WhisperWood Cottage Featured @ The DIY Show Off

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hisperWood Cottage is being featured by Roeshel@The DIY Show Off! Thanks, Roeshel!! She's highlighting several of my makeover projects that have been posted over the past couple months. Which is your favorite? Please pop on over there then come back and tell me which project you like best! I'd love to know!! :)

P.S. I'm helping a friend with a "garage sale" like no other! Wait until you see the photos!! What's that? Did I pick up a few things? If you asked the question, you already know the answer!

Baby Shower for Baby Bella!

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appy baby shower, Bella! Your Grandma Deb@Talking Trash is so sweet to host this party for you and your mom Jenn@The Apiary. We are so thrilled to be invited! We love that you are healthy and happy and getting so big!! The only baby I have is Baby Dog Tanner. Yes, he is 8 years old now, but I still ask him every day, "How's mama's baby dog?" He always answers with a happy butt (that's what we call a wagging tail)!!
When Tanner was little, he used to crawl under the itty bitty footstool in the photo above. I used to be able to lift him up and give him little doggy kisses. He grew up quickly though! You will grow just as quickly, so make sure you cuddle and rock with your family as much as possible!
One day you will take your packed lunch, get on the bus, and go off to school. You will love it! Tanner loved it when he went. See his graduation photo above? He was top of his class! He says, "Just do your best, Bella. Your family will be so proud of you!"
Tanner put on his best outfit just for you party today. He's always up to some kind of monkey business! But we love him just as your parents, grandparents, and your blogging family love you!

We're off to socialize at the party! Your Grandma Deb has some great music playing and Tanner is ready to dance!!

A Love Affair

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'm having a love affair! Yes, it's true. As I was walking through TJMaxx, our eyes met and there was an instantaneous connection. Love at first sight. They had me at hello. Yes, they. There were more than one. Yes, my husband knows. And frankly he's quite fine with it!

You're invited to join the love affair, too. Come on! It's okay! We have an open relationship. Join me in loving these absolutely lovely multi-color pillows! They are open to cuddling and snuggling with everyone!

I found this set of three pillows (two square and one rectangle) at TJMaxx a few weeks ago. I've been on a bit of turquoise kick lately (evident in my new blog header as well!), and these just whispered to me in a sweet, sexy voice, "take me home." Does anyone else ever hear that voice while in TJMaxx?

Well, they are quite at home now in our guest room. Two are nestled together on the guest bed and one likes to lounge in the best seat of the house...the new french chaise. So, what do you think? Will you join the love fest?

Visit more Thrifty Thursday Finds over at Leigh's Tales from Bloggeritaville!

Get Your Lighting in Gear

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e all know that many junkers are fans of gears of all sizes. If you are a gear-head, this industrial chic lamp is for you! But wait! It's more than a lamp! In this post, you can see how you can use it as a resting spot for your cell phone while it charges. Here is how it was created...

STEP 1. Visit your local mechanic or even your own garage to see what fun auto parts you can find.

STEP 2. Haul home heavy (and I do mean heavy!) gears to your friendly welder (a handsome husband in my case) and ask "What can we make with these?"

STEP 3. Walk out into the garage and find handsome hubby creating a masterpiece! He started by using this rotor as the base. He welded a scrap piece of rod to the center and then added the two other gears (I was informed that they are not actually gears, but we are going to go with that term anyway) at varying points along the rod.

STEP 4. Pick up a lamp kit from your local department store and follow instructions for assembly.

STEP 5. Don't forget a fun finial!

STEP 6. Add a lampshade of your choice. This is a chic black drum shade from Wal-mart (gasp!) of all places. I was surprised to find exactly what I needed there.

STEP 7. Plug it in and turn it on to add ambience and function to any room. Here it is at home in our back entry way.

STEP 8. Have glass rounds cut to place atop the gears. We use ours as a charging station for our cell phones. But here are some other ideas...

1. Try it in the living room with potted plants inserted into the gear centers.
2. Place bowls into the center of the gears for serving snacks in the dining room.
3. Contain paper clips in the office.
4. Hold your keys in the entry.
5. Nestle your glasses or other bedside needs.
6. Serve as a spotlight for special objects you place on the gear shelves.

Industrial, chic, and functional! Get into gear!

For more Trash to Treasure makeovers, visit Kimm@Reinvented!

For DIY Day projects, visit Kimba@A Soft Place to Land!

Visit Gina@The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursday ideas!

New Blog Header at WhisperWood Cottage!

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owdy, fabulous WhisperWood Cottage fans! I'm feeling the bloggy love today and thought I would share it with you! The weather here in Minnesota has been cool, rainy, and overcast...not summery whatsoever! It inspired me to infuse a little summery change here at the WhisperWood Cottage blog.

Like the master bedroom makeover that I've been contemplating and planning for three years, the WhisperWood Cottage blog was long overdue for a little nip and tuck. Both projects are finally underway! I've traded in my standard Blogger template for a fancy schmancy new blog header.

How did I create it? In Photoshop. I just discovered the magic of the brushes. Not your standard paintbrushes, but these cool brush designs that bring instant cool elegance to whatever you are working on. I started playing around last night and this is the design that flew onto the screen.

I learned about brushes from a post by Jodi@MCP Actions called 21 AMAZING Free Brush Sites. I only got to the first site because there were so many great designs. Thanks to the artists at My Photoshop Brushes! The flower designs in the blog header are from a brush set called "Dance of the Flowers," which was designed by a Hungarian female artist called sleepwalkerfish. I absolutely love this brush set!! If you have Photoshop and haven't used these before, you are in for a real treat!!

