The Tools Take Over

It's been three years since I installed this peg board in my garage and I finally decided I out grew it.

I bought two additional panels and a few more hooks.  The original one needed to come down so as to accommodate the two new ones.  And while I had it down, I figured "Why not spray paint it!"  Purple was not my first choice but I already had two cans so I just went with it. 

I played around with the layout in my living room, trying to make sure things were grouped in the most efficient way.  I also tried to paint shadows of the tools in contrasting pink but after 3, I gave up.  Painting on a pegboard with a tiny brush is not fun.

The finished install turned out perfect!  I even have room to grow!  With such a tiny garage, utilizing the wall space for storage helps me cram as much in as possible yet still have it be functional! 

Terrific Trash!

Man, between the holidays and a nasty cold I've really fallen behind in life.  Fear not, I'm back.  Remember the nightstands I stole from my neighbors bulk trash pile in the middle of the night?

Over the past couple of weeks I'm been working on them off and on.  I sanded them all down and primed them with some Kilz primer I had on hand.

I decided on a bold Purple for the chests.  After a failed attempt at buying regular paint to use, I resorted to my old standby...spray paint.  It worked like a charm!

I moved them into my bedroom and they work great!  It's still a work in progress in here.  I need to figure out what I'm doing with my headboard situation but I'm still up in the air on that.

So the some total of this project amounted to 2 cans of purple spray paint...$7.50.  You just can't beat that.  I think they look like I could have spent a couple hundred on them.

More Thieving

I have no shame.  This week is bulk trash week in my neighborhood.  I can't help but scan people's discards when I drive by.  You never know.  I've rescued frames from dumpsters.  My now navy office chair was once just a lonely wooden chair on the curb.  I think of it as recycling.  Upcycling even.  Giving new life to stuff and saving space in our landfills.  Or at least that's how I sleep at night.  I say this because this past weekend I "stole" some curbside trash.  I passed by it a few times before running across the street, dressed in black, around midnight on Saturday.  I also made sure to turn all my porch lights off.  The last thing I need is the neighbors talking about me.

Behold!  Two nightstands that I don't really need...still damp with dew.  But they have such potential that I couldn't let them be destroyed.  They just need a little spray paint!  [Doesn't everything?]

The hardware and gold trim are pretty awesome.  Like I said, I don't need any nightstands in my house but I still might be able to use them.  They could be end tables for my low sectional in the living room.  Or possibly a storage bench at the end of my bed.

I have no idea what color I'm going to paint them.  I could do something really crazy, like Kelly Green.

Or I could just go with a crisp white.

At least this project is a cheap [read: free] form of entertainment for me.  As I mull over my color choices I just pray my neighbors don't come over to borrow any sugar soon. 

More Office Spray Paint Action

I finally came to a decision on my office chair and decided to just take it from black to navy.  Not a drastic change but one that matches better.

During this spray painting session I also managed to turn my arms, legs and hair blue.  I need to stop spray painting on windy days but it seems like every weekend is windy.  No worries, after a couple of showers I eventually got all the blue paint off my person.  I also tackled a random little table that has been floating around my house since I moved in.  It doesn't match anything so it never really found a home.

Since gold and navy were the paints of the weekend, I gave this guy a face lift to match my office.

Nothing too exciting but it definitely took this little table from country bumpkin to city slicker, added a little class.  Now I have a place for my drink as I read in my new comfy chair.

Going for the Gold

As of last weekend I have a new favorite spray paint.  Gold!  I picked up gold a few weeks ago to perk up some old iron pieces I have laying around the house and finally got around to using it this past weekend.  I went through my normal routine of starting with a couple of objects and then once I saw the results I kept walking back in the house to find more things I could paint gold.

I started with some mason jars and eventually added an old railroad nail and a candle stick.

These pieces are going to be part of my office.  The gold looks great with the navy and orange.  Eventually they will help with styling my bookshelf in the room.  For now, I just look and them and smile and then slowly scan the house for more things I can grace with my Rust-Oleum Midas Touch.

Presto Chango

It's amazing what a few coats of paint can do.  Here is my lovely desk that I've had about 10 years.  Target still sells this same desk so it must be pretty popular as far as cheap, assembly-required furniture goes.

After sanding and cleaning it off, I took it out back to spray paint on some primer and a couple of layers of white spray paint.

I ended up bringing it inside for one last hand brushed coat of paint and then let it dry over night.  I was a little worried about how this was going to turn out but at this point in the game it is a little silly to start doubting my furniture painting abilities.  It is apparently my gift.

I look forward to doing some furniture arrangement this weekend and possibly getting stuff up on the walls!  It's a little blue and white overkill right now and could use a little more color.  I will contemplate my next move as I munch down on corn dogs tomorrow at the fair.  See ya next week!

More Office Accessories

A few more pieces have been redone to accessorize my transforming office.  I found a few knick-knacks around the house to turn orange and then painted two more Birchboxes to go with my first two.

I also painted the mirror that originally was supposed to connect to the back of my free dresser turned sideboard in the dining room.

Nothing has been moved in to the office yet.  I need to paint my desk first and foremost and then once it's in place I can start thinking about where things will go.  Making progress!

Orange Accents

 My office transformation is coming along.  I finished painting all the trim white and am now dreading painting my ceiling.  Hopefully I will get it all done this week.  I'm not letting myself buy the blue paint until I'm done.

In an act of procrastination, I started working on some of my orange accents for the room.  I basically just searched around for old decorative items in my house that I wasn't currently using anywhere.  I bought a can of orange spray paint and also picked up a $2 can of Oops Paint Orange. 

The first items I painted were these brown cardboard boxes.  I subscribe to Birchbox gifts and receive a box full of beauty product samples each month.  The boxes are nice and sturdy so I've been saving them thinking I'd eventually come up with a use for them.

They turned out great and are going to be awesome organizational boxes for my desk.  I think I'm going to spray paint a couple more since I have a few.

I turned some little candles orange along with an old shabby chic style bird house.  The bright color turns everything into modern little accents.  The orange frame was picked up at IKEA, already orange, for $1.99! Now that I have a few inspiration pieces in orange and white, I should probably get back to addressing my ceilings.  Rats.

Fall To Do

I've finally put together a game plan for Football Season Fall.

Nothing too crazy, I'm just basically continuing my painting room by room.  Once it cools off a little more I'm going to get some color back in the front yard with some more mums.  I really like how the red and yellow looked last fall.  I plan on doing even more this year.

I'll also plant some more squash and other winter vegetables in my garden out back.  I have several empty squares that need filling.  Aside from that, I'll be focused on the inside of the house.  Back to battling the beige. 

I don't really have any photos of the front hall but you can see it here on the right side of the entry.  It's beige so I will probably just paint it Sterling, the same light grey in the other hallway and the living room.  My office has requested some attention and that I stop just treating it like a dumping ground for unused objects.

I will continue to search for my ideal console table for the front entry.  I have a feeling this search will be long.

I'd also like to paint the guest room.  I'm completely stumped as to what color would work best in here.  I'll probably have to consult my Ambassador of Paint, aka Mom.

And finally, I will once again try to save up to get rid of these floor tiles currently masquerading as my countertop.

I've got a lot of projects coming up, mostly involving a paintbrush.  Let's hope I can even knock out some ceilings while I'm at it.  Hook 'Em!