Thriifty Decor Chick

RIP Squishy (and come see me!)

<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2OrRcBCycI/AAAAAAAAGzY/6e7TgWBp0IE/s1600-h/fish%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="fish" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2OrRz70_DI/AAAAAAAAGzc/jyQRMnxxJug/fish_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; DISPLAY: block; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; FLOAT: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px" title="fish" width="312" /></a>Well, Squishy croaked. Or choked. Can a fish choke? I don’t know, but hubby checked on him the other night (he did every night, isn’t that adorable?) and all I heard was “Uhhh…honey? Did you feed the fish?” Poor Squish was a floatin’. I almost cried. I couldn’t believe it! He was fine when I fed him the night before, and I saw him eating his food. But the food was still floating too. So sad! Squishy the Second will join us soon I’m sure. If you’d like to see how I made his home, go <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/06/i-shall-call-him-squishy.html">here</a>. I know I promised the coffee table today, but I got caught up on another project and lost the good light to take pictures. :) Hate when that happens. I realized I forgot to remind you all about the Indy Home Show next week anyway:<a href="http://www.indianapolishomeshow.com/ME2/Sites/Default.asp?SiteID=C613314058014988BC94300D9B039E6C"><img alt="Indy_125x125" border="0" height="125" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2OrSgKDeKI/AAAAAAAAGzg/mQWRUvKR9yc/Indy_125x125%5B3%5D.gif?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px; DISPLAY: block; BORDER-LEFT-WIDTH: 0px; FLOAT: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-WIDTH: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-RIGHT-WIDTH: 0px" title="Indy_125x125" width="125" /></a>I’ll be speaking two times a day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: Monday, 2/1 -- 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, 2/2 -- 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday, 2/3 -- 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.Monday the topic is molding and woodwork, Tuesday is using fabric and Wednesday is transforming Goodwill finds. Most of the presentations you all have probably seen on this blog at some point but I don’t care, come put your butt in some seats!!!!!!!!Sheesh, sorry. Can you tell I’m afraid I will hear crickets? :)I would love to meet you! Have a great weekend, and I hope you will link up on Monday (probably late Sunday night) at the next Before and After Party!

RIP Squishy (and come see me!)

Well, Squishy croaked. Or choked. Can a fish choke? I don’t know, but hubby checked on him the other night (he did every night, isn’t that a...

7:45 PM

Sayonara swirls!

