A Doodle Desk Redo

While I was rearranging Doodle's new room layout, I thought for sure the desk was going to have to go. 

For one, I was squeezing alot more furniture into this tiny bedroom...which oh, by the way, I measured and it's smaller than what I thought (if that's even possible)!  Her bedroom is only 9'9" x 9'1"....that's TINY people!!!!

And two, her desk was very utilitarian looking, metal...nothing cute about it.

But surprisingly when everything was in place, I took the measurement between the dresser and the wall and it fit perfectly!!  If you've been reading my blog for any length of time now, then you know NOTHING ever works out perfectly for me!! :)

BUT...there was still the ugliness to deal with.

The desk had multiple colored poster boards that you could change out underneath a heavy glass top.  None of the colors would work with the new scheme...they were all very 8 box of crayons colors...if you know what I mean. ;) 

As I was trying to think of what I could do to pretty it up, it occured to me that I had some scrap pieces of burlap that might work!

The piece I had was almost perfect...except the edges were REALLY rough looking...and when I tried to clean them up I, of course, made it worse! 

Then I remembered seeing someone using ribbon to cover the ugly edges once!! 

Unfortunately, I did NOT have ribbon that would work...so off to Michael's I went...about $3 later, I miter cut the edges and double-side taped it over the rough edges and it had exactly the polished look I had hoped for!

So, here is what it looked like when I was done!!!  I seriously did some dancing and some jumping and possibly some squeeling!!

When I showed it to Doodle, she said......."You got me a new desk!"

She didn't even recognize it as her old, ugly, desk!!  You should have seen her face when I told her it was her old one...it was priceless!

But I didn't stop there.  I figured this was the perfect spot for pictures.  So, I kind of did it up like a huge scrapbook. 

I matted pictures onto different scrapbook papers that coordinated with the room.  Of course, making Miss Lucy Lou the center of attention! :)

I made the tag by using my Cricut to cut out the tag shape, then stamped on my fleur-de-lis stamp and aged it up with distressing ink...because this room is going French meets Animal Print!! :)

Clearly you can tell our pets our important to us. LOL

I am THRILLED with how this turned out!!!  

Here is the finished desk...with plenty of room to add more pictures! :)

Stay tuned...I have LOTS more to show you from Doodle's room makeover!!

Until next time....

 

Decisions, Decision, Decisions...

As you are well aware of, Doodle is getting a room makeover!!

She's going from a little girls bright, tropical-ish bedroom.....to a mature, tween bedroom. :(

Don't get me wrong...I'm excited to redecorate the bedroom (I mean, it's kind of what I live for).  I'm just sad my little girl is growing up.

Her request was simple, beige walls and...leopard print.

This was actually exciting for me because as I may have mentioned fifty times once or twice that I LOVE me some leopard print!!! :)

You have to be VERY careful with leopard print...it can get REALLY tacky.  But done right, leopard can be very classic and shee-shee-foo-foo!! :)

After ALOT of searching online, I finally decided in order to get the feel we were looking for I was going to have to cough up some $$.  I'm cheap frugal as you know, but I also realize the bedding is what makes a bedroom. 

So, I went with the Ralph Lauren Desert Retreat Organic Leopard duvet and sham. 

It had to look we wanted, but not the price tag.  It was $140 at Macy's (without the sham).  But I was able to get it on EBay, with a sham, for $85.  That's alot to me, especially for a 10 year old, but this is something she can use for a long time.

The plain brown look is a little too subdued for a 10 year old, so I knew we needed an pop with an accent color.  So, I gave her several options.

Red, grayish blue, or green.  We quickly narrowed it down to red or grayish blue.

I was told....get this, I almost fell over......."SURPRISE ME"!!!  My 10 year old daughter said "Surprise me"!!!!

I was pretty sure the gray-blue was the sophisticated look I wanted but just to be sure I threw both colors on the bedding and took a picture. 

This is how I decide on alot of my decorating choices...I take a picture.

You can see alot in a picture that you may not notice in person.  Try it next time and see if it helps you.

So, here was the red option.   Very nice and I could definitely work with this (I used pillows and a brown bathroom towel I already had to get an idea).

And here is the blue option (the pillow, $12, and artwork, $15, I purchased at Wal-Mart, the little bucket was the whole inspiration for the blue in the first place, it was on clearance at Michael's for $2).

I knew immediately blue was IT!!! :)

So, there is your little sneak peak of the direction Doodle's room is headed!!! :)

Until next time....

Christmas is gone already!

Christmas is done already!!

