New Dresser Top

     The dressers in our master bedroom posed somewhat of a dilemma. They were old but not antique ...the wood finish was in good shape, except for the tops...and nobody ever saw them but us! We could afford a new set but the frugal little gnome that sits continually on my shoulder whispered, "They're perfectly good so why spend the money on new ones?!"

      I tossed around the idea of refinishing or painting them but couldn't come to a decision. And then I happened upon a solution while scrolling through ideas on Pinterest. Put a marble top on them! Well a marble finish anyway...actually a contact paper that looks like marble. Husband was skeptical until we agreed that something was better than nothing in this case. And it certainly was! We love the new lighter, cleaner look - no more ugly dents or scratches.

     There was very little prep work involved - just minimal sanding of the scratches and water damage followed by a good scrubbing to removed dirt and any other residues. Accurate measurements were critical and applying the sticky paper was challenging but not horrendously difficult. I did use a credit card to push out bubbles and smooth some wrinkles. A few imperfections remained but they are almost undetectable because of the marble print. I think we'll keep this bedroom set a few more years.

Polka Dot Coupon Holder

      A manila envelope that had served as my coupon organizer for a few years finally bit the dust. I don't clip or use a tremendous number of coupons so I've never needed a store-bought organizer with pockets or dividers, but I do save an average of $3.00 to $5.00 every other week when I grocery shop which adds up to $78.00 - $130.00 yearly. (Sometimes I think I just enjoy the challenge of  being frugal!) Anyway a cousin has been sewing and selling totes and pouches, so I was inspired to rummage through my fabric remnants and piece together a simple, silk lined envelope that has an attached suede leather tie. I think it turned out quite pretty and my phone even fits inside.

Rocking Chair Redo

     The previous post showed the improvements made in our computer room earlier in the summer. This week the rocking chair that sits by the front window in that room got a new look as well. I had tossed around the idea of covering the cushions but wasn't sure if I wanted a solid or a patterned fabric. A trip to Walmart with the hubby for golf balls and cat litter took me by a bin of sale-priced bolts and of course, I had to stop and browse. Lo and behold, on the very top was a length of duck cloth, in a dark gray and white grapevine print that was similar to toile. I was immediately sold, especially at three dollars per yard!

     It was easy to duplicate the cushion dimensions, tucks and tabs. Sewing was simple as well and instead of zippers, I just slip-stitched the openings closed (easily removed and resewn if the covers ever need washing.) Now to sit or just admire?!

Little Girl's Jumper with Hat

     

     This was one of the thriftiest sewing projects ever - not a penny spent - the only thing invested was time. The material was cut from an existing adult-sized jumper that I had made previously and worn perhaps twice. Since the little girl version did not use all of the fabric, there was enough left to also construct a reversible bucket hat. My favorite detail was added to the back - a square on square quilt block of coordinating colors.

     Granddaughter was just a little bits at the time this photo was taken, but I remember how much she loved the outfit! Long outgrown, it is now time to pass it along to another cutie, which is why I simply had to take just a few more pictures.

I'm Dreaming of a Christmas Quilt

     Searching through bolts of yard goods for a particular color and pattern of homespun proved fruitless at this particular fabric store. However the display of seasonal textiles was astonishing - shelf after shelf of holiday prints from muted primitive shades to classic green, red and whites to flashy, sparkly modern designs - the selection was awesome and absorbing. What really caught my eye, however, was an array of quilts atop the display cases, and in particular, these two which feature split complementary color schemes. I was fascinated by the intricate patterns and quilting but even more so by the red, gray and white palette - oh, how I fancied these and imagined them in a room with comparable colors!

Below are two closer looks at the exquisite craftsmanship.

Pantry Between-the-Studs

     Our ranch house, built in 1959, has a spacious feel due to the soaring vaulted ceilings, large open entry and big windows. It is, however, sorely lacking in closet/storage space on the main level, especially in the kitchen. Being an avid from-scratch cook, I keep stock of several types of vinegars, oils, flours, sugars. Canned goods and small tubs of extra beans, rice and nuts are stockpiled on sturdy shelves in the basement laundry room (this area doubles as storage for a small supply of natural disaster survival staples such as water, paper supplies, pet food, etc.) The kitchen's food storage situation is haphazard at best: a couple of small cabinet shelves, and an island for everyday essentials.At the very least, I can boast a large well-organized spice drawer!

     The last storage area is wall space grabbed from the basement stairway just off the kitchen - an ugly wire shelf mounted with clips. It has served its purpose but not very gracefully. I have long wanted to replace it and finally found an idea that appealed and actually opened up the stairwell by a few inches: between-the-studs shelving.

