Loony Ladybug

Max's nursery: A 360 degree picture tour

2011-07-27T16:07:00.008-04:00

A cute baby shower craft

2011-07-05T19:49:00.005-04:00

My friends threw me the loveliest baby shower recently. I am one lucky girl! There was delicious food (a sugar free dirt cake = YUM), tons of adorable presents, and a lots of love shared for Mr. Max.

My sweet friend and I brainstormed this baby shower craft after pouring over lots of images on Pinterest. My main desire was to have a craft that everyone could participate in (regardless of crafting level/confidence). I also wanted something that could be used a decoration in the nursery ... something that would remind me (and Max) of this lovely occassion and all the people who helped to celebrate it. This is what we ended up with ... a name plate.

(sorry for the poor lighting, but I just couldn't get a solid shot of the entire thing)

My friend covered a piece of thin foam core with the coolest fabric ever (it looks like the texture of wood). She then pre-cut blocks of paper, placed small grommets in each corner of the block, and wrote a letter on the back of each. And, in a stroke of pure brilliance, she made the first letter ("M") to provide a model of what to create. Then, each of my friends sat down to a gorgeous pile of crafting supplies (paper, stickers, glitter, glue) all matching the nursery theme of woodland creatures, and fashioned a letter of Max's name. After each letter was finished, we pressed small scrap-booking brads through the grommets and into the foam core. INSTANT LOVE.

I was overwhelmed with how crafty my friends are!! Each letter is adorable and unique. Here are a few close ups ...

I absolutely ADORE this little name plate. It hangs on the door to the nursery, and it makes me smile every time I look at (and TRUST, I have stared at this thing). Here's one final shot of me holding the finished sign at my shower. See that glow? Yeah, it's sheer happiness over how awesome this craft turned out!

A love catalog

2011-06-11T19:27:00.003-04:00

Have you guys joined Pinterest yet? This site is awesome. I had a billion and one bookmarks and google reader tags. Now I have it all combined in one glorious place. MY PINTEREST. If you need an invite, please message me and I'll be happy to share the love.

No Sew Toadstool

2011-06-03T20:08:00.005-04:00

The theme for Max's nursery is woodland nature -- think owls, toadstools, forest creatures, etc. In my search for inspiration from the internet, I found this tutorial for an adorable toadstool made from small step stools. Then, I remembered that I had a small white step stool that I scored from a thrift store long ago. Bingo! Game on.

I started by cutting some red fabric (corduroy in this case because that's what I had in my stash). I'm going to be honest -- I totally winged this part. I used the stool as my guide and cut the fabric a few inches larger than the stool. You can see how I was very delicate and precise in my cutting.

Next, I began gluing the edges of the fabric to the bottom of the stool. I decided to use hot glue so that I could manipulate the fabric later if I wanted to (which I did so I could get nicer pleats in some areas). After gluing a good portion of the fabric, stuff that toadstool like a turkey on Thanksgiving. Keep stuffing and gluing until you've created your desired shape.

Next, cut circles of white fabric/felt to form the spots of the toadstool. Play around with the placement of these. Decide if you want a more uniform look, or if you prefer various shapes/sizes. Once you've got the pattern down, glue the spots in place.

Once complete, sit back and enjoy your handy work! I still haven't figured out the final placement for this little guy in the nursery, but I know he will make a for a bright and cheery addition no matter where he goes.

Glitter, glitter ... everywhere!

2011-05-27T12:38:00.006-04:00

I've always been a fan of glitter, which is kind of odd being that I'm not a total girly girl. I have been coveting Martha Stewart's glitter collection for a long time. While visiting the craft store the other day to get supplies for my friend's chair, I decided to indulge in a glitter kit. Seriously, I cannot express my sheer joy and delight in holding all this fabulous glitter!

I had specific plans for one glitter project. Awhile ago, I picked up this silver picture clip thingy from a thrift store. I love stars, and I am always immediately drawn to them. However, I felt like this little gem could use some pizazz -- a pop of color, the sparkle of glitter, something more ...

So with a dab of mod podge and some colorful glitter ... BAM! I looooove it. I especially adore the glitter I used on the bottom piece. I believe it's called hematite - a sparkly black and silver color.

After this little creation, I was totally hooked. I wanted to glitter EVERYTHING! Seriously. So here are a few more things that landed under the glitter wand.

This was a little "E" that I picked up from the flea market a while ago. The finish was a brushed aluminum. It had some scratches, so I felt like glitter would only improve things. And I was right.

These earrings were a steal from Target clearance. They were a muted gold finish, but had a few spots of tarnish that could not be removed. Thank you glitter for making that an issue no more. I can't wait for a reason to wear these new sparklies out.

My advice for the week -- go and get your glitter on!

Before and After

2011-05-23T10:34:00.007-04:00

Here's a recent creation I made for a friend's baby shower. The nursery is a "Cat in the Hat" theme, so I painted a little chair to match. The directions are pretty straight forward -- find a little chair at a thrift or antique store, sand it (or do a happy dance that you scored a chair that someone else already sanded it!!), paint, mod podge desired image, finish with sealer.

Before

After

My friend loved her little chair, and I had a great time making something for her and her little one to enjoy for years to come. I cherish the times when I am able to create something for someone I love.

Art for the Nursery

2011-05-03T16:14:00.014-04:00

A main goal in the nursery has been to keep things thrifty -- especially given that we are now a single income household (THANK YOU sweet husband for making this possible). I feel like artwork is always a place where people can easily save money by getting creative with things they have on hand.

Enter the amazing Charley Harper.

Several years ago, I found these gorgeous flashcards at the ol' Tarjay (yes, I was immediately drawn to them because of the ladybug on the front!). I didn't have any kids at the time, but sometimes when you see something beautiful ... just get it! And so when it came time to fill some wall space in the nursery, I immediately thought of these.

I wanted them to be spaced out to maximize the awkward wall space I was hoping to fill. Here's an idea of how I hoped it would look. I used poster putty to stick them on the wall without damaging anything.

The next dilemma was figuring out how to hang them on the wall. I wasn't too keen on the idea of placing a billion tiny holes all over the wall. I also felt that the poster putty would not hold them exactly in place. I was hoping for more movement and a way that I could easily pull them down to use when little man gets old enough to start reading. The hubs is actually the one who came up with the idea for using grommets to hang them in some way. The idea stuck, I grabbed the needed supplies, and I was off to make it happen.

The hardest part of this process was the very first hole punch. I didn't want to damage the cards in any way, much less punch FOUR holes in it. Finally, after carefully measuring where I wanted to place the grommet, I worked up enough courage to make the first hole ... and then it was easy as pie to punch 103 more.

