Inexpensive Vignette and a Redo

I'm so behind all showing some of my living room transformations.

For those that have missed it, I am taking my home back to the cottage style I adore!  Plus I'm bucking the current trends and bringing back my favorite colors....reds, greens, browns and golds! :)

My no-sew curtains have been the perfect inspiration for my living room! 

They encompass everything I adore!! 

Flowers!! 

Frills!!

Red, green, brown AND gold!  Does it get any better! :)

So, of course, I've had to make other changes to get the warm, cozy  and inviting look I'm going for.  Those changes must come on a very tight budget!

I found a new antique store not long ago that had some really great prices and alot of stuff right up my alley.  Like these vintage bird prints.

They were only $3 each....which I thought was pretty fantastic!

The larger one had some stains on the bottom left, but I knew immediately how I would hide those.  Plus the frames I was not loving.  They are plastic.  But worse yet...they LOOK like plastic.

As any blogger knows, the quickest and cheapest way to transform just about anything is with spray paint! :)

I took them apart and gave both frames a quick spray with Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint and then lightly misted them with a goldish color spray paint.  The gold color was VERY light and just added dimension to the frames.

Excuse my horrendous carpet.  It's BAD!  I may have mentioned a few hundred couple times I REALLY want Bamboo floors.

It's amazing how spray paint took these pictures from cheesy to quite pretty if I don't say so myself!  I am totally loving these bird prints now. :)

I decided to keep the matte on the larger picture.  And my solution to cover the stains was to lean the smaller print in front of the larger one.

If you've been following me for a bit, you might remember my Pottery Barn steals back in February where I got this tray for $6.97 on clearance. 

I knew when I bought it that I wanted to lean it on a shelf as a back drop.  But at that time, even I couldn't have imagined how perfect it would be with my future bird prints! :)

I got the adorable little bird cage at Michael's recently for 50% off, which made it around $5.

I am a firm believer in plants in decor!!!!  Real or fake.  I can't say that enough!

Plants just add a warmth that you can't get any other way.  They fill dead space.  When in doubt....add a plant! :)

I got my little pot at the Christmas Tree Shop for $2 and believe it or not, I got the fake plant at the Dollar Tree.  I just took it out of the cheap pot it was in and stuck it in this one.  It's not that bad for a fakey.

So, my whole vignette came in at around $21.  I had all these items here already except the bird prints, but I went ahead and included the prices of everything since they weren't terribly old.

I think it looks like a million bucks. ;)

So....would have bought these cheesy plastic framed prints?  Or would have walked right past them?

There was a day not long ago, pre-blogging, I wouldn't have been able to see the potential.

Fencing Drama

Hi Ladies (and any possible Gents)!! :)

So, the math placement test is done and I'm relieved!  I have no idea how I did...but I have my suspicions.  And they are not good.  College-Kindergarten Entry Level Math is in my near future.  LOL

So, back to telling you about my weekend (last weekend...yeah, I'm a little behind).  I will caution you....this is a L O N G post. :)

Because of our family addition this year, Lucy my brothers Pug, (aka - Smoosh-aroni, Bugsy, Lucy Lou, Lucy Luber, Snots, Snots-alot, etc)...

Isn't she precious?  Notice the tongue sticking out! :)

I have moved "Privacy Fence" to the top of the list for this years large project.

It's always been on the dream list...but since Ms. Lucy likes to chase the UPS truck, the mail truck, school buses (and the kids that get on/off said school buses), and the fact that she could spend hours a day just sniffing in which I'm not really fond of just following her sniffing nose around that long....fencing got moved to the top of the list.

I had planned ahead financially for this project before losing my job, so I am taking the risk and moving forward with this project.

Recently Lowe's had vinyl panels on sale, so I jumped!  They went from $44 to $29 a panel!  That's pretty substantial savings when you need 18 panels.

I have mentioned before that I drive a Nissan Sentra.  Not exactly a 'hauling' vehicle.

