Monday, June 27, 2011

Someone's Trash Became My Treasure

Hope everyone had a great week since I last updated. I had a very busy week, hence no updates in a week. I did some babysitting last week and I got some items marked off of my "to do" list. I am sooo excited to show you some of them. My staircase going to the upstairs has been a thorn in my side as far as decorating. I have been looking around for some ideas that aren't super expensive. Everything that I found that I thought would work was way out of the budget. All over decorating/do-it-yourself craft blogs people have been talking about and designing their own version of the sunburst mirror. I thought to my little self " I think I can do that and it would look great going upstairs!" I was determined that this was a project I was not going to involve poor old Miguel in. So, I pulled ideas from the various blogs and got started. I wanted to use what I had on hand so I had to improvise some. I used shims that I cut in various lengths with Miguel's miter saw and spray painted them varying colors of silver and gray. I then followed all of the blogs tutorials and cut a piece of cardboard and started to hot glue these babies to the cardboard. So far so good. Well let me tell you dear readers, all those blogs made it look easy...........it wasn't for me! I think the shims were too heavy so the glue wasn't holding them to the cardboard. Ok...plan B, I will nail them. Well, that didn't work either because the cardboard was too flimsy to hold all those nails. By this point dear hubby had awaken for the day (he is still on third shift) and wanted to know what I was doing. I became VERY emotional and starting blubbering about how all the people on the blogs make such cool things very thrifty like and its always so easy so them why can't I do anything right?!?!!? I think Miguel thought I was losing it and I'm sure he was praying we would just go out and buy something for the staircase because this meltdown was so not worth saving money for. We finally decided to cut the thinnest piece of board we could find into a circle with his jig-saw. I then could go to plan C. I used the nail gun and stapled the shims to the wood. Then I glued glass beads to it and glued the circle mirror to the board with Tacky Glue. And after a melt down and three tries......it didn't fit where I wouldn't it to. I did measure people, obviously not good enough though. So we put it on a different wall on the staircase and here is the result.....
The opposite wall has vinyl lettering that says "Joy in the Journey" and has pictures of the fam. (Please ignore the frame that has no picture in it. We were trying not to put a bunch of nail holes in the wall so we decided to use the 3D commander hanger things. Everyone else seems to love them, but alas they so did not work for us and all the pictures came crashing down. This is the only one that broke, but we nailed it up there anyways so I could work it in when I get a new frame.)






At the top of the staircase, I had pictured a skinny entryway table with some decorations. I have been looking and looking at garage sales and thrift stores and haven't found what I wanted. Well, one day after garage sale'en with the sisters, Nicole was taking me home and I saw two nightstands by the curb with someone's trash. We drove on and I was talking about them. Nicole wanted to know if I wanted to go back. I swallowed my pride and said I would like to. Of course I think every car in my hometown was driving by as I was taking trash and I was kind of embarrassed. Nicole gently pointed out she would rather someone get use out of her trash then it end up in a landfill and I felt better. So, home I went with my free find. This is what they looked like when I started.....







Yep, they were rough. Not sure why someone glued cork board to the one on the right. They had several things going for them though. They were solid and nicely built and they would be the right size for what I wanted. Here is a front shot. You can also get a lovely view of a room I have never shown before....the kitchen. I believe everyone can now understand my eagerness so make this kitchen nothing but a bad memory. shudder shudder



So, I picked the big pieces of cork off the one and began sanding to get the rest off and all the glue they used to glue the cork down with. Here are my helper for this project. The sanding alone took about 2 hours. The one helper is of course little Miss Addie and the other is the girl I was watching last week for Nicole as Nicole wanted to get the baby's room all set up. And before you all think I'm into child labor, they wanted to help. =)






After sanding, I put on four coats of my free white Menards paint. In between coats 2 and 3 I went to a garage sale and they had the coolest lion's head draw pulls and I knew they would be perfect for these tables. After the paint was dry I distressed one table. Miguel came and wanted to try his hand at distressing and he did a much better job than I, so he finished it up. And here are my tables that cost me $2 for the draw pulls and a bit of my time.

I love the way they turned out and I am so happy to have my hallway decorated. So, have you found any treasures yet? Ever picked up something from the curb? Do tell! Have a stupendous day and God bless you all!


10 comments:

  1. Love all your projects! The tables look fantastic! your house is cordinated so perfectly, i love your vision! I actually thought of you today when i stripped down and drawer for a table, and when it didn't work I was like "Steph would have the perfect paint or fix for this bad boy!" It now sits on the 'porch'...waiting for me to figure something out. I think i am going to cover it with cloth not quite sure yet! haha The last table i painted and antiqued, i picked up from along side the road too! :) What wonderful neighbor's we have! haha I went to the thrift store today, and bit off more than I can chew I believe! 2 more end tables! Yikes!
    Lovin the update Stephanie! :D They always make me smile! God bless you richly!

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  2. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.....now that I see that pic of Addy, I know the rest of the secret, hmm?

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  3. Awww Lindsey thanks! That made me smile...but as you can see I don't always have the solution and I have my decorating meltdowns. I thought I would keep it real for this post. lol Wish we didn't live so far away and we could work on these things together. That would be fun. Thank you as well Leah. Soon you will get to hold your little one. Yeah! And Maria...yep thats how she got ahold of the sandpaper that she sanded my stainless steel fridge with....she was "help it" mom. sheepish smile

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  4. I wasn't gonna say what she did! Has M noticed?

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  5. Wow, you two are amazing! The tables are so beautiful!! I just pick things up from the clearence section lol...
    Auntie Canti

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  6. Canti~ Thanks so much for your nice words. Well dear, I don't blame you. You and Al both work full time so you don't have as much time to be fixing trash. lol And your house is beautiful how it is so you don't need to be doing this kind of stuff.

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  7. Hey, I was looking all over the place for you at camp, but I guess you'd already left! =( I saw Miguel and Addie (from a distance) but I could never find you!! I just wanted to say "Hi" in person since we so rarely see each other anymore.... I read your blog regularly, just don't always post. =) It's good to kind of keep up with you on here!! I see Maria around every now and then... plus I keep up with her daily on FB! hahaha Hope to see you sometime soon!!

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  8. Shan~ So sorry I missed you! Mom wasn't feeling well and she also had Maria's two kids. I rode with them and they wanted to get going pretty quick. Hope we can say hi in person soon!

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