We were stuck at home today. Fortunately and unfortunately. HUH??? Well, unfortunately we got hit with lots of ice last night. I'm not even kidding, I just sat and watched all those poor people that got stuck on the roads this morning and couldn't move. Fortunately, school was canceled because of it. So we got to have a pajama day at home. But have you ever noticed that when you can't leave your house, you really want to leave your house. Like you have this overwhelming need to get out and go to the store or something. Totally weird. So I decided that I would go shopping. No I'm not crazy. I was not about to hit the roads after sitting for almost two hours this morning watching car after car get stuck on tv. No, I'm perfectly fine shopping right from the comfort of my home. What better way to shop than with jammies and bed head right? Just kidding.

So I shopped my house. I wanted to make something for my mud area that I am creating in my laundry/weight room. Our laundry room is really large. So large that my husband decided to put his weights and the treadmill in there when we first bought our house. It works out well, except when I am in the middle of doing laundry and he wants to lift weights, but that is another story. So anyway, back to my mud area. I have been working on and moving some stuff to "the area" for the past couple of days and decided that I needed something else in there. My dilema... 1. the ice, 2. I've been restricted to necessities only, so no shopping for the rest of the week, 3. I don't really want to get out of my jammies. What to do, what to do?

Well, I went into my magical closet of stuff, and pulled out this...



and this...



then I pulled off some foam core from the back of some pictures I had and hot glued it to my board...



covered it with my fabric and made this...



Oh and the rod iron scroll came from my kitchen. I just didn't like where it was, so I re-purposed it. I needed a place to put lunch menus and Alex's workout routine stuff. He is always losing it. Now it will be right there on the wall. I just need to make some cute push pins for my new bulletin board.



I need to paint the room, which will happen next week, and then I'll show you all my final product. So far, I'm loving it!!

Okay, I'm off to make some yummy chicken enchiladas for dinner. Have a great evening.

*ciao*
deb

Chairs are easy to transform... as I've already shown you with my kitchen chairs. A little fabric can totally transform a chair. This also holds true to those not so attractive chairs that so many of us have in our offices. The designers of those chairs did not take into consideration the aesthetic aspect of their design. It was all about function with those chairs. Luckily, with some fabric, maybe some paint, and a screw driver, there is some hope for those yucky chairs.

Alex didn't see to much wrong with this chair in the girls' room...



Me on the other hand, well where do I start??? The ugly 1980's old rose fabric, the shiny chrome base, the gross feel of the fabric. I couldn't take it any longer. So out came my spray paint...love that stuff, then I used some fabric from a left over project, and my trusty staple gun, and voila! Instant 60's throwback without the tackiness.





Here's the one that I spend most of my time in. So much better than what it used to look like, and super easy.



Okay, now for the piece de resistance... my ridonculously fantabulous Craigslist find...

So here is the before...uuuggghhh!



and here is the after...




Isn't it beautimous??? Alex kept saying it was an ugly chair. Well just for that, he doesn't get to sit in it. I absolutely love it. And since I was painting anyway, I just painted that planter next to it also. Love the weathered look. I'm thinking it will be serving as a side table. Some weathered rocks in it, and a round glass top to finish it off. I have to admit, I'm kind of looking forward to spring time... kind of I said.

I've never been one to spend carelessly, although my husband would probably disagree with me. I just don't think guys understand that as a woman, it is very difficult to pass up a good deal. We don't shop at expensive stores, and I don't buy expensive clothes, purses, shoes, etc. I just can't justify it. Even if we were rich, I still couldn't justify it. Plus, I just think there is something really gratifying about making something beautiful, out of something that was thrown out, or not so beautiful. As I am out shopping, it is such a high to see that little red or yellow sticker on something and find that if it is something that I really, really like, I can get it for lots cheaper that it would have been regularly.

That being said, it is a fantabulous high when I find truly awesome things for next to nothing. For example...



I found two of these mercury glass vases at Marshall's for $3 on clearance. They are actually candle holders. The bottom opens up and the candle slides right in.