I know that's what you are saying about me still sporting my Christmas blog layout.

But there is a reason...I swear!! 

Actually, really, I do...ALOT!  It's not very feminine or Christian of me....I'm working on it!

But, that's not what I meant.  I swear there is a reason I have not changed my page yet!!

And it has to do with this lady...Jenn at Munchkin Land Designs.

And that's all I'm telling you! :P

Closet Organizer

Happy New Year!!! 

I have so much planned for 2011!!  And I figured since organization is usually high on the resolution list, I'd start the year out with my own organization project.

Doodle's Closet!!

As I mentioned last month, Doodle is getting an entire room make over!!

Her closet before was just your basic builder closet...a rod and a shelf...that's it.

Considering it is SO small, a customizable closet system seemed like the perfect solution for maximising space in her tiny closet! 

After shopping all the home improvements stores and online, I decided to go with Rubbermaid's Configurations Closet Kit for 3-6' Closets.  I purchased my system at Menards for $50 (I paid $60, but I got a $10 rebate coming!). Plus I added the shoe racks, for $16 and the extenders so I could put the shoe racks down further in the closet, for $10 each. So, the whole system cost about $90.

This project is one of the biggest projects I've tackled on my own to date!!!

As is with every.single.project I tackle...everything was NOT smooth sailing!

First I gave the closet a fresh coat of paint.  It's amazing how many stains a closet gets in a year and half!  Plus since I never got around to painting the baseboards in the closets when we moved in, I went ahead and painted those as well while I was in there.

People have asked before how I painted my baseboards in my house.  Well, since I've known my carpets are temporary and will be removed, I didn't get super anal about it.  I used edgers and went to town...giving, typically, three coats. 

I strongly recommend priming them first, but I'm lazy and didn't want to open two different paint cans.

So, here she is with her fresh coat of paint and newly painted baseboards.

Then....it happens!  You know, the point where everything goes ALL WRONG!

It hadn't occurred to me that I would need to remove the wood that was already in place in the closet.  So....I had to take out the wood nailed all along the closet to hold up the old shelf!

So, step one was to pry all the wood off.....patch all the holes....sand.....and give the closet another fresh coat of paint.

NOW I'm ready to start actually installing the new system.

You know you are in trouble when STEP 1 says, "Measure 86.5 inches up and mark at each stud" this is where the main bracket for the closet system will hang (meaning the top shelf will go there, so technically the closet will need room ABOVE that 86.5 inches so you can use the top shelf).........and you measure up and the closet only goes up to 82 inches high!

Uh-oh!!

THEN....you get out your new stud finder and......can't find a stud!!!

At this point I realize....if my stud finder would just go out and get me a couple of 'real' studs....they could do the whole bleepin' closet and I wouldn't have to worry about any it!! ;)

Ok, breath Erin!  You're just going to have to wing it!

So, I played with the top shelf and just decided where it would 'work'.  And went from there.

I did eventually find 2 studs in the closet (no....not the kind that would actually do all the work unfortunately).  But of course, they didn't lay in the right place for the closet system.

So, I had to put in an anchor for every.single.stinking.screw I was going to use in the ENTIRE closet!  As much as I wanted to skip this process, I figured it was kinda important the system actually stayed up and didn't come crashing down. 

Of course, they didn't include enough anchors (probably because they assumed you'd be able to find a stud!).  So, I had to run back to the hardware store...Lowe's this time because it's closer.  $6 later I had a bag of screws and anchors.

Back to drilling and anchoring.

Until half way through I realize.....I STILL don't have enough bleepin' anchors!!!!

BACK to the !@#$%#@!##@ hardware store.  Menard's this time.  I don't know why...change of scenery?  NO, that's right, to get the shoe racks this time in addition to MORE ANCHORS.

Ok, breath again Erin.

Actually, after this, the rest of the system went up quite easily.

If I hadn't run into the disassembly of old system (I use the word system lightly here), the closet height issue and the stud/anchor issue, this systems was actually very easily to install.

After all was said and done...I did my "who needs a man" dance (yes, I do this every time I wish I could pass it off but complete it by myself). :)

Doodle is THRILLED with the result! 

We still have to add some pretty storage boxes to the shelves....we've got plenty to still get back into her tiny bedroom and closet.  And I still have to decide whether to decide to install new closet doors or go with a curtain for now. 

Until next time.... 

Our New Baby

This is Lucy, our new baby!! 

Ok, she's not exactly a baby.  Lucy is my brothers dog...she's a 3 year old pug. 

