Farmhouse Master Bedroom Renovation #diy #restoration #renovation #shiplap

We have now officially been living in our little 1888 Kansas farmhouse for a year and we finally completed the Master Bedroom! I am so happy with it. It turned out even better than I had dreamed. I can hardly believe this is the bedroom I get to sleep in every night. There are a few links throughout the post to the products we purchased and some of them are affiliate links, which means if you click through and purchase, I earn a few cents. 

THE BEFORE PHOTO

Here's what the master bedroom looked like when we bought this house:

The room had likely not been touched in many, many decades. There was very old, yellowed, stained wallpaper on the walls and the ceiling, as well as in the closet. The carpet smelled horrible, was stained and dirty, and the curtains were so old that the fabric would literally fall apart if you touched them. Everything smelled as old and worn out as it looks.

RENOVATIONS BEGIN

Before even sleeping in there, we pulled up all the disgusting carpeting and padding. We also had to crawl around on the wood floor to pull up old staples and nails. The wood floors are in impeccable condition even though they are 130 years old. Since Kansas gets very cold, my husband decided on carpeting rather than refinishing the wood floors. We contracted to get new carpeting laid down so we could move in right away. Here's the beautiful, clean new carpeting; the color is called peanut butter pie:

We lived with the master bedroom like this for many months so that we could concentrate on the kitchen, the bathroom, and a few other projects that needed done sooner. Since our guest bedroom was empty, we moved the master bedroom furniture into there during our master bedroom renovation. We also had boxes of stuff piled up around the edges of our living room during that time, so it was a constant reminder to get it done as soon as possible. First, I had to peel off all of the antique wallpaper:

I spent a week wetting wallpaper, scraping wallpaper, and cleaning up what I peeled off. My hands, fingertips, and fingernails were so sore from scraping and picking at all the little pieces. I also had to strip off the ceiling, which was an awful pain in the neck. Finally, I could prime the walls and the ceiling with Kilz 2 Primer:

I also primed all the antique window casings, door casings, and baseboards. Originally, I was just going to paint the walls white, but I decided I wanted shiplap (or at least the look of it) in my master bedroom. It's really expensive, so we decided to make faux shiplap from sheets of 1/4" plywood, also commonly used as an underlayment for ceramic tiles. So my dear husband brought home the plywood in 4'x8' sheets, then cut each one into 6" wide x 8' planks. 

To eliminate the need to paint in between planks once they were on the wall, I decided we should stack them all on their side so I could paint the side, let them dry and flip them over and do the same thing to the other side of the planks. It was tricky to get them all to stand without tipping over, but we shored them up on the sides with the 1"x4" planks that would eventually become our ceiling trim.

After they were dry, it was my husband's turn to work. He began putting up the "shiplap" planks with both Loctite Heavy Duty Power Grab Glue and a nail gun, measuring and cutting each plank to fit the spaces on the walls. We decided to start at the bottom of each wall area since we planned on adding the 1"x4" ceiling trim. Plus, since a 130 year old house settles over time, we had to make a few adjustments to fit the existing shape of the walls.

To ensure even spacing between each shiplap plank, we used a square tool that has a lip so we could just set it on the lower plank then stack the next one up on top of it. It worked perfectly throughout the entire room. To save time and work, we did not take down any of the antique window or door casings, rather we measured the shiplap to butt up against them.

Here are a few pictures of the progress:

Cutest Candle Ever! Pumpkin Cupcake by Goose Creek Candle

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

The Pumpkin Cupcake candle from Goose Creek has to be the cutest candle I've ever seen! This big 20oz candle comes in a pumpkin-shaped glass jar that even features a lid with a pumpkin stem. It's even the same color as a pumpkin. It is the perfect final touch to my fall decor. It smells like a perfectly sweet pumpkin cupcake topped with vanilla bean and caramel swirl icing. Today, it's on sale for an amazingly low price so GO NOW and get one before they're gone!

Goose Creek candles are made right here in the USA. The Pumpkin Cupcake candle smells so incredibly good that my guests think I'm baking. This candle spreads scent throughout my entire house and smells good that it makes my mouth water. Goose Creek guarantees that their candles are not made with harmful or banned chemicals. Their candle fragrances are IFRA approved and safe for your home. They also use lead-free, 100% cotton wicks.

Their proprietary. duo-wick system ensures a clean and even burn every time. Each one of their candles is designed with a different wick to best melt the wax and create the best fragrance performance. And, Goose Creek candles are nearly half the cost of the competition. Since they are cleaner burning, longer lasting, and more fragrant, there's really no reason to buy any other candle.

Shop for the holidays
and all year long at
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Christmas Train Floor Puzzle - Petit Collage #giftidea

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Need a fabulous holiday gift idea for a young child? I am so excited to introduce you to the Christmas Train Floor Puzzle! Designed for ages 3 and up, the Christmas Train Floor Puzzle features all the fun characters of the holidays, including elves, reindeer, carolers, snowmen, and even Santa Claus who happens to be the train's engineer.

