You guys! I'm calling the bathroom complete. I can't wait to share it with you- it was a labor of love and learning. If you've ever tried to find inspiration for a 5x8 basic bathroom that doesn't include big expenses like new faucets, new flooring, tilework, etc, you know it sort of doesn't exist. But I'm a big fan of the phase 1 makeover and since the kids' bathroom is the one overnight guests use, I was motivated to give it a facelift on a budget. Read about our budget-friendly basic bathroom makeover-- why we made the choices we did, and ideas to improve your own bathroom.

Remember when I shared that I bought final sale pine mirrors that looked like oak on the website but looked orange in real life? For a hot second, I considered just losing my $300+ dollars (I even bought these replacements). But then I came to my senses and decided there had to be a way to make pine look more like oak (I'd even settle for making the pine look less yellow). Although they weren't what I expected, they were a great size and real wood. And you can sand and stain pine, right? So that's what I set out to do. In order to keep them light and a little more modern looking, I knew I couldn't throw a coat of dark stain on them. I had to do this right. I'll cut to the chase. I'm really happy with the result! Here's what I did.

original finish

First I researched my butt off to get an idea of what types of stains look good over pine. I learned so much. I learned about wood bleach which can help tone down the yellow hue of pine. I learned about using a steel wool pad and a vinegar solution to help with the unsightly knots that are often prominent in pine. I learned about whitewash pickling stain. All of these things are useful but I couldn't try them all. I decided to test out some of the stain combos I saw online on a 'strip' of pinewood and go from there. But first, here are two things you can do to make sure your stain goes on nice and smoothly! 

first, sand the wood and get rid of any remaining dust. I saw the difference clearly between sanding and not sanding since I forgot to sand for tests 1 and 2. Cant you tell?!

second, make sure to use a wood conditioner. It really helps and pine needs all the help it can get. Okay, here are the combos I tested and the products I used*:

Sanding block
Wood conditioner
Early American Stain
Golden Oak Stain
Whitewash Pickling Stain
Weathered Oak Stain
Sander

*Most of my supplies were from Home Depot except the whitewash stain- got that from Amazon!

Here are are the stains I tried on the pine "test" piece:
1. weathered oak
2. golden oak, and then the next day, whitewash pickling stain that I wiped off after a minute.
3. weathered oak + early American wiped off right away.
4. weathered oak + early American allowed to sit for a couple of minutes before wiping off.
5. weathered oak (heavy-handed) + early American allowed to sit for 5 minutes before wiping off.
6. golden oak allowed to sit for 2 minutes.
7. golden oak lightly applied + whitewash pickling allowed to sit for just a minute before wiping off.

and then on a whim:
8. early American + the whitewash pickling stain. (not pictured but trust me when I say it looked disgusting).

It might seem like overkill to test all of these but unless you have experience staining, I'd suggest you do the same! How the final piece will look can vary based on how much stain you use, the wood prep, how long you allow the stain to sit on the wood, etc. So it's best to figure out your plan on a piece of test wood. But understand each piece of wood is different and so your results will be slightly different from your test. Also, I know they all look very similar here but in person, the differences are more noticeable. And really this 'test' is only comprised of a few variations I knew I'd like.

My favorite was #5 and #7. I couldn't decide so I asked Joe, who voted for #7. I was so afraid of using the whitewash for some reason but I figured the worse that could happen is that I wouldn't like it. And guess what? I already didn't like the mirrors so did I really have anything to lose? DIY takes courage y'all!

Ok so before staining the mirrors, I sanded off their waxed pine finish. I used an older version of this sander. The wood sanded really nicely- smooth and uniform. It was time to stain!


1. First I applied the pre-stain wood conditioner and let it dry for a half-hour.

2. Next, I applied golden oak lightly, meaning I dipped my cloth (I used an old t-shirt) into the stain and wiped it over the wood, rubbing it in as I went so as not to let it "puddle" anywhere. I let it dry for a few minutes. I was working outside in the sun so it didn't take too long for it to be dry to the touch.



I found that the corners were the trickiest. If the whitewash stain collects or puddles at all, it's hard to get it off. If that happens, you can sand it off and start over but I really didn't want to have to do that. I suggest taking your time and wiping seams/corners right away to avoid the puddling.

