chandeliers, boxwood, fluff & stuff

by | Feb 5, 2013 | Before and Afters, Furniture Makeovers, My House, Tutorials | 101 comments

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This post is a little blog buffet of a bit of this and that of my day.  Enjoy the randomness…

 

As I’ve mentioned the past few days, I have a lot of big projects coming up for freelance tutorials.  Some of those projects are tied to others.  (Remember the “decorating is like dominoes” thing?)  For example, two of the tutorials I’m making are on installing a plank ceiling and crown molding, so I’m going to remove the ceiling fan, move the junction box and hang the new chandelier as a part of that project.  So, today, I worked on getting the chandelier ready and while I was working on one chandelier, I might as well work on the other one, right?

 

This small chandelier above my vanity had sleeves that were too short and they were shiny plastic.  Two things that weren’t working for me.  I bought new candle sleeves that were the right size, but they were still shiny plastic.  So, I pulled out an old trick I used way back when my blog was just a little baby blog…  I used a glue gun to make “drips” on the candle sleeves…

 

 

 

…and then painted them with white satin spray paint.  The sleeves on the larger chandelier were black, so I spray painted all of those as well.

 

I threaded them onto a thin piece of wood, spray painted them and let them dry.

 

….much better.

 

 

Of course, I was holding the chandelier up in my room to get a visual.  (Or maybe I just can’t wait to see it hanging and holding it up was as good as I was going to get today.)

 

 

I also added some vintage crystals I bought off of e-Bay.  It was missing about 30 of them and I found some that were the perfect size and shape for a nice price.  I was short one wire connector, so I used some florist wire.  I doubt anyone will ever notice.

 

I also had to use a little packing tape and super glue to get a decorative arm back on.  A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.  It really looks great, though.  Now I need to find white shades and make cord covers for both.

I also worked on my boxwood topiary and wreath tutorials….

 

This little one was just for me…

 

 

…the wreath was for the tutorial and I love how it turned out.  I decided to keep it a little bushy, so it’s not as nicely groomed as my store-bought ones.  It has a little attitude.

 As a funny side note, I had the TV on while I was working on the topiaries and wreath.  It is a simple, repetitive project, so it was nice to have some entertainment.  My TV has some kind of sensor to make sure someone is watching it.  If it doesn’t sense any movement, it will shut off the picture.  I was sitting off to the side, so the sensor couldn’t see me.  This meant every 30 minutes or so, I had to get up and wave at my TV to let it know I was still there.  Really?!  I’m sure there’s some setting to change it, but I figured it was good exercise.

For those of you who have lived a long time with hardwood floors and wool rugs, this will not be a surprise to you.  I, however, am learning the true meaning of “dust bunny.”  Everything I thought was a dust bunny up to this point was just a little bit of fuzz.  I really could make a pet bunny with everything that’s floating around on my floor…

 

Yes.  That’s a picture of a dust bunny.  And I watermarked it.

Yeah, it’s a little annoying to have to vacuum daily, but I’m okay with it.  Some women walk around on 7″ high heels all day and think that the agony they are putting their feet through is worth it.  I am not one of those women.  I am a woman, though, who will have wool rugs that shed on dark hardwood floors and will chase tumbleweed-sized fluff around all day, because I think it’s worth it.

At some point the rugs have got to stop shedding, right?  There is not an indefinite amount of fibers woven into them and, as far as I know, wool does not reproduce…

See that pink chair and the fabric, trim and cording sitting on top?

 

Yeah.  I see it, too.  It’s staring at me as I type.

 

I wish the materials would just jump on the chair, right where I want it all to go.  Maybe if I leave the two sitting together like that long enough, some sort of magic will take place.  But then I won’t get to make my video tutorial series on upholstery that I’ve been promising to make.  So, if you’re waiting for that, just know that I have the chair waiting for me, the stuff sitting neatly on it, staring at me, and I’m just waiting for the day when I’m ready to do it.

