The Bathroom Door With No Lock

We had a situation

and

we lived with it for years. 

We had a set of double doors leading into our bathroom.

It is not an overly large room but this double door made it look more dramatic and a little grander. I have always liked it. The problem was that there was not a lock.

The only way to keep it closed were the magnets at the top of the door.

The magnets don't even match.  

The door knobs were dummy knobs. There was no latch, lock or anything. It was charming to be in the shower and have the dog or the toddler push open the door. 

One day I wondered aloud to Bill and asked him why we couldn't put a lock on the door like the one on the master bedroom door. 
We have double doors leading into our room as well. 

We needed new knobs and a flush mount bolt. 

A bolt that latched up into the door jamb.

 With a chisel Bill notched out the wood to install the 
flush mount bolt. 

The bolt pops out of the top and goes into the locking plate at the top of the jamb. 

Once he got the left side to lock securely with the flush mount bolt he could get to the other door. 

He got a regular bathroom/bedroom privacy door knob to match the dummy knob and installed it according to directions as if it were for a brand new door.

  It required some chiseling as well but it was not difficult. 

The purpose of this post isn't to tell you how to install both of these items. There are directions on the package and plenty of tutorials on the Internet.

 The purpose of this post is to point out that for every problem in your home there is probably a solution. 

We would have gotten the locking doors years earlier if I had communicated to my husband how much not having a lock bothered me.

He knew of a solution all along but he didn't know how much the goofy doors bugged me.

This was not an expensive project at all. It was probably under $60.00 for all the supplies.

A bathroom door with no lock? This is a four bedroom house built for multiple occupants.
Ridiculous! 

What bugs you about your home?

Katie 
I Gotta Create 

White Lamps

I bought some cute white lamps for Rebekah's room when she was a kid. Her room was seafoam green with floral chintz curtains. It was similar to the room below. 

Source: Pinterest 
I put one of her old lamps in my room when I was trying to banish some of the gold. 

It's an old milk glass lamp that I got at an antique mall. I liked the white so much that I decided to try spray painting the bedside lamps.

When we got our new bed three years ago. I ran out to Walmart to get something for the nightstands. I got a set of 3 lamps for a ridiculous $49.00. I always thought they would be temporary until we found some others but I never got around to replacing them.

 I used the same thing that I used on my thrift store lamp. RustOLeum in Semigloss white. 
Instead of taping off the cords and the sockets I covered with them with tin foil.
It was so much easier than taping everything off. I knew I would need new shades but didn't want to buy them until I knew the lamps would look good.

I was pleased with the result so I again ran up to Walmart for new shades.

I found these darling shades for only $10 each. 

I love the way that white paint defines the details of the lamps. 

I love their clean lines and classic column detail.
I don't think I could have gotten one new lamp let alone 2 for $20.00 and some paint.

Bill loves the white shade. 
It's easier to read with it lighter. 

I love them. I think the room is pulled together. 
I love them so much, I am off to do some more for the dining room. 
Have a great day,
Katie
Funky Junk Interiors  

Coastal Charm  
Between Naps on the Porch  
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia   
Savvy Southern Style 

Pretzel Salad- Love It or Hate It?

I am sure I may have mentioned that I am not from the South. 

(I don't know for sure, but this recipe seems Southern to me.)

But,

I have been to a few church potlucks in my time. 

In all my socializing at church suppers I never once came across this Jell O salad. 

The first time I had it was at a family gathering. 

Granny Vi's sister Claudine made it for us.   

This darling little lady started coming to family lunch when she moved to Dallas. 

She brought what has become one of my favorite desserts. 

It is called Pretzel Salad but I really think it should be called something else. 

Like Layered Jell O, Pretzel, Cream Cheese Wonderfulness.

I knew that I had to have the recipe. I love anything with cream cheese.
Warning this dessert is completely processed.

Pretzel Salad

Layer 1 

2 cups broken pretzels

1/4 cup sugar

1 stick of melted butter

Toss sugar and pretzel pieces together and put in a 13x9 greased pan. 

Pour melted butter over the top and bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until brown. 

Cool

I did half of our pan with gluten free pretzels.

They were yummy.

Layer 2

 8 ounce cream cheese

8 ounce whipped topping. 

1 cup confectioners sugar

Mix together and spread over the cooled pretzel layer.