And as with any DIY project, make sure to start in the most inconspicuous place you can! That way you can get the hang of it in an area that's not very obvious. For this project, that was the very top where no one can see. Starting there gave me a chance to get in a groove.


The mirrors are not perfect but are SUCH an improvement from where we started! I hope these tips for staining pine to look more like oak were helpful! And side note, if you're looking for pretty wood mirrors, these wood-look mirrors are awesome! I was so tempted to keep them!

*affiliate links included. Thanks for supporting Pretty Real Blog. ♥

Here's the back story on the title of this post. A couple of weeks after I began using Olay Retinol24, my dental hygienist declared "What fountain of youth are you drinking from?!" Followed by calling my skin "flawless." I grabbed her, hugged her, and gave her some cash. Ok, not really. But I was 100% naked faced and was so honored to receive that compliment! When I shared this story on Instagram, I got a couple of messages to the effect of 'you've always had great skin.' Ok, maybe, but I also always see the same hygienist and that's the first time she's ever complimented my skin. So maybe it is the Retinol benefits. Speaking of Retinol benefits, here's a little about them and a little about this new product from Olay:

It's been too long and I've been too busy! Back to school and all that entails and celebrating 4 birthdays (along with planning 2 birthday parties) has usurped any and all free time! But I wanted to pop in and share a few fun dupes! This is one of my favorites because it includes Lulu & Georgia items for less and one Studio McGee look-a-like (hard to find)!

First up, this amazing Studio McGee bed!

As promised, I'm back to share the other part of our patio makeover! I shared all the background about taking a 10x10 concrete slab and turning it into a pretty patio, here, so make sure to check that out if you're interested! One thing I didn't cover in that post was the reason we decided to have cement poured. Our first choice would have been tile or a floating deck and while either would be amazing, it wasn't in the budget. We also debated a screened porch but I already feel like our home looks a bit boxy and didn't want to add a "little box" onto the back of it. Plus it would affect lighting inside the house. If you can avoid giving up natural light, choose that option.

I'm so excited to share our Patio Makeover with you! It's been a looong time coming! Last year we had a fence built. While that wasn't exactly a "fun" purchase, it created the privacy we needed before investing in a complete patio makeover. We wanted an outdoor spot that could accommodate our big family and reflect our style. We had a lot of issues to work around- very close neighbors/lack of privacy (welcome to suburbia), a slope-y yard, a huge swing set, and bright and harsh sun. Here's how we tackled the issues, infused our style without breaking the bank, and our future plans for the space.

You guys. I have always been obsessed with Disney's The Lion King. When I was young I could quote every line (and still do!). When I had children, it was the very first Disney DVD I bought. Despite the fact that Genevieve could barely sit through a 20-minute kid show, let alone an entire movie, still, I tried. My excitement the first time I saw the preview for Disney's The Lion King coming to theaters July 19th was off the charts. Literal butterflies! There's something about passing on an experience you were passionate about as a child to your own kids that feels so precious. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tell you guys about The Lion King events at Walmart and adorable The Lion King products there. Keep reading for a peek at these new toys plus my very own The Lion King Trail Mix recipe!

Initially, when I decided to pop in and share some updates in the girls' room, I told myself "not to make it a big deal." It's just about the modern rainbow art, I said. But now, I wish I'd changed their sheets and steamed their bedding. Ok, now that that's off my chest, I wanted to share some moderately real-time updates in the girls' room. Let's be honest, I'm not one for 60-day room renos. It takes me a while to finish a space, but I think that's probably how most of us roll in real life so I like the thought of bringing you along for the ride. Plus I thought you'd dig all the amazing plugin sconces on a budget, I share at the end!

I often felt ugly. My hair was short, what I would've called "nappy," and didn't look like any of my friends' hair. Over the years I tried relaxing it, braiding it, a jeri curl (long after they were in style), weaves... you name it. My fall back was relaxing my hair- using expensive and painful chemicals to break down my curls and make my hair straight. Then, I'd love my hair... for about 2 weeks. The next 4 weeks were spent waiting until I could straighten it again. That's no way to live, people. The day I decided to learn to love my natural 4c curls, was nothing short of life changing and I'm not being dramatic. My first attempts at researching great products for extremely coarse 4c natural hair led me straight to SheaMoisture. 

