Home Tour: Client's Natural Spa Bathroom

Today's home tour is not of my own but of a client's who needed my help making over her bathroom. She and her husband just finished renovating the entire room, taking out the old builder-grade bathtub surround, shower, toilet, flooring and mirror and replacing them with upscale features that created a spa-like feel in their master bathroom. Don't you just love the shower floor?

The area over the toilet needed a little help. It was a shallow space and it really is the only display area they have in there. Plus, they both see it from the mirror when they're at their sinks in the morning. I suggested they use reclaimed lumber to create shelves that seemed to float between the two side walls.

She got some old barn wood from her dad and her hubby built these great shelves!!! Aren't they amazing!?

They don't waste any space and they use the height of the area so well!

Next came the decorating! He collects vintage home goods and loaned us some of his best glass jars from his Hoosier collection. They had a few baskets that she gathered from other parts of the house that weren't being used. And we knew we would use a photo plant that he had been nurturing for a while now. They just needed a few things to really fill in the space and give it a rustic luxurious feel. So off she and I went to our favorite home and hobby stores.

We focused on texture. Her color palet is Valspar's Sauteed Mushroom, Slate and Steel Blue. They love the outdoors so we wanted to bring a little of that in. And we wanted to make sure it had both masculine and feminine features.

Here's what we came up with!

I'll walk you through the elements, left to right starting at the top corner.

1. Something old: the client's treasured antique Hoosier jar that will eventually hold several bars of ivory soap

2. Bring the outside in: a concrete garden finial of a bird and the client's photo plant

3. Bath accessories: bubble bath, bath salts, brush, ceramic pitcher
4. More jars: these will hold cotton balls, q-tips, etc.
5. Rolled Linens: An easy way to display useful items is to roll your washcloths, hand towels, etc. and organize them in baskets or even just stacks on a shelf.
6. Handled Tray: This tray can easily be moved over to the edge of the bathtub when it's time to soak. It features candles (battery operated) and a salt jar, perfect for epsom salt!
7. Basket of Stones: If you've ever had a hot stone massage you may know how relaxing a smooth stone can be on tired muscles. Don't just leave them for decorating; soak a few of them in hot water and use them to rub away tension after a long day!

You may have also noticed a basket on the back of the toilet. This is great for camouflaging necessities such as feminine products or matches. In this case we are going to fill it with rolls of toilet paper. The basket near the tub holds an orchid, natural sponges and can be a great place to store extra washcloths for easy access.

We hope this inspires you to add a touch of spa to your bathroom! Please send us pictures if you do! Don't be afraid to display items that you actually use! Even just focusing on texture and having a variety of materials can make a big impact on a small space!

Happy junkin'!
Liz

Monday's Haul: Hitching Post

I won't say green is my favorite color. It's like asking who is your favorite child, or niece or nephew... all you can maybe do is say which one you're extra fond of right now.

My mom reposted this picture from Christmas and I just love it!

I love all those sweet faces!

So I won't say green is my favorite color, but I'm extra fond of it right now. :) And it is what drew me to this week's Monday Haul.

When I'm junkin' I try to keep an open mind. I love to find odd pieces that seem like they don't fit anywhere and make them work the way I need them to.

That's the story behind this old post topper. Chippy paint, heavy metal, flat bottom – sounds like a rock & roll song in the works – but these are all the makings of a great decor element!

This one was the worst of the worst... one of 7 or 8 that were for sale in a booth at a local antique shop. The others all had mostly solid paint but this one was in bad shape. That's just the kind I like!

And for $6, you can't beat that! (I mean, you probably could if it were free, but it wasn't!)

Just look at all that rust! And the old hardware! I'm not sure, but I imagine these went on top of a series of posts and held either a chain or rope. They could have also been used for hitching posts.

Now, this one has a new life as a bookend!

It's the perfect weight and height! And gives a nice complement to my wedding picture with my Diddy and an old insulator that reminds me of my Grandpa Chester. 

So what junk have you found lately?

Liz

Inspired by: I Want to be a Healthy Mom

Today's post is written by Michelle Rabon, our friend & writer over at Displaying Grace.

"Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, 

who lives in you and was given to you by God? 

You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. 

So you must honor God with your body."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

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I want to be a healthy mom, a fit mom, a strong mom…I want to treat my body the way God intended and I want to teach my children how to be healthy and take care of what God has given to them. It's a commitment worth making!

