the long awaited mantle switch

Remember how I used to switch out the items on our mantle seasonally?  And by "seasonally", I really mean about every other month.  Well, gone are the days of leisurly mantle decorating, but I still managed to take down the flowers and such that had been up since, oh, March, and put up some pumpkins.  

If you recall, I won these pumpkins last year and it was one of the highlights of the fall for me.  So I was super excited to pull them out of the closet and admire them again.  Arthur was also quite taken with them and helped me set everything up.  Then he stood back and suggested that we take pictures of the whole thing and I thought to myself, "you fit in here quite well, little buddy."

The white lights never actually made it down after last Christmas and I have decided that I'm okay with that.  It's been quite a year.  And I love strands of white lights, so, win-win.  

In other news, today during lunch, Arthur wanted to pretend that I was him and he was me.  He's just started doing this and I find it fascinating to see how I am portrayed by a two year old.  The first thing he wanted to do, as me, was give me a hug.  I inwardly patted myself on the back for being such a good mom- that's what stands out to my kid!  I give hugs!  

The second thing he wanted to do, as me?  Pretend to wax his eyebrows by putting slices of deli meat across his eyes and then pulling them off really fast.  

You win some, you lose some.  

Ikea Trofast Bookcase Hack

 

 

If you remember my budget from the dresser, I had $153.01 left to spend on a bookcase.  I wanted something low, so it won't topple over, and it needed to fit in a very specific spot between the chair and the door. 

 

After searching for a used bookcase in that price range that was solid wood and coming up with nothing, I finally broke down and went to Ikea.  You can imagine how desperate I was if I ended up at Ikea.

 

 

But Star went with me and she is like my Ikea good luck charm- everything went our way.  We bought two Trofast shelf frames for $49.99 each and three packs of shelves for $12.99 each (2 shelves per pack).  I really only needed two packs, but we decided that $12.99 was a small price to pay as insurance against not having to go back if I wanted more shelves. 

 

Ikea total: $138.95

 

I painted the shelves with the yellow milk paint so that they match the dresser.  They were, for some reason, much easier to paint than the dresser and I knocked out that part in a day. 

 

Steve and I decided that we'd rather the shelves have backs than not and I thought that they would look awesome covered with some cool wallpaper.  But then I started shopping for wall paper and realized that even one small roll was going to cost at least $25.  So I swapped out the wallpaper idea for fabric (always saves the day!) and bought 1 1/2 yards of a print that I liked for $10.50. 

 

Then I went to Lowe's and bought a 4' x 4' piece of birch plywood for $14.  I had them cut the two backing pieces for me right there at the store.  Did you know that they'll do that?  Those Lowe's employees- so helpful. 

 

 

I cut the fabric to fit around the backing with about 2" of overhang.  My original plan was to staple the fabric on with a staple gun and then nail the backs to the shelves.  The plywood was too thin for this plan and the staples went all the way through, so I ended up pulling most of them out.  For the second shelf, I was wiser and just lined up the fabric with the back, pulled it tight around the sides, and set it carefully on the back of the book shelf.  Then I hammered in a bunch of tiny finishing nails to hold both the fabric and the back in place. 

 

 

I really like that the shelves are adjustable and also that there are two book cases instead of one.  I was hoping for one larger piece, but I like the fact that I could separate these two into different rooms if I needed to. 

 

My total for the dresser and bookshelves was $310.44.  I gave myself a little grace on going over by $10 since I had purchased the extra "just in case" shelves.  All in all, I am thrilled, especially since one of the first bookshelves we looked at was $276 unfinished! 

 

So that's it- I won't bore you any longer with tales of extreme nesting.  Today, I'm finishing up a few final bow ties before our trip and finalizing my packing list.  I'll stop in before we leave to say goodbye!

two week room

 

 

I'm a project person, by nature.  Steve and I both are, actually.  We have different methods and strengths, but we both love a good project. 

 

So it comes as no surprise that I would want to do a ton of projects to prepare a room for our first child.  I could have worked on that room for months, easily.  But due to the uncertain nature of adoption and my own super-cautious nature, I couldn't bring myself to start on much of anything months ago. 

 

 

So I started about two weeks ago.  You know- around the same time we were buying luggage and shopping for plane tickets, because it seemed pretty certain at that point that we'd be getting a child.  Any sane person, knowing they were leaving the country in three weeks, would have bought some furniture and curtains and things for the walls and called it a day.  I kind of toyed with the idea of doing that. 

 

 

But then I accidentally had some coffee late one afternoon and spent the entire night with my mind racing as I tried to sleep.  I thought up project after project that I really really really wanted to do.  Really.   

 

In the morning, when I was thinking more clearly, I told myself that I should pick a couple projects out of the seven or eight I'd thought up and just focus on those.  But even as I told myself that, I also knew that wasn't what I was going to do.  I was going to do every last one of them. 