<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcKM_ItqI/AAAAAAAAGyc/PLQjmjxXVsU/s1600-h/014%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="014" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcKWXmmRI/AAAAAAAAGyk/-d4JgQPo1gM/014_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="014" width="640" /></a> Well, it was time for them to go. I put the wainscoting on our family room walls a few years ago. Three years exactly really – the Bub was asleep in his bouncy seat while I installed all of them.  :) After being on bed rest for so long I was itchin’ for a project! I think he was less than two months old when I decided to attack this one. I love stencils, I’m not gonna lie. You can see how I’ve used them on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=7781670590071996754&searchType=ALL&txtKeywords=&label=stencils">these posts</a>. I think many times they can be the perfect finishing touch to a room or project. When I did these squares, I felt like they still need something. So for the past three years that something has been the swirl stencil I painted inside. (It is a large Stencil Ease stencil from Hob Lob.) I only used my loverly iridescent glaze that I love love love LOVE. Love. This American Tradition stuff has lasted me years and I’m not even half way through it: <a><img alt="119" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcK09bCsI/AAAAAAAAGys/XF92oOGwPoo/119_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="119" width="300" /></a> I thought the swirls would be a little more subtle because the glaze was all I used. I was surprised they actually showed up so well. With the mini family room redo came a desire for simplifying the space, and that meant it was time to say goodbye to the swirls. I loved you swirls…I did. But last weekend I had to banish you. I am loving the simplicity of just the molding: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcLc3vR7I/AAAAAAAAGyw/eLEPlTK01Z4/s1600-h/007%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="007" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcLjUX47I/AAAAAAAAGy0/N-7aObxwDGY/007_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="007" width="640" /></a> This little update cost zippo cause I used the paint from the basement staircase. It was the same Sisal color from Ralph Lauren, just darkened about 20 percent. Now the insides are just a teeny bit darker, which I love: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcM75GyrI/AAAAAAAAGy4/yATXfvmiL6k/s1600-h/010%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="010" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcNHa80AI/AAAAAAAAGy8/9rcLSWVIFU8/010_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="010" width="360" /></a>Remember if you find a color you love, but it’s too light or dark, you can have it adjusted by percentages to get the tone you want. I love this – it’s an easy way to change up a color. While I was at it, I added another wainscoting box to the space under the window, which I’ve been meaning to do foreva. Seriously, since the day I did these three years ago, foreva: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcNeJPO-I/AAAAAAAAGzA/ucxQE4B9ZZ4/s1600-h/021%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="021" border="0" height="300" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcNjjP9QI/AAAAAAAAGzE/_pxPuk3NGv8/021_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="021" width="400" /></a> I’m not sure why I didn’t do it then. I think I ran out of molding? But this project was also fareeee because I took this molding off of our bay windows in the kitchen. I’m using a different type of molding to finish off the casing around all our windows in the house, so I popped those right off. I was on a roll peeps! Remember when I complained about our bright white surround sound speakers back on <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2010/01/before-and-after-party.html">this post</a>? Well, one of you commented that you simply used a foam roller with just a scosh of paint (yes, I just said “scosh”) on them, and it worked like a charm: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcOG3y8II/AAAAAAAAGzI/5OtaRTYBV0g/s1600-h/022%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="022" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcOVCihHI/AAAAAAAAGzM/rydJpLA3SwY/022_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="022" width="360" /></a> Whoohoo! I didn’t even take them off the wall. Double whoo! I can’t tell you how much I LOVE not having these glaring at me every day. It’s the little things for me, really. Finally, the hall table in this room was a purchase at a furniture outlet years ago and it was a steal! It was a steal because it swayed and wobbled like the dickens. (Yes, I just said “dickens.”) <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcOjbx_1I/AAAAAAAAGzQ/FBq8QOV80Kg/s1600-h/033%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="033" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S2JcO9SPpdI/AAAAAAAAGzU/fZ-aSlMNLME/033_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" title="033" width="360" /></a> I figured there had to be a way to tighten it up, so I took everything off, turned the whole thing over and adjusted all the screws. Voila! It’s perfect now. It only took me six years to fix.  ;) Simple changes and they didn’t cost me a cent! The room is really coming together! One more project to complete and I’ll be finished. I think. I hope to show you the new Goodwill coffee table tomorrow –- it’s pretty much done. I think. Gah. So what do you think -- do you miss the swirls? Or do you like the simple look? That’s the beauty of paint – it’s so easy to change up!! Oh yeah – the carpet is almost all off the stairs!! The landing is still covered with nasty carpet but that will be the last part I attempt. I hope to start painting the risers tomorrow and then I will decide if I want to sand the heck out of the treads so I can stain them. Right now painting is looking real good, but I need a night off and then I’ll decide. :) I sincerely, desperately hope that I will never see another staple for as long as I live. Ever.

Sayonara swirls!

Well, it was time for them to go. I put the wainscoting on our family room walls a few years ago. Three years exactly really – the Bub was...

