Being Creative

A few years ago I decided it was time to buy a new headboard for my bed. I wanted something very special and was fortunate enough to find the perfect piece. The day it was delivered I was not at home so I had my brother in law handle the delivery. When I arrived home later I discovered that two of the four wood "posters" where dented. I called the company and they delivered two new ones the next day. Fortunately for me they left me with the two original ones. So what could I do with these pieces? They were too nice to throw away so I took some time to think about it and this is what I came up with.

Each post unscrewed into three pieces. A finial on the top, the long fluted section in the middle and a decorative carved piece on the bottom. I decided that I would make a two tables with the long pieces and two lamps with the bottom
Here is the table completed. I purchased two pine rounds at Home Depot (under $10.00) and the bottom piece I found at the craft store. I used a painting technique referred to as marbling. It's suppose to really look like marble when all done. This involves painting the wood solid black and adding shades of blue -green. After it dries you take a feather, drink 10 cups of coffee and make little, fine irregular lines. The coffee really helps here! A clear, glossy coat to finish it up.


I had enough to make two tables which now sit in front of two separate windows in the bedroom.
Next were the lamps. I have a friend who does some handyman work and he helped me drill a very, very long hole through the wood. I needed this hole so the wiring could come from the bottom all the way to the top.
I added harps and shades and placed them on either side of my bed (not pictured here). It takes some time to think these things up, but the end results were gratifying and functional. Oh, and did I mention "thrifty". 01 02 12

Reader's Projects

Marilyn wrote to me with ideas for some wine crates she purchased at the store. She came up with this creative use-a planter for her garden.

Here is how she describes this project:

Here is a very basic use for discarded wooden wine crates. First, I sealed the wood and then lined it with plastic to guard against wood rot. (In addition, I placed the crate on 2 bricks to elevate the box and provide good air circulation. )

Then I drilled holes in the bottom, filled it with good potting soil and planted it.

I decided against staining the boxes, preferring a rustic look. These boxes are very sturdy and I think could likely be used again next year.

I think my next project is going to take another wine crate apart and try to make a bird house. I really hate to see seeing these wine crates ending up in a dumpster when there are so many things that could be made from the wood.

*I love this idea. What a great way to use something that others may just throw away. I love the look this little box adds to your garden. It gives me a real country feel and it blends real nice with nature. If you get around to making that birdhouse, please send me a picture that I can post. You have some wonderful ideas!!!

For all the rest of you.....I know you are working on some great projects. Share you creativeness, ideas and photos. Send me your pictures!! I would love to post them here and I am certain that others will enjoy looking at them.

01 02 12

Creative Ideas For Storage/Display Above Your Doorways

Storage/Display in neat places

Most of us don't think much about the space that exists above the doorways in our home but it is space isn't it? Valuable space that you can use to display and also to store things. Here is an example of the space that you can create above a doorway.

This is a space that I created in a hallway. Using two wood brackets and a shelf I now have a place to display some floral arrangements and a copper tray.

The two brackets I used were purchased at Home Depot, primed and painted in an off white color.
I use a lot of this wood rope trim. I love the way it looks and it adds a smooth, finished look to the shelf.
Ok, so my daughter is 15 years old and still won't give up the stuffed animals! She piles them onto her bed which makes it impossible to make in the morning. I added a shelf to the top of her door to store "some" of the animals. I really shoved them in there using two pine boards to accommodate a large number of characters that seem to reproduce over night.

If you can take your eyes off of all the "posters" and junk on the door you'll notice the shelf above that stores all the animals. I installed this shelf on the left by just resting it on the other door's trim and adding a piece of trim to the right, painting it the same color of the wall. If you are really tight on space you can actually store things in the back and display some pretty items in the front to hide your secret storage area.

Check around your house and see if there are places you can use above the doors. Just another place that we never think of............

01 02 12

Reader's Projects

Another great, thrifty organization project from one of my readers: read on......

Christy I Love you blog!

We moved into a new house in November and the furniture that I purchased for the girls room did not fit as measured. Additionally, the dresser purchased for them needs much more extensive repairs then I thought when purchasing it. So we have been using a set of plastic drawers & shelves and wicker laundry baskets to organize the shoes & some clothes for 3 girls in one room.

The situation continued to get worse & worse as shoes were lost, clothes missing etc…. So I purchased 2 over the door shoe racks. One is in their closet and one is on the door into their room. We put 3 tan over sized totes in the closet to corral the sweats. I choose tan because it is a neutral and will compliment the color scheme of the room which is: Pink, purple, white, blue & tan. Keep in mind in Shabby chic decorating you have to stick to the color palette to make it work. I purchased 2 round white laundry baskets for PJ’s and shorts (the laundry baskets are a temporary but effective solution until the dresser is complete). We pulled out one of the two purple toy totes from the closet and put it on top of the book case I found on the side of the road.

With 3 girls in one room organization is a must! We are constantly on the look out for cute and compact organizers that fit into our color scheme at Garage sales, Goodwill, Salvation Army and Hospice Thrifts.

This room is a work in progress. We have already purchased the bunk beds for this room and hope to get them up in the next 2 weeks. After that the bunk is scheduled to be painted (in my spare time of course). The comforters (that I paid $5 each for at Round Top Antique Faire) are going to be tea dyed along with the beautiful ($3) shams. It goes on and on and on so basically like the rest of our house the girl’s room is headed toward Country Shabby Chic! If Christy allows I’ll keep you updated!