 

 

Some things, like the curtains and the fabric bunting and the framed book pages, took just a few hours.  Others, like refinishing the dresser, bookshelves, and wall shelf, took days. 

 

If I had more time this week, I'd love to give you detailed instructions for each project.  But I need to pack and clean the house and do other responsible things, so I think I'll just have time to go into serious detail on the bookshelves.  

 

 

One thing that I am especially excited about though and just have to share is the re-upholstery I did on the chair.  This chair has been in my family since before I was born, I think, and has been mine since I was in high school.  My parents even let me get it re-upholstered at that point and I picked a sensible navy blue.  I have never regretted that decision. 

 

But once we put it in the room, I felt like the navy combined with the dark wood was just too dark.  I wanted to make new covers for the cushions, but needed to keep it both cheap and very child friendly.  So I bought a 6' x 9' canvas drop cloth from Lowe's and was able to cover both cushions with plenty left over!  I love the color of the canvas, it's plenty sturdy, and super washable.  Depending on how messy this kid is, I may end up doing something similar to our sofa cushions. 

 

Here is a quick list of everything I made/updated and a few sources:

 

Curtain: made with fabric scraps cut into 6" wide strips and sewn together

Bunting: same fabric scraps, cut into triangles and sewn together

Wall Art: pages cut from one of my childhood books, put in white frames we already had (Target), purchased charcoal mats at Michael's for $2.99 each

 

 

Mirror: used unframed mirror we already owned (Lowe's).  Bought two 1' square sheets of small white tiles for $2.55 each and one tube of silicone adhesive for $3.48 (Lowe's). 

 

 

Wall Shelf: used wooden shelf we already owned.  Used leftover milk paint and stain from dresser project.  Bought two pieces of scrapbook paper for $.12 each (Michael's), cut to fit, and attached with spray adhesive. 

Chair: used chair we already owned.  Covered cushions with $13 canvas drop cloth (Lowe's)

 

 

Dresser: see this post

Bookshelves: more details coming later this week

 

 

What have we learned here?  Mainly that I am a force to be reckoned with when I set my mind to something.  And possibly that I have trouble showing restraint when it comes to home décor projects. 

 

I'll be back later this week with more details on the bookshelves- they were an Ikea hack that I'm particularly proud of!

dresser redo and the skinny on milk paint

 

 

Have I ever told you that I love to refinish old furniture?  I sure don't do it that often anymore, but I used to drag home all sorts of weird pieces when I was in high school and then paint them and put them in my room.  One dreamy year, my family had a three car garage and we didn't park a single car in it, so I considered that my personal workshop.  I brought home a lot of furniture that year. 

 

 

So when the chance came and we needed another dresser but did not want to spend much money on it, I knew that I could put my old skills to use once again.  Steve and I picked up this dresser from Bargain House for $95.  We weren't crazy about the stain color.  Or the weird decorative strip of wood between drawers two and three.  Or the whole general look of it. 

 

But we were crazy about the price and in a time crunch, so we squished it in our trunk and brought it home. 

 

To be clear, only half of it fit in the trunk.  The other half hung out of the back of the car and made me very nervous the whole drive home. 

 

Next, Star and I picked up some milk paint from Great Walls Supply for $22.  I chose Miss Mustard Seed's milk paint in Mustard Seed Yellow.  Milk paint is a very old type of paint that is actually a powdered pigment that you mix with water.  The staff at Great Walls were very helpful and gave us lots of tips for mixing and applying the paint.  I also brought home a bottle of hemp oil ($12) and a half bottle of bonding agent (free- they were out, so they gave me half a bottle that they were using at the store).  The hemp oil is like a top coat that you rub on after you paint the piece.  The bonding agent gets mixed in with the first coat of paint to help it adhere to whatever you're painting on- in my case, previously finished wood. 

 

After searching Pinterest for some inspiration, I felt ready to begin.  I started by gently sanding the top of the dresser.  Then I found an almost empty can of stain in the garage and painted it on pretty thick.  I didn't worry too much about it looking gloppy because I knew I could sand the glops later. 

 

Before I started painting, I pried the strange wooden beam off the middle of the dresser and patched the holes. 

 

 I mixed up my first coat of paint with the bonding agent and started painting the rest of the dresser and drawers.  With milk paint, you don't have to pre-sand anything, which is awesome.  The easiest way I found to mix the paint is by putting the powder and warm water in a glass jar and shaking it for a few minutes.  Then you want to let it sit for a few minutes to settle.  Then stir in the bonding agent last and start painting. 

 

Milk paint, in my experience, can look pretty terrible going on.  The first coat was quite streaky and not at all pretty.  The second coat (without bonding agent) got better.  I think I also got better and mixing the correct ratio of powder and water with each coat. 

