Projects Galour!

After graduating in May my life went from being very busy to very dull pretty quick. I knew that I had to find some things to do to keep myself busy during the summer or I would do insane. So I did just that. I found lots of projects that kept me busy.
My first project of the summer was refinishing an old desk that used to be Brett’s grandpa Lamar’s. It had been sitting in our house on the back porch for a year collecting dust and I vowed that it would be the first thing that I would do as soon as I had free time. And free time I did have… I was also going to take some pictures of the before and after of the desk but I got too excited about refinishing it and before I remembered I was almost done…. So all you get is that after pictures. You’ll just have to trust me that I really did it. I can tell you that it did all used to be one color and now it’s 2!

Brett’s family also had a garage sale in which they donated all of the proceeds to Relay for Life, which they participate in every year. There was this old frame of a couch which I would have bought for myself but knowing that we were going to be moving soon I knew that wasn’t an option. So I loving thought of someone who could use a couch on their porch (my mother) and told her that she was buying it so that I could refinish it for her…. I’m the best daughter, huh?!? Again, I got too excited to refinish it before I took a picture but here are the end results. Oh... I refinished her porch swing to match and now it also has matching pads on it but I don't have a picture of it.

This is actually a very comfy couch and works fanstically on their porch

Next, I decided to build myself a magnet board. I’ve needed something new to put picture on and my best friend Heidi got married and at her shower she was given a very cute magnet board. So I copied the idea and made my own. I can’t believe how easy it was!

A few days after I had finished that magnet board I was in a friends office and she had a very cute idea for hanging/displaying pictures. I just HAD to make it too! All it is, is 4 boards nailed together with plastic chicken wire stapled to the back and then mini clothespins that hang them up. Super easy and very cute! The original one I saw a bit more rustic and she just left the wood bare. But I decided that I wanted to paint mine and my cute sister-in-law, who is way more creative than I will ever be thought it would be cute to cute some vinyl lettering and put on it. So I did! Here is mine that currently hangs in my house, and then I also made two others for wedding presents with their last names on it (also pictured below).

This was what mine looked like until I painted it - I almost left it like this
but thought that with the lettering it would look better painted.

Another shot of the kitchen before, on the left hand side of the picture you can only see that the back room also has wall paper all over. I didn't get a before picture of that room so take note of small portion you have here.
BEFORE

Next, Brett’s mom, Susan has been saying for the last couple of years that she has wanted to redo/repaint her kitchen. So I got talking to her about it one night and soon enough I was painting the whole house! I did get a few before pictures of some of the rooms so I will try to show you the changes that we made. Our favorite rooms ended up being her master bed and bath. Sadly, I don’t have a before and after picture of that but just trust me that it was a BIG change. I painted their whole upstairs, 8 rooms and 1 hallway (minus one room – the living room) in just 10 days. Working with Suz on this project was a blast, I will redecorate/paint anyone’s house if they pay for it!J I now understand better why it takes Brett forever making decisions – he gets that from his mother – but usually the decisions he makes are better than my not-so-thought-through decisions. All-in-all this major project was a success and it was even fun!


In this picture you get an idea of what the
 family room,
the bathroom (room with light on)
and the kitchen looked like BEFORE

Tea cart area - entrance into the house
BEFORE

Kitchen again - looking into the living room
(which I didn't paint)
BEFORE

Kitchen area
AFTER



Kitchen area
AFTER

Bathroom
BEFORE (minus the painting stuff)



Bathroom
AFFTER



Office
BEFORE

Office
AFTER

TV/Family Room
AFTER (refer to top picture for comparison)

No Before of this room but it was full of stuff and unusable because of that
However, a little organizing and a fresh coat of paint and the kids have a huge play room all for themselves

Master Bath (no Before)

Master Bath (no before)

Master Bedroom (no before)

Master Bedroom (no before)

Back porch/laundry room AFTER
Before picture was only a little view from the kitchen

The projects kind of stopped for a brief moment because of the big move and then settling into our new apartment was a project in and of itself! But now I am back on the project wagon thanks to the awful luck of not finding a job, having WAY TOO much time by myself and the newest addition to our family…. My Sewing Machine! It was a cheap one from Walmart but it had great reviews online and it certainly does the job! So far I have made a new scripture bag (thanks to this website http://alove2create.blogspot.com/2011/02/scripture-bag.html) and a new messenger bag style purse (thanks to this website http://www.craftbits.com/project/messenger-bag). I’ve been looking for a cute messenger bag purse since we got here because I have to go to a Laundromat to do our laundry and I HATE having to set my purse down because when I am moving the clothes around I have to take it off my shoulder because it just keeps falling off and is super annoying. So I got the pattern from online and made it the size that I wanted. I was even able to sew pockets! Man… I would have to say that I am quite impressed with myself. Who knew sewing could be so easy/fun/time consuming – just what I need! 

The new addition to my world...

The Scripture Bag

Check out the pockets! There is two pen holders, a cell phone pocket and a lipstick holder all in one!

I am currently working on a new couch cover for our new futon and some pillows to go with it…. I will let you know how it turns out. Oh– and I’m would also LOVE to make a car seat cover like this…. But I don’t have anyone to make it for. Anyone need one?