7:55 PM

Decrapification: The pantry

<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m7suDbMI/AAAAAAAAGwk/fq2PrwZcLAk/s1600-h/026%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="026" border="0" height="768" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m8OrRS0I/AAAAAAAAGwo/f_n8V26iB2I/026_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="026" width="576" /></a>OK, this is super weird, but when I just went to go find the post I did about our pantry last year, I realized it was almost exactly a year ago that I reorganized our pantry last time. I showed you <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/01/my-dream-pantryalmost.html">here</a> in January of last year how I used a smokin’ deal at the discount store to reorganize this space. Well, a year later, I still don’t have the new door with seedy glass and a light installed inside making it glow and the angels sing and all that…but it is clean and organized again. Just like with everything else in our house, it stays fairly together till the holidays hit…and then it all goes to you-know-where. The pantry included:<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m8Yy6lQI/AAAAAAAAGws/wT8044q8Fik/s1600-h/006%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="006" border="0" height="768" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m8xX5gjI/AAAAAAAAGww/IqaDG2JlcSo/006_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="006" width="576" /></a>Good God. Help. Bubbles? Check. Half eaten donut? Check. Christmas choo choo gingerbread kit? Check. People, I couldn’t see where the Doritos were. This was serious. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m9aqH7YI/AAAAAAAAGw0/mEn6q3re8JE/s1600-h/008%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="008" border="0" height="225" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m91MMlpI/AAAAAAAAGw4/zmb_0OOhCtY/008_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="008" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m-MZocNI/AAAAAAAAGw8/oXmlePindyo/s1600-h/010%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="010" border="0" height="225" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m-vH1JUI/AAAAAAAAGxA/ClGZwhzCaEE/010_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="010" width="300" /></a> Today, when I went to find the mac and cheese for our lunch and it took five minutes to find the box, I decided it had to end, STAT. I cleared the farm animals and Christmas decor off the table:<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m-xUiRdI/AAAAAAAAGxE/zeBHc9KWK8g/s1600-h/005%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="005" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m_S4w_3I/AAAAAAAAGxI/tKrxLK1LrQo/005_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="005" width="300" /></a>(Anyone still finding pieces of Christmas everywhere?!) I poured myself a glass of cold Pepsi:<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19m_p2X35I/AAAAAAAAGxM/-SlGyQ44XBI/s1600-h/012%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="012" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nAH1Q4ZI/AAAAAAAAGxQ/jyse-IUxPp8/012_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="012" width="300" /></a>Shrek glass please, no ice. And I went to work. Because everything was still on it’s “home” shelf (they are split up into baking goods, lunch/dinner, breakfast/other, snacks and extras) I just pulled off every single item from each shelf and worked on one at a time. The fab large glass containers hold baking goods and drink mixes: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nAWfMVZI/AAAAAAAAGxU/H8RCEYqoKhM/s1600-h/033%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="033" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nA8bsaKI/AAAAAAAAGxY/Tcp0ri-i-84/033_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="033" width="360" /></a>I also have smaller glass containers for sugar, chocolate chips, marshmallows, etc. All crackers and cookies fit into the dollar containers from the same store:<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nBNBufmI/AAAAAAAAGxc/k85oyzse1To/s1600-h/018%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="018" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nCNTGBQI/AAAAAAAAGxg/I57IEK5tNKI/018_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="018" width="360" /></a>I also use these containers for lunch and breakfast items that come individually wrapped. This creates SO much more space – boxes and bags take up a ton of space in the pantry, in my opinion. And it’s so easy for the little guy to grab a container when he wants a snack. I use the tiered jobbers from Target for all the canned goods:<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nCtta-eI/AAAAAAAAGxk/9_GSehPUYCc/s1600-h/040%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="040" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nDJMD7fI/AAAAAAAAGxo/iBSdCFJw8Ho/040_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="040" width="300" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nDRTrEkI/AAAAAAAAGxs/M0gf67xLVYc/s1600-h/029%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="029" border="0" height="225" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nDzaT8aI/AAAAAAAAGxw/uu_-s3plZE8/029_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="029" width="300" /></a> The bottom shelf is only for extra items. When it’s not organized, I buy more of what we already have. Hence the ten cans of cream of mushroom soup. (Tuna noodle casserole tonight baby!):<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nEb60WnI/AAAAAAAAGx0/xcdIab_D7kg/s1600-h/043%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="043" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nEg41oBI/AAAAAAAAGx4/YWEFYMHYLUM/043_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="043" width="360" /></a>I have to tell you, taking these pictures hit me hard for a minute – how fortunate are we to have a pantry full of food? Seriously, it is a bit humbling to get it organized and to see how much we have. I hang things inside closets often – there is usually so much unused space! The broom, plastic bag holder, etc., all hangs up out of the way:<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nFJLeTRI/AAAAAAAAGx8/9J_5tt-jkN8/s1600-h/035%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="035" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nFcenM3I/AAAAAAAAGyA/nWcrhuLeLAo/035_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="035" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nF3lWEhI/AAAAAAAAGyE/VlfCLVaiAeo/s1600-h/036%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="036" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nGGAYVnI/AAAAAAAAGyI/9xQBULAyh4k/036_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="036" width="300" /></a> We can close the door again!! Whoohoo!!<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nGjyTNLI/AAAAAAAAGyM/Zf-G8VH7FPc/s1600-h/014%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="014" border="0" height="768" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nGwYL4nI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/cXVrAhejeXI/014_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="014" width="534" /></a>And you can see the floor! Awww yeah. A blissful, organized space for FAREEEE!Guess what we’re making tonight?:<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nHt_kVjI/AAAAAAAAGyU/lWBYVLukKhM/s1600-h/044%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="044" border="0" height="270" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S19nH3j86CI/AAAAAAAAGyY/bCzgfohHXRs/044_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="044" width="360" /></a>Yes, yes we are. Can you find the mac and cheese in your pantry? :)

Decrapification: The pantry

OK, this is super weird, but when I just went to go find the post I did about our pantry last year, I realized it was almost exactly a yea...

2:05 PM

No fear!

