Author: tbtscom

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Use What You Have

Hi there! Today, I would like to share a simple arrangement I created using items I had in my storage area. 
It’s no secret, I love Roosters! So, here is the breakdown on the items used. Simple, simple, simple! Below is an old pot that I was no longer using. I like the base of it and knew I could conceal the top portion at a later time, and now is the time! 🙂
 It’s all about layering items, so I sat this wreath right on top of the pot.
 Then came the Rooster.
And then a wire Cloche.
Then some floral picks.
 I pulled the ivy out of this arrangement to use for my new arrangement.
Base + wreath
+ Rooster
+ Wire Cloche
+ Ivy And Floral Picks
Ta Da…..DONE! 
No hot glue required, allowing me to re-purpose or use the items differently at a later date.
I sat this arrangement on a tray and placed some garden balls beside it!  
Thanks for stopping by, and have layering items you’re not using, you might just end up loving it! 🙂
XO, ~Liz
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Linking up with: Grace At Home Party
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Anniversary Island

Hello, friends! Today, I would like to share a special project with you, it’s called…
A N N I V E R S A R Y  *  I S L A N D
So, last Wednesday my husband and I celebrated our 20 year wedding anniversary. We wanted to do something special, so we decided to create a landscape island, a place for us to pick out some pretty shrubs and trees, and watch them grow and bloom, just as our relationship does each year.
 Let me start from the beginning…
We started clearing our land to make room for a trampoline for the kids. We had farm grass that we needed to scrape and have plans to hydroseed soon.
 After clearing the land, we had piles of dirt. Hmm, what to do with all that dirt? Well, we decided to berm it up to make a landscape island, especially for our anniversary.  We went to the nursery and got plants and shrubs, and good soil, and went to town creating our vision, even the kids chipped in to help. 
 Are you starting to see our vision? Please excuse the mess, landscaping is a messy, messy job!
 See, the picture below? Well, the builder did a french drain around our entire property using rocks.  DON’T EVER DO THAT….it’s a maintenance nightmare, trust me. It’s hard to mow, edge, and weeds begin to grow through, it’s horrible. So….we removed all the rock, initially, by hand. We hired three guys, in addition to the two of us, and barely made a dent. Our final solution, an excavator. What did we do with all that rock? We created a rock design on our island, and I LOVE IT!!
Doesn’t it look pretty?
 I’m in love…
 Keeping things minimalistic for now, who wants to be a water slave all summer to the plants?
 I will never forget all the labor that went into removing those rocks, lol!
The Arborvitae’s give it a little Tuscan feel. 
 We loved the island so much, we created another one. Here are the beginning stages.
So many projects, so little time! Our patio went in today, so excited about that! I’ll share more on that soon!
Hope y’all are having a fabulous week!
Tootles, ~Liz
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Linking up with: Grace At Home Party
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Edible Peanut Butter Playdough

Hi there! Remember being a kid and playing with Playdough? Well, I do, and I enjoyed being able to mold different ideas into shapes, can you say fun? My daughter recently did a science project and we tested the edibility of  Peanut Butter playdough vs. Nutella playdough.  We tested the mold-ability of both, as well as other properties, such as – taste, smell, and appearance. We then tested a large audience to get the results. Fun project!
For Peanut Butter Playdough: Mix…
1/2 Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Flour (or use powdered milk) – we actually preferred the taste of powdered milk over flour.
2 Tablespoons of Honey
Simple, Simple, Simple
The playdough tastes really good. 🙂
The kids had a ball making this on their own and they got a kick out of the fact that they could nibble on it, too! 
Moldability was pretty good, too!
Here is the Nutella Recipe:
1/2 cup Nutella
6 tbl confectioner’s sugar (approximate)
1 tbl cocoa powder (we used unsweetened)
You can double, or triple the batch depending on how many kids you’re making it for.
All and all…
Taste tested on well over 200+ kids, the Peanut Butter Playdough won in all tested areas.  Try it with your kids, or grandkids…they will have a blast!!
XOXO, Liz
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Linking up with: Grace At Home Party
Fabulously Creative Friday
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DIY ~ Chalkboard Door