 

Lastly, I moved my favorite antique alarm clock to my bedside table.  I don’t need a digital alarm clock anymore, because I just use my iPhone now, so now I can have a purely decorative alarm clock in its place.

 

 There you have it.  Chandeliers, boxwood, fluff and stuff.

How was your day?

 

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    101 Comments

    1. Jo-Anna

      Love it! Fluff, stray strings and all! Especially love the faux candles…genius!

    2. Kara

      Wool rugs may stop shedding someday, but cats never do. I have hardwood floors and cats – so I feel your dustbunny pain! 🙂

    3. Susan DuBose

      Around our house with two little pups, lots of wool rugs and hardwood floors, we’ve renamed them Dust Buffaloes! I could run the vacuum every day and think I’ve done a great job and then one of those babies will roll out into the middle of my floor when my mother-in-law comes for a visit!

    4. Karen@RestyledVintage

      Marian, that is total genius to use hot glue gun to make candle drips! I love it!

      My day was great (so far, it is only early afternoon). I dropped off a desk I painted for a lady, picked up a dining suite I am painting for a man, and had another customer accept my quote to paint their bedroom suite. I am so happy to be getting custom work again…once I had established myself in NZ custom jobs became the bulk of my work, then we moved to Australia and I had to start again. Well, 18 month later and here I am. I am so pleased…and pretty proud of myself too 🙂

      xx Karen

    5. Becky

      Sometimes I am scared to start a project because of that domino effect. Love a wreath with attitude!

    6. Cindy

      That was the funnest post ever… i’m smiling just sitting here after reading it. I’m excited about your chandelier in the bedroom, I have the most god awful ceiling fan in my bedroom – and i LOVE the glue gun candle wax trick, I’m soooo gonna do that. I’m very curious about the boxwood tutorial…. there is alot of boxwood here in Hillsborough, i’m wondering if I’m gonna have to do a stealth nighttime boxwood raid… and the i can’t wait to see that chair all Miss Mustard Seeded up!

      Cindy

    7. Mary

      i adore you, marian.
      the watermarked dust bunny sealed.the.deal. 🙂

      also, i’m not 100% on the wool reproducing!
      i vacuum EVERY single day and my carpet sheds like MAD!

      xoxo

    8. brandi ginn

      The next home improvement needs to be a central vac….we also have a lot of wood floors and the main floor gets vacuumed EVERY day…central vac is wonderful.

      I have a question about your french chairs (this could be general…not necessarily specific to the ones pictured) what is the height of the seat from the floor? Standard should be 18″ but today I picked up a (Free) chair with french legs and wood down the front of the arm…I will say though the back/top doesn’t scream “french lines” anyway, I got it home and it seams really short and smaller than I thought…almost like it’s supposed to be for a child. But when I have my kids sit in it, it’s bigger than “child-size” but from the floor to the seat is only 16 1/2″

      I was wondering if you had an insight to my chair. Your chairs (while older) still seem to be a size that fits today’s standard. mine….not so much. I’ve been looking for chairs like the ones you seem to have such luck finding for about 2 years. I can’t find them in CO.
      But since it was free I figured it would be good practice.

      Thanks!

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        The chairs I have are a standard height and are probably about 1960’s. Some older chairs can be higher or lower, especially those that were hand made. One thought…does your chair have a cushion? Sometimes chairs are supposed to have a cushion that would make it a standard height, but it was removed at some point.

    9. Lucy

      LOVE. I laughed out loud at you watermarked dust bunny…that’s some real deal seriousness going on right there. I have a Boston Terrier and her “bunnies” are little black and white needle-like hairs that can actually jab you when you walk. So…go on and watermark your bunnies. I’m building a porcupine.

    10. Sarah

      Applause, applause! Fun little mix of tidbits. Thanks for the fun.

    11. Tracey

      Having the same issue with my new wool rug – dust bunnies that could eat my daughter for breakfast! I’m just pretending like the rug’s not really doing that… What you don’t acknowledge can’t hurt you, right?