<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QW9wcGiI/AAAAAAAAGvk/p7d1DRM84sY/s1600-h/game%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="game" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QXabtlEI/AAAAAAAAGvo/-eX3TGlyQ4Y/game_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="game" width="385" /></a> OK, first…awwwwww yeah Colts!!!!!!! What a great weekend!! Got some quality time with my hubby and my Bub, and got to go to the most exciting football game of the year because of my lovely, gorgeous, fantastic friend. No, that’s not her in the picture. ;) Hope you had a great weekend too! Amanda (<a href="mailto:lilgrebs4@hotmail.com">lilgrebs4 (at) hotmail (dot) com</a>) won the free room consultation by My Design Guide! Amanda, email me and I’ll get you in touch with them. Congrats!! So some of you may remember back in December when I showed you our <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/12/deck-stairs.html">decked out staircase</a> and I mentioned I had a teeny tiny project in mind? OK, not tiny. Big. HUGE. Big for me anyway – the biggest project I’ve attempted in our house. Back when our house was being built, I was here at least once a day checking out the progress. Our superintendent and I were BFFs. We were likethis. I had his number on speed dial. I’m sure he groaned every time my name came up on his phone, but he was awesome about it and was so great to work with. One day I walked in and what I saw took my breath away. Our stairs (that were waiting for carpet) were GORGEOUS. Stunning. I mean, really. The shape was great because they wrap around at the bottom, which I love: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SxXwGpl6zEI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/_SM2qM8XTc4/s1600-h/017%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="017" border="0" height="768" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SxXwG9pt8bI/AAAAAAAAFpU/6QH43Mhl6ME/017_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" title="017" width="576" /></a> And the actual steps were beautiful, with rounded edges. Real wood too, not plywood. I stood there, admiring them. I debated back and forth and back and forth about a meeellion times on whether or not I should call said superintendent and ask him to just have them stained instead of carpeted. In the end, I decided to just have them carpeted. I wasn’t sure how hard stairs would be as far as comfort, upkeep, etc. So the carpet went on. And I have wanted to take it off since that day. ;) My desire to do this has just gotten worse since blogging. I see these fantastic, gorgeous stairs and I just KNOW our stained, gross staircase could be one of them someday… <a href="http://blog.silive.com/homegarden_impact_design/2009/02/design20509.jpg"><img alt="design20509" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QXq78rvI/AAAAAAAAGvs/zv2JRJ199EI/design20509%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="design20509" width="560" /></a> <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.plucianobuilders.com/assets/images/amenities/staircases/staircase1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.plucianobuilders.com/featured-amenities/staircases/&h=600&w=399&sz=39&tbnid=7DpJJ-ZHA_ZBrM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstaircases%2Bpictures&usg=__HzCyTBn9-oYMhd5eALrXfnT6-24=&ei=DQJeS9GpLZTINZGU6YwP&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=5&ct=image&ved=0CBQQ9QEwBA"><img alt="staircase1" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QX89LuwI/AAAAAAAAGvw/p2q_XFHv6VY/staircase1%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="staircase1" width="319" /></a>OK, OK, minus the fabulous railings and doors and floors and molding…minus all of those, they will be fantastic!! It was uncharted territory for me on many levels – and I researched it for almost a year. I searched online, asked bloggers about it who had hardwood stairs. There were many aspects of it I was afraid of. The biggie was tearing up carpet. It just looked so…secure. I thought it would be a huge pain in the butt. My father-in-law has been here often as he goes through his cancer treatments (he’s doing great by the way!), and the business he built and operated for years was tile and carpet installation…so who better to help me? DUH! The other day I pulled up a corner of the carpet on the landing when he was here. This was the only area that I didn’t think was covered by the pretty wood and I was right, it’s just plywood. But my FIL assured me we could make it work by covering it or putting down new flooring. We set up a time for him and one of his former employees to come by to take off some of the carpet on one of the stairs to see how it looked. Then we would determine if the whole project could move forward. I was so stinking excited I could