Living Room Decor Update

Vintage style blue and white washable area rug great for French country decor from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4k7SrUN
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Everything is still a work in progress here at Royalview, but it’s getting cozier and definitely feeling like home, more and more every day. I’m getting to where I do not want to leave. I want to stay home. Royalview is now definitely in my heart as home.

It’s been so much fun shopping for home decor, as well as doing my little crafts for things around the house. Royalview’s decor has been a “from scratch” project. Our decor theme and color scheme is completely different from our former home of 31 years. It’s been a great adventure for me to start from scratch. All new feel, all new memories.

Our entertainment center decor has been in constant evolvement. As we find new goodies, we’re always moving things around to see where they look best. The top of our entertainment center has now inherited the floral arrangement that I made to go in the dining room atop our antique curio cabinet.

Home entertainment center decor focal point.
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I put this floral arrangement together in a pedestaled white milk glass bowl I acquired at Yesterday’s Treasures Antique Mall in Willis, TX, as I did the cute black two-faced clock pictured here. Not sure yet if this will be where it (the floral arrangement) stays, but it’s here for now. Still deciding…

Above entertainment center focal point decor. Vintage style French country home decor.
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I found the white rose garland at Michaels, and I love how it ties everything together. I intertwined the garland with a strand of battery powered little ball lights. You can see them better in the closeup photo.

And, I’ve not yet introduced you to our wall clock, Cinderella. I found her at Yesterday’s Treasures Antique Mall upon our very first visit there, and knew immediately that she had to come home with us.

Mora style wall clock. Antique Mall find.
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Cinderella is a Mora style wall clock painted in white and gray. I did not give her a makeover. This is the way I found her and loved the look. She was actually the inspiration for the color that I painted Beauty (the tall candlestick holder). We have very high walls, so she goes perfectly, with her very tall stature.

I found a similar clock in style and color on Amazon for any who may be loving this style as much as I do. It’s a Howard Miller Lebanon II Wall Clock in Antique Gray. (I will be linking more similar Amazon finds here for all of you, for items I have acquired elsewhere that may be 1 of a kind as far as where I’ve found them, as I do receive requests from folks wanting to find similar items for themselves.)

And, for the promised look at the little house clock that I found at Hobby Lobby and repainted, Here it is:

Entertainment center decor. French country home style. After photo of house style clock.
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Willie also installed new clock works and hands. Here’s the before picture:

Before picture of house style clock.
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Such a fun and easy little makeover project, but it did make a big difference. I really like this little clock. It gives me birdhouse vibes.

And we cannot forget Willie’s favorite living room decor item, our Samsung 55-Inch Smart TV.

Samsung 55 Inch HDR Smart TV from Amazon. They will deliver and set it up for you.
https://amzn.to/3FnNZCa
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We both really do enjoy it. It’s very nice to see the action on the screen so well, and we love that we can watch our DVD’s very easily without having to switch back and forth. The DVD choice is located on the menu with all the other apps. This Amazon purchase was so fabulous also because they brought it here and set it up for us. That was very helpful.

We’ll be off on another antiquing spree with Aunt Bunny, coming up very soon. We’ll see what other treasures are to be found. My sights are now focused more on decor for my office and for our bathrooms. I’m so excited my new desk has arrived (from Amazon, of course). Willie is working to get that all put together as well as a storage cabinet for our utility room. There’s always some type of project going on over here, and we’re loving it!

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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VIPBED 8×10 Vintage Style Blue and White Area Rug (Picture 1), from Amazon

Home Decor, French Country, Lake House, Decor, Amazon Finds, Amazon Associates, Antique Mall Finds, Shopping, Willis, Conroe, Texas

May 22, 2025 0

Making Fragrant Dried Lavender Sachets and Bouquet

Dried Lavender Floral Arrangement and Sachets.
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Can you smell the lavender in the air here at Royalview today? It’s so lovely.

And while it smells, and also looks very lovely, it is going to serve a good purpose in our home living environment.

I encountered a little scorpion hiding in a hand towel the other day. That gave Willie and I both a bit of a scare, and we also inherited spiders that live here on the property, so I began looking into natural ways to sway them away from wanting to live with us in our home. Lavender came up on both counts (for scorpions and spiders) when I did a Google search, and a knowledgeable plant specialist also told me that lavender, as well as fresh mint, and thyme, all work.

I ordered pre-made lavender sachets just a little while back, but they did not seem to be very fragrant, so I decided to search for dried lavender that may be better sealed, and attempt to make my own sachets. I searched lavender farms here in Texas, and also searched my favorite go-to, Amazon. I succeeded in finding a vacuum sealed bag of dried lavender on Amazon, as well as some really nice bundles of dried lavender flowers.

