Monday, January 31, 2011

A Dresser in the Rough and a Question

Last week I showed you my newly organized closet.  Part of the makeover involved painting the dresser to help it fit into my colors.  My master bedroom is decorated in chocolate and gray-blue tones, and I wanted the dresser to be able to move into the bedroom if ever it needs a change of scenery.

This dresser has an interesting and sentimental history for me.  When I got my first apartment on my own, I furnished the entire 2-bedroom place for $150.  Was it cute?  Hmmm, there are no incriminating pictures that I know of, so I'd say "YES!"  But...I'd be lying.  However, my bedroom was all white shabby-chic and I did really like that room.  The dresser was $5 at a thrift store.  Yes, five bucks.  It was painted a shiny white with lots of chips, so I brought it home and did some "lazy girl" furniture refinishing: I sanded the living bejiminies out of it and called it a day.

The *only* picture I could find, taken the day before my wedding.
Wow, I loved that dress...takes me back...wait a second, we're here to see the
dresser, not the dress.  There it is!  In the distant background amidst piles of junk.

Five years later and I was living in a different town with my bestest, and getting ready to move out to live with my new husband.  I left my friend almost all of my furniture.  She kept the dresser for six more years, refinishing it in a gold and brown crackle finish to match her guest room's cozy color scheme.  But, with baby #2 on the way, she didn't need it anymore, and home it came to That Mommy.  Reunited and it feels so good...


Forgot to take a "before" until after one drawer was already primed.
Bad Mommy!

Really cute.  I love a crackle texture and once crackled an entire armoire.
And I will NEVER do it again.  It was the biggest pain, and I am way too lazy for that.

It came in the nick of time.  I knew I was about to clean up my closet, and my husband's gigantuan clothes really needed an entire dresser to themselves.  I was a little daunted by painting over the crackle finish, and for a while I hemmed and hawed over what to do.  In the end, I let my mantra "Simpler is Better" instruct me--I needed to just go with the texture rather than fighting it.  I gave it a cursory sanding to smooth out the biggest and bumpiest crackles.  Then, on to two coats of my favorite primer.



Then I painted with a foam brush and small foam roller, in two quick coats.  Finally, to play up the texture and give it a beachy, worn-out feel, I dry-brushed over the whole thing with white acrylic artist's paint.



I love the new finish so much that I painted a chair to match.



The color, by the way, is Autumn Fog by Valspar in an eggshell finish.  I went with eggshell because I wanted a worn, almost chalky finish.  The almost-matte sheen makes the most of the texture, too.  LOVE.


Now, for my question...I feel like those plain drawers are screaming for a decorative application--what should I do for them?  Botanical?  Graphic?  Paint?  Vinyl?  Please comment with your awesome ideas because I am ridonculously undecided about this.  Help!



P.S. Lovin' the Linkys at:
HOG
House of Grace

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Sunday Funnies

***
I didn't know I was embarking on a series when I posted "Sunday Funnies" three weeks ago. But I have noticed how many funny things are said to mommies, and I thought it might be fun to keep it going.  So, welcome--a little late--to my accidental series showcasing funny kid stuff.
***


One morning this past week Biggest was watching me put on makeup.

"Why are you putting on makeup, Mom?"

"Well, sweetie, sometimes girls wear makeup because it helps them feel prettier.  Maybe someday, when you grow up, you'll get married to a girl who likes makeup."

"I willlll???"  He said, with amazement in his voice and his cute little face.  Then, "Yeah...maybe...when I am old enough to drive...I'll drive in my car...and find...a woman."

Oh my dear, dear son.  I sincerely hope that when you do find--ahem--a woman, it is not by getting in your car and driving around until you spy a random female.  In fact, perhaps both driving and finding a woman are things you will always be too young for.  Mommies can dream.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Thank You, Dear Readers

I just wanted to take a minute to say "thank you" to each and every one of you who reads this blog.