I didn’t always have this mentality, I was content where I was…I was happy being over-weight and eating what I wanted and if we are going to get real for a few minutes; I loved chocolate and french fries more than I loved myself. That is deep stuff. Once baby number three arrived something changed, maybe I wised up…maybe I finally realized just what my choices were doing, not just to myself but to my family. As a stay-at-home mom I cook the majority of the meals in the house, I control what is bought at the grocery store and what items find their way into the pantry. I control what goes into my husband's lunch box and on the lunch and dinner plates. It was like a choir of angels sang and I realized that being healthy and having a healthy family starts with me.

Healthy means being able to walk away from the chocolate and french fries, exercising more and cutting out things that are not doing my body any good, and certainly are not doing my family any good. Being healthy means creating new habits and a new way of life. NO DIETS here, we are changing our lives not just starting something we can quit later. My goal is to make us healthy for life!

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Friends, I am inspired by Michelle's dedication and commitment. As a stay-at-home momma who works from home, it's so easy for me to roll out of bed and stay in sweats all day! It's easy to eat whenever I want (or more often for me, not eat all day then pig out all evening). Will you join me in becoming healthier as a mom, wife, woman, friend? Will you and your families join our family in making better choices and growing strong together? 

Here are 7 things I am committing to do this week:
1. Wake up on time and get fully dressed every morning. 
2. Give the first half-hour of every day to my Father in devotion and prayer. Not facebook or Twitter, not a book. The Word and Prayer. 
3. Have a nutritious, high-protein shake for breakfast and only ONE cup of black coffee.
4. Walk the dogs for at least 30 minutes at least once every day.
5. Spend 15 minutes each day on strength training for one area of my body.
6. Eat lunch and two nutritious snacks every day.
7. Other than the one cup of coffee at breakfast, drink water only and plenty of it. (No drink mixes with sweeteners - natural or artificial)

Comment below and share with us how you feel convicted to do this. I'll share with you later in the week how I'm doing.

By the way, does junkin' count as strength training? ;)

Liz

It's All In How You Frame It!

If a picture paints a thousand words then why can't I paint you?

The world will never show the you I've come to know.

If a face could launch a thousand ships then where am I to go?

There's no one home but you; You're all that's left me too.

~ "If" by David Gates (Bread), 1971

Pictures. Sweet faces.

There's something about capturing moments in photos that makes them live on forever! Take this photo, for instance, of new big sister, Lizzie welcoming baby Ella home. She was so gentle and sweet with her even though it was a brand new life these two were just beginning. Wonder and curiosity. Unexplainable love at first sight!

But the photos themselves are just paper and ink. It's not until you display them that they become a part of your everyday life. A photo on your desk is a welcome distraction when work becomes overwhelming. A picture on an entry table tells everyone who enters your home just who is important to you. And framing a photo to keep on your nightstand gives you a focus point on those long, sleepless nights when all you can find to do is pray for those you love.

Reclaimed wood provides a warm pallet for those photographs. Liz Hill & Co. uses salvaged wood from old buildings, barns and homes to create one-of-a-kind standing picture frames that allow your photos to be the focus. Easy to update, the frames feature a plexiglass front where your photo simply slides in. They can be finished with burlap ribbon, flowers, metal accents, a name... anything you like! And because each piece is unique, you can request any combination of colors and finishes!

These frames are available in our Etsy shop now! Order yours today or contact us directly to request one just the way you want it!

Happy junkin'!

Liz

You Light Up My Life!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Momma! She lights up my life! She will probably argue with me but I know it's true – I get my craftiness and love of creating from her. I also get my perfectionism from her, which can sometimes be a great thing!

What else? Hmmmm.... My thick, curly hair; the reason song lyrics are a part of my regular thought patterns; my desire to please; and appreciation of all things old. In fact, a lot of why Liz Hill & Co. is successful is because to her!

So, here's to you, Momma! Happy Birthday! I hope this "New Year" brings you loads of joy, health & happiness! I love you!

{{{BIG HUGS}}}

You light up my life! You give me hope to carry on! You light up my days and fill my *heart* with song! ~LeAnne Rimes (with a small change to the lyrics)

Today we really are talking about lighting!

Lighting is one of the most important elements of home design. And no matter what your design style, today's post is designed to help you customize the lighting in your space. It may take a little effort, but I promise – it's worth it!

Many homes today have recessed lighting (sometimes called can lights) that use regular standard-base bulbs but sit above the ceiling line. They are great for flooding a specific area with light and fit nearly every design style since they are fairly generic.

But their generic nature is exactly why I wanted to change mine out! I really wanted a pendant light over my kitchen sink so I did a little research and today I'm going to share with you how to turn that generic can light into a statement piece that complements your home.