 

After I was done painting all the yellow, I decided I wanted a design in the bare spot left between drawers two and three.  Keep in mind that I was determined to: a) only use supplies I had on hand, and b) spend as little time as possible.  I marked some dots with a ruler and taped off a grid of diamonds with masking tape.  Then I took some white craft paint and gently brushed it on.  It was more like dry brushing than painting, so I didn't really have to wait for it to dry.  I took the tape off and then lightly sanded over my diamonds to make them blend into the rest of the piece better. 

 

Once I felt happy with the paint, I went back and sanded any drips or weird spots.  After I was done sanding, I rubbed two coats of hemp oil into the whole thing (top included) to give it a nice shine.  The hemp oil soaks in, so it's not very shiny, but it gives the piece a smoother look and feel that I like.  Also it helps protect the paint. 

 

The last thing to take care of were the knobs.  I found a pack of 10 rubbed bronze knobs at Target for $17.99 that were almost exactly what I was looking for.  The screws that came with them were way too short, but thankfully I'd saved the old screws, which were a little too long, but thankfully Steve had some washers that we added and then they fit just right.  Whew. 

 

My budget for this dresser, plus the bookshelves I'm working on this week, was $300 total.  The dresser ended up costing $146.99, plus I had enough paint left over for the shelves.  I'll share pictures of those next week once they're done!

 

My final thoughts on milk paint:

- it doesn't produce a very even finish, which can be good for used furniture- more forgiving

- getting the right ratio of powder to water takes a few tries and will vary based on what type of surface you are painting

- it is easy to clean up and doesn't have any fumes, which is really pleasant

 

Overall, I thought it was a great paint for this project and I would definitely use it again!

seasonal furniture arrangements

Good morning, friends!  Did you have a warm weekend?  The weather here was quite nearly perfect and it finally felt like it might be spring. 

 

As a result of all the warmth, I got bold and packed away our down comforter.  Only time will tell if that was a wise move. 

 

We also moved the furniture in our family room to its warm weather arrangement.  The above picture is what it looks like right now.  Have I ever told you about how we switch our furniture around with the seasons? 

 

When I think about a smart design for any room, the two most important things are seating and focal points.  We move the seating elements in our family room at two different times in the year in order to enjoy different focal points. 

 

One move happens in early December when we decorate for Christmas.  Obviously, we want to be able to look at the tree.  And the fireplace.  So we place the tree next to the fireplace and place the large sofa directly facing these two things.  The love seat goes on the wall next to the tree so that the two sofas form an "L" shape. 

 

This is another view of the winter arrangement.  After the tree comes down, we still want to be able to see the fireplace and the TV.  We watch more movies in the winter than in the warmer months.  Having the larger seating piece facing the things we most want to be looking at means that we're never craning our neck for a better view. 

 

In the winter, I don't worry so much about seeing out the windows.  There are no leaves on the trees, so we can see into several neighbor's yards.  The grass is not very green.  There are no flowers to enjoy. 

 

 

But once spring is here, we move the large sofa so that it faces the wall of windows.  That way, we can enjoy the pear trees in bloom and all the other lovely blooms.  We place the love seat facing the sofa, which is great for conversation.  I also think we have more visitors in the warm months, so it makes sense for us to have the furniture placed for optimal socialization. 

As you can see from this picture of our Kentucky Derby party last year, the warm weather arrangement is not ideal for TV watching.  But, as we don't watch TV very often, it's not usually a problem. 

Right now, the family room is the only room in the house that we regularly move the furniture in, but I wish we could do it in more rooms!  I think it's so much fun to have a change around the house and not get stuck in a rut with how things are arranged. 

Mondays always make me feel optimistic about accomplishing everything on my list for the week- I'm off now to get started!

how to get more life out of your linens

I am the kind of person who likes to get the most out of things.  If Steve and I go out for coffee, I like to sit for a long time at a cozy table while we sip our drink and have a great conversation.  If we go on a trip, I like to use the time to do the things that we can only do in that specific place.  And when I buy something, I plan to keep it for a long time. 

 

But I also like to have nice things.  Which is why, when the edges of our pillowcases started looking ragged and kind of shredded, I almost got rid of them.  Who wants to lay down every night on a ragged pillowcase if they don't have to? 

 

After giving it some thought though, I realized that I could just make a new edge for the case.  I cut some strips of fabric and sewed them together until they were long enough.  Then I folded the long edges in towards the middle until they met and ironed them in place.  Then I folded the whole thing in half (I was basically making bias tape, for those of you who are a bit more sewing-savvy) and ironed again.  I pinned the binding onto the edge of the pillowcase and sewed it into place.  Voila!  Even fancier than before! 

