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Find out more about me, how I renovated my Grandparents’ 100 year old farm house and how I am a total DIY fanatic by checking out The story behind my Storyhardt Farm. Or, you might also like my weekly DIY newsletter to keep up to date on all my recent projects and tutorials.
What's been happening this week
If you don’t feel comfortable in your home here are some changes you can make!
Making a comfortable home. This contributed post really spoke to me… and not necessarily in a good way. It wasn’t that long ago when my ex husband had turned my home into a place I didn’t even want to be. It really was with that realization, that I didn’t want to be in my grandma’s house – in MY house, that I knew I could no longer continue in the relationship. Read More »
When Someone We Love is in Heaven sign – Wood and a Vinyl Decal
How to build a sign, distressed in gray and yellow paint, to remember someone we’ve lost. Building a sign is such an easy and simple project. For anyone just starting out in wood working this would be a perfect project to start with. It required just a few cuts, six screws, wood putty, paint and a wall decal to create something beautiful that holds a ton meaning! Read More »
Broken clock goes Country with twine and rope
I absolutely loved this clock when I spotted it on Amazon. It hung on my wall for years until, one day, it just took a dive for the floor. So my beloved clock was now a broken clock. I’ve kept it for months now planning on doing something with it but hadn’t quite figured out one the creative angle how to make it great again. I wanted to frame it out with wood but, honestly, I can build a bench no problem because its square lol not ROUND. Read More »
4 Easy Steps to a Rustic, Country Bedroom – Pure Coziness!
The following steps can work when putting together any bedroom space actually. You assess the room, get the bed and lighting right and then add your furnishings. In my last post about my master bedroom I had finally and totally reclaimed my space after a rough divorce. It was my first step toward healing my only problem now is I never want to leave my bed because I love the room so much! Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #99)
I just got hit by the fastest moving summer cold I’ve ever experienced. I went from feeling tired to heading directly home to my bed with a fever of 101 in a matter of two hours lol. My fever broke that night and I’m gonna live. Goodness, that was rough! Welcome to Link Party #99 at Grandma’s House! This link party is all about homemade, homemaking, DIY, recycling, upcycling, before and afters (of rooms, furniture, whatever), build projects, vintage, any kind of creative, frugal, time saving, money saving or green advice, canning and old fashioned recipes. Going back to simpler times, simpler days where we used all that we had and never bought new until there was absolutely no choice. Read More »
How to Pack and Prepare Food for an RV or Camping Trip!
OMG this article made me want to go on a camping trip so bad! When I came home for good (nearly ten years ago now) I bought myself a nice tent, a decent blow up mattress (and the little pump), sheets and a bunch of other stuff because camping was simply something I wanted to do and never ever had anyone to go with me. Well, that year, and many times after, I simply went alone and it was AMAZING. Read More »
5 Simple Ways to Limit Indoor Air Pollution
When I replaced all of my cleaning solutions with natural versions I had no idea just how rough the chemical laden products are today. I have replaced my laundry detergent, all of my household cleaners, dishwasher soap, all of my hand soaps and even my perfume! My home is literally kept clean with nothing but vinegar, water and baking soda lol I do throw some essential oils into the mix for good smells but I’ve never used air fresheners. Read More »
Most recent from Do It Yourself
When Someone We Love is in Heaven sign – Wood and a Vinyl Decal
How to build a sign, distressed in gray and yellow paint, to remember someone we’ve lost. Building a sign is such an easy and simple project. For anyone just starting out in wood working this would be a perfect project to start with. It required just a few cuts, six screws, wood putty, paint and a wall decal to create something beautiful that holds a ton meaning! Read More »
How to make a Two Tiered Stand out of Thrift Store Items
Ever since I began work on the refresh of the master floor of my house I’ve been considering something different for on my master bathroom sink. My little tooth brush holder had seen better days and then I saw this lovely project by Chas (one of my To Grandma’s house we go link party gals) and thought: I can make a two tiered stand for my master bathroom! Read More »
My New Outhouse is built – How I did it myself entirely with scrap wood!