The next step was to carefully press the grommet into place. I was careful to use even pressure to make the best compression possible, as there are images on both sides of the cards and I wanted to be able to display either side.

I used the original card as a template for all the other cards to ensure that they would match up as close as possible. Here are a few cards all grommetted up and ready to go! I feel like the grommets make things look so classy ... like a great handbag or hair accessory.

The next step was to figure out a way to connect the cards together. Remember, I'm trying to stay thrifty and also trying to not make a million holes in the wall. My first thought was to buy small "S" hooks, but there had to be a more thrifty way. That's when I thought of making "S" hooks out of colored paperclips that I already had on hand. I must admit that it was slightly time consuming to make all of these hooks, but as my dear husband stated ... I've got the time. I used needle-nose pliers to fashion the hooks from the paper clips. Overall, I was very happy with how they turned out.

Here are a few shots of the final product. I really like the way it turned out. I love the movement, I love the how they hang, I love that I can easily remove/move them as needed.

Oh - sorry that I am not showing a full shot of cards hanging on either side of the window, but I don't want to spoil any nursery surprises. I *promise* I will provide a nursery tour once everything is complete!

And now to return to our regularly scheduled program ...

2011-05-03T15:43:00.005-04:00

I'm back. It's been a while, I know. My "real" job took a lot of time and energy which meant the blog was pushed to the bottom of a long list of things to do. However, some things have changed and for the next bit of time I *should* have more time to devote to all things lovely and crafty.

What are these changes, you ask? Well, for starters -- A BABY! Yes, we are expecting our first little one (a boy) in August. I am a high risk pregnancy (for various reasons), so given this, I have closed my private practice to focus on having a health pregnancy. So far, things have been FANTASTIC. Max (yes, we've decided on a name) is growing perfectly and I am also doing well.

These changes also mean that I have a bit more time and motivation to make and do. So, hopefully I'll be sharing some lovely creations and, of course, the marvelous nursery once complete. I look forward to sharing this time with everyone ...

The Scrap Exchange

2010-01-10T21:24:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since I have been out exploring. The ol' hubs and I decided to make the journey out to Durham to check out The Scrap Exchange. WOW! This place has tons and tons of items -- it's almost a bit overwhelming. The inventory changes often based on the donations they receive. We noticed a lot of medical supplies -- but that's not too surprising given the medical community in Durham.

On today's trip we saw fabric scraps and wallpaper, test tubes and pipettes, wrapping paper and ribbon, metallic sticker paper (I limited myself to 5 sheets), magazines and postcards, wine corks, baskets and tins, wood scraps and glass, old electronics, and soooooo much more. You can also grab a bag and fill it full ($7.50 for a small bag or $15 for a large bag) of items they stash in huge blue barrels.

While meandering, we happened upon a little girl's birthday party being held at the store. The Exchange hosts "make and take" parties. It was fun to watch the kids scour the store and search for things to be a part of their creations. How cool is that? Also cool, this wall made of old VHS tapes ...

And if you think you can handle more awesomeness, be sure to check out the The Scrap Exchange's blog. They post creative ideas for how to reuse some of the items you can find at the store -- worth a look for some sweet upcycling projects. If you can't make the trek to the store, they have an eBay store where they sell some of their wares. See, I told you ... AWESOME!!

Make Nerd + Craft Nerd = Awesome!

2009-12-27T22:35:00.006-05:00

My husband and I collaborated to make some Christmas cards for our family this year. He saw the idea on Evil Mad Scientist. I think they turned out great (and so did everyone who was lucky enough to receive one)! My honey described the "how to", so check it out.

Mum's the word.

2009-12-19T16:52:00.010-05:00

I was watching a Martha Stewart Christmas special the other day, and saw an simple and elegant way to spruce up your standard bow. I believe Martha referred to these bows as "mum bows" because they look similar to a beautiful mum flower. I tried to look for a link, but couldn't find one, so I'm making a tutorial for you. It's soooooo easy! Just follow along ...

1. You need some bows. These are fancy $1 store bows. I stuck mainly with the satin finish. If you do a metallic bow, it will expose both sides of the bow (just something to think about).

2. Pick your bow and cut each loop of the bow one time. Then, grab another bow and repeat.

3. Peel off the sticky side of one bows and stick it inside the other snipped bow.

4. Fluff, take a sip of wine, and you're done! A lovely little bow.

5. Add in some embellishments for an extra touch. I placed a simple button and a sparkly vintage brooch on some of mine. Here are a few examples to inspire ...

(I cut one bow, and then left the center bow as is).

Enjoy ...

Update: Craft it Forward

2009-11-01T20:32:00.006-05:00

I've made a few more gifts for Craft It Forward, and I wanted to share them with you all. I have so enjoyed making goodies for people I love. I haven't stuck to one particular kind of craft. I'm trying to be inspired by things I already have on hand and something that I feel really speaks to the person I'm making something for. Check out my latest creations ...

The first piece was a necklace I made for one of my friends from college. She is a totally hot surfer chic ... and still is. The small dangling piece actually has some shell bits from the beach where we went to college.

The next piece was an adorable headband/hair piece. My friend always has very stylish do's, so I wanted to make something to accentuate her chicness. I found a plain brown headband and simply glued on some cute turquoise silk fabric flowers. Easy as pie, I tell you!

The final pieces were sent to friends in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington (*hopefully* they all arrived safely). These were some frames I had gotten a while ago at Target. I added some ribbon, vintage jewelry pieces, some rhinestones, and metallic tape to spice them up a bit. Then, I took some images from an Ann Traintor book I had, and KaBOOM! their gift was made.

So far, everyone has really enjoyed their gifts. I better get crackin' though ... the end of the year is quickly approaching and I still have a few more people to scratch off my list!

Happy creating to all ...

The Merry Makers

2009-11-01T20:03:00.004-05:00

If you plan it, they will come ... and so they did. I sounded the horn for a monthly craft night, and several of my favorite ladies heeded the call. Here are a few pictures from our first gathering ...

I can't decide what I enjoyed more -- making time to do something I love, gathering with like-minded ladies, or the gabbing and gossiping. If any of you have been brewing on a similar craft night idea, brew no more -- JUST DO IT!

And to my Merry Makers, can't wait to see you ladies next month ...

Shout out to Cheap Chicks!

2009-10-23T16:28:00.005-04:00

A dear friend started a blog called Cheap Chicks, which highlights a wide variety of thrifty finds. She posts great bargains from fashion to food to fabulous getaways! Most recently, she shared how to score a free SNUGGIE. Awesome! So go and check it out ... http://cheap-chicks.blogspot.com/

So this mushroom walks into a bar ...

