Leah at Storybook Ranch has a wonderful DIY project that makes me warm just looking at it. She gave her fireplace a makeover. It’s a big improvement. Here is her post:

Here’s the before: dull, drab, confused… After cleaning this baby out, I sprayed the inside with Rust-Oleum, high heat spray paint. We don’t plan on using the fireplace for heat. But, should we want to throw a log on for fun, hopefully this will prevent the fireplace from catching on fire.
This thing was so ugly, I was very close to putting it to the curb. As a matter of fact, it sat by the trash can for 5 days. Until I remembered I had some leftover spray paint…The transformation is unbelievable. My husband couldn’t believe it was the same piece…

I had planned on pulling up the dirtiest carpet in the world in front of the fireplace, but found some crumbling asbestos tiles underneath.

This was one of the most cost effective transformations I’ve done in my home. All it took was a little primer & paint. It makes such a difference and really brightened things up.

Great job Leah! Thanks for sharing! It looks so fresh and so much prettier! Any tips for talking Mr. DIY into painting brick? He’s not on board with my plans. 🙁

She has a tutorial for the mirror she made above the fireplace too. Go HERE for more details!

Those sunburst mirrors are another reminder that I’m suffering sunshine withdrawal. Don’t tell me if you’re living in a warm climate! I’m freezing and we have about a foot of snow. I’m ready to snuggle back under the covers until I see my shadow or is that “don’t” see my shadow? Whichever one brings spring closer.

Mr. DIY is out of commission with some back pain recently. I’m a 1-person DIY team for the time being. Anyway, I had the brilliant idea to attempt to fire up the wood stove myself. It’s in the basement (another future DIY project) and connected to our duct work and sits directly below my office. Nice and toasty when the fire is going. It didn’t work out though. I filled 3 stories of our home with smoke. Ooops.

Best to stick to the gas furnace for now and dream about an upcoming vacation in the works for March. It’s Mr. DIY’s birthday gift to me. I‘m considering Playa del Carmen, Mexico (my favorite place) or Aruba or even a warm U.S. city (I need help with that one. Booking a resort vacation is so much easier or I’m maybe I’m just lazy).