In March, Joe added shiplap (more to come on that) to the bathroom walls and to be honest I can't even remember how long ago I painted the vanity. But those were the first two exciting steps toward a new look for the kids' bathroom. Of course, I wanted to make it look nice for the girls and Dax but since guests also use it when they stay, its priority level moved up a few notches. That said, we wanted a low budget kids' bathroom renovation, that would still be suitable for adults. Here's what we came up with!

When I shared the girls' room (okay, let's be honest...more like when Chris Loves Julia shared it), I got 2 main comments/questions. 1. Where can I get those pillows? Sorry, sold out! and 2. Those headboards are amazing. Well, the headboards were a thrifted find (I did share my #1 tip to find your own awesome headboards here though!) but I occasionally see amazing boho headboards while online window shopping and rounded 'em up for you! We've got vintage headboards, rattan headboards, cane headboards, bamboo headboards- basically so many woven, boho, beautiful headboards! Prices start at just $100!

Thank you First Alert for sponsoring this post. Help protect your home and family with voice and location alarms from First Alert!

For years, I've seen pins of gorgeous deeply hued eggs on Pinterest and have wanted to try it. I finally got my stuff together and purchased a bunch of ingredients to try naturally dying Easter eggs. This is the perfect project if you're a curious and festive mama like me, or for older kiddos- especially those who are into science. It felt very 'experimental' in terms of deciding the various components- what material (and how much) to use for the natural dye, how long to simmer the dye, how long to leave the eggs in the natural dye, which color eggs to use, etc. There's a plethora of info out there so I took that to mean, I can't really mess this up.

You guys. I can't even admit to you how many hours I've spent looking for a stylish outdoor sofa that will withstand the elements here in the south. I'm talking full sun for days, 100-degree temps, and plenty of rain to boot. While I LOVE the look of wood outdoor furniture, it's just not practical here. I was ready to pull the trigger on this sofa when I shared it on Instastories and the feedback was unanimous- only buy wood patio furniture if you're okay replacing it in a year or two. Spoiler alert. I'm not. So that began the search for steel, aluminum, faux wood (usually aluminum painted to look like wood), or an all-weather wicker stylish outdoor patio on a budget. I've spent way too much time searching for the best all weather outdoor sofas on a budget to just file it away. Sharing makes it a bit more worth it! So here are my picks for modern, stylish, and affordable outdoor sofas that can withstand long, hot summers!

In last week's post, I mentioned that I'd be back to share why the girls' room evolved. A year and a half ago, it looked like this. It was cute but with too many competing colors, and more importantly, too much clutter. It drove me bananas and stayed dirty. We all love a killer room makeover, but I'd argue that sometimes makeunders are needed to 'tidy up' a space. In this case, there was too much in the room that was for form rather than function. Other reasons you might need a makeunder are:

The girls' room isn't finished but I'm calling new headboards, bedding, a dresser, and a nightstand the conclusion to phase 1. You might remember it looking like this. While it was cute, turns out it was a bit too busy for us. I'll share more about that in a separate post but for now, I wanted to share where things stand- particularly for those of you who were mesmerized by the painting woes from my Instagram stories. 😂

I lamented here about the blank walls in the living room. Finding Art is overwhelming; inexpensive art is even more of an enigma. Luckily there's a variety of affordable art out there and I finally found some I liked! Keep reading for tips to find modern, inexpensive art that fits your aesthetic (even if this isn't it!), and to see other options I considered.

Did you know Claire's hosts parties?! I didn't! Once, during an AWFUL trip to the mall (one in which the kids were wild and I lost my ish), we spotted a sign advertising "We do parties!" Good things come from terrible mall experiences! A party at Claire's seemed like the perfect pre-tween party idea. We inquired and got some details that all sounded fantastic! Details such as:

You guys. I got new pendant lights for the kitchen. And I'm obsessed. It's like that quote 'you were everything I never knew I always wanted.' That's how I'd describe these fixtures. I thought I wanted shiny and new. I was wrong. I thought I wanted modern. That was a lie. Turns out I never knew I always wanted vintage fixtures with the most beautiful patina in a rather traditional shape. They're huge and they make my heart flutter. And they came from [drum roll please] FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE. I'm sorry I'm screaming but I just never thought I'd find the perfect affordable brass light fixture on facebook. Craigslist? Maybe but not likely. OfferUp? Probably not.  Wayfair? Overstock? AllModern? Hayneedle? Yes, yes, yes, or yes.