Bundles of dried lavender flowers from Amazon. https://amzn.to/43sl7AZ
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Vacuum sealed dried lavender from Amazon. https://amzn.to/43CdMzO
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I also found some really cute burlap sachet bags with heart shapes on them which I thought were really pretty, and would be great for putting in dresser drawers, cabinets, and for display as well.

Burlap sachet bags with cute heart designs from Amazon. https://amzn.to/4k2Clfd
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I was very excited when everything arrived. My Aunt Bunny gifted me a beautiful clear glass vase, which is perfect for my dried lavender bouquet.

Items for making dried lavender sachets and floral arrangement.
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First things first, opening the vacuum sealed bag of lavender. How would I contain all that, once it’s opened? Luckily, I remembered bringing a metal tub with us when we moved. That will be the perfect size to pour all the lavender into.

Cutting open a vacuum sealed bag of dried lavender.
https://amzn.to/4k5J87Z
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Opening a vacuum sealed bag of dried lavender flowers.
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Once the bag was opened and the lavender poured into the metal tub, it was time to start spooning it into the little sachet bags. And the aroma… So beautiful! So fragrant! I love it!

Spooning dried lavender flowers into burlap sachet bags.
https://amzn.to/4k5J87Z
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In the description of this vacuum sealed bag of dried lavender flowers, the seller suggests gently crushing the dried flowers to release even more fragrance, so as I spooned the lavender into the bags, I would then just gently smash the flowers in the bag. I could smell the fragrance even more after doing this. I spooned approximately 3-4 teaspoons into each bag.

Set of 20 burlap sachet bags with cute heart shapes from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4koLtuj
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Aren’t these little burlap bags just the cutest? I love that the set came in 2 different tones. 10 in white, and 10 in beige, and they have the little light brown burlap hearts on each. So perfect for farmhouse decor.

Next up, a dried lavender flower bouquet.

This was so simple to do. At first I thought that I would be using both dried lavender flower bundles, but it turned out that 1 bundle was plenty.

Dried lavender flower bouquet from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/43CfNfs
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I put in a few faux florals with the dried lavender, and added blue satin ribbon (that I had purchased from Amazon previously for another project).

Blue satin ribbon from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/43jSUfs
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It’s so simple, yet elegant.

I was wondering where I may want to put my new lavender arrangement, and Willie suggested atop the curio cabinet in our dining room. I already had a floral arrangement there, but you know, he may be right. I think it looks really pretty, and the florals fit into the picture frame above the cabinet very well.

Dried lavender flower bouquet. Dried lavender from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4kkdWBs
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Dried lavender bouquet made with dried lavender flower bundle from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/4kkdWBs
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I’m very happy with how everything turned out. The amount of dried lavender that I purchased (7 oz) in the vacuum sealed bag was perfect to fill all 20 (3×5) sachet bags.

20 burlap sachet bags with cute heart designs filled with dried lavender and tied with a white frayed chiffon ribbon from Amazon.
https://amzn.to/3SNGtU8
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I tied a few of the bags with a white frayed chiffon ribbon that I also purchased from Amazon. So cute!

Now I can place these cute little sachets all around, filling Royalview with their beautiful fragrance, and hopefully encouraging our little visitors to depart peacefully.

I think I’ll do another batch as well so I can put them in all the closets and cabinets in every room. So fun and easy to do.

Well, I hope you enjoyed visiting with me as I made my dried lavender crafts, and hope this inspires you to do your favorite crafts as well.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy. God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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Amazon Home, Amazon Affiliates, Homemade Dried Lavender Flower Sachets, Burlap Lavender Sachets, Dried Lavender Bouquet Arrangement in Vase, Lavender for Spiders and Scorpions

May 19, 2025 0

Housecleaning with Heart, in Spring, Texas

Cinthia of Lopez Alegria Enterprise LLC, Housecleaning, in Spring, Texas
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I was very privileged to meet a very special lady this week. Cinthia Alegria, of Lopez Alegria Enterprise, LLC.

Cynthia was referred to us by our Realtor, Kristin, before we moved here to Royalview. At the time, we were unable to connect our schedules, but I recently decided to reach out to her again to inquire about her services.

We have had housecleaning/maid service since we moved to Royalview. I have not been 100 percent happy with the services that Royalview has been receiving, and we have switched companies several times as a result.

But to the awesome part, and sometimes we all must go through some not so awesome parts first, but I’m so glad that I reached out to Cinthia. She has such a lovely and bubbly personality, and she really cares about what she does, and if things are cleaned to her liking, and/or satisfaction. So refreshing!

