sweet nothings

Headboard Bench

Two years ago I found this headboard at a yard sale for $5.

Much to my husband's unhappiness it's been just one more thing cluttering his side of the garage for way too long. Sunday after Thanksgiving was a perfect day to do something about that sad little headboard...

I dug through our scrap wood and other than going to lowe's for two front legs and the decorative wood piece on the front ($15 total at lowe's)...I bought nothing new! With a little paint and some light sanding...I have a lovely bench for our front porch! Grand total $20 (sorry in advance for the yucky pics. it's rainy and cold here in Texas)

The pillows I made this weekend...Burlap and red/white ticking. (just a side note...i don't like burlap. i know it's a hot craft staple but it's dusty and not straight and just bleh! this is probably the last burlap project i'll ever do! :D ) I stenciled the "merry" and "christmas" on the fronts of both pillows. The "christmas" was actually white but after the rain it's looking a little pink...oh well. As for the pot. I spray painted a clay pot red. With a 1 3/4" inch punch and some white contact paper it's now a polka dotted pot! And i won't even lie...that's a $4 fake poinsettia. I kill the real ones so I figured if I put a fake one out there it'd last a bit longer! :D

I think the bench and the pillows (pot too) turned out pretty festive! The bench will be fun to change up for different holidays and seasons!

until next time...

S

 

 

 

Headboard Instructions...

A couple of  years ago I bought this old door. At the time Nora was using a queen bed and I had big plans of using it as a headboard...instead she went back to a twin and the door remained in the garage (yeah, not making hubby happy). When we started our bedroom remodel I thought I'd go ahead and make a headboard for our queen. Once we decided on a king...I feared this door would remain in the garage and I'd have to search for a larger door. This door was too short for a kind headboard.

I started searching the internet for headboard ideas. Early early in the morning last Sunday I realized what I needed to do...I had my list of supplies ready. I just had to drink a few cups of coffee while I waited for Lowe's to open.

I picked up - 2 4x4x6 posts. A couple of 1x4x6. Some molding. A couple of post finials. I also picked up some brakets and screws. I was set.

 

I apologize for not taking more during pics but it's in the 100s in Texas right now and I just wanted to get it done. I didn't want to have to stop and take the time for pics. sorry.

I cut the 4x4s down to 52". I cut the 1x4s the same width as the door. they became and additional brace behind the door where I screwed the L brackets. I also cut a 1x4 the length of the door.

I used the nailer to attach the molding which I cut myself and am so proud. I'm not good at mitering corners :D I also used the nailer to attach the caps to the tops of the 4x4s to keep them in place.

used some wood putty to fill nail holes.

A coat of primer.

2 coats of paint (parchment paper from Behr)

lots of sanding and distressing. it was really easy because of the door being so old it had plenty of gouges and marks. The 4x4 posts also are very rough. So the distressing wasn't very hard.

a good rub down with glaze.

and voila...

The total cost of this project...

$20 for the headboard at an antique store

$50 wood, brackets and screws

had the paint and glaze

$70 ain't too bad!

I'm linking to these parties!   

 

Until next time...

  

Bedside Tables

Last fall while out hitting some garage sales, I found 2 of these little bits for $10. As with most of my finds that don't have a plan...they piled up in the garage for awhile. But much to my husband's happines I actually put them to use.

I primed them first. They are part wood part veneer.

I painted them with two coats of paint. (parchment paper from Behr)

Sanded, distressed and rubbed them down with glaze.

glass knobs

and voila

Once they were in our bedroom (yep, the one that is still unfinished) I decided I didn't like the open space area and found a couple of extra baskets (cluttering the garage) which fit perfectly! Now I can secretly cram stuff without it being so noticable!

Not sure...but I'm thinking of spraying the basket a color or black...thoughts?

I'm linking up to these parties

Until next time...

 
  

Yard Art Part 1

It all started with a chair picked up at a junk store for *I think* $5 but definitely not more than that. It's been sitting outside for almost a  year waiting for me to make it pretty.

Before...

A light coat of white spray paint a little sandpaper, add a cute sign, some flowers and voila!