Floor puzzles cater directly to children because, well, kids spend most of their time playing on the floor! This big puzzle features big pieces that are easy to hold in small hands. There are 24 thick, sturdy pieces in this puzzle and, once assembled, the puzzle measures 18inches x 24inches. I love the sparkling, glittery touches to the puzzle pieces because it gives it even more of that holiday feeling!

After children put the puzzle together, they can look for the items listed along the border, such as 1 reindeer, 2 snowmen, 3 wreaths, and so on. There are so many wonderful things to spot in this bright and colorful Christmas Train Floor Puzzle. All Petit Collage toys, games, puzzes, and decor are eco-friendly, ethically made, and designed in San Francisco, inspired by midcentury modern sensibilities.

The Christmas Train Floor Puzzle will help your child's developmental stages, too! Puzzles are a natural way to introduce mathematical concepts of space, logic, and problem-solving (cognitive skills, or thinking skills) and to develop hand-eye coordination. Floor puzzles work children's large motor skills because children use their arms and legs while moving around on the floor. Fitting the pieces together develops small motor skills in their fingers, important for writing strength later!

Children will also develop their social-emotional skills when they work with a friend, sibling, or parent to build the puzzle or to find the items listed on the border. The letters and numbers along the border help to instill letter recognition and number recognition, as well as counting skills (such as finding 10 stars and 11 presents). The Christmas Train Floor Puzzle comes in a handy storage box that doubles as a carry case with a handle for taking along to Grandma's house for the holidays.

All these fabulous benefits for young children, and yet all the kids know is that they are having bunches of fun! Petit Collage offers a wonderful line of amazing products that children will love and play with for years to come. Check out their Modern Advent Calendars too!

Order your Christmas Train Floor Puzzle today!

www.petitcollage.com

SPECIAL 15% OFF DISCOUNT CODE:
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Whiskware Egg Mixer and Whiskware Batter Mixer #review

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Since I cook to eat, rather than cook because I enjoy it (because I really don't), I'm so glad Whiskware is finding ways to make cooking simpler and faster. The Egg Mixer and the Batter Mixer are designed to make breakfast preparation less of a hassle, so I gave them a try. Eliminating the need for bowls and spoons, these Whiskware tools allow me to add ingredients, mix by shaking, and pour straight to the pan.

The Egg Mixer is a two-cup container that comes with a built-in egg cracker, a removable egg separator, a BlenderBall wire whisk, and a screw-top lid that opens for pouring. It's easy to use - just crack the egg open on the egg cracker and let the egg slide out of the shell into the container. Toss your eggshells into your compost bin, screw the lid down onto the Egg Mixer, and shake them up vigorously.

The Whiskware Egg Mixer helps you make fluffier scrambled eggs, omelets, and quiches. You can even toss extra ingredients in with the eggs, such as onions, peppers, spices, and little ham cubes. I added a bit of hot salsa to my egg mixture because I love a good kick of spiciness in my eggs. The Egg Mixer can easily mix up to 8 eggs at a time!

I was really amazed at how much fluffier the scrambled eggs were after mixing them in the Whiskware Egg Mixer. This handy kitchen tool made breakfast preparation much quicker and easier. I will never mix eggs with a fork again. As a bonus, the Egg Mixer pieces can go right into my upper dishwasher rack for cleaning, or I can just add a bit of soap and warm water to the container and shake it clean, then rinse.

After being so happy with the Egg Mixer, I was excited to try the Whiskware Batter Mixer. The concept is the same as the Egg Mixer - just add the ingredients to the Batter Mixer container and shake it until they're mixed. It also has a soft silicone dispenser nozzle on top, so you can pour just the right amount of batter right from the Batter Mixer onto your griddle, skillet, or waffle-maker.

The base of the Batter Mixer doubles as a stand to hold the container upside down (with the nozzle on) for filling with ingredients. The Batter Mixer also comes with the BlenderBall wire whisk and there's even a pressure-release cap that covers the silicone tip. The screw-off cap releases built-up pressure when opening to prevent accidental spills. Using the Batter Mixer really helps keep my counters clean.

Use the Batter Mixer for pancakes, waffles, and crepes with minimal mess and hassle. Just scoop your ingredients into the container while it's perched on the base stand, then lift the container to grab the base and screw it closed, then shake it up and pour out deliciousness. We tossed blueberry halves in with our batter and our blueberry pancakes were the fluffiest and most delicious pancakes we've ever made! Some other pancake/waffle mix-ins could be strawberry pieces, little peach chunks, or even mini chocolate chips.

Whiskware even created the Whiskware Recipe Box App (for iOS or Android) it's filled with great recipes to make your breakfast the best ever. I am so happy with both the Egg Mixer and the Batter Mixer and I know my family will use them again and again. The Egg Mixer is only $9.99 and the Batter Mixer is just $14.99. These amazing (and affordable) kitchen tools are fabulous holiday gift ideas for all those who love (and hate) cooking. You could even put together a breakfast gift basket with the Egg Mixer and the Batter Mixer, along with a cute apron and an oven mitt for an extra thoughtful gift.

