A Few Thrifty Finds...

Hey there, y'all!! Just wanted to pop on to share some thrifty finds I've gotten lately. You know how sometimes you want to wait to share something until its "done"?? That's how I felt about showing y'all this table, but I don't feel like waiting. Ha!! My friend, Amy, found this table in my favorite little church thrift shop a few months ago. I went to go look at it, but it was out of my budget at the time. I decided I would make myself paint and sell my other table first. Well, last Thursday I had to run an errand in the same town as the thrift shop so I ran in there to see if it was still there. It was!! I think they had it priced so high no one would buy it. This place is normally so cheap on everything else, too. Anyway, I managed to talk them down $40, so even though I still paid more than I wanted, saving $40 was awesome!! Now I just need to finish my other table and get it sold!!

Y'all can see that I decided to go with the red chairs from Ikea!! For some reason my husband isn't super sold on them with this table. On the subject of the table, I cannot decide if it needs a makeover or not. My thought was to maybe re-stain the top a dark walnut and paint the bottom white. I kind of like it like it is, too. What do y'all think??

I found these owls at Goodwill a few weeks ago. I thought they looked so sweet. However, they will be getting a makeover. I trying to decide on a funky green or teal. Any opinions?? These cute hoots will go into the kids' room. Y'all might remember I briefly mentioned that all four of them are sharing a room...I'm trying to make it as gender neutral as I know how. And I don't. I am gleaning a lot of inspiration from all of you, however!!

Ahhh...this table. I've actually had it for over a year. I paid $20 for it at a yard sale and was so tickled pink to have a table that not everyone else does!! I did paint and glaze the wood top. The lamp is also a secondhand find. Brass originally, I sprayed it with a Fern spray paint and it looks fab!! We had to put a few of our favorite Fall books in a basket!!

Anybody else seeing the irony{no pun intended} of all the dust on my "Domestic" piece?!?! Hahaha!!!

P.S. I'm listening to Christmas music right now...How crazy is that?!?!

Lighting on a little...

I love chandeliers and I love getting a GREAT deal on chandies even better!! I just thought I'd share a few budget minded ideas here. This chandelier came from a yard sale and was only $3. It originally was intended to plug into an outlet, but we{my husband} just cut off that part and wired it into the ceiling. I am craving bright, fun, and happy lately and decided to make some new lampshades for this chandie. I already had everything on hand. The shades came on another thrifted chandelier. I spray painted them white and made the flowers for them. Jen, of Tatertots and Jello, has a great tutorial for how to make the flowers. I did do things a little differently, but here is the link to her tutorial. While you are there, take a look around. She has such fun crafty ideas!!

This flower is my favorite!! Love, love, love the fabric!! I used vintage buttons for the flower centers. I am thinking I want to gussy the lampshades up a bit more, but for now this will do. :)

Red gingham with a yellow flower button.

Yellow polka dot crib sheet with a super cute red daisy button. Pretend the picture is actually good. Hahaha!!!

Some of y'all have already seen this chandie redo. I did add some more sparkle in the way of glitter on the candle sleeves and a beaded garland. I believe I paid $15 for this chandelier and a little more for the crystals, etc. making this my most expensive piece.

This lighting idea came from Country Living originally, I think. I decided to actually get on it when I saw it on Ashley Ann's blog. The cord set came from Ikea for around $4, the basket was $2, and the light hanging kit was around $5 at Home Depot.

Here is a close up. This is in my computer loft area. You can see more pics of it here.

Lastly, we will go into Lilly's room. This fixture was originally brass with the milkglass. I loved the milkglass but not the brass. I just gave it a coat of sunny yellow paint and love it now!! Cost for this one...$12.

I think the total comes in under $100 for all four chandeliers. There is no limit when you think thrifty. You just have to have patience and a vision.

Tell me, what is the best deal on lighting you have gotten??

"Old" old chair in living room...

I got this chair back when I was pregnant with Jackson, some eight years ago. I loved the lines of it and always planned to recover it. This much later and she's still sporting her retro covering!!
I am trying to decide do I want to use a linen type fabric or leopard print. What do you girls think??

This is the fabric I was talking about. Its osnaburg and very cheap at $2.50 a yard. I love the nubby texture of it. On the other hand, I was thinking about leopard print. I love that stuff!! I don't have any of it in my home yet.

Here is a full on front shot of the chair. You can click the picture to enlarge it. Nevermind the other junk in the picture!! ;)

Time to weigh in...

A. Leopard

B. Neutral linen look

Thanks a million!!

Um...what do you think??

I don't know if its because I am so in the mood for FALL or what...but I really love this picture from Country Home. It was my inspiration for my dining room. I had wanted a picnic table with an odd assortment of chairs around it. Now, though, I have moved those odd assortment of chairs to the kitchen and put my upholstered chairs in the dining room. I really like the black chairs and decided to start painting mine black. But...I'm not really sure about it...