In your local home improvement store's lighting department, look for a can light conversion kit. The conversion kit creates a dropped pendant light out of a recessed feature. It comes with a base similar to a light bulb that goes directly into the ceiling fixture. This connects to the wiring that is dropped down to the new light bulb base that can be raised or lowered to meet your needs. You'll have your choice of nickel, oil-rubbed bronze or white (I believe). The best part is that the switch that controlled your can light still works with the new pendant light and there's no wiring or electrical work involved!

The kit brands I've seen have a variety of coordinating globes that fit on them. But to make this a little more DIY and a little more personal, I want to show you our idea for customizing the new light.

We like the idea of using old potato chip or saltine cans for the shade/globe but you could also use an old egg basket or even a half bushel basket. What you use will determine whether to make it upside down or right side up. It will also determine whether you use a flood light (like the one that was already in ours) or change to an Edison bulb or low-energy bulb.

For a basket like this, we would turn it upside down and use a low-energy bulb to minimize heat.

To retrofit your "shade", you'll need to measure the opening of your drop-down light's opening and cut a hole that diameter in the center of your item. For our can, we cut the hole in the lid so the can could sit right side up and show off the beautiful graphics. We then cut the bottom out of the can and smoothed the edges.

Viola!

We hope you'll be brave and try this can light conversion! It adds so much character and interest to an otherwise boring fixture. And it still provides bright light!

What are you junkin' for this week?

Liz

Monday's Haul: Key to My Heart

Liz Hill & Co. is a collaborative effort of many creative people. One of them happens to be my 12 year-old daughter, Hailey. She can sniff out a great find and has a good eye for design as well as her passion: fashion. Today I'm going to hand the keyboard over to her and let her tell you a little bit about her Monday Haul. Take it away, Hailey!

Thanks!

Now today I wanted to share a little secret of mine with y'all: I have an obsession with old locks and keys. I'm not sure when it started, or why, but all I know is that they fascinate me. For as long as I can remember, every time I have found a key, I always try to find a lock to fit it into (unsuccessfully). So you can imagine my excitement when I found this little gem today:

This is an old key and lock set that has all the elements of a great junkin' haul: a rustic feel, the smell of old metal, and the weight of a long history. Just think, it could have been used to hold prisoners of King Arthur and his Knights at the Round Table, or used to hold the gate locked when dragons were trying to attack a medieval kingdom. Or...

Hailey, you can tell them about the possibilities later. ;) For now just tell them what YOU are going to do with it.

Oh right, sorry! So I was thinking about a few different things, and I wanted you guys' help. I was either going to have it sitting next to my bed on my nightstand as a decoration, hang it in a grouping with other keys/key themed art, or actully use it to lock something. So be sure to comment which idea you like best and I will post pics of the winner!

Thanks, Hailey!

Make sure y'all let her know which way you'd like to see her use her new find! I know which one I'd like! Also be sure and join us Wednesday for a special DIY post involving lighting. If you have recessed can lights you won't want to miss it!

See you Wednesday! Now, get to junkin'!

Liz

A New Take on Old School

Earlier this week we shared our chalkboard paint idea for large MDF letters and a custom Valentine's gift. Remember this?

I finished painting the letter from Build-A-Cross.com with a basecoat of navy paint and then followed with a rolled coat of chalkboard paint. Once it dried it was a beautiful, deep black! The perfect base for white lettering! 

As I said in my previous post, instead of writing with chalk that would wipe off easily, I wanted a permanent solution to write the words to my and my husband's favorite song. 

"From this moment, life has begun. From this moment, you are the one. Right beside you is where I belong. From this moment on." ~Shania Twain

I gave this to him as a Valentine's gift this week! I love you, babe!

I simply hand-wrote all the words. I wasn't really concerned about neatness or making everything fit just right. I just wanted to make sure all the words made it on there! My Uncle Alan and Aunt Sharon sang this song for us at our wedding and I don't think anything could have been more beautiful! I found out after the fact that my uncle was not exactly up for it. I'm not sure why! But being the wonderful man he is, he agreed. (I'm not sure I really have him a choice!) Uncle Alan, do you care to elaborate? ;)

So we've shown you the casual chalkboard. Let's look at a custom sign project we did on another chalkboard background. "You Are My Sunshine" is a special song for so many and these two signs are an example of matching sister pieces made for my husband's mother and aunt. Their dad always sang this song to them so we used the lyrics and a little scroll work to dress up an old school sign and make it perfect for both of their home decor. 

Distressing made it look more authentic and worn. 

These signs, like all of our custom signs, are completely hand-painted.

You can order your own custom sign. Contact us today with your ideas and we'll be glad to help you find the perfect sign that helps you Celebrate Every Day!