Hi there, friends! Today, I’m going to share a simple DIY project using Chalkboard paint. I was missing my old Chalkboard Door in my last kitchen, so I decided to do one in my new kitchen.  Below is a simple tutorial of the process, it’s SUPER EASY & FAST!
Boring to better….;)
You can purchase Chalkboard paint just about anywhere. I got mine from ACE Hardware. You can also find it at Home Depot and Walmart just to name a few.
I didn’t prime my doors, I just rolled the paint right on. I did about 2-3 coats.
Priming will cut down on having to do more coats, so I do recommend it.  However, the paint dries so fast, it’s pretty easy and quick to throw a few additional coats on in no time.
In the photo above, you can see the paint is wet and in the drying process.
After the paint is dry, it’s time to season the door. Why is it important to season the door? Well, if you don’t, you will never be able to completely erase what yo have just written. Just take a piece of chalk and go vertical and then horizontal. After you complete this step, it’s time to wipe down the door.
Use a damp cloth or paper towel and completely clean the door, and now it’s time to write, or draw, with chalk! Let the fun the begin! 😉
This is our pantry door and I wrote….
THE TUSCAN KITCHEN!!
Super easy, right? I had so much fun, I decided to do the door across from the family room which leads to a secret room, more on that later, so stay tuned! 
Thanks for visiting! XO, Liz
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Linking up with: Wow Us Wednesday
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Tuscan Style – Entertainment Unit

Hi there! Today, I would like to share our Tuscan Style inspired Entertainment unit in the family room.
I am constantly changing up the family room. I need to find a pretty area rug to add warmth and color, and I also need to add a few other things before I am happy with it.
A flat screen used to sit in the space below, but I moved it.  I much prefer the ambiance of amber colored lighting to a shiny flat screen tv. Are any of you the same way?
I really like adding metal and wood to my tuscan vignettes. 
Pottery with greenery adds a softness to the space.
I like to find pots that are different, but alike in color and similar styles.
I adore topiaries and garden balls, I add them everywhere throughout the house. 🙂
I love the colors brown, green, rust, black, and beige together. 
Love these canisters from Hobby Lobby.
The metal and wood piece I found at Hobby Lobby.
I use these candle pillars year round and change out the candles from time to time. 
Greenery is great to use as space fillers.
 In the entertainment unit, I have used a few book boxes to add height.
Here I have used book boxes again! 😉
The center (top) part of the unit sits a pot with a garden ball, and two greenery sticks on either side.
So, there you have it….
The family room decorated Tuscan Style! Have a great day, everyone! I’m off to paint my pantry door with chalk paint….oh boy!! 
xoxo, Liz
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Linking up with:
Show and Share
Grace At Home Party
Fabulously Creative Friday
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Patio Expansion

Hi everyone! Today, I would like to share a project, our patio expansion project.
The builder put in a rather small patio, which is not big enough for our family, so we are literally….bursting at the seams! 
We have lots of projects going on right now. Our lot is just under 5 acres. When we purchased this house, our lot was pretty much being taken over by Blackberry bushes. We have cleared a good 3 acres of our property and are now trying to develop the land and grade it. It’s a huge undertaking and the more you clear, the more you have to maintain, it’s a tricky balance.
So, please excuse the dirt piles in the distance, lol! Hydroseeding is up next, too!
See, this patio barely fits our patio sets. We need lots of seating.
The patio installation begins in 3 weeks, and to save money, the concrete company told us if we could scrape the grass (with our tractor) and dig down about 5-6 inches that would mean huge savings for us since doing that it so labor intensive.
We mapped out the size of the patio we want and began digging with the tractor.
Here is the other side of the patio, it’s going to be HUGE!  The other outline you see is where I am going to have a raised flower bed.
Many people think you need to pull the grass up before you lay the dirt down, but it’s not necessary. The grass will die under the darkness of dirt. Occasionally, the grass will  grow through, if it does, just hit it with some weed spay….it will die!
Using yard marking spray paint to map out your ideas is a great way to get a visual of the space and surroundings. 
It’s fun seeing a plan come together.
Stay tuned….more to come on this project. 
Thanks for stopping by! xoxo, Liz
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Easy Peasy Deviled Eggs

