Actually it was two people who made me very happy,  Prince William County, VA REALTOR'S® Arthur and Karen Kruschka. You see Karen posted a blog titled 'Why I Love My Husband #7'. I thought she was very brave to post that photo because now others might fall in love with Art too!

Karen and Art never forgot my love of bread and breadmaking, I used to buy flour in 50 lb bags... for real. Last week I received an email from them asking for my home address because Art was baking his fabulous loaves that week. Well Friday afternoon the UPS delivery truck pulled up and the gentleman stated this was a special overnight delivery. Oh you bet it was, he had gold in his hands!

The package contained these delicious goodies.......not one but two!

Make someone happy,
Make just one someone happy,
And you will be happy, too.

I only commented on Karen's blog. Can you imagine being a real estate client of the Kruschka's?         Wowsa!!! These guys are way cool!

This blog post is about how easy and inexpensive it is to update your light fixtures with a press of a nozzle, also included are the why's behind this project. In this example a switch out of the pendant's glass globe was done for the finishing touch!

Whether you are selling and in need of an update or simply want a fresh new look for your light fixture, this basic project is a cost effective way of re-purposing what you already have. Many people are not confident in doing this themselves but don't second guess yourself anymore, you CAN do this!

This is my own home lighting update to illustrate the ease of this project and why I would switch out a perfectly good light fixture.

 Listed below are the two paint products I used in this project.

  1 - RUST-OLEUM PRIMER - for use on bare metal, previously  painted and rusted surfaces.

  2 - RUST-OLEUM METALLIC - for wood, metal, plastic and      masonry. OIL RUBBED BRONZE (notice the easy on the hands trigger spray for those with joint pain this trigger spray is great). The metallic in this paint was perfect for this project, it was just enough  to keep the finished product form looking flat!

The pendant lights were taken down. Be sure the breaker is turned off before removal of the fixture and if you are unsure of this step please get a professional to help you with these matters!

Pick a non windy day for this project as you will want to spray outside to avoid the paint fumes. To avert drips keep a steady motion and spray going with a back and forth motion barely covering your layers. Keep the can about 12' to 16' from the surface while you are spraying. Don't forget to shake your can before you start ;)

I let the primer dry 24 hours before using the finishing color which I also let dry 24 before the install. Don't forget to spray any exposed hardware used in hanging the fixture.

The down rod is primed and ready for the finishing paint.

The ceiling caps are dried and ready to be installed.

Before

As you can see the pendant lighting looks fine, in fact the downpoles were very smart looking. As beautiful as this island is, it appears to be floating and it needs to be anchored. The brushed nickle finish didn't complement the beautiful cherry island the and the stark white globes did not complement the cream cabinetry that the pervious owners had installed. The dark tiles on the stove backsplash helped but this kitchen needed at least one more design element to warm up this kitchen.

AFTER

The darker lighting now anchors the island and the new globes give the kitchen an transitional look. The cost of this light update project was $13 for the paint / primer and $11 dollars a piece for the globe.

Updating your lighting fixtures really is as easy as a press of the nozzle!

This blog comes courtesy of my wise friend Jack Gilleland who owns Home Inspection Services in Clayton, Ohio.

With Christmas season right around the corner his timely advice about the importance of the correct tension inside the outlets in your home may save your life and home too! I've been guilty of being one those creative people he was talking about in his blog, but not anymore.

Thank you Jack for your great advice!

Please leave your comment on his original blog but you are more than welcome to let me know how you are doing today, ok?

In downtown Granville, Ohio on Beggar's Night they were ready to woo...I saw THING 1 and Gene Simmons too! The residents had gotten into a spooky spirit for Beggar's Night, they waiting on their doorsteps to give out treats to wee ones and tall ones at first sight!

There was THING 1..............................................................and Gene Simmons too!

Being new to the town I had no idea what to expect and was astounded by what I saw! There were such elaborate home decorations and displays, I wasn't sure who had more fun the shorties or the tall.

  This fun resident was ready to enthrall!

I went with my good friend Graham who was dressed as a skeleton pirate, the streets were bustling this was going to be a fun riot. He was pretty scary looking, good thing I knew it was him under that costume or else I would have went a bookin'.

Should we visit the spider house.....................................or watch this witch stirring her brew?

Pumpkins were plenty.............................................................and costumed wiener dogs too!

Things were getting pretty darn scary and we were getting ready to call it a night...........

But the pumpkin man waved us over..................and the trash can creature said it would be all right...

..........................as long as the Granville Po-Po was still in sight!

These talented musicians were jamming................................ignoring the shaving cream fight.

Later that evening I spotted the Sock Monkey, that's when I knew everything was going to be all right!