One thing that no one else has done, except Cinthia, is come by and visit our home and discuss our needs before our first housecleaning. She gave us a quote upon her visit. I was very impressed with just this gesture alone. I felt more at ease immediately from this experience, as well as knowing that she is the owner/CEO of her own company, and that she would be present on cleaning day.

Cinthia began in our kitchen (which is always my preference), and her companion, Maria, began in our bedroom.

Cinthia started in cleaning the tops of our cabinets. This is a service I have requested from other companies, since before we moved in.

Cinthia of Lopez Alegria's Enterprise LLC. Housecleaning/Maid Service in Spring, TX
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Cinthia asked me if we have had a deep cleaning before, to which I replied, yes, a couple. She then took a picture of the top of the cabinets and texted it to me.

I could not believe what I saw. I shall not say anything offensive about anyone or any company here, but rather be very thankful for Cinthia.

Dirty cabinet tops before hiring Cinthia of Lopez Alegria Enterprise LLC.
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I will say that after hiring companies, and yes, plural, companies to deep clean our new home before moving in, and also paying for deep cleaning after we moved in, and then also bi-weekly cleaning (including requesting cabinet tops be cleaned), this is how Cinthia found them.

Disappointing to say the least, but we are trying to focus on the good here, right? Right!

So, drum roll please…. Ta-da!

Clean cabinet tops after Cinthia of Lopez Alegria Enterprise LLC cleaned.
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Sweet! So much better, and I feel much better knowing that they are now, finally, clean…

Cinthia also cleaned out our oven very well, taking the racks out and cleaning those too. She really went the extra mile. I enjoyed chatting with her and getting to know her better during her visit. She told me that she tells her employees that they need to love what they do, and to do their very best.

This is Maria, one of her employees. She is also a very nice lady, and greeted me with her beautiful smile.

Maria of Lopez Alegria Enterprise LLC, Spring Texas Housecleaning Service.
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These two ladies did a fantastic job. I feel so much better now about cleaning day here at Royalview. I will not have anxiety over who is coming over, or how will they do. I now feel very secure in who will be coming over, and I can relax and know that Royalview is in very good, kind-hearted, caring hands.

Lopez Alegria Enterprise is located in Spring, Texas. I very, very, highly recommend Maria and her team.

You can find Cinthia on Facebook, Lopez Alegria Enterprise on Facebook (Cinthia’s husband specializes in home improvement), and Lopez Alegria Enterprise LLC on Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. We love to spread good news about companies that have helped us in our journey and deserve a shout-out, as well as help others like us looking for wonderful people to work with.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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Best House Cleaning Company Review, Maid Service, Spring, Texas, Housecleaning of your Dreams, Best Recommended House Cleaning Service, Conroe, Willis, Woodlands, Texas, Woman Owned Business, Support Small Business

May 15, 2025 0

Celebrating 42 Years as Mr. and Mrs.

We are very thankful to be celebrating 42 years of marriage, as we also celebrate our new home, Royalview, and our new blog, Across the Lake.

When you begin a new marriage, you never know where life may take you together, and we are so grateful where we are now. Sometimes it seems that the time passes so swiftly, but when I take a long look back, I realize that it really has been quite the journey. Willie was 20 and and I was 18 when we wed, back in 1983.

People sometimes ask what our secret is to a long-lasting marriage. For myself, I do not think there is any one secret, just love. True love can pull you through everything you face together.

Johanna + Willie = Love

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May 14, 2025 0

DIY Painting Projects: Dining Room Curio Cabinet Decor

Antique hand made mahogany curio cabinet.
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It’s been a lot of fun shopping and deciding what items to put on and in our antique curio cabinet handmade by Willie’s Father. I definitely knew that we needed bright items to contrast the dark mahogany wood. I also wanted to go with fun and whimsical items.

A few of the recently added items are the cute little bicycle clock, the miniature table and chair set, and the wicker basket.

Each of these items needed a little TLC to get them ready for display.

The first to get their makeover was the little bicycle clock. We found this at Hobby Lobby on the Clearance aisle. It’s so awesome. I told Willie that I really wanted a white bicycle to go in our cabinet, so when I spotted this bicycle, I was overjoyed.

As you can see, it was originally black metal, and the clock had no hands. I saw this as a fun project for us, and I love that it is an old fashioned style bicycle. This was a happy surprise find.

Black cast iron bicycle clock before picture.
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With just a quick touch-up of white paint on the metal and wooden parts, the only thing left to do was to replace the clock-works. We found clock workings sets at Michaels for both this bicycle clock and a little house clock project. I’ll show you the little house on a later post.