My new outhouse is finally complete! After himming and hawwing and changing the location of my outhouse about thirty times… a weekend in mid June finally decided its location. My best friend Rachie and my mom and I did a walk about of my property so I could show them all the cleaning up and fixing I had been doing. We also talked about the new outhouse and how I couldn’t figure out exactly where I wanted it. Read More »
Most recent from Before & Afters
Lamp gets a country girl makeover using license plates! Before and After!
My new guest bedroom and library needed a reading lamp for the bedside table so, of course, I went thrifting! I found this little dude for only $6 and then went directly to walmart and found what I decided was the perfect burlap lamp shade. From there it was time to decide just how I was going to transform this little lamp into something country and fun! Using two old MN license plates I got to work! Read More »
A little end table gets a full on adult country girl redo!
There are a lot of changes taking place here at my Grandma’s old farmhouse. You guys know now that I got divorced and that means new and very different plans for the whole house. My old office is now going to become my guest bedroom and library and it felt really important to refinish all of the furniture that will be going in there. So, I got to work! Read More »
An old steel bed frame becomes a girly country dream!
With my newly single life here at Grandma’s House I’ve been keeping busy and finding fun projects to look forward to. I always hated the colors I painted the furniture in my guest bedroom so I knew it was time for a change. I brought them back into more my taste starting with the old steel bed I inherited from my grandparents. I also got on the move with everything by converting my old office into my new guest bedroom and library! Read More »
Most recent from Farmhouse Hens Decorate
Broken clock goes Country with twine and rope
I absolutely loved this clock when I spotted it on Amazon. It hung on my wall for years until, one day, it just took a dive for the floor. So my beloved clock was now a broken clock. I’ve kept it for months now planning on doing something with it but hadn’t quite figured out one the creative angle how to make it great again. I wanted to frame it out with wood but, honestly, I can build a bench no problem because its square lol not ROUND. Read More »
How to Make an Outdoor planter using Chicken Wire & Landscape Fabric
Custom outdoor planter made with chicken wire and landscape fabric over a shepherds hook hummingbird feeder carousal. When I moved and then spray painted my grandma’s shepherds hook plant hanger it just screamed for me to add a plant to the middle of it. But no pots would work in this instance so I set out to make my own! Read More »
Hanging solar light using glass chandelier bowls and dollar store items!
How to make a DIY hanging solar light by upcycling glass bowl light shades off of a chandelier and a couple of dollar store items. So when my mom and I gave her house a makeover it also included replacing several of the light fixtures. She has a small, quaint little place and the light fixture in her dining room was just way too big for the space so it was the first one that we replaced. I didn’t keep the actual fixture (Ah hindsight and regret!) however, I did keep all of the glass bowl light shades because it just seemed like I could use them somewhere… Read More »
Most recent from the Blog
Pellet Stove: A Final decision on how I’m going to heat my home (I am SO Excited!!)
Why a pellet stove turned out to be the answer to all of my worries. Well, it happened, we are well past the halfway point of summer and everyone I know (including my chipmunks, birds and especially myself) are flying into a panic screaming, “WINTER IS COMING!!!!” I still have one heckuva long list to complete by the time the snow flies but one of the only things that HAD to be done is in the works! Read More »
FINALLY finished cleaning up my yard and I did some serious closet organization
A huge empty closet and a clean yard! OMG I was beginning to think I would never get here lol! Last update I posted I had only one last pile of crap my ex left for me around my old “tack shack” which is now my new wood shed. Well, I finally got it all hauled off and thrown away! Ugh my poor back is SO sore, why is it that everything I do turns me into a pack mule?! Read More »
Learning to pace myself & enjoying the two days we had of spring
I was so excited to get pictures of all of my lilacs and apple trees blooming but then I blinked and BOOM, spring was over. It was like we went from -20 degrees to 90 in less then a month… Oh wait – I think we actually did that! Our trees and bushes literally bloomed, pollinated over night and dropped it all the next day. Everyone I know who has ever had an allergy said this was the WORST spring they’ve ever experienced! Read More »
Most recent from Inspiration Board
Hometalk’s Outdoor Projects I Can’t Wait to Build! Do it Yourself!
