I really wasn’t sure where this little table was going to go. But that’s just how it goes. Sometimes you shop with a purpose, sometimes you have to snag it just because you love it. This side table was one of three pieces that were $10 each. Solid wood, nice legs and a cute little drawer. It doesn’t get much better than that. Well unless it’s an over-sized coffee table that’s solid wood, has nice legs and TWO cute little drawers. That lassie is waiting impatiently in the garage for her transformation.  

Since we converted the dining room into a work area, I didn’t want anything too desk-y looking. Instead I found two apartment-sized dining room tables and faced them to create a work station. Because of the openness though, it’s hard to hide any of that ugliness that comes along with computers and electronics. The printer, tower and extra hard drive were just sitting on the floor breeding dust gremlins. Not any more. Now the dust will at least settle on something pretty.  

There you have it. A side table turned printer stand for 10 magic beans. I encourage you to hit up Salvation Army. Hit up Lowes. Put your painting jeans on. Let the kids slide down the grass on the lid to the trash can. And paint something you’ll love!

Oh this dresser. It’s had quite the loading and unloading journey. It ended up costing the price of an SUV. Or we bought an SUV after driving the van into the garage bay with the hatch open while getting ready to unload this dresser. One or the other. And by we I mean Jason, but who’s naming names? Who knew a house could actually fold an open hatch to a van in half if you drive into it? Dangit someone should have said something. And since I’m naming names, I’ll also say that the day before, someone drove up and over landscaping timbers while picking up this craigslist beaut with a friend. And that someone was me. And while I was failing at backing up in the van to load this dresser, I ripped a giant hole in the front tire.

If you are a spouse in one of those marriages that say they never fight, well that’s just wonderful. But that’s not how we roll. The past week has been a roller coaster and we’ve jumped off even stronger. I read a sign outside of a church the other day that said, “A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner”. God is good.

The actual cash exchange on the dresser was $10. I didn’t see the busted up drawer until I had it at home in the garage. The hissing sound of the tire deflating had me totally distracted once I got out of the car to pick this thing up.

I knew I wanted something big and sky blue somewhere in the house. I decided that this dresser should definitely be painted something other than white in remembrance of the lessons learned and the drama he brought. So, he’s sky blue and so very beautiful.

The pulls and handles on it were all nasty. Once I inspected them though I noticed that I could see a smidgen of copper or brass on a couple of them. I soaked them in vinegar for 2 hours and scrubbed them with fine steel wool and would you believe those puppies shined up like a brand new penny!? It still makes me smile when I look at them all purdy.  

I’d like to get bigger baskets to fill those two drawer spots, but for now I had these lids to two other big baskets that I’ve been using as paper catchall trays. It’s all about hiding the clutter in pretty things. It makes the world a better place.  

I’m sorry beautiful people, but I’ve got nothing. I really think it might be the paint fumes. I’ve also been cutting back my caffeine just to prove that I can and that if I really wanted to I could break up with the Keurig. I think. I’m almost positive that the decline in the roasted bean intake has made me dumber. I can’t think of anything profound to say. But I do always have a project or 5 hopping and I have great inspiration drying in the garage right now. Just enough to drive your husbands crazy ladies so stay tuned. Yard sale season is still kickin’ so get your painting arm ready.  

Here’s another flea market find. I’m learning many a lesson in what to look for when dragging a piece home. I fell in love with the knobs, shape and simple detail on this one and didn’t inspect the surface enough. I’m learning that I don’t have the time or patience to mess around with waiting for wood filler to dry. Even with her imperfections, I still love her though. No distressing this time, just crisp and white.

See her little sister sitting next to her? Her paint is drying in the garage right now as I type.

Oh how I love those knobs. They’re big chunky wooden balls with grooves in them. I didn’t do a thing to them…just removed them while I painted the dresser.   

Is it weird that I want to keep her here? My dresser fetish is starting to rank up there with my chair fetish. I think every room should have at least one dresser in it.

This is a really fun little quiz.  My results were LOFT. I especially love Hayloft, which is so odd because it’s considered modern country. But hey, we like what we like right? Make no apologies and do what you love!

Enjoy!

It’s not even right how much I love our new rug. It’s fine if you think I’m totally weird for being this excited over a new family room rug. But I am. I’m sorry. I’ve been working on calming our spaces by phasing out pattern and working in texture and this rug does the trick.

The patterned leaf rug caught my eye before when we were looking for a rug when we first moved in. I love nature, I love green and it was big and neutral-y. Right?

But way too busy for our wacked out lifestyle. When the monkeys are in bed and the lights are dim, I need a calm oasis. My coming-off-the-day’s-caffeine brain really can’t handle too much pattern or busy-ness.

I had in my mind the look I wanted, but reality is that I change diapers and roll around in bear cub fights on the rug. It had to be soft, it had to be big and it had to be durable. And it had to fit the budget. I mean seriously, frugal doesn’t = cheap. Frugal = smart. So I found one that is just absolutely perfect. I read the reviews and took the plunge. We sleep on a heavenly memory foam mattress from the same retailer so I had high hopes.

It’s just lovely. It’s soft and textural and easy on the eyes. This mama is serene and happy.

It’s in my bones. It’s in my bones to change things. I can’t help it. I try. I really do. I promise myself that I won’t try to rearrange/alter/paint/daydream another project for a month. Okay a week. Okay 3 days. Okay, I can’t take it anymore I have to swing by Salvation Army! I’ve been filling our garage with dressers and other misfits for weeks. Recently after visiting a friend’s fabulous house I decided that I needed to find me a mirror. So I hopped on Craigslist and checked out the mirror selection. Although I didn’t find the beast I was looking for, I did find two cute little window-pane-turned-mirrors that I picked up for $10 a piece. The lady that was selling them was just as vintage loving as I am and I’m not doing a stinkin’ thing to either of them because they’re lovely just the way they are. One of them found it’s way into our 1/2 bath. It’s so wonderful in all it’s chippy, crackly paint splendor.

So there you have it. $10 and a quick trip with one of the kiddos. All it takes to put your mark on that lovely place you call home.

I cannot get enough of the worn, layered, chippy paint. It’s good for my soul. This $20 dresser came home with his other three second cousins and got equal treatment. Well almost equal. When I looked at this one, I knew I wanted it to look like I had dragged it home from an ocean side antique shop. It’s a dainty little thing, with wide drawers and perfect for the home office. For now. 3 lovely drawers to stuff piles of paperwork into.

I thought I could work with that leaf thing on the bottom drawer, but I pried it off last minute before taking it inside and painted over the spot. Much better.

I have a new-found passion. Taking a lame, ugly piece of furniture and making it a loved on beaut. I went to the flea market this past weekend and bought 4 dressers. So many dressers that it took two trips to get everything back because a mama-mobile can only hold so much. I bought this for $20:

And turned it into this:

There was nothing wrong with our TV console we had before. We moved it into our basement actually, because I still like it. But is was meant for a smaller sized television and the truth is we’re electronic junkies in this house and the TV has gotten bigger. That and I’m also addicted to change.

I removed two of the drawers to house all the components:

So, get your behinds to the yard sales and flea markets. If you spot a solid piece of junk, get it! Paint it, distress it, change out the hardware and plop that puppy in your home!