I hope you enjoy the new WhisperWood Cottage header! Please tell me what you think!

Don't Rate My Space!

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lease, I implore you, do NOT rate my space! We all know the magic that Angelo Surmelis performs on Rate My Space each week. Yeah, Angelo, if you're listening, my room needs help! Well, I'm sure Angelo is busy, so RJNJ and I are on a mission to fix up this bad boy of a room.

It all started when the shelving in my closet finally gave out for the last time. Do you see below where the previous owners had used plexi-glass to reinforce the wall? That's only the beginning! This photo doesn't show you how metal parts have simply crumpled and screws have been mercilessly pulled from the wall. (Does it sound dramatic enough?) It was the last straw!

We (okay...I) have been planning a makeover for this room since we moved in...three years ago. However, the kitchen, dining room, living room, hallway, guest room, office, and workout room all got overhauled first. Now we're on to the master bedroom...finally!

LEFT WALL...TALLEST CEILING...OPPOSITE WINDOWS...DOOR TO MASTER BATH

WALL OPPOSITE ENTRY...SLANTED ROOFLINE

RIGHT WALL...THE ONLY WINDOWS...LOWEST CEILING

ENTRY DOOR ON RIGHT...WALK-IN CLOSET ON LEFT...SLANTED ROOFLINE

Its strengths...

1. The size is good.
2. The carpet is in great condition and very plush (it's value is negated in the next section)
3. Ummmm....I can't think of any more.

Its challenges?

1. It has carpeting. It has forest green carpeting. Yeah, nice but not my thing. I've always dreamed of wood floors...in every room!!
2. Oddly low windows. Makes furniture placement difficult.
3. The walls. Have you seen the walls? Those strips are what the builder did in place of taping and mudding the joints. Our whole house was like that when we moved in.
4. Strange roofline. Enough said.
5. Not enough storage space. The closet is a walk-in, but yeah, um...there's only room for one person's clothing. Remember, we have winter and summer here...so we have lots of different clothing. Since, we don't have a basement or other adequate storage, it ALL stays in our bedroom year-round.
6. The trim. Oh, the trim. Can you see it? Yeah. Feel my pain.

The good news is that work has started. Believe me! It's pure chaos! Everything that was in that room is now spread around every other room of the house. Our dining room has become our temporary closet, so the dining table has been moved into part of the living room. We are sleeping in the guest room and all the extra pillows and duvet are piled on top of my pretty blue chaise I recently showed you. The price we pay for beauty!

Any words of wisdom for the renovators? What would your vision be for the space? What do you think we could do with it?

P.S. Angelo...darling...we still have a master bathroom and an entry way to do. If you can't work us into your schedule, could you please send over Genevieve, Vern, David, or Candice? Or if you happen to know Sarah, she's one of my favorites! Thanks! You're a doll!

Save the Date for Junkologie Blog Party 2009!

That's right! I'm hosting a party and you don't want to miss it! Yes...a face-to-face, gonna-hug-all-my-favorite-bloggers, never-seen-so-much-cool-junk kind of party! Mark your calendars! Book your train, plane, or automobile! And plan on being there for the coolest and junkiest celebration of blog friends this year!

Will you do me a favor? Pass the word along! Post the image above on your blog. Here is a 150x150 bloggy button you can keep on your side bar as well! Please link it to http://junkologie.blogspot.com/! Or you can simply get the code for the bloggy button in my sidebar at the left! Copy and paste it into an html widget on your blog.

More details (including a map) are provided and will continue to be provided over the next few weeks on the Junkologie blog! RSVP on the Junkologie Facebook Event page and/or by leaving a comment below!

So, what do you say? Are you in?

The Reveal!

Here she is! Loving arms to wrap around you!

A strong back to support her friends...

Lovingly greeting you in the guest room...

Nestle in and relax those weary feet...

Grab a book and enjoy the peace and quiet...

Do you love her as much as I do?

Photo Teaser 3...

Sexy legs, a bruised knee, down-filled cushioning...

Photo Teaser 2...

Curved lines, rustic patina, french details...

Photo Teaser 1...

Something special...lovely Tiffany blue...carved wood with white & blue patina...

P.S. If you are in the Duluth, MN, area on Saturday, July 11, 2009, there's a

Vintage Flea Market!

Fun vendors and great items!

Living the Wild Life at WhisperWood Cottage!

I meant wildlife, not wild life!

PHOTO 1: We saw these geese on the St. Louis River when we went whitewater rafting with my brother and his girlfriend a few weeks ago.

PHOTO 2: This dragonfly was resting on the sidewalk. He knew how to work the camera!

PHOTO 3: This is the mother pileated woodpecker and her two babies at feeding time. They live in a tree in our front yard. During mating season, daddy woodpecker likes to try to peck a hole in anything metal. The noisier the better to show off for those females! Pileated woodpeckers are the largest (about 15") woodpecker in North America. Night or day, those babies weren't shy about saying they were hungry! Go to allaboutbirds.org and hit play to hear their call!

PHOTO 4: I found this moth taking a nap on the inside of the junk shed door. His colors and textures are fabulous!

This is as wild as it gets here at WhisperWood Cottage! How about in your neck of the woods (or desert, or beach, or mountains, or wherever you call home)? What creatures make you pull out your camera, hush and watch, or run away screaming?