Inspiration Board of the Outdoor projects on Hometalk that I’ve been drooling over! I received a comment on my outdoor bench saying, “You’re SO crafty, that’s amazing!” And I admittedly got a bit offended, eventually I just laughed about it but I’m not sure how I can build a wrap around bench for my deck and still be called “crafty”. I could’t help but think that if I was a guy she certainly wouldn’t have looked at that bench and called him crafty! I am a builder at heart and I spend most of my time building things in my head or drooling over outdoor projects like these: Read More »
Let’s build some swings! Pinterest Do It Yourself Inspiration Board!
Well now that spring has FINALLY arrived, my dreaming has turned to swings! Let’s build some! These are some of my favorites I’ve found on Pinterest and stashed away for a later time because, seriously, who doesn’t want to swing away a beautiful summer day? Contrary to popular belief, I do NOT feel that swings are for kids in any way. Many of these are very grown up swings for us “adults” lol Read More »
Nooks and Getaway Places: Pinterest Inspiration Board
Nooks, crannies, special getaway places, some of my favorite escapes via Pinterest Inspiration board. It has been a very difficult few weeks here at Grandma’s House, tailing the end of a very, very hard year. I will tell you guys why and what’s been going on when I’m able to get my feet back under me again. To say the least though I have found myself on Pinterest, looking longingly at getaway places and nooks that promise quiet and PEACE. Read More »
Most recent from Home Tour
New look for my master bedroom and a Rug Pad USA review and giveaway!
I drooled over this rug for MONTHS before I finally decided to spoil myself by buying it! I lived with it without a rug pad for several weeks, putting off the purchase. But then Rug Pad USA contacted me and asked if I would like to do a review of one of their rug pads and it was perfect timing! (Thanks to everyone who participated the giveaway is now over!) With a new rug, two “new” lamps and a new comforter it was WAY beyond time to share with you my newest refresh of my master bedroom! Read More »
Home Tour: Guest bedroom and library! Country girl style and comfiness!
My new guest bedroom and library! A lot has been going on around here at Grandma’s house. Lots of changes. With the divorce final and so many hard days behind me, my cousin said, “I know you’ll be fine because you’re Stubborn and Busy.” We’ve decided that that’s going to be on my tombstone, “Here lies Tarah who was stubborn and busy.” And we have all agreed that my two grandmas would be very proud as they too, were VERY stubborn and busy women. So, on to the first of the big changes that I’ve been working on: here is my BRAND NEW guest bedroom and library! Read More »
Home Tour: The deck, my outside dance floor and living room!
A post all about one of my favorite “rooms” of my house: the outside deck and my dance floor! When my grandparents’ lived here this was their least utilized outside of the home – the only way to reach it was to walk all the way around the house! My plan to add this deck came naturally and was one of the first things I was certain I wanted to add and my ex husband and I built our deck together. I put in almost every joist hanger (all 8 million of them…) my ex dug almost every 4×4 post and we dropped the joists in together. From there he took it over and laid down every last deck board over the course of three days. With the depth of the deck 11 feet all the way around I chose to use 12 foot green treated deck boards that we put in as tight as we could together and then cut off along the edge with a skill saw. Read More »
Most recent from Link Parties
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #99)
I just got hit by the fastest moving summer cold I’ve ever experienced. I went from feeling tired to heading directly home to my bed with a fever of 101 in a matter of two hours lol. My fever broke that night and I’m gonna live. Goodness, that was rough! Welcome to Link Party #99 at Grandma’s House! This link party is all about homemade, homemaking, DIY, recycling, upcycling, before and afters (of rooms, furniture, whatever), build projects, vintage, any kind of creative, frugal, time saving, money saving or green advice, canning and old fashioned recipes. Going back to simpler times, simpler days where we used all that we had and never bought new until there was absolutely no choice. Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #98)
I never thought I would say this but I’m almost looking forward to winter lol this girl is beat! But its been an amazing summer so far, hope yours has been a great one! Welcome to Link Party #98 at Grandma’s House! This link party is all about homemade, homemaking, DIY, recycling, upcycling, before and afters (of rooms, furniture, whatever), build projects, vintage, any kind of creative, frugal, time saving, money saving or green advice, canning and old fashioned recipes. Going back to simpler times, simpler days where we used all that we had and never bought new until there was absolutely no choice. Read More »
