WingBack Chair Re-Do

A few weeks back my neighbor had a garage sale to benefit their adoption fund and I nabbed this {ugly} chair and ottoman from it for a mere $25!! I knew I was gonna recover it someday and it took a while to find the right fabric (which I also nabbed for a steal of $4/yard!!).
It took me a month to get it done, but today I finally completed it!!! I'm so happy it's done, because it's one less thing out of the garage, and because it looks awesome!!!!

Custom Desk

For a while now, I've been wanting a desk. I knew exactly what I was looking for, but I needed it to fit our printer (with a pretty big footprint) and my sewing machine, and a lot of other "crafting" accessories that little hands seem to find themselves in everyday. I found the overall "look" I was going for.

Walmart

Sauder 

But I didn't want a flimsy pressboard POS that I had to put together and replace after one move with the military. So then I explored buying a real hardwood desk but I saw the price tags grow, and that just wasn't an option.

That's where my amazing father comes in. I drew him up some pretty rickety plans and along with these pics, he was pretty confident we could build it. 

We started the project back in December, but since I don't have a table saw (**birthday's coming up, Paul...just sayin**) the cuts weren't square and he wasn't going to "make it work" and have it turn out crappy, so we waited for his next visit when he could bring his saw down and do it correctly. 

For a mere $150 in materials, here's what we did...

I'm so happy with the results I can't even tell you. It fits everything perfectly!

Thanks again for all the help dad!

Another Repurpose

This will be the third use this thing has had. First it was a stamp pad holder, then I gave that up for sewing, so I modified it into a thread holder with storage. Now, since I lost my sewing room a few months back, it's been sitting unused. Poor thing. So now I need a "mail organizer" for my landing zone inside the door. With a few modifications, a new coat of paint and some picture hangers,
Ta da!!

A new Mail station and bonus sunglasses holder! Hehe!

I'm thinking of sewing some canvas pouches for those "sunglass" dowels and making little bins to hold the glasses...not sure yet...

Thanks Dad for this little nugget of ever changing possibilities! Wonder what it will become next?!?!

KITCHEN CABINETS!!!

Well it's only taken me 2 shorts years to get up the guts to paint these kitchen cabinets. The Standard Builders Oak color wasn't cutting it for me but I was apprehensive of the undertaking. After reading blogs and getting google help, I finally decided I could do it.
I labeled everything, set up shop in the garage and after 2 weeks (off and on) they were completed. One coat oil based primer and 2 coats paint. Swiss Coffee was the paint color, doesn't that sound yummy??

So here's the before...

Bear in mind this is the DAY we moved in...notice the lack of refrigeration...(and lack of cleanliness)

And here's the after!!!

Now, we want to get a new darker countertop and sink...we'll see when that happens...

I love it though! It's so bright and NOT dated looking!!! YAY!
...and I get to leave it to someone else in a year...*tear*

Light Saber Holder

I don't know a cooler name...do you? I'm taking suggestions... :)

Ethan was in need of somewhere to "store" his light sabers. We have four now, and every few months, we seem to accumulate one so we needed a holder. Some sort of a display case. I thought I knew what would look nice, but Paul (the Star Wars expert) instructed me EXACTLY how it should look. Diagram and all.
I took Ethan with me to the Big Orange and we got our supplies.
I didn't take pictures throughout the process, but here's what I did...

3-1X4, 1-1X3, and 2-1X2

I took my big ole circle hole drill bit (pretty sure that's the technical name) and drilled 4 holes in one of the 1X4's. I glued and nailed that to the other 1X4 and clamped and let dry. This made the base of the unit.

I used the 2-1X2's in the back as the stands and attached the last 1X4 to that for the "holster" part. The holsters are made out of some plumbing attachment. They were $4 a piece and I cute them in half, so $8 total. Then I cut them vertical so they open but will wrap around the base of the light saber to hold it in place.I lined them up with the holes on the bottom and attached them with small nails.