barely stand it! And then they had to postpone twice. I am many things, and patient is not one of them. When I twittered about it this morning, all of you lovely peeps encouraged me to just go after the project on my own…and so I decided I would. I used a wrench and just started pulling on the carpet. I figured I could have my FIL fix it later this week if the stairs weren’t how I remembered. I came off so easily! I was squealing with glee seeing the wood and the curved steps…this was going to work!! Reason number 539 I wanted the carpet gone: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QYobtQmI/AAAAAAAAGv0/iewW-VcqJKo/s1600-h/083%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="083" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QZElaYZI/AAAAAAAAGv4/DaTeQ_FxwA4/083_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="083" width="640" /></a> The darker areas? Yeah, I thought the treads were bad. The edges of them were waaaaay worse. I mean, how do you clean that? Nasty: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QZXQThWI/AAAAAAAAGv8/8UE2GDWzXBM/s1600-h/082%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="082" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QZsMO-dI/AAAAAAAAGwA/yu3LKQu6VZk/082_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="082" width="360" /></a> As far as I knew, we’ve only had one spill on these stairs. It was me, years ago, and it was a whole glass of Pepsi on a couple of the steps. :) Well, I was wrong:   <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QZ06AgeI/AAAAAAAAGwE/uezZlA0WL1Y/s1600-h/085%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="085" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QabBDttI/AAAAAAAAGwI/1JfvYtXq1W8/085_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="085" width="360" /></a> Ummmmkay, that is nasty!! What the heck is all that? I mean, I see the Pepsi (which I thought I completely cleaned up!) but what else is there? Heebies. Well, it took about two hours total…but here is the result:  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QauvG8QI/AAAAAAAAGwM/U8mizPZ68fk/s1600-h/088%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="088" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QbCrhzUI/AAAAAAAAGwQ/1bOdD7KNkI8/088_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="088" width="360" /></a> This is just the upper staircase. The carpet was way easy to get off. So was the padding. The tack strips weren’t bad either – I thought those would be a huge pain. But the staples…oh, the staples. They weren’t as bad as my <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-reupholster-dining-room-chairs.html">dining room chairs</a>. But it took a good hour just to get all of them out. I figured out an easier way to do it towards the end and I’ll show you how I did that soon.  <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14Qblexc7I/AAAAAAAAGwU/bovADwo6g2A/s1600-h/090%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="090" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14Qb2PnTEI/AAAAAAAAGwY/4x_YYW69VqE/090_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="090" width="360" /></a>That top step will be uncarpeted, but it’s connected to the upstairs carpet, so I’m waiting on the professionals to cut that part. I’m also waiting on them to do the rest of the stairs later this week, and I’ll show you the steps then. This is not a project you want to do with a three-year-old around, otherwise I would do for the rest of it myself. :) (He was at school when I did this.) <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QcBJdQNI/AAAAAAAAGwc/4vC7f7_IoDs/s1600-h/091%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="091" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S14QctNKHrI/AAAAAAAAGwg/bt5IQZxlywY/091_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="091" width="360" /></a>See that nasty landing??? Ewwwwweeee! My main concern about hardwood steps was the slip factor. Mostly because of the Bub, but I also have a tendency to fall down stairs. I do it often. And I’m good at it. I asked a ton of people about it and ALL said their hardwood stairs (not laminate, btw) are less slippery than the carpet. So far this is very much the case. I’m hoping to be able to sand off all of the overspray and stain these, but if not, there is an additive you can add to paint that gives it more traction. I’ll let you know what I end up doing! The risers will get a high gloss white paint. Oh yeah, and our house smells like pine again…it’s fantastic!!  :) So what’s the word…do you have hardwood stairs? Love them? Hate them? Is there something  you are dying to do in your house but are sceeered? Why are you afraid? Money? No know how? No time? Really, how much could you mess it up if you just went for it? Ummm, maybe don’t answer that…

