emilia's vanity chair.

My daughter wanted a dressing table like mom.  I was lucky enough to find this pictured one for very cheap at a yard sale.  I was then on the hunt for a vanity seat and found this dusty, unloved beauty at a summer estate sale.  I had fabric left over from making over the vanity stool in my dressing room.  My daughter picked out this sweet lavender shade of paint and we made her a coordinating dressing area in her room.  She is getting lots of use out of her new space "like mommy's."

dressing room makeover.

handbag bar.

dressing table.

details.

my wedding dress, artwork, 

cameo collection, great grandma's church gloves, 

crystal doorknob & Fenton shoes.

my beautiful shoes.

Vintage dress magazine from my sister-in-law, 

vintage hand mirrors and Fenton shoes

Even after my hit and miss postings I still have readers! Ones who are requesting special topics at that. My dressing room has been under construction much of the summer and I am happy now to share pictures of the finished product. I am lucky to have this space in my home, but now it really suits me.  The lighter mint walls, freshly painted floor and better organized walls and spaces make the room more useful and pretty.  I have featured pictures of some of my favorite things: including  my vintage hand mirrors hung on the wall, a few of my glass Fenton shoes, artwork that has been gifted to me by friends and family members, my cameo collection and perfume bottle display.  I have also shared pictures of the more useful pieces: including my new handbag bar, shoe shelving and scarf bar. I love being a girl and think the space in which you work throughout the day should be inspiring.

scarves.

girl's room furniture makeover.

Before: 

Emilia and Daddy starting this redo project on Vivianne's dresser

 After: 

the girl's night stand looks so much sweeter in mint and the original hardware worked with the new color

After: Emilia Jane's Dresser 

After: Vivianne's dresser/changing table and new homemade mobile

The girl's room is transforming into a nice space for two sweethearts and the furniture makeover was a vital part of this transformation.  I am happy with the result of the mint furniture.  Now the fun part of organizing all of their clothes and closet can begin.  An added perk to the whole project is the leftover mint paint will cover up the paneling in mommy's dressing room!                                         

living room desk.

We rearranged our living room furniture to accommodate our Christmas tree and preferred the new setup to the old (which left us with a considerable blank space from the tree). This worked out well because a table a friend and I repainted last year (view table makeover) had been in our kid's playroom and I had missed working at it in our new home. It is now arranged in our living room under a large window looking out at the street. I have gone back to using this table everyday. I find this to be a very peaceful place to read my morning devotional, play or do a craft project with the kids, journal, clip coupons, etc. It works out well because I can have the space quietly to myself in the mornings but throughout the day it keeps me closer to where the kids are playing or my husband is watching TV while I fold laundry or serve a snack here. It has worked out so well, the color scheme goes well in my living room and this new useable space makes me smile!

side table makeover.

BEFORE:

When we move into our new home we will have to "L" our couches which makes another small coffee table in that space necessary. Therefore, I had my eyes peeled at the Memorial Day garage sales for just such an item and here she is after a fresh coat of paint. The shape of the legs and the elegant color will look beautiful in the living room of our new (historic) home.

AFTER:

antique headboard makeover.

BEFORE:

My husband and I scored this antique headboard on the side of the road in Caseville, MI for Free! Why any person would reject this beautiful piece of cedar furniture is beyond me, but one man's trash is Katelyn's treasure and we scooped it up in a jiffy. The size of the headboard is somewhere between a twin and a double bed. We currently have a queen with no headboard...not a perfect fit, but we had a plan.

In order to widen the headboard we used the side rails that came with the headboard (intended to hold the mattress, but not needed for that purpose by us). I first sanded everything down and bought this beautiful and light, grey/blue paint color. My husband cut the side rails to fit and screwed them to the antique headboard. After a final coat of paint-tada! A beautiful antique headboard that matches our style, room and bedding for only the cost of the paint:)

AFTER:

neutral zebra additions.

As much as I adore the weathered and collected look in my home, I also believe in the importance of mixing something fresh and unexpected. I received a gift card for my 25th birthday and was eager to purchase something for our new home (we have not yet moved in). I found this upholstered bench with sleek modern legs, neutral colored zebra print fabric and studding. I have so many potential locations in mind in our new home.

On another note, my mother-in-law has been wanting to recover her dining room chairs and we had picked out a similar fabric a few weeks ago. Today we tackled the project and the chairs look great. Her dining room is pretty and traditional and I believe her fabric choice for these old chairs were just the unexpected twist this action packed room in their home needed. (left is the "before" and the right is the "after")

old school finds.

I had some great luck at a big flea market style outdoor sale last week. Many vendors set up an impromptu outdoor sale just miles from my house. I drove past on my way to take my son to preschool and then quickly drove back to scout out the goods with my daughter. I took out only a small amount of cash at the ATM so I wouldn't be tempted to overspend. When the dust settled and I was done scouting I left with these two beauties and a combined cost of $15 spent. Both are currently in my office area of my home. The kids love playing with both, but I bought them for their charm and colors. I am leaving both items "as is" for now.

My mom always had an old schoolhouse desk in our home growing up and I immediately wanted one this one because it was "just like moms."

Hand-me-down drysink

My in-laws had no use for this vintage drysink and I think it made a beautiful buffet for my dining room! Thanks!

Breakfast Table

This was an old plain jane table my in-laws didn't want anymore. A friend and I striped the drawers, added lime hardware, repainted the whole body and topped it with simple clean white wooden chairs...love this...especially next to my blue and white kitchen! My kids eat their breakfast here and my son uses the stripes down the center as a "drive" for his cars and tractors.