    12. Sharon in Chicago

      Marian — if I knew you were posting about boxwood today, I’d have saved my FB comment for here. As it is, I like your “wild” description for your wreath — part of what I liked about my 3rd piece is that it’s looser than the other two.

    13. Cyndi@Blue Star Antiques

      I’m glad I’m not the only one that has to be in the mood to attack some projects. I’d rather pick up a paint brush any day, but him haw around before I get to recovering a cushion!

    14. Julie Fagundes

      LOVE the boxwood wreath…love it all, really! I have a chair waiting for me as well…I think my better judgement is saying to take it to a professional because we are covering it in a cow hide. (Not sure I am ready for that!)

      Reading your book…and LOVING every word!!!!

      ~Julie

    15. Stephanie Hobson

      About the prolific dust bunnies on hardwood floors, I just remind myself that all of that stuff was there before, just hiding in the carpet. Yuck.

    16. Traci

      I love the fabric you used to reuphoster your chair. And it looks fabulouse with the rug,
      Traci

    17. Goedele - Old Red barn

      I’m in a similar mood today: working on different projects at the same time. By the way, what I like about milk paint: It dries so fast that you CAN work on different projects at the same time and say at the end of the day: I’ve painted SEVERAL things. Milk paint gives me the idea that I’m super productive haha. I somehow sensed that upholstering chairs is not your absolute favorite project ;-).

    18. Glenda

      Fun post here – made me smile too. Where did you get the rug under the French chairs? I think I need it! And speaking of wool rugs, I’m beginning to think they do produce dust bunnies!

    19. Stacey

      Can’t wait to see the boxwood tutorial. I just can’t get enough boxwood.

      One of my happy moments recently was realizing we didn’t need digital or clock radios sitting around any more. 🙂

    20. Amy @ The Avery House

      I love the boxwood topiary and wreath that you made! Love the bit of attitude that wreath has! you are so right about that rug being worth it! I am not a walk in heels kinda girl either, but I will tend to a new rug and it’s shedding for eternity if i have to. Luckily, it will stop shedding, maybe not entirely, but at least enough that you don’t have to vacuum every day. One question, I have been searching for an antique clock like yours. Where did you find it? It’s a beautiful piece! Have a terrific Tuesday! 🙂

    21. Eileen

      Marian, your post was wonderfully eclectic. About the watermarked dustbunnies…. I do assume you are saving all those “gatherings” in a jar for a while and then we’ll see a project making a cute nest or something out of them!!!!!! Just a thought! LOL At least that’s how my mind runs! It’s the rug that keeps on giving.

    22. ellery

      I love it all, but what I love most is the alarm clock. I have an unsightly digital clock and have been wanting something functional with a vintage look, but (smacking head) I never thought to just use my phone!

    23. Betsy

      Marian,
      What a great post!
      I love the randomness, that’s how I tackle things getting done too!
      Question about the candle sleeves – how does it not melt the sleeve? Do you use a cool glue gun or hot ? I’ve got two chandeliers that I was going to buy these wax dropped sleeves for. What a genius idea.
      I love your blog and really am inspired with every post!
      Betsy

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        The plastic is thick enough and the glue cools fast enough that it doesn’t melt the sleeve. Just don’t let the glue gun sit on the sleeve for a long time.

        • lisa

          this is genius!!!!

    24. Melissa

      Loved the “buffet!” I too am in the market for a wool rug for my new hardwood floors in my family room. I too am willing to vacuum daily (or at least before the bunnies actually take over) in order to have a nice quality rug. I hear that they only last about a year?! At least my family will experience very clean floors for that year! You are always an inspiration! Life to the full, Melissa

    25. janet metzger

      Morning Marian,

      My…is that the little chandelier I sold you when you visited The Empty Nest?
      It looks lovely with its new sleeves…well done! Looking forward to seeing a full hanging shot.

      I need a chandelier for the shop and this post has convinced me to stop looking for a perfect one and go for a less expensive one that needs a little repair work…you make it look easy.

      Yay to another tutorial on fabric and chairs…always enjoy your tutes.

