Area Extras
The dog who hated DIY, plus some cute things to make for your pooch
Fri, 02/10/2012 - 12:02pm | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
Lest yesterday's blog post (with tons of doggie pictures) confuse you, Milou hates our DIY projects.
Revamping a mirror frame with lively paint and dry-brush technique
Thu, 02/09/2012 - 9:28am | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
As we redecorate our hallway, I'm collecting mirrors to hang on the wall opposite our future barn door.
I actually have quite a few mirrors, as they have a great knack for making a tiny house seem bigger. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reinvent a mirror I've had for a long time but never loved.
Hallway before and after: white paint was the right choice
Wed, 02/08/2012 - 9:23am | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
Because of Rob's work schedule, we probably won't make too much barn door progress for the next few weeks. Until then, I'm finishing up painting and thinking about other decor ideas to make me feel like I'm still on top of this project.
Here's the hallway before:
A variety of interior barn door photos
Tue, 02/07/2012 - 1:39pm | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
I'm short on time today, but can't stop thinking about how we're going to put up a barn door.
I thought I'd round up some barn door photos from Pinterest, just for fun. Hoping ours turns out just as cute as these. And yes, I am a little obsessed.
Buying barn door hardware and painting the hallway white
Mon, 02/06/2012 - 8:49am | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
As I pondered what color to paint our hallway during the last month, I also decided to stop pushing Rob about the possibility of a b
Kitchen organization: Using an old dish rack to keep lids tidy
Fri, 02/03/2012 - 10:49am | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
Champaign resident Della Perrone sent me this genius way she used an old dish rack to organize lids in her kitchen.
Making a Valentine statement by decorating my front door
Wed, 02/01/2012 - 3:06pm | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
When I took down my Christmas decorations last month, I forgot to take down that paper wreath and chalkboard combo I rigged up for Advent. Monday, I figured it's probably time for a change.
Decision time: should I paint my hallway light blue or bright white?
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 2:05pm | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
Yesterday's weather had me practically jumping for joy.
The sun was shining, the birds were singing - and that weird flower in my front walkway that usually blooms in March showed up early. Plus, the longer sunlight in the evening is just such a relief. I know that winter is far from over, but it's so nice when the weather feels like spring.
Making a jargon jar for the newsroom
Fri, 01/27/2012 - 11:08am | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
One of the things I've learned since starting to cover the education beat is that there are tons of specialized terms in the field, and usually outsiders have trouble figuring out what they mean.
Takes the Cake: Erin shows how to make the cutest "Olivia the Pig" party favors
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 8:38am | Meg Dickinson, staff writer,
Here's the second installment of Erin's tutorials for her niece's "Olivia the Pig"-themed birthday party (find her tutorial for Olivia cupcakes here.) Man, what a