I am thrilled to have 50 followers!  One of my main reasons for starting a blog was to feel connected to other people, and you have given me that by signing up to follow my craziness;) It is so exciting to be getting to know you, and each one of you is special to me!

And if you receive blog posts via email or in a reader...or through a linky party or just by typing in my address...I love you too!

To each and every one of you:

Love,

The Great Closet Clean-Out is Complete!



The closet is done!  Woo hoo!  Well...as done as it's gonna get for a while.  Do you ever "finish" a project only to think of a hundred more things you'd like to do?  I've got a voice in my head telling me to paint the walls, replace the florescent light, stencil the dresser...

While I have a chat with the voices in my head, please enjoy some Before and After shots of my once-tragic and now-terrific closet!

What you see when you open the closet door.


Turning to the left...


...and turning to the right.

The back corner, formerly known as the graveyard for hangers.

Here's what I did:  

First, I purged clothing.  I mentioned here that I took almost half of my clothing to a consignment store (actually two different stores).  This included jackets, suits and bridesmaid dresses, and I am hopeful I'll get back a couple hundred bucks.  If you are going to do this, you should be prepared to clean, iron, and mend your heart out...but to me, it is so worth it to both earn money and jettison stuff I don't need.  By the way, I specifically searched for stores which did not require dry cleaning...just for the clothes to be cleaned and pressed.

Second, I removed anything that didn't belong in the closet and found a new home for it.  The vacuum went to the hall closet.  Extra toys went to the boys' rooms.  Extra toiletries went in the bathroom or hall closet.  My wedding dress went under the guest bed.

Third, I made a space plan and discussed it with the Hubs.  This had to be a plan that worked for both of us, so I needed to know: can I move your ties?  No?  Okay.  And he needed to know I can't share horizontal space with him because his stuff migrates and crowds me out.  So we created a plan that would keep us both happy with our new system.

Fourth, I made a list of needs and wants.  Needs were things like hangers and other storage for my husband's clothing.  Wants included paint for the dresser (got it) and a new light fixture (didn't).  This kept me really focused when my mom took me shopping for stuff. Yay for Mom!  She takes me shopping for my birthday--isn't that sweet?  This year we bought closet stuff and Hubs thought I was crazy.  But that's what I wanted...and if you are still reading I know you get it.

Finally, I had fun.  Fun for me is moving all the new stuff in and bringing in some pretty stuff.    

So that's how we got here!  Now here are some more pics for ya: 

Our carry-ons are now stored on this super-high shelf.  They used to be kept
on the floor of the hall closet.  Now, they've traded spaces with the vacuum and
everyone is happier.

In case you are wondering where the wall of shoes went,
some to consignment and some moved to the door.  In our
house, our most frequently-worn shoes live in the garage.


I invested in identical hangers for Hubs's shirts.  It looks better and it makes things easier.

But...since this was a frugal makeover...my shirts live on old plastic hangers,
which are all the same shape but come in a rainbow of colors.  Yes, I arranged both the
shirts and the hangers by color.  I clearly have a disorder.

Also got new hangers for my husband's pants, because that
was a disaster zone.

Not only do I have room for some of my jewelry, I can actually
make things a little prettier.  I am so happy to have this surface to work with.

My small version of the framed jewelry organizers you see all
over the place.  I'm so happy with it!

Cheap Ikea boxes give me enough storage that my shelves aren't even full right now.
Heaven!

I even have some room for some sentimental things.

Dry cleaning used to be strewn on the floor or in the huge blue bag
featured prominently in the "Before" pics.  Now it goes in this basket which
sits happily underneath Hubs's hanging clothes.