Check it out. Maybe its because I had painted this chair white...or perhaps that the detail doesn't stand out as much being black. Just not sure...

You think maybe it will look better when they are all black or should I just go back to the white idea?? I know I am NOT painting my table, cause I like it as is. I think maybe I'm having a problem with the black cause while I love it for Fall, what will happen come Spring?? Remember my inspiration room?? Oh, the blue-green chair will not be painted, just going upstairs to the craft room. I have another chair to add to the mix, its just misplaced right now.

So, dearies...I ask y'all{once again} to please give me your input...Black, white, bench a different color?? I would just about pay one of you to come here and surprise me. Aaauuurrrggghhh.......

Oh, yes, we are now able to park in the garage!!! We still have to put shelving up and organize my junk, I mean, treasures, but its great to have some of it picked up. You can see the glorious before here.

Happy Monday!!

What to do, what to do...

I got a wild hair to take the buffet/bottom of the hutch out of the foyer{see here} and move it into the dining room. I love it there!! For now... ;)
Anyway, I had been planning for a while to move this baby bed couch into the foyer and hang my mantle above it. I posted about a similar idea here. Instead of using a pew, I decided to use what I already have.
My question is...I think I am going to paint it, but am torn on the color. I was thinking of antique white with a tea stain or I could go a different green{the color of my kitchen} and tea stain over it or not. Then, I don't know if I should just do the mantle antique white?? So, y'all give me your opinions.

Here is a closer shot. The paint job is just hideous and you can see the color underneath.

Here is the sideview and I wanted y'all to keep in my curtains in mind as you think about the next question...

I have to cover three pillows to go across the back. Tell me, out of these fabrics would you do three different pillows, two different, or all three pillows the same fabric, but not the patchwork print?? The stocking shown is red ticking, which is in the patchwork and the top of it is a bedspread that has a nice texture. I also thought that I might make another slipcover for the cushion and pillows out of drop cloths when time and money allow, just to give me more options.

So, the questions are...what color to paint the couch, the mantle??

What fabrics for the cushions??

Thank you!!

Ch-ch-ch-changes...Kitchen

I have been teetering with the idea of moving the hutch out of the kitchen for a while now. Y'all may remember that post. Yesterday, I finally got a wild hair to move stuff around. Above is the way it looked before. This was taken in January.

Here the kitchen is today. I moved the bench in the kitchen. It was previously in the dining room. I also took the white chair from the dining room. If you want, you can click here for my inspiration room. I know the chandelier isn't centered over the table, but I am not putting a hook in the ceiling until I can get the room the way I will be {temporarily} happy with. If I leave the hutch out, I am thinking I am going to hang this chalkboard up.

Another view...you can see where I moved the hutch to. I am not super sold on it there either. My husband would rather the hutch be out of the kitchen all together, but I love the storage.

Here is a slightly brighter picture. We plan to add beadboard under the bar and add a brick backsplash. Oh yes, and a vent hood. Baby steps!!

The view from the kitchen. I know my valances are hanging lower than the moulding, but I plan to put a shelf up, so I am not moving them until then.

Okay...what do you think?? Should I move the hutch out of the kitchen totally?? Leave it??

WWYD

I found this little peg shelf at a new thrift shop in town for $2. It is exactly what I was looking for!! Anyhow, it needs a new paint color. I don't mind red, just not the color it is. I love Amy's red shelf. Just scroll down the post and you will see it. Our wall color is the same also-amazing how lighting can change the appearance of it.

Another view of the shelf. Oh, it will hang on this wall here in the kitchen.

I love this color, Glacier Blue. Like, really love it!! I just don't have anything this color in my kitchen. Another thought I had was doing it antique white like my apron peg rack. Or, I even thought about painting over the red with antique white, then blue, then sanding it to reveal all three colors. So...what would y'all do??

Kitchen Progress...

We are in the midst of painting the kitchen and I am sooo excited!! There's only so much "builder's beige" this girl can take...Here is the mini hall between the kitchen and dining room. The double doors you see are the pantry doors and right across from them is the laundry room.

Here is another shot. This is part of the breakfast area. Almost...

I love this green!! It is so fresh and pretty!!

Opinion's needed!!

For the record, this is NOT my home!! It belongs to my friend, Amy. I show it to you cause this is the color I am planning to paint my kitchen.
You can also go to Amy's blog to see it better.


I got this chandelier a while ago for Lilly's bedroom. But then I was thinking how desperately bad I need, I mean, want, a new chandie for the kitchen/breakfast area and this would be so cute in there. Don't you think?? I need something totally different than the one in my actual kitchen so it doesn't compete or look like I was trying to make them the same but failed. You can see it here. Don't know if you can see it good or not, but if the milkglass globes are off you can see a little ruffle action going on on the candle cup. Also at the top. So cute. I really feel bad about not using this one in Lilly's room...I just love the vintage feel for her.