No fear!

OK, first… awwwwww yeah Colts!!!!!!! What a great weekend!! Got some quality time with my hubby and my Bub, and got to go to the most exc...

1:43 PM

Rug Rules

<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOqhTVFOI/AAAAAAAAGss/l1htZOJyfJ8/s1600-h/022%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="022" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOsP3MThI/AAAAAAAAGsw/Wkkzn6130sQ/022_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: block; FLOAT: none; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="022" width="640" /></a> You Squeezies didn’t think I would go without showing you the rug that inspired the whole family room redo, did you? No way Joe-say! (Speaking of Joe-say, can I get a moment of silence that Kath and Kim isn’t coming back? That show was funny.)I found our new rug at TJMaxx/HomeGoods – it’s a five by almost seven foot rug and it’s awesome. But my hope was to get a rug that was much bigger than our last, because the last wasn’t big enough for our family room, at least according to the “rules.” There are many rules I’ve heard you should follow when purchasing a rug for a space. One mistake I know most of us make (I say “us” because I’ve done it many times!) is to buy a rug that is too small. I do it for one reason -- pure and simple – the cost. Big rugs are expensive, no matter where you buy them. For example, a rug under the dining room table or kitchen table should be big enough so that when someone sits down to eat and pulls in their chair, the whole chair is still on the rug. I found a fun, round rug at Target for our kitchen a few months ago, and I was so pleased to get it home and find it worked great:<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOtPJAxFI/AAAAAAAAGs0/2B7g3NyR9Kk/s1600-h/013%5B7%5D.jpg"><img alt="013" border="0" height="409" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOuBDrHdI/AAAAAAAAGs4/JKhCG1OtYzg/013_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="013" width="310" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOu-mm7TI/AAAAAAAAGs8/pdxJiHRVcHU/s1600-h/021%5B9%5D.jpg"><img alt="021" border="0" height="410" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOv6-OArI/AAAAAAAAGtA/-BOopC__wwU/021_thumb%5B7%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="021" width="308" /></a>I didn’t want one much bigger because we don’t have a ton of space in our kitchen, and anything bigger would have given the illusion of a cramped space. Smaller would just look weird. That’s the thing – you’ll know it when it’s not right. It just doesn’t sit right to the eye.Our family room has had a rug from JCPenneys for the past few years that I loved:<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOwuDRdzI/AAAAAAAAGtE/EofJJSqsJP0/s1600-h/photo4%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="photo4" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOxb1ZP4I/AAAAAAAAGtI/ns94pD8VDy4/photo4_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="photo4" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOyl7ipyI/AAAAAAAAGtM/lkYkdVqiles/s1600-h/photo2%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="photo2" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jOzeTu9fI/AAAAAAAAGtQ/v16rySZA4qM/photo2_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="photo2" width="300" /></a> It had all of the colors I’ve used to decorate our family room, kitchen and den – rust, green and brown tones. The only thing that bothered me was it was just a bit too small. It didn’t bother me too much, obviously. I mean, we had it for at least three years. :) A few months ago, I looked at JCP online for a larger one and this rug was discontinued, so no luck there. Then, a couple weeks ago while at TJMaxx, I spotted a beautiful, bright, fun rug that had all of the perfect colors but was a bit more contemporary than I typically go for. It was one of those when I knew I loved it but didn’t know if it was right for me. You know that feeling?I touched it, admired it, walked away from it. Turned around, looked at it again, touched it, put it on the floor, admired it. Put it back, touched it. Walked away, freaked out because someone might buy it while I looked around more (that happens there all the time!), ran back, smiled when I saw it was still there, touched it again and said what the heck Sarah just buy the dang thing!!! Whew. It really was like that. Serious. So I bought it. It always could go back, right? Well, it took a few minutes and some <a href="http://twitter.com/Thriftydecor">tweeting</a> to my tweeters but I fell. in. love:<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO0CrEbuI/AAAAAAAAGtU/Rw4KkED9hME/s1600-h/photo%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="photo" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO1aUTjmI/AAAAAAAAGtY/znfYfP5yGbU/photo_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="photo" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO2ax1cNI/AAAAAAAAGtc/r08GIowoUq4/s1600-h/photo1%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="photo1" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO3VgsmII/AAAAAAAAGtg/p5DqfRB7K_k/photo1_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="photo1" width="300" /></a> Only thing -- it was even smaller than the one I had! (By inches.) The “rules” are a bit shady when it comes to rugs for spaces like this. I’ve heard the furniture should sit completely on the rug (meaning all four legs of each piece) or at least have the front legs on the rug to anchor it. A rug that is large enough for all of our furniture to sit on it would be 9 by 12 feet, and I just don’t want to spend that kind of cash right now. So…I thunk and I thunk and I thunked. And then while in World Market the other day – it hit me. I found a 6 by 9 jute rug for $99 and figured it would work GREAT as a “base” of sorts for the other new rug. They had a creamy color, which I went for initially, but I realized it would just melt into the other one. Instead, I picked up the green rug so it would make the smaller one pop:<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO438uJLI/AAAAAAAAGtk/ElihJ1VL33c/s1600-h/007%5B6%5D.jpg"><img alt="007" border="0" height="399" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO5shPooI/AAAAAAAAGto/OFt28iTvI7g/007_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="007" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO556O3PI/AAAAAAAAGts/5szG4ehPTzU/s1600-h/011%5B6%5D.jpg"><img alt="011" border="0" height="399" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1jO6onwyII/AAAAAAAAGtw/xXwwSBp8iys/011_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: 0px; DISPLAY: inline; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px" title="011" width="300" /></a> And I luuuuurved it! (The kitty does too!) It looks like it’s a band around the smaller rug – if you just glance at it, it looks like it’s just one rug. Super cool. The green color is just a tad bit darker than I wanted, but it still gives nice contrast and the smaller rug keeps the room bright. I’m still playing around with the placement of it but I really love how it turned out! So it wasn’t cheap -- $200 total for the two rugs. But I got what I love, which is the hardest part! Of course this has started a snowball effect – the way too big coffee table had to go (I loved it but it’s always seemed too big to me), the lamps got a facelift (see below!), the accessories are getting lighter and now I am getting the itch to replace the drapes. ;) The new coffee table is almost complete, so I’ll show you that next week. Oh, and just to show you how I kick the “rules” to the curb most of the time – the rug in the kitchen and this rug don’t really go – I mean, they are both floral prints, mostly the same colors – but I would normally do a solid and a print in spaces so close to each other. But I love them both, they look great in their separate spaces, and the rules can kiss my booty. (Sticks out tongue.) ;)Stay tuned for another great giveaway this weekend!!

