a simple sign

One of the reasons I was feeling so discouraged from blogging in Nov/Dec/Jan was because I'm not pulling off big room remodels, or super cute projects, or sewing my kids clothes and slipcovers... I'm not making homemade ornaments and giftbags for every person I know... I'm just not. Sometimes I can only make sure my kids are fed, clean, and well slept.. and thats all I get done in a day. And I was feeling discouraged by the immense talent out there. And I truly can't compete.

But I like to join in and I like doing the little projects.. and someday I'll get to the big ones. So I'm back.. maybe not with the most creative genious stuff in the world, but with stuff that I like anyway. So I'll share it.

So this one is a no brainer. It took me all of 10-15 minutes. I took an old framed print of a bridge (the civil engineer in me) and covered the mat with scrap fabric.




Then I printed out the words "Be Still" from Psalm 46:10 onto plain printer paper. I traced the letters very hard with a pen over top of the fabric so that it showed up a little.

Then I took a permanent marker (I call it a "sharpie" but hubby insists that the words "sharpie" and "kleenex" are BRAND names and not common nouns. whatever. where was I?)

So I took that permanent marker and I traced over my light pen line and filled in. I replaced the glass and hung my new "art" on the wall under my old junky "art" that cost $1 ladder.

Back Again

I've been in a bit of a decor slump, if you will. I have not spent my free time in the months of November and December (ok, or january either) focussing on decorating..
but thats been bothering me. So I'm going to give it another go - start this new year fresh (a month or so late...) !!

And I'll start back by joining in on a linky party at Our Suburban Cottage

I did do a very small ZERO COST organizational project at the beginning of January.. on my laundry room.

My laundry room is in my basement. My basement is a disaster. Seriously. It could easily blow the competition away in a "scariest basement" contest. (If you ever hear of one of those, tell me... Preferably one where the winner gets a free basement remodel worth thousands.) It very well could have been the location of numerous horror movies. It is creepy beyond all reason. It's damp. It smells.

I can't even believe I'm going to post before pictures of the laundry area in my basement - or afters, come to think of it.

My laundry area is also home to my paint stash, my drop cloths, rags, sander & sandpaper, etc... well, it was more than a little Out. Of. Control.


Ok here it goes ... B E F O R E

Notice the cords draped in the utility tub... n i c e.



Ok.. I counted 11 drop cloths old filthy bedsheets that I use when I paint. Who needs 11 of them anyway - all shoved up there in that little cupboard? I wittled that down to 5.. much better.

And...

With ZERO budget for a c.u.t.e. laundry room, or super stylish front loaders, I used what I had to make her over ...........

A F T E R

Ordinarly I would NOT go this bold. This is way out of my decorating comfort zone.. but puhh-lease, did you see the befores? I could not get any worse. I wanted to do something bold and daring.. for me.

I used my canvas drop cloth material for a few strategic "curtains" if you will. I even gave the sink a little skirt..

Cords are now tucked neatly behind the utility tub.. much safer. I didn't bother painting the inside of the sink since I use it regularly & it would just get all chipped up.

Scrapbook paper made for nice shelf liner.

Some scrapbook paper in Target dollar spot frames that I had on hand and my laundry supplies in old wash basins...

There you have it. It's not much - but it's better than it was a month ago.

Everyone Loves a Giveaway & A C.U.T.E blog!

What a great week to find the cutest little blog! I stumbled upon Making the World Cuter when I saw her fabulous advent calendar here. And then I saw this:

Check it out.... and get entered!!! gotta love a giveaway and why not LOTS of giveaways!

A Big Basket for Blankets: Improvised

I love blankets. I love to wrap up in them. I love to have them out for people to wrap up in when they visit. (Bear in mind our cheapness thriftiness, it stays between 62-64 degrees in our house all winter.) I like when other people have them out in their house. I think they add such coziness and warmth (imagine that!) to a living room.

I have never done this well. I've always wanted a h.u.g.e basket for putting blankets in. You know, the kind that are over $100.

Like these beauties from Pottery Barn for $89-$129.

