welcome to my blog!

This is my inaugural post and it only seems fitting to begin with the DIY chalkboard door project (pictured below) that tipped the scale of “should I or shouldn’t I” write a do-it-yourself home décor blog.

This past spring – I know, I’m a late to this party -- I discovered these amazing, handy, crafty women with their Heirloom White spray paint, Mod Podge, glue guns, power tools, and magazine picture-perfect blogs.  Even more exciting:  They didn’t just show you their beautifully decorated homes and envy-inducing DIY projects -- but gave step-by-step tutorials of how to do it yourself.  Yep, complete with pictures of the exact products used and the exact (or close to) prices of said products.

 Wow!  Pass the Kool-Aid.  I’m hooked.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.  In the fall of 2010 I embarked on a “Honey, I’m going to repaint the kitchen walls” idea that turned into a much, much more involved on-a-budget (really?) kitchen re-do (click here for that story).  Once the kitchen was shiny and (kinda) new, everything else started looking old and dusty and in need of a refresh – myself included.

Then, out of the blue, I decided to quit smoking. After 25 years. On Valentine’s Day, of all days.  Here in Chicago, I spent close to $10 a pack.  I smoked a pack (and sometimes more) a day.  Yea, it wasn’t pretty.  I’ll let you do the math …

So I thought I could use the savings to “spruce up” our home. Room-by-room.  Month-by-month.  On a pack a day budget …

And check out my next post where I give step-by-step instructions on how you can turn your cheap, hollow builder’s grade interior doors into beautiful and practical chalkboard doors like the one pictured above.