A 5 Minute Chandelier Dress Up

I bought this chandelier for my guestroom:

It's very plain, kind of primitive in design, I love it. As an added bonus, it cost under $70.00! I know black is not for everyone, but the design is so simple that it easily could be spray painted any color your heart desires. Red.....yellow....teal.....white....purple.....you could put mini shades on it to dress it up. Can you tell I love this light? With all my love that I feel for this light I felt it needed a little something extra, a little somethin somethin. I remember seeing on Pottery Barns website a chandelier chain cover, the burlap cord cover it's called. I knew it would look perfect my primitive chandelier, but with shipping it was almost $40.00. So I decided to make one myself. What do you think?

I used inexpensive burlap garland from the craft store and self adhesive Velcro tabs. I  measured the length of the chain I wanted to cover,and added a few inches so it would look a little slouchy. I then attached my Velcro tabs to the inside so they would be hidden from sight.  I think it looks much better, hides the chain and cords, and best of all it cost me about  $5.00.

Guest Room Redo Part 2 = Paint and Wallpaper

 Remember my guest room?  I think it could best be described as hideous! Here is a refresher for those who are new to our site, or  have blocked out the memory.

  It was just so dingy and boring I could stand it no more!

 Now normally when I decide I want to do something, I need to do it right now!  Not tomorrow, not next week but that very second.  Do you get that way too?   You know, your heart beat races a bit, and all you can think about is your new idea?  I totally get that way.  I have one track mind!  But this time I decided to wait, and actually think about what I wanted to do to my guest room.  It was torture!  I think I changed my mind about color and fabric one thousand times.  It's hard for me, not flying by the seat of my pants. I do think that by really taking the time to think about how we use this room and how I wanted my guests to feel in this room has paid off.    Here it is with my "new" chabby chic bed!

  I knew I wanted this room to feel lighter, I also know that my personal taste tend towards country cottage style, but I like some industrial elements as well as rustic. I also like unexpected details. Also I want all the rooms in my house to be cohesive, not identical but at least to be tied together one way or another.  I decided to paint the walls a very, very pale grey and carry the color up to the ceiling and I found some wallpaper that I loved in a color that I would probably not have considered for my own house. But I love the way it is turning out.  It's not done but it is definitely a BIG improvement!  What do you think?  

My Model, Leo.

Making a Basket Coffee Table

O.K. so I decided that I could use a coffee table for my living room!
 I didn't however want to spend alot of money... well maybe a little for paint and legs but that is it...
I scoured around my house and found a little picnic basket, I think its from Michael's (couldn't have been more than $25.00)   so I figured why not use it?
  I got out the paint, Matt's drill, and began to scour around for a couple of furniture table legs and thus began my experiment!

I began by painting my basket first with what was left of my Aergen blue paint (which is what I used on my other coffee table under DIY)  I wanted it to match them together as much as possible even though the styles of them couldn't be more different.

Than I went to Home depot and picked out some legs that I liked.  I wanted something a little bit retro so I went with the triangle ones. Than I got some rubber and metal washers to keep the legs from slipping and make them sturdy along with 4 nuts to screw the whole thing together.

Next I decided where I wanted my legs to go and we pre drilled the holes after marking them out on the bottom with a marker. Than I simply took my legs put the washers on the bottom and slid them through my pre drilled holes and secured each leg with a nut.

Viola!  How sexy are these legs? 

My coffee table is almost in business!

Than I simply painted them white and my new coffee table is ready to go!

I joined the party!

rocking out

Last year I was at a flea market and I saw an old rocking chair.
Now I have always wanted a rocking chair, so when I realized the guy
would take $40.00 for it I said LOAD IT UP!!!
and despite its ugly appearance complete with a lovely golden stencil of fruit on the front I took it home.

After all beauty is in the eye of the beholder ;) and it was in really good shape!
 At first I thought maybe I would just strip and refinish it a bit darker but after putting it in my sunroom and seeing all of the other brown things that I had in there I figured it needed a bit of color so off to Home depo!

I found a lovely sample size shade of Sea glass by Martha Stewart and after sanding sanding and sanding I painted it!
Its really amazing what a bit of color can do to transform something old into something spectacular!!

thrift store magazine rack

Last week I went to my local value village and found this little magazine rack!
I always have magazines and books kicking around with either no place to put them, or I have put them some where I can't find them, so I thought why not?
after all it was only $3.99, and I thought it had a bit of potential its nice and sturdy just a bit scratched up ;) so this is what I decided to do with it yesterday.

After I got it home I gave it a good cleaning and than I sanded it down and used up the rest of my Martha Stewart Sea Glass paint on it!

for about $5.00 you can buy sample containers premixed and it is more than enough paint for one small project!

After I got it all painted I decided it could use a little something just to give it character and a stencil is a great way to give anything a little added personality. I chose a stencil that I bought at Michaels Crafts and here are the results.

Light up your life!

I NEED a new light for my guest room, the one that was in there before was not exactly homey!  Lighting really does have the ability to make a room feel cozy and intimate, a crystal chandelier can turn a plain dinning room or bedroom into a room that is opulent,indulgent and romantic. The right light fixture can change the mood of a room.
 
The internet is a great resource for browsing lighting with out leaving the comfort of your sofa, and the sky is the limit if you have a unlimited budget.

Here are some of my favorites. these are Avaliable at Layla Grace. Just Georgeous! All for between $6,000.00 and $459.00.  All more than I am planning to spend, but a girl can dream can't she?

These are from the Pottery Barn. Beautiful. All for under $1,000.00.  

Last, but not least here are some really pretty ones from the Home Depo all for under under $200.00.  This is more in line with the budget I have set for my guest room redo.

We may not all have a budget that allows us to purchase a  $6,000.00 chandeliers for our guest room, I certainly do not! But looking is free, and can definitly inspire!  If we shop around we can usually find a light fixture we love, at a price our wallets love too.
Which one did I chose?  You'll see it in my guest room redo part 2 coming up in the next few days!

Which ones do you like?

Helpers

When you work on a DIY project do you prefer to be alone with your thoughts? Do you like to have a little motivational music playing in the background, Or you prefer the company of others?

I like doing my projects with out the help of my husband when I can. I find I get more work done that way. I put on some music, I like to alone with my thoughts. I do how ever have 2 helpers,if you can call them help:

Here is a close up of them, so you can judge for yourself just how helpful they really are:

Leo (the poodle) and Grizzly(our rottweiler) also supervise during yard work, they really like helping in the garden. They are the reason we had no peas to eat this year!

What do you think, alone in solitude, alone with music or do you like to have a helper to keep you company?