The 2010 season for Farmers Market in Granville, Ohio is coming to close this Oct, 23rd. Make plans to to scoop up the goodies this Saturday! Buying directly from local growers & vendors is a great way to enjoy the fresh taste of organically grown produce & fruits. The cottage industry bakers, and candy makers have some of the best products I've ever tasted.

Here are just a few things you may find at the market...the winter veggies are coming in and so I had to say so long to the delicious corn & tomatoes from a few weeks ago but don't fret yet, there are many more items to chose from at this diverse Farmer's Market.

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

The organic Asian mix with arugula was out of this world! I made my salad that evening w/ diced apples, red grapes, thinly sliced red peppers, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and my own balsamic vinaigrette, yummm. Look at Greta making those gorgeous hand tied European bouquets as fast as the people were buying them!

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm ~ Produtcs all naturaly grown by Steve & Greta Adams / www.oursunnymeadows.com

Gourmet Candy by Karen

What to choose.......I bought a bag of Karen's handmade caramels w/ pecans....gone in a day, trust.

Gourmet candy by Karen ~ www.candybykaren.com

Gentle Meadows Alpaca Farm

Talk about warm & cozy these alpaca socks fill the bill for my tootsies! Jack & Nancy Lee were a pleasure to speak to with that day. A sweater may soon be on my list.

Gentle Meadows Alpaca Farm ~ www.gentlemeadowsalpacafarm.com

Hey...I'll take one of those, the one in the fuzzy sweater & shades. The other guy on right ain't too bad either...how much for both? Can you throw in a pumpkin too?

Support your local growers & vendors what would our neighborhoods be without them?

How to update a mirror frame to a more transitional look. Do you have a mirror that you wish had a different look? Maybe you saw a brand new one with a different finish you long for and now it's begging you to buy it!

Before you shell out the $$$ on the new mirror try this project! It's easy and you can change & layer any of the finishes to suit your styling needs. In the example below I didn't want to get rid of the gold entirely because I wanted the look of mixed metals, so I let a bit of gold peek out.

I used the following products that can be found at your local craft  store;

 * Design Master spray in Walnut Wood Tone

•  * Design Master spray in Copper Metallic
• 
  
•  * Rub n' Buff in Spanish Copper
• 
  
•  * Rub n' Buff in Silver Leaf

 * Treasure Gold in Pewter (pictured in the small pot)

•  * A stiff bristle brush & soft bristle brush

Before

First lightly spray on the Glossy wood Tone, let dry. Then lightly layer w/ the Copper spray, let dry. Lastly layer the Walnut Wood Tone. It dries fast so this project can be done in under an hour. With the large stiff bristle brush I put some of the Rub n' Buff on a piece of wax paper lightly dabbed the brush into it and randomly hit the mirror in desired spots. I next did the same as above w/ the silver leaf Rub n' Buff only this time I used a small soft bristle brush to hit some of the raised area on the mirror and the outer edging grooves. For another layer of a darker pewter accent in the mirror frame I used part of the stiff bristle brush to dab a few randomly places for the finishing touch.

Be sure spray outside on a non windy day!

After

The products used to create this new look last a looooong time, you'll find many uses for them! So now go ahead and update that old mirror frame to more transitional look! Good luck on your project and if you have any questions I'll try to answer them for you.

Photos from the 2010 Hotlicks Bluesfest in Granville, Ohio...it was a red hot & blue day! The temperature that day was mild but the tunes were sure hot in downtown Granville. If you didn't get a chance to make it to the FREE Hotlicks Bluesfest here's a few photos to get you started on your weekend fun.

Big Al Groth from Reverend Raven & The Chain Smokin' Altar Boys was wailing away on stage and shaking things up by stepping down from the stage and going into the crowd.

Reverend Raven on lead guitar & vocals, P.T. Pedersen on bass, Bobby Lee Sellers Jr. on drums and Big Al Groth on saxophone. Want to know what they sounded like? Click here to visit the website get ready to groove!

A fun day for all, even the dogs were shaking their tails! My honey Ted had to cool down after wiggling his hips with a Goose Island IPA, if you like a hoppy beer this is the brew for you! If not, there were many others libations to choose from and the friendly volunteers there helped you steer your palette in the right direction.

The closing act for the evening was Wille Big Eyes Smith. Willie did session work for Muddy Waters and was eventually asked to joined Muddy's band in 1968. Willie played with him until 1980. Here are photos of him that evening at the 2010 Hotlicks Bluesfest on the harp and on vocals.

No other words necessary... you can feel his soul stirring blues through these photos.

Bob Stroger on Bass having a good time and Jimmy Mayes was keeping the rhythm going.

A smokin' hot night...

There was dancing in the street and grooving in the seats!

A good time was had by all...me included! Put this Bluesfest on your calendar next year you won't want to miss it!

Support the Blues when they come your way!