      Have a great week

      Janet xox
      The Empty Nest
      Warrenton, Va

    26. Brenda

      Marian, Life is like that, differant things needing to be done all at once. I hate to tell you this, but the dust bunnies are like laundry, dishes and garbage.They are always reproducing! I have no cats or wool rugs, but I just have to look at my poor husband to know where the hair balls come from! I can’t wait to see some of your tutorials. Have a great day!

    27. Alice R.

      So many pretty things! Love that chair, and the lovely boxwoods, and – weren’t you supposed to help me save money? Now I want lovely old chandeliers too!

    28. ELENI FITSAKI

      I like your project, Marian! Oh, I like your ideas in general! Considering the dust, leave it….! I suppose that we all women face the same problem. But it is not a problem finally. It is a daily routine. Isn’t it?

    29. von

      Yes, the “wool bunnies” do lessen and eventually go away. You can speed that up by vacuuming your rug with your vacuum on it’s carpet setting, especially after you’ve had foot traffic.

      My wool rug is over 20 years old and has aged nicely (I haven’t had bunnies from it in 2 decades 🙂 I’m glad you have a nice quality piece!

    30. Candy

      Can’t wait for the plank ceiling tutorial! We’re thinking about doing that in our Bonus/Family room.

    31. Patrina

      Marian,

      Where is the fabric from that you are waiting to upholster the chair all by itself? Do you recall the name of the pattern? I love it!!!!

    32. Barb Nichols

      What a great post! I needed the idea for a chandelier sleeve redo. Thanks for all your inspiration!!

    33. Dana

      Excuse me while I stop drooling over that chandy! GORGEOUS!!!

    34. Nancy

      I am anxiously waiting the boxwood wreath tutorials. I need to prune mine, and I don’t want to waste the branches. Did you preserve them first?? So excited. Beautiful stuff, as always!

    35. Diane

      A couple of years ago I bought boxwood wreaths & other items from Homegoods. Once I got them home, I realized the horrible odor the preserved boxwood had. I knew I wouldn’t be able to use them in my home staging business, so I took them back. The cashier told me they had been getting a bunch of them returned because of the odor. I wondered if you preserve your boxwood with glycerine or not. I made little wreaths for my windows last Christmas from fresh boxwood, but they don’t last past the season. What to do?? I love the look. Any advice you have, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        I find that they are only stinky for a few days and it’s never been bad enough to really bother me. The smell definitely diminishes over time. I buy my boxwood branches preserved.

    36. Lisa

      Ok, Marian and all the other ladies in the house,

      This is RAIN of Grace over all of you. You do NOT have to vaccum every day – are you crazy? No you surely are not, dear, dear women. Just pick them up. Round them up and pick them up. Vaccuming every day. Just bend over, swoop them up, and be done with it!!! You all were about to make me – for ONE second, mind you – get my bunny sucker out, but NO way!!!

      🙂

    37. Lesa D

      You make me laugh. Love it.

    38. Melissa Boyce

      Gotta laugh at the dust bunny comment. I am also an owner of wood floors, along with three dogs and three cats, and a TON of dust bunnies!

    39. Heidi

      My favorite is picturing you hopping up to wave at the T.V. That made me smile. Looking forward to the nuts and bolts of the chandy hanging!

    40. Megan

      I enjoyed reading this post. I feel you with the dust bunnies, however, mine are due to my yellow lab. That means no wool rugs for me because it would be twice the cleanup. We call them tumbleweed in my house. 🙂

      The candle trick is genius and I love the wreath.

      Megan

    41. Lynn@thevintagenest

      LOL…I had to laugh. I have those dust bunnies ALL the time from two wool rugs in our family room…..one a shag rug plus a golden retriever. Yep….big time dust bunnies! I was told it would take a year for the rugs to stop “shedding”. Got mine last February so that means this month. Hmmmmmm…… 🙂

    42. julie holton

      Marian,
      So goin to do the candle drip thingy..genius! Just looked at my black, plastic candle sleeves and they look horrible! 🙂 I just painted 2 small night stands in Shutter gray- so much chippy goodness! Love the paint!

