Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Playroom Bedding

Things are moving along in the playroom.  Recently, I made a "coverlet" for the bed.  I wanted something very washable but something that would go with the color scheme of the room.  I found some wonderful soft terry cloth in lime and thought it was perfect.  I didn't want something that I would be concerned about the kids touching with sticky fingers.  I can just throw it in the washer.  It was a little bit short, so I had to sew two pieces together, then I added a lace border to the bottom to give it a more finished look.
I added a dust ruffle and some pillows to complete the bedding:
Here are some close-up shots:

Progress!  I have several more projects in this room that I am working on, so stay tuned!



Monday, August 19, 2013

Wire Milk Crate Turned TV Stand

In a previous post, I mentioned that I bought a VCR for the grand-kids for the playroom that I am working on.  This is a nice sized wire milk crate that has some historic family meaning for me.  It is a former Pevely Dairy milk crate and my mother, who passed away almost 6 years ago, used to work there.  I turned the milk crate on it's end and cut some wood fence boards to fit across the middle.
Then, I simply put the TV on top and the VCR in the middle - the N64 game system (yes, it's still a novelty) fits nicely on the bottom.
It sits in the corner next to the hutch redo! 

Quick, simple, and meaningful - it works for me!  A little industrial edge and a lot of charm.  I love using things in non-traditional ways - what have you upcycled lately?

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Curbside Playroom Hutch/Storage

A while back, I mentioned that I found a small hutch out on the curb at the same time that I found the large hutch that I used in my Craft Room post.  It fits on top of a small night stand (also out on the curb).  Here is how the night stand started out:
It has slight water damage on the bottom/sides but is not at all noticeable from the front.  Here is a top view:
It was missing some drawer pulls too.  I decided to paint the nightstand a teal color and keep the upper hutch part white.  It is worn in some places, but I like the character that it adds, so I left it as is.  I may go back and further distress it, I am undecided on that part.  Here is the finished product:
Here is a closer view of the hutch:
And the night stand - I bought new knobs for it from Hobby Lobby and Ace Hardware.  I love the white porcelain faux keyhole in the top drawer and all of the detail on the sides and around the drawers.  The drawers hold all of the old VHS tapes that have been sitting around collecting dust.  Now the grandkids will have easy access to their movies but they will be neatly stored out of sight.  I found a nice VCR at a thrift store and have turned an old wire milk crate into a media stand - details coming soon.
Now I need to decorate the shelves!  Not bad for FREE (or mostly, not counting the new knobs).  Have you found any good curb side finds lately?  Please share.





Saturday, August 10, 2013

Vintage Teacup Votive

I found the sweetest teacup at the thrift store marked down to 99 cents!  I knew just where to use it too.  I decided to hang it with some twine from an old shutter and place a battery operated votive candle inside.  It is a small thing, but it makes me smile when I see it.
Here is a side view showing all the vintage red detail that I love about it:
I have it sitting on a small scrap piece of lace.  Here it is with the votive lit - it really looks quaint at night!
I've seen these all over Pinterest and knew I had to have one!  I have considered getting some washi tape to put around the votive but I am undecided.  What do you think - washi tape or leave white?  Do you have any hanging teacups at your house?  What do you have in them?



Saturday, August 3, 2013

Old Chippy Window Vignette

I have a small wall in my dining room between the living room and the hall.  It sat almost bare for quite a while.  It looked like this:
I knew I wanted a charming, cottage look vignette, but wasn't sure just what.  Then, I found these old, chippy windows and they fit perfectly in this space. 
I added some pictures of the grandkids and little accessories.  The one on the left has the number "554" on an old book page.  The number is significant because I have 5 children, 5 grand-children, and 4 great-grand-children!
The one on the right has more pictures and a book page heart that simply says "family".
Next, I wanted something that the grand-kids could do to add some whimsy to this space.  I had them each color with crayon on a piece of card stock and then paint over it with water colors.
Next, I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter as a template to cut out heart shapes.
I then put up some chicken wire to attach the hearts to.  I found some cute mini clothes pins at JoAnn's Fabrics to clip them on with.  Then I added some decorative wood trim.
I was going to paint the wood trim turquoise and then paint some red on top and distress it to let the turquoise show through, but when I painted it turquoise I loved it so much that I just left it as is.  I may go back at some point and paint the red on top, but for now I'm just going to enjoy it this way!
As my younger grand-kids get old enough to make a heart, I can just add one on.  I imagine this filled with hearts some day - each as unique as the creators!








Thursday, August 1, 2013

Shabby Tin Letter Love

I found these wonderful tin letters at Hobby Lobby for 50% off and knew they would be a great addition to the play room.  I am working on some other things in that room, so i'm just going to give you a sneak peak for now because I couldn't wait to share these. 
Imagine the possibilities:  a child's name, your last name, something inspiring like "create" or "imagine".  They are rustic and shabby and I think they fit perfectly!  What would YOU spell out and where?