Transportation Theme Boy's Room - part 1

Finally!  After the clearing out of the junk room guest room and initial toddler bed purchase; I have been on the hunt for items to create an inexpensive, fun and functional 3 year old boy's room.  Transportation became the theme because Booger Bear loves trains, airplanes and trucks.  I've been able to find some great pieces to pull this room together via yard sales and thrift stores.  A few weeks ago I scored a small solid wood bookcase at my local Goodwill store. 

Since I am trying to work on my tan and enjoy our pool, I hauled the bookcase poolside in a swimsuit to sand it down.

The before just wasn't doing it for me.  Exactly what you would have said about me in my swimsuit.  Thankfully I saved your eyes from the shock featuring the bookcase today.  This is a family friendly blog after all.  Plus I don't want my photo circulated around the net as examples of what NOT to wear.  You'll just have to trust me or better yet thank me.

I used Rust-oleum Chinese Red spray paint.  Kinda reminds me to apply sunscreen.

Yep, it's hanging over the pool's retaining wall.  I didn't want to spray it on the concrete plus this kept me close enough for a lightening fast rescue of said 3 year old.   Along with the fact it was HOT, so a quick dip in the pool between sanding and painting, made this project bearable.

After the paint and my swimsuit dried, it was time to place my paint project back in Booger Bear's room.  

Perfect size for little hands to reach his books.  Above the bookcase I added two adorable wooden plaques found at a local yard sale for $5 each.  They remind me of something from Pottery Barn.  Anyone recognize them????

A is for Airplane and B is for Boat!  Both modes of transportation and facination for Booger Bear. 

The two tiny 'bins' were picked up from the Dollar Spot at Target.  I worried if they would fit inside the shelf.  They did!  These also match the color theme and help little hands with quick clean up of his room.   Most of the books on the shelf were finds at different Goodwill stores. 

The other side of the room holds his toy 'corner'.  I hope to snap a few photos and share that in an upcoming post.  I still need to hang a few yard sale finds on the wall to complete it.  So stay tuned!

Sharing my thrifty scores at the following linky parties:  Southern Hospitality - Thrifty Treasures; Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday;  Domestically Speaking - Power of Paint;

You can find their charming blog buttons on my Parties tab at the top of my blog.

Thrifty Spring Mantel

Recycle, ReUse and RePurpose! Is exactly how I put together a spring mantel for ZERO dollars.

Of course, originally I paid something for the items on my mantel!  But this season, instead of purchasing anything new, I 'shopped' the house.

Many of these same items were featured on my Valentine's mantel.

I left the empty frame with the white heart, white books (found at Goodwill) and old glass bottles.

Added the finial (picked up 2 years ago on clearance from Hobby Lobby) and my little birdie (purchased at Real Deal's last year).

On the left, I used my TJMaxx, clearance find, twig birdhouse along with a Dollar Tree birdie (from a year ago).  The vase of flowers is a Dollar Tree glass vase wrapped in burlap, tied with a ribbon from my stash and stuffed with fake Dollar Tree flowers for a bit of color.

The kicker here is putting something together around the mantel clock, which stays.

So I choose to do mini vignettes on each side of it.

Nothing fancy, but I love all the natural elements.  PERFECT for us at the Farm House.
And because I purchased these items over the last year or so, total new look, without spending a dime.

Beth over at The Stories of A to Z is hosting a Spring Mantel Party.  So I am linking up!

Head on over and see how all the ladies have celebrated the arrival of Spring with pretty decor.

For other great decor and thrifty parties, check out my PARTIES tab at the top of my blog.

Do you reuse items from around the house in your decor?

Puttin' on a New Shine

Cut not the wings of your dreams, 

for they are the heartbeat and the freedom of your soul. ~Flavia

A NEW LOOK is coming!
I've been working with Katie at Flibby Pie Design.
Simply, she is a sweetheart!


My blog has become a part of me.  A part of my life.
I have realized how much I have missed sharing just a tad here and there.
I've missed each of you.
The ideas.  The creativity.
The friendships.
So I can't wait to toss a 'dress up' party, thanks to Katie.
It's time to SHINE.

Imagine a Gorgeous Living Room

Yard sale score!

Price?

Are you sitting down? ;-)

$5 for BOTH coffee table and end table!
They are sturdy and I love the size.

Yes the tops are 2 different shades.
Needs a bit of work.
I will not be keeping them green.
I just can't decide yet on the color.
That's where YOU come in!
Here is my living room:

Pay no mind to my cheap twin sheet 'slip covers' on my hand-me-down sofa.
So use your imagination and imagine a gorgeous Living Room.
This room is due a MAJOR makeover!

This room is an odd shape with a corner fire place.

The plan calls for a brown leather sofa with either a love seat or 2 chairs.
Fresh painted walls, update the fireplace mantel (adding wood over the main mantel section, paint), new rug (because this one is too small for the 'new' coffee table).  I'd also lurve wooden blinds, but not sure that will happen.