Thanks so much for sharing with us all these great organizational ideas. Considering all the obstacles, this was a great way to organize three girls. The shoe rack is something I have in all my bathrooms behind the doors to organize the bath and body supplies. Good work!!

01 02 12

Thrifty Use of Kids Old Playhouse

When we moved into our Atlanta home 12 years ago there was a wood playhouse in the backyard. The kids used it for a few years until they just grew out of it. It's been sitting in my yard now for years, unused. It was time for it to go. I enlisted some help from my brother in law and went to work. It took us all day to remove it and were left with a rather large pile of wood when we were all finished. Here is a photo of my backyard. The playhouse use to be located behind the little wooden bridge.

Now we were faced with getting rid of all the pressure treated wood. That's when I got an idea. There is a walkway that goes around the back of my house that the previous owner started, but never finished. That's where I decided to use all the old lumber. It was still in good shape and could really be useful.

Here is a photograph of the walkway being worked on. This use to be railroad ties with pebbles in the foot area. With the help of the "old" wood we were able to complete these stairs. I landed up having to buy $30.00 worth of wood to finish it up but was lucky enough to have a Lowe's $10.00 coupon. I purchased some flowers for my garden which brought my purchase up to 50 bucks and used the coupon. What a bargain!

The wood needs a power washing and then I'll stain it but other than that it turned out to be a great use of wood that I otherwise would have had to get rid of.

I am thrilled with the results and even happier that I could save so much money. I still have some wood left and I'm still thinking of what I can do with it.......more to come.01 02 12

A Home For The Birds

Spring has arrived in Atlanta and it's time to help my feathered friends decorate their house. I had the design in my head so I decided to draw it out on paper and buy what I needed.

Supplies:

• scrap plywood
  
• small nails
  
• good adhesive glue
  
• spray paint
  
• acrylic paints for details

Tools:

• jig saw
• drill with 1.5 inch wide drill bit
• hammer

Here it is in the making. I got some help from my brother-in-law. After I cut out the pieces, I glued them and installed some small nails to keep it together. The holes for the birds were made using a drill with a 1 1/2" bit. Plenty of room for the birds to slip in.

By the way, this birdhouse is a "triplex". I'm hoping that I get a few families!

Three hard wood floors. I think the birds should like this.

Here we have the finished product already for some new clients. I added the hand painting just to give it a creative look. I am certain the birds will appreciate it.Now..................I wait.01 02 12

Reader's Projects

Thank you to Kyle for sending photos of this project.

Here is the description:

We decorate in a Shabby Chic Country style. Here are the pictures of the frame that I very recently painted. The frame has wire I found on the side of the road and we use wooden clothes pins to pin pictures to it. The frame was purchased at an antique fair and the wire is staple gunned to it. When decorating Shabby Chic color is everything you have to work in the color palate and when you do you get that laid back “thrown together” look which is perfect for our country cottage!

I can send you more pictures of the house if you like these. If not that’s fine too, I’ve never submitted pix of my house to anything. We have lots of cheap projects going on at Rooster Hill (Master, Front Garden, girls room, free Pie Safe to Entertainment center, free Table to 2 nightstands) . We just moved in November! I have 3 girls in one room so you can pray that God will give me the ability to organize!

This is a great idea for hanging family photohgraphs and even messages. I love what people are doing out there and even better is that they are willing to share those ideas with my readers. Please keep those photographs and descriptions coming.

Looks like Kyle has a blog as well.

Check it out: http://3psinatxpod.blogspot.com/ Lots of frugal and creative ideas for the family.

01 02 12

Creative Ways to Display Family Photos

I am a big fan of black and white photography. Black and white allows you to focus on the subject, rather than the colors. With that in mind I needed a space where I could hang all my photos together. I wanted something more random than organized but confined to an area where it could be the centerpiece of the wall. Here is what I came up with.


Keep in mind that this is a "work in progress" and I have not completed hanging all of my photos . I started this project by mapping out an area with a ruler and then taping it out with blue painters tape. I decided to use a double border of coordinating paint that matched my room decor. When it was all dry I added the painted molding. I chose high gloss black paint for the trim to highlight the photographs. This photo gallery is located in the kid's entertainment room where they have a chance to enjoy them.
This is just one way to create a space that keeps all eyes focused on numerous photos simultaneously.
01 02 12

Reader's Projects

A few posts ago I asked people who look at this site to send me some photos of their projects. Sharon was gracious enough to send me some before and after photographs of a window treatment that she has just finished and some additional photos of a room that she has been working on. She has done some great work with faux finishing the walls, adding some very unique furniture and incorporating very creative and unusual accessories. Here is a photo of her bedroom window before:


and after:

A stunning difference and all made by Sharon. She did a fabulous job with this window treatment.

Here is a photograph of the faux finish she has been working on for the walls.

Take a look at this furniture that Sharon won on Ebay. How unique is this??? What an interesting collection and definitely nice enough for any castle. I just love this.

Sharon is using these wood appliques to complete the look of her room. I hope that when she is finished that she can provide us with a photograph of the room all completed. This is a work in progress, so we'll have to be patient.

I want to personally thank Sharon for all of these photographs!!! I love to see what other people are doing. I really feel it's important that we all share ideas and what better way then on this site.

If you are working on something and you are willing to share it with others, please send me some photos and a description. Then you can see your work on here too.

email photos to clturner3@aol.com

01 02 12