The best part about this makeover is that it was CHEAP.  Less than $100 to make this transformation, and by the time I collect checks from the consignment stores this might in fact be a money-makin' project.  Here's what I spent:


What do you think?  Is it 100% better for less than a hundred bucks?  I think so.  No, it's not a new Elfa storage system.  It's not Mariah Carey's closet.  But it is a responsible, doable update and I bet you can do it too!  Be sure to let me know when you do;)



P.S. Lovin' the Linky's at:
The Shabby Nest
The Shabby Nest
Finding Fabulous
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Designer Garden Button
Designer Garden
Beyond The Picket Fence
Beyond the Picket Fence




Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Closet Preview

Well, I'm almost ready to show you what my closet looks like...after a lot of work and just a little bit of cash.  Here's a preview:



See you soon with all the "Afters!"

Monday, January 24, 2011

Money Saving Tips

Being frugal is not easy.  It takes discipline and effort to stay on top of what I am spending, and me no likey.  But enough whining...and on to Mommy's top five most random tips for saving money.

1) The Grocery Game!  Do you know this website?  It helps you use your coupons strategically based on what coupons you should have in your file as well as what is on sale where you shop.  It does cost somewhere in the range of $10 every 8 weeks, but I have saved so much money as a result of this system that it pays for itself.  That said, I think that you could temporarily enroll as a sort of "boot camp" for how to save money with coupons, then do your own research each week using store circulars.

2) Order groceries online.  I started doing this when I was real prego with LB, and I physically couldn't shop with a toddler anymore.  There has to be a grocery store near you who has this option.  I order my groceries online and they bring them out to my car for me at my pickup time.  The charge for this service is $4.95 at Harris Teeter, but I probably only pay that fee about half the time due to all their promotions.  The real reason this saves money is because it curbs impulse buying.  Until I started doing this, I had no idea how much I threw in my cart on a whim.  And, because you can see what you are spending before you click "buy," you can also decide what is a priority for you that week, and take that bottle of wine right out of your virtual cart.

3) Get someone to give you their Kohl's cash.  Okay, so people who shop at Kohl's know that they give "Kohl's cash" to their credit card customers.  These are like gift certificates that are good for a week at a time.    My awesome mom has the Kohl's credit card, gets the "cash," and gives it to me.  Here's an example of the kind of stuff you can do when you combine Kohl's cash with a sale:


I bought a decorative hourglass on clearance.  It was originally $34.99 and I paid $6.  Plus I got some chocolate because I am a sucker.  I gave them the Kohl's cash, and they gave me the merchandise for free.  I don't have store credit cards, but if I did it would be this one.  Their incentives are awesome.

4) Enroll in customer appreciation programs.  I do Upromise for college savings for my kids, My Coke Rewards, and stores like World Market and DSW.  I am a preferred customer at Sherwin-Williams and never buy paint there without a coupon.  I only do these if they don't take up too much time or real estate in my in-box.  For example, Huggies has an online rewards program which I did long enough to get some free diapers and wipes, but each code entered online required like 8 steps...not worth it.  But other programs totally are...if they are free I try them and see if they work for me.  Then I get free stuff with points or buy stuff in the stores using the incentives I get for enrolling.  At DSW I received a $10 coupon for enrolling (which was free) and another $10 for spending some money.  Then I went and bought 2 pairs of shoes on clearance and here was my receipt:


That's right--I spent $10.72 for two pairs of shoes and saved $105.05.  I got one pair of cute shoes and one pair of super-comfy Mommy shoes:


Does everyone hate how their own foot looks?  These shoes are cuter in person, by the way.
Not so orthodic-y.


5) Make a budget.  I know, everyone and your mother says this, but it is so true for me.  When I track what I'm spending by saving receipts and adding it all up at the end of the month, I see real clearly where that money goes, and can figure out how to save more of it.  And once I stopped paying full price for most things, I found it became easier to stay the heck out of the mall and stick to that budget.

How about you?  What's your best tip for saving money?

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Sunday Funnies

Last week we had one warm-ish day in a looong stretch of frigid.   I took the boys to the playground and Biggest Boy befriended a group of older boys playing together.  After a while the older boys started pretending to be some superheros I've never heard of.  Apparently I am too old and BB is too young for us to know this game yet, but that didn't stop Biggest.