2009-09-27T12:04:00.004-04:00

I peruse design blogs on a daily basis, and I am constantly amazed by people's creativity and craftiness. But today I stumbled upon Paul Baxendale's blog, Finder Maker, and found something that made my toes curl with excitement!

Paul's latest entry is a step-by-step tutorial on how to make shelves out of mushrooms. He gives thorough instructions and provides detailed pictures to make this project something you can actually feel confident in tackling. Check it out!!

*Picture via Finder Maker.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-04T11:24:00.001-04:00

Parts of a whole

2009-06-17T00:17:00.003-04:00

I will never ever ever again turn down a $5 bouquet of flowers at the grocery store. I will also never ever ever again put them all together in one vase. Talk about divide and conquer ...

Things to make and do

2009-05-31T22:53:00.008-04:00

I've been on a "let's make stuff" kick recently. Here are the two latest creations ...

I made a wreath for the front door (at the "request" of my husband who said our current wreath was not "summery" enough -- who knew he was even paying attention). I wrapped a thrifted wreath in ribbon, added some "flower" buttons, and called it a day.

This next piece hangs in our kitchen. We purchased the large outer mirror at the flea market a few years ago. It was missing the center mirror, so we got it at a steal. Our original plan had been to make some kind of string art in the center, but that plan failed dismally. We later added the smaller center mirror (I think we found it at Target). This past week, we added on these vintage Christmas lights. The glow it makes is so lovely ... perfect for candle light dinners.

Well, I hope this was a great weekend for everyone -- mine was busy, but fantastic. I'll be posting some pictures soon of this weekend's adventures.

Happy creating to you all ...

"X" marks the spot

2009-05-29T23:09:00.013-04:00

My darling husband showed me this earlier this evening -- no wonder I married this man! gslar.com is a website devoted entirely to locating garage/yard/estate sales in your area. Just type in a location, click on the markers to read a brief description of the sale, add the ones you want to your trip, and print out directions for your own thrifty excursion. Can it get any easier? Here's what I found in Raleigh for tomorrow. Holy shnikies, my Mom and I will be busy! Bring it on ...

Inspiration from odd places.

2009-05-19T22:28:00.004-04:00

I meant to post this a while ago, but it's never too late to share. Because of her, and because of this, I went here, and now we have this. AWESOME.

If you'd like the full history of piggy bears, please email me, and I'd be happy to share. Be on the look out though, piggy bears are lurking everywhere ...

What to do when there's nothing left to decorate? Re-decorate!

2009-05-18T17:54:00.006-04:00

We've been in transition for a while. It all started with a couch -- a red couch, that I just couldn't pass up (it was $50). And with that, came a whirlwind of change. I could shoot myself for not taking before shots, but I'll share the final product with you.

First, the living room. We painted it a golden yellow (it was a sad pale pea greenish color). I changed out the curtains and added in the most comfortable couch I have ever sat on.

Next on the list -- the office. We moved the couch from the living room into the office, added three new bookcases (two large ones with glass doors and small one off to the side). We also moved the dreaded treadmill upstairs. That was a feat! Let's just say it was heavy as hell-o and I was crying by the time it was all done.

Finally, we put on our brave faces and tackled our basement. Half of our basement is home to my husband's man lounge -- complete with pool table, full bar, dart board, etc. The other half is now an organized space full of basementy-items, a work table for my husband's nerdery, and home to my thrifty finds that have not quite found a forever home.

And so there it is. Several weeks worth of reorganizing, rearranging, and redecorating. Phew, I'm spent (and so is my sweet, sweet husband who patiently participated in all of this).

Happy creating y'all ...

Pay it forward ...

2009-04-15T23:53:00.005-04:00

A friend of mine tagged me in a very fun game ... a chain letter of sorts. But, instead of sending a letter, you promise to send a handmade goodie. I couldn't resist! I posted this on FaceBook, but thought it would be fun to share it with some of my blogging buddies. Here's the scoop ...

This is a crafty game in which the first five people to respond to this note will get something made by me! This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

* I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.

* What I create will be just for you! New! Not something I made previously and have just laying around.

* It'll be done this year (2009).

* You have no clue what it's going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something over the internet.

* I reserve the right to do something extremely strange and/or cheap.

* I may well do more than 5 random creative acts if more than 5 people want random creative things.

What's the catch? Simple really -- in return you need to post this text into a note of your own and make 5 things for 5 others (and tag me so I know you didn't cheat!).

All right, let's get to making ...

Here's my first creation. I went through a couple versions, but ended with something I really enjoyed making. I haven't made something in FOREVER, and I forgot how therapeutic it can be to get down and dirty with some hot crafting magic. I hope my friend likes it!

Also, I'm including a sneak peak of one of the great finds (the gold arch floor lamp = hotness!) from this past weekend's yard sale adventures. I went home to visit my family, and found myself up and out EARLY Saturday morning with my Mom and Sister. We had a great time. I promise to post more pictures, but I have to get them from my Mom -- I forgot my camera. You won't even believe the new kitchen table I found ... aww yeah!

Hope all is well. Happy creating all ...

I won! I won! I won!

2009-03-01T23:59:00.004-05:00

I can't remember how I stumbled upon Two Dog Pond (perhaps it was by way of Lisa's RetroStyle) ... but I'm glad I did. Rachel, the owner of Two Dog Pond, creates beautiful soldered glass pendants, and holds weekly contests to connect a clever saying with one of her images to make a final product. If your saying is picked, you receive a pendant with your cleverness written all over it! How cool is that??

Two weeks ago, the image I saw in Rachel's contest reminded me of me circa 1984. My parents used to tease me about how much I pouted, and the little girl in the picture had that same sass and pout that I do did. So, I entered my saying -- "Princess Pissy Pants." And I WON!

Thank you so much Rachel -- I LOVE IT! Be sure to stop by and play round or two with Rachel ... you could walk away with your own lovely pendant.

A Thrift friend = A Forever friend

2009-02-28T21:02:00.006-05:00

One of my dearest friends from high school is here for a weekend visit! It was only natural that we found ourselves wandering around a few local thrift stores. Is there anything better than thrifting with a long-time friend? I believe not.

We reminisced about spending many of our days in high school scouring local thrift stores for cool "old man" pants to wear -- a trend that has since faded. Now our eyes are peeled for furniture, art, knickknacks, as we both have houses to decorate. Regardless of what we are looking for, our love of thrift remains!

The pickin's were slim this weekend, but Julia scored a BEAUTIFUL sewing machine. Check it out!

