Earth Day Thursday- Reuse Those Phone Books

  Does anyone else feel like you get a new phone book every month?

I feel like I am in that Seinfeld episode when Kramer tries to quit the mail.

Or that Friends episode where Chandler tries to quit the gym.

STOP LEAVING YOUR WORTHLESS BOOKS ON MY PORCH! (pretty please)

Can I put a sign out there? Would they listen?

All of this got me thinking, if I can't make it stop, let's make it into something worthwhile. Do you pinterest? Do you follow me on pinterest? Well, you can request and invite here and follow me here!

This is where I found all of the following ridiculously amazing and inventive crafts.

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COASTERS

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So, now I have one more thing to save and take up space in my garage....my husband is going to be thrilled!!!

Busy Bees

This is the project I shared on Bella before and After when I guest posted over at her place last week. But of course, I had to share them here too!

I found these fab chairs at Goodwill for $1.99 each. There were four, but two were very wobbly and shabby and I wasn't too sure of my fix it skills, so I stuck with the two solid ones. 

I love the shape and while the finish was rotten, the wood was in very good condition.

Check out the lovely vinyl seats- nice right?

I took off the seats and sanded away with my palm sander  till everything was smooth.I watered down some of my kids  $1.99 red paint, don't judge, it is what I had on hand and I was too impatient to wait till I could run to the store for appropriate paint. 

I painted on a thin coat and then after it dried I sanded it up a bit by hand, retouched certain areas, and sanded some more. I was aiming for a worn and distressed look (since the kids will rough 'em up anyway) and it took some time to get there.

Now something really had to be done about those seats. I have some drop cloth material left over from the curtains in my son's room and decided to use them here (remember this whole redo is under $100, so I need to be thrifty). The seats were also very hard and not comfy, so I grabbed a 2 pack of foam for $6.97 and cut them to the size and shape of the seats. Then I measured the fabric and cut to fit.

I found some fun bumblebee images at  Graphics Fairy (here and  here)that I thought would look cute on the seats. So I printed them on iron on transfer paper ($5.59 at Hobby Lobby with my 40% off coupon), cut as close to the image as possible, and ironed them onto the middle of the drop cloth pieces.

I used my trusty staple gun to attach the fabric and screwed the seats back on.
Hmmm, they just felt like they still needed something more, a witty saying perhaps?

And here they are in all their fun, vintagey, worn in, and comfy glory.

I think I am going to ship them out to the garage one more time for a coat of scotch guard on the seats.
Markers + 2 Year Old = Big Mess

The kids already know the worker is the female bee and the drone is the male, so they have claimed their appropriate seats for our art projects.

Since they are banned from the "QUEEN'S" chair, they are quite pleased with themselves to have their own assigned seating now!

Check out how I made my "Queen Bee" chair here!

Queen Bee Chair- Who's in Charge Around Here

  My 4 year old daughter came to me screaming and wailing,

"Everett (my 2 year old) said I can't read my book!!!"

Me: "Um, is Everett in charge?"

Her: "NO (hee hee)."

Me: "Who IS in charge?"

Her: "You are mommy."

Lest we forget again, I revamped an old chair we had laying around the joint.

Notice the hive I ironed on to the drop cloth cushion cover....

Get it.....I'm the queen bee!

I crack myself up.



I found this image on Graphics Fairy

PERFECT!

I painted her black and roughed up the edges.

I just stenciled on the word QUEEN.

With a Sharpie, yeah people, that's how I roll.

I love it and it will be MY seat in my new craft/office area! It will look very cute next to the lamp and the book page table I freshened up for the loft too.

Little worker bees 1 and 2 have been instructed to park their stingers elsewhere....haha.

Super Cute 4th Banner

  I am going to make a big confession here. 

Don't hate me.....

I am not the most patriotic person on the planet.

Don't get me wrong, I love America, am in awe of the people who protect us and keep us safe, and wouldn't want to live anywhere else,

BUT

I am not into flaunting it or shouting it from the roof tops.

So I was pleasantly surprised when this awesome July 4th decoration from Jeanne at Bees Knees Bungalow caught my eye, reeled me in, and tricked me into making something similar.

Thanks for the awesome inspiration, Jeanne, and I will be using your fab banner to create my own version!!!

If we are really playing True Confessions today.....

I can't stand the Olympics either (don't hate me)

Lamp Rescue

I found this crazy ugly, falling apart, brass lamp at goodwill for $2.95

I don't think a new hanging fixture will happen in my office/ loft/ craft room since we have no electrical in the ceiling, so I decided a few lamps would help the lighting issue.

This one had such potential and it works! However, the shade was crumbling and stained. But I really wanted to use it if I could, so I wrapped it in strips of cream colored burlap!

I hot glued to adhere it to the withering shade and it seems ok, hopefully it will hold up. I sprayed the entire thing with Krylon primer for metal. And then painted it a mix of blue I had laying around.

Next, I mixed faux glaze with some wood stain and blotched that all over it and went at it again with the blue.

I actually like it. It looks super cute with the other items in my redo and I am extra excited that it still works!

One day this loft will be done, but summer fun keeps getting in the way of my projects! Hee Hee So, for now the pool, the park, and picnics will take precedence and maybe I will be finished by fall!

A Problem- Blog Design Lust

So, I have this problem, it is a big one and I can't for the life of me figure out what to do about it.

Every few weeks I feel compelled (and it is uncontrollable) to switch up my blog design. I am just never 100% happy with it.

I go back and forth between wanting something fun and fanciful or something soothing and simple. And, I keep trying to do it all on my own. Free baby, I am all over photobucket and picnic, no photoshop around these parts. Which is probably why I am never 100% satisfied, I can't seem to do exactly what I am trying to do using only free options.

This blog has been around for barely 4 months and I think I have changed the design 5 times and it is just getting silly. I need to figure out a way to stop. Is there a 12 step program, a support group, an underground secret society I can join?

I may have a way to feed this desire to look at and search for beautiful blog designs, designers, and tricks. Every so often, when I get the itch, I am going to share with you a design shop, artist, or blog designs I love.

So I am here to introduce a new feature around here.

Blog Design Lust

I  just found Designs By Dana and LOVE her work!

They are some very nice free backgrounds and headers, like these

and she also offers customized headers and entire blog design for reasonable prices.

Dana also has a very inspiring and uplifting family story that you can check out on her family blog. I really love her style and personality that comes through in her designs. So if you feel the urge to have some fun on your own blog, go check her site out!

P.S. Do you like mine? I am feeling pretty good about it...but who knows next week I may hate it!