Now, let's do some Old School junkin'!

Liz

Home Tour: Foyer

The entryway of our home was the first thing that sold me on this house. Its grand staircase, the tall ceilings, large window and finished moulding make the room feel huge but still seem grounded. It's bright! It's welcoming! And now it features my favorite piece of furniture!

*Update: I recently found out from my Aunt that this first belonged to my Great-Grandmaw Sarah Jane Dreher Forbes. She died when my Grandma was only a teenager. That makes it even more special!!!

My grandmother's Singer sewing machine sat in what we, Mitchell cousins, lovingly referred to as "the cold room". It was the only bedroom in the back hall of her home (besides hers) with an air conditioner. It was the room all of us cousins wanted to sleep in – even though it was tiny, didn't have a bed, and was ffffffrrrrrrrrrrreeezing! But in South Louisiana a freezing room is a comforting place on a humid summer night. 

At the foot of the floor pallet we always slept on sat this sewing machine. It featured four drawers, one of which had a sticker on it that either my Uncle Don or my cousin Donny had put there years before. The drawers were stuffed. With what? I don't know! I never dared open them.

A few years ago my grandmother's house needed to be emptied and I made it clear to my mom that if there were ever an option for me to have anything there were two items of my grandmother's I'd really love to have... her pie safe and her sewing machine. Both got passed around to other children (my aunts and uncles) throughout the past few years. They've sat out in the elements, been covered in dirt, penetrated with moisture from the thick, bayou air. But last month my parents came to visit with a surprise.... the sewing machine! 

It was in rough shape. I didn't care. The metal base was covered in rust and dirt and... rabbit fur? I didn't care. The wooden top had been chipped and was cracking. I did not care. 

I broke out my shop vac, lemon oil, plastic and wire brushes, and started cleaning! I oiled the hinges and joints. Cleaned as much of the dirt off as I could without ruining what was there. Coated the wood with oil to moisturize the brittle veneer.

Remember the drawers? I finally opened them! And guess what I found? Treasures! 

Grandma's old bobbins and spools. Straight pins. Marking pens. A piece of baby blue sash chord from a house coat she used to wear. A bowling pin from 1991 (they loved to bowl!). A pocket devotional book that I'm sure she read several times. A Beltone hearing aid booklet from 1987! And a few things that probably were not hers... A shotgun shell. A "New Kids On The Block" Hangin' Tough cassette tape. And a few Legos.

The contents of those drawers made me smile! They were a snapshot of what life was like at Grandma Lula Belle's house! Family. Fun. Hard work. Spiritual growth. 

How I miss those days! And I wish she were still here to teach me how to sew on that Singer sewing machine! But every day when I go into that foyer, I think of her. I love having things in my home that remind me of those I love.

By the way, that chair was hers, too! But that's a story for another time!

Now, let's go junkin'!

Liz

What is your favorite piece of furniture in your home?

The Look of Love

Photography has been a hobby of mine since I was a teenager. Now that I'm thirty-something, I can truly appreciate the look of love in the eyes of two people who enjoy each other's company.

"The look of love is in your eyes; the look your smile can't disguise. The look of love is saying so much more than just words could ever say. And what my heart has heard, well it takes my breath away!" ~Dusty Springfield

This Valentine's Day, if you need a romantic and personalized gift, why not give your honey a save-the-date for a photography session with just the two of you? Just let us know you want the Valentine's Special for $59... that's a 1-hour photography session in the Charlotte area, includes all your digital files plus up to a half dozen final images with the option to have them printed professionally. This sale is only available through Sunday 2/15/15 and can be scheduled for any date through April 2015.

Don't let these moments slip away! Capture the look of love that will last a lifetime!

Monday's Haul: Shopping from Home

My husband loves it when I shop from home! Not online shopping... scavenging around our house and finding stuff I forgot I had or can use in a new way! That's what this weekend was all about. With him gone for a guys' weekend and the kiddo and I at home doing some cleaning, I ran across this little BIG jewel!

It's a 24" tall MDF letter I bought over a year ago from Build-A-Cross.com with every intention of painting and hanging it on our H wall. Instead, I thought I'd do something with the hubby in mind. Valentine's Day is this Saturday and if your husband is anything like mine he's nearly impossible to buy for. Luckily he is a hopeless romantic!

Awe!

So I thought I'd make good on an idea I've had for a while now to paint the letter with chalkboard paint and use white paint to inscribe the words to our love song (think Shania Twain, circa 1998).