Rug Rules

You Squeezies didn’t think I would go without showing you the rug that inspired the whole family room redo, did you? No way Joe-say! (Spea...

2:02 PM

Family room lamp redos

<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aB_2S5dZI/AAAAAAAAGqU/yxXC7qBpl2I/s1600-h/073%5B7%5D.jpg"><img alt="073" border="0" height="768" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCAUk2nmI/AAAAAAAAGqY/FMdk3K2EaJQ/073_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="073" width="576" /></a>What a FUN party! If you haven’t checked out the cleaning shindig yet, take a look below for some great tips. I love it! Well, I’m in the midst of a family room mini-redo that started innocently enough – with a new rug. I found a gorg, lighter rug at TJ Maxx and couldn’t resist it. Once that was down in the room, it was all over – it seemed like everything was calling out to be refreshed. I am a lover of warm, cozy spaces – which usually tends to lean in the darker tones. The family room had a dark rug and when it was replaced with a lighter one, I realized something…I could still have a warm space without it being quite so dark. It’s been fun to lighten things up just a bit. And just in time for spring!! Uhhh…wait. Just in time for spring in two months! Yeah. The first stage of the redo was to change out some lamps and lighten up the shades. This little lamp stood on our little corner table in the room: <img alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SN8GNfDiVnI/AAAAAAAAAQg/HIYk331PYmM/s400/DSC04940.JPG" /> I showed you how I cover lamps (and did this one) in <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2008/09/lampshade-tutorial.html">this</a> post. I love this little guy but it’s always been just a bit too short for what we need here. And the dark fabric cut down on the light. Maybe it’s because it’s dark at 5 p.m. lately, but the more light the better as far as I’m concerned! I found this cute blue shade at Goodwill for $2 a while back for a lamp in my craft area, and it was perfect for the lamp I relocated to this spot: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCA6kqXyI/AAAAAAAAGqc/M7QcoX-FiW8/s1600-h/074%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="074" border="0" height="225" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCBumbdQI/AAAAAAAAGqg/eSXBY-B_jsw/074_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="074" width="300" /></a> You can deconstruct most lampshades – I took the trim off of this one easily. Sometimes you can even take the fabric off of the plastic shade to start fresh, but it’s not necessary. This one is pretty straight forward – just a green, simple fabric and it was done!:  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCBzmWKkI/AAAAAAAAGqk/XBK0ffVp1BQ/s1600-h/010%5B6%5D.jpg"><img alt="010" border="0" height="407" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCCfF4FnI/AAAAAAAAGqo/4prkul5VekU/010_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="010" width="295" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCCtNjZcI/AAAAAAAAGqs/u3dk0zlqJzc/s1600-h/012%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="012" border="0" height="407" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCDEtHH9I/AAAAAAAAGqw/YlZaYZGvtpI/012_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="012" width="305" /></a> It fits this spot so much better, and because it’s taller and the shade is lighter, it lets off a ton more light!: <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCD0Tz1vI/AAAAAAAAGq0/Z4Syiiq6VwY/s1600-h/007%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="007" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCEL3ZK7I/AAAAAAAAGq4/TRQfeIK7wdA/007_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="007" width="300" /></a>  The next lamp is one that has had a few different shades because I haven’t found one I love. You can see the latest one in this pic: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SyWOo95eTxI/AAAAAAAAGFM/sI4_b1DrNmM/s1600-h/0049.jpg"><img alt="004" border="0" height="480" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SyWOpxuUwqI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/Qy8lekFDpMk/004_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="004" width="315" /></a> The shade was just so stinkin’ wide at the bottom, it drove me batty!  