    43. karen

      i have been really interested in making my own chandelier with wire and beads. your re-do is really inspiring. thank you for all the hints and ideas. i have been dragging my feet about doing slip covers also. so your miss-mash was very timely. many thanks, karen

    44. Jill Flory

      At least your dust bunnies are now visible instead of being ground into the carpet where the dust mites can multiply and make allergies a nightmare! LOVE hardwood floors and I will put up with the sweeping too!

    45. Carolyn

      After living where the wind and dust blow a lot of the time – our “dust bunnies” don’t have to have wool rugs or animals to appear. If you don’t have carpet- you have bunnies!!!
      I have tried many products but discovered the Wooly Monster by the Slack Mop Co — and am in shiny wood floor heaven. I don’t mean to be fre advertisement for them – but their mop is fast, easy, and washable. To shiny floors !!!!!!

    46. Jean

      The wool bunnies do diminish, but the cat hair never does. Ugh! I love my kitties, but their hair is ridiculous! I have two black cats and white furniture. What was I thinking?!!

    47. Susan Shull

      Hey just a little note, tried your vinegar/oil on some pieces of old wood file cabinets,I think they are about 100 years old or so and it worked great,thanks for the tip.But here’s one for you,I used it on some dried,dull looking baskets and they look great. …..Thanks again for such a great idea, Susan

    48. Rachel

      We don’t have wool rugs but we did have a precious, yellow Lab for 14 years who was one heck of a shedder. She died one year ago this month and we still miss her, and her fur, very much.

    49. artsnark

      fun post – love the way you handled the chandelier sleeves

    50. Marian Luther

      Marian,
      Just wanna say you made my day! Learned something clever and new and got a great big smile while doing it. You’re the best and can’t wait to see your new tutorials!

    51. Laura

      Love the boxwoods and can not wait for the chair redo!! I have one I just purchased and am very anxious to do something with 🙂

    52. Pat Bryans

      I am new to blog and was just reading about the installing the plank ceiling tutorial……..will that appear on your website blog? I am enjoying your website…..great ideas and info.
      Thanks, Pat

    53. Francesca

      Hi Marian,

      My day was awesome … because it started with an interview with you!!! I was thrilled to have the chance to hear your tips for single women who want to decorate on a budget. There were a lot of gems in your nuggets of info. Can’t wait to write it up. I’m wondering if any of those 13 boxes UPS delivered contained some of the items you worked on today. The chandelier is yummy and done so creatively. You’re a genius.

    54. Deb

      Making candle drips with a glue gun is brilliant! Am I the last one to know about this trick?? I am anxious to hear/see you boxwood tutorial. Love boxwoods.

    55. Denise T

      Marian, the chandelier is so beautiful . The fabric is , too.. What a perfect timing for your freelance tutorials. Can’t wait to see the makeover. Thank you for the plethora of amazing posts and your time. Just wanting to make sure all the bloggers know that they are greatly appreciated.

    56. Jan

      What a lot of lovely things to look at! I am psyched about the tutorial on removing the ceiling fan because I am sick of the ceiling fan in my dining room and would love to replace it with a chandelier.

      I believe that you and I have the same chandelier. Looks like it from the photos. I just had it rewired with a chain and plug because I want to be able to move it around. I need to put the crystals back on. I like it without the covers, however.

      What a clever way to lengthen your the sleeves! I was totally impressed with the way you used super glue to make drips down the sides. Mine are the shiny plastic, so maybe I will make them look nicer someday down the road. (I am a slow fixer-upper.)

      Looking forward to seeing the boxwood wreath tutorial, although I will have to order some boxwood since it doesn’t grow in Wyoming. (I do have a favorite florist who orders such things for me, when I need them.) I am interested in making the smaller wreaths.

      All in all, a wonderful post!

      Thank you!