So, to save money on delivery, I rented a truck from Menards (Lowe's doesn't rent by the hour trucks anymore).  And my ex-husband and I picked up all the panels and post covers the next day....in a terrantial downpour!!!  And just as an added bonus...lightning. ;)  But it was the only day/time my ex could help.

The panels have sat in my shed since then...until last weekend.

The weather was nice here in Indy last weekend, so I figured why not start the fencing project.  My friend and her husband had offered to help.

To get a start on the project, I started measuring and screwing the brackets into the fence posts. 

Problem #1, first post in and I realized that the post covers were not going to be long enough!!!  This was the post Lowe's told me to get!!!

Remember....I rented a truck to get these posts and now they all had to be returned and I had to buy new posts!!

I returned them in my SENTRA...2 loads!  I talked to the store manager and the manager who told me to buy these posts and explained how I rented a truck and now didn't have a truck and the inconvenience that was caused.  So, they gave a nice discount to cover another truck rental.

Clearly NOT my fence!

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Problem #2....it was a beautiful Spring weekend in Indianapolis.  No one had trucks available for rent! 

Several hours later, two more loads in the Sentra later and I had my new, long enough, posts.  Most of the day Saturday was now wasted...but not a total loss.

Not even close to being my home or fence!

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Problem #3....the new posts, although they said they were 4x4 vinyl fence post covers....were not QUITE a full 4x4 inside!!!!  So, the treated wood fence post that goes inside....did NOT fit inside the second set of covers!!!!!!!

But, keeping my can-do spirit alive, I realized I must need a different size fence post for these. 

So, back to Lowe's I went. 

Apparently, nope....they don't sell smaller fence posts to fit inside!!  WHAT?!?!?  Why do they even make/sell it then?  The guy at Lowe's had no idea of course...although he was extremely helpful and sympathetic.

Now, let me tell you.  I am a very strong woman.  Challenges to me are just that...a challenge.  A blip God put in my path for a reason I don't yet know....but I'm sure it's a perfect reason because it's HIS reason.  So, typically, I just go with the challenge and move forward.  I don't let it get me down.

So for that reason, I rarely cry.

But I found myself sitting in my car with tears welled up in my eyes. 

If I had bit off more than I could chew, I would wave the white flag, and yell surrender.  No big deal...I tried.  But I hadn't gotten that far!  I couldn't wrap my head around why these post covers were manufactured in this way...and no one could explain it to me either!

A girl can dream fence.....which isn't mine.

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Enter Problem #4.  My next option was to move up to a 5x5 sleeve....for a 4x4 post.   Again....WHY???  This wasn't going to be sturdy if you have a 1 inch gap all the way around the post inside.

So, this time I felt I needed to know what other options were out there.  So, I went to Home Depot.  The girl and guy in the contractor's section were very helpful.  Basically, they had the same options.  The man at Home Depot said I would have to place shims in the top and bottom of each post sleeve where the brackets will screw in.

Again....WHY???  Why not just make a 4x4 sleeve that would fit over the STANDARD 4x4 wood fence post?

This is where I swear my name was used!!!!  The girl said, "Erin, I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

I didn't really think about it until I left!!  I just said it was ok and then got in my car and was like..."did she just say my name?!?"

Has this ever happened to you?  I didn't give her my name...no credit card info was given or anything like that.  Anyway...I just blew it off and assumed I must have heard her wrong in all my frenzy.  But I must admit...I'm still curious if she actually said my name or not.  :)

Anywho, after that I went back to Lowe's and bought (only a few this time) 5x5 posts and finally called it a night at 9:30.  I was feeling totally defeated!!

I called my friend and told her I was nowhere near ready for their help on Sunday. 

So, Sunday morning, after a good nights rest, I felt re-energized.  I put my post inside my too large cover and headed to Lowes to find a 7/8" shim. 

Maybe someday mine will look this good.

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Problem # 5.  All the treated wood was either too big or too small to use as a shim!!! 