And, yet again, it was so dark very little light was getting through. Enter a shade from the office: <img alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/SFMxDHY4aSI/AAAAAAAAACM/KQtYUpkZj9w/s400/DSC03837.JPG" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" /> I love it’s (almost) drum shape! It was the perfect size! I was trying so hard not to spend much money but I did end up getting a new drum shade for this lamp too. Can’t have a naked lamp peeps! :) I’ll show you that soon too! A few weeks ago I picked up extra of the linen-type fabric I used on the <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-to-reupholster-dining-room-chairs.html">dining room chairs</a> (just in case!). It was the perfect texture and color for what I wanted in our family room, and I had plenty to use for this project. After I covered it, it still needed a little somethin’. I went to my trusty grosgrain ribbon I had on hand. I wrapped it around the top and bottom, and was reminded of an issue I’ve dealt with before: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCEmupHZI/AAAAAAAAGq8/s62UK_xO1QE/s1600-h/069%5B7%5D.jpg"><img alt="069" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCFGkvN6I/AAAAAAAAGrA/iwn1tOpu_Aw/069_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="069" width="300" /></a> Because the shade curves a bit, the ribbon kind of gaps. Which drives. me. batty. I tried and tried but it just wouldn’t lay flat. Argh! Then…it hit me…I had some buttons left over from a project gone wrong (I’ll tell you more about that next week). I covered them with the linen fabric as well (they were the kind you just snap together – so easy and only about $2 for three! at Joann’s), then pulled the wire out used to thread them so they would lay flat: <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCFaEHSaI/AAAAAAAAGrE/Eekxklw1Jck/s1600-h/066%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="066" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCF0qsWYI/AAAAAAAAGrI/j33-M9-qqGI/066_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="066" width="300" /></a> I just hot glued those babies on! What would I do without my hot glue?! I don’t want to find out. A travesty for sure. Whew. I had a skeleton key I wasn’t doing much with, so I hung it from the switch for some fun and a bit of color: <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCGMh3nsI/AAAAAAAAGrM/i_3lWWY-01I/s1600-h/047%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="047" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCGqF9sEI/AAAAAAAAGrQ/uIHQ60euhdM/047_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="047" width="300" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCG77VQ-I/AAAAAAAAGrU/lXesEvKfbuU/s1600-h/035%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="035" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCHR7-7FI/AAAAAAAAGrY/ERK3qLN14Ak/035_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="035" width="300" /></a> I think it’s SO cauuuute!:   <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCHvTDAFI/AAAAAAAAGrc/iTXI-QQUMko/s1600-h/033%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="033" border="0" height="508" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCIAX67HI/AAAAAAAAGrg/VMhSsK-ZnbE/033_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="033" width="350" /></a> And so much brighter now!           <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCIiCfe1I/AAAAAAAAGrk/Wq6fR6wfXW8/s1600-h/019%5B9%5D.jpg"><img alt="019" border="0" height="467" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCJCCIl6I/AAAAAAAAGro/_SnZFHBaBfA/019_thumb%5B5%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="019" width="350" /></a> Yessss! This time, to cover the edge where the fabrics meet up, I just used the hot glue and an extra piece of fabric to make a little band:  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCJ2WBXpI/AAAAAAAAGsM/9F3XrG82tm0/s1600-h/051%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="051" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCKP1TIcI/AAAAAAAAGsQ/yjD9FZmHj7g/051_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="051" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCKim7uvI/AAAAAAAAGsU/wb3v2RnZ2Js/s1600-h/054%5B4%5D.jpg"><img alt="054" border="0" height="400" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCK3KEPdI/AAAAAAAAGsY/3C-mPXT7BjM/054_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="054" width="300" /></a> You’ll notice that when the light’s on, you can see all the imperfections on the edges of the fabric (if it’s not cut straight). If you will be able to see the lamp from all sides be aware of that. It’s so totally annoying to finish it up, ooooh and ahhh over it, then turn it on and see annoying uneven fabric.  :) But if it’s against the wall -- out of sight, out of mind! <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCLke7rVI/AAAAAAAAGsA/7ap69y5DVmw/s1600-h/044%5B6%5D.jpg"><img alt="044" border="0" height="626" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vswDWGRlsPw/S1aCMCcADyI/AAAAAAAAGsE/qk3dlI4Iu2k/044_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="044" width="450" /></a> Sorry for the craptastic pictures – the dark at 5 p.m. thing kind of cramps my picture taking style. ;) More on the family room soon, and another fantastic giveaway coming up this weekend!

Family room lamp redos

What a FUN party! If you haven’t checked out the cleaning shindig yet, take a look below for some great tips. I love it! Well, I’m in the ...

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