When the basket costs more than the table and a makeover

For the longest time I was the mom who said " food in the kitchen only"  "drinks at the counter" "use a plate for your crumbs" to my kids.....repeatedly.

In fact, to help fight the temptation of not having food outside of the kitchen, and only because I wanted less to clean, I didn't even have a coffee table for the kids to put their cheeze it's and juice bags on until I saw this table and the price.

In fact the basket that sits on top costs more than the kids snack table   coffee table it sits on. But please don't let me mislead you to think that the $10.00 bargain looked this pretty at the check out.

Cause it didn't. In fact it was so horrendous ( aka  meaning I forgot)  I didn't even get a before shot of the top, just the bottom and it looked pretty much the same on top.  I am pretty sure that you get what it looked like.

After 2 coats of Old White and sanding it down I realize that the chippy look well ........ looked a little too chippy. Besides I was probably going to see more chips than I wanted to by lifting the "no food " ban.

So I applied another color ( Dried Plantain- Behr) to the entire top. I 'lightly' distressed the outer perimeter and left the center a solid color with no distressing. The final coat was a protective finish.

And although the food ban is now lifting from the family room, mom is happy with how the table turned out and the kids are happy that they have someplace to put their snacks on while watching tv.

Oh and the fabulous basket that's great for magazines and remotes....$20.00 Hobby Lobby.

 Grateful for~

A nice long weekend to love on the family and eat snacks while watching tv.

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Constructing a "Construction Cone Lamp"

The light bulb finally went off this week....but not what you think

For many weeks now this project has been on my 'To Do' List. I wanted to construct a lamp out of a construction cone for my son's "Transportation Theme" bedroom but was quite frankly....

unsure how to do it. 

Making a lamp sounded a tad bit out of my realm of expertise....until I made one that is.

A lamp that is super easy, quick, inexpensive and cute.

Supplies needed:

Construction cone - home improvement store. I had these in our shop.

Lamp Kit - Home Depot ($11.00)

Vintage Style Light bulb - Home Depot  ($10.00) You can also use a regular style light bulb for a lot less.

Instructions:

1. Take your wire from the lamp kit and run it through your cone. Make sure the exposed ends for the positive and negative sides are at the top of the cone.

2.  Thread the end of the wire through the lamp base. I also used a washer to secure the base from inside the cone .

3. Attach your positive and negative ends to the light socket using a screw driver to secure and tighten.

4. Place your socket back into the lamp base by pulling on the wire from inside the cone. This should secure it into place.

5. Attach a light bulb and plug the lamp in. 

I wish I would have known how simple making a lamp would be, so that the light bulb would have gone off sooner!

Grateful for~

A son who is enjoying his new lamp for his room.

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How I took the Bachelor out of the dresser..Furniture Makeover

This is a story of a guy, a girl........ and a dresser . 

Once upon a time when the girl first met guy he was a hunky, hot, eligible bachelor. She.... a creative, smart, DIY bachelorette and not so bad to look at her self.

And although the guy was really hunky, his furniture ....well not so hot,but the girl fell in love anyways and since she was creative, she saw the possibilities in him and his furniture. 

 
And so the years passed, dating, marriage, kids and that same ole bachelor dresser.
 Their life was abundantly blissful and full of so much love for each other but unfortunately not so much for the dresser.... But all that was about to change.

 See, that's where the creative girl who saw the possibilities years ago transformed that dresser and gave it a new life and purpose.... as a credenza in her office.

In the end, the hunky guy was still smitten and very much in love with the creative, smart, DIY and not so bad to look at girl, and she with him. 

And the couple and credenza lived happily ever after.
The end.

PS- To see more of my home office click here.

Grateful for~

The guy

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My Next Kitchen Assistant?

You know, I am still not sure I have what it takes to transform my

kitchen from this.....

to my inspiration kitchen...something like this

image credit

So it just so happens in my town of 500, there's not only a Piggly Wiggly around the corner but a Home Depot within driving distance.  And not only does Home Depot sell replacement cabinets but they also do cabinet refacing and refinshing. The three R's.