What to do with all those leftover Easter Eggs?  Well, why not make Deviled Eggs, right? 
 Fill a pot of water, gently put your eggs in, add a few drops of vinegar, bring to a boil, remove from stove, let eggs sit for 10 minutes. Remove and cool in fridge.
Once eggs have cooled, slice them in 1/2.
 Remove yolks and place into a glass bowl and mash with a fork.
 Add the following ingredients:
5-6 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons of ground mustard, a dash of garlic seasoning, salt, and pepper.  I made two batches, one with relish and one without. My family doesn’t care for sweet relish, so I used dill, but lots of people like sweet relish.
 Mix it all up and….
You can also toast up some bread and mash the yolk and whites together, add ingredients and have yourself a Deviled Egg Salad sandwich, yum!
Of course, a simple hard boiled egg is fine on its own, too! Add a little sea salt, cracked black pepper, and a dash of Paprika!
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Hope you are all enjoying this beautiful and blessed Easter Day!  I’m about to start dinner soon….
Honey Baked Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Fresh Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce, Salad, and Dinner Rolls.
Strawberry Shortcake for dessert! 🙂 
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Easter Mantle, Easter Tree, and Easter Decor

Y’all ready to hippity-hippity-hop your way through some Easter decorating pictures? Ok, let’s go…

 So, this is our Family Room mantle decorated for Easter. The greenery and flowers are from Hobby Lobby, and I mixed plastic easter eggs and bunnies into the mix. I wanted some height and variation, so I added the glass candle votives and set easter eggs in them.

Mantle shot…
This bunny is sitting beside easter eggs on our Entertainment units top shelf.

 This bunny sits on the opposite side of the other one.

Here is the whole look.
Here is our Easter Tree. Lit trees can be used year long. I may do a summer tree with palm trees, flip flops, beach towels, Mai Tai’s, and starfish ornaments, for example, how cute would that be? You can keep the “christmas tree” ambiance and cozy factor going all year long. Hmm, a fourth of July tree would be cute, too! Red, white, and blue deco mesh with patriotic flags etc….
SKY’S THE LIMIT!!!

 I mixed striped pink and white, and blue and white deco mesh to give the tree the easter-pastel look. I mixed in easter ribbon and added ornaments.

All the ornaments are from JoAnn’s, and I got them all 50% off.
Cheap. Cheap. Cheap.

I do the tree for the kids….they love it! 
I’m not a pastel kind of person, but I have really enjoyed this tree the whole month.
Little spring birds….
Little, glittery bunnies throughout the tree!
Even a big bunny has hopped his way into the mix! 😉

Tree Topper.

 This is what the tree looks like without the lights on….

I used deco mesh at the bottom of the tree, instead of a tree skirt.
Love this twig bunny, he sits on a sofa table.

 See my funky tree topper???  It’s kind of like spring has exploded from the tippy top of the tree.

 My mantle started off very simple, greenery with bunnies mixed in, but I just had to throw in colorful eggs…..for the kids! 😉

 When Easter is over, I can leave the greenery up on the mantle, and remove the bunnies.

 Isn’t he cute?

 I love bunnies.

 Bunnies and Easter Eggs….what could be better? 😉

I hope you all have a blessed Easter! 
Thanks for visiting! XOXO, ~Liz
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Linking up with:
Grace At Home Party

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Spring Break Tree Swing Project