So, I talked to the guy in the wood section and asked his opinion on what I should do.  We walked around looking and discussing options when he said we should check the Patio and Porch Section (near the wood....not the outdoors stuff).  And don't you know, there was the perfect length, 4x4 vinyl post cover that actually fit a 4x4 post inside of it!!  AND it was sturdier than the stuff in Lawn and Garden too!!!!!  It was a little extra cost, but with the discount the manager was giving me, it was still a manageable change.

Trellis Love!  Also NOT mine.

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Problem #6 - They didn't have enough in stock!  So, I've been having to just stop in and pick them up as they have them.  Why they can't order them I'm not sure, but I was told they could check another store, but they couldn't order them.  Whatever...I can only fit FIVE in my Sentra at a time anyway.

So....you can imagine my excitement when my ex came over yesterday to help me with my fence!!  We (mostly him) got two poles concreted into the ground yesterday and ONE panel up!!!!!!!  It was very exciting!!

Oh please!  Only in my dreams would this be mine.

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Problem #7 - The gate was smashed when he took it out of the wrapping.  We took it back to Lowe's....only to find out the other ones on the rack were in even worse shape!! 

So...now I have to wait until they get more in stock or have my ex or his girlfriend drive with their SUV (because it just ain't fittin' in a Sentra) all over Indianapolis to find another one in stock. 

Inconvenient for sure.  But I'm not letting, yet another, set back on the "Fencing Drama" hold me back! 

It might take months at this rate, but I WILL have a fence at some point! :)  

And it will be as beautiful as the ones in this post...............I hope. ;)

In My World

Want to know what's going on in my world?

LOTS!!

But most importantly right now....tomorrow morning I have my math placement test at the University.  I am totally, completely, and utterly....FREAKING OUT!!!!

I have been out of school, um, *cough, cough* 19 years!!! 

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I asked Doodle to show me how to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions this evening when we finished dinner.

Doodle is in 5th grade.

She made up a mock test for me after she showed me how to do fractions.

I only got HALF of them right!!!!!!

I FAILED a fifth graders mock up test!!!!!!! 

And forget about Algebra...I'm lucky I can spell it!  I am so afraid that I am going to score the lowest score in the entire history of IUPUI!! 

I even wondered....can they retract my acceptance letter for me being completely math illiterate? 

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Oh well....not much I can do about it now.

But boy do I have quite a tale to tell you about my weekend!  Including, I swear, the lady at Home Depot saying my name....without me telling her my name!!  But I'll have to save that story for later this week....after I quit having a spazz attack over the math placement test!

I'm convinced they are going to say, "We are sorry, but we don't have a math class that goes back as far as you need.  You might check with your local elementary school and see if you can sit it on their classes."  :)

It's Curtains for You

So, yesterday I blogged about trends.

The reason I blogged on the topic is because it's been on my mind lately.  I've been revamping the entire house it seems like lately. 

And after my drop cloth curtain fail, I needed new curtains!

Curtains can get expensive.  And with my recent announcement I was going back to cottage style decor, I wanted to get rid of the copper/orange panels (that were not really "ME" to begin with, but a compromise of a failed relationship) and go with something more cottagey looking (with red/sage greens/browns being the colors I truly love).

But I was having buyers remorse over the orange curtains. 

Granted they had been up for a year or so.  But having spend around $60 on them, I didn't want to turn around this soon and spend that much again.

In the mean time I was living with drop cloth curtains that were absolutely doing nothing for me!

But as luck would have it, I was doing some thrifting a couple weeks ago and ran across this PAIR of curtains for $3.99 at the Goodwill.

THESE are totally ME!!!!! :) 

I fell in LOVE!!! 

Pittery-pattery-puffy heart-LOVE! :)

Unfortunately they were WAY too short.  They were only 60" panels. But I went ahead and bought them anyway!  Along with a pair of brown curtains (Target rejects donations) for $5.99...figuring I could piece the two together for a long enough panel.

BUT...I don't sew!  Remember?

What's a non-sewer to do?

Stitch Witchery

and

Fabri-Tac  

I won't explain each step, it's pretty easy to figure out.  But basically I cut down the floral panels to the length I wanted to use for the top piece, and used the Stitch Witchery to create seams.  Then I again, used the Stitch Witchery to piece the two panels together.

