Headboard Turned Bench

I have been wanting to make a bench using a headboard and footboard for a loooong time.  It was just a matter of finding an inexpensive set that I liked.  I picked up these two pieces at a thriftshop for $10 for both pieces.  I love the simpleness of the design.  There were no side rails with them.  I used scrapwood (tables leaves from an old broken table) we had in the garage to finish it off. My husband helped me put in a few long screws I couldn't get to go in but other than that I did all the cutting, putting together and painting.

Remember the box of furniture legs I got at a yard sale last summer for $1.  I used two of these to make the sides higher.  I thought about using fancier legs but these plain boxy ones match better.

 

After caulking I sprayed a coat of Kilz primer on it yesterday.  I'm still not sure what color I'm going to paint it but I love it already.

Total cost of bench: $10

Edited 5-7-10 to add this pillow

I really wanted to make a cushion for the bench but foam is so expensive. Tonight I had an idea pop into my head. I started with this table runner that I picked up at a yard sale last summer for $1. Someone made it with coordinating fabrics so it is reversible.

It was about a foot longer than the bench so I cut the extra length off and sewed the ruffle back on. A lady from church had given me about 15 yards of quilt batting that she had used as "snow" at her daughter's wedding reception. So I took some, rolled it up, turned my pillowcase inside out and rolled it onto the batting.

Instead of a cushion I have this great reversible pillow that cost me $1!!! The bench with the pillow cost me a grand total of $11 and a few hours work!

I have this beautiful old piece of wood I cut from the middle of the footboard.  It is almost three feet across.  I think I will make a sign to hang on the wall.  Maybe I will paint "Antiques" across it.  So many options.

I am linking up with Frugal Friday, Thrifty Treasures, Made By You Monday, Met Monday  and Do it Yourself Day,  Show and Share Day, Transformation Thursday, I made it Without My Hubby, Furniture Feature Friday, Saturday Nite Special, and TDC's Before and After Party

Armoire Redo and Finds

Check out this sweet little table I picked up last week at my local thrift store.  It was $3.  It had obviously been sitting outside and had a layer of powdery dirt on it.  I brought it home and got out my air compressor and blew the dirt off.  I love the finish on this piece it is already shabby distressed white.

I finally painted this armoire.  I bought it several years ago at a yard sale for $30.  It was unfinished pine in excellent condition.  I painted it a light celery green color.  It really was a pretty color.  (Wish I had a before picture).  But I have been wanting it to be white.  One morning I decided to just do it.  I took the doors off and didn't even take the tv out to paint it.  I distressed the edges and wiped it down with dark walnut stain. I also sprayed the goldish-colored hinges my favorite oil-rubbed-bronze.  My only regret is I wish I had done it sooner.  I'm loving this "new" peice.

Here's a picture of my winter mantel.  I need to make it brighter for spring and summer.  I love the sticks and pheasant feathers though.  I'm really into natural decor items.

I'm loving old keys.  I picked up this set at a craft store for $4.  And turned them into..............

.......these.  I found the door plate at a different craft store for $4.  The keys were more of a brown color so I sprayed them with my ORB paint and they match perfectly now.  I wasn't sure what to do with them until I stumbled upon these two picture frames at my local thrift store for $1 each.  They were new and still had the Target tags on them.  I love the distressed black finish on them.  I cut some scrapbook paper I already had and mod-podged it to a piece of cardboard.  I simply hot glued the iron pieces to the paper.  Both pieces cost me a total of $10.

Remember this mirror with hooks I got from a yard sale for $5?

I gave her a coat of ivory paint, then rubbed her down with stain.  I sprayed the brass hooks ORB.  She now resides by my back door.  I'm hoping to find a bench to put under it so the kids can sit and put on their shoes when they go out to play.

Here's another project I have been procrastinating.  My sis-in-law gave me this vinyl saying over a year ago.  I had my dad cut a board for me and it just sat until now. The other problem was my board was two inches too short.  I could have just bought another board but I didn't want to waste this one or spend the money on a new one.  So I cut the words apart and took out a little space between each word.  Then I had to get it all even.  It turned out perfectly.