Order your Egg Mixer and

Batter Mixer today at

www.whiskware.com

And check out my review of the

Whiskware Snack Containers!

Food Dehydrator for Fruit, Vegetables, Meats, and More - 5 Trays! Compact! Affordable!

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

If your refrigerator's fruit and vegetable drawers are where your fresh food goes to die, then you need to order the 5-Tray Food Dehydrator from Promotion.com! By dehydrating your fruits and vegetables, you can keep them on hand for up to six months, eliminating the need to throw away food you've already purchased. Dehydrated foods also take up much less space in your kitchen.

Many families shy away from Food Dehydrators because of their bulky size, but the Promotion.com Food Dehydrator is compact, measuring just 12"x9"x8" including the base, all five trays, and the lid. Some people believe Food Dehydrators are complicated, but this one features two simple buttons, one for time and one for temperature. Even a five year old could figure this one out!

I have seen other brands of dehydrators that cost upwards of $500.00, but this 5-Tray Food Dehydrator from Promotion.com is currently on sale for just $41.99. I do not know how long this amazing price will last, so I highly recommend you click over to their website and buy it today! You'll be able to dehydrate your fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, seasonings and herbs, as well as crude medicine.

Dehydrating foods is easier than you think! For my first use of the Promotion.com 5-Tray Food Dehydrator, I selected apples, bananas, strawberries, and blueberries. In a medium bowl, I mixed one cup of water and 1/4 cup of lemon juice (you can also use either lime juice or pineapple juice). I cut three apples into slices about 1/4" thick, then dropped each slice into the lemon water for 5 minutes to soak, then laid them out flat on the tray.

For the strawberries, I trimmed off the leaves and cut each one in half, with the larger strawberries getting cut into thirds. I also gave them a 5 minute bath in the lemon water before laying them on the tray. The five trays are made of plastic and are dishwasher-safe for fast and easy cleanup. I especially like that the trays are all clear, so you can easily see all of your dehydrating foods at a glance without having to open it to check on the progress.

The blueberries also got a lemon water bath before being spread on the tray. The citrus in the lemon water helps to preserve the fruit and once the fruit is dehydrated, you can either eat it as a delicious dried snack or you can choose to rehydrate it by soaking it in water before eating it. Either way, your family will be eating healthy, scrumptious, natural foods. Have you priced dehydrated fruit at your local grocery store? It's outrageous that they want $5 for a tiny bag of dried fruit! It's so much cheaper to do it yourself at home with a food dehydrator.

The bananas were prepared just a bit differently. Rather than give them a lemon water bath, I misted the lemon water over each side of the banana slices, then sprinkled them with cinnamon sugar once they were laid out on the trays. Overall, it took me about 15 minutes to prepare five trays of different kinds of fruit for my Food Dehydrator. Dehydrating foods with your kids is a great opportunity to let them help in the kitchen without a huge mess and to teach them about healthy foods and food storage.

The Promotion.com 5-Tray Food Dehydrator is so simple to use. Once all the trays are stacked onto the base, plug it in, and press the Time button to turn it on. When it flashes, you can adjust the time up or down in increments of hours. Then you press the Temp button to set the temperature. Not all foods will dehydrate at the same time, but you can easily remove any tray of food when it is done, then continue to dehydrate the others.

My apples were done in about 8 hours, my strawberries took about 10 hours, and my bananas and blueberries took 12 hours to dehydrate. I set the temp at 140 degrees F. Look how much smaller the fruits are (below) once they are dehydrated! These delicious dehydrated fruits take up so much less room and now I can store them at room temperature in a baggie or container. No more rotten fruits will be tossed in our trash can!

If you love "prepping" by keeping a full pantry or if you love canning foods, you're going to want this Food Dehydrator from Promotion.com. You will be able to store so much more food in much smaller containers, and you won't have to buy the extra supplies needed to can foods. This power-saving small appliance is going to save you money, prep time, and storage space. Plus, it only costs $41.99 right now at Promotion.com, so hurry and order yours today!

I can hardly wait to experiment with vegetables, meats, seafoods, and seasonings. Gardeners will love this Promotion.com Food Dehydrator, because sometimes you have to harvest way more than you can possibly eat right away. This will come in handy for dehydrating fresh herbs and spices too! This 5-Tray Food Dehydrator is an excellent holiday gift idea for anyone, and since we all need to eat, we may as well be eating healthy and saving money while we're doing it!

Promotion.com offers a huge line of kitchenwares, as well as, electronics, furniture, pet supplies, health and beauty supplies, sporting goods, toys and games, baby and toddler items, hardware, office supplies, and much more. They have so much to offer that I created a Wish List of fabulous Promotion.com items that I want for the holidays and beyond. I am extremely impressed with my 5-Tray Food Dehydrator and highly recommend it!

Get all your holiday shopping done

at Promotion.com!

Order your 5-Tray Food Dehydrator

at this fabulous price before it's gone!