We bought our first home in 2018, and like many others, the first thing we thought was, let’s go shopping!
Well, that’s what we though, but for us, that was not an actual reality after dishing out closing and down payment funds. So what did we do when we needed a dining room table at a reasonable cost? We DIY ourselves a farmhouse kitchen table. I began researching and found the amazing Ana White. Ana White provides free, printable, and easy to follow woodworking plans for hundreds of types of projects.
Ana states in the plans that only two tools (drill and a saw) and $50 are needed to build and complete the DIY farmhouse kitchen table and immediately my husband was skeptical.
TIP: Your local home improvement store will make cuts for you for free if you do not own a saw. Some policies charge .25-.50 cents per cut after two cuts.
We are not woodworkers by trade, so we were not sure if the tool assessment or cost was accurate. I said to my husband, we should go price the materials. We did just that at our local home improvement store, and the $50 cost was spot on (see editor’s note).
For us, all the lumber and screws were about $55 with local taxes. We had to buy stain and paint in the color we preferred, so that was an additional cost and if you do not have a drill, that will also be an expense. A drill will be cost worthy for future projects, if you plan to build other projects around your home, so consider it an investment.
Ana provides a cut list and specific instruction in each of her plans to make it simple to shop for what you will need at the home improvement store.
It took us a weekend to build the table. We sanded, stained, and painted over the next week. We let the table cure for about three days before we put it to use. We built the table inside the house, otherwise it would not fit through the doorway once we completed it. The length of the table is 8 feet, and width is about 4 feet. From start to finish, total completion time was 10 days, with having to go work in between.
Editors Note: This post was originally published August 19, 2019 and has been revamped and updated for comprehensiveness.
Our DIY farmhouse kitchen table is still our main dining table 5 years later, in 2024.
This canvas had a beautiful, yellow, and orange pear painted on it. The canvas hung in my kitchen. A few years ago, I repurposed the canvas and created a “gather” sign to hang in my themed modern farmhouse home.
Doing a refresh in a few spaces and decided to update the gather sign once again.
Out with the canvas, and I went with a grayish/black metal, glass frame from HomeGoods for $29.99. That is typically more than I would normally pay for this type of project, but I had these frames on-hand for a different project that I have not done yet so I decided to put it to use now.
Anyhow, I searched Etsy for a digital download of a gather print I liked. I paid $5. The Etsy seller even made the image high resolution for free, so I could print to poster size, 24×36. Then I sent the digital print to Walgreens for printing.
Walgreen’s Photo Center often has 50% off printing promo codes. If you do not see a promo code displayed on the screen for your project, wait. Printing a 24×36 inch poster sized print is normally $32.99. I paid $16.49 plus tax.
Tips:
Find inexpensive frames from Dollar Tree, Amazon, HomeGoods, etc.
Find digital art or prints on Etsy from sellers with a style you are looking for.
Find art on art.com and society6.com.
Use Walgreens or a similar print shop to print your digital art or print.
Always use a promo code to save money.
My gather sign refresh cost $21.49.
Did you know about this printing hack? Have you used Etsy, art.com, or society6 to print art or digital prints? Where do you typically buy your frames?
I learned about Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant from my co-worker. He knows all about the speakeasies, wineries, and bars. He is very thorough in his analysis, so I took him at his word when he said the winery was cool. I do not know if my restaurant experience was in the forefront of my mind, but I vaguely remember him not really raving about the restaurant side of things, but going into detail about the winery. As you read on, you will see why both sentiments may be the case.
I made a reservation through Open Table the same day, and we ventured out. Make a reservation more than a day in advance if you want to be seated indoors, because reservations fill up fast. We were able to snag a table outdoors on the patio. Thank goodness the weather was nice, cool, and misters going made it a bit chilly for me. Good thing, I always have a jacket for backup.
Patrons’ attire ranged from dressed up to casual. We were somewhere in between.
When you first walk-in there is a retail area where you can purchase Cooper’s Hawk branded wine, wine glasses, and other wine accessories. As you walk through the retail shop, the reservation check-in area is situated right outside the restaurant entrance. Off to the left, the wine tasting area spans across the side wall, and it was packed full of wine tasters. The wine tasting does not take reservations and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The attendants said to allow 45 minutes to one-hour for the tastings, if you plan to participate before a dinner reservation.
With the reservation we waited approximately 15 minutes for our table to be ready. Once we were seated, we were offered two complimentary wine tastings each. I tried two white wines, Gewürztraminer and Blanc de Blanc. I appreciated them both, but I was surprisingly delighted by the Gewürztraminer. I had previously researched this wine, and it was described as the “grown up Moscato.” That description was quite accurate, a white wine, sweet but not too sweet and delicious on its own.
I was feeling adventurous, so I already knew I would order a wine flight as opposed to a single glass of wine. The flight allowed four options. You can choose a pre-selected bubbles, white, red, or lux flight for $18.99-$22.99. You can create your own flight for $21.99. I built my own flight, two white wines, Cooper’s Hawk White and Reisling. I also added two red wines, Cooper’s Hawk Red and Lux Cabernet. The two red wines were not my favorite. One, I am not a fan of wine being served warm, even though this is the red wine etiquette. I wanted to break all the rules and add a few cubes of ice, but I did not. Two, one of the red wines was spicy. I am also not a fan of wines that leave a hotness on your palate. I chose the reds to accompany my main dish, which was beef. Both white wines were shockingly smooth, and delightful. Made me regret choosing reds, at all. I enjoyed both whites overall, but the Riesling most of all.
Moving on to the underwhelming part of the evening, the food, and maybe I should not say it was completely underwhelming. The Brussel Sprouts were amazing. This is what we ordered:
Key Lime Pie – Fresh-Squeezed Citrus, Graham Cracker Crust, Whipped Cream, Lime Dust, $10.99.
