Kitchen

**Please excuse the quality of the pics. I'm afraid my lens or camera is about to go toast, but you'll get the idea anyways.**

First off, a look at the kitchen before (taken the day after we moved, so randomness is everywhere):

It wasn't quite my style...so, my dearest hubby scraped off wallpaper and painted and painted. I helped paint the walls, but that wonderful guy did the majority of the work himself. I just "guided." ;)

I don't have everything quite the way I want it, but I'll show you where we're at so far.

I'm wanting new lights above the sink and some kind of covering for the window, but not sure what.

I would also like to replace the fan. The chalkboard is quite large. I found the frame 90% off at Hobby Lobby and grabbed it. I was originally going to paint it white, but the gold is distressed and not quite as bad, so we're leaving it for now.

The door leads to the basement and still needs some more paint. We're a little painted out right now, so it'll eventually get done. LOL

Hoping to find some material for curtains to go along with the plates.

We found the cabinet handles at a surplus store. They were gold and ugly, but cheap. So, he just spray painted them oil rubbed bronze. The drawer handles came from Hobby Lobby 1/2 off. (Which reminds me, I still owe you $ Becky for finding the others). He added beadboard wallpaper to the cabinet doors and then painted over it. Changed the look dramatically! 

I painted the sign out of an old cabinet door.

We painted the counter tops with counter top paint. So far, it's holding up. We shall see.

Shew! Major picture upload, huh?! 

So, just a recap...

Lamp Redo

Have you seen all the neat lamps out there? Hobby Lobby has some super cool ones...like drool over them cool. Well, you know what I mean. :) However, as much as I'd love to support them right now, the closest one is a hour and something away, plus it's not in the budget. So, a hunting I went...

We popped into the GW and lo and behold they had this beauty eye catcher. It was in my price range and so home it went.

I was so excited I forget to even check to see if it worked before I went to all the trouble. HA! Nothing a little spray paint and rope (Walmart) won't cure. And, it works, btw. 

You can see a sneak peak of the material project.

Another Sign

Are you all tired of me yet? I guess I'm trying to figure out whether to keep the blog going or not.

Deb and I (still not sure how I talked her into it) went to Goodwill 1/2 off day this month. While we were making our way into the store a lady stopped in her car, rolled her window down and said "Come here." I approached cautiously because well, there are crazies out there. She then proceeded to ask if I had small children...um, maybe?! She then told us she was getting ready to make a donation to the gw and wanted to know if we wanted anything out of the back of her car. So we took a look and ended up with a brand new game, 5 or 6 of these wooden shapes, and a $50 train set. It ain't everyday someone offers you free stuff!

I had been wanting a sign like this for awhile and been to Hobby Lobby to buy a piece of wood. They weren't on sale and one knows you never buy anything there full price because it always goes on sale. Guess free works, too! :)

It was a quick make and anyone can do it. So easy. The tutorial can be found here.

 

Not sure if this is where it's staying, but it was convenient for the picture. Goodness knows, it can't go in the first place I put it. I have to change my mind about 5 times usually. 

Memo Board

This was a project I did a few months ago:

Please excuse the lack of organization.

It was a quick and easy one: spray paint frame, hot glue twine on the back, fold material around cardboard matte, and shove into frame. Mom was getting rid of the frame and the material was leftover from the curtains. Cheap...the best kind!

Looky What I Did!

Yup! I'm gonna toot my own horn. I accomplished something I've wanted to do for a very long time, but wasn't sure if I could had the patience to complete it. One of my favorite bloggers is My Pink Life. I don't personally know her, but I love her style. She gave a tutorial on how she makes her signs and it didn't look like you had to have an art degree too hard.

First thing I needed to do was find a "cool" old door or piece of wood. I saw a door at an antique store, but it was $25 and you had to have cash (which I rarely do). So, I let it stay there and asked hubby if that was a good price when I got home. We were headed to IL that next week so it was set on the back burner. While we were there hubs and his brother went to work on "junk" at their Granny's house. I decided I needed to go exploring in their barn/shed. I brought home several treasures (FREE) and one of them was an old door. YAY!

One would think after I scored the door I'd hop right on the project. One would think...

Anyhoo, I finally sat down and got 'r done! :)

It eventually is going to go in our bedroom. Wonder how long it'll take to sprout legs and walk itself in there? ;)

BTW...this is my 500th post. Who knew I had so much randomness to share?!