Bicycle clock painted white.
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Willie made quick and easy work of replacing the clock works, and there she is, so pretty and now also working. I cannot remember exactly what we paid for this clock, but I think it was less than $5.00, because it didn’t work, so yay!

Completed bicycle clock makeover and clock replacement, after picture.
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Next up are the miniature dining room table and chairs and wicker basket, ready for their makeovers.

Paint project items: miniature table and chair set and wicker basket.
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We got the miniature wooden table and chairs set at New Waverly Antiques and Collectibles, and the wicker basket was brought with us from our former home.

I dreamt about the wicker basket painted white with lavender flowers inside, like someone had been out picking them. So, that’s what I set out to accomplish.

Wicker basket being painted white.
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Again, very easy to transform. I used a water based paint and did not put a lot on my brush. Just a light white washing.

Wicker basket painted white.
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I did not paint the inside, since I plan to fill it with faux lavender, which I picked up at Rosey Opals, in New Waverly, TX.

Faux lavender stems with frayed white satin ribbon tied in bows.
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I also purchased some frayed white satin ribbon, and a really pretty blue silk ribbon from Amazon. Here are our Associate links for these: White Silk Satin Ribbon 1.5 inch, Dusty Blue Satin Ribbon 3 inch.

Wicker basket painted white with dusty blue satin ribbon to be tied.
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I love the color and texture of these ribbons. So beautiful.

And our finished basket with lavender project:

White washed wicker basket filled with faux lavender and tied with a dusty blue satin ribbon bow.
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I’m very happy with the way it turned out.

And now we get to the little miniature table and chairs. I found these at New Waverly Antiques and Collectibles. I posted about our fun antique shopping day in New Waverly in an earlier post. You can find it here.

My new phrase currently seems to be, “I can paint it white.”, when I find something I love that isn’t quite the right aesthetic for Royalview’s decor. I like being able to find things that we both love, and transforming them. It’s so much fun, and makes for great memory making.

Painting a miniature dining table white.
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Painting a wooden miniature table and chairs set.
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For this set, I added a touch of blue paint to give the pieces a little farmhouse charm.

Miniature wooden table and chair set finished paint project in whitewash and blue with miniature vase and flowers.
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Isn’t that little vase with flowers the sweetest? But…. I also found a miniature tea set while shopping at the Conroe Woodlands Antique Mall, and I couldn’t resist. It was a difficult choice, but I decided to go with the tea set on the table.

And here it is in it’s new spot in the curio cabinet.

Miniature wooden table and chairs set with miniature tea set on the table.
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I completed the look with a little doily that I found at New Waverly Antiques and Collectibles.

The basket found it’s new home on the very bottom of the curio cabinet.

White washed wicker basket filled with faux lavender inside an antique mahogany curio cabinet.
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We’re making great progress!

Mahogany antique hand made curio cabinet.
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We just need to find some goodies for the very top. I’m thinking remote controlled candles, to bring in some light, and a couple more items for the side (angled) shelves on the bottom.

It’s all coming together a lot quicker than I thought it may, and I’m really loving the juxtaposition of the formalness and darkness of the cabinet, with the playfulness and lightness of the curated items.

Till next time, stay safe and follow your joy. God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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DIY Home Decor Projects, Miniature Furniture Makeover, Whitewashing Projects, Paint Projects, French Country House Inspired Decorations, Whimsical Decor, Lakehouse Decor, Conroe, Texas

May 13, 2025 0

Happy News for Royalview!

Royalview receives Yard of the Month honor for May, 2025.
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Willie and I are very honored that Royalview received the recognition of Yard of the Month for May, 2025. We share this honor and good news with the team at Eagle A. Improvements (Houston,TX), who worked with us to design her gardens and landscaping, as well as performed the installation.

Cheers!

Johanna and Willie

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May 7, 2025 0

DIY Home Decor Paint Project: Tall Wooden Candlestick Holder Makeover (Beauty)

Before and after photo of repainted makeover: Tall wooden candlestick holder from burgandy to white.
acrossthelake.blog — Updated Makeover from Burgundy to White

This is a project I had both been looking forward to, as well as being a bit shy to begin. Let me introduce you to Beauty, as we affectionately call her. Beauty has been with us for 20 years now. She was hand-turned on a lathe by Willie, and hand painted by me when we were working together as Studio 3B, creating wooden candlestick holders and candles.

Now that we’ve moved to Royalview and changed our decor, her burgundy and gold colors no longer fit in aesthetically, but I knew I’d never let her go, so she was slated for a complete transformation.

Tall wooden candlestick holder before paint makeover.
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To begin, I used a soft grit sandpaper to remove the varnish. I chose not to completely sand her down (back to original wood), but rather use the deep burgundy as an undertone so she would have an aged look after completion. In other words, I was not planning a “pristine” white look.

