She Makes Over Lamps...

I saw this idea at Homebody - where she covered a lampshade in burlap.  I thought it was adorable and filed that in my "want to try that" brain file.

When I bought the dresser for my son, the guy that was selling it asked me if I happened to need lamps.  I said, "why yes I do but I didn't bring anymore cash with me".  But when he said he had 3 lamps with shades and would give them all to me for $5 I boogied up to the store and got the cash.

So today I went and bought some burlap for $2.99 a yard and got to work.

Check out this hideous shade...

I have to wonder who went out and bought this because they just LOVED it!?!

I laid out the burlap...probably about a yard.   Then, with my trusty hot glue gun, I wrapped and glued...

Until I had this.  I trimmed the excess and glued it in.  I wish I could have made it a little tighter but for my first try at this I am pretty pleased.

Now my desk has a much needed lamp. 

(notice my marketing text book laying there waiting for me to open it)

I am going to paint the lamp too but not sure what color yet so I just dusted it off and put it on the desk.

Lamp and shade $1.67

Burlap $2.99

New-to-me lamp...$4.66

*SCORE*

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Backyard Eden



Dresser Done Over...The Reveal

Well if you read my earlier post then you saw my mid-way dresser over make-over.  I was worried but I think all turned out well.

Is it perfect?  NO.  Do I love it?  Well I like it a lot, but we're just going to be friends.  Does my son like it?  YES - and that is what really matters!

This was fully sanded down when I bought it yesterday (SCORE!)  I have been really wanted to try a colored stain on ANYTHING because I have a vision of staining my kitchen cabinets with a color in the future.  So I bought Minwax Indigo Blue and some staining clothes and got started.

It was a rough start (see post below).  I wasn't sure if I had made a huge mistake.  BUT  I kept going and my hands are a little smurfish....  It was over 90 here in the Valley of the Sun so it dried pretty quick.  I added some inexpensive knobs from Home Depot (silver because we are going for Cowboy's colors) and she is looking pretty spiffy.

Here it is....

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Please forgive my tilted shot...too lazy to fix it. :P



Sharing my treasure at:

Shabby Nest

Just a Girl

Domestically Speaking

I haven't fallen off the planet!

I can't believe I have ignored my baby blog for more than 2 weeks!  But I assure you I am still here and still blogging!

I have been, and still am, eyeball deep in my last two classes at WGU.  I am currently working on my marketing project; this involves inventing a product and creating a 3 year marketing plan for it.  YIKES!  Then I have to complete a research paper and power point presentation for my Business Research and Writing class.  When those are completed I will have finished 42 credits this term and 83 since January.  I am hoping one more term and then graduating in the July 2011 ceremony.

It has finally started to cool off a bit here in Arizona so I hope to get back out to the garage on work on my projects.  Right now I think my 13 year old daughter has given up any hope of seeing her "new to her" dresser out of the garage.  But we did get a bonus freebie!  The man that gave us the dresser off craigslist called me a couple days later and offered us a matching nightstand...for FREE!  With hope and prayer I will complete these projects before Thanksgiving!!!!

I did create a little something, not sure it is much to brag about but I like it.  I have seen a couple of blogs with canning jars made into soap dispensers.  I loved the idea but didn't have any canning jars.  I did however have an emptly pickle jar! :P  I didn't take a picture of the before but this is the type of jar I used...

I washed it and removed the label.  Then I drilled a whole in the top before spray painting it black.  I used a left over pump from another soap dispender and cut it to fit the jar.

AND VIOLA....

I added some dish soap and it is now sitting proudly by my kitchen sink.   Sure it isn't as cute as the canning jar (which I will eventually buy and make) but it looks a lot better than the generic plastic bottle.  :)

I have 102 things to do today so back to cleaning, newsletter writing, homework, homeschooling and maybe even a shower!!!

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New Projects

I love Freecyle

and Craigslist.

Today's free finds:

Freecycle - Wood Curtain Rods

Please excuse messy garage picture.  I picked these awesome solid wood curtain rods this morning.  I am hoping to use them in my family room.  I am not sure if I should paint them or not.

Freebie from Craigslist:

Bottom Dresser

Top Hutch

I picked this dresser up, site unseen, from Craigslist today.  How could I turn down a free dresser, less than 3 miles away!  I was thinking I was picking up something for my boy's room until I saw it.  Now my plan is to sand it and paint it white for my 13 year daughter's room.  I am thinking of making the mirror area into a chalk board.

I bought an orbital sander and a circular saw today at Harbor Freight - so excited.

I will post pics when these are completed!!!