favorite, Porch Update, & How Do I Stop Squirrels From Eating My Roses

Still working on getting the porch wiped down after its long winter's nap, but thought I'd pop in and share how the new swing chain covers look on the swing.   I kinda wished I had washed them first since the fabric is a bit stiff which makes it stick out a little awkwardly in a few spots, but overall, I really like them! They were a gazillion times easier to put on since they close with … [Read more...]




A Visit To The Brand New Centurion Lounge in Atlanta, Plus, A Few Porch Updates

This has been a busy, crazy week. I had a quick trip to visit family in Ohio, and I just returned home on Tuesday. One of the cool things that happened on that trip is I had the opportunity to visit the brand new American Express Centurion Lounge that just opened up a few weeks ago in Atlanta. I had read so many good things about it online, so I was excited to experience it in person. The new Atlanta lounge … [Read more...]




My Dream Home Revisited, Still Dreaming Of Life In An Adorable Cottage Home

Welcome to the 795th Metamorphosis Monday! Many years ago, I shared this photo in a post called, My Dream Home. I don't remember now how I first came across it, but the photo was of an adorable playhouse available to purchase at the website PoshTotsdotcom. In that post, I shared that if/when I ever move, I would love to find a cute cottage home similar to this one. Of course, it would need to be made to … [Read more...]




A New Addition To The Porch & Some Fun April Fool’s Day Lore

Welcome to the 792nd Metamorphosis Monday! Met Monday has fallen on April Fool's Day! I'm not much of a prankster and not that keen on having jokes pulled on me, but I received a delightful email from Norma this morning with some fun facts about how April Fool's Day sometimes plays out in France. Norma wrote: Hello Susan, I don't know if you have April Fool's day on April 1st in the U S. I suspect it is … [Read more...]




2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back: Why Do Gains Always Seem To Include Losses?

Welcome to the 788th Metamorphosis Monday! Having lived in the same house a long time, I've been through quite a few renovations and updates over the years, some small and some that were pretty big. I don't mean this to sound pessimistic, and I say this with a big sigh accompanied by a very big eye-roll, but with every single update I've ever completed in my home, it seems like something has always had to … [Read more...]




My Absolute Favorites For Spring Cleaning The Porches And The Garage

Update: Just noticed that Talbots has made their 25% off sale even better with 40% off any one item and 25% off everything else. You the code SPRING40 to get 40% off any one item. If you missed my spring favorites post, you'll find it here: Getting a Jump on My Spring Wardrobe, Everything is Currently on Sale. You'll find the Talbots spring sale here: Talbots Spring Sale. The temps here this week have … [Read more...]




A New Addition To The Garage For The Rainy Days

Welcome to the 783rd Metamorphosis Monday! Thanks so much for all your amazing and much-appreciated comments on our 800th Tablescape Thursday post! I can't wait to see what the next 15 years holds. If it's half as fun as the first 15, I know it will be awesome! If you missed the Tablescape Thursday post, you'll find it here: Celebrating 800 Tablescape Thursdays & Looking Forward to Many More. No … [Read more...]




New Addition To The Office: Walking Pad Treadmill For Getting My Steps In Each Day

Welcome to the 782nd Metamorphosis Monday! Hope your weekend was amazing! I spent part of mine working on a puzzle that I've had for a while and have been itching to do.   With the super cold weather we've been experiencing, this was the perfect weekend for snuggling down inside and working a spring-themed puzzle—a reminder to myself to hang in there because spring is coming! (Puzzle is … [Read more...]