Make sure to get the cream cheese mixture all the way to the edges of the pan. 

Don't allow any pretzels to poke through the cream cheese. 
The cream cheese provides a leak proof barrier.  

Layer 3

2 boxes 3 ounce strawberry Jell O

2 10 ounce frozen strawberries in syrup (not the whole strawberries) 

2 cups boiling water

Mix water and Jell O and stir

Add slushy strawberries once Jell O is dissolved.

Pour over cream cheese layer and cool.

If the Jell O mixture leaks into the pretzels they will get soggy. 

Rebekah and I crazy about this dessert.

It is sweet and salty and tangy all at the same time. 

 I don't know if this is a Southern recipe or not but I had never heard of it before. 

I love it so much that if I were to encounter it at a potluck, I  might have to employ one of my favorite mottos-

"Life is short, eat dessert first."

But...it is called a salad.  

hmmm

Either way I am sure I would feel that potluck anxiety.

Do you know what I am talking about?

That fear that your favorite potluck staple with be gone by the time you get to that spot down the line. 

Have you felt it too or is it just me?

I am completely aware that there seems to be a love/hate relationship with this concoction on the internet.

Really I don't care. I think the reviews are mixed in my household as well. I made it for Bekah and I for our

birthday-Mother's Day celebration so I didn't think it mattered if the guys were completely on board with it. :) 

Sprinkled with pretzels,

Katie 

Updating A Diamond Necklace

Totally switching gears today, but I am so excited about one of my latest ideas.

I love jewelry.

 I have the sweetest husband and he indulges my wish for some bling.

We may be sitting at a garage sale table or sleeping on a garage sale bed (not the mattress, people) but I like jewelry.
(Trade off)

I have been wearing either white gold and/or silver consistantly for about 5 years or so.

 A few years ago the fashionistas said yellow gold was back in style. I was thrilled but it wasn't back for long, maybe a season or two. 
Bill got me a heart necklace similar to this one for our 15th anniversary. 

Source: Ebay

I loved it and wore it everyday for years and years. 

 I haven't worn it for more than a day or two at a time for the last 10 years or so.

I noticed it in my jewelry box the other day when I was looking for something else. It seemed a little wasteful to have something like that laying around. I don't think I will wear it much until gold comes back in style. Not that I care so much about that, but everything else I am wearing lately is white gold. 

Getting the diamonds reset just does not make sense. Last time I had to have a stone set it was $35.00 for one stone. 1,2,3,4,5, ummm. NO!

I had my anniversary band Rhodium dipped two years ago. It cost $30.00 and it didn't really work on a ring because of all the cleaners I use at school.  I figured a necklace wouldn't come into contact with any chemicals.

So I dropped it off at my jewelers.

I couldn't wait to pick it up.

Wow!

$30.00 is all it cost to have a piece Rhodium dipped. 

I was amazed. I love it and will wear this updated version of a gorgeous piece.

It got me thinking. 

What else do I have to dip???

Do you have a sentimental piece you aren't wearing? 

Have it Rhodium dipped at a reputable jeweler.

Sprinked with Rhodium,

Katie
Linking with,
Between Naps on the Porch  
My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia  
Coastal Charm  
I Gotta Try That  
Ivy and Elephants  
Savvy Southern Style 
A Stroll Through Life
I Gotta Create  
From My Front Porch To Yours 
French Country Cottage 

Thankful- Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day. 

So thankful for each and every woman in my life that has come along side me in the journey that is motherhood. 

There have been so many women over the years that have encouraged, inspired and stood in the gap for my mom who lost her battle with cancer when I was 10.

I wish I could list them all.

They have come to my aid so often when I needed my mom. 

Many times it was the little things;

 taking my children for an afternoon if I had a migraine, bringing a meal,

helping me "sweep" the carpet in a crisis because the vacuum was broken (and I couldn't stand the crumbs one minute longer),

putting a load of laundry in the washer for me,

holding my hand while I waited for scary news,

doing things with me that mom would have done, 

listening as I ramble on about DIYing,

being a cheerleader for me,

encouraging me to try new things,

making me LAUGH 

and 

loving me unconditionally.

My heart is full of gratitude for all of you. 

Thank you for being the hands and feet of my mom and of the Lord.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Have a blessed day,

Katie

Linking with,
The Brambleberry Cottage