When I use chalkboard paint, especially on an already smooth surface, I like to use a navy paint for my basecoat then follow up with a layer or two of chalkboard paint. If you want to distress the finished surface the blue peaks through and gives a depth that chalkboard paint alone won't provide. It also helps achieve more solid coverage and saves you from using as much of the more expensive chalkboard paint.

Then, instead of using chalk (which would fade and be difficult to finish) I use a white paint either in a paint pen or on a brush. You can decide whether the lettering needs to be precise or haphazard – either way, it's beautiful! I'll show you a finished picture later this week.

I think he will appreciate the thought... and the fact that I didn't spend any money! :)

What are you giving your honey this Valentine's Day?

Happy junkin' y'all!
Liz

Pieces

"Something beautiful, Something good; All my confusion, He understood. All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife, but He made something beautiful of my life!" ~Bill Gaither

Broken, jagged pieces. I look back at parts of my life and can remember times when that's all I felt like I was. I've created more than my share of mess ups, disappointment and pain.

Don’t think I have it all together just because you don’t see the mess. I’m not trying to hide it. It just doesn’t always come out like the clumsy bull-in-a-china-shop that it is.  

But God, in His grace, made something useful and glorifying out of those pieces. It wasn't an all-at-once kind of thing. It's been a process. A process of refining and restoring, falling apart and re-gluing again. It required me to hold tight to the things that mattered most. To constantly remind myself of the anchor that holds me... My Father God.

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Isaiah 61:3

[read in full context here]

That’s how I imagine the broken things I put together to make new pieces of beautiful home decor. Many times I look at piles of rusty hardware, broken boards and dirty relics that haven't been used or enjoyed in decades. I fantasize about the life they once had. The purpose someone once saw in them. What they could be today if they hadn't been tossed aside. And I intend to make them beautiful and enjoyable once again!

I'm so glad I wasn't tossed aside. I'm thankful for family who loves me enough to hold tight to me even when things aren't perfect. Thankful for friends who rub the dirt off of me when I start to feel down. And grateful for my Father who has every day of my life planned and knows how to make something beautiful out of my broken pieces. Aren't you?

Rejoicing in His restoration today,
Liz

Three Little Words

Three little words... Eight little letters... Which simply mean "I love you"... and what I feel in my heart, they tell sincerely... No other words can tell it half so clearly... Three little words... Eight little letters... Which simply mean "I love you" ~Nat King Cole

Have I mentioned I love old songs? Ahh, the nostalgia!

There are so many things we can do to decorate with the lyrics of old songs. But one thing I love to do is hand paint them onto burlap ribbon.

These wired burlap ribbons are for sale in our Etsy shop and this one is ready just in time for Valentine's Day! It measures 9 ft, so it's perfect for part of a stair case, a mantle or a piano. (You want the ribbon to be about 50% longer than the space you want to decorate so it will not just lie flat.)

You can order your own custom phrase, color and length, too!

Imagine having the names of each of your family members and using this to adorn a dining room table. Or your wedding vows. The lyrics to your wedding song. These would all be great gifts to give your sweetheart!

And if you need a little help displaying them, let me know!

*Order deadline for delivery on Friday before Valentine's Day is Tuesday, February 10th. Don't wait until it's too late!

We're off to check out some estate sales today and enjoy this beautiful end-of-winter weather! Visit the blog on Monday to check out our haul!

Happy Junkin'!
Liz

A Formal Introduction

Hi! I'm Liz. It's nice to meet you!

May I tell you a little about myself?

I'm a Southern Girl. I was born in South Louisiana, raised between there and Northeast Georgia and now I live with my little family in North Carolina. We believe in God, monograms, sweet tea and mindin' your manners. I don't think you get much more southern than that!

I have a great life! I'm a mom of a wonderfully talented, beautiful daughter. "Rescue mom" to two spoiled hounds. I have a handsome husband who thinks he deserves two more adjectives and loves us all more than life itself. We have a great family and friends who love us. Our life isn't perfect but it sure is wonderful!

Speaking of imperfect and wonderful things... I love all things old. Old people. Old stories. Old furniture. Old songs. You name it. You would think I would have been good at History in school, right? Nope. Terrible. (I'm sorry Mr. Thompson.) And Literature? Nope. Terrible. (I'm really sorry Mrs. Wilson.) But I have learned to appreciate the stories behind history and literature and learn a little bit in the process. My passion is to create beautiful things out of broken, old, discarded items. The older and dirtier the better!


Through this blog I hope to share with you the stories behind some of my favorite old items and the things God and I talk about while I'm working on them. I will also walk you through some of the decorating and design techniques I use to create a warm, slightly rustic environment in our home.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me! It's going to be a lot of fun!

Now, let's go junkin'!
Liz


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