I went to Hobby Lobby, with a 40% coupon, and got two types of trim.  These were actually pretty inexpensive (especially with the coupon).

I used the Fabri-Tac to glue the trim pieces on....even pulling an emergency People of Walmart style run to get more at 10:30 at night (in my plaid PJ bottoms!!) when I ran out!! ;)

WAIT!!!  Don't un-follow me!  I swear, I would only pull this in an absolute emergency, like being ALMOST done with gorgeous curtain panels and wanting to hang them and look at them immediately....type emergency!!  You understand.  Right?  Right????  ;)

I learned my lesson anyway.  I accidently almost ran face first into a really cute guy....who totally noticed my pajama pants. :(  And you know a guy shopping at Wal-Mart by himself at 10:30 at night was probably single.  RATS!  ;)  At least he smiled at me.

Anywho...back to my no-sew gorgeous curtain panels.

They turned out PERFECT!!  Well, perfect might be a slight exaggeration.  But for no-sew Goodwill panels....they are perfect enough for me! :)

I'd like to add backing to them at some point so they block more light (for the impromptu middle of the day movie watching)....but that can be pushed down the list.

Oh, and the best part.....even with the trim.....they only cost me $18 for the pair!  :)

Along with the whole "trend" conversation.  You may notice while everyone else is lightening up for spring and adding lots of turquoise and grays....I'm not.

I have my personal opinion that those are fads.  Absolutely pretty fads...don't get me wrong...but temporary 'love' all the same.

Over the years I find that I always gravitate towards deep reds and sage greens and tans/golds/browns.  So, I'll go ahead and buck the blog trend and go with the deep, rich colors I love so much! :)

Here's my touch of spring.  Some fake flowers....a goodwill metal hanger...and a touch of leopard!  Oh yeah! :)

I still have plenty to do. 

My red pillows (which I've had forever) are too red for the new curtains, so a deeper red or brown or something are in order.  If I get really spunky, I have curtain fabric leftover, maybe I can add a small amount more of that into a pillow somewhere.

The coffee table has been in need of a makeover for a long time.  I'm thinking about painting and distressing the legs and staining the top a darker stain.

Someday, Bamboo floors will be installed.  And I'll need a new area rug.

And the lighting above the couch is too modern for the new look.  So, I have to figure out new lighting.  Oh, and the shade on the table lamp is too white...need to do something with that too.

Ohhh......the list never ends!! LOL

I will joining the parties listed in the link at the top of the page!  Check them out!! :)

Blogging Trends

Trends and prodcuts boasted about in blogland.  Do you follow them?  Do you try them?  Do you love to keep up with them?  Or do you hate them? 

I visit all sorts of blogs, I visit linky parties and get so overwhelmed with all the beauty I see!  I won't lie....sometimes I'm green eyed with envy!

And often times I want to try almost every single one of them!  (That is, if I had 48 hours in a day, and required no sleep.) LOL

But I do try some of them...and some of them are total keepers!

Like the burlap and jute trend rampant throughout blogland.  Man, do I love me some burlap and jute! :)

For instance, my burlap tissue cover!  I totally adore it. 

And my kitchen's chandelier lampshades that I covered in jute....STILL LOVE THEM!! :)  I did this well over a year ago because of all jute projects I was seeing in blogland. 

 Is it trendy right now?  Yes.  Does it have lasting appeal.  Who knows.  Only time will tell.  But for now, I love these trends!

Modge Podge!!!  I don't even have to tell you how much I love that stuff!!! 

Prior to blogging, I have never used it before.

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But some of the blogging trends (or products that everyone's using) I try...and they are total FAILS for me!

For instance....drop cloth curtains!

Lettered Cottage

I mean, HEEELLLLLLOOOOO!  Simple and gorgeous...right?  Not to mention....CHEAP! :)

Recently, I tried my hand at them.  Granted, I don't sew, so mine were VERY simple (and of course, I never got pictures of them....bad blogger!).