I also found this framed art piece for $3. I don't like the art, but the frame is good, and it is a good size opening. These are great for putting up pics of the family, favorite quotes, etc. Sometimes clearanced art can be used simply for the frames. In some cases, the frames are much cheaper than they would be if you bought a frame alone. Don't be afraid to look past the bad art to the possible uses of the frame.



My sister actually found this for me. We have been looking for nice, inexpensive wicker furniture for the backyard. She has been much more successful that I have, but the other day she emailed me the Craigslist link for this. The best part about it... it was only $10. With a little paint and a new seat cushion it will be spectacular.

My sister and I actually share the love of finding unique items that we can transform. Last week we took a scavenger trip to different resale shops and we found these...



This shelf was $3. I think it will be finding a home in my bedroom.



These shutters were $1. I had been looking for some old shutters for one of those awkward windows that builders put into houses these days and you just don't know how to decorate. Well, these babies will be getting a fresh coat of black paint and will be adding some significant visual interest to an otherwise blah area.

So my lesson is, you don't have to spend a lot of money to have a nicely decorated home. Look past the way something currently looks, and think about how you could change it. What would it look like with a fresh coat of paint? Is it something you could transform into a different use?

Finally, I can't let today go by without saying that today, I am truly proud of our country. I am so happy that in my lifetime, the United States has made history. As our new President has said over and over, "It is time for change!" Yes, we have changed and as a people, we have proven that anything is possible. There are no racial barriers hanging over our country's head any longer, and I truly feel that our country is taking a step in the right direction.



Okay, I'm off to work on one of my projects. Have a good day.

*ciao*
deb

I have a confession to make... I get bored easily... with my decor. I start off liking it, but then after a while I want to change it, but as inexpensively as possible. This leads me into my kitchen. I love my kitchen. I love my black cabinets,



my newly painted grout,



my inexpensively made window covering.



But I do not like my kitchen chairs and stools, or I should say, I didn't. Here is the before chair...



The fabric just didn't go. It was okay for a while. It was inexpensive and was a huge improvement from the awful cream colored fabric full of stains that covered these seats before. (Children and cream colored fabric just don't mix. For that matter children and light colored fabric of any kind don't mix.) Well, I decided to redo them. I found a fabulous fabric on sale at Hancock Fabrics, and for $36 dollars I covered 6 chairs and 2 bar stools. What do you think?







Much richer look I think, and the fabric is much better suited to this area.

Okay, I'm off to make some dinner for my family. Oh, and I almost forgot... The Bachelor is tonight...woohoo!!! Do you have a favorite yet??

Have a good evening.
*ciao*
deb

So a few months ago I was faced with a dilema... what do you do when you have a child who now has homework daily, has trouble focusing, has a little sister who loves to interrupt and needs a quiet place to work and focus? Well, you find a spot in the house. My problem, was there were too many distractions in all the normal places. So I had to create a workspace for her in her bedroom. Luckily, my girls have a playroom, so aside from the radio, there aren't any toys to turn to. I went in search of a desk. They aren't as easy to find as you would think... especially on a budget. Luckily I happened to walk in to the SalArm on a day when all furniture was half off - YEAH BABY!!! So I found this desk and got it for $20. A little apple green spray paint and we were set.



But of course we need lots of space to work, and all the cute little buckets and tape dispensers just take up too much space... what to do, what to do? So I decided to use this file cabinet that my sister gave me to create storage and extra space. Again, my favorite apple green paint, some wrapping paper and decoupage and voila, instant addition.


Now I don't know about you but every time I do something new to the girl's room, even something this small, they want to spend the rest of the afternoon in there cleaning and organizing. Hhmmm? I wonder what else I can do in there on a weekly basis to get them to do that all the time?




Okay, I'm off to read to them and put them to bed, then to read to me. I finished Outlander and I loved it. Now I have to warn you, there is a bit that is really hard to read, but it is part of the story, so I dealt with it. But the book itself is beautiful. LONG but beautiful. A love story, with a scifi twist. I just started the second one, and I have to say these are the first book since Twilight that I am hooked on. Alex is constantly telling me,"Maybe I should make myself look like a book so you can pay as much attention to me as you do those books." Aaww... sorry baby. Maybe he should read them so he can see what the excitement is about. Try it out. You won't be disappointed.

Have a great evening.
*ciao*
deb