Aunt Jan's House: Making a Headboard

"Tomorrow, I'm going to build a headboard."

Reading in the most peaceful setting, ever.

This summer I went to visit my family in Chicago for my Great Uncle Ron's 80th birthday, and had the great honor of staying with him and my Aunt Jan. Jan has done a beautiful job decorating her home, and has an incredible garden.

Aunt Jan and I were having lunch and looking at decorating magazines, when she told me about an unfinished project she had to build a headboard. I said, "Let's do it!"

The reason Aunt Jan hadn't finished the project was that she thought she would need a second set of hands to carry a large piece of beadboard from the home improvement store. Luckily, when we got to the store, we noticed they sold a piece of beadboard that was already the perfect size!

The frame is two old window frames nailed together, and a decorative moulding nailed to the top. (Aunt Jan had already assembled the headboard that far.) When we lined the beadboard up and realized it was the EXACT RIGHT SIZE, there was much rejoicing. We put the frame on the ground and nailed the beadboard into the back of the frame.

All that was left was to screw the finished project into the wall and voila.

Aunt Jan says the only thing that matters about decorating is that the end result makes you smile. I think that makes this project a huge success!

Responsible Renter: Felt Pads

"Tomorrow, I'm going to  apply protective felt pads to my chairs."

 This is one of those things that's easy to overlook until it's too late. When I first set up my table and chairs, the slight drag on the floor made me cringe a little every time I moved a chair to sit down or clean under it. I bought some felt pads and they were easy to stick on--just had to clean the chair feet first.

When my brother/roommate came into the kitchen, I pulled out a chair and said, "Do you hear that?"

He said, "What?"

I said, "Exactly."

So here's a happy reminder. Whether you own or rent, protect your floors!