8.30.2012

Three Projects...

i recently finished three "around the house" projects...and i am so glad to have them done:)

meet our shoe basket, it didn't used to have a liner, but i measured out the interior dimensions and sewed one up in the course of a couple of old school Care Bears episodes.


much better! now maybe we won't get mounds of sand on our tile:)

the next project i was super excited about because we finally took down our horrid vertical blinds (sorry no before picture) but you know the kind right? long, attached at the top and they get stuck all the time or come off all the time when your 2.5 year old pretends they are roads for his cars...and the plastic or vinyl they are made out of would break all the time at the place they were connected at the top...annoying!

so i went to a "no sale garage sale" swap kind of deal a while ago, and found a LONG curtain rod, with some brackets and thought, "that is ideal for our sliding door problem!" and then it sat in the garage for a while.  Then i bought a drop cloth with intents to make it into the curtains...it was too small.   Then a couple of weeks later i bought another drop cloth...bigger this time.  Then i looked around for ideas for a couple of weeks (you can see how this process was very long right?) anyway, long story short (too late Jen!) i decided on trying out this method of making a zig zag pattern, or chevron, using squares instead of piecing triangles together, which sounded like more work than i wanted to do:)  

i tried out this method really with the intent to make a baby quilt for baby girl who is due in November, but this was a good way to get a feel for the process and see if i liked it.  Turns out i like it a lot in small doses, but i don't think i want to do a whole quilt of it...another reason i'm not a quilter..i digress...

but i couldn't decide on a specific color scheme, so i decided to go with all colors, in a kind of color blocking/ ombre kind of effect...i don't know if it actually gives that effect, but i do like it A LOT!

yay for curtains!


the third project, was something i really needed! being pregnant and having some vein issues in one leg, gave rise to the idea that i NEEDED an ottoman when i sit on the couch.  NEED!  so i looked and looked for a table to make into an ottoman...cause i am cheap and felt like i wanted to make one instead of buy one for upwards of $150 for the size i wanted.

so i found this table at Goodwill for $30. It's BIG:)

getting ready to paint, i used a plastic table cloth for my drop cloth...at this point i got attacked by ANTS, so no more pictures of the paint process! sorry, but i will say i didn't prime (GASP) this time, because i wanted to sand it and have wood show through at the end. I sprayed it on (much to the kids' frustration, they wanted to help), Krylon Navy color spray paint.


i stenciled the smaller drop cloth with doilies, what looks like brown is actually gold, it's sparkly:)

there's Avery...gives you some size reference.  ***EDIT/ADDED: the table is topped with a 3 inch thick piece of foam from Joann's, which i got when their foam was on sale a week or so ago.  The fabric is staple gunned onto the table, around the foam.


distressed legs...


AHHHHH....so nice to be able to put my feet up! I love it!!!!
total cost: table $30, drop cloth $15 (i think), paint $4, foam (on sale) $30ish, sandpaper and paint i already had....so for about $80 i have an ottoman!!! yahooo!!!





5 comments:

Audrey said...

Great job Jen!!! I love the feel of organization.

Elizabeth O. said...

love the projects jen. Way to go! Did you use foam padding or batting or anything on the ottoman or just cover the top of the table with the cloth? Just curious. I really like that idea and might want to copy it. =) Did you staple gun the fabric in place?

Lacey said...

Your ottoman is awesome! We have one that came with our sectional (ie: we paid extra for it) and there is not a day that I don't thank myself for getting it!

rachel said...

Love the ottoman very cool! Those curtains are AWESOME! I admire the honesty, TIME, gusto, and even pictures in doing all of these projects!! I am currently gathering for a similar adventure with our dining chairs and table. . . oh boy. It is still ongoing and who knows if/when it will be completed!I may give up and buy something. . .I am going to try and channel your follow throughness.

erin T to the S said...

Awesome job! Why am I so devoid of talent, motivation and productivity and, yet, so closely related to you?....No justice... Xo