Beachy dresser

Have you ever seen the blog, Life in the Fun Lane? She redid a waterfall dresser a while back that I wanted to try and duplicate. Here's mine...
Before

After

Um... it's different.

So I've only asked one person about my new wreath and all they said was "um... it's different".

Well, I guess it matches it's owner.

Paysen's room

I was waiting to finish Paysen's window treatments and paint to post pictures of her room. Well, I still need to do a couple things like frame some art from a vintage Cinderella book but I'm trying to pace myself till my husband gets home.



Here's a picture of the antique bed I got on Craigslist, I posted about it a long time ago. As you can tell, I decided NOT to paint it. I just sprayed it with a couple coats of poly and stuck it in there. It is really old, it even has that chain link and wood frame, you know what I'm talking about?



I got her chicken coop toy organizer from Tara, who got it at a thrift store in Cottonwood. Not that her toys will ever be organized. And I already put pics of her step back cabinet, but here is another one.

Shirring tape

Isn't shirring tape the greatest? I decided to try it out after reading on the design intervention blog how easy it was here. She is a master seamstress and has really detailed instructions on how to do cool projects...


It was probably the easiest project I've made. I love the balloon shades from the Simple Shabby Chic line and even though they're relatively inexpensive, my project was around $2 because I just had to buy the tape. I used a full-sized sheet I already had and sewed some ties on the top to hang on these little knobs. The panel has 4 pieces of tape sewn on the backs and I attached the knobs to the wall using double sided screws.

New mantel decor

I needed new decorations for my mantel since I swiped most of the white dishes I got from the thrift store to put above my cabinets here.... I went to the flea market in Prescott valley and the only purchases I made were 5 ball jars to add to my growing collection. And I really mean growing. I might need ball jar rehab. But the first step is admitting I need help right?



I accidentally set this crate with old books on the mantel when my 16 month old started ripping them up. I'm assuming he was going to use them to start a fire for some sort of sacrifice later. But they looked pretty good up there so I just went with it.

Soda table

Before

I don't drink coffee. I choose to consume high levels of caffeine via Pepsi. So this is my new soda table I got off craigslist from probably the nicest family I've met. It wasn't really in bad shape before, just a few stains on the top. But I already had a lot of dark furniture in my living room so I wanted to break it up with a nice cream piece.
After

Busticated

So kids have a tendency to talk like their parents. Which is unfortunate for my kids because I make up about half the words I use. So Paysen came in and told me my flower pot was "busticated". I use it when I pretend to be gangster. But I was sad because I love those potted little tulips. And I used them in a cute little holder I ripped off from Pier 1 back at Fort Rucker that looked like this.

Just to clarify, by "ripped off" I mean I stole the idea. It wasn't a 5 finger discount or anything. I just drilled some holes in a 1x3 and carved the sides down a little with a knife, cut some more 1x3's kinda at an angle and hammered them onto the top and painted it cream. With 3 of the pots broken, it looked a little ridiculous. So I just finished breaking them and stuck them in some ball jars with moss I bought from Hobby Lobby.

It adds a little punch of color to my never ending dish washing. And ball jars just plain make me happy.

Crib love seat

My sister Tara left this crib in my garage. And everyone knows, you can't leave stuff in my garage or it'll get confiscated. (Also Tara, sorry about your polka dot duvet cover. It may or may not have become a valance in Paysens room. It's not my fault really. It must be moms somehow. Bad genes or something.)

I set out for the good ol home depot where I got numerous comments about how brave I am for venturing into the world of commerce with 4 children. But I sure was glad when I discovered the cull bin was full of wood cut to the exact length that I needed. Happy as a clam, I frolicked to the front to pay. It was then that I made an earth moving discovery...
THEY SELL CHACO TACOS AT HOME DEPOT!!!!
But due to the diet that WE (tara and I) vowed to go on together, I just bowed my head, said a humble goodbye, and went on my way. It sure made me feel better about swiping the crib.

I made a frame for the crib mattress to sit on. I was going to use the side rail I didn't need but thought it might not hold up with my kids using every piece of furniture in my house as their personal trampolines.

And here it is finished. I cut up a twin sized bed skirt as the skirt for this. The frame butts up against the cribs ends so I used Velcro to attach it. Sorry about the quality of the pictures. I pulled a "tara" and used my phone to take them because I can't find my camera.

Boys room

Here is my boys room. I had originally painted below the chair rail a dark brown so my baby might sleep a little better in a darkened room. But my love for bead board won out in the end. I would do it everywhere if I could.

So here's the question of the day. If you have molding around the room that's lower, is it considered chair rail and if it's higher, it's called wainscoting?

