Entertainment Center to Changing Table System

If you've been following me for a while, you know that my little one is growing up quickly.  Slowly, I am transitioning her room to be better suited for her as she grows.  It began with replacing the nursery rocker with this chair that I transformed.  It continues with replacing the bookcases/changing table with a dresser. Here is a a picture of the bookcases that are in her room:

Can you believe this unit used to be part of my neighbor's entertainment center?  He is a carpenter and built it himself. I made a trade with him at a neighborhood garage sale years before my daughter was born and always planned to use it as pictured once we had a baby.

Unfortunately, I didn't take a before picture (pre-blog days), but it was originally part of three piece set.  The middle piece held the television.  I took out that piece and pushed the bookcases together.
I took a few of the shelves out on one side to allow for enough space to put the changing pad.   I gave the entire thing a fresh coat of white paint and changed out the knobs.

 It has been awesome for us, but she needs more storage for her clothes than the small oak chest of drawers I have hidden in her closet.  I didn't just dash out to the furniture store to buy anything new, but I couldn't take pictures of the new dresser today because it was dark and raining outside.  It was definitely not great light for pretty furniture pictures.  I'll be back later in the week to show you the new to me dresser that is going to replace the bookcases.

Easier Than I Thought!

Linked to:  Thrifty Decor Chic Mon.: Skip to My Lou Tues:  Tip Junkie,   Sugar Bee Crafts,  Today's Creative Blog,   Homestories AtoZ Wed:  Gingersnap Crafts,   Sew Much Ado,   Thurs: 36th Avenue,  52 Mantels,   House of Hepworths, Friday:Tatertots and Jello,  Serenity Now,  Whipperberry, Liz Marie Blog, Sat: Classy Clutter,  It's Overflowing  Sun.: I Heart Naptime,

Felt House Tour

We have all been sick around here, so I haven't had the energy or desire to work on some of my unfinished projects.

Instead, I want to show you something I made for my little one over a year ago.  After a lot of research, I designed and sewed this felt playhouse for her first birthday.  In hindsight, she was a little too young for it. However, we brought it out to play with today, and she is loving it.

Let me give you a tour...

This charming one story is built of quality felt and supported with a custom pvc infrastructure.

As you immediately notice, it has plenty of curb appeal complete with a stylish mailbox and simple craftsman details.

Outside, you will find the window framed by a flower box so you can enjoy the growing flowers both inside and out.  A large apple tree in the yard yields delicious apples that are perfect for picking.

To the rear of the home, you will find a flourishing vegetable garden. Imagine being able to pick a basket of fresh vegetables from your own yard!

You can also hang your laundry on the line to dry in the warm breezes that surround the home year round.

The stunning interior of the home is spacious and has beautiful built-in shelving that is perfect for displaying your personal library.

You can choose to sit  and read your book in front of the fireplace or watch the large flat screen television that is built in over the fireplace.

The large window lets in plenty of light and boasts beautiful views of the flowers and gardens outside.  The built-in seating also provides a place to enjoy the views.

That concludes the tour of this fantastic custom built home.  Feel free to ask any questions you may have concerning the construction or planning of this home. We hope that you enjoyed your tour and will consider visiting again;)

Easier Than  I Thought!

Linked to:  Thrifty Decor Chic Mon.: Skip to My Lou Tues:  Tip Junkie,   Sugar Bee Crafts,  Today's Creative Blog,   Homestories AtoZ Wed:  Gingersnap Crafts,   Sew Much Ado,   Thurs: 36th Avenue,  52 Mantels,   House of Hepworths, Friday:Tatertots and Jello,  Serenity Now,  Whipperberry, Liz Marie Blog, Sat: Classy Clutter,  It's Overflowing  Sun.: I Heart Naptime,

Yarn Hearts

In looking around for a fun Valentine craft to do with my little one, I was struck by these yarn hearts.  I decided we would do something similar, but we would do it our own way (of course) using the materials we had on hand.  My little one loved making the hearts, and they turned out to be cute and inexpensive decorations to hang here and there around the house. It's a little messy, but it's fast and fun and a great way to use up yarn scraps!

 If you want to make some, here's what you need:

• liquid starch
• bowl
• yarn scraps
• wax paper
• heart shaped cookie cutters of various sizes

Directions:

Fill a bowl with liquid starch

Cut approximately a yard of yarn

Saturate the yarn in the liquid starch

Shake it around over your head a little bit (if you want) and lightly squeeze out most of the excess starch into the bowl

With the heart shaped cookie cutter on the wax paper, place the yarn inside the cookie cutter randomly

Carefully remove cookie cutter and repeat

Let the hearts dry on the wax paper for about 24 hrs. or until completely dry.  Use a spatula to carefully remove from the wax paper if necessary.  