As you can see, my current coffee table is black.
Spray painted it months ago and love it, but wanted a rectangle one when the oval was found on the cheap at an antique mall.  Don't gasp, I didn't spray paint a real antique!

Pretty kitty on the sofa and my 'new' Goodwill find curtains ($10 for both panels).
Back to these beauties.

If you are remembering to use your imagination, then I will have these with a brown sofa.
I fell in love with Little bits of Bliss farmhouse table.

Little bits of Bliss photo
I also fancied this table over at Houzz

traditional living room design

So give me your BEST ideas!

How should I refinish my yard sale tables?
Wall color ideas, imagining a brown leather sofa.  What am I saying, you can SEE I have a dilemma! So I need input on it all.

Can we make this Living Room SHINE?

Just for input information, this room is open to my kitchen/hall via a large double door'less' opening. The kitchen is yellow.  The hallway is pale yellow with brown under the white chair rail.
I am linking into Serenity Now's Decorating Dilemmas Party, cause Gals, I need your ideas!

Oh and can someone teach me to do that fancy inspiration board thingie for this room? ;-)

Be sure to check out the other Decorating Dilemmas and share your great skills!
I am also linking into The Inspired Rooms, Inspired by.  Because each of YOU can help inspire this makeover.

Breaking the mold - Painted Table

This weekend I broke out of the non 'color' mold.

Ya'll already know how I love my spray paint.

Changed up my drab coffee table with black, months ago.

Use a bunch of the famous heirloom white.

After seeing all the beautiful things around blogs painted in blue, red, green; I've been wanting to try color too.

And I LIKE it!

I picked this table up MONTHS ago at my local Goodwill.

Actually it is a sewing machine table.

$7

My thrifty little find has been used in my kitchen even though I've always had plans to paint her.

She gets dressed up for different seasons.

Saturday was a fun day full of hitting yard sales and a couple of Goodwill stores.  Yep, more to share this week with a yard sale score just up the street from my house. After my junk hunt, I stopped to pick up a can of American Accents spray paint - $5.

Moss Green Satin.

It's been beautiful weather here in Georgia, so between loads of laundry and making up several different salads today (veggie pasta, pistachio and chicken salad); I hauled my little table outside.

I removed the hardware.  

Painted the handle with leftover black.

Then painted her moss green.

Sanded the edges a bit for that worn look.

This was my first try at sanding after painting.

Did it work?
A cute side table for $12 total cost.

Brought her back in the kitchen and dressed her up.

The little bunny was a yard sale find, $1.
The black candelabra was 10 CENTS at a yard sale last year.
It was in sad gold shape til I painted it.

Tried out a couple of looks on her.The wicker tray basket, also from Goodwill for $2.

The tiny runner was found there also, but my ole brain can't remember the price.

I love the punch of color against my white.

The curtain was made by my mom and ties it all together.

Doesn't my thrifty little gal look pretty now?

I will be linking up to tons of great blog parties this week.

So be sure to check them out for other great ideas!

You can find a full weekly list and links to them HERE.
Plus there is a BRAND new (her very first week) party.
Check it out.

Over at Chocolate Sundaes.
and another new one:

I will be adding these into the growing blog party list above.
If you have a link party you would like added to my list, just let me know!

Mantel Makeover

 

The last time I posted my mantel was for the Christmas Holidays.

After Christmas, I admit to just pulling off the holiday items
and leaving everything red for Valentines.
Including the pine cone tree.

Finally I decided it needed something to carry the family living room through
Spring into Summer.

It all began with a find at the Goodwill.

Imagine that?!

The wicker tray - $1.91

Added the blue tin bird from Dollar General - $6

I had the glass vase, just dressed it in a tad of burlap with ribbon and plopped in some Dollar Tree flowers.

Used the antique bread bowl passed on from my Mom to me.

 Loving birds right now and couldn't resist the recent purchase of this chubby cutie at my Dollar Tree.
The frame, I made in December.
The little pedestal bird came from Real Deals last year.

Shopped the house and moved two candles to the other end,
along with a bird found on clearance in December.

Added a Dollar Tree vine to the shutters.
The large bird cage and birds were yard sale finds last year.
I love the new look!

Final tweaking.
Found this birdhouse at TJMaxx clearance, of course! ;-)
$7.50 and too cute to pass up.

This is the mantel that greeted family and friends yesterday for Easter.
Bonus:  The twig birdhouse 'hides' the ugly switch on my fireplace!
We hosted lunch at 1pm.
My Love cooked up most of the meal!
Good food and great company.
I'll share the easy dessert I made in an upcoming post.
For the recipe go HERE.
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!
Linking up to:
Nester's Mantel party

Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Before and After Party at Thrifty Decor Chick