Wooden candlestick holder being painted. First coat of white paint.
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This was the scary part. Putting on the first coat of white, and covering up her original burgundy. I used a water based paint (same as my previous project).

Here’s her first coat of white. The burgundy still shows through, but she’ll get a second coat.

DIY Paint Project: Tall wooden candlestick holder transformation from burgundy to white. First coat of white.
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Now that she’d had her second coat of white paint, I knew that I wanted contrast in all her gorgeous nooks and crannies. I opted for gray. I considered silver or blue, but I wanted Beauty to have an elegant, yet understated, look this time.

DIY paint project: Wooden candlestick holder
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Closeup pic, paint project wooden candlestick holder makeover.
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Closeup wooden candlestick holder base. Paint project makeover.
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Beauty’s new look.

After picture, completed paint redo makeover project for tall wooden candlestick holder.
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It really just took patience and tweeking to achieve the look I wanted with the right balance of rustic, but yet still keeping her elegant.

And here she is now in her corner spot. I put a little plant on top. She’s a candleholder, but that looks really pretty! We’ll see what I end up getting for her topper, but for now, I’m liking it!

Repainted candlestick holder. Now in white and gray. After photo.
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These are the fun little projects that really make it feel like home here at Royalview. Our own personal touches, and items that we brought with us, that can still be incorporated into our new environment.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy!

Johanna and Willie

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DIY Home Decor Paint Project, Tall Wooden Candlestick Holder, Makeover, Before and After Transformation

May 7, 2025 0

Adventures in Antiquing: New Waverly, Texas

New Waverly Antiques and Collectibles.
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Boy, did we have a great time yesterday! The weather was BEAUTIFUL! I cannot recall another May when we’ve experienced temperatures in the 70’s after a cool front moving through, here in Texas. It was the perfect day to travel up to New Waverly and walk around that charming little town, visiting all the spots that were taking part in their special Mother’s Day Event.

We began our day with breakfast at Honey’s Coffee and Biscuits.

Honey's Coffee and Biscuits, New Waverly, Texas
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We’ve actually been wanting to try Honey’s ever since we saw their menu being printed at our local UPS Store. I knew I wanted to try their Spinach, Egg, and Feta Biscuit Panini, for sure. I ordered it in one of their Brunch Boxes. They are so cute, and it comes with House Potatoes and fresh fruit. Great way to start our adventure!

Spinach, Egg, and Feta Biscuit Panini in a Brunch Box from Honey's Coffee and Biscuits in New Waverly, TX. acrossthelake.blog

After our brunch, we walked across the street to New Waverly Antiques and Collectibles. We have been here before, and really enjoy visiting.

There is so much history to browse through here.

Check out their milk glass collection in white. We have a few pieces at Royalview from their stash.

Milk glass collection at New Waverly Antiques and Collectibles.
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And look what I found for our antique cabinet in the dining room. I was thrilled to find this miniature wooden table and chairs dining room set. I thought it would be fun to paint these white and have a little vase of flowers on top. Christine and Mary both helped me look for a vase, and Mary was the winner with this little cutie, and she even put some little flowers in it. Such a fun time here for sure.

Miniature wooden table and chairs set from New Waverly Antiques and Collectibles.
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Our next stop was next door at the New Waverly Feed Store. They had a Farmer’s Market going on with vender’s tents all set up in the parking lot.

New Waverly Feed Store Farmer's Market.
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We looked around here for a bit and then took a stroll across the Railroad Tracks to another favorite spot, Rosey Opals.

Railroad tracks in New Waverly, TX
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Rosey Opals in New Waverly, TX
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Rosey Opals was hosting a Mother’s Day Market and had vendors outside, as well as special sales going on inside, plus the Red Bird Ice Cream Parlor was open. That’s such a fun feature in this antique mall.

The very first booth upon entering is one of my favorites. The aesthetic is definitely my vibe. How gorgeous is this Mora Clock?

Mora Clock at Rosey Opals in New Waverly, TX
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Do you spy the little white bird just to the left of the clock? I’ve been eyeballing this beautiful wooden hand carved bird on several of our visits. He was 50% off during their event, so he came home with us.

Wooden hand carved bird from Rosey Opals in New Waverly, TX
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The real highlight of our entire day came when we decided to venture outside to the vendor’s tents. I spied some cute little birdhouses, so I went directly there and we met two of the most wonderful ladies ever. Mary from The Rusted Crow, and Gloria, from Good Vibrations Furniture.

