Sunday, December 28, 2014

A DIY Faux Marble Mantel

I LOVE marble -

White Faux Marble


And....................I wanted a slab of marble for the faux fire place we built for the bedroom.


You know, that cheap frugal DIY one we built?
So I decided a cheap frugal DIY marble mantel would fit perfectly !

We bought a length of wood for 12.00 - had it cut to fit the mantel ( and unbelievably enough there was exactly - to the tee - to make another mantel for the living room gas fireplace - which I'll age and stain )
It's a nice thick chunk - perfect for this project !


I gave it a coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - Pure White - and then mixed a little Paris Grey with Graphite to create the " veins ": and simple painted them on the white - feathering some so that it was thicker in some areas
( with 2 different sizes of artist brushes - one pointy edge - and one flat edge )

The next photos are before I put polyurethane on it ..................but you can see it on the fireplace at least !




I don't have a tutorial because I was in such a hurry to get it done that I didn't stop to take photos - but if the truth be known it would be difficult to show through photos anyway - you'd kind of need a video I think.
( of which there are probably a million of them out there with far superior results !!! )

I just made my " veins " and brushed them out in places and left them in tact in others - the only important thing to remember when doing this is to bring your veins down onto the front and sides of your slabs for authenticity......................



Another mantel to decorate !  ( this was just thrown together to show you the finished product- the only thing I know that's staying is that wreath from Target ( 25.00 if anyone's interested ! )


And that's my final DIY project for 2014 lol !

Have a wonderful day everyone - I'm off to buy another one of these wreaths - I'm in love !


Oh and that perfect deer?
10.00 ( again Target )
You can see the tutorial for the actual fireplace HERE


Much love,
Me

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Between Naps on the Porch                                            A Stroll Thru Life
Sand & Sisal                                                            The Scoop
Kathe with an E                                                               Savvy Southern Style
Beyond the Picket Fence                                                 The Charm of Home
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My Turn for Us                                                               My Romantic Home
Funky Junk Interiors                                                        Life on Lakeshore Drive
The Dedicated House                                                      HOMESTORIES A TO Z
Ivy & Elephants                                                       Classy Clutter
The 36th Avenue                                                             Pieced Pastimes
I Should be Mopping the Floor                                        Miss Mustard Seed
REMODELAHOLIC

Friday, December 26, 2014

A Friday Chat about this and that

A little late because I'm not sure if anyone's bothering with blogs today but here you go !!!
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In the news last week it was written that apparently they found proof that Mars is able to sustain life - and possibly already has.
We didn't need scientists to tell us that - isn't that where men are from?
Next they'll find an old tube of mascara on Venus, watch .................
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I want this sisal rug so I'm putting it on here in case I forget
But I'm NOT going to chat about it other than to tell you I have no idea where it would go in this house - I just want it.
( 79.99 Ikea- for the size I want - don't ask me how I know the size I want when I don't know where it's going )

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I was reupholstering a chair the other night -
John was watching Wheel of Fortune

This chair had 3,482 staples in it from the old fabric - as I sat there mumbling and cursing trying to get them all out - cutting my fingers to shreds

John yells out - She just won 42,000
John says - Pat just took off his jacket to give to her
John says - She's not even at the bonus round yet

I scream " OW " as I pull out a staple I walked on by accident with bare feet -

John says - You don't care about anyone but yourself

WTH???

Suzan says - I don't know this woman !!!
Suzan says - I just stepped on a staple - it went IN my foot

John says - Shhhhhhh...................PLEASE - I want to see this.

He obviously cares more about a strange random woman and what she's won on a game show - but I'm not going to point that out.  It's petty don't you think?
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And I was doing the above work in the space between the living room and the den - the foyer I suppose actually -
Later on - while I was watching 90 day fiance ( don't judge - it was that or a House Hunters show I've seen 10 times or a morbidly obese woman give birth - them's the options )

John says - We moved from the last place because you didn't have an area to work on your furniture.
John says - We have 9 rooms now - why the hell are you working in the foyer???
John says - AND WHY THE HELL IS THIS HOUSE SO CROWDED??????????????
John says - It doesn't make any sense at all
John says - You have to get rid of stuff - it's beyond ridiculous now

Suzan says - Shhhhh.............PLEASE - I want to see this.
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90 Day Fiance.
Please tell me someone else out there watches this or I'll be even more embarrassed than I already am admitting this to you guys.
AND if anyone of you DO watch it - please tell me you're fascinated by the Danielle and Mohammed story line.
Is this for real?
Can anyone really be this blind?
She's a 41 year old single Mom - he's a 26 year old man from the middle east.
He hasn't touched her.
He barely looks at her as she clings to him, smiling adoringly.  It's desperate and tragic and I can't stop watching it.
He didn't kiss her at their wedding ( claiming some kind of bogus religious reason ) nor did he look at her once...............kept his face straight ahead angrily -  while she stole little shy glances in his direction.
BUT I guess he'll get his Green card.
Immigration should be like Soccer - Red Cards should be used in cases like this.  And there should be one stuck to his forehead.
Way to go Danielle........................