Here the chandelier is in all its glory. I may or may not use the globes. Depends on which way the wind is blowing that day. ;)

Okay, so here is the color of the paint I am wanting to do. Do I go for the green, which is called Seaweed and not at all hunter green looking in person, or the sunny yellow?? I love the green so much, but I am afraid it will not go with the wall color. I don't want to paint the chandie black because the other one in the kitchen is black. I am open to other color options, too. You can click here and here to get a better feel for the room. Sorry the photos are stinky.

So, what do you think?? Thank you in advance!!

What I've been up to...

Been wondering where I've been?? Didn't think so...Just kidding!! I cannot believe its been over a week since I last posted. I wanted to post photos of Fisher's first birthday party, but since my camera hates me and my mom can't seem to upload her pictures, it'll have to wait.
Sooo, Hadley came to visit this weekend. I had so much fun meeting her the first time and couldn't wait for her to come here. She, I mean, we, had intended to craft, but when she saw our craft/school room and then the garage, she said that we would work on that. Hadley is AMAZING!! Everybody needs a little Hadley in their life!! Seriously...see the photo below. Scary, right??

This is basically what I have been living with since we moved in. Give or take. I know some of you are cringing and rocking in the corner just looking at it. ;)

Here is another angle for your viewing pleasure.

Hadley and I stayed up until 3 am working on it and then again in the morning up through this afternoon. It looks so much better!! The bookshelf holds a small portion of the children's books. My craft/decorating books are on another shelf along with some craft supplies. The two doors lead to one long closet. In it is fabric, seasonal decor, and some other necessary junk.

I plan to bring in the kid's wooden picnic table and hang the chalkboard on this wall. I also have these bird flashcards{I guess that's what they are...they are 8x10} that I am going to hang on the wall.

In this old cabinet I have some more sewing stuff. Eventually, I want to get a table to put in its place for my sewing machine.

This is the view from the doorway. The black cabinet was in Lilly's room previously. I think it works great in here to hold my ribbon and other crafty necessities. I am lovin' the clean new space and cannot wait to create in here!! Thank you, Hadley, for coming and helping out with this monstrosity!! Can't wait to come work on your playroom next!!

These photos are really blurry if you try to enlarge them. I need to get the camera fixed.

Best 50 cents I ever spent.

Yep, that's right, I got this beauty for fifty cents at a yard sale this past Saturday!! I knew immediately that I would clean it up, give it a makeover, and the jars will holding glitter. Not bad, huh?? Well, its nastier than it looks. I emptied out the spices and have the jars soaking. They are still sticky, and you don't even want to know about the wood holder. Yuck!! Any advice about how to de-grease this??
Stay tuned for its makeover!!

Lilly's Room...Brace Yourselves

*Let me preface this post by saying that Lilly and I are free spirits and would rather make messes then cleaning them up!! Clearly...
I thought I would show a before{albeit, a very bad before} photo of her room. There are no afters yet...I do have wonderful plans for her room. Lilly wants pink walls{I don't}, but I think I will let her have her girly wishes. We'll see. At any rate, I am going to put shutters on either sides of her windows. I plan to make a valance from an old pink chenille bedspread I have and edge the bottom with yo-yo's. Therein lies my problem with pink walls. I would rather do her room the same color as the half bath. I need to make a duvet cover for her bed and maybe a sham as well. Luckily, we have beautiful furniture to work with. Love the antique metal bed!! You can click here and here {I actually love this girl's whole house!!} for some inspiration. I am going for a vintage-y, cottage-y, Granny's Attic kind of feel in here.

Here is the opposite view of Lilly's room. I got the black cabinet for $25. It still needs a little help. The bookcase to the right I would like to put somewhere else in the house. I am thinking of hanging an accordian hook on the left by the closet door for her dress up clothes.

Lilly would like to offer you a strawberry for some housekeeping!! Hahahahaha!!

What do y'all think?? Let the girl have a pink room?? Or do I pull rank and just have pink accents?? Help!!

Half bath semi-update

Cory finished painting the half bath Friday night, after he hung the chandelier. I love the color!! It is such a cheery, robin's egg blue color. It is Watery, by Benjamin Moore.
I couldn't get a great photo because the room is so small and narrow and I didn't want to actually be in the picture. :)


Le toilette. I am sure I'm butchering some French here...

My purse is the inspiration for a rug I'd like to make for in here. I just love the colors!! And we want to beadboard the bottom half of the room and make a skirt for the pedestal sink. That will happen as funds allow, of course!!