     So we began knocking out drywall, which was scary at first but after a bit we got braver and finished with a nice sized opening in which to place our shelves. After measuring, we visited the home improvement store and bought some lengths of durable but pretty poplar (Pop laughs at my descriptions of utilitarian wood), brads, and shelf clips. I measured and marked, Pop sawed and then I assembled, drilled shelf holes and painted - this was fun stuff!

     Putting the shelf boxes in place was a joint effort; the far one went in quite easily but the near one did not. My fault - I had measured the width between the studs close to the bottom and did not figure that it might be different at the top. Well it was - narrower by half an inch!@# Oh well, nothing for it but to disassemble that side of the box, cut the frame and the backing, and then nail it all back together again. Lesson learned!

     Pop used a nail gun to attach the boxes to the studs; I think he found this task highly entertaining - he loves wielding that tool! We were pleased as punch with the way things were looking (and that the drafty hole in the wall was mostly covered). The vodka bottle was kept handy because it was, ahem, essential for placing the lower shelves at the correct height.

     Here is a close up of the wires we encountered and how we dealt with that obstacle. It was simple to just construct that box a little narrower and use shims to hold it in place, thereby keeping the wires unobstructed and safely enclosed.

     The next step was cutting and assembling the face frame.  After considering some type of milled molding, we decided a clean flat surface was more appropriate, so the choice was 2 1/2 inch poplar for the outside and 3 1/2 inch for the vertical center piece. This photo shows a different angle - looking up the stairway.
















     The final step was placing the shelves. These were lengths cut from an old cd tower and after seeing how they looked in their natural wood finish, I decided not to paint them white. Actually the look mimics the kitchen island, which is white with a butcher-block top.

     And with the stocking of the shelves, we reach the end of our project and couldn't be more pleased. Now we are anxious to start another! 

                                          

 Mayhap now we need a shot of that American Honey to toast our hard work...

Sliding Closet Door Upcycled with Paint

     The master bedroom needed an update, especially after replacing the old bookcase headboard with a new tufted leather one. Many years ago, the walls had been rag rolled with a forest green glaze; it had a lovely aged patina but now I wanted something a little more modern and neutral. Our comforter had tones of green and gray, so I chose a color called Dolphin Gray, which would coordinate nicely. When the ceiling and walls were finished, I was uncertain what to do with the closet doors - Pop wanted them white and I preferred the same gray as the walls. I compromised, a little, and am pleased  with the look. 

   




 


     White enamel paint was swiped a few inches from the perimeter of each door and then painters tape was placed in a large rectangel.  Dolphin Gray was applied over all and then the tape was removed.











     The final product was quite appealing and lent a little architectural character to the plain flat doors. New knobs with a satin nickel finish complete the look.

Day Bed from Old Doors

     After replacing the interior doors, original to the house built in 1959, these three were in good enough shape that they were not slated for trash. Like everything else in the house, they were very well-built -  hollow core but strongly reinforced - so I thought maybe to use them for shelving in the garage or in the attic. Instead they assumed new life as a piece of furniture, and an old twin bed frame and box springs were trashed instead.

     Removing the hinges was not difficult, despite layers of paint. The knobs were another story. There were no discernible screws so a little research revealed that the tip of a paper clip inserted into a tiny slot in the base would pop the knob out, releasing the collar to allow access to two screws which disengaged the core for easy extraction. Of course, one  was easily manipulated while the other two proved a bit more challenging. Finally, with all hardware removed, wood putty was applied to the various holes, nicks and divots, and then sanded smooth before painting with white enamel latex. (I almost felt like this pile of hardware should have been recycled or refashioned but after the removal battle, I was actually glad to throw the mess into a garbage can!)

     Lengths of 1 x 8 pine were cut to size, painted also with white enamel latex, and assembled into a framework. The doors (one 30 inch wide combined with a 9 inch edge of another to accommodate a 39 inch wide twin mattress) were attached to the framework. Lastly four tapered bun feet were attached to the bottom.

    

     I love the new day bed, even with the old quilt and pillows, which I intend to replace. Miss Molly, in curious kitty fashion, is not so sure.

(Old bed)

Valentine Surprises - Amy Style

     On winter weekdays it is dark when I leave the house in the morning and dark in the evening when I return. Because of that, I have a slight excuse for not noticing a couple of cute plant picks that were mysteriously added to my Valentine decor. Well sort of mysterious! Sweet niece Amy and her husband shared our fun on Superbowl Sunday and she had brought some fun photo props made with her new Cricut cutting machine so it was a no-brainer to figure out who had planted these delightful surprises.(She also is partial to anything French and especially Parisian.) Thank you, Amy - Je t'aime aussie!