I HATED them!!!!!!!!

I left them up for several weeks....and they never grew on me....at all!

Why would I hate such loveliness?

Well, here's what you don't read.

They are stiff!  I mean, super, duper, just as you image drop cloth to be, stiff!  I washed them.  I used fabric softener galore!  I dried them with wonderful Bounty dryer sheets!  I washed them again and again....still stiff!

They took me HOURS to iron!  I'm not kidding.  I watched two movies PER PANEL to iron out all the wrinkles.  And that was only to an acceptable level...not perfect!

I used paper clips to create nice folds/creases, I left them there for weeks so they would lay nice and flowy.  Guess what?  Crisp and stiff, never becomes flowly. :(

Drop cloth curtains, for me.....FAIL!  Why are they so gorgeous for everyone else??  I got them at Lowe's, just like everyone else.  What did I miss?  Or does no else tell you they are stiff?  Maybe other people don't mind stiff?

I occasionally close the curtains so we can watch a movie in the dark during the day....stiff doesn't work so well for this.

I don't know why I didn't know this before.  I just know it did not work for me.  Does this ever happen to you?

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Another example....Gorilla Glue.

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I know you've seen this stuff all over blogland.  There are parties dedicated to this stuff.

Have you tried it?

I have....because everyone was using for their wonderful projects! 

I HATED it!  It has ruined more than one project for me!  Why?

It expands.  ALOT!

Big, bubbly, expansion out from under every single thing I've tried it on!

I've never read that before!  Have you?  No one has ever complained about this problem (that I've read).  I can't be the only person this happens to.  Right?

Instead I have found that I ADORE E-6000!

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It dries clear.  It holds fabulously.  It stinks (this is not a positive, LOL).  But it works.  AND....it doesn't expand and bubble and make a mess!

I found this stuff by reading blogs!  Other bloggers use it too.  So, this one...total success (for me)!

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Other trends....all white rooms!  This was big late last year.

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It's gorgeous.  But you know what I see?  DIRTY, DIRTY, DIRTY!

I wonder who lives in these spaces?  They can't have pets!  Or kids!  Right?  I know they are slipcovered sofas....but I'd have to wash them weekly (and just live with the stains in between).  I don't want to wash my sofa weekly.

This is a trend I can't wrap my head around.  Not because it isn't beautiful.  It is!  It's just not realistic for me and my brood! :)

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So.....the big question.

Do you try them?  Do they always work for you they way they have for others?  Or do you just read and admire from a distance?  :)

How do you work the trends into your home?

  

Vintage Pins

First, I have super exciting news!

I got my acceptance letter on Friday to IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis)!!!!

I will officially be a Interior Design student in the fall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOW!!! 

That is a dream I've held onto my entire adult life!!  And it's finally going to be a reality!

Thank you to all of you that have sent me so many well wishes!  They really do mean the world to me. :)

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Ok....onto today's real post.

I could not wait to show you this project.  And you are not going to believe the price!!

Not too long ago, I found a vendor at my favorite antique mall (Southport Antique Mall here in Indianapolis), that has shelves full of plastic boxes, stuffed to the brim with what she calls "Bits and Baubles". 

Bits and Baubles are basically costume jewelry, alot of which are vintage pieces, some are broken, some are missing one jewel piece, some miscellaneous little pretties and small oddities...and then some gorgeous vintage costume jewelry completely in tact still.

I have fallen in love with all her vintage costume jewelry!!

And the best part, her prices!!  1 piece for $2 or 3 pieces for $5!!! 

I mean, heellloooo!!  Most vendors charge double that for one piece!!

Sure some of it is pretty cheesy stuff....but alot of it looks like this beauty!  You just have to take the time to pick through it all and find the jewels. :)

I pretty much find a spot to sit in the floor and just dig through each box looking for pieces like this.  I mean, at basically $1.50 a pin....how can I go wrong??

I had a bunch of these Dollar Tree frames leftover from my craft show during the holidays that I never did anything with. 