Then I glued and nailed the 1X3 to the front to "finish" the look.

I spray painted the whole thing black before I attached the "holsters", as they are rubber and were already black.

Now he's equipped anytime Darth Vader makes a surprise appearance!

Step Ladder Stool

I got the plans for this off www.anawhite.com and when I saw "tricky" in the title, I knew I had to do it. And it was, very tricky. I might have done it easier with two sets of hands, but never the less, it turned out good.  It still needs a coat of paint, and maybe some distressing...but I love it!!! I've already used it numerous times around the house. Being 5'3", a step stool comes in handy often!

If you want to build one too...go here...
http://ana-white.com/2010/04/furniture-plans-super-easy-but-a-little-tricky-ladder-table.html
it could even be used as a sawhorse for a table if you built two!

Preperation...

As most of you know, we only have a little over a year left here in our first home. And if you know me, that means I'm already preparing for the move. Because I'm crazy. And I know that. I'm ok with it. I think. No I am. really.
Ok, so what's first, you may ask? First, I had to clean out the cupboards in the kitchen. We've simplified over the last year, and with a few trips to Good Will and a big garage sale, we've pretty much gotten rid of anything that isn't necessity. My cupboards are so organized, it makes me happy to put dishes away. I know, right? I just mentioned happy and housework in the same sentence...I told you I was crazy.
So next stop for me was the laundry. But let's rewind. We moved into this house in May of 2009. For almost 2 years I've dealt with storing my vacuum in plain sight due to TOTAL lack of storage space. The only closet it could have been stored in, I of course ripped out to make and entryway for all our coats and shoes. Though I do love my vacuum (It's a purple dyson, who couldn't love it), it's usually filled with dirt and dust, so I don't like leaving it on display. SO fast forward to now, and I needed to find a spot to put this thing. What more logical spot than the laundry room. It's located upstairs, right off the bedrooms, and would be very convenient. Hmm, problem was, there was wasted space. It's a long narrow room; closet, washing machine, and dryer right in a row with a small space on the floor for a basket. That just wasn't working for me. SO here's the before:

Atrocity!

What I did was:
Moved the washer and dryer under the window. (Had to run to the big orange to get longer intake hoses that would reach, like 14 dollars total) Still side by side but I've freed up room next to the closet to put the vacuum! I used my new circular saw! to cut down the counter top (which is really just a cheap luan door painted white) to the new width of the room, and Voila! A new and improved "walk in" laundry room.

Glorious!

LtoR- Basket of outgrown clothes for consignment, rags and old towels for quick cleanups, baskets of Laundry supplies, batteries, lightbulbs, etc., hangers for kids clothes, best sign ever, (not pictured)hangers for Adult clothes

(LtoR-Basket on floor to ensure proper dirty clothes placement~yeah right, Colored bins for each child's clothes, small wastebasket to collect lint/dryer sheets, and there's a small basket to collect coins and toys found in pockets, not pictured is my vacuum, the reason for all this chaos, but it's right next to the laundry basket!)

(I think there might be room for a small chair and book in the corner, if I could only find time to sneak away)

Next up! The garage!

Check out what I did!

I made an extension for my sewing table and saved Paul 89.99!!!!! I was really about to order one!!!!

Click on the pic for the tutorial!

Dress Shirt Shirt Dress

Ok, I've been eyeing THIS TUTORIAL for a while now and I finally got the guts to try it. I think it turned out really well! She went to bed before I could finish but I will definitely be getting a "princess picture" tomorrow.

The only thing I changed was (obviously) the cinching at the waistline, which I may still put in, just have to try it on her first... and the cap sleeves, instead of making another casing for elastic (which I hate BTW and don't understand why anyone would use it if they can get elastic thread!)  I just shirred the hem so it made a puff. I used one of my old shirts and I like the pleats it already had in the front and back!

Well, hopefully she likes it, but given the fact that any dress makes her act like a princess, I think I'm golden.