He jumps right in and says, "I'll be Fire Hero!"

So the oldest boy there (who was really very sweet) says, "No, you're not old enough to play this game."

Biggest pauses just a second and loudly proclaims, "Well, I am still really awesome though!" The other boy was rendered completely speechless, and some random woman walking her dog laughed out loud.

Meanwhile, it made me think maybe I can give the praise and accolades just a wee bit of a rest. Because while he is Really Awesome, it's probably not that cool to make a habit of pronouncing his awesomeness in the public square.  On the other hand, his Dad does want him to be a pro athlete.  Maybe I oughtta keep this thing going, you know, teach him to dress up like Muhammed Ali and shout "I am the greatest!"  Then see what they think at the playground.

Friday, January 21, 2011

{Laundry}

I've been playing with some vinyl on that sweet Silhouette machine over there.  Actually, I take that back...that machine is not sweet.  She is sort of a finicky brat, actually.  She wants a lot of coddling, and she even required me to email customer support (if you are having issues with cutting your vinyl, you should too.  They sent me a software update which fixed the problem).

Anyhoo, when I am lovin' on her enough she is nice to me and helps me makes signs like this one:

My "Laundry" sign.  Both my husband and my 4-year old asked why it
has brackets.  I said, because it's pretty, darn it.  

This one's about as simple as it gets.  Hopefully I'll be doing more complicated stuff soon...cute little labels...geometric wall-art...a monogram, perhaps?

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Great Closet Clean-Out

For months now I have been saying that my only goal around the house in January was going to be my closet.  When I think about the closet I share with the Hubs, so many adjectives come to mind.  Embarrassing.  Inefficient.  Treacherous.  Chaotic.  Possible Portal to Hell. Indeed, I cannot sufficiently describe in words how truly horrible my closet is.  See for yourself, but promise you won't laugh at me (too much):

Whaaa....???  Is this a closet or a scene from Hoarders?

What you see when you open the door.  You can see why
I'd occasionally rather hide out in a sewer than go in there.

Turning to the right, you see the lovely view of a currently empty dresser
and a vacuum.  Among a few other things.

The far back corner, where shoes and hangers apparently go to die.

Sigh.  As you can see, I have a HUGE job ahead of me.  On the bright side, the clothes are already purged and organized.  Here are just some of the items I took to the consignment store:

I actually got ride of half my clothes, most to consignment
but some to be donated.  Half!

Here's where living a simpler life and being frugal really become one goal.  Without all those extra clothes, my closet will be neater, more efficient, and more attractive.  Yes, it was an emotional moment when it came to giving up my old business suits.  But I haven't been to any sort of professional event in over four years.  It's time to suck it up and decide that if I ever need a suit I should go buy one that's in style.  (Just between you and me, I did keep one suit...shhh).  And, since I can consign most of what I don't need, I'm making money to go toward those Student Loans, Dave Ramsey style.  So I'm using what I have, shedding what I don't need, and making money to boot.  Meets my goal of simple, but it also meets my goal of frugal.

You may have noticed from the pictures of my closet (if they didn't burn your eyeballs out), that my clothes were only half the problem.  I caught my husband in my evil clutches a cooperative mood and managed to convince him to donate three garbage bags stuffed with old clothes of his.  Three heavy garbage bags.  Like, probably 90 pounds of clothing.  It was a major coup.  The only shred of clothing the man's ever gotten rid of in at least 9 years was when I discovered his 30 identical "Intra-Mural Champion" T-shirts, and we threw away like 25 of them.  I'm not exaggerating.  So, the Closet Purge was a serious exercise in letting go, and it was awesome.

I'll be showing you the finished result of the Great Closet Clean-Out in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned!  Hopefully the 'After' pictures will justify the utter humiliation of the 'Befores.'  If they don't...please lie and tell me they do.



P.S. I'm lovin' --and I do mean LOVIN'--the Linky's at Decorchick's Real Messes Linky Party!