I took them apart and painted the wood frames, black for the larger, and white for the smaller one inside. 

I covered the mat with scrapbook paper that I got on sale at Hobby Lobby the other day for less than $.50 each.  The frame took less than half a sheet.  I heavily distressed the paper with black ink.

I bought a 1/4 yard of gorgeous black velvet at JoAnn's (with a coupon) for about $3.50). Velvet is e.x.p.e.n.s.i.v.e. people!!  But luckily I only needed a small amount, so I have plenty leftover for future projects.

I also used a small amount of quilt batting that I had to create a 'puffed' look under the velvet.  I just used the glass from the picture frame as my backing, and taped everything down.

Put it all back together and you get this!!!!

I am SOOOO flippin' tickled, I can't even describe it!  :)

I will absolutely be selling these at my upcoming craft show next month!!  And Miss 'Bits and Baubles' dealer has plenty more for me to pick through still. :)

At what is better?  Have you been doing the math with me?

This cost me less than $3.50 to make!!       

Visit my link at the top of the page to see what parties I like to attend. :)

Kids Storage Solutions

First, I want to apologize for my lack of blogging lately.

I thought being unemployed would give me tons of blogging time.  But instead I've been so busy catching up on projects that have been on my To-Do List for FOREVER, I find myself away from the computer more than I would like.

And well, let's be blunt for a minute...I'm a, um, full size plump plus sized thick girl.  A thick girl who used to sit on her rear all day in front of a computer.  My body is not used to going full speed ahead all day everyday!! 

It's tired.  No, wait!  My body is more like, fall onto the couch-it hurts to lift my finger, exhausted, come evening!  LOL

I have so many things to show you, I just have to schedule more time to sit down and blog about it all. :)

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One of the things I promised to share with you was, storage in Doodle's bedroom.

As I've mentioned, oh about, a bazillion times....her bedroom is only 9 x 9 (plus a couple inches).

Luckily, she is outgrowing the toys stage, so we don't have alot of that to store anymore.  But we do still have books, movies, CD's, jewelry making supplies, games, art supplies, etc.

Last week I showed the work horse of the room....

Hidden storage is always the best solution!! ESPECIALLY in a small space!

Doodle is anal retentive a neat freak like her mother, so hidden storage is a big deal to her.  Well, she's a neat freak in her bedroom anyway.  The rest of the house, yeah, she just throws her stuff wherever for Mommy to pick up.

Anywho....in the nemisis cabinet, Doodle stores all her books, her DVD's, and her jewelry making supplies (another hobby that seems to have come and gone).

I also added a storage ottoman under her window.

This may seem like a strange choice for a tiny kids room, but I do have my reasons.

First of all, let me note...if I was staging my house for sale, I would remove this piece to make the room look larger, because absolutely, it does take up valuable floor space!  But my daughter is beyond the age of playing in the floor....and we LIVE in this house.  Staging has it's place....but you can't live comfortably in a staged house!  (There I said it!) :) 

Hang out space is important to her at her age. 

The bench provides a spot for her friends to sit...for her to sit and play guitar...for her pets to stretch out and watch her when she's in her room....a place for her dog to get up into her bed (Lucy the Pudgy Pug can't just jump up into the bed, LOL).

And more importantly....it offers more hidden storage for stuffed animals and Barbies (the last of the toys that are still played with)! 

If she's hanging out in her room with her friends or just watching TV and needs a place to put her drink (water only! LOL) or a bowl of popcorn...both sides of the ottoman flip over to useful trays!

So, while she doesn't have a ton of floor space, this ottoman provides more usefulness to her at this stage than floor space.  She has ample room between her bed and ottoman to move around.

I purchased this ottoman last year at Wal-Mart for around $80.  I shopped other places, but I liked this one best for the flexibility it offered with the trays.

Please excuse all the cords!  Someday I'm going to get an eletrician to put outlets in the right places! :)

Later this week, I will show you more storage ideas that I've used to maximize Doodle's tiny 9 x 9 bedroom. :)