Uh-oh!

Image via google

It seems that I picked a bad time to start re-doing things. My landlord came for an unannounced visit today to check for water leaks (which we have none of) and began to wander around. He wasn't happy with the sight in my bedroom.

There really isn't that much there, it just looks like a hurricane came through. Almost empty storage bins, painting tarp, bed pillows, a headboard, a dresser mirror and a few miscellaneous things. Who knows when he'll be back, but I know he will. So far I've gotten the headboard and mirror into the cellar. My back isn't pleased with that. I couldn't put the bins under my bed since my bed off its risers for the better part of two days, so now everything is just piled up. I swear, I don't need to be on hoarders though Clean House is more than welcome to come and re-do my apartment!

Image via Tree Hugger

I'll say this though...I clean wrong. Clean wrong? Yeah, I know. But I do. See that blue binder on the end table in the left corner? Instead of just putting it away, I'd sit down and go through the binder to take out old papers. Magazines? Instead of putting those away, I'd sit down and go through them to pull out anything I want to keep. See a trend here? I need a routine. A routine that I can stick to. Perhaps some fun cleaning things would help motivate me? Well, that's spending unnecessary money since I have cleaning products that work just fine.

Pier1Imports - $6.95 each

So what about you? Do you think fun and bright accessories make cleaning any more enjoyable? Did you set up a routine to get yourself into gear?

Finally!

It seems that I have stumbled upon the end of my headboard saga! I've tried large frames, room dividers, pillows, and I'm sure a few other things I've forgotten about. While they all looked ok (I did like the wrapping paper a lot at first) I didn't love anything. Love a headboard? Eh, you get what I mean. So I began searching google again and I came up with some pretty headboards.

Tufted

Upholstery Tacks

Tufted, tacked and framed

Someone on YHL's facebook (what a valuable source of inspiration, input and knowledge!) suggested wall decals. Unfortunately, spending $40+ for swirly decals was not an option. Another option was decals of actual headboards, I found some beautiful options by Mina Javid, but again price (and size) factored into things. $40 for a headboard is a steal, but the sizes went from twin to queen. No full. Next! I kept on searching and while searching I did find some inspiration for something I could do myself.

Gorgeous!

This could work!

Although I absolutely adore the first painted/decal headboard, my hands aren't steady enough to paint that intricate design and I don't think it works for my room. The second, simpler, design was just begging me to try it. So I did...more on that later!

Have you ever gone an alternate route to the traditional headboard? What has worked, or not worked, for you?

The Perfect Little Table?

I recently took a trip in search of curtain clips and came across an adorable little corner table, which I thought would be perfect in aiding the "cover the Verizon box" mission. It was $14.99 and the only model left, so after some waiting I found out that I could buy the floor model for 20% off. Sweet! $14.99 isn't bad, but $12 is even better. Fresh out of the trunk, here it is!

On it's own it doesn't do much, but it is the perfect height for a plant or a large photo! Notice the three shelves? Bonus storage! Of course it won't be staying this cherry brown color. A fun yellow paint job is already in the works, mother nature help me out?

I'm super excited about this little table, I just love the lines of it. Have you found any great deals recently?

Hanging in There...Just Barely!

Ever happen to run smack into a great deal, and although it might not be perfect as is, you just can't pass it up? That happened to me when I found the most amazing shower curtain, five of them actually, on sale for only $7 a piece. The colors and patterns were perfect for me to use as the curtains dividing my bedroom from the computer room and main hallway.

The first problem is the pre-made holes were too small for the curtain rods I had and as a result, wouldn't close. The second issues is that they are standard shower curtain height of 72", while my doorway is a good 12" longer.

The first solution was a no brainer, thanks to the likes of John & Sherry over at YHL. Curtain clips! Prior to my discovery of YHL, I shockingly, have never heard of them! I found four packs of ten clips for $2.99 each at the Christmas Tree Shop. To save myself some time I folded the curtain in half, width wise, and put the clips on each side. I spaced the clips out every 7" or so.

The second solution will be a bit more work, since I will be using YHL's no-sew hem tape curtain tutorial. Last year, in an effort to de-clutter, I got rid of 90% of my sewing stuff. Luckily, a shiny gray fabric was not discarded. It's a pretty close match to the dark grays in the curtains, the wall color and my bedspread.

The bedspread

The fabric

The curtain

All fabrics together

Hopefully soon I will have some finished curtains. I am worried that adding almost a foot of solid gray material to the bottoms will make it look more like shower curtains than custom bedroom curtains. Thoughts?

It's a Wrap!

After posting here and around blog-land, I think I've come to a solution thanks to Sarah over at Frills for Thrills (via YHL's facebook)! Her suggestion was something she did in her very own guest bedroom.

Stunning, right?! Well, I really wanted to do something like this with what I already had, but after searching my two rooms I had nothing close. So, with a budget from my recent birthday money (and a few things to return) I headed over to Target. Where I found these 18x24" beauties on clearance for less than $5 each!

I snatched two of them, along with some gorgeous gift wrap for $3.49 and made my way home (after some more browsing and great clearance deals. Of course, as soon as I came home I quickly found 'something' I could've used without buying the Target frames. Hindsight is 20/20 they say.

I still was able to convince myself the frames were worth keeping, it wasn't very hard! Immediately one idea set off a chain reaction. The frame that was in the computer room (now the headboard frame) left an empty wall. Which will be filled up with the 14x14" frames I have above my tv stand currently. Those two frames, once moved, will have created an empty space above the tv. That's where the 18x24" frames come into play.

Enough stream of conscious rambling, here's the first stage of the final product!

Splurge vs Save

Back in this post I was overtaken by the warm and fun fabrics in the Smith + Noble catalog. How could one not be? The colors and prints were pure love. What wasn't, the price tag for custom window treatments. I was lucky enough to stumble upon the exact same fabric (S+N's Retweet/Apple) on Fabric.com, a discount fabric supply shop. I posted that find both on MTR and Young House Love's facebook page for their readers, and you guys seemed to enjoy the steal so I figured I'd go hunting some more.

Ditzy Delight Sunshine = $19/yard
Little Yellow Dandy Corn Yellow = $7/yard
Small Dandelion = $6.98/yard

Chainlink/Teal = $19/yard

Waverly Ellis/Turquoise = $8.98/yard

Oh Suzani/Sunshine = $19/yard
Suzani Corn Yellow = $7/yard

Suzani = $6.98/yard

Dotz = $29/yard

Dotscape = $15.98/yard

Catalog Dreaming...

The northeast is currently blanketed by upwards of 15-20" of snow and 3" of ice. I was more than relieved to finally make it home (in one piece) after work today simply because of that. What was waiting for me was a lovely surprise. The new Smith + Noble catalog arrived, and while not huge it definitely packed a warm and inspiring punch!

 I've never been a big fan of yellow, but this gorgeous fabric has won me over. {flat roman shades in oh suzani/sunshine}

 This blew me away, since I (and another blogger whom I've forgotten {sorry, my memory is gone}) were drooling over this fabric just a day or two ago. {london shades in retweet/apple}

Just look at this eye, er window, candy! Not even my poor scanning takes away from the gorgeousness of these fun fabrics!

Loving the fabrics as much as I am? Afraid of the S+N price tag for custom window treatments? Check this out...

 

Look familiar? This is Dwell Studio's Botany Flora Leaf, which is $15.98/yard, just about half of Smith + Noble's $29/yard price tag.

If you haven't checked out Smith + Noble's website, I encourage you to do so. You can order fabric swatches for free! I've ordered a few and cannot wait for them to arrive! I'm thinking of a few more and using them for a quick and free art project.