Category: Home Improvement

"board" out of my mind

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More fun with home improvement
(#4) 

* * *New Headboard* * *
After sifting through a few dozen DIY blogs and websites, I decided to tackle this project today. In theory, it seemed simple enough. Which doesn’t always translate to being simple-for-Mary, however. Nonetheless, I pulled out my tape measure, made the necessary notes and headed out.
I spent $19 at Home Depot – plywood (60×40), two pieces of wood for potential “legs” (25″ 1×6), and pack of 1/4″ staples for heavy-duty staple gun.

Home, after cute Spanish-speaking guys at Home Depot lashed plywood to the roof of my car. It was only a 1.5-mile drive, but it somehow took me ten minutes. 
Safety first, yeah? 
After unloading the HD loot, I headed to JoAnn’s, where I spent $13 – two yards of fabric and one bag-thingy of batting.
32 bones. Not bad. 

Once I ironed out the major wrinkles, the whole thing took me less than an hour. Seriously, easy-peasy, right? And if I can do it……

The fabric isn’t exactly what I was after, but my choices were limited because I needed it 48″wide–which is not standard. But the beauty of this DIY is, whenever it strikes my fancy, I can always recover.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but this pattern matches exactly with the rug in the room next door. I’m not much for the matchy-matchy look, so I’ll probably change the fabric sooner than later.
Don’t worry. After I took this picture, I made it more even. I should take a new picture, because this one is probably going to bug me for the rest of my blogging life. 
Oh well…. I’m off to sleep under the rainbow, snuggled up in my shirt blank. Bliss.zzzz…….

"board" out of my mind

Leave a comment

More fun with home improvement
(#4) 

* * *New Headboard* * *
After sifting through a few dozen DIY blogs and websites, I decided to tackle this project today. In theory, it seemed simple enough. Which doesn’t always translate to being simple-for-Mary, however. Nonetheless, I pulled out my tape measure, made the necessary notes and headed out.
I spent $19 at Home Depot – plywood (60×40), two pieces of wood for potential “legs” (25″ 1×6), and pack of 1/4″ staples for heavy-duty staple gun.

Home, after cute Spanish-speaking guys at Home Depot lashed plywood to the roof of my car. It was only a 1.5-mile drive, but it somehow took me ten minutes. 
Safety first, yeah? 
After unloading the HD loot, I headed to JoAnn’s, where I spent $13 – two yards of fabric and one bag-thingy of batting.
32 bones. Not bad. 

Once I ironed out the major wrinkles, the whole thing took me less than an hour. Seriously, easy-peasy, right? And if I can do it……

The fabric isn’t exactly what I was after, but my choices were limited because I needed it 48″wide–which is not standard. But the beauty of this DIY is, whenever it strikes my fancy, I can always recover.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but this pattern matches exactly with the rug in the room next door. I’m not much for the matchy-matchy look, so I’ll probably change the fabric sooner than later.
Don’t worry. After I took this picture, I made it more even. I should take a new picture, because this one is probably going to bug me for the rest of my blogging life. 
Oh well…. I’m off to sleep under the rainbow, snuggled up in my shirt blank. Bliss.zzzz…….

domestic goddess

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#3, #4, #12, #19 & #35 are all but in the can. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a busy Saturday. And it’s only 4:00.

After sleeping in for a miraculous one hour, I had a little workout–cutting  it short because I had to mess with my persnickety iPod shuffle, which kept freezing on me. And WHO can be expected to exercise without Selena Gomez and McFly?

Then it was off to Lowes. For the ladder. The one I had in mind, they didn’t have. But I think I got something even better. See this little beauty below? That’ll be me one day, hanging wallpaper in tapered khakis with some random, smiling dude. Squee! Can’t wait!!

Today, however, I made my new, special ladder all nice and tall….just perfect to get little me up and through the tiny ceiling hole to the attic. Score!

 

After comfortably scaling my new friend, I started in on the organizing. My goal was three-fold:
1) Well, just…get up there. (#35)
2) Pull down my massive bag’o logo’d t-shirts. (oy, there’s lots.) (#3, but I’ve decided not to just toss them out. I’ve got a plan for them now. Stay tuned…)
3) With all that freed-up space (and with the help of my lil ladder friend), a bunch more stuff went up the hole.
Oh, and while I was up there, I duct taped the air conduit that’s been mighty torn up since I moved in three years ago. It’s wrapped all nice and tight like a mummy now. (#4)
While I was in such an industrious mood, I kept going.
The painful closet purge. (#19)
1 skirt
2 jackets
7 pairs of jeans
4 pairs of pants
1 poncho/shawl thing
8 tops
2 bags
3 pairs of boots
2 pairs of shoes
(And that was BEFORE I’ve dragged out the winter wardrobe. Therefore, more to come…)
With my bundle of charitable tax deductions in tow, I headed to Good Will, first popping by Plato’s Closet to see if they wanted any of my “tweenier” pieces. Which they did. I got seven smackers for one H&M top and one pair of distressed jeans. Hollah!

Now I’m home for the rest of the night. Working on Abby. (#12) And maaaaybe watching a bit of the Rangers game. 
Sidebar: Before publishing this, which officially commences my self-inflicted house arrest, I quickly dashed over to Little Caesars for a carb-fest. You know, to keep myself going all evening. Ugh. Too many bread stick. I’m sure I’ll regret that in the morning.

domestic goddess

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#3, #4, #12, #19 & #35 are all but in the can. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a busy Saturday. And it’s only 4:00.

