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A Year ago today-

It's been a year since we took a builder grade home and turned it into a place we love....see it's beginnings here. Check out the "posts" about it...here.  For a list of paint colors go here.

It honor of our one year anniversary, here's a look at it today.

Entry-

Living Room-

Kitchen-

 

Guest Bath

 Master-bath and Bed-

Laundry-

Guest Room-

 
 I don't know why, but it always amazes me what paint can do to transform a space.....
 now just adding decorative touches. It's been a full and fun year of working on this little place.

Happy Day-

I'm linking this post to The Inspired Room.....check it out here.

 
 
 
 
  

Mirror Dresser- for $35

 

 

Remember these guys- They are now very good friends {I received two old dressers from Libby- this is not the one that I used. Couldn't find the before picture {my computer crashed last week, and I'm still trying to find everything...but the dresser looked just like this one in every-way, except the top drawers were different.}

 

What I did-

• Saved the mirror- which was cut into pieces to fit the dresser- $20
• Painted the dresser- Ralph Lauren- Regent Metallics- silver Base
• Purchased simple handles for $15
• Glued the mirror to the dresser using- Liquid Nails- Mirror adhesive ( in the silver and gold tube}
• Dresser- free from Libby

Here is a step by step look:

Applying the glue- mirror next

And here is another one with Emma in it....just because she is so cute.

One more piece done.

Tips-  Save all your old mirrors, you never know when, or how you will use them.  I asked my glass guy how much it would have cost me if I didn't have my own mirror.  He said somewhere between  $80 and $150. More if you wanted the ends beveled.

So if you are doing a bathroom redo and it has a big piece of mirror in it...SAVE IT!  if you don't want it, I will take it off your hands.  =)

I have some fun ideas for the top of the dresser....I just put a few items on it for now....so it didn't look so bare.

I'm linking this with The inspired Room, Click on over here  to see so many creative people.

 

 

 
 
 
  
 

  

Master Bedroom Headboard-

This is how our "Hamlet" master bedroom has looked for some time now.

I thought it was time to start making it look like someone lives here.

Plus, for some reason sleeping on a bed without a headboard makes me feel like I'm floating or falling off.

Hence project "Headboard" is under way.

Materials-

• one 4 X 5' piece of plywood
• 2 yards of fabric
• foam and quilt batting
• 8 feet of mirror railing - cut into two four feet pieces.
• spray glue
• screws
• fishing line to attach fabric covered buttons

1. Attached 4 feet of mirror railing up side down to back of plywood. The other piece goes right side up on the wall. To attach headboard to the wall just slide together.
2. Drilled 13 holes through plywood for use in attaching the buttons...and then sprayed the front with spray glue.  Placed the foam on the front {I had several pieces, I just cut them to fit the board} After I laid the foam down I topped that with quilt batting.
3. Cover the foam and quilt batting with my fabric....stapling everything to the back of the plywood.
4. If you enlarge the picture you will see where I circled the holes make for the bottoms.   I fished a needle and fishing line through the holes in the back through all layers of foam, batting and fabric. Tried a knot to the back of the button. I then tighten the line to a small screw placed by each hole.

This gives you an idea what the foam and batting looked like before I covered it with fabric.

This gives you an idea on how I folded the corners.

I like how it fits close to the wall....using the heavy mirror railing....really helped.

And here is the finished Headboard- Total cost of materials- $82.50

Today I added a couple of lamps taken from the CV house... along with some $9.00 pillows found at target.

....I was really pleased how it turned out. Step by step things are coming together. Next month I will be adding some curtains and a few other things.   

Plus the mirror has been cut for the dresser, I will be gluing that on the dresser Monday....then I will share.

Here are a couple of tips-

If you are going to use plywood make sure you find a very straight piece....if it has a blend to it....mounting it with mirror railing can be a pain...plus it helps to have a good and flat wall.

I got the mirror railing at a glass/window store... they cut it by the foot.

Covered buttons are harder than they look to do.

It took me about a half hour to cover the plywood- 2 hours to do the buttons and about 15 min. to install.

 

I'm linking this post with others who are sharing wonderful ideas and home inspiration...  check it out here.

  
 

 

 

Back to working on the Hamlet-

I've had so much on my "plate" lately that I haven't done much to the Hamlet.  It will be a year in May since we brought this little place....and it has come a long way....but we still has a ways to go. {step by step} We still don't have our master bedroom "arranged" just a bed. 

But not for long....I have a couple projects that I've started and hope to finish by next week....

Remember what the Hamlet bathroom used to look like....take a look here.   When we took down the old mirror I kept it to use in a different project....well, that is one of the projects I planned to use it for.

I received an old dresser from Libby- {free style} painted it a mirror silver white color. {it almost has a reflective quality} Ralph Lauren Regent Metallics Silver base.

Today this dresser will be making it way to my glass cutting guy {who has my old bathroom mirror} 

I plan to have him cut up the old mirror and glue the pieces to the top, drawers, and sides.  

