DIY Rustic Pet Dish Stand

Hi there! 
I tried out my basic wood-shop-from-Jr. High skills this past weekend.  After stumbling upon a few Rae Dunn pieces recently, including these pet dishes,  I quickly realized they were worthless without a raised stand to hold them.  I need a tall stand because the beast is large, and the bowls need to be displayed so that the wording will show.

 I came up dry, so I decided to use some scrap wood and make a trial frame, but it turned out cute enough to keep!

You can see the little sketch I made to try to map out a frame.  Now... I am no carpenter...this project is supposed to be rustic and old looking.  I could care less that the 45 degrees are misaligned and I even had my little lady child distress all of the pieces for me.  

Closing Off a Two Story Foyer and Wallpaper on the Ceiling...

Welcome!  Come on in..

I have been a slacker about sharing this project, but I'm excited to show you the new foyer.
Our "Cookie-Cutter Colonial" was designed with a strange, small two story foyer.  It lacked impact because it houses a standard double-hung window, which from the street looks uniform across the front of the house, but was not the dramatic "open foyer"  that some homes have.  For years, and years, and years (11 of them) I have dreamed of having it floored off. 

DIY Rustic Kitchen Peninsula: A Joanna Gaines Inspired Kitchen Copycat

Hi Y'all...
(okay it doesn't work because I'm from Jersey).

I painted my kitchen cabinets last year with homemade chalk paint, and have never really loved the way the backside of the peninsula looked.  Baby got back, ya know?  It's a huge white elephant in the room.  It's the first thing you see when you enter the back door and it's nearly eye level from the family when you have a seat.   Normal people could care less about stuff like that, but it bothered me..bad.  

Even with stools in front of it, it looks out of place.  I had plans of adding reclaimed wood but decided against it, then I fell for Chip and Joanna's reclaimed church alter island.  I have a peninsula in my kitchen not an island (and no access to reclaimed church parts).  

So I faked it.