The Rusted Crow's tent at Rosey Opals' Mother's Day Event in New Waverly, TX
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This is Mary’s Booth (The Rusted Crow). She has a lot of wonderful home and garden pieces that she makes with love and whimsy. She and I talked for quite a while, as did Willie and Gloria. I feel like we became instant friends. These two ladies are what make this type of adventure so worth while. Willie and I love going out and about in our new hometown and nearby surroundings, meeting people, supporting all the local artists and vendors that we can, and hopefully beginning some very valued new friendships.

Vintage steampunk style picture from The Rusted Crow.
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Gloria specializes in restoring vintage furniture and giving them a new groove. She’s pretty groovy herself!

Gloria's Good Vibrations Furniture.
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Gloria's Good Vibrations Furniture restored table.
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Check out the paint colors on those table legs. So beautiful. And a gorgeous bumble bee decoupage table top.

Bumble Bee decoupage table top by Gloria's Good Vibrations Furniture.
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After such an exciting day, we were very hungry, so we headed to another new family owned fave in Willis, Pizza Shack.

Pizza Shack in Willis, Texas
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After living in this area almost 5 months now, I am beginning to feel like a local, as we’re starting to get recognized here and there. This has been a dream of mine and Willie’s for quite some time. Small town life.

The food at Pizza Shack is pretty, and yummy too.

House salad at Pizza Shack.
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I got the Classic Margherita Flat Bread. Mwah!

Classic Margherita Flat Bread from the Pizza Shack, Willis, Texas.
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The perfect ending to a perfect day.

And here’s our little stash of goodies from our antiquing adventure.

We got the hand carved wooden bird plus that cute little “Queenie” bird, as I’m calling her, with her golden crown. The little miniature wooden dining room table and chairs set with the miniature vase (flowers included, thanks to Mary) and a couple of lace doilies.

Stash of goodies from antique shopping in New Waverly, TX
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I also spied some faux lavender bush stems at Rosey Opals that are perfect for a project I actually dreamed of while I slept the other night. I woke up with the idea to paint a basket that we brought with us from our former home (it’s in our back room with the rest of our stuff to be unpacked), and to lay some lavender in the basket as if someone had been out in a field picking it and putting it in the basket.

Faux lavender bushes in a basket
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You can imagine when I saw these lavender bushes, I knew it was meant to be. Plus these little beauties sparked our conversations with Mary and Gloria outside. Double blessing!

I know I say it on every post. And it’s because it is really true. God is truly good!

Till next time, and new adventures, be safe and please always follow your joy!

Johanna and Willie

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The Rusted Crow Group on Facebook

Gloria’s Good Vibrations Furniture on Instagram

Rosey Opals on Facebook

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May 4, 2025 0

DIY Home Decor Paint Project: Large Salvaged Wooden Frame + Antique Furniture Move-In

Let’s get this dining room decorating party started!

This all began with bringing home items from Willie’s family’s woodturning shop. Sadly, everything is being shut down and closed, including his parents’ former residence and the family business.

But from this big life-changing event, we hope to keep and restore items and let them carry on memories with us and our branch of the family.

Willie recruited our Son, Brennen, and his Nephew, Roger to help bring home a couple of antique items that he had requested from the family estate. First is a wooden cabinet that his Dad made when he (his Dad) was in his twenties. Second, an antique RCA Victrola.

Bringing home antiques.
acrossthelake.blog — Roger (left), Brennen (right)

I really admire the craftmanship of this cabinet. Truly a one of a kind with hand turned wooden detailed accents. I love the fact that he (Willie’s Dad, Clyde) put red Christmas lights in the cabinet for illumination. This was probably made in the early 1960’s.

Antique cabinet with glass and handturned features.
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Then, this beautiful Victrola.

Antique RCA Victrola.
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Isn’t that something?

It still has a record on the turn-table, and there are very old records in the cabinet below.

Antique RCA Victrola Talking Machine.
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Very thankful to have these 2 family heirlooms here at Royalview.

Willie and I recently took a drive into Houston to visit the shop, as we’re attempting to get things cleared away, and I happened upon an old picture that was hanging in his Dad’s former office, and asked if I could bring it home. Willie said I could, and the thing that caught my eye about the picture, is the very ornate frame. I thought this would be a great salvage project, and a way to give this beautiful frame a new life in our home.

Old frame before pic.
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This frame is so beautifully detailed. You can see why it caught my eye.

Old frame up close, before pic.
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I knew immediately upon seeing the frame, that I wanted to give it a white-wash paint effect.

Willie and I visited our local Ace Hardware and picked out a lovely shade of white and a few paint brushes for this project, as well as some other projects that I worked on at the same time. I’ll show you those as well in an upcoming post.

