Negative: Stopping my sewing to take out pins

Positive: The Throw and Sew Method

Before: I used my tomato cushion, sewing basket, and this plastic case to hold all of my pins.

 

 

The motion of pushing a pin into a cushion was just too much for me while I was taking pins out of my project, especially when it came to trim.

 

How I made my positive:

I bought a metal office tray (I’m assuming for paperclips?), a candle holder, and a child’s magnetic toy. The adhesive magnetic dots were less than 2 bucks at a craft store.

 

 

 

I placed the magnets on the bottom of the metal tray and on the bottom and sides of the candle holder.

 

 

 

The magnetic pad got a makeover by hot gluing fabric to cover it.

 

 

After:

A beautiful trim on my Christmas Tree Skirt.

 

What I love: I can throw my pins and they are automatically caught. The metal tray matches my desk the most, the blue candle holder is the prettiest, and the magnet is the most practical.

 

This is only the beginning of my office transformation (since I sold the last set of furniture and still have more to sell from this room: Sold Furniture and Furniture for Sale) Check back in the new year for more updates on my home office!

 

 

What I would change: I would buy more of the magnetic toys since they are the most practical and completely customizable by the fabric you choose. The magnet also weighs down the fabric while I pin it.

  
Status: Not for Sale

What do you wish could be made simpler? I’ll work on it!

How to Make a Whiteboard Work in Your Home

Negative: Too many to-do lists.

Positive: Pretty Organization

How I made my positive:

Our garage is outfitted with a 6 by 3 foot whiteboard. We have a Superbowl party and we use the board for squares.

 

The leftover pieces were made for my classroom so students could use them for test review, group work, motivation for reluctant writers and beyond. 

We had one giant leftover piece that we started to use for our to-do lists, game night scores, and, in our household, the occasional diagram that explains how planes fly. The edges were worn, and it sat on the floor most of the time. With no place for it to go, I knew we needed a change.

 

Before: Our whiteboard was used for game night tallies and to-do list sorting. Ugly and inconvenient.

After: Board was already cut 2 by 3 feet. I purchased wood trim with a groove in it, stained the wood, and then we placed the whiteboard within the frame and glued with wood glue (gorilla glue), clamped it down, and let it dry overnight.

 

The wood was close to the color of the table below it before stain. The stain I used is called Espresso from Minwax.

 

The groove in the back made it easier to place the whiteboard inside of it.

 

 

I wanted the option to remove the board if needed so I used this bracket on the back.

 

What I love: It’s up on the wall where it belongs.

 

 



You can see my ugly to do lists in the background on the fridge

Ugly checklists

 

 

What I would change: The stain color. Which I did! My advice with stain is to either

(a.) Stain a scrap piece or somewhere hidden, or

(b.) Stain with a light coat, don’t keep the stain on for very long and reassess the color after a day has passed.

I wanted a darker color so I stained 5 times until I got the color I wanted. You can always make it darker, but you can’t go backwards and make it lighter.

 

 

Status: Not for Sale

Do you have multiple check lists like I do? What’s your solution?

2 Steps to a Modern Bookcase

Negative: Storage Bins, Storage Bins, and More Storage Bins

Positive: More reading

When I moved in with my boyfriend, now fiancé, we had a multitude of books collected that we couldn’t part with. We started to have a bin problem. Storage bins labeled, but never opened. Heavy bins that were lugged around when we moved, then sat to collect dust. Then a blessing came our way, a free bookcase.

How I made my positive:

I found this bookcase ready to be thrown to the trash. I could tell this bookcase wasn’t cheap, and it’s only flaw was a crack in one of the center shelves. I’ve never been afraid to reuse something that old, but I wanted to make sure the flaws weren’t at the forefront.

 

 

 

 

1. Using old boxes, I cut out cardboard that would fit the back of the shelf.

2. Then I wrapped them in wrapping paper.

What I like about this technique is it’s cheap, removable and replaceable, and easy to do. It also allows you to bring a style element into an usual space, like a library, study, or office.

Using prints, metallics, or bright colored gift wrap makes for a statement piece.

 

 

Before: Flawed

 

After: Fancy

 

 

 

What I love: We read more at home now and have lightened our storage bin problem.

What I would change: This whole bottom shelf. Anyone ready for some light reading on Vector Mechanics?

 

Status: Not for Sale

Do you have a dinky bookshelf?