Under The Table and Dreaming

DIY Shelf

I call it a "do-it-yourself" shelf, but it's more like a "shelf-I-saw-someone-build-on-another-blog,-so-I-sweet-talked-my-hubby-into-making-me-one." :)

Hubs had a little bit of trouble getting started (ran to Lowes and Menards more than once) b/c the ladies tutorial wasn't quite complete. It did get the idea across of what I wanted. He's pretty handy, so he figured it out and I'm pleased!!! That's the whole idea, right?!?! LOL!

Someday when I grow up (ahem) I would love to have a fireplace/mantel. However, for now, I'll just pretend this shelf is my mantel. I have visions of decorating it through the different seasons. 

Linking to Cheri's Finished Object Friday.

Nightstand Redo

I am such a nice sister!!! LOL Actually, I like the trade off...FREE babysitting. :)

Our school had an auction a couple of months back and there was a hideous very worn out bedroom set that caught Rachel and I's eyes. She didn't want to pay very much for it, so we let the master bidder, Wesley, do the bidding. 

(BTW...if you need any tips on bidding, you need to talk to someone with the initials KLW). :)

She told him how high she'd go. The auctioneer started off and there were no takers. Wes started it out at 10 buckaroos and she became the proud new owner!

After Rachel scrubbed it down, I let the spray paint rip! Then I gave the handles a coat of oil-rubbed bronze. I've been seeing on different blogs how they add a second color to the details. 

Just because the cool kids are doing it...

Added a black stripe. Her room is in black and white with a Paris theme.

It isn't perfect, but it looks better than it did!

Now, to get the dresser done. UGH!

DIY Wall Decor

I saw this picture on Pottery Barn's website and liked what I saw:

Look closely. It's the teacher coming out in me.

Yup, it's the alphabet. 

I, however, did not want to make 26 frames, so I combined several letters. 

Scrapbook paper comes in handy for many things! :)

 

I still have to add another coat of spray paint to the frames, but my ADD kicked in and I wanted to see what everything would look like. :)

Map out how the pictures should be hung:

I convinced my tired husband that he would do a much better job at hanging 50 bazillion frames (I'm sure it seemed that many) than I would. 

I love it! Arilynn loves ABC's, so it's perfect!...and cheap! :)

Please forgive the English error of writing in several tenses. This prego brain does not feel like correcting herself!!!! How's that for being a teacher?!?! :)

Bedding

Been working on Weston's bedding. I was on a roll until I was short 3" of material. Grr!! :) 

I must be pregnant or something b/c I've actually enjoyed doing some sewing. (Mom, ignore that last sentence).  Granted, I'm not following a pattern or the sewing machine would have probably already been chucked out the window. Well, maybe not since it's my sister's and she'd make me buy a new one.

DIY Art

I've been SLOWLY working on Weston's room (emphasis on the slowly). I had in mind to accent with "vintage toys" or toys that were made to look vintage. However, vintage prices and I do not agree!! So, on one of our many trips to Christmas Tree Shops (you must go if you ever see one) Rachel spotted these wall art stickers for $1.00. 

That's more like it!! :)

I mounted the stickers on white cardstock and voila! Got the look without the price. 

DIY Wall Decor

I saw something very similar at Hobby Lobby and thought it was really cute. Their version was about a 5 x 5 with a black frame. The key was found at a yard sale and I kinda liked the rustic look of it, so I didn't touch it up.

An Attempted Skirt

 

I kept seeing this fabric at Hobby Lobby and I loved it every time I walked by. However, I do not claim to be a seamstress and that's usually what you do with fabric-sew! My dear mother has tried to teach me numerous times, but as far as I'm concerned the patterns might as well be in Japanese. 

Can't understand them at. all. 

Seriously. I tried to make a jumper back in the day when I wore a uniform to school. I actually made it 3 different ways and then when Mom tried to rescue it, I hadn't even got a pattern that fit. Apparently they aren't the same sizing as what you wear from a store.  

Needless to say, sewing frustrates me. However, the material kept calling to me and I wondered if I could attempt something for Arilynn. She's small. I wouldn't waste that much money.

  

She is so not cooperative for pictures anymore! :(

The good news is, the sweater is long and hides where I totally messed up. It's a real dandy at the waistline, but no one can see. :)