1st Field Trip to SpringHill Park, Trindle Lock & Dam

Today's homeschool lesson was on the 3rd day of creation, Land, Waters and Plant/Trees..........so, what a perfect reason to go to the nearest water/land experience than the Lock & Dam Park.  We saw it driving over to Van Buren and wanted to check it out someday and today was THAT day.  Perfect weather and the water level was up high and flowing great.  The two separate playgrounds were perfect for their ages and Landon rode his bike all over the place. Great site for bike trails & picnics & fishing. We walked down to the water after snacks and having our Bible Truth lesson. This is a great place to go. Two thumbs up!

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Faux Granite Countertops & Faux Copper Vent A Hood Makeover

Kitchen Contertop, Vent A Hood, Knobs, Makeover for Sister In Law......
I wanted to share what techniques I did for this kitchen makeover for design reasons, but I did not do this just to have something to blog about.  I wanted my Sis In Law to know how much she's appreciated and wanted to do something special for her and their family.  They spend most of their time doing things for other people and I wish I could have done so much more. My Bro In Law provided the funds to pull of this surprise....How Much?  Well, I'll never tell!

Using a Faux Granite Paint Technique I took a greenish/black countertop and gave it an overhaul.  My Sis in law was gone for a week 1/2 and it was a great opportunity to surprise her with a slight kitchen makeover. She homeschool's 3 children and is involved with many church and charity events.  I thought this would be a great way to let her know how much she is appreciated. I searched her Pinterest boards for some ideas of what she's been meaning to do and got the O.K. from her husband to go ahead.  The items I used were from another blogger who watched a Pro do this technique.  Here's what i used:
6 different colors of acrylic paint, 2 of them were metallic
gold flecks, intended for paint mixing
Bull's Eye Primer
sponges & cheap watercolor brush
roller brush, angled brush
6 layers of Polycrylic Satin
2 layers of Polycrylic Gloss

 I got paint happy and bored waiting on the paint layers to dry, so I experimented on the vent a hood.  It is wood and I used an antique copper acrylic with a turquoise paint over the top of it. Using several techniques and topping with a polycrylic gloss, the outcome was so realistic and it achieved the patina look I was hoping for.  It looks so much nicer in daylight. 

I took this little table from across the kitchen and painted the legs a turquoise-ish grey color and moved it to the center of the kitchen

Here, i took the curtains from the top and cut them in half and used a spring rod to make a cafe look.  The stone laminate in the shelf above was a suggestion for later installing to make a rock look in the shelving nooks.

I took an old board laying on the dining floor, dusty and I hope she hadn't intended this for anything else, but did a total personalized sign. I first painted it with a self mixed greyish chalk paint & then I used wax paper in my printer and used a pencil and exacto knife to outline the letters and used acrylic paint to finish.

I took her cream ceramic knobs off and spray painted them a hammered grey-blue and used the antique copper color to sponge on.  As it dried it separated from the other paint and produced this lovely patina copper finish.

Over all, my sister-in-law loved the overhaul.  I knew she would either Love it or she'd never let me back in her house again!  I did some organizing for her with some Pinerest ideas such as a rod under the sink for spray bottles and other organizing helps.  It was such fun playing in someone else's things!











Please feel free to write your thoughts here, I'd love to read them!