Use the hearts to decorate your house, include in an envelope to your special valentine, or to send to friends and family!

Easier Than I Thought!

Linked to:  Thrifty Decor Chic Mon.: Skip to My Lou Tues:  Tip Junkie,   Sugar Bee Crafts,  Today's Creative Blog,   Homestories AtoZ Wed:  Gingersnap Crafts,   Sew Much Ado,   Thurs: 36th Avenue,  52 Mantels,   House of Hepworths, Friday:Tatertots and Jello,  Serenity Now,  Whipperberry, Liz Marie Blog, Sat: Classy Clutter,  It's Overflowing  Sun.: I Heart Naptime,

Sleep Sack with Feet Tutorial

This past Christmas, I made a lot of handmade gifts.  Among them was this camo sleep sack with feet for my little nephew.  He needed something that would keep him nice and warm in his crib without using bulky blankets that could smother him.  My sister also wanted something that wouldn't inhibit movement since he can be a wild sleeper.

I first made a sleep sack with feet for my own little one last year. She loves hers so much that she begs me to wear it during naptime and around the house too!  Since they're made of fleece they are very warm and are designed to be big enough to be worn over pajamas.  Also, there is enough leg room at the bottom that makes running around the house no problem.  Just ask my little crazy lady!

Want to make one of your own?  Read on for the full tutorial.

Decorative Vanity Mirror

Last week, I shared with you my grueling search for the gray paint for the bathroom.  This week, I'll share a sneak peek into one of the other big changes I made in the bathroom.  This one didn't cost me anything. I love those kind of big changes. Ok.  Check out the new vanity mirror.

Here's the before and after:

You may recognize the mirror as the one that was hanging in my dining room.  It's the one I love to paint. The one I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $40!

After searching store after store for the right mirror, I wound up putting the dining room mirror in the bathroom.  All I had to do was change the hooks so that it would hang vertically.  It's a great scale for the room, and the beveled edges really refract the light. The large rectangle mirror frames your face when you stand in front of it too!

I know it's not your typical vanity mirror, but I think that makes the room much more interesting. The moral of this story is to not be afraid to find a new home for things you already have and try something different.  I loved this mirror in the dining room. After my sister suggested it for the bathroom, I thought it would be too much and too big.  In reality, it's just what the room needed. 

 The room already feels much larger with the "new" mirror!  Just wait until I change out that shower curtain! That's right.  You'll have to wait. :)

Linked to:  Thrifty Decor Chic Mon.: Skip to My Lou Tues:  Tip Junkie,   Sugar Bee Crafts,  Today's Creative Blog,   Homestories AtoZ Wed:  Gingersnap Crafts,   Sew Much Ado,   Thurs: 36th Avenue,  52 Mantels,   House of Hepworths, Friday:Tatertots and Jello,  Serenity Now,  Whipperberry, Liz Marie Blog, Sat: Classy Clutter,  It's Overflowing  Sun.: I Heart Naptime,

Big Plans for the Bonus Room

I've been looking for the right time to tell you about our newest project.  It's a pretty big one.  Now that we officially started it this week, I think it's time to let the cat out of the bag.  We are finally going to finish our bonus room!

This 600 sq foot space has sat unfinished since we moved into the house.  It's a very long and narrow room, and our vision for the room has changed about three times since we first decided to make it usable space.

We love the open floor plan of our home, but it doesn't allow us to entertain once our little one is in bed.  The sound echoes against the tall, lofty ceilings.  We need a place to escape without worrying how loud the television is.  That's why most of the upstairs (shown below) will be a media/entertainment room complete with a projector, drop down screen, large sectional sofa, and kitchenette.

The part that I am looking forward to the most is having a dedicated craft studio.  It will be my own 10x12 space to escape and work on all my projects.  It even has a window. YAY!!!!!


Another plus is that finishing this space allows us to free up the current room we're using as an office/craft space for a play room.  It's a great room since it's right off the kitchen and close to the heart of the home.  Another project!

Exciting things are on the horizon!  I look forward to showing you the steps along the way and all the DIY projects I have in store like making a slipcover for my sectional (no, I'm not crazy).  Follow along!

 Easier Than I Thought!

