home improvement | So Pretty is as Pretty Does.

Jul 15

Fixture Fix: A Safer Way to Remove Paint

There are moments while crafting or working on a home improvement project when I’ll remember how toxic some of the paints, cleaners and adhesives can be. But, using that not so good for you product is sometimes the only way to get something finished with the desired look, which makes it even more exciting when I find a way to get something done without having to use any creepy chemicals. Such is the case with this method of oh so easily removing paint from door fixtures with items that I’m guessing you have in your kitchen right now instead of harsh chemicals.

Jul 3

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Bathroom Mini-Renovation {Part 2: The Window}

The crusade to update the bathroom continues! Flooring and wall treatments are in the works, but step one for the window is complete. I’m excited to share an awesome idea from Ashley at 7th House on the Left that can create privacy for any window. As with most projects, there’s usually a balance between time and money. You can pay a lot and get it done quickly, or you can take the cheaper route and spend more time. This DIY project was definitely the latter.

May 9

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$600 Makeover {Kitchen}

When my husband and I bought our house two years ago, we knew that we were going to completely renovate the kitchen. But, because our house is quite a fixer-upper, we didn’t know when a kitchen renovation was going to take place. In the interim, we had to do something to make it livable. With a budget set at $600, we picked the most important and economical features to fix. This meant that appliances, counter tops and cabinets were off the list. But, we made a substantial visual impact by changing paint, fixtures, lighting, and flooring. And, we made a substantial functional impact by creating a work space from a previously unused area.

Apr 25

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From Hoarder to Order

A perfect storm occurred in my rarely used front porch. A craft room in complete upheaval from a semi-recent move, debris from designing, creating and storing favors, invitations, menus etc. from our wedding last year, and unofficially designating this space as a storage unit, since our front door is ~~rarely~~ never used. These three factors along with dozens of projects requiring more immediate attention around our nearly 100 year old bungalow created the perfect storm, the creation of a 20′ x 8′ space that could easily earn me a spot on Hoarders: Buried Alive.

Though it pains me to show any space in this much disarray, in efforts to learn something from this pile of wreckage, it’s a necessary evil. Plus, who doesn’t like a nice, dare a say, dramatic before and after?

{before}

Apr 16

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elevated agriculture {raised bed gardening}

Well, both my garden and I went on a bit of a hiatus these past several months (we abhor winter). So, this post serves to announce that So, pretty is as pretty does, as well as my vegetable garden are back up and running.

For the past two years, my husband and I have been using a 22′ x 15′ garden located toward the end of our property. Aside from four walls (made from free fencing found curbside!), this space has been sort of an unwieldy blank canvass. This season I started my research early and found some great resources making a strong case for using raised beds, so we decided to go for it. The whole project set us back around $350…wood and dirt are surprisingly expensive.