I had some pictures of my boys enlarged at Sams club to go above the molding for an incredible price. Way cheaper than walmart or target. I got the frames from Ikea and painted them dark brown. The window treatments are made from crown molding and the panels are from Bed Bath and Beyond on clearance.

I got this antique bed off craigslist in Apache Junction. It was a little scary driving there, but the guy was nice enough. I know his dog sure liked to lick me.

I purchased the bedding at Home Goods in Scottsdale, bought the toy box and lockers from my sister, Tara. I think she got the lockers off craigslist in Flagstaff. And the dresser I've had for a while now, another craigslist find. It's been a variety of colors now but this red is my favorite. I think it's called rusty red from behr with provincial stain over the top. And I got the vintage rocking horse at Sweet Pea Antiques in Camp Verde.

That's pretty much it. I'm working on getting all my rooms photographed, but can't keep the house all clean enough to do it with 4 terrorists running around behind me. So I guess I'll have to do one room at a time.

Giveaway winner and light fixture

I chose a winner. And I decided to not spill the beans on who it is until after I get the prize. But I sufficiently stalked her blog and know exactly what I'm looking for.

Also, I wanted a light like this for my boys room.

It's from Pottery Barn. Which is code for cute but expensive.

So my mom found a star candle holder at a yard sale that looks just like it but isn't wired and gave it to me. Then I found one of these mini pendant light kits at Home Depot for about 15 bucks. I think they're cheaper at Ikea but it's 45 minutes away from my house.

Luckily there was a hole in the top of it that was small enough that the pendant wouldn't fit through it so the star's just kinda resting on it. I used a giant clear bulb that my handy man happened to have in his truck. And by my handy man, I mean my husbands best friend who vowed to care for us while he was deployed. Poor sucker. He didn't know I was going to do project after project to keep my mind off things! Anyways, here is the finished product. I'll post the rest of the room this weekend. I bought the coolest antique twin bed off craigslist I need to get bedding for before I reveal it.

Craigslist...

I have had a love/hate relationship with craigslist, or cracklist as my sister Tara so affectionately calls it, for a while now. Every time I post something for sale, I get all sorts of e-mails like "Is item still sale" and "I'll send you a cashiers blah blah...". I hate that part.

But I love looking on it because I can fill my desire to shop without having to drag my four kids under 5 to 20 different thrift stores. And every once in a while the clouds part and I score the most amazing find. Here's what this particular ad said...

VERY OLD ANTIQUE DOUBLE DOORS

Date: 2010-06-18, 9:34AM
This is a very cool double door set. Very old and very awesome looking. The lady I'm selling these for paid $600 for them but has since redecorated her home and lost the antique theme. Make an offer.


I know you must be thinking the same as me at this point. "Man, I'd love to get my hands on those doors but if that loony bin paid $600 for them, they're probably out of my price range."

The same person had some glass knobs listed that I ended up calling him about. I said I also liked his door but couldn't afford it. He said "How about $20".

I had to drive for 45 minutes but I was going that way to pick up Tara's b-day present anyways.

And here they sit until I figure out what to do with them. I may just keep them there. It sure gives the hallway to my kids/laundry room some MUCH needed spunk.


I could have got them for $10. Curses. Just kiddin.

Give away!

I've been saying for a while that as soon as we get to 100 followers, I'd do a give away. We're finally here (despite a few cheaters who knew about it) and I'm actually kinda proud. I wish our blog was a little fancier but at the same time, I like it's simplicity. I love sharing our projects with you and hope to even lend a little inspiration to my fellow junkers at times.

If you want to enter for a chance to win, leave a comment. If you're not already a follower, please become one. I (Nikki) get to choose who the winner will be because I'm providing the awesome gift.

The gift is so awesome in fact, that I'm going all the way to Canton, Texas to get it. I have a good friend stationed at Fort Hood who I'm going to visit and I conveniently picked a time that they'll be doing a huge flea market called First Monday Trade Days. http://www.firstmondaycanton.com/ I swiped some pictures off junkcamp.blogspot.com of a junking trip they made to Canton, I hope they don't mind. But it gives you an idea of what to expect for the give away prize! I'm SO excited to go to a big flea market as they're seriously lacking those here in Arizona.




I'll be checking out the winners blog (if you have one) before I go, to try and personalize the prize so it'll be a challenge for me. Good luck and I'll let you know soon who the winner is!

Bathroom re-do

Before

I saw a really cute bead board shelf on the pottery barn website. I had TONS of bead board left over from a massive project in the boys room that I'll post next week. Here's the one from Pottery Barn.

Here is my rendition...

I tried to use things I already had which included most of the antique knobs. I just had to pick up a couple more at Not Too Shabby. I added a little trim at the top and bottom, painted it white and screwed in the knobs.

I also found this old paper hole puncher and decided to use it as a towel holder.