The sign...I found a 6x18 piece of wood in the stack of leftovers. I sprayed it white. Cut "welcome" out of contact paper with my cricut, adhered it to the sign & sprayed it aqua. after the aqua dried, I removed the letters, sanded it down and rubbed it with a mocha glaze. Drilled a couple of holes, ran some wire through and it's done!

The only thing I had to go buy for this was the basket and flowers!

I'm almost finished with part 2. Hopefully I can share that tomorrow! I'm linking up to THESE LInky parties!

until next time...

LIttle Sneak peek

My sister was teasing me yesterday because I said I was making a little yard art...she said "oh lord...what in the world are you making now"  well, due to an issue (ran out of spray paint) the project I had planned on sharing today will have to wait one more day. But just to give you a little idea...here is a peek and I'll hopefully share both, yes 2, projects tomorrow!

Enjoy!

until next time...

Little Chalkboard Project

Found this silver platter at a thrift store...$4. some painters tape and chalkboard spray paint (and a lot of tarnish cleaner)...and you have this cute little chalkboard.

I did not do a good job taping this off...if you look really closely you can see where the tape didn't block the paint (i'll do better next time!).  But t was fun and cheap!

until next time...

 

saturday morning...

who knew my child would love pulling wallpaper so much! she's a great helper. she also wanted to leave the e2nd layer of wallpaper that had peach dogwood blooms on it. um...no!

we took a break and headed to sonic. a mini m&m sundae for nora and a route 44 coke for myself!

we stopped at a couple of yard sales on the way.

what can you get for $7? i'll show you...

a green framed out handing "thing" can you see it as a chalk board?

a suitcase

4 plates

 

a platter

another frame *sigh*

 
 
 and two butterflies your 5 yo *had* to have!

so there you have it. that's our saturday morning so far. the foreman has just come in and announced i've been on the pc too long and must get back to pulling wallpaper! thank goodness we are almost done!

until next time...

 

this, that and the other

On Monday I hit a local thrift store. While these ornaments aren't super vintage, they are still old and cute! 45 cents a box and half off of that! :D

also found another mirror for my bathroom wall...my collection is growing!

this was 4.99 and half off!

I've got a bunch of projects in the works. I found this wire basket at the thrift store for 1.75. this is it before i sprayed it. i'll post pics of what is going to happen to it once it's finished!

I found these cute little pears at hobby lobby for 50% off...i think that made them come to like $6 total? somewhere in there. anyway...here they are before

 
 and here they are on the shelf!

(by the way, the wood heart on the shelf says "live as if you only have today" and I picked it up on clearance for $4)

I picked these up and they are in the garage awaiting some paint and letters...i'll show you more when they are done!

 
 
 
Our holiday plans have changed. We were supposed to go to the inlaws for Thanksgiving as usual. But due to hubby's work schedule, the inlaws are coming here! What does that mean? Lots of work! In all of the house organzing and cleaning I've been doing, everything that hasn't found a home has been tossed into the guest room! yeah, it's a bit of a mess. Currently, I'm in the process of sorting and organzing. I've also started painting the room. It needs it and so why not do it now? Planning on finishing that room by the weekend.

Up next...the hallway. I've got to get it done before the new door arrives and is installed in the next couple of weeks. Not only am I planning to paint the hallway, remove the wallpaper in the entry and texture/paint, but I also need to paint the trim and replace all bedroom/bathroom and closet doors. For some reason, the original owners chose to have all doors and trim stained instead of painted. The doors are smooth hollow doors and I'm planning to replace them with 6 panel doors like these...

Hopefully it's a project I can do on my own. Hubby doesn't have the time right now and since I'm getting a new front door and painting the hallway i want it all done NOW. I've never hung any doors...but I'm going to give it a shot!

I spent a couple of hours on monday taking the black frames down in the hall and spraying them.

 

they are either being sprayed with valspar flat white or rustoleum heirloom white. i didn't want them to all be the same because i'm including other items on the wall such as canvases and other knick knacks. I've only sprayed about half of the frames.  I literally have about 35 left to spray!

 

The bedroom and hall are my major projects for the rest of this week and next. Once those two major ventures are done, I'll start decorating and putting up the Christmas tree.  I can't wait! I'd like to get the big projects done pretty quick so that I can do some crafty holiday projects.