Choosing the Right Shade of Gray

I decided to give our guest bath an overhaul. Here is what it looked like when I first started on it during the holidays:

It's just OK.  Nothing special.  I want to make it flow better with the rest of the house, so I started by finding a fabric that I really loved that tied in the black and white tile with the golds in the rest of the house.  The fabric has a few shades of gray in it, so when it came to wall color, I decided on a medium gray.  Grays are so popular right now, and I thought finding a good gray color would be an easy task.  Not quite.  In fact, I went through about eight different gray samples until I found the right one.

I even asked the advice of fellow bloggers and came up with an overwhelming vote for Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore.  After driving 20 minutes to the nearest store that carries Benjamin Moore, I returned home to paint a swatch on the wall and was completely underwhelmed.  It looked more like builder beige in my bathroom. Oh well.

It's so funny how colors can look completely different in various homes and spaces.  Anyway, here is a list of the gray colors I tried that may interest you (all are pictured above):

• Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore
• Classic French Gray by Sherwin Williams
• Storm by Valspar
• Light French Gray by Sherwin Williams
• Mountain Smoke by Valspar
• Hazy Stratus by Valspar
• A random gray that was on the clearance shelf at Lowe's for $1

Before I reveal my decision, here are some tips for finding the right gray for your space:

In my research, I learned that gray paint lends itself to three different undertones: brown, purple, or green.  There are very few true gray colors. Deciding what undertone you favor might help you decide where to start when choosing a sample or paint chip.

You MUST paint a swatch on the wall and preview it at different times of day in different kinds of light.  Taping a paint chip to the wall just doesn't cut it when choosing a gray.

The winner? A custom mixture of Classic French Gray and Light French Gray by Sherwin Williams. I like to call it Medium French Gray. It was specially mixed and formulated by yours truly.

I think it turned out beautifully. I know you can't tell much from my lame picture, but I just finished painting last night and haven't put the room back together yet.  I love how it looks against the white trim and the black and white tile.

My vision is starting to come together.   Next on the list is tackling a custom shower curtain and wall art.  I also need to find a new mirror for the vanity.  Stay tuned...

Easier Than I Thought!

Linked to:  Thrifty Decor Chic Mon.: Skip to My Lou Tues:  Tip Junkie,   Sugar Bee Crafts,  Today's Creative Blog,   Homestories AtoZ Wed:  Gingersnap Crafts,   Sew Much Ado,   Thurs: 36th Avenue,  52 Mantels,   House of Hepworths, Friday:Tatertots and Jello,  Serenity Now,  Whipperberry,  Sat: Classy Clutter,  It's Overflowing  Sun.: I Heart Naptime,

Cousin Eddie's Shoes from Christmas Vacation

Did you enjoy all the holiday parties this year? This year, our neighborhood decided to add a little twist to the annual cookie exchange and invite the men to have a cookie exchange and ugly sweater Christmas party combined.

One of our favorite movies is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, so, naturally, I thought my husband should dress as Cousin Eddie.  You remember, the scene where he's sipping eggnog with Clark in the living room while wearing the white sweater with the black dickey?

Do you remember the white shoes Cousin Eddie wore?  He was generous to give Clark a matching pair in the movie. We knew the outfit wouldn't be complete without those beauties.  White patent leather with gold accents.  Where could we find a pair like that in size 14? Probably wasn't going to happen.

Then, we had the brilliant idea to take an existing pair of my hubby's shoes and paint them gloss white to create a similar look.  He had the perfect pair.  It was a pair he had bought and hated because they were so uncomfortable.

I primed and painted them, but they needed some gold bling.  I cut links off a very old gold necklace I had. It added the perfect amount of  Cousin Eddie "charm".  I sewed the chains to the elastic vents on either side of the shoes.  Voila! There they are!  Cousin Eddie's shoes!

We are definitely keeping these fine footwear specimens.  After all, they could be used for a variety of costumes like Elvis or even Mike Brady! I'm sure they will make another appearance.

Easier Than I Thought!

Linked to:  Thrifty Decor Chic Mon.: Skip to My Lou Tues:  Tip Junkie,   Sugar Bee Crafts,  Today's Creative Blog,   Homestories AtoZ Wed:  Gingersnap Crafts,   Sew Much Ado,  Thurs: 36th Avenue,  52 Mantels,   House of Hepworths, Friday:Tatertots and Jello,  Serenity Now,  Whipperberry,  Sat: Classy Clutter,  It's Overflowing  Sun.: I Heart Naptime,