 Now that my eyes have been opened to how easy it is to repurpose bedding, I feel like I can give new life to all of our sheets!  These pink polka dot sheets no longer match the room they go in, so I made a new edge for them.  I basically used the same method as for the pillow cases, but I cut the fabric wide enough to fold around the old edge. 

I didn't even cut the old edge off- just left it underneath- but you certainly could if you wanted to change the width.  I think that adding or updating the edge of your sheets or pillowcases is such an easy and inexpensive way to update your bedding.  And all you have to do is know how to sew a straight line! 

ps- Happy April!  I don't know about you, but I think this month is going to be amazing!

forcing spring

We're expecting company this weekend and I have been trying all week to pull the house into spring mode.  I can deal with out-of-season decor when it's just the two of us, but I try to keep things on track when we're having visitors.  You're welcome, visitors. 

 

But aside from the daffodils that are cheering up the front yard, it hasn't felt or looked like spring at all.  It's been cold and windy.  Some days we don't see the sun.  I took down all the pine cones and the garland, but it felt wrong.  In my heart, it was still winter.

 

So I've been taking baby steps.  I replaced the pine cones with Easter eggs and bargained with myself to keep the white lights up on the mantle for another month.  I ventured outside, wearing a ski coat, and cut some daffodils and budding branches. 

 

I put a bunny on  plate in the middle of the dining room table and called it a day.  There's only so much you can do to force a new season into existence.

 

Today, perhaps because of the progress I've made, everything else seems to be catching up.  The sun is shining and the temperature has already crept into the upper 40s.  The house is warm, mainly because I'm cooking about nine different things all at one time.  And I purposely layered up a hot pink tank top, an orange shirt, and a bright green hoodie, thereby turning myself into a bit of an Easter egg as well. 

 

I think that real spring will be here in no time.  Hope your weekend is sunny!





painting success story

Just as I had hoped, I have great news to report today about our successful weekend of painting.  It would be almost impossible for me to describe to you how much I dislike painting, so for me to call the weekend successful is a pretty big deal.  After mulling over what makes painting less miserable, here's what I came up with:

The Right Painting Partner.  And no, I'm sorry, but you cannot borrow mine.  Steve did way  more than half the work and kept on painting while I did stuff like get lunch together and put away laundry.  It was great to have a few small breaks, while knowing that we were still making progress!

The Right Tools.  We picked up a few new brushes on Friday night, made sure we had more than enough paint (don't you hate running out when you're almost done?!) and cut out part of a vinegar jug to make the perfect paint holder.  We also brought in plenty of lamps so we could see what we were doing and a CD player to keep things peppy. 

Impromptu Snow Storm.  I guess this is only a good thing if you love snow.  We haven't seen any all winter, so I was thrilled when it started snowing really hard on Saturday afternoon.  It looked so beautiful and made it seem like just the right thing to be cozy inside, painting away. 

Meat Picnic.  That's right- meat picnic.  We finished up for the day right before dinner time and ran out to pick up food from our favorite barbecue place.  We ordered the biggest thing on the menu, which included pulled pork, beer can chicken, beef brisket, and ribs, among other things.  It was like heaven. 

We sat on the floor and watched a movie while we ate and it was so much fun that I almost forgot that we'd been painting all day.  And that we still had more to do. 

But now the brushes have all been washed and we are done for reals and that is the best part of any painting project. 

winter mantle / it's dark in here

How about today I treat you to some fairly dark pictures of our cozy winter mantle?  And you can squint your eyes a bit and imagine what it looks like when the sun is out or when Steve is behind the camera using settings other than "auto".  And then, while we're at it, we'll glance at the time and see that it's after 4pm and wonder why I'm blogging this late in the day anyway.  Probably, we'll just shrug our shoulders and murmur something like "it's Monday" or "January will do that to you..."

 

 

But really, I have been thrilled with the transformation the mantle has made from holiday to winter.  The cedar wreath is still kickin'.  The white lights are still up.  And everything is better with silver, amen?  

 

 

Speaking of silver, check out that gorgeous silver tray that Steve's mom gave us.  It was originally meant to hang above the stove, but has spent its time since arriving here last fall hanging out in the guest bedroom and on the mantle.  I can't commit to one spot for it yet.  

 

I wish I had some pictures to share from our weekend, which was super fun and included activities ranging from making our own board games with my brother (and laughing until we were almost sick) to a great lunch with friends to finding what is hopefully the perfect sewing stool.  And all we have to show for it are some bird pictures. 

 

Today, I've been catching up on the laundry and cutting out 375 triangles for a party banner and no that is not a typo.  Three hundred seventy-five.  Tomorrow, I plan to give my hands a rest with some sewing and ironing.  It's all about perspective, isn't it?