Updated China Cabinet and a KILZ Giveaway

A few months ago the people with KILZ

asked me if I wanted to try their newly launched zero-VOC primer, KILZ Clean Start. Of course I'm always willing to try out any new product---especially one that makes painting easier and doesn't have a strong smell.I've been wanting to update my built-in china cabinet, to give it a fresh new look. Years ago hubby and I added trim and crown molding to this cabinet to dress it up and hide the imperfections from it's original contractor build. I then painted the original sad looking oak a beautiful dark green with copper highlights. Wanting to freshen it up with a lighter paint color KILZ Clean Start was the perfect product since it's always good to use a primer when painting a lighter color on top of a darker. Priming first means less top coats and less chance of shadowing or bleed-thru from the darker paint.The KILZ went on smooth and there was hardly any odor. . . No, the KILZ people did not pay me to say this. They gave me a gallon of paint and I'm giving you my honest opinion about it.

I'm really happy with the china cabinet's new look!
The people at KILZ want to give
one lucky Joys of Home reader
their own gallon of KILZ Clean Start.
All you need to do to win is leave a comment here
and tell me the project you'd like to use KILZ Clean Start.
For an additional entry go to the KILZ Facebook page,
"like" them then come back here
and leave an additional comment.
The giveaway will be open until midnight (MT)
Wednesday, January 25th.
The winner will be announced soon after.

Following a Trend

Garden stools are very popular in home design. Their versatility and unique design help to promote their popularity. I've been intrigued with them for some time but I could never justify their price. When I found them at discount stores their quality seemed a bit lacking and I knew they likely wouldn't hold up to my rowdy crew. So I gave up on having the trendy little stool, until I found one at the thrift store for only a few dollars. It's color was not what appealed to me. It was it's weight---it felt like it was made of cement! As I muscled it to the check stand I envisioned it's makeover.
It seemed that it's previous owners likely abandoned it because it had a serious injury. I pulled out a glob of plumbers epoxy putty, made the necessary repair, and waited for the putty to dry. Once dry I sanded the area and then applied a few coats of paint-plus-primer.
The little stool has a new life and I am a proud trend follower!

Spooky Greetings And a Gift Card Winner

I have been slow to decorate for Halloween. It seems that the old wife's tale that death comes in threes is true for our family. My sweet mother's loving husband recently passed and things have been difficult. We miss him dearly!
But I have learned that one of the best ways for me to take my mind off of my troubles is to beautify my surroundings.
I started with these terracotta pumpkins that I've had for years. They needed a little updating and since my favorite color of late is gray that's the color they became. A spritz of black glitter gave them a little glam.I paired them up with bright green lanterns and grocery store pumpkins.Then I filled an urn with some dead branches where crows can rest.A spider is feeling at home too.The frame got a spray paint makeover to match the lanterns.And now my porch is ready for the season.I am excited to announce that "Little Old Me" was randomly selected to receive the $100 Wal*Mart gift card. Congratulations! Please email me so I can pass on your information.

Back In Love

I have loved my long green table for years. It was a thrift find that may have once been a school science table---the old gum stuck underneath, as well as the holes from a pencil sharpener would indicate that that was it's previous life. I painted and distressed it to match my home decor but that was a few years back and my style has evolved since then.
A couple of weeks ago I stopped to look at the mis-tints at the big orange box store. I fell in love with a quart of muddy gray paint that someone else did not care for. A few coats of paint and it looked like new.Wanting to keep the story of the science table in tact I gave it a glaze, darkening it over the dings and scratches, to bring out the previous chapters of it's life.Then to give it a little more interest and height I added some casters.

I am back in love with my table!

***Enter for a $100 Wal*mart gift card HERE***