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

This dresser will be added to the Master bedroom.

Second project-

 

 

We have no headboard for our bed....so yes, I decided to make one.  The materials were less than $100-  Happy day! {found the fabric for cheap at a local fabric store....if you live in my area it was "Rainbow" fabrics}

I will share that project as I work on it.... yet another one I hope to finish by next week. 

It feels good to be back to creating.....and you know me, it's all in the challenge of making it look nice on a small budget.{that's where the fun is....how fun would it be to just walk in a store and say "I will take one of each?" Well,I guess if I'm being true, maybe that would be fun to do just once in my life.  =}   Happy Day

To see how the Hamlet has evolved over the last year check out here and here. 

Adding piece by piece-

 

For me Decorating has never been a "go shopping once" and get every thing done experience.  It takes time adding things piece by piece. This is what it looked like back in October....and this is what it looked like when we first got it.

 

   Here's how it looks today.

It's been almost a year since we first started working on this little place, and it's still a work in progress. 

I think I will be working on our bedroom next.  The only thing in that room is a mattress. No headboard, no side table....well you get the picture.  =)

It's always fun and I don't mind taking time to put everything together.

Happy Day

I'm also linking this with Melissa at the Inspired Room-   Check her site out....always tons of ideas.

  

 

Garage Makeover-

Well it never did get warmer but I couldn't wait to clean up the garage. So I took a little longer than one day to do this. 

• 5 hours to paints 
• 2 hours to remake garage door
• 1 hour to paint floor
• 2 hours to snap the storage units together- they are from Lowes
• 2 days for everything to dry completely.

Before-

 

After-

Just mainly paint....but what a difference.  This entire makeover came in under $300 and that includes the garage door make over.

The floor took the longest to dry because of the weather- it is epoxy garage floor paint. 

Before-

 

$84 dollars later-
 .

 
 Just a simple little change. 

I needed to do something to chase the foggy day blues away.

Happy Day

I linking this post with Melissa at the Inspired room- check out what she is up to. Today she is sharing ideas on how to chase away the winter blues.

I'm at Blissful today too- take a look. 

A new Garage in a Day.... ?

I have big "simple" plans for our Hamlet garage- I'm ready to go....but the weather is not working with me.  I need just a little bit of sun. We have had foggy days now for a week, I have lots of painting in mind, so to get it done in a day  the weather need to just warm up a bit.

  

 What my plans include-

• Epoxy
•  dummy hinges
•  3 gallons of paint
• Cast aluminum pull handles
• trop l'oeil
• two snap together storage units
• lots of tape

For $300 or less.  

Pray for warmer weather.....I'm getting eager!

Flour Sack Pillows

Remember that flour sack I picked up at Remnants of the Past antique sale?

Well, yesterday I took a little time at work and turned it into two pillows.

Super easy to do- I just cut it in half added a pillow form and then hemmed the end closed.

Two large antique pillows for $20 dollars-

-Sweet-

For the Love-

I love to take simple little places and make them "grand" {grand to me anyway} In the last few years I have had fun fixing up, re-purposing, painting, and just plain making it over.

This older home {Bungalow}  had all the right bones, and perfect light.  We were just renting it, but I tried to put something of us in it.

 
A lot happened in the short time we were there-  Click here and here.

Now we are fixing up the Hamlet- We started with it looking like this-

Now it looks like this-

and from this...

to this...

 
 
  To follow some of the transformations click here or go to "hamlet" in categories at left.

Everything was done on a "shoe string", making over or re-doing.  To me that's where the fun is. There is still a lot more to do....and I'm getting a little closer, piece by piece. It is ever changing. 

 I grew up moving from one home to another, perhaps that's where some of my first lessons were taught/learned.  That everything doesn't have to match or come from a "top of the line" store to make a house a home.

I hope you have enjoyed coming on this journey with me...I know it's been fun for me.

I have tons more to share....in fact I'm just getting started.  =)  This week I'm making pillows for the white sofa, with the burlap sack I got a couple weeks ago. fun!

Oh, and I just have to share a few pictures from the CV garden- we are heading into winter; here's a little look at my winter garden.

 
The last flower on the vine-

To see the garden in other seasons click here.

I'm linking this post up with Cielo over at The House in the roses. For her "Show off your Cottage" Monday.

I'm also over at Blissful today-  I would love for you to come on over and visit.

finished Master bedroom

 

 
Little by little Bree and I have been "dressing" their room. Well, it's finally finished.{all but the head board for the bed, we will get that for them back at school, one less thing to move}

Take a little look at what we have done.

All the furniture came from IKEA.  The "soft stuff" from Target.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bree picked out everything, she has great taste.  Totally had a blast working with her.
 I forgot to take a picture of the "art", we framed a picture Denver took on their honeymoon. Perhaps Bree will share it on her blog later.