The braised short rib was edible, but I had to jazz it up with parmesan cheese, and then I could eat at least half of it with the added cheese flavor. I should have been warned when the people at the table next to us left their Short Rib Risotto unfinished. The turkey burger was nicely seasoned with natural herbs but lacked salt. The Shrimp & Scallop Risotto arrived late, and it is not pictured because it immediately went back. The Shrimp & Scallop Risotto lacked and missed the mark all the way around. Aesthetics, flavor, and timeliness. I was shocked to learn this dish is a chef’s recommendation on the menu. It should be removed immediately from the entire menu.
Both desserts were complimentary, due to the late food and the lack of quality of the Shrimp & Scallop Risotto. I did not try the Reese’s Ice Cream Cookie, but can you go wrong with Reese’s and Ice Cream? I hope not. The Key Lime Pie was very good. I am a Key Lime Pie connoisseur, so take my word.
Despite the not-so-great experience with the main courses, overall, I would return to Cooper’s Hawk Winery, and indulge in their extensive wine list. As my co-worker described it, it is certainly a great place. The winery is impeccable. We decided as a group that if we must eat when visiting Cooper’s Hawk Winery, the appetizers are the way to go, because have you ever had a terrible appetizer, anywhere?
There are several locations across the United States. In Arizona, there are four locations, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Surprise.
I was craving macaroni salad. I am the only person in my house who eats it, so I rarely make it. I decided to try a different version, Bacon Ranch, to see if I can persuade the family to give it a try. I got the recipe from Pinterest (Pinterest User: LifeInTheLoftHouse.com) and my 10-year-old daughter asked if she could make it. She whipped it up in no time. She only needed help with boiling the noodles. She could probably do this part as well, but I have not relinquished boiling or frying to her, yet, for obvious reasons. I asked my husband to take care of the noodle boiling, and she went from there.
The Bacon Ranch Macaroni Salad was a hit with everyone. We will definitely be adding this to our menu of optional sides, especially when we grill.
8 slices of cooked bacon chopped (The recipe suggested using pre-cooked bacon, just threw in the microwave and done. Best advice ever! Also, if you do not eat pork, just skip the bacon. Turkey bacon will not do this recipe justice).
1 large tomato, diced (Most of the house does not eat tomatoes, so we left them out).
1 can (4.25 ounces) sliced black olives, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (We used ½ cup of cheddar cheese).
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain water. Rinse pasta with cold water to cool. Set it aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dry ranch mix, garlic powder and milk. Add pasta, cooked bacon pieces, tomato, olives, and cheese to the bowl. Gently toss to combine everything.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. (We ate it immediately, and the next day it was just as good).
I go scared, figure it out — so you can go with ease.
Hot air ballooning had been on my list for years. Not because it looked peaceful, but because it looked terrifying. My husband refused. His logic? At least one parent should stay on the ground to raise the kids.
Fair.
So I found a friend who trusted my research more than her fear, and we booked the ride with Rainbow Ryders anyway.
My research on the company and safety stats convinced a girlfriend to go along with what I felt was a great idea.
From the moment I booked the ride, with Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co. (RR), every human sense was stimulated.
An oversized basket, a giant balloon, fueled with hot-air, thousands of feet in the air, with 12 people inside, could we be any crazier? We were willing to see! I booked the hot-air balloon ride about three weeks out. You had the choice of a sunrise or sunset ride. We chose sunset, because getting up before the sun comes up over the horizon and baring the morning coldness was not anyone’s idea of an enjoyable start to a day.
There was no individual weight limit with RR, but they will ask what the total weight is for the individuals booking in your party. They placed us in a basket according to the other 10 riders that rode in the same basket with us, to give the balloon an overall safe balance.
Per RR, there were other requirements that we needed know before we booked our ride, such as being able to get in and out of the basket (similar to getting on and off a horse), standing for three hours, since we did have to stand the entire time, no on balloon seating. Wear comfortable clothes and closed toed shoes.
We checked in one day prior, to confirm our attendance for the next day. We arrived one-hour prior to flight time on the day of the ride to get an assigned basket, pilot, and van.
The ride from RR headquarters to the launch-site was about 45 minutes. Once the balloon chasers located an idea space for take-off, they began set-up. Set-up took an additional 45 minutes. We filled the time with a photo-op and observing the process of the crew inflating the balloon. They process is all manual, from pulling the basket out the back of a pick-up, unraveling the balloon to make sure it is flat and ready to be inflated with large fans.
In the air with Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co.
Once the logistics were in order, it was time for take-off. Nail-biting and wonder started to take over. However, the hot-air balloon ride was the most serene, relaxing, and enjoyable time that you can have at approximately 3,000 feet in the air. Surprisingly so quiet, just the sounds of whispering chatter from our balloon neighbors, and the sound of the fire fueling the balloon. Our pilot pointed out some landmarks and gave us some short personal stories about his flying experience over the last 30 years.
After about one hour and a half in the air, we prepared for landing. Landing was bumpy, but not rough. We skipped a few times, but our basket did not tip over, like we were warned could happen. There are small steps etched on the inside of the basket. We used those to climb to flat ground. We had a or few celebratory glasses of wine, and all the riders received flight certificates. Our balloon chasers met us at the landing site and chauffeured us back to the RR Headquarters. Overall, our experience was 10/10.
And yes, we are a little bit crazier since scratching hot-air ballooning off of our bucket list. Would not have it any other way!
Our total price paid was $390, for two riders, not including tip.
Have you been hot-air ballooning? Who were you able to talk into going with you? Tell me about your experience. If you have not been hot-air ballooning. would you try it?
Location Visited:
Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co. 715 E. Covey Lane, #100 Phoenix, Arizona 85024
Sharonda Shariee 