Benjamin Moore Satin Water Based Paint.
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This process is really easy, and it doesn’t have to be perfect, by any means. I just had a lady ask me how I did this, or what type of mixture I used. I only use a water based paint. I keep my paintbrush pretty “dry” and do not load too much paint at one time. With this being a water based paint, it’s very easy to remove any excess with a damp paper towel or cloth. It’s just a matter of lightly adding almost a dry coat of paint, especially to the raised areas, which, on some of the higher point details, I did go heavier on the paint so they would really stand out.

White wash paint project: Old salvaged wooden frame.
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DIY White wash paint project: old salvaged wooden frame.
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I eye-balled it basically, and decided as I went along, how much I wanted the old paint to show through and how much white I wanted. At first, I thought I would do almost a full coverage of white, but since there is so much detail on this frame, I wanted some of the brown undertone to show through to really enhance the details. Plus, with there being white and brown tones in our dining room, this will be a great piece to bring it all together.

I did not put a top coat on, so that it would have a very old, rustic look.

And even though it has an old, rustic look, I believe it also has a very elegant look.

Once it was dry, I couldn’t wait to see how it looked hanging in our dining room, over the antique cabinet. We had to be very careful. This frame is very heavy.

Willie did a great job getting everything measured and put some heavy screws in the wall to hold it up safely.

Hanging up a large picture frame.
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The tall lamp you see in the above photo was designed by Willie’s Dad, and made by Willie. A lot of family history and craftmanship in this one room. Which, we also brought home a white lamp that looks just like this one, and put it in a corner in our bedroom. I just need to find a new lampshade.

I love the look of an empty frame on the wall, but for this, I wanted to add a little detail. While we were shopping at Hobby Lobby one day, I saw this wooden leaf cutout and knew it would be the perfect touch, since I also wanted to place a floral arrangement (that I had just put together) on top of the wooden cabinet, and since the arrangement is in a stemmed bowl, I knew the florals would look like they were in the frame.

White washed wooden frame with wooden leaf cutout inside.
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So what are you thinking…? I’m loving it! But wait, there’s more… Stay with me…

Completed white washed paint project; salvaged picture frame.
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And the full dining room wall view with our new arrivals:

Dining room decor including antiques and salvaged wooden frame.
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It’s really beginning to look and feel cozy to me. I love how everything is coming together to feel more like home. I am such a nester by nature.

With the look of the antique cabinet, I wanted to bring in some playful elements to lighten the mood. One thing that came to mind was that I would love a white bicycle to put in the cabinet. When Willie and I were at Hobby Lobby, I went to the clearance section, and almost hidden from view, was that cute little bicycle clock you now see sitting on the cabinet. It was broken and the metal was black. We brought it home to fix it up. I was so tickled that I found a little bicycle. I’ll show you it’s story in an upcoming post with the other paint projects.

You just never know what you can find to elevate. I love finding items that I can salvage and bring back to life, that then bring fun new memories and loveliness to our home.

Till next time, I hope you always follow your joy. God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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DIY Home Decor Paint Project, White Wash Paint Project, Salvaged Wooden Frame, Dining Room Decor, Antique Decor, Lakehouse Decor, Conroe, Texas

May 1, 2025 0

Fun and Easy DIY Project: Making Aroma Beads at Home

Aroma beads displayed in antique style white metal candle holders.
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Another fun crafting project at Royalview! I am certainly making up for lost time.

This project really takes me back… Not that I’ve ever made aroma beads, but I was an artistic candle maker and perfumer for nine years, so in the same wheelhouse for sure.

This all began as I’ve been looking for candles, and in particular, candle aromas for Royalview. We’ve tried several brands and scents since we’ve lived here, but nothing has quite fulfilled the aroma(s) that we’re craving. I have been on a specific hunt for Creme Brulee scent. Creme Brulee is our absolute favorite aroma. I worked with Creme Brulee a lot in the past and it is (in my humble opinion) the best smelling, best lasting, and for sure a favorite in terms of a wonderful and lasting scent throw. Our second favorite aroma is Cinnamon, and it has to be a true Cinnamon with a great scent throw as well.

So after searching and trying others’ candles, I decided I may just have to take a whack at it again to get the scents that we’re longing for. I turned to my trusty candle making supplier that I used for years, and hooray, they still carry my favorite Creme Brulee and Cinnamon aromas.

Thank you Lone Star Candle Supply.

Aroma beads supplies have arrived from Lone Star Candle Supply.
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The good news about ordering from Lone Star Candle Supply is that you do not have to be a business. I couldn’t remember if I would have to be in the candle making business to order or not, but nope, it is easy to order in a small quantity.

