Classified Insanity

"You're Insane!" is becoming an all too familiar phrase around here.

Before I had even started with the china cabinet redo, I decided I wanted to redo my youngest boy's bedroom a bit. I pieced this quilt wall art.

The cross stitch that once used to hang in our bathroom found a new home.

Then I decided, I wanted a desk with a hutch. The thing with online classifieds is when you see it and you want it, better get it soon! We were on our way out the door to my parent's house, when I told hubby: "We have to take a detour!" I had just been online while everybody was loading up in the van, and found the perfect desk with hutch for the perfect price! Only 10 minutes from our house (better than the hour long drive to pick up other pieces of furniture I bought in the past). I bought it, and hubby picked it up the next day.

Here it is before: (Okay so it wasn't quite perfect, it needed a good cleaning, some minor repairs, and some spray paint).

A side view of the hutch.

I love the shape and look of it. Exactly what I had in mind!

This is how I pictured it:

I sprayed all the handles brushed nickel. I was going to replace these, along with the ones from the dresser, but could not find matching ones in the right size. (I'm kind of glad I didn't. More money in my pocket and I do like how they look.)

(After, but before the "Basket Case"

Later, I found the perfect little chair to go with it. 

Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder!

Yikes!

Now, it's a beauty!

 

When hubby came to see my progress, he said "You're insane!" "Do you actually enjoy this?"

In answer to his question: I don't know if I would classify all the work that goes into these projects a "Hobby", but I certainly enjoy the outcome! Is that insane?

One Thing Leads to Another . . .

In my previous post I mentioned that "one thing leads to another". Which applies to pretty much any aspect of our lives. In this case I'm referring to what led me to the baskets. Here are some of the "things" . . .

This dresser was a hand me down, it was one of the few things I took from my parents when I got married, and it became our first dresser. It later ended up in the toy room, and then, when the toy room became my craft room, it ended up in youngest boy's room.

I had the headboard, and matching nightstand. 

I'm not so crazy about the speckled effect (I guess it's a 70's thing - wierd). I couldn't bring myselft to give up the set. Afterall it still had plenty of potential, and it is wood. Unlike most furniture nowdays, unless you want to spend ridiculous amounts of money. Not really wanting to do that for furniture that's going in my 5 year-old boy's room (which will more than likely end up with plenty of dents and scratches to go around. I figured when that happens, it won't hurt as much, as if it had been a brand new set. Besides I can easily touch it up when need be).

A bit of primer, and a few cans of spray paint in my colors of choice.(Youngest boy agreed, which is not hard, since these are his colors of choice at the moment). And here are the results:

I was going to replace the handles but ended up spraying them a brushed nickel instead.

 

I did replace this knob, which matches the desk that I will post later. . .

. . . Which is what led me to the dresser, headboard, and nightstand!

Basket Case

A few years ago I purchased 2 sets of 3 baskets. They were on clearance, and very inexpensive. I wasn't sure what I was going to use them for, but I knew I'd figure it out eventually.  Four out of the six baskets ended up in my youngest boy's room. There was nothing wrong with them before . . .

. . . Other than they were just a little plain. So I put my mathematical, geometry skills to work, (which by the way are not quite up to par, and has become even more apparent when I was trying to figure out how to make a skirt for oldest daughter a couple of weeks ago. I might post it some other time) and made new linings for the baskets.

Rather than make a little tie, I added a button from my stash.

Seems one thing always leads to another. . . Since I liked the fabric so much . . . I made a pillow.

Here's the back: (Or the front, depends what mood fits youngest boy)

Here's the front (or back!)

So don't underestimate the power of cheap baskets, and cute fabric. As I said, one thing leads to another . . . To go with the pillow, I would like to make a new quilt for youngest boy's bed in these colors. But it may be a while. I'll later post youngest boy's bedroom furniture make-over, (that I haven't gotten around to posting...) which is what led me to the baskets!