    57. kristin

      How clever! I love the hot glue on the sleeves–it looks awesome! Oh my–I will be making a wreath! That wreath is BEAUTIFUL!! I may have to put up with the tedious job of doing that because it is too amazing! A little of this, a little of that, still a super blog post!

    58. Danielle

      Loving the randomness of this post. Love your chandelier and that is such a good tip to add “dripping wax”. Love how your boxwood came out and can’t wait to see your chair. x

    59. Terry

      That’s funny, while you are putting up a vintage brass chandy, I am taking one down and selling it. Enjoy yours, I did mine, but it’s time to move on to other light fixtures…more French, and LARGER!

    60. Tina

      Yes, those wool rugs do stop shedding . . . I have had mine for 20 years and it has finally stopped. I know you probably didn’t want to hear that it will take almost 20 years for it to stop! :o) Now if I can just get our 3 dogs to stop shedding, hmm.

      Love the boxwood wreath with attitude, right up my alley that wreath-tude is!!

      Have a great week.

    61. Traer Beaudette

      How do you make a dust bunny look pretty? Now that takes talent!!!

    62. Gemika

      So… Looks like you did upholster the chair?! I can’t wait for the tutorial as I have a great shaped incredibly ugly torn covered old armchair I wanna do up PRONTO! 😉

    63. Frankie Laney

      I hope I haven’t missed your tute on boxwood. Also, I must be the only person who has not heard about the hot glue candle drips! What a fab tip. Thanks and I love your site and blog.
      Frankie

    64. Gail

      Just wanted to let you know how much I love your blog and look forward to your posts! The wreath is gorgeous! Anxiously awaiting the tutorial so I can make my own.

      Trying my hand at making a slipcover using your video tutorials. You are such an inspiration and a wealth of knowledge.

    65. Erin

      Marian, you are funny! Talking about your chairs caused a mental image of water and gizmo(gremlins, haha!), maybe your thinking about it WILL make it happen? Cannot wait for your tutorials, I have been putting off the boxwood projects here, and know you will inspire me to do it!

    66. Amy

      I am so looking forward to the boxwood tutorials! And it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who buys materials and then just stares at them willing my project to finish itself! Ha!

    67. Theresa

      OMG, I’m still waiting almost 2 years later for my wool rug to stop shedding! I think it does reproduce, as we can rub our feet on it and bring up piles of fur! When my boys roll around with dark sweatpants, yikes!! Love the topiary, looking forwar to how too, and the candle drip thing is brilliant!

    68. Denise

      Hi Marian! I love your wreaths and topiaries. *sigh* I am moving more and more towards “natural”, but less of greenery that has to be maintained! I need to get a move on with finding more.
      Your chair gives me the perfect opportunity to ask: I saw a great chair similar to yours today for about $25. I think I can handle 80% of the upholstery, but the seat back and cushion make me nervous. Is it difficult? Should I hire it out? It’s got a really rounded, cushion seat back that is attached to the frame.
      great deal, but I don’t want to have it sitting forever either! 😉

      Love your idea with your phone/ vintage alarm clock. I’m so doing that!!!

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        No, you can do it! I’m going to cover that in the video tutorial, but the key is taking apart the chair piece by piece, so you can see how it’s put together and you can put it back together in the same way. It’s just a puzzle!

        • Denise

          Thanks for the vote of confidence! 🙂

    69. Lorretta from NH

      You are just too funny. Enjoy that flooring and I know what you mean about the heals. My daughter loves her heals. She got married last summer and I actually tried hers on and I gotta tell ya I’d rather be taking care of floors to then get a nose bleed from the height.

    70. Christi

      I have hardwood floors throughout my house, and I battle dust bunnies too. I bought a small, powerful cordless vacuum and I pull it out almost daily. It’s easy (because it is cordless) and pretty quick to make a run through the house. It’s good for the hardwood and the area rugs.

      Love your boxwood wreath!