Be sure to check out the video below and see why Home Depot may just be my next kitchen assistant!

  

PS- You can see all of my kitchen ideas on my inspiration board here

Grateful for~

The chance to be apart of my kids end of school year activites.

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Be Careful What You Ask For!

Now don't get me wrong, I know I  have shared a few of my builders blunders here and here  but in all honesty, he did some things right..... well almost.....before we fired him anyways.

We went through an extensive interviewing process with a few of the local builders in our area. We selected our builder because he was was willing to let my husband and I put some of our own sweat equity into the house. My builder also came with a "specialty". 
You know, that builders trademark. 

You know, the thing that we absolutely had to have. 

The thing that we would not be able to add later down the road.

The thing that we would regret if we didn't add.

Well, in all this time, all 10 years of living in our home I can honestly say with no hesitation that I have not regretted that decision until....... recently, when I had to paint that trademark ceiling.

 You know, that signature quadruple 4 tier why didn't we do a standard when we built the house ceiling.

Without sounding like I am all that with a paint brush, I do consider myself to be the closet thing to a professional painter while retaining non-professional status, and this ceiling was a challenge. It took me more time to get this finished then most other paint projects. With the constant up and down on the ladder, two coats of the new color and two coats of the new trim color and head tilted back in an upright position, it was a bit more work then I thought it would be when I took the project on.

But this story does end on a good note. Other then some trim work around the windows, the painting is finally just about done.

Here's a sneak peek at the bedroom. When I get the new bedding and curtains up, I will show you the finished space.

So tell me, do you paint your ceilings or leave that for someone else?

PS- Moral of the story... when considering quadruple trey ceilings.....DON'T!

Grateful for~

Patience when painting

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Coffee, Tea and a Table Makeover

I just love the chance to meet up with my girlfriends for a little uninterrupted chit chat don't you?

 The chance to catch up on whatever we want. Drinking our coffee or tea, and for a good hour just talking about our kids, our husbands, decorating and life. Oh....and tables.

 Tables like this that needed a little more cream, or sugar...or both.

I wasn't  exactly sure what this experienced coffee connoisseur  really needed, so I brought it home with me to figure it all out. Did I tell you that my girlfriends love when I come for coffee cause I always leave with a piece of furniture.

But I don't mind, because cause I get so much more then another project and a cup of coffee. I get someone's friendship and a glimpse into their heart. I get the chance to be a girlfriend, to be trusted and to be loved. We get to laugh at ourselves and kick back.... if only for that precious little hour. 

But that's okay. I will take my hour any morning!

Tell me, do you make time to have coffee/tea time with friends? 

PS- I used AS Old White Chalk paint on the base of the table and sanded the top and applied Minwax in Ebony followed with a clear protective on the top.

Grateful for~

Girlfriends

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I Love The Underdog and a New Coffee Station

I don't know what it is, but I have always cheered for the underdog. The guy, gal, team or furniture, that has so much potential but

 just can't .......... make it

Until I saw this piece of course. Sitting there in the corner of the twins preschool with all the other 1970's oak wood rejects. 

Waiting to be discovered. 

Waiting to be heard. 

Wanting to get out of detention hall.

I had a vision for this soon to be coffee station, for the teachers that help shape my kids lives and......drink coffee.

Wanting so bad to be noticed and to fit in, I began to think of ways to help my little underdog out using a sign from the preschool as my inspiration.

 After a good cleaning and sanding , I applied some primer to the base. 
That alone got it out of detention.

The rest of the plan was simple.  Paint the base with two coats in blue and stain the top with a few coats of stain in ebony .

Now, not only is my underdog turning heads, it's been invited to this years prom and was voted most likely to succeed by all the other left over 1970's oak furniture and.....

 from the teachers drinking their morning coffee.

Who or what's the last underdog that you helped out?

Grateful for~
The gals over at First Baptist Preschool for the love and learning that they share with my children.
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