How the Half Bath Lost its Marbles

How the Half Bath Lost its Marbles

The first time I used the half bathroom in our new home, I brought a scraper. Not for me, for the wall. I’d been itching to scrape the walls from the moment I first saw the bathroom, so I figured, this was the perfect opportunity. The previous owners had hot-glued marbles to the walls, and to say I have texture issues is putting it mildly. I really hate bumps. They make me itchy. So… I sat on the potty and took my first swipe with the scraper. A cascade of marbles hit the floor. It felt wonderful. I took a …

IKEA Billy Bookshelf hack DIY library by Tracy Joy Jones

I Dreamed of a Library (Part 4) — The Reveal

There are two kinds of vacations: an adventure vacation and a relaxation vacation. Also known as, my kind of vacation and Matt’s kind of vacation. If you go on an adventure vacation, your priority is exploration, finding great places to eat, seeing everything you can, as well as squeezing in some quality beach time. A relaxation vacation involves lying on a beach or relaxing in a hammock in the mountains. Period. And in my opinion, there are two ways to approach bookshelf decor: Let the books speak for themselves and fill the shelves. Or, decorate your shelves for aesthetic tranquility. …

IKEA Billy Bookshelf DIY header and lighting by Tracy Joy Jones

I Dreamed of a Library (Part 3) — Lighting

When Matt Jones proposed to me down on one knee on the old pedestrian bridge spanning the Arkansas River, I didn’t immediately say yes. The night was pitch black, and the old bridge had no lighting, so my surprise exclamation wasn’t “yes”. Instead, he asked his beautifully romantic question, opened the ring box, and I said, “A light!” We still laugh about it. The jewelers had added a light to the tiny ring box, and it completely stole the show. Of course, I followed our laughter with an emphatic “yes.” But twenty-two happily married years later, and the lights are …

IKEA Bookshelf DIY hack by Tracy Joy Jones

I Dreamed of a Library (Part 2) — Assembling Bookshelves

In any DIY project, there comes a point where you are terrified to take the next step. And let me tell you, cutting carpet is terrifying. But if you want to build a built-in bookcase, there’s simply no way around it. You’re forced to fully commit to the project all the way to the finish line, and there is a strong possibility that you might end up with a total mess. Fortunately, Matt was the brave one willing to tackle the carpet. First, he removed the trim from the wall behind the bookshelves and used a hacksaw to cut the …

IKEA Bookshelf Diy hack by Tracy Joy Jones

I Dreamed of a Library (Part 1) — Framing the Door

Six-and-a-half years ago, we were living with my parents, and desperate to find a home of our own. Our starter home had sold immediately, and the home we hoped to buy had gone to another family. It was a really challenging time for me personally. But after months of searching, we found the home we had been waiting to find. As I stood in the backyard, giddy with relief and joy and every emotion, our realtor begged me to play it cool. I knew I was going to fail completely, so I let him do the talking, kept my mouth …