Here are some tips,

1.       Use your kids’ artwork to cover the back of a playroom bookcase.

2.       Interchange your bookcase with holiday wrapping paper to match the season.

3.       Use old sports t-shirts in the bookcase in the den.

 

 

Romantic White Bedroom Set

Negative: No idea how to antique furniture

Positive: Romantic Bedroom Set

How I made my positive:

I bought a standard set of furniture I’ve seen a million times. When I look for furniture I look for pieces with good bones, a solid structure.

Painting the furniture white was about all I wanted to tackle, but I’ve always longed for a romantic European feel in my home. My dream destination is Paris, even though so far all I have learned to say is “un garcon” (little boy) and I’m not quite sure how that will help me tour France… but it’s a start. I wanted to antique the furniture a bit which I knew I could do with some glaze and light sanding.

Before:

 

 

 

During:

 

 
 

 

 
After:

 
 

 

 

 

 

 What I love: Bringing Paris to Connecticut

 

What I would change: My trepidation to get started. A poster that I’ve had in my classroom says “Mistakes are proof that you’re trying”. I have never antiqued before which made me reconsider the white, but I’m glad I gave it a shot. I've had much worse disasters in my garage (pink spray paint accident), so my advice to you is try your hand at that project you don't want to get started. Just use a tarp is you're using fluorescent pink spray paint.

Status: For Sale, $600, Includes mattress, box spring, and accessories pictured.

Have you used a vacation or dream destination for your style inspiration? Did it pay off or are you putting it off? Post a picture below.

 

 

3 Changes You Need to Make to Your Coffee Table Now

Negative: Messy and Boring Coffee Tables

Positive: Impromptu Game Nights

 

We have all been there. You’re at a friend or family member’s house and you’re invited to sit on their couch. Their coffee table holds one of these three things:

1.       Old Mail/ Receipts Piled Up

2.       The same magazines as last time featuring the same celebrity's baby announcement

3.       Nothing (Probably held chips and salsa or ice cream the night before)

The purpose of leaving things on your coffee table should be for conversation not for convenience.

Here are 3 Changes You Need to Make to Your Coffee Table Now:

1.       Unique Books

 

 

People enjoy books that are unique and quirky. Do you have a book about 50 uses for bacon or 1000 places to see before you die? These types of text spark conversation about the same subject. For example, my books may inspire someone to tell the best/worst date they’ve been on, or the most interesting place they’ve visited in New York. Unique books are best for a party atmosphere.

2.       Board Games

If you have a mix of people in ages or interests, board games should do the trick. An impromptu game is an easy way to get people to laugh. Trivia games may challenge the more cerebral while competitive games bring out the kid inside of us. I highly suggest the two games shown, easy to play and sparks many debates!

3.       Book of Thanks

 

 

For family occasions, display a memory book. This year I decided to start a Book of Thanks for the major holidays before we begin our lives together. One page is used to record the Holiday, Where you Were, Who was there, and Special Memories.

The next page is for a photo of everyone present and personal messages to surround it: 

-What I’m thankful for

-Wishes for the New Year

-Gift they enjoyed the most

-Most memorable event from the last year

-Greatest accomplishment

Over the years, this book will serve as a time capsule and will be a fun way to reflect on our growth as a family.

Submit a photo of your coffee table’s current state and tell me why your family needs a Book Of Thanks. Winner receives a Book of Thanks. Competition closes: Saturday, November 29^th, 11:59 pm, EST.

Refreshing Green and Gold Desk

 

Negative: Low budget for a spare bedroom

Positive: Green and gold are fabulous!
 

My sister-in-law came to live with us for a few months and I wanted to refresh her room with a custom set of furniture.

How I made my positive:

The desk: Sanding, priming, painting, sealing. I used pulls from a previous project but spray painted them gold.

 
 
 

The corkboard: First, I tacked lace fabric on top of the corkboard and spray painted it gold. Then I painted the trim green.

 

 

The chair: Cleaned the chair and dismantled the bottom. Cut new cushion and fitted the pink jersey fabric overtop. Stapled the fabric to the base and reconstructed the chair.

What I love: A client fell in love with the chair and bought that item alone for her daughter.

What I would change: Personally, the green was not for me, but it was unique to that person’s style, which is yet another positive. Another client HAD to have the desk due to the color. I had to outfit her with a new chair to match her style.

Status: SOLD
 

After my sister-in-law moved out, I wanted to update the space to something more my style. My home office is currently in progress; My deadline is the new year, so check back for updates!

So what do you think? Are you loving this green? Do you use color in your design? Leave me warm or cold feedback below.