Sweet Surprises, a peak into Brooke's Nursery

This post is for a dear friend that was enamored with Brooke's nursery and is expecting a sweet bundle soon.  Little blessings just warm my heart! After two boys, it was dreamy designing and hunting for finds that would fit a room made for a sweet surprise.  My favorite place for inspiration is PBK. My favorite places to shop... HomeGoods, Hobby Lobby and Michaels, and of course a garage sale or two, Goodwill and Craigslist!  (Always use that 40% off any one item coupon from HL; it is so easy to pull up on a smart phone and competitors honor it.)

First, I saw in a popular children's furniture catalog a nursery that had a crib in the center of the room with a tree branch hanging over it, and I just loved it and thought... if I ever have a girl, I am sooo doing that.  Well this is my finished product.  I purchased the branch from Pottery Barn during Christmas time, and I spray painted it white.  At Michaels, I purchased dogwood branches and used 2 different colored flowers.  The little birdcages are from Michaels too, and I found the two birdies on top at a garage sale NIP (new in package) for $0.25!

When I found this at Hobby Lobby in the gardening section, I knew it would be perfect for a canopy holder.  First, I spray-painted it and then hand painted the little birdie on top.  Look for shapes.  Color can always be altered with a can of spray paint.

I found this at HomeGoods for $4.99 and it was just something I couldn't leave the store without. A good rule for HG is... if you like it, buy it, because if you go back for it, it might not be there. 

 
Some of the finds here were in a Michael's grab bag for $2.00. YES!  During a seasonal change, Michaels had grab bags for $2.00 each and I bought them ALL.  When I tallied all the Original Retail prices it was over $600 of merchandise, and I paid $16!  I can't even tell you how often I use the items I purchased in these grab bags for seasonal decor in rooms, birthday dessert tables, and even Brooke's Christmas tree.  If you ever see the $2.00 grab bags, pick one up, you will be glad you did.  The planter is from Hobby Lobby and I was so happy that I found it!  It is made by a company called 222 Fifth St. and HomeGoods carries a lot of their china.  I don't think they make much that I don't like, but originally we had a salad plate on top of the dresser in the same exact pattern, but it broke.  What a great find and at 40% off, I think it was $8.00.

Brooke's crib bedding, made by my Aunt Jan.

Michaels was the place for the vase, and HomeGoods was where I found this lamp... perfect for this spot, less than $30 and tea light holder that holds some dainty jewelry for B.

Birdcages from Hobby Lobby at 50% off, florals from Michaels, birdies were from a garage sale, and the butterflies are from PBK.  They hang from the ceiling and add a little whimsy to a room fit for our sweet surprise.  When I started to make purchases, the room just came together.  If you find things online that you like, you can put them together and have fun with them at Olioboard.com, be careful it is addicting.  I can't wait to share the rest of Brooke's nursery with you.  We used a lot of paint... Happy Shopping!

Dresser Makeover into Bathroom Vanity

My inspiration for this project is this EJ Victor chest that I saw on http://theenchantedhome.blogspot.com/. Her blog is AMAZING.  

This is what I needed. Wood filler to fill in imperfections, base coat color paint, a color to mix with the glaze and then I used acrylics for the details.

This was a french provincial dresser that I bought for $20 from a craigslist ad.  I painted it navy blue for our second son's nursery, but when our baby girl came along, the boys moved in together and we had a navy blue dresser!  What to do?  We wanted to replace our bathroom vanity in the Master Bedroom, so my husband, Mark used his carpentry skills to transform the dresser into a vanity and it works well.  I really like the height of it.

On goes the first coat of paint

... and then another coat of paint.

Then I painted the trim of the drawers in a dark brown.

Next came some of the details. I made marks with a pencil and used a ruler to create the harlequin pattern, then free-handed the flower details. On the top two faux drawers I used a gold metallic paint, just for something different.

Then I started to free-hand the flowers.  At first, I didn't like them, but then the more I did, the more it came together.  Lesson learned: Don't give up... keep going and follow through with your idea.

A little more details to the flowers...

And here is the finished product, I ended up using the glaze along the sides of the vanity, legs and bottom.  Just follow the directions on the can... it is easy. Now, I am off to Hobby Lobby to find some great handles for the bottom 3 drawers.  Their furniture knobs and handles are always 50% off! And they have a few that resemble the ones at Anthropologie!

T-shirt Transformation: Making ruffled leggings from a T-shirt Tutorial

These ruffled leggings are from an up-cyclyed t-shirt.  Learn how I did it here and be inspired to try some of your own.  You'll need a t-shirt and a sewing machine.

I went hunting in the local thrift shop and found these knit tops for $3 each.  I was looking for stripes and a 95% cotton /5% spandex mix.  The larger the t-shirt the more fabric, but I was specifically looking for fabric designs that would match some of Brooke's current closet.

I used a pair of leggings that we currently own as a pattern.

You can alter the size by fold up the leggings and a bottom ruffle will add length.   Fold the t-shirt down the center and use the bottom, finished edge of the t-shirt as waist of the leggings.

Use the rest of the t-shirt to cut strips for the ruffles.  It is up to you how perfect you want your leggings, but I  know that a 2 year little girl with 2 big brothers will be wearing them, so perfection doesn't last long around here.  I didn't remove the pockets or worry much about the inseams of the T.

Here are the cut pieces from the t-shirt, the legs, and strips for ruffles.  The strips will be long loops, just cut on one end and gather.

Take the strips of fabric to the sewing machine and gather the top of each strip.  These leggings will have two ruffles on each leg, so I gathered 4 strips of t-shirt fabric.  I am blessed enough to have just upgraded my sewing machine; when I raise the thread tension and stitch length, the knit strips easily gather.  Some people may have a gathering foot, or conventionally gathering the fabric works too.

Place the right sides together of the leggings leg and ruffle and I added a plain strip to have 2 ruffles.  

This is what they end up looking like all ruffled up!

Next, sew the leggings together, and then sew the leggings, all right sides together.

Last step is to fold over the finished edge of the t-shirt and sew leaving a small opening.  Insert the elastic into the opening and weave it through the waist channel.  Stitch the ends of elastic, and wallah!  Finished leggings!

Comfortable and cute, feminine and frilly, leggings for your little lady that cost $3.00,  and an hour of time.  I hope you are inspired to try something new!