OK, first, let me announce that the eligibility criteria for the upcoming HomeGoods Link Party has been expanded to include how you would create your own ‘Mom Cave’ with a prize from HomeGoods.  I thank my kind readers for mentioning this obvious category.  I officially smacked myself on the head and said "Well duh!" 

So, please take note of that modification and mark your calendars for Oct 25th.  Also, you can submit your entry via email if you don’t have a blog  (Smack, "duh" again.)

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Yesterday, a very good thing happened in my world.  A ten year dream of mine came true.  The hardwood risers and the treads on my entry staircase were installed. 

Glory halleluiah. 

A month ago we had just the top landing and the bottom step professionally installed because, long story short, we couldn’t use the standard wood treads, we needed strips of plank flooring and also a special routed curved edge. 

Exhibit A

Our good friend owns a flooring company, so he sent out the special order materials and the very helpful Felix to do the job in just a few hours.  It’s so nice to ‘know a flooring guy’, especially one who will let you DIY as much of the project as you choose to keep costs down. 

But the rest of the steps sat as plywood for nearly a month while the riser and tread material gathered dust in the living room.  Tick tick tick went the clock. 

After living with plywood steps for nearly a month, I noticed my husband preferred to spend his fall weekends watching football on the couch, not renting a table saw to cut risers.  Not that he’s ever lazy, he’s just working hard during the week, very tired, and in need of down time. 

Growing impatient, tapping my toe on said plywood, I gently suggested we enlist some help.  I swear I saw a twinkle in his eye.  Maybe it was a tear of joy. 

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Hi all – I have some exciting news to share!  The kind folks over at HomeGoods are sponsoring a fantastic contest with me, and five of you will be the winners!  We all know HomeGoods as the one stop shopping place for frugal yet fabulous home decor.

Recently, HomeGoods has partnered with Elaine Griffin, designer extraordinaire, (whose book I reviewed last year) to create the concept of a ‘Mom Cave’.   A what?   Yes, I said a ‘Mom Cave’.

Of course, we’ve all heard of the Man Cave, but this is a new twist on the idea with the busy Mom in mind!  How gorgeous is this ‘Mom Cave’ space designed by Elaine Griffin?

Well I have some very exciting news !   I’m hosting a ‘Mom Cave’ link party for all of you, and the prizes will be BIG!

The top prize is a $250 gift card to HomeGoods.

Four runners up will receive a $50 gift card to HomeGoods.

Five winners will be selected by a panel of three judges (mystery awesome blogger judge panel announced at the Link Party).

Criteria for entry:

Write up a post* in one of the two categories below in 100 words or less with images of your space and then link up to the party on October 25th.

A) Describe your ‘Mom Cave’ and get creative!  It can be your home office, your craft corner or closet, your reading nook, your vanity, or your favorite getaway spot.  Wherever it is that YOU take time to recharge, create, get organized, or just relax.  Why is it special to you?   How does your existing ‘Mom Cave’ help you stay organized, unwind, or simply be a better Mom?

B) OR, answer this question in your post:  How would a $250 gift card help you create your own ‘Mom Cave’?  Don’t forget a picture!

*If you do not have a blog, please submit your written entry (with at least 1 picture) to centsationalgirl@gmail.com on or before October 25th. 

So . . .

Please mark your calendar for Monday October 25th!

I’ll be making some organizational upgrades to my own home office space, and I plan on showing those on the 25th too.

Can’t wait, this will be FUN !

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Hello hello hello, I’ve got some winners of the two latest giveaways to announce.

Modern Bird Studios Winner

#562  Carrie of SewVeryCarrie  

True Value Hardware Winners:

#28 Katie at ConsumerKatiesComments

"I just bought my first house!!! I have several projects planned: including painting, trim, molding, hardware, etc. Right now I can only afford a few small things. I’m going to be moving from my apartment and I can’t wait to actually be able to put paint on the walls!"

#101 Shannon who wrote:

"We are working on our bathroom right now and could definitely use the money for refinishing our cabinets, new sinks, hardware and tile! Thanks so much!"

And on a totally random and unrelated topic, I have a little tip to share!  Ever make the mistake I made last week by leaving a water ring or spot on a piece of lovely *antique* or wood furniture?  Here’s a trick I use to make the water stain boo boo go bye bye. 

The Mayo Trick:

1) Don’t panic 2) Apply a coat of mayonnaise to the stain, leave for at least four hours, preferably overnight. 3) Wipe away the next day, there should be no trace of the stain.

Keep it in your bag of tricks and impress your friends at parties.  *Wink*

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Some of you, no, a handful of you have been reading this site since the beginning when I started spray painting all sorts of things on the average of at least once a month and frequently mentioning my affection.  I jumped on the spray paint bandwagon several years ago, cracked the whip, and cried "Faster, faster, take us to a better place!"  I have an entire category dubbed "Spray Paint, My BFF" and I reckon I’ve done my part to keep RustOleum, Valspar, and Krylon in biz.

I’ve spray painted just about everything:  plastic, glass, wood, fiberglass, mirror, metal, ribbon, laminate, etcetera.  I’ll spray paint anything that stands still, mostly because it’s  cheap-n-easy, but also because my curiosity in this wonder product knows no end.  Most especially since I’ve witnessed first hand just how many gosh darn things seem to look better when dosed with Toluene and Xylene (the chemicals in spray paint which we never mention in the light of day, but secretly adore in the private solitude of our well ventilated garages).

Spray paint, when applied correctly, possesses the magical power to transform so many dated looks into a something fresh and modern, all in the course of an afternoon.  I think if I was stranded on a deserted island, a can of spray paint just might be on my wish list, not for the giant ‘SOS’ but to give my pathetic coconut mailbox attached to my hut that extra oomph it needed.

I’m sorry, where was I?  Oh yes. Take this sweet little French style solid wood nightstand I spied while gallivanting around the local thrift store last week.  Fab lines, lovely detail, but with yellowed spotty paint and chipped gold accents.  Facelift needed.

All’s well that ends well when you have a well shaken can of spray paint with which to solve the world’s problems.  The final paint is RustOleum’s ‘Canvas White’ found at True Value Hardware.

Before:

After:

‘Shipwrecked Pitcher’ from Anthropologie

I have used spray paint in so many ways I can’t even count them anymore.  Take a tour through my home and you won’t find a room with at least one spray painted thang.  Since I often get asked questions about spray paint, I reckon I’ll just put all those FAQs in one big post.  Bear with me.  I don’t know all the answers, but that’s where you come in at the end friends.

Away we go.    

1. What surfaces can I spray paint?

What can’t  you spray paint?   Well, perhaps that’s too inclusive.  Here’s the growing list.  Plastic, metal, fiberglass, mirror, glass, wood, wicker, masonry, plaster, concrete, canvas, ceramics, MDF, laminate and particle board.

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