Maybe the government should be testing people's " emotional state " before allowing them to bring people over?  What if he's a terrorist?  Can it really be that simple to get " in " ?
Am I being paranoid?
I'm not going to comment further because really it would just be mean spirited..................
And I really am embarrassed that I watch it but there's nothing else out there to watch - t.v. sucks.
Big Time.
I actually watch it visibly upset -the frown line between my brows has become noticeably
deeper since it's started.
AND I think Mohamed should be deported.
Immediately.
That's just one story line of many - awesome stuff - it's no Carol Burnett show but you know - I need something to get a paint brush out of my hand.
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I spend more time moisturizing my body than actually washing my body - something's wrong with that scenario.
A shower can take 10 minutes - which is basically my attention span - but moisturizing?
It pees me off to have to do it to be honest with you...............
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Has anyone noticed that the Canadian eh? at the end of a sentence is creeping into American T.V. ?
I may be tuned to hear it being from Montreal and all - but I swear it's coming to a neighborhood near you, soon.  It's amazing how often it's used by our neighbors.
Pretty good observation, eh?
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It was over 6 degrees celcius here ( that's over 40 degrees for Americans )
John is beyond thrilled with the heating situation.
I am beyond thrilled with the lack of bone searing cold situation
Soda is beyond thrilled with the walking situation
Happy Campers one and all.

Suzan says - If this keeps up I can get a face lift with the savings.
John says - Or I can buy a Boxter
Suzan says - We'll never save enough on heating for a Boxter - a face lift is more reasonable.
John says - I'll give you one - how hard can it be?
Suzan says - You'd have to improve on your miter corners considerably before I'd let you do that - I don't want big flaps around my eyes.

Now, wouldn't that make a great episode of Extreme Cheapskates on TLC?
I'd even let him give me a tummy tuck.

It's mostly green outside - hardly a drop of snow - after boasting last week and showing pics of a winter wonderland


It now looks like this


And that little bit of white clinging to the edges?
that'll be gone by this afternoon, I'm sure..................
Winter in Canada?
Well the old winter scene she ain't what she used to be..................
Ain't what she used to be
Ain't what she used to be
The old winter scene she ain't what she used to be
Many long years ago.....................
And the Maritimes?
They may as well change their name to Alabama and Mississippi - really - with temps upwards of 60 degrees fahrenheit.
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I've been diligently working on the heels of my feet - not pretty - anyway I've finally got them like a baby's -
Soft - smooth - no rough patches -
AND.  I.  CAN'T.  WALK.  ON.  THEM.
There's a reason they harden up - it's to allow you to still walk after 55 years -
I'm in agony - they feel bruised and sore - let this be a warning to you !
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I was offered a beautiful large " frame " ( picture frame ) to review -
I told them the only way I would consider it would be if they offered one to one of my followers as a giveaway as well -
Never heard a word back
See Suzan being loyal
See Suzan tooting her own horn
See Suzan wishing she had that frame................lol
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Someone once told me - a lonnnng time ago - that it's very seldom a woman will have strong hair AND strong nails - for some reason it's one or the other.
Not sure what the statistics are for that - but it's certainly true in my case.
My hair is super thick - and grows like a weed.
I had it cut just past my shoulders at the end of August - and it's almost to my boobs now
and would actually be past my boobs if it weren't for gravity.
( yes they DO hang low and they wobble to & fro - I can tie them in a ribbon - I can tie them in a bow )
My nails?
Thin as paper.
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I find as I'm getting older I'm looking more and more like a movie star.
If I don't get enough sleep and I put makeup on, I look just  like Sweet Baby Jane -


And if I happen to get too much - I have a pillow " line " across my cheek leaving me looking like Al Pacino in Scar Face
Sad - it's just sad.
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It happens every year but it NEVER ceases to amaze me - the build up for Christmas - the excitement - all that work - and with a snap of fingers, it's over
I hope you all had a wonderful Eve/Day though !
I'm hosting a boxing day brunch just to have it last a little longer lol - and then I think I'll sleep for 14 hours or so...................
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And lastly - a HUGE thanks to everyone who chose to do their Christmas shopping online this year - it left the stores " mob free ".
I've never seen anything like it actually - even Toys R Us was somewhat reasonable !
Although I shop online through out the year - for some reason I prefer to shop in stores for the holidays and this year was just wonderfully stress free - no terrible line ups at any of them................
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Gotta run - there's 2 dozen eggs to scramble !

Much love,
Me,