    71. Audrey Zumwalt

      Love the boxwood wreath and glad you left it a little loose (bushy). Looks more natural that way. Great job on the beautiful chandelier. You seem to get a lot done and it always looks great.
      Thanks for sharing.
      Audrey Z.
      Timeless Treasures

    72. Patricia Krank

      That is a great idea and you are so smart! Glue gun candle drips . . . huh. Love that you watermarked the photo of the dust bunny too. You are so funny. BTW, I was online looking for my nearest Milk Paint distributor today. It is a little bit of a drive but I can’t resist any longer. I’ve got to get over there to try it out. Thanks for sharing, Patti 🙂

    73. Rhissanna

      Candle wax drips?
      Perfect.
      Boxwood wreaths?
      Yes, I leave my boxwood hedge unclipped for months just to make these. After they go yellow, spray with green paint and they look good as new.
      Upholstery tutorial?
      Yes, we’re waiting!

    74. MaryS

      I have all hardwood floors – not as pretty as your tho – and little doggie that “isn’t supposed to shed”… so I know all about dust bunnies. In this house we have dust monsters. But that’s ok..
      I just get out the dust mop which my doggie takes exception with and barks at it the whole time I’m using it to get rid of her dust bunnies. Isn’t life funny??

    75. Kris

      I like how not everything has to be perfect. That’s stuff is right up my alley!

    76. Claudine

      LOL! LOve the fluff!!! I have NO RUGS in my house… just hardwood floors… and TWO dogs. A mini Collie, and a German Shepherd. I have tumbleweeds of fur… ANd yep, they will never stop shedding!
      I guess that’s my trade off for the high heels, LOL!
      I love the fake wax drops in the chandeliers, great idea!
      And I will be waiting for the Boxwood wreath tutorial, adorable!!!
      I am not sure if I am ready for the chair… you can wait a little longer lol!
      Hugs
      Claudine

    77. Pendra

      I love that you keep it real…taping your chandelier, you just gotta love that!
      ~Pendra

    78. Anne

      Marian I too have used hot glue as drips on my chandelier sleeves.I did this years ago and was so happy to see that you did this too!So cool when creative minds think a alike.It just came to me one day when I was redoing some of my lights.But I had not thought of painting on top of the wax hmmmmm I may have to try that!
      So funny I can see you getting up and waving at your television.Where your children with you?If they were they were probably wondering why you kept waving at the television LOL!
      Oh yes dust bunnies.Honestly I never really knew what those were until I had wood floors.I really don’t get many of those now.Our kitchen and guest bath are the only two with wood right now.But when our whole house we had lots of those.But a swiffer sweeper and vacuum are great friends when you have wood floors 🙂 .BTW I love using tea to clean my wood floors.It gives them an amazing shine!
      xx
      Anne

    79. Karen

      My hardwood floors collect dust bunnies the size of Texas…on a daily basis. Wool rugs, 1 cat that sheds, and an older oil heating system that throws dust out of the vents are the culprits. The Swiffer mop sheets are a lifesaver as are these funny “dusting slippers” I got from Homegoods that my kids love to wear. They don’t even know that they’re dusting!!
      I’ll send you a photo of them of them. They are really pretty funny.

    80. teresa

      I would be ungrateful if I didn’t let you know….that because of you ….I finally did it. I just rented a space to open my own little “Creative” shop. A place for women to gather and create together! It will open in March
      Thanks you….I hope you know that the inspiration you share is a blessing in my life….and i thanked our Heavenly Father for your gift.
      Happy Day

      Teresa

    81. Monica

      You are so creative and for mother’s day I will be asking for your book.