The husband doubted my ability to find a user's manual for the machine -- silly silly man. Within five minutes, I'd found Julia two manuals to get her started on her own sewing journey. I am so excited for her! I can't wait to see all the beautiful things she creates ...

A tisket. A tasket. A stair step basket.

2009-01-28T22:28:00.013-05:00

Confession: I have wanted a stair step basket since seeing one in my high school sweetheart's house back in 1996/97. What makes me laugh most about this, is my sweetheart's house only had like 5 steps, but his Mom still had one of these baskets and I *LOVED* it.

Fast forward to this past weekend when Jen and I were touring the Raleigh flea market. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, and then I saaaaw her staaaanndding theeerree. Sorry, I love the Beatles. On a table full on random stuff, there was my stair basket. It was kind of like love -- it came to me when I was not looking for it. Here's a before shot (well, after I cleaned it up a bit).

As lovely as it was in its natural state, I wanted to give it a little punch. I grabbed an old scarf, some card stock, and an old mini Japanese print calendar. And, TAA DAA ...

Happy creating my friends ....

PS -- While admiring my new basket, I looked up to see Maple-girl carefully watching over me. She seemed generally pleased with the basket. And, we called a truce -- she promised not to eat it. However, she could not vouch for Franklin gnawing on the basket. Keep your fingers crossed!

Weekend Warriors.

2009-01-26T20:48:00.013-05:00

My dear friend, Jen and I decided to check out the local flea market this weekend. It took about 2 minutes for us to realize how freaking cold it really was out there (33 degrees -- this is wicked cold in NC), particularly when the wind decided to put on a little show for us. BRR baby BRRR!! Somehow we managed to brave the cold for some good girl-talk and decent rummaging.

Some of my favorite finds were these random boxes of mannequin body parts. We struggled with thinking about creative ways to use these pieces ... aside from sticking them in the ground in your garden. This is exactly why I love Jen so much -- we enjoy a little dark humor!

I wanted to take home ALL of these vintage clocks, but just could not justify droppin' all that coin for "art" since none of them actually worked. Jen really wanted to take home this little hippo guy, but he was a tad on the pricey side. He was so cute. He looked so sad. It's probably because he was so cold!

We found ourselves swept away to a Moroccan hideaway. This guy the most *amazing* rugs for sale ... and at some seriously good prices. However, there is a strict moratorium on rug and lamp purchasing at the Elmore Ranch. So, I admired, took pictures, and walked away with a heavy heart.

We also stumbled upon a box of great vintage letters from advertising signs. I searched desperately for an "E" ... but walked away empty-handed. Oh well.

Jen fell in LOVE with this one vendor who sells Asian inspired furniture. We "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed over a couple of pieces that she could use in her bedroom. She was sold on one particularly piece, but the spirit of my Mother summoned me to suggest another piece that was a bit more functional, but just as beautiful. After making this suggestion, I shuddered quietly thinking about all the ways I am becoming more and more like my Mom. HA!

Finally, we decided that we needed the reprieve of some HEAT, and headed to a few local thrift stores in the area. We had a FANTASTIC time! How could good friends, thrifty finds, and mild frostbite not equal good times??

Stay tuned for another posting showing how I crafted-up my little stair basket I picked up on our excursion. I am super pleased with how it turned out!

Keep on keeping on ...

Working and Thrifiting; It's called SYNERGY, y'all.

2009-01-23T16:42:00.014-05:00

My new job sometimes provides me with an hour or so between appointments. Most of the time, I am waaaaay out in BFE, so what's a girl to do but find some small-town thrift stores? I stopped in one "thrift store" and wrestled my way through racks of stinky clothing and tables piled high with crap (the broken dishes actually had food still stuck to them). I left heartbroken that such a place could actually consider itself a thrift store.

Luckily, I have managed to find some lovely goodies recently, so I wanted to update and share ...

One of my favorite finds is this Bingo set. I remember reading about VRS finding her Bingo set at an estate sale. Mine is not as vast or as vintage as hers, but it was still such a thrill to open an inconspicuous box and find this little prize. Why are Bingo cages so freaking cool? I don't know, but they certainly are.

I also found my new quest in life. I stumbled upon these dishes and I fell in love ... hard. I love the design on these dishes more than anything I've ever seen before. I rummaged the shelves of that Goodwill like no body's business, but only found four dishes -- two dinner plates and two bread plates. It any of you find these dishes during your thrifting adventures, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE alert me ASAP. I will pay you to snatch them up for me and ship them my way!

I also found a sweet little table cloth covered in strawberries. For some reason, strawberries always remind me of my childhood. Perhaps it is because I spent so much time ~~huffing~~ sniffing my Strawberry Shortcake doll. Oh, and here's a little wooden serving tray with a gorgeous glass topper. The glass is what drew me to this piece -- it's thick and smokey. I have never seen glass like this paired with a wooden serving piece. Neato.

All righto, that's all for now. I hope everyone is enjoying the new year. What an exciting one it has been so far! Happy creating to each of you ...

Dear Last-Reader-Standing,

2009-01-12T00:33:00.005-05:00

I can't believe it's been almost TWO months since I last posted. The holidays hijacked my life this year. Normally, I really enjoy this time ... feeling like the Yankee Candle "Home Sweet Home." This year was less warm-cinnamon-and-mulling-spices and more like the-tree-is-falling-over-the-turkey-is-dry-leave-the-eggnog-gimme-the-bourbon-straight. No seriously though, I am soooo glad the holiday season is over and done with.

I have started a new job this year, and I am super excited. With that, I needed to create a home office for me, since I see kids and their families out in the community. Since cash is tight, I set out to re-purpose, re-design, re-decorate and make myself a new space. I only bought one new piece for this room -- the filing cabinet (and that was of course from a local thrift store).

I *wish* that I had taken a "before" of this room, but alas, I did not. So, I'll just give ya the money shot(s) ...

So, now my craft room is my home office. I am slightly sad about having to fuse my creative space with my work space, but in the end I think it turned out nicely. And unfortunately, I think for the next few months (until I really get a handle on all my new responsibilities), I'll probably be more work-y and less creative-y.

I am stinkin' JONESIN' for some thrift store/flea market action. The last two trips I took were completely business-like. I was looking for something specific and was not allowed to browse until my heart was content. Boo hoo.

All right, it's way too late and I need to get off to bed. Thanks for hanging in there with me. And I'll thank you in advance for hanging with me for the next bit of time, as I get accustomed to the new job.

Happy creating my friends ...

My current obsession.