Hi Everyone! I hope you are enjoying the nice spring weather. We are on Spring Break and decided to take on a fun project…
T  R  E  E   *   S  W  I  N  G  S 
OUTDOOR * FUN
Disclaimer: We are not professional builders, the following should be used only as a guideline, not detailed instructions for building a tree swing. 
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Look for two trees spaced 12′ – 16′ apart. Anything larger then 16′ will require a custom beam that you won’t find at your local hardware store, you will have to order. The tree trunks should be at least 12″ in diameter. Make sure the ground is safe, look for large rocks, slopes, etc… 
Supplies include: 3 16′ 2×6 pressure treated beams, 12″ 1/2″ bolts, (6) large washers, swings with chains (we got ours from Home Depot), heavy duty eye screws, wood glue, 3″ outdoor screws. Tools include: drill, saw, 2 ladders, or in our case, 1 ladder and a tractor front loader, vices, wrench set 1/2″ long drill bit.
Measure your beam to go at least 12″ on center from both trees. Our 16′ beams were perfect, the trees were about 14′ on center. You will use (2) beams that you will glue (we used gorilla wood glue) and screw together to create a 4″ think beam x 6″ wide.
Cut (4) 36″ 2×6 beams for your support beams. You will glue and screw (2) of the support beams. Trim the corners for a decorative touch (looks a little tuscan to me).
After glueing the beams in a S shape from end to end, we put the beams together and screwed them about every 18″ on two sides of the beam.
You can sand the cuts to make the edges smooth.
You should now have (2) 36″ 4×6 support beams and (1) 16′ 4×6 swing beam. Careful with the large beam it will take two people to lift. We used an 8′ height to the bottom of the swing beam. Measure a couple times to make sure you have it correct.
You will now pre-drill the top bolt using a 1/2″ long drill bit. Place your first support beam on the tree, and partially screw in your top bolt along with a washer. Use a level to ensure beam is correctly placed, then drill your second bottom hole and screw your second bolt in along with a washer. Ensuring you keep it level. 
Use a string level to place your 2nd support beam. We measured from the top center of the support beams. Once you have located the 2nd beam, repeat the above steps to install the 2nd support beam.
Next with two people, carefully lift your large swing beam on one side and find a way to hold it in place, while you lift the other side of the beam. We used the front loader of the tractor, so we knew it wouldn’t go anywhere.
Double check everything is level and secured.
Drill 1st hole on one side, and screw in your bolt loosely.
On the opposite side drill your 2nd hole. We chose to drill a couple holes on one side opening the hole up creating a space for the bolt to slide a few inches in case the trees sway a lot. 
Our new family member, Bentley, watched on as we built the tree swings.
I can’t remember if I mentioned this or not, but our new home sits just under 5 acres. We definitely needed a tractor, and it was a lifesaver in this project.
Add your swing hardware, we left plenty of space between the swings, so the kids wouldn’t hit each other swinging. 
The kids LOVE their new swings.
We may add another beam on the opposite side, purely for decorative reasons. Hmm, it could end up looking like the top of a pergola.

I have always wanted a swing set for my kids, so a big thank you to my husband for helping me make my vision come true. 
Thanks for visiting! xo, Liz
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Linking Up With:
Wow Us Wednesday
Swing Into Spring Party
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Spring Has Sprung

Hello, sweet friends! Well, it looks like the weather is finally beginning to change and spring has sprung at.…
THE TUSCAN HOME! 😉
The color – yellow, is beginning to take over the house. I hung this wreath on my metal arched gate. Why didn’t I hang a wreath there sooner? I love it, much more inviting!
I moved this plate and bowl set to the sofa table. I needed to bring in a little more yellow.
I tipped the bowl upside down and placed the garden ball on top of it.
Pops of yellow are so cheery this time of year.  
I also added a bright and colorful Rooster, which is primarily yellow.
On my Baker’s Rack in the kitchen, I added these two rustic black bunnies.
On another wall, I added another yellow wreath to my metal wall embellishment.

It glows at night, ha!

I like how I can see the wreath in the mirror at night.
Last week, at Hobby Lobby, I found these three candle sconces, 66% off! Of course, there I go again NOT putting candles on my sconces, I placed garden balls on them for Spring, instead!
I placed a jar of spaghetti next to my bunnies, and two new burlap lamps.
In the foyer, I hung a pear wreath by burlap ribbon.
Love the pop of green.
I found this Rooster at Ross last week, only $29.00. I’ve seen the same one at Home Goods for $79.00, can you say steal of a deal? So, I snatched him up FAST!
A bunny hippity-hopped his way to this vignette, and there he sits.
I found the oval granite cutting board at Ross last week and sat the plant and bunny on it.
I decorated the entertainment center and this bunny found her way there and sits in amongst the greenery and spring flowers.
This rabbit joined the vignette, too! 
Back in the kitchen, I added pastel jelly beans to this glass container and placed some spring greenery around it.

I added some easter egg malt balls to this cloche.

I also added some candy corn carrots, and sat this beside my black rustic bunnies, on the Baker’s Rack.

So, there you have it, the beginning stages of spring blooming at…
THE TUSCAN HOME! 
Thanks for stopping by! XOXO, ~Liz
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I will now be responding to comments here on my blog, so check back! 
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Silver Penny Sundays
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