Photo Credit: Pottery Barn

Or this one from Restoration Hardware for a mere $149.

Photo Credit: Resoration Hardware

Now I know they sell them at Marshalls or TJ Maxx for a discounted $40-$60, but I still don't want to pay $50 for a basket. I love my husband that much!


Well, I busted out my blankets since its November now. And after rearranging the furniture in my living room a little, I had the perfect space to store my blankets beside the loveseat. Then, I remembered these two crates that were left here by the previous owner. I used them outside this summer to decorate the back porch....

Pretty nasty after being outside all summer and then in my scarey basement for a few days...

a good scrubbing and this would be my blanket "basket" improvised.. for F.R.E.E! It holds 5 throw blankets! I'm way excited! I didn't bother repainting or anything







Shopping the house never felt so good!

*Edited to Add: Get over to Get your Martha On for her awesome Pottery Barn giveaway. you know, the one or two or maybe three of you that will see this.... ;)

*Edited to Add: I'm linking this up to MET Monday at Between Naps on the Porch!

*Also Edited to Add: I'll link up to DIY Day at Kimba's. At her NEW place on the web!!

Typewriter Keys: the afters

Here are some of the "After" shots of this project ... now that its completed and hanging above the desk in our living room.

It did need another coat of stain! And I decided against the shelf and locker box at the last minute.... so she hangs all alone here. I'm liking it!

PotteryBarn's Typewriter Keys Knock-Off

I saw this picture about two months ago and loved it...

Photo Credit: PotteryBarn

Specifically, I'm loving those typewriter keys. SO then I happen upon Suzie Harris' project at Bienvenue ....

Photo Credit: Bienvenue

And I believe she has this listed in her etsy store ... unless someone snatched it up already. Had I known of Suzie's incredible sign making skills at the time, I would not have attempted this project... but I didn't. And I thought to myself, "I could make that."

Yea, leave the sign making to the truly gifted, crafty signmakers and not to mommies of 2 kiddos (2 and under) whose patience is nowhere in sight lacking by the time they are able to work on this project each night.

So fast forward a bit .... I used some thin plywood underlayment that we had in our garage from when we tore up the old kitchen floor. Yes, we save used underlayment around here. And I cut it to 30"x30". Pottery Barn's version is 42"x42" but that is just huge for my space. So I chopped off a foot in either direction.

I painted it up with Behr's seaside sand, which I always have on hand. Then I used black licorice acrylic paint for the circles, which cost me $0.97 at WalMart.

I printed out my letters and numbers/symbols in a font that I liked and I traced around them really hard with a pen so that they would imprint on the underlayment. And I filled in the traced letters. And that stretched me. I long to be crafty.. I really do.. but it stretched me. Fortunately I'm not afraid of paint... and I had to repaint one or two or three.




When all of the letters were painted, I stained that bad boy with Minwax's Provencial 211, which I also had on hand.

And there she is. The PB version is going for $349. I made mine for $0.97 and a lot of labor.

And I am looking forward to editing this post to include the finished product hanging in my living room.... but I literally just finished staining tonight and was too excited not to share ..... And come to think of it - I'm definitely going to add another coat of stain. It needs to be darkened up. any thoughts on that...?

I'm linking this up to DIY Day at Kimba's.
Happy DIY day.... all you who actually completely finish your projects before posting!

Edited to add: I'm linking this up to the I can make that party at Just A Girl because I have a couple friends who have specifically requested one.... and while I didn't think of it as a gift (you can see it hanging on my wall here) I do have a ton more underlayment and paint! Maybe I could crank out one or two for gifts before Christmas!

Now all I need is more time....

Leen the Graphics Queen

Check out the giveaway over at It's the Little things ......

And then check out Leen the Graphics Queen on Etsy and her really sweet stuff like this:

Photo Credit: LeenTheGraphicsQueen's Shop Etsy

I'm loving this for the boys room.

Decor Blogging Fun

Check out Beth at The Stories of A to Z.... and her hilarious top ten list for decor bloggers.


So so funny!