2008-11-24T23:29:00.003-05:00

I scored this while visiting my Mom a few weekends ago. I still drool a bit when I see it in the office. It's ... just ... so ... awesome.

I see a bathroom and I want to paint it ORANGE.

2008-11-24T23:10:00.008-05:00

I'll begin with the obligatory apology for such a lapse in posting. Here are some, but not all the reasons; work, family, new computer (hooray!), traveling for the holidays, etc. Please please please don't think that I was purposely ignoring all of you dearies! I wouldn't dream of it.

So, on with the good stuff. I managed to repaint our downstairs bathroom this weekend. I mean with all the oodles of time I have, why not spend some of it painting a room that has already been painted?? This marvelous idea stemmed from an impromptu Target trip where I found this AMAZING shower curtain on sale. At such a steal, I couldn't help myself. But, it just wasn't going to work with my *bright* green bathroom. The only reasonable answer was to use the inspiration I've been receiving via How About Orange, and just paint the room to match the shower curtain!

Here's a shot before ... GAMMA GREEN!

And here are a couple shots after I let loose with some Maple Orange!! Ooooh, even my husband loves it. It's just so warm and inviting. Yum.

We'll be heading out of town for Turkey Day, so I might be off the radar for a few days. But, I promise to jump back on track and get this train a rollin' once again! So, have a great Thanksgiving and happy creating everyone!

PS -- A special shout out to my friend, Jenny. I *promise* to come visit the shop after Turkey Day!!

The family that thrifts together, stays together!

2008-11-11T14:03:00.008-05:00

Jeff and I went home this past weekend to spend some time with the family and to celebrate my Mom's birthday. We also celebrated the end of a long journey for me ... I passed my licensure exam. All in all, a great weekend!

Of course, there was some thrifting involved. So, first let me introduce you to the posse ...

Mom, the crew's fearless captain

Me, the co-pilot or the one in charge of the Navigon

LeeAnne, an innocent by-stander who claims to have just "married into" the insanity

None of us were on the prowl for anything in particular, but we packed the car full. HOLY COW!! We never even made it out of our small little town. We had to end our excursion, not because we were done, but because there was just no room in the car for more goodies. I had a small ladder sharing the front seat with me. Comfortable? No. But, sometimes it's just what you have to do. Here's the haul ...

Oh, and here's a shot of my loot in all its glory ... I won't even tell you all the STEALS I got. I was not disappointed by the bounty available in good ol' Irmo, SC!!

After visiting my family for the weekend and reveling in some hometown fun, I realized that I owe a lot of my thrifty roots to my Mom. The women in my family all share a common thread of creativity and frugality, and my Mom is no exception. So, thank you to my family -- my heritage, some might say -- for making me part of who I am today.

Happy creating, everyone ...

Check out all my THRIFTY finds!

2008-11-02T23:03:00.009-05:00

BOOTY!! No, not a la Destiny's Child. I'm talking major thrift store finds. I've recently been toying around with the idea of starting up a booth a local antique mall. I'm still not 100% on all the details, but I told myself I would keep an eye out for good finds, and slowly cultivate my "booth collection."

So, over the past couple of weeks, I've stopped by some local thrift stores to give the ol' once-over and see what I could find. HOT DAMN! I don't know if it's because I was on the prowl, or if it was just a total fluke, but every thrift store I have been in recently has been teeming with wonderful goodies!!

Check it out ...

There are a few pieces I may keep (including the following 8 tracks; Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, Janis Joplin's Pearl, Jim Croce's I Got A Name, and The Moody Blues' A Question of Balance).

Oh, and here's one piece that I have already put into use. I wanted to put something above the stove to hold recipes AND of course look pretty. I toyed with the idea of a cork board, but didn't know how well the would hold up against grease and cooking splatters (my husband is a FABULOUS, but messy cook).

Then, one day I was cruising the internet, and stumbled upon a great solution -- a tin platter. I wish I could remember where I found this idea, so that I could give proper credit ... but my brain is worthless right now. So, if you are the originator of "the tin platter as a recipe holder," please step forward and claim your rightful place in Clever-Clever-Land.

All right ya'll, I'm off to bed. Have a great week and as always, happy creating!

Pusherman Part Two: Antique stores in Raleigh

2008-10-26T19:08:00.012-04:00

Woo Hoo! Time to get back to the Tour de' Raleigh!

This weekend lead me out towards two of my favorite local antique stores. Quickly though, let's refer back to my original posting, and remember what to expect from an "antique store" -- lots of *lovely* items, therefore slightly higher prices. Also, many antique stores are stocked by numerous vendors, hopefully ensuring a wide range of goods. The vendor will rent a small space to sell their belongings, and the store will collect a portion of the vendor's profits. So, now that we know what to expect, let's start the tour.

My first stop was at Thieves Market. Thieves Market is located right off the beltline on New Bern Ave. This antique mall holds over 200+ booths! I'm pretty sure you can find just about anything you are looking for. The staff here are always helpful and very friendly.

This is also a great place to search for furniture. Every time I have been, I have noticed an abundance of fantastic furniture pieces. I will say this store tends to lean more towards 30's/40's/50's shabby chic. It's not exploding with many mid-century pieces or funky knickknacks, but do not let that dissuade you from exploring. I'm almost positive you won't walk out empty-handed!

Enjoy a few snippets from my visit ...

My next stop was at Gresham Lake Antiques. This little gem is located in North Raleigh, off of Capital Boulevard. Gresham Lake is another very large antique mall with 80+ booths. I adore the staff here -- these ladies always give me a good laugh and are super helpful.

I feel like this antique mall has a wider variety of dealers -- 30's/40's ephemera, 60's/70's kitsch, and even one dealer with a vast array of salt and pepper shakers. Gresham tends to be a bit lean on larger furniture, but they do have pieces sprinkled throughout the store.

A quick glance of some various booths ...

So, if you find yourself with some free time on a weekend afternoon, first, tell me how you managed to score some free time, and then make your way out to one of these antique malls. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Controlling the clutter

2008-10-25T11:57:00.009-04:00

We have very little storage in either of our bathrooms. However, in the hallway next to the bathroom upstairs, we have a small little closet the houses most of our toiletries and various bathroom sundries. I tried my best to organize it using baskets and boxes, but it is hard to make 50+ bottles of various shapes and sizes appear "put together."

Enter a favorite thrift store find -- the card catalog. I had posted a while back that I had scored a small card catalog from Hidden Treasures. I had originally thought it would be home to some kind of crafting supplies. But, as I was hauling the catalog upstairs, the idea occurred to me that it could solve my organizational dilemma in the bathroom closet. And in fact, it did.

Keep on creating y'all!

