The Cabinet is D-O-N-E

Okay. So it’s not completely done. I lied. But I figure I have held you off on this project for long enough. It just needs to be jewelry-fied, so I guess you can see it by now. Let’s take a look at the before, shall we?

I loved everything about it—the glass details, the shape, the storage, etc.  The wood was beautiful, but it was badly beat up. That certainly helped with my decision to paint. Of course, my favorite part of it was the price. $60.00 off Craigslist. Ya-to-the-hoo!

After taking it apart, this is what it turned into. For months. Michigan weather hit, and there was just no finishing it in that cold.

And here it is today…

I seriously looked into crystal knobs for it, but the idea of filling holes, drilling new ones, and spending more money on this than I already had was not appealing to me.

I’m pretty much in love with it, and I’m taking my time filling the top with accessories. It’s quite the balance making sure I like the way it looks, and it’s still functional for my daughter’s things.

Of course, her favorite part needs to be gussied up as well. We’ll be working on that one very soon.

Well, there you go! I’m in love, my daughter’s in love, and my husband’s in love with the price. That’s a win/win, don’t ya think?

I almost forgot…Dutch Boy sent me the paint for this project (free!!). It’s painted Timeless Ivory, and it’s just that. What a classically beautiful shade. It’s perfect.

Coastal Bathroom

Back in July, I decided I needed to do something to my kids’ bathroom. The white on white just wasn’t working for me, and I needed something different. The only problem is that this was back in July…of 2008. Yes. That’s when this “remodel” began, and it is finally finished.

The before pictures are also before I had a good camera. It also helps emphasize how much better the afters are. You with me still? Ok. I give you the before.

Don’t get me wrong—I LOVE white. It’s my favorite color. But with no window and well, no window, it just didn’t do it for me. You ready for the after? How ‘bout a during? Still with the crappy camera.

Alright. No more messin’ around. Here’s the after…

Amazing what a new camera will do, eh? Well, that and some beadboard, crown molding, and a ton of absolutely perfect accessories. 

This angle gives you a much better idea of what the beadboard looks like. (Having no natural light in here proved to be VERY tricky when photographing.) I decided on the wider plank beadboard—I think it looks more beachy—and I would have gone even wider if I could have found it!

My favorite item in the room was also the least expensive. I found this little printer’s/stamp box for $5.00 at a flea market, and it now houses shells that we’ve collected on our family trips to the beach. L-o-v-e.

Needless to say, I am so glad this room is done! It took a lot of work (and some hard labor from my FIL), but I’m thinking it was totally worth it!

Because I never know how to approach these “room reveals”, I guess I’ll just see if you have any questions. If you’re anything like me, you do! There are a few things I should probably share with you (painting the cabinets, making the mirror frame, baseboards, and shelf, blah, blah, blah), but for now I hope you enjoy!

Anthropologie Lampshade

I’ve been working on re-vamping my master bedroom. So far, it has taken me 7 years. I should be done pretty soon. I purchased a lamp for it, and it has sat on my side table (with the tags still on it!) for two months. I wanted to “fanicify” the shade somehow, and I just couldn’t make up my mind how to do it. But then…I saw this.

{$88.00}

However, I didn’t really see it until I saw this. That’s it! That’s how it needed to be fancified! Thank you, Terra from Mama Says Sew. She gives fantastic directions, but I’ll give you the low-down here as well.

I purchased 1 1/2 yards of burlap for $2.99. Because the shade was so similar in color, I didn’t wrap it beforehand. Looking back now, I wish I would have, but it’s not a big deal. Not that many people tour my master bedroom anyway. :)

I folded the burlap in half and used my rotary cutter to cut the strips. Don’t let the ruler fool you. I didn’t measure anything. I just kind of “eyed” each strip, but I did use the ruler to make a straight line. I think they ended up being about 2 1/2 inches.

Per Tessa’s directions, fold the strips in half and iron them down. You will line the folded edge with hot glue and place it on the shade in a squiggly manner.

Do this for about three days, burn your fingers five times, and itch for hours because of all the messy burlap residue.

Once you’re done, you’ll have something like this!

Unfortunately, I don’t think the base is staying this color, but it certainly is pretty! It was just the texture I was looking for, and it only cost $2.99 to do it. Inspiration abounds in blogland, doesn’t it?

Some Reader Features

I’ve had a couple of e-mails lately from some pretty awesome readers! I LOVE the opportunity to share some talent with blog land, and I really hope they get the attention they deserve. Enjoy!

First up is an all-year wreath from Lindsay at That’s So Cuegly.

This could be one of the most brilliant ideas I’ve seen in some time! What’s even better is the detailed tutorial that’s offered. How cool that we can copy it, eh? Love that!

 

Nancy from A to Zebra Celebrations turned a guestroom into her very own Mom Cave!

The organization of it alone had my heart palpitating. I WANT one of those paper racks! what a wonderful space!

She continues to show you a bunch of before/after pictures (which are my favorites), so go say “hello” and “can we be friends?”, won’t you?

Okay. I’ll see you on Friday for Show and Share Day! I know. If I were cool, I would have a button that actually matches my blog. Just squint your eyes and pretend I’m cool anyway, ok?

Ok. The Craft Room

I spent forEVer looking for a picture of my den “before”, but I could only find a couple of isolated shots. It all started with this desk.   I loved it, but it became useless once we purchased our laptop.

Once we sold it, I knew exactly what I wanted. A craftroom. Scratch that—I wanted an obnoxiously girly space just for me that no one could ruin with toys or camouflage gear.

It started with a table and a hutch. I refinished the hutch from my grandparents, and I painted the table to match. I was so happy to have a large workspace for all my hotglue, glitter, paint, and paper projects.

Well, after a few purchases, some creative resources, and some major elbow grease, I present you with---------the girl room.

 

I should have warned you about all the pictures. It’s the one room in my house that I didn’t worry about “showroom quality”. I wanted it to be pretty for me, but my main concern was function. You may notice that I’m still struggling with that just a bit.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a snapshot of all the projects I have yet to work on in here. The bench is priority #1. I’ve been looking. We just haven’t found each other yet.

I’m gonna show you the hutch side of the room. However, no making fun of me just yet. I’m still getting that area organized, but I couldn’t be happier with the amount of storage I now have.

If you have some catching up to do, you can read the other posts I’ve done on this leading up to the grand finale. The pegboard, dresser, hutch, lamp, and chair have all had their own moments.