    82. Alice Garner

      I love your posts–how do you do the things you do and manage to blog about them, too? I hate to blog and it takes forever to get my digital camera to take any photos that I would actually put on my web-site.If you don’t have an assistant or a genie in a bottle then you are truly Wonder Woman with an adorable pixie hair cut. I discovered your website by accident a few weeks before your Milk Paint demonstration in Cary, NC last year. So I was thrilled when I knew I would be able to meet you in person. You did not disappoint–as a matter of fact–you were real, genuine and down to earth (just like everyone says ). I just wanted to say that you are a real inspiration and I look forward to your continued successes. So, if its you, or a genie in bottle, who cares, just keep the blogs coming. You are a gift to us all!
      ~Alice

    83. Miss Mustard Seed

      LOL..thank you! Yes, I still do it all myself. I have one person who manages my Milk Paint retailers, but otherwise I’m a one woman show. 🙂

    84. Terrie from Atlanta, GAterr

      Love the look of pretty chandy’s throughout the house, but the one place I just can’t bring myself to make the change is in my bedroom. Living in the deep South, there is nothing sweeter than a bit of a breeze stirring the air and keeping me from getting overheated throughout the night . . . am I the only one who still loves this old tradition? Plus, overhead lighting isn’t my really my thing ~ I just love the sparkles and romance a chandelier brings to a space.
      On another note: try your connections with either Oreck or Ace Hardware’s carpet cleaning machines for the new rug. My dad suggested it when I had part of my house recarpeted, and it was GENIUS! Either the extra-strong suction or steamy / soapy mixture loosened up all of the unglued wafts of wool. Decrease in bunnies and sneezing!
      Love the “pot pourri” post ~ xo

    85. Jessica

      I absolutely love your blog and can’t wait for all the boxwood and the chair tutorial! Thanks for sharing!

    86. Elisabeth

      This might be a dumb question but is you boxwood greenery real? If so, how long does it last and look good?

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        Yes, it’s real boxwood that’s been preserved. I’m not sure how long it will last, but I’ve had two wreaths for over a year and they still look as great as the day I got them!

    87. Laura@Ms Smartie Pants

      I can’t wait for these tutorials, I just bought the planks for my bedroom ceiling. As for shedding rugs, I’ve had my wool rug for 5 years and still shedding!

    88. ByLightOfMoon

      That w brilliant idea on the wax drops in the chandelier bulb bases! I too have hardwood floors and lots of dust bunnies but ,mine are a lot of dog hair and we also live on gravel roads, so cleaning daily does take time. I have thought of felting the dog hair! LOL!
      The boxwood is beautiful, I love it! I saw your log on Thistle Cove Farm and now I am a new subscriber!
      Your blog is beautiful and looks like full of great tips! Thanks for sharing!
      Smiles, Cyndi

    89. Sherill

      Do you happen to know when the tutorial for the boxwood topiaries will be posted? Will you give all of us Miss Mustard Seeders a heads up?

    90. Anna Maxson

      Help! Did I miss the Boxwood wreath tutorial? I’ve been looking for it in the days since you posted this but haven’t been able to find it. Is it going to be on HGTV.com? I found an old shutter at a junk store which is crying out for a little boxwood wreath to be hung with it. I know you’ve been busy with your kitchen so don’t let me rush you! Just thought maybe I missed it somewhere.

      Also, what do you use for the inside of the drawers of the dressers you refinish? Do you always paint them or do you ever line them with paper? I have a beautiful antique that I found for our daughter but the drawers are musty. I’ve cleaned them as best as I can but I’m concerned about the musty smell transferring to her clothes. I’d rather not paint the drawers (I don’t think I’ll paint the piece, it’s in really good shape and a beautiful wood) but I’m stumped with these drawers. Any thoughts?

    91. Susan

      Would love to know the name of the material for the chair u upholstered . Looked all day yesterday for material to cover my new drum shade for chandelier & couldn’t find one that really “wowed ” me. Thanks. Love keeping up with all your fun remodels & decor! Thanks for inspiring us.

    92. Emily

      MMS
      Do you have your tutorial for the boxwood wreaths online?

    93. Jessie@ The Outdoor Report

      You really are an amazing designer. Everything you create has a very elegant feel to it.

    94. Colleen

      I have the exact same chandeliers, however someone cut the cord before I purchased it and it needs to be rewired.
      I was wondering did yours come all shiny? Mine is totally grungy and I tried Brasso on it but it doesnt seem to shine it up that much.

      Colleen

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