Estate Sale? Check.

2008-10-22T21:19:00.009-04:00

First, my apologies for such a long break in posting. I've been sick for about 2 1/2 weeks now. My doctor said I had a viral infection that gave way to a bacterial infection. Basically it adds up to feeling like crapola for the last two weeks. But ...

All thanks to a little encouragement from Vintage Rescue Squad, I decided to embark on my first ever estate sale. I skimmed craigslist to find a local sale. Bingo! There was one not too far from the house, in a pretty nice neighborhood, and it had a billiards lamp for sale.

This was the first thing I saw on Saturday morning. What the hell-o am I thinking? But, onward and upward (even if in the dark), with my loving and supportive husband in tow.

We arrived about ten minutes after the sale began, and there were people already leaving the sale! Geesh -- some people are serious. I immediately made a beeline for the "playroom" and spotted the pool table (with a price) and the billiards lamp (without a price). I inquired about the lamp. A nice older gentleman went to ask someone, who asked someone else, who asked someone else -- the lamp was not for sale. DRAT.

Oh well, we had trucked all this way and we were going to make the most of it. We turned around to begin exploring the rest of the room and we both laid eyes on this -- a pristine music cabinet housing a turntable, 8-track player, and stereo.

Price? 20-freaking-dollars. Yes, please. Jeff snagged the ticket and we made our way through the rest of the house. (BTW -- we now possess the ability to play any form of music media. Records, tapes, 8-tracks, cds, ipods -- BRING IT ON!)

The house ended up being in a very nice neighborhood. All the items in the house were in good/great condition -- some of the pieces were unbelievably GORGEOUS!! This made for a mix of prices. Some of the items were very high -- like the full-size headboard for $550. Some of the items were very modestly priced -- as in, all the items I picked up. Here's a snapshot of our bounty.

Mirror tray (I have been looking for one of these), set of 10 glass coasters, plant stand, framed flower pressing, a hand stitched throw pillow, and a nut chopper for my husband.

All in all, I would say this was a great experience and I am definitely motivated to do it again. Although, I'm not so sure my honey will be joining me again ... he doesn't do mornings.

Happy creating everyone!

Chairs, chairs, and more chairs!!

2008-10-06T22:30:00.010-04:00

A plague o' both your houses ... Jeff and I are at home sick. Ick. I know this may sound rather obvious, but being sick totally sucks. I had sort of forgotten about it, since it has been a while since I've had a head cold.

We did manage to get out on Saturday for a bit (before the illness took hold). A trip to American Way Thrift turned into a gold mine. I'll go ahead and apologize for the lack of pictures for this post, but remember I'm sick.

We found a totally awesome old-school Coleman cooler in great shape for $2.00. It looks really similar to this one -- same color, but minus some of the scratches and dings.

We also got a great chair for the office. I've been wanting to exchange our office chair for something a bit more stylish. We found a great old rolley-style chair with a sweet metal base and fabric that blends perfectly with our darker office colors. Score.

One major find was this old school recliner Jeff spied. It was in decent shape -- it had a smooth recline, the foot rest sprung out without snagging, but it did have some mysterious spots on it. I figured we could try and clean it, but worse-case-scenario would be having to replace the seat cover or carefully placing a throw in just the right position. So we brought it home.

I could shoot myself for not taking a before picture, but oh well. Halfway into "redesigning" the armrests, I snapped this shot. Most of the spots had already been removed using some carpet/fabric cleaner. But, you can see the original armrests and some buttons missing.

It was time for me to take this bad boy on! In true make-over fashion, my first plan failed and I went through many trials and errors. I wanted to recover the armrests, but one was kind of flimsy, so I just scrapped them both. I found some extra padding in my craft room, and fashioned new fluffy armrests with a cloth napkin I had purchased to make a pillow (but never did).

Next were the buttons. Jeff and I did a bit of research learning how best to reupholster the buttons. Oh, here's a pretty good explanation on the basics of reupholster a chair. I'm skipping all the details of the button ordeal, but you can find a fabulous explanation here. It's not as difficult as you might think. I covered the buttons (some were originals from the chair and some I had in my supply cabinet) with matching fabric that I used on the armrest -- one because I thought it would look really great, and two because I needed a way to make a matching set of nine.

After much debate about where to place our new friend, we settled with a slight re-arrangment in our office/library. We now have a new cozy corner to work and read. I love it ... Jeff does too.

Happy creating, y'all ...

Designing small spaces -- Paint a stairway

2008-10-04T16:42:00.023-04:00

Since we moved into our current home, I have always wanted to do something to the staircase. It's challenging to decorate -- the walls and ceiling are high making it difficult to paint, it's also fairly narrow making it too small to hang lots of pictures/prints. So what to do??

There's TONS of inspiration out there. Tile. Wallpaper. Mosaic. Paint. Numbers. Hooked Rugs?

My first thought was to tile the riser. Then, I moved on to wallpaper. We looked a several styles of wallpaper, but to quote Jeff, "we just never pulled the trigger on this mo-fo." Well, leave it to another late night to get motivated to do something.

The before.

The ACE design team on the project included Jeff, me, and our friend Joe. After many different design options, we decided to go with a sunburst effect using various colors from around the house. Joe pushed hard for a flower and sun sketch, but I thought a more basic design would be easier to execute. Here's the design board.

We lined the stairs with rope to be our guide lines for the burst. We started to paint away!! Not long into the process, we realized that perhaps our genius idea had been encouraged a bit by our libations. Our two-dimensional guide lines going over the three-dimensional stair case didn't translate so well. Crap.

At this point, it was time to go back to the drawing board, and my ACE design team is fading fast ... they are both two winks away from passing out on the couch. This project was quickly moving away from fun-times-decorating-late-at-night to I-F@#&ing-want-to-stab-my-eyes-out-with-this-paint-brush. So what's a girl to do? Well, that I night I decided to just go to bed.

The next morning, I woke up hoping to feel a bit more refreshed and encouraged. I took one quick look at the stairs and longed to leap back in time so I could smack myself before embarking on this ~~catastrophe~~ journey. The weekend was quickly fading and I needed to pump something out here ... and FAST! So I decided to take the easy way out, and just paint the riser one solid shade of blue ... a blue that I ADORE (it's the color of my bathroom).

The after.

Oooh, here's a nice shot that shows how the blue stairs transition into the blue bathroom. I really liked how that turned out. Another perk of the painted stairs is how lovely it looks when walking DOWN the stairs. We have a mirror that hangs over the staircase and it's like a little surprise to take in a burst a color on the way down.