I ordered a small amount of the aroma beads (one pound), and a few one ounce bottles of scent to give this project a try.

Aroma bead making supplies.
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Since I have not made aroma beads before, I was very happy that Lone Star Candle Supply has instructions on their site. The only other items that I had to order were a very specific type of plastic bottles, which I found on my favorite shopping site, Amazon. Here’s a link.

I got all my aroma bead making supplies together, and decided to mix these on my kitchen counter, but on an old thick towel, in case of spillage.

Aroma bead making supplies, ready to mix.
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This is very simple to do, and without having to melt anything, bravo. I measured the amount of beads I wanted using a measuring cup. They (Lone Star) recommend weighing the beads, but I do not have a scale, so I did what I could with what I have on hand, just to give it a try. The instructions say that one pound of aroma beads can hold two ounces of scent. So, for my project, I went with 8 ounces of aroma beads to one ounce of scent. One ounce of scent in this regard is one, one ounce bottle, so again, very easy with no measuring of the liquid scent. Lone Star Candle Supply also indicates that these aroma beads can be dyed. I decided not to, since I know that both of these particular scents have a tint all their own. The Creme Brulee has a cream tint, and the Red Hot Cinnamon also has a cream tint leaning on the pinker side. I can definitely tell them apart based on their color, and of course their aroma.

I poured 8 ounces of beads into each plastic container, and then in one container I poured a (one ounce) bottle of Creme Brulee scent, and in the other, a (one ounce) bottle of Red Hot Cinnamon Scent. With the Red Hot Cinnamon scent, I know from experience to be very, very careful, and possibly wear gloves for this one. It can burn really bad. That’s why the scent is so good. It is very strong. So if you would ever want to give this a try for yourself, please use caution when pouring this scent, and wash your hands immediately. I would not recommend children handling this scent.

Once everything was in the bottles, I closed the lids tightly and shook each one very good, and for quite a little while. There was still scent puddling at the bottom, but Lone Star Candle Supply’s instructions said that the beads are very absorbent, so I knew it would probably just take a little time for them to absorb everything. I kept them on the towel, and all through the evening I would give them a little shake/toss to be sure all the beads had a chance to absorb the scent.

Making aroma beads in plastic bottles.
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I did this for a couple of days, until all the scent had been absorbed, and they seemed dry.

When I knew for sure that I was going to try this project, I specifically looked for little decorative holders, so that I could put them out into my decor. I found some really cute and original items at New Waverly Antiques & Collectibles, as well as at Rosey Opals Collective Market.

Cute little holders for our aroma beads.
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I shopped around for decorative items that would hold the little aroma beads, and that would be pretty sitting out with our decor.

This trio of vintage style votive candle holders grabbed me immediately. What could be more perfect?

Aroma beads in antique, vintage style metal votive candle holders.
acrossthelake.blog — Creme Brulee Aroma Beads

These are from a booth at Rosey Opals Collective Market in New Waverly, TX (not sponsored, we just really love these shops we’re featuring and love supporting local businesses).

I’ve placed these on a shelf on our entertainment center.

Aroma beads displayed in vintage white metal votive candle holders.
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And I forgot to mention, they smell AMAZING!! Willie came in while I was pouring the aroma beads into their holders, and said he could really smell them. My hope is that our home is continually filled with these delicious and welcoming scents, and we are greeted with these aromas upon entering our home.

For the three votive candlestick holders, I put Creme Brulee in all three, so that there would be a good amount of Creme Brulee in the living room area.

Here are the other three decorative holders filled with their aroma beads. You can see the color difference in the beads here. The back two are filled with Red Hot Cinnamon, and the little porcelain basket is filled with Creme Brulee.

Aroma beads in pretty decorative holders.
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I love the slight hint of color on the beads. It’s just enough, and has an elegant look.

Aroma beads close up pic.
acrossthelake.blog — Red Hot Cinnamon Scented Aroma Beads

And here’s the cute little porcelain cherub, on our entertainment center as well.

Aroma Beads in cute porcelain cherub holder.
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Such a fun and rewarding project. I’m really happy with the results. I’ll most likely get more supplies and keep an eye out for more small decorative bowls to place all around our home. Such a beautiful way to have our favorite scents always present, and I’m thinking in the long run, most probably more economical as well. I plan to keep these scents and the bottles on hand to recharge the beads when needed.

Win, win, win!

I hope this post brought a little DIY scent inspiration your way today.

Till next time, stay safe, and follow your joy! God is truly good!

Johanna and Willie

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Making Aroma Beads at Home, Creme Brulee Scent, Red Hot Cinnamon Scent, Easy Scent DIY Project

April 27, 2025 0