bedroom remodel

Nothing like a total disaster to prompt unplanned home renovations! One random Tuesday in October, our bedroom ceiling caved in. Believe it or not, our insurance didn't cover this, so it ended up being our biggest DIY project yet.

Thanks to my handyman Dad and some help from friends and family, we were able to do the work ourselves. We created my dream bedroom and got a little creative with bead-board and trim work. 

 The process took a until spring because I basically shut the door and avoided thinking about it till after the holidays, but it was WELL worth the work and the wait!

 I love how the wall color turned out against the white.

 Even Bishop got a new space! :)

 Love this beachy look.

Hope you enjoyed this or got some inspiration!

10 air purifying house plants

If your thumb is not green and you're more of a 'fake plant' type of person, never fear! Many of the coolest and most beneficial house plants require very little attention once established. With a little knowledge of what your plant wants, you can naturally clean the stale air in your home. 

Check out the following list, 10 of my personal favorites. I own and care for all of these plants, so let me know if you have any questions!


1.) Boston Fern: Often named the "most efficient filtering plant" for its time-tested ability to expel mold and toxins from indoor air, this beautiful fern cleans out formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, xylene and trichloroethylene.  
How to: Boston Ferns love humidity. Keep the soil moist and mist the leaves every once in a while. Position in a bright location (out of direct sunlight) and transplant when root bound.

Boston Fern

2.) Peace Lily: Number one on many lists, the easy-to-care-for lily is known to reduce harmful indoor toxins that may cause cancer. It helps in removing benzene and formaldehyde present in the house.
How to: This plant can grow in many spots where other plants have failed. Too much sun and the leaves will actually get burnt brown spots. Peace lilies will tell you when they need to be watered, so wait for the leaves to droop and water thoroughly.

Peace lily

3.) African Violet: As one of the top natural air purifiers, don't let it's delicate features and small stature fool you...this tiny plant packs a punch to air pollutants!  
How to: They need partial sun, warm temperature and well-drained soil, so water no more than once a week, tops. (To avoid spotting on the leaves, I water by simply placing a few ice cubes under the leaves to melt. They don't like having their leaves damp.)

4.) Aloe: Not only is aloe a great home remedy to have around for burns, but it removes nasty formaldehyde from your air! The bathroom is a great place for aloe to work it's magic. 
How to: As a succulent, they prefer well-drained soil. They may go dormant in winter, requiring even less water than usual. Larger aloes prefer full sun while smaller varieties prefer a bit of shade.

Small Aloe

5.) Spider Plant: This elegant plant is great at removing poisonous gases as well as other impurities like formaldehyde and xylene. Try one in the kitchen or near the fireplace, as these are the places where carbon monoxide accumulates most.
How to: Thrives in many varying sun conditions and doesn't require much attention. A healthy spider plant will sprout babies that can be easily pinched off and rooted in water. The spider plant grows rapidly, but likes to be a bit root bound.

Spider Plant (only about 1 year old in this photo!)

Baby Spider Plants rooting in water

6.) English Ivy: A great choice for people with asthma and allergic conditions, this plant has the amazing ability to remove benzene and formaldehyde and to off-gas various chemicals released by synthetic materials. WebMD noted that 60% of airborne mold in the room vanished just 6 hours after English ivy was brought in, as well as 58% if airborne feces! (Ew.)
How to: Keep in partial shade to bright light and water when dry. Be sure the roots are well-drained and mist leaves occasionally.

7.) Chinese Evergreen: An excellent air-purifier plant, Chinese evergreens filter out airborne toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde. Beautiful variegated leaves and a compact shape make this an attractive house plant.
How to: This is a great "starter plant" for those who lack green thumbs. A hearty and durable plant, it grows even better with less water and minimum light.

8.) Hoya or Hindu Rope Plant: A natural air purifier, the hoya is efficient at removing carbon dioxide. One of the more exotic plants I own, the rare, star-shaped, aromatic waxy flowers are unbelievable.
How to: Hoyas prefer bright light, well-drained soil and a temperature range between 55 and 75. Mine has done best in African Violet soil. Trailing vines may be trimmed and propagated to keep the plant full.

Hindu Rope Plant or Hoya

9.) Money Plant or Chinese Jade Plant: In the Chinese culture, Money Trees are said to bring luck, but they also bring fresh, purified air! The wide, flat leaves make this plant more efficient.
How to: Keep this plant in bright, filtered light. In the growing season, the plant’s soil should be damp, but during winter when the plant is slightly dormant, you can let the soil dry out more between watering. The leaves are critical to air cleansing and pruning encourages lots of them. 