I hope this inspires you to add a little touch of style somewhere in your house. It doesn't have to be as involved as this. Hang a new picture. Buy some fresh cut flowers. Add a colorful pillow to your living room. You might be surprised how much of an impact a little something extra can make in any room.

Happy creating everyone ...

Reuphostler the easy way -- just change out some fabric

2008-09-25T23:11:00.011-04:00

Remember awhile back I said I picked up to great chairs from American Way Thrift ? Well, here they are. Total cost=$12.00. With a deal like that, you just can't say no.

So, I took them home and had my way with them. During the chair striptease, I learned that these chairs were from the local school district (of which I worked at for a couple of years). Neato.

O.M.G. I completely forgot to tell you about this AMAZING store located right next to Hidden Treasures. It's called Gladys African Fabrics & Food. It has *TONS* of gorgeous bright batik printed fabric, foods and drinks, and even some handmade traditional garments. Gladys wasn't too keen on my taking pictures of the place, so you'll just have to take my word on it that the fabrics are heavenly. Here's the print I picked for the chairs.

And now they reside in our bedroom, flanking each side of our dresser. Ahhh ... just lovely.

Nothin' sweeter than a handmade mobile (except iced tea in the south)

2008-09-13T16:09:00.007-04:00

Here's a quicky for ya.

I was lucky enough to get to spend a long weekend at a friend's GORGEOUS beach house last month. It was heavenly -- what a lovely getaway. The rule of the beach house is not to pay for your stay, but to get a little something for the house to add to its charm.

In true Jennifer fashion, I could not settle with the thought of giving them something store-bought ... this needed to be more from the heart. So, I collected several shells, a few branches of drift wood, and put it all together with some fishing line ...

TADA!! A lovely shell mobile to say thanks for such a great weekend. Funny side note -- as I was going to hang it up, it dropped to the ground. Eek. No one was with me, but from the other room I could hear "aaaawwwwhhh" -- the shock felt around the beach house! Nothing too bad resulted from the fall, so up it went. I loved it ... and my friends did too!

I'm your Pusherman -- A guide to some Raleigh thrift spots

2008-09-01T16:38:00.018-04:00

My apologies for leaving you for a bit. Work has been a bit busier and my parents came for a lovely visit. So, without further adieu ...

I decided to take you all on a "tour" of Raleigh thrift/antique stores. Today, we'll be taking a trip to three local thrift stores -- Cause for Paws, American Thrift, and Hidden Treasures.

First though, let me take a minute to discuss the difference between "antique stores" and "thrift stores." Antique stores are normally filled with various vendors who scour local yard sales, dumpster dive, refurnish pieces, etc. This all adds up to walking into an antique store and being inundated with lovely and delightful goodies, but with prices that reflect the work that has gone into bringing them into their current state of being. Your typical thrift store is often filled with donations, castaways, odds and ends, pairs missing their mates, pieces that could use a fresh coat of paint, etc. Therefore, wading through a sea of ~~crap~~ things to find those diamonds in the rough (some rougher than others) is an essential part to the thrift store experience. So my dears, please keep this information in mind when embarking on your next excursion.

Now, on with the show ...

Cause for PAWS was "created with a mission of helping non-profit organizations that promote animal welfare, especially no-kill organizations." Check out their website for more information or to learn how to donate. Since their beginning, they have grown to establish three stores located in downtown Raleigh, north-east(ish) Raleigh, and Zebulon.

I frequent both the Raleigh locations, but have not been to the Zebulon location. You can find a WIDE variety of items at Cause for PAWS -- furniture, clothing, knickknacks, rugs, exercise equipment, etc. They often run "sales" through out the week. Depending on the day, you could get 20% for being a lady, because you're buying furniture, or it's the first day of the month! Here's a sample of my last visit...

Directly across the street from Cause for Paws' Crabtree St. location, you'll find American Way Thrift. This thrift store donates their proceeds to the NC Children's Hospital. Seriously, who doesn't want to help out little sick children?? It's almost like your civic duty to shop here at some point. They have local stores in Raleigh and Garner, but are also located in Durham and Fayetteville. Check out their website for more information or to donate!

Here's a quick snippet from my last visit (where I also scored two totally sweet side chairs that I've since refinished -- pictures to come) ....

The final store on this tour is a new kid on the block (yes, they are back). Hidden Treasures is located in north(ish) Raleigh. I found my way to their little secluded cove by way of craigslist. They had posted an *amazing* wood-carved (I believe teak) lamp with a red velvet shade. Hotness? Yes please. So, I called my neighbor, a fellow thrifter-in-crime, and we made the five minute journey on over to Hidden Treasures. We were both delighted to see quality goods, reasonable prices, and friendly staff. I walked away with a bevy of booty that included a library card catalog. Oh Dewey Decimal, how I miss you!

Here's a quick peek at some of their wares (see if you can spot the killer lamp I was telling you about) ...

PHEW! My goodness, what a tour. I'm wiped out for now. I promise this will not be the last guide tour of the local thrift/antique scene. Stay tuned for more editions and of course happy creating everyone ...

So you had a bad day

2008-08-20T20:52:00.009-04:00

All in all, I'd have to say that today just sucked it. Here's a little snippet of a song I made up while moping around this evening -- "I hate today, I'll probably hate tomorrow." Such pity!!

So, in an effort to help lift my spirits a bit, I thought I would share some of my recent "wow, that's totally amazing" inspirations. Hope you enjoy ...

This is just complete genius. A plant stand made from old magazines?? Come on, supercoolness!! You better believe once I pull my head out my heiny, I'll be making one of these. Here's the link for the how-to.

This makes me giddy with delight. A calendar made from bubble wrap!?!?! What is more satisfying than popping bubble wrap? Answer: not much. What a great christmas present -- hint, hint. Find it here if you want to buy it for me, or for yourself.

I can never be sad when I look at something like this ... except perhaps that I'm not actually looking at this masterpiece in real time. If you have never been exposed to Dale Chihuly, then consider yourself schooled! This man is beyond bad@$$. He has been blowing glass since the '60's. You might recognize him if you saw him, he's the artist that sports an eye patch. His work is un-freaking-believable. Jeff and I got to take in a bit of his work when we honeymooned in San Fran -- he had a show at the de Young Museum. What a *treat*! Check out more of his creations here. Oooooh and check out his exhibition schedule to see if he'll be in a town near you!

Here's to hoping tomorrow will be a better one ...

Redesigning an old suitcase into a new side table

2008-08-16T00:36:00.008-04:00

So I have this suitcase that I bought at a thrift store back in college. Oh my, my, my ... that was a while ago. I had big plans for turning it into a small side table or coffee table. Instead, it quietly held rolls of unused fabrics that were also waiting to be used in some crafty scheme. Can we say Velveteen Rabbit??