Vinnie Loves Scarlett

     For the first time ever it was difficult to come up with an idea for gifts for grandson's birthday. At nineteen Vinnie is no longer a boy (although he has always been mature in many ways for his age) and the oft-given suggestion was just to give money, I dislike just handing over only cash for a present. However, when he expressed his extreme admiration for movie star, Scarlett Johansonn, an idea was hatched. I found a lovely photo of her on the internet and made a copy on my printer. Then I visited the hobby store and talked with a helpful sales clerk, who recommended a product to transfer the picture to fabric. The end result was not perfect and I was less than pleased, but Vinnie liked it and that night the lucky guy got to sleep with pretty Scarlett.

Twas the Season for Star Wars Mania

     The seventh film of the Star Wars series was released last month and was probably more cause for celebration in our family than Christmas. In 1977, husband and son saw the first movie and began a long love affair with all things Lucas. The Force was with us through the years as they anticipated and then attended the premier of each film. Son also collected action figures and accessories. Husband was heartbroken that circumstances prevented them from seeing Episode Seven together, but cheered somewhat when nephew enthusiastically agreed to accompany him.

     The action figures survived in a case in our basement for more than thirty years - they were not brought out as playthings for the grandchildren as were the preserved Matchbox cars, Lincoln Logs and Legos (except the plastic Tauntaun - for some reason he ended life as a  pool toy!) Resale value was trifling so to coincide with the awakening Force, I wanted to gift the toys back to son, the original owner. I bought a shadow box  with a fabric-covered foam core backing. After failed attempts to attach the figures with elastic, small rubber bands and jewelry wire, I finally achieved success with orthodontic ligature wire and staples. Son was thrilled on Christmas Day.

 Another Christmas gift that followed the Star Wars theme was also a hit - son and grandson wasted no time donning their Jedi and Sith fleece bathrobes!

The Mansion and the Window

   We called it "The Mansion" - a big rambling house, c. 1900, that belonged to the prosperous owner of a dairy farm and company. In the late 1990's, when my sister rented a caretaker's cottage on the property, the mansion had not been lived in for some time and had fallen into sad disrepair. Raccoons and other scurrying varmints occupied the basement where a couple of bowling lanes were rumored to have been - we never ventured into the dank darkness to discover the truth. We did, however investigate the rest of the home, even up into what we speculated were small servant's bedrooms under the eaves in the second story. Beautiful woodwork abounded in all of the large rooms, stained glass, multiple french doors and a huge stone fireplace adorned one room that spanned the back of the house and a long narrow conservatory decorated with Italian tiles flanked the south wall. These details indicated the taste and refinement of the original owner and it was heartbreaking to see the rotting shambles it had become. In 2014, when the mansion was demolished for an upscale housing development, thieves had already purloined any architectural details that were worth recycling. However, in a trash heap destined for a dumpster, I salvaged a couple of window frames - weathered, glassless and covered with charming chippy paint (which was probably not lead-free!).

     After removing hooks and eyes, and a slight sanding to remove flaking pieces, I painted this frame with coat of varnish to contain any further paint chips from falling onto the floor and into pet territory. It perfectly frames a favorite canvas portrait of my beloved grandchildren (who are much more grown up now!) I am pleased that I have a reminder of the mansion and of life in another era.

Moon Prints

     So simple but so striking - these framed prints are a new addition to the master bedroom. The moon-themed graphics (a restful subject, I felt) were gathered from online sources and printed on old book pages. Black frames and white mats add a classic clean line to the artwork and contrast nicely with the delicate mottled look of the sponged walls. Now I have promised Hubby to honor his request to find a large print of a moonlit ship for another wall!

DIM Upholstered Headboard

   This DIM (did-it-myself) project took several weeks to complete, not because it was difficult but because of the many and varied preparation procedures.

 #1. The materials were from different sources - hardware store for pegboard and one-by-twos, hobby store for foam, fabric store for faux leather, heavy thread and buttons.

#2. Several steps were necessary for completion - cutting and assembling the hard frame, cutting and gluing the foam, cutting and stapling the flannel. Yes, I know, batting is recommended but I picked up a large piece of baby blue flannel from an estate sale that worked just fine (and cost WAY less!), cutting and stapling the leather, measuring for and tying on the buttons, removing old headboard and fastening the new one.

#3. Because there were only six buttons in the store, the rest had to be special ordered, which took three weeks. Usually self-covered buttons are used for these headboards but when I found a leathery lookalike, I was sold, even if it meant a delay. Hey, I have all the rest of winter for indoor fun!

   I love the new look and we've gained about twelve inches of floor space at the foot of the bed, which may not seem like much, but is a real bonus in a room of this size.  We may miss the shelves behind our pillows for awhile but they were really only dust catchers. Now I have to decide on some wall decor and different bedside lighting - another day.

Old look - blah...