I love this font!  I love the impact this makes being four feet long.

Just a couple pictures of fun things I bought.  I got the cute birds nest at Tai Pan on a recent trip to Utah and found the urn for 50 cents at a thrift store the same day.

I also picked up three of these galvanized buckets at Tia Pan.  Maybe they will replace the current decor on my mantel. I can see them filled with white tulips!!!!

I'm linking up with The Shabby Nest's Frugal Friday Party, Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures Party,  Met Monday, The Creative Girl, Motivate Me Monday,  Made By You Monday, Making the World Cuter, Just Something I Whipped Up, It's so Very Creative, Kimba's Do It Yourself Day, Toot Your Horn Tuesday,  Trash to Treasure Tuesday, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Transformation Thursday, and Furniture Feature Friday.

Thrift Store End Table Makeover and Beadboard

I picked up these two end tables on Saturday at our local thrift store.  They were only $5 each and are solid wood.

I sanded with course and then fine sand paper.  The painting took a lot longer than I expected.  I applied two coats of Kilz primer and three coats of white semi-gloss paint.  I did all of this with a 2 inch foam brush for a smooth finish.  Then I took my sander to the edges and applied dark walnut stain over the entire piece and  wiped it off.  I sprayed the brass colored handles on the drawers with oil rubbed bronze spray paint.  I picked up the baskets at Michaels today for half off.  I couldn't be happier with the results.  I love them!!!

I was getting tired of the red on the back of my built in shelves so I decided to brighten it up with some bead board. 

It ended up being a bigger project than I expected. I pretty much did this by myself. I am getting good with the skill saw. I went and bought myself a nail gun last week. It was on sale for $20 and I had a coupon for an additional 20% off so I got it for $16!!! I had to chalk all the seams and nail holes.  I  love this new look.

I'm linking up with Thrifty Decor Chic's Before and After Party, and The Shabby Chic Cottage, Miss Mustard Seeds, Twice Remembered,  Between Naps on the Porch, Shanty 2 Chic, and Southern Hospitality and Nester's Collections Party

Beadboard in the Dining Room.

A few months ago we moved the buffet in the dining room here where the computer desk was, and built the cafe shelves above it.

This is where the buffet once stood. For the past few months this has been a blank white wall.

Enter a piece of beadboard and some leftover paint and trim. I painted the top half of the wall the same beige color as our family room.

We still need to change the outlets to white. I got the berry wreaths for 25 cents each at a yard sale! The clock came from our local thrift store for $2 a few months back.

I took five of the gold frames that have hung on this wall for years and painted and distressed them. I have been wanting to do silouettes of the kids for a long time and I finally broke down and did it. It cost me $1 for the paper.

I am so pleased with how this wall turned out for very little money. I can't wait to get started on the rest of the dining room/kitchen.

I am linking up with Twice Remembered and Between Naps on the Porch

A Last Christmas Project

I undecorated the tree to take it down but I wanted to see how the tree skirt I just made looked on it. I used a canvas dropcloth from Lowes. I used my new ruffle foot for my sewing machine and ran 12 yards of fabric through it in about 2 minutes. I love it. I didn't iron it because I'm just going to fold it up and store it for next year. Then I wanted to see how the new ornaments looked I got on clearence after Christmas. So we put those on. I like how simple it looks. Can't wait to put it back up next year.

Remember the cute vintage tree in the white urn from my previous post.  I went to the local thrift store last week and there was a second one!!!  I snatched it up fast.  Now I have a pair.  And for $1.50 each. (The tag on each said $45).  I also snatched three of these flocked bird nests on branches for $1 each (tag said $12).  I put my glittery Christmas cardinals in them. I also got a bunch of other vintage looking items with the tags still on.  The local nursery donated the rest of their inventory to the thrift store the week of Christmas.  I'll have to rememebr that next year!!!

I picked up the pine/berry picks at the craft store for $1 the day after Christmas.

I packed up Christmas yesterday and with all my new finds I can't wait for Christmas to come this year!!!

Happy New Year!!!