To Grandma’s House we go! (Wednesday Link Party #97)
Well our weather actually cooled off a little bit so I’ve been tackling some more yard chores. How are your summer to-do lists looking? Hopefully more checked off than mine lol! Welcome to Link Party #97 at Grandma’s House! This link party is all about homemade, homemaking, DIY, recycling, upcycling, before and afters (of rooms, furniture, whatever), build projects, vintage, any kind of creative, frugal, time saving, money saving or green advice, canning and old fashioned recipes. Going back to simpler times, simpler days where we used all that we had and never bought new until there was absolutely no choice. Read More »
Most recent from Free House Plans
Free House Plan: Open home plan utilizing less then 1,100 square feet
They’re voting right now on the best Home Improvement blog over on Renoviso and I am SO excited to see Grandma’s House DIY on the list. There are some really fabulous blogs on there – make sure and go vote for your favorite! Now, on to the free house plan: I love the decks on this plan! And there’s even a little nook right where you walk from the garage to the house that provides cover from weather and some really great storage. Being a person that heats with wood myself I just drool over that much outside storage so close to home! Of course, this home has a great fire place in the middle of the living room. Despite that this place is less then 1,100 square feet I think it feels spacious and remarkably still private. (I hate those house designs that have the bedroom doors facing each other: its like EEK!) In this plan I managed to give each of the two bedrooms their own real space and bathroom. Read More »
Free House Plan: Little Lake Cabin!
When it comes to my specific spot on the map in Minnesota when folks talk about going “up north” or to their “lake cabin” or up “to the woods” well, that’s where we live. There really isn’t any “going up to the cabin” for me, that would just be silly, I literally live where a lot of people think of as a “vacation destination” of course it rarely feels like that! But, it is the truth, everywhere from me and north is pretty much tourist central and national forests. I live close to a little town of only about 3,000 people but, in the summertime, it is estimated our population here explodes to over 10,000!! A lot of folks don’t live here year around and there are even some businesses here that aren’t even OPEN year around. A lot of people who work in “the cities” dream of moving up to where I am someday and that’s what this little free house plan is devoted to: The Lake Cabin! Read More »
Free House Plan: A two story single family country home
This plan pushed me out of the themes I’d been focusing on in the past. I decided to try a slightly large plan with two stories that would fit a small family better then the retired couple I had been designing for in my head. Still though, like all of my plans, this one boasts an incredible master suite with a huge walk through closet and a shower and separate soaker tub in a spacious master bathroom. At nearly 1,400 square feet this is definitely a larger free house plan than those I have been doing that also includes a cute front porch and a massive breezeway that runs down the entire length of the garage and home. Read More »
Most recent from Contributed
If you don’t feel comfortable in your home here are some changes you can make!
Making a comfortable home. This contributed post really spoke to me… and not necessarily in a good way. It wasn’t that long ago when my ex husband had turned my home into a place I didn’t even want to be. It really was with that realization, that I didn’t want to be in my grandma’s house – in MY house, that I knew I could no longer continue in the relationship. Read More »
4 Easy Steps to a Rustic, Country Bedroom – Pure Coziness!
The following steps can work when putting together any bedroom space actually. You assess the room, get the bed and lighting right and then add your furnishings. In my last post about my master bedroom I had finally and totally reclaimed my space after a rough divorce. It was my first step toward healing my only problem now is I never want to leave my bed because I love the room so much! Read More »
How to Pack and Prepare Food for an RV or Camping Trip!
OMG this article made me want to go on a camping trip so bad! When I came home for good (nearly ten years ago now) I bought myself a nice tent, a decent blow up mattress (and the little pump), sheets and a bunch of other stuff because camping was simply something I wanted to do and never ever had anyone to go with me. Well, that year, and many times after, I simply went alone and it was AMAZING. Read More »
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