After sleeping in for a miraculous one hour, I had a little workout–cutting  it short because I had to mess with my persnickety iPod shuffle, which kept freezing on me. And WHO can be expected to exercise without Selena Gomez and McFly?

Then it was off to Lowes. For the ladder. The one I had in mind, they didn’t have. But I think I got something even better. See this little beauty below? That’ll be me one day, hanging wallpaper in tapered khakis with some random, smiling dude. Squee! Can’t wait!!

Today, however, I made my new, special ladder all nice and tall….just perfect to get little me up and through the tiny ceiling hole to the attic. Score!

 

After comfortably scaling my new friend, I started in on the organizing. My goal was three-fold:
1) Well, just…get up there. (#35)
2) Pull down my massive bag’o logo’d t-shirts. (oy, there’s lots.) (#3, but I’ve decided not to just toss them out. I’ve got a plan for them now. Stay tuned…)
3) With all that freed-up space (and with the help of my lil ladder friend), a bunch more stuff went up the hole.
Oh, and while I was up there, I duct taped the air conduit that’s been mighty torn up since I moved in three years ago. It’s wrapped all nice and tight like a mummy now. (#4)
While I was in such an industrious mood, I kept going.
The painful closet purge. (#19)
1 skirt
2 jackets
7 pairs of jeans
4 pairs of pants
1 poncho/shawl thing
8 tops
2 bags
3 pairs of boots
2 pairs of shoes
(And that was BEFORE I’ve dragged out the winter wardrobe. Therefore, more to come…)
With my bundle of charitable tax deductions in tow, I headed to Good Will, first popping by Plato’s Closet to see if they wanted any of my “tweenier” pieces. Which they did. I got seven smackers for one H&M top and one pair of distressed jeans. Hollah!

Now I’m home for the rest of the night. Working on Abby. (#12) And maaaaybe watching a bit of the Rangers game. 
Sidebar: Before publishing this, which officially commences my self-inflicted house arrest, I quickly dashed over to Little Caesars for a carb-fest. You know, to keep myself going all evening. Ugh. Too many bread stick. I’m sure I’ll regret that in the morning.

Roomy Room

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When I first bought my condo two years ago, my initial project was to PAINT. Admittedly, I went a tad crazy at first–having been an apartment dweller for so many years–not allowed to put a nail in the wall without being charged.

At move in, my second bedroom/office/writing room was a b-o-r-i-n-g neutral. Which is NOT conducive to the creative process.


So…going first for the obvious, I painted an accent wall. Black. But, it turned out too dull and too…depressing. Even for me, who loves black.


Color #2 was blue. Bright blue. Clown blue. Err!–overkill.


Next was deep purple. (shown over there.) Along with this purple, I also painted the other three walls a pretty silver. The accent wall stayed purple for the longest, over a year. I liked it well enough, but lately, I’ve been itching for a change. Maybe a RED? Something so bright and stimulating that my retinas would burn. Nice.


So I tackled the project over the weekend, settling on Robin Egg Blue. (The color of those darling little Tiffanys boxes.)


I finally put the room back together last night and am very happy with the results. I can see myself being oh-so creative in this room now. Yeeee! I smell a Pulitzer!

Roomy Room

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When I first bought my condo two years ago, my initial project was to PAINT. Admittedly, I went a tad crazy at first–having been an apartment dweller for so many years–not allowed to put a nail in the wall without being charged.

At move in, my second bedroom/office/writing room was a b-o-r-i-n-g neutral. Which is NOT conducive to the creative process.


So…going first for the obvious, I painted an accent wall. Black. But, it turned out too dull and too…depressing. Even for me, who loves black.


Color #2 was blue. Bright blue. Clown blue. Err!–overkill.


Next was deep purple. (shown over there.) Along with this purple, I also painted the other three walls a pretty silver. The accent wall stayed purple for the longest, over a year. I liked it well enough, but lately, I’ve been itching for a change. Maybe a RED? Something so bright and stimulating that my retinas would burn. Nice.


So I tackled the project over the weekend, settling on Robin Egg Blue. (The color of those darling little Tiffanys boxes.)


I finally put the room back together last night and am very happy with the results. I can see myself being oh-so creative in this room now. Yeeee! I smell a Pulitzer!

My little lovelies

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A couple of Home Improovy things I’ve completed in the past week:
Ceiling fan. Installed by yours truly (with a little help from handyman–who inserted exactly one screw.)
Gorgeous tiffany lamp. I sit and stare at it.

Blackout blinds. (With a DOUBLE ROD, hello!) They feel better than they look.



What’s next? New headboard. Paint office/writing room (red or robins egg blue)


For a while, however, I think I’ll just rest. And stare at my pretty lamp.

My little lovelies

Leave a comment

A couple of Home Improovy things I’ve completed in the past week:
Ceiling fan. Installed by yours truly (with a little help from handyman–who inserted exactly one screw.)
Gorgeous tiffany lamp. I sit and stare at it.

Blackout blinds. (With a DOUBLE ROD, hello!) They feel better than they look.



What’s next? New headboard. Paint office/writing room (red or robins egg blue)


For a while, however, I think I’ll just rest. And stare at my pretty lamp.