Tonight my friends, I finally got around to doing something with it. Here are the initial goods -- suitcase and folding tray table.

Now, I have to add that my dear husband walked the store with me for a loooong time searching for what could be used as legs ... and all because I couldn't wait until the morning to run to Lowe's or Home Depot or some such store that would actually carry furniture legs. Does anyone else get creatively driven after hours?? I'm thinking of opening up a late night crafting/hardware supply store. Holy moly, I've digressed!

I started by taking off the top piece of the folding table. I was using a manual screwdriver - what was I thinking?

Once the top was off, I had the sense to get the drill and screwed in the pieces to the bottom of the suitcase. This allowed me to decide how low or high I wanted the table to sit.

And just a few seconds later ... POOF, my old raggedy suitcase is now a REAL suitcase that can cry real tears and hop along with all the other suitcases. Hooray for the new suitcase table!!

It didn't turn out exactly as I had envisioned, but I dig it. It totally inspired me to try my hand at this again. Perhaps I'll actually make that trip to Lowe's/Home Depot during regular daylight hours and invest in some hot legs for my next table.

Happy creating my dears ...

Hanging pictures without making swiss cheese

2008-08-13T20:41:00.007-04:00

When hanging pictures at my house, my tendency is to always miss the mark by just a smidge ... ending in my wall looking like swiss cheese before I'm satisfied with the placement. A single nail hook is difficult enough, but you can fagetaboutit when it comes to the tandum hooks.

I recently thought of a way to cheat those sneaky double hooks. Just tie a string between the two hooks -- taut enough to make sure the hooks are facing each other.

Then just hang your picture from the string. You're on your own with the one remaining nail to struggle with.

Here's what the final grouping looked like (sorry about the shoddy flash/glare, still working on figuring out the new camera). Pretty evenly spaced for a swiss cheese girl, right??

Dumpster diving -- The ULTIMATE way to be green

2008-08-05T21:36:00.012-04:00

Several days ago, I eyed a small step stool my neighbor had placed by the curb. I was in a hurry to leave for work, so I just left it. It was trash day after all, and I figured we would never cross paths again. But, when I came home from work that evening, guess what the trashman had not picked up?? The step stool. So, I begged my hubby to grab it while I brought the trash can back from the curb. Thanks honey for aiding in my dumpster-diving-deeds.

I brought the stool into the house, gave it a good scrub down, and hammered the sides back together. It was still a bit wobbly, but sturdy enough to hold a plant or some such thing.

I was walking around the house trying to find its forever home, when I stepped into the downstairs bathroom. We had been using a freestanding toilet paper holder because it's kind of a small space and we needed to use some free space under the sink. I moved Mr. T out of the way, and found that my new little step stool was a perfect fit. What do you think??

It's been a long time ... I shouldn't have left you

2008-06-09T19:32:00.003-04:00

So, I know I'm not supposed to make excuses, but here is the reason I haven't posted in FOREVER.

It was the most amazing day ever. The weather was heavenly, everyone looked marvelous, and love just flowed all over the place!! I still shake my head in disbelief that I am a wife ... that I have a husband. Totally sweet.

Life is slowly making it's way back to the "norm." I am hoping this will make for more frequent postings. I have several things I want to share, so be on the look out. I'm baaaack.

Using what we found at Restore

2008-04-07T23:11:00.013-04:00

We've managed to get one light up that we bought from Restore. We couldn't agree on where to place what, so Jeff's favorite ended up in the hallway. I do like the texture of the glass on this one. It reminds me of linen.

Next from Restore is the old metal cabinet I got to store a bunch of craft ~~crap~~ supplies. I really liked the original army green color, so I just sanded down some rust spots and lined the inside.

After that, I filled it up with supplies ... which surprisingly took no time at all. Isn't it always amazing how fast spaces can be filled with stuff?

**Side note -- I also re-potted my dying plant next to the cabinet. It's much happier in its new home ... plenty of room to grow.

Eek! Time for bed. Happy Monday y'all!

Recycle, recycle don't throw it away -- The best of Restore

2008-04-05T15:36:00.018-04:00

We made the trek out to Restore's "new" diggs. Restore was created by Habitat for Humanity to provide funding for their programs by selling new and used building materials to the public at discounted prices. Most the goods are donated from people remodeling their homes or large home improvement stores. It's a great GREEN way to support an important local cause and find new ways to spruce up your own home.

Today was rainy and dreary, but my spirits were revived once we walked inside! This place has just about any and everything you might be looking for in regards to home improvement; doors, sinks, cabinets, furniture, paint, blinds, tile, lights fixtures, wallpaper, etc.

Here's a look a some of my favorites lurking inside ...

These chairs were my first object of lust. Black "leather" with clean lines and they were only $5 a piece!!

My next obsession was this GLORIOUS light. Decorative wrought iron work with beautiful brownish stained "glass." It was just ridiculous.

I carried it around the store like a baby. After much debate, I finally decided that it would not fit the front of our house (our roof hangs too low) and I left it there. I had to ask Jeff to put it back because I couldn't bring myself to part with it.

All in all, we spent less than $50 and left with some great old light fixtures and an old metal cabinet. Promise to post some pictures once these items find their final places in the house.

Have a great a weekend. Oh and here are directions to Restore if you want to stop by (and you should).

I've been looking so long at these pictures of you ...

2008-04-02T23:30:00.003-04:00

Something I will do. Have a looksies.

This ain't no joke.

2008-04-01T11:25:00.004-04:00

Happy April Fool's Day!!

These are completely amazing. I lust after one these everytime I look at them. The artist uses cardstock and an exacto knife. So simple. So extraordinary. Check it out!

From blah to Ohh la la la -- A simple chair redesign

2008-03-31T22:00:00.018-04:00

I've recently become obsessed with reading design blogs ... which have encouraged me to hop on the blog train and share my two cents.

Here's my first contribution. We got a "new to us" couch off craigslist. The new addition inspired me to change the large chair and ottoman in our living room, as the new couch was much chunkier than our previous futon. The chair/ottoman were from a local thrift store (a $60 find -- awesome!), so I figured a run-in with some scissors and a staple gun wouldn't be too detrimental.

Here's what the ottoman looked like before ...

So, I cut some excess fabric off the bottom and stapled the flaps underneath the ottoman/chair to give them a more modern look. I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Let me know what you think!

Cheers, Jennifer :)

2004-11-05T13:15:00.000-05:00

This is what I find amazing in my life right now ... and probably for a long time to come.