Baby Money Tree

10.) Janet Craig Dracaena: Janet Craig sucks toxins such as benzene, xylene, trichloroethylene, toluene, and formaldehyde from the air you breathe.
How to: Dracaenas love moist, warm soil in indirect bright sunlight. The Janet Craig I have has survived much neglect, small college windows, a pestering cat and 3 moves. It's over 20 years old and 8 feet tall with lush green leaves, so I'd say it's a pretty hardy plant!

Janet Craig Dracaena

As a rule of thumb for the most possible benefit, allow one 10-12" potted houseplant per 100 square feet of living area. The more vigorous the plant, the more air it can filter. When it comes down to it, any plant is better than no plant, so if you're not sure whether or not a potential plant is going to clean your air, just rest assured that it works a lot better than the fake ones. :) 

If you ever need a little boost with your indoor air, maybe the flu is going around or you've recently painted, Purify essential oil is meant to do just that. It's made up of six essential oils that have been shown to deodorize the air, disinfectant and remove harmful airborne micro-organisms. Simply diffuse it into your home and breathe easy!

Good luck with your indoor air this winter! :)

bird house diy for lazy people

Pre-dried gourd

If you want to make a birdhouse, but you're far too lazy to build one out of wood, don't worry! Dried gourd birdhouses are a great option for you as long as you do not think you can dry your own gourd. (Trust me, it will rot. It will be slow at first, so you might think it's going to work, but then one morning you will wake up to a rancid mess. Apparently, once gourds are cut off the vine, they don't dry well, so buy a pre-dried gourd. And if you share a bank account, tell your significant other that you ordered a gourd so that they don't think your e-bay account was hacked by a gourd-loving computer nerd.)

Anyway, here is what you need to make a simple gourd birdhouse:

1 dried gourd

Dust Mask

A drill & 1/4" and 1/2" bits

Sharp knife, mini saw or pumpkin carving kit

Sandpaper and/or metal file

Paint, stain or spray-paint of choice
Clear polyurethane

Homeless Birds

WARNING: Do not attempt to drill or carve a gourd without wearing a dust mask. The dust from a dried gourd often contains mold, but even on it's own can be very dangerous to breathe and trigger severe respiratory symptoms.

Once you have your dust mask secure, start by drilling a few holes in the bottom of the house for drainage. (You don't want the poor birds to have soggy little bird feet.)

Plumbing system for the bird gourdhouse

Next, using the same bit, drill 2 holes near the stem for hanging. (You can cut off the stem if you don't want it, but mine will be the stem of a painted flower) Mark off where you want the door and using your 1/2" bit, drill a hole in the front for the opening.

Being sure your dust mask is still secure, go ahead and dig out all the junk that's left inside the gourd. You may need tweezers or something to help you get most of it out; there is a surprising amount of gross dried gourd guts...

Garbage that is apparently still inside a dried gourd

Once that's done, you can either sand the edges of your round door smooth, or if you're feeling ambitious, use your baby saw to carve a different shape. (Just so you know, carving a dried gourd is NOT like carving a pumpkin.) It is a very tough and does not take kindly to making smooth cuts. A good grit sandpaper or metal file is a big help here.

Post-whittling, cleaned out and ready to paint

Now that your door is done and the inside is cleaned out, sand and clean the outside to prep for painting. Be sure to plug the door with some newspaper to keep paint from getting on the inside.

I primed my gourd with white Rustoleum spray paint + primer, then painted it and sprayed it with 3 coats of polyurethane.

Add caption

Thread a wire, coat hanger or string through the 2 holes you made in the top to hang it from a secure branch. Now, patiently wait for a cute bird family to arrive and call it 'home!'

New 1 bedroom loft FOR SALE with sweeping views and great location! Must see inside! :)

UPDATE: I'm not one to crush dreams, but I do like to be honest. It's mid February here in Pennsylvania and my little birdhouse is starting to look a bit more...natural.

7 months later, I'm thinking I should have brought it inside for the winter....

I know I should have brought it inside for the winter, but I like to look at it and I couldn't tell if it really had tenants or just passing vagrants. We've had some pretty rough weather, but I still really thought that it would hold up. I guess it will be getting a spring makeover soon! :)