My brother is in the Navy and is being transferred to Japan next week.  Since he will be traveling alot while he's in Japan, Doodle and I agreed to watch his dog for the next 2 years.  Although, we have totally fallen in love with her already...so he may not get her back. ;)

We've known for about six months we'd pick her up from him at our parents house at Christmas.

Well, we originally thought we'd be getting his boy pug, Jon, but that was changed to Lucy a few weeks...long story.

She is completely PRECIOUS!!  So loving, cuddly, and snorty, LOL.

I'm sure you'll be seeing much more of her! :)

Until next time.....

(I linked this post to Debbie's Pet Party at Debbiedoo's Blog on 1/24/11)

12 Days of Christmas - Day 12 - Deck the Halls

Deck the Halls House is complete here at Erin's humble abode!! :)

Some say it's silly for me to decorate like I do considering that we are never home for Christmas.  But the truth is...I cannot imagine NOT decorating!!

I mean, we are home from Thanksgiving until almost Christmas!

One thing you will notice is....I'm still a traditionalist people!  I'm sorry...but I like my reds and greens around here!  Just like I like my orange and black at Halloween.

I kind of like a 'homespun' Christmas look, so I changed out the curtains and pillows to reds, and took my usual oranges out.  I put down the more traditional rug and sprinkled Christmas cheer, mostly in the living room, but touches are in each room.

So, without further ado, my final day of the 12 Days of Christmas (on the 21st of December, LOL)...my home all decked out!! :)

Um, I don't intentionally collect Snowmen...but I apparently have quite an affection for them that I didn't realize.

An older lady I worked with at Burger King, when I was high school, gave this reindeer to me!  She did crafts and sold at craft shows...that might have been when my true love of crafts took off!

The sign was from a blog with free printable...but I can't remember WHOSE!  If you do, let me know and I'll give credit!

This one was just scrapbook papers.

This little guy lights up (with a nightlight style light bulb)...LOVE him...not sure why I didn't take a picture with his light on.

Well, I hope enjoyed this little tour or our snowmen home!! :)

Since we will be driving Wednesday evening and Thursday and spending time with our family in Dallas, this will be my last post until after Christmas.  So, I hope each and everyone of you and your families have a VERY Merry Christmas!!! 

12 Days of Christmas - Day 11 - Gift Presentation

Are you irritated with my serious lack of follow through yet?  I mean, 12 days of Christmas SHOULD have been finished on the twelfth if I was any kind of blogger. ;)

And here we are on the 20th of December, and I'm still have one more day!

I gotta tell you, I had  BLAST this weekend! 

First of all, on a total side note, I went and saw the play WICKED Friday night....FANTABULOUS!!!!  Not at all what I was expecting...but completely worth it if it comes to your area!!!

But that's not what I was referring to!!  I am done with all my Christmas doings.  So, I actually just got to sit home and enjoy the house all decorated before we leave this week for Dallas!!!

But of course, I don't really 'sit' ever.  So, I had to be doing something. 

That something involved my newest toy!!!  I went last week and purchased (with a nice gift card I received) the Martha Stewart Scoring Board!!!

I am completley IN LOVE!!!!

And just as an FYI, no one really cares about my opinion enough to pay me or send me anything, LOL, so this is my own personal review. :)

It was only $20 at Archivers, PLUS I had a 30% off coupon...so I only paid $14!!!  WELL worth the cost!!!

First thing I made were holders for the gift cards I'm giving to my brothers (and cousin).

The score board has measurements and tells you were to score for different size boxes, cards, and envelopes.  There is an angled thing-a-mabob for making envelopes, which is what I had to use for the gift card holders.

Here's what it looks like after I scored it and made the creases.

This was my practice one, so I used a plain piece of cardstock (so I didn't waste money with fancy paper just yet).  But here's the inside.

I just used double sided tape (that I got at Archiver's too) to seal it all together.  Once I got the technique down, I changed to fancier paper, so the inside was pretty too. :)

Once I got the card made, I embellised it so the gift card is, hopefully, a little more exciting to open.

And here's the final product!!

I just added a little button embelishment I got at Hobby Lobby awhile back.  Those were $2 for nine of ten of them...so these were still super cheap to make!!

I also made boxes, with my Martha Stewart Score Board, for the Cake Pop goodies I made this weekend!  (I still had to give one guy at work at gift, plus I like to do something for our FedEx and UPS delivery guys that come to work all the time).

I made all the boxes with scrapbook paper (card stock quality) I already had (from a book of Christmas paper I bought on sale earlier in the season).

The presentation can take a simple gift to a "Wow" gift. :)

Until next time....