I'm working on my Christmas music playlist...putting out a new Christmas candle tomorrow. I just know the music and yummy smell will really get the holiday mood going! ok...so i don't need the candle or music to get me going! I just love love love Christmas! :D

until next time...

oh p.s.

this is pure excitement from a child who just received "blue sticks" from the great pumpkin

and this is "naptime" for my little squirt!

 
 

 

"Practically perfect in every way!"

At least that's what Nora said about herself this morning while looking in the mirror. The best comment she made this morning was when she saw her finished (ok well it didn't have the buttons on it) costume hanging in the studio she exclaimed "oh my gosh! you did it!! you are the best!!" (that makes up for the worst mother comment the other day and you can read about that here )

I made the 8:30am deadline. Well, sort of. She was 15 min late for school. I did have to hem and sew buttons on the coat this morning. But she did go to school with a finished costume.

I believe I was in the bed at 2:45 this morning. I had had enough coffee to last me for days but it wasn't working becasue I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer! Luckily I managed about 5 hours of sleep. At about 5 this morning, Madelynn woke up for a snack. In a sleep induced haze I brought to our bed and fell asleep while she nursed. And unless she got up and walked back to her crib, hubby must of taken her back when she was done. Madelnn doesn't go to sleep while nursing in the early hours, she wants to sit up and talk when she's done.

I'm really disappointed in her costume for so many reasons...I made a lot of mistakes and I didn't line the coat so don't look inside! Nora doesn't care. She's perfectly happy with her Mary Poppins costume! And I guess that's all that matters!

i'll break down the costume...

 - coat was made using Simplicity pattern 2534, fabric & velvet ribbon trim $20

 - white shirt was a thrift store find $3. I removed the collar and added tall lace and a red bow.

- hat was in the dressups $0

- navy skirt was made without a pattern. underneath is a white muslin slip with a ruffle along the bottom again made without a pattern. navy fabric $5 

 - boots were found at payless $25

 - umbrella and carpet bag were purchased when I took Nora to see Mary Poppins $35

total costume cost - $88

*sheesh*

I should've just bought what she originally wanted for $29

 

I'm taking the girls for their halloween pictures tomorrow. I'll post pictures of Madelynn as Raggedy Ann once I get her all dressed up. She is definitely not loving her yarn hair bonnet.

But she did look festive for the class party today.

So here is a little sneak at what I have to do tonight...treat bags for 3.5 little girls.

 

I also have to finish the Christmas outfits for tomorrow's pictures. Here's a little peak into those outfits!

Another busy evening ahead...Seriously thinking about hauling the girls out to the pumpkin patch when they wake up from their naps. Am I crazy?

we'll see. i think i'll go take a quick nap myself!

until next time...

 

Hit the jackpot!

Well, not really but we did find some good deals while out hitting some garage sales today! The girls were both up really early this morning so we decided to hop in the car, hit ronnie mac’s and find some garage sales! it was a good thing we picked up some breakfast to munch on because the first 5-6 sales we found were really bad (well, bad in that there wasn’t anything we wanted or needed!). After a few more and finding not much of anything except for these items…

(3 tins, 3 wood candlesticks, a mirror and fisher price ring toy all total $3)

I had just gotten off the phone telling hubby that we were heading home when we saw a sign for a sale. Low and behold we found a bargain. Well a pretty good deal if you ask us!

a hutch, desk, chair, nightstand, dresser and mirror for a grand total of $71. The man was asking $100 and I only had $71 cash. He said…deal! They are all in really good condition except for the dresser which has a good bit of scratching on the top. The tag on the back says they are from Bassett Furniture.  Perfect desk/hutch/chair for Nora’s playroom. She’s super excited. I honestly don’t need another dresser. Think I might refinish this one and stick it on Craigslist or sell it as is. who knows! At some point I’d like to refinish the desk and hutch because there are a few scratches on them, but for now I’m going to change out the hardware and happily they will live in the playroom!

I also picked up this 6x8 rug. Perfect for the dining room! Yay! I love finding deals and bargains…makes my day!

All in all a great bargain hunting trip! Due to no rain and the weather warming up enough to spray paint, I was able to work on a couple of projects. I haven’t finished them, but I will post pics as soon as they are done!

Here is what was on the painting block today…

Look for a reveal in the next day or so!

until next time…