A little Snow

Since Roger no longer has a job to speak of, I've been putting things into two categories in my mind. Wants and needs. Since wants are usually frivolous things that I don't actually need I'm finding more things falling into that category. :(  But with a little thought, and a little help from pinterest, we came up with a very cheap way to add a little fun to the kitchen.

Now its no secret I dislike my ceiling very much, but it does come in handy at this time of the year for hanging things up.

 To keep this project within the budget of super cheap I found this

 An old Reader's Digest I picked up at my local thrift store. The covers on these old ones are pretty neat and will become something else down the road. 

We began by ripping out pages and cutting strips for chains and making snowflakes.

Every year M'lynn forgets how to make these and it takes her a couple of tries. This one's not bad, but she gets better as she makes more.

Everything we made, cost about a $1.00. This was one frivolous thing I could afford.:)

The Baby Bag

There is a little over two weeks left till we add to the family once again. And I think they have just about everything ready for the little one to arrive, but the baby bag.

When Leah was born I wanted to buy Ashley a diaper bag, but after looking at my options I quickly changed my mind. They all seemed so suitcasey and hadn't really changed a whole lot since I had kids.
So a quick trip over to my favourite quilt store I found a pattern that I liked and made her a baby bag. I've made a couple of these as gifts but here is Amy's.

Not big and cumbersome and the pattern comes with a change pad to make as well. It's loaded with pockets and doubles as a purse when out and about with babe.

Over time I hope to be making more of these.:)

Practice piece in Black and White

I had a bit of a disappointment a couple of weeks ago. I had gone to my local upholsters and asked if I could volunteer my time in return to teach me a few things. Both said no. I'm not upset with them in anyway, just was hoping to learn a little faster then I am. (sigh)

A while back I bought this fainting couch at my local thrift store. This was layer one.

This was layer two

And number three

Black and white seems to be my theme this week, so here it is.

I used my mixed up design and reupholstered it and painted the legs black.

So the question is am I happy with it?.... The answer is, I'm ok with it. Since I'm learning how to do this on my own, from books and videos, it is what it is. And thats ok with me. Each little practice piece along the way, I'm hoping for better results, until one day I will be decent upholster and feel confident enough to sell something I do.
                                       Until then, I just lounge around on this one.:)

The Room at the Top of the Stairs.

In my house there are a couple of areas that once the door is shut it's out of my mind. I don't have to look at it anymore or think about it until I have to open it again. Unfortunately this room or in this case closet I did have to open almost every single day and then when the doors had to be taken off you can imagine the sinking feeling every time I climbed the steps to see this horror.

Yup, everyday for the past 6 years that was were the wash was done. Thank goodness there was doors.

But when this came home to live after the death of my washer I couldn't give it an ugly home and the doors would no longer work cause this baby stuck out much further.

So we gave it and its sister a new home.

So at this point we don't have doors and right now I don't want them because I like looking at this prettiness.

Roger made the cabinet and I wanted a chunky counter top, so chunky I got. We sealed the wood extra in case you're wondering. The sink and doors came from Habitat. I then painted the doors and bottom half black. The little bench is great for folding wash.

  

The ceiling and the walls were replaced with beadboard paneling, and, Roger trimmed the whole thing with some pieces put together to give me a little ledge. I've got something in mind for that later.

My wallpaper I picked up for $5 a roll in Goderich at the Giant Paint Can store. ( I can't remember the name right now)

The floor is a vinyl strip floor. Cool stuff in my opinion. The fabric was in my stash.

My find this summer at a yard sale. I really like this basket. It will store something, just not sure what yet.

 And my ironing board now has a home. I found this little beauty at my local thrift store and brought it home to become something else. But I really needed an ironing board so I used it. Super sturdy and far superior to the ones you buy today, so an ironing board it will stay. Now I just need to make a cover for it. Even my drying rack has a place.

So there you have it, another little piece to my almost renovated home. I'm looking forward to attacking my kitchen in the new year. :)

A Dogs Life.

It's been a roller coaster month. First Roger was laid off. Hired back for a month and then last week laid off again. Only this time we don't know for how long or where he'll go.
In the meantime all those projects that we have been putting off, are now getting done with a vengeance.

Picture taker girl and her husband are expected baby number one to arrive in 5 weeks. EEK!!! So there is a bit of a push to get some things done in her wee apartment to get ready for the little one to arrive.
So naturally the first thing we made was something for the dog.
 Hunter, their dog when left alone in their apartment has a bit of a fetish for all things fluffy. He is normally caged in a big old wire cage when everyone is gone, but they wanted something a little more stylish.
So thanks to Ana White and Pinterest we came up with this. I grabbed my phone and took this quick realizing I had almost forgotten to take a picture.

And the final product.....

I painted it gray and then age it with a dark stain.

The neat thing about it is, that it will double as an end table in their living room.

I think it's Hunter approved.:)