A little bummed with my love seat steal...

I contacted a local furniture store today about a new slipcover for the love seat.  I had a little bit of sticker shock...$449.00!!!  I know it is way cheaper than a new love seat & this one is really in near new condition & I only paid $40.00 for it & I am just in love with the style & I could go on & on, but the fact is $449.00 is way out of budget for me.  This ones gonna be a brain stormer for me.  I have seen some ah-mazing DIY slipcovers like this one from Miss Mustard Seed I just LOVE her style, talent & decorating...However, I can't sew a button so for me to even think about making slipcovers makes me crazy!  I don't know...It's going to have to work the way it is for now.  =) 

Finally...Someone to read my Blog other than...Me, Myeslf & I! Lol

Tonight we had the oldests get together for his belated birthday at the local state park.  The little & the middle are having a sleepover with grams & the other middle came home with me.  Imagine my excitement to log on & find that I have 2 followers!!!  I thought...Wow!  Where did they come from?  Then it hit me...I bet Lindsey from Better After posted some photos of one of my furniture projects!  Sure enough, she did! I am a little nervous that others besides myself  are reading my blog now.  Maybe this will keep my motivation rolling to get all of the projects done!  I feel like I take them on faster than I can get them out!  Lol!

A couple bargain finds...

Last Saturday My mom & I along with all four punk in tow stopped in an antique mall.  I found a few furniture pieces I was dying to get, but my budget way way thin, so I ended up with these cheap gems.  Lol

I found this adorable little lamp shade & all for $8.50!!!  I'm planing on using it in the master on my old radio cabinet, but if that doesn't work It'll find a home with three little girls in this house.

I've been wanting to add to my white plates with more pieces, but even the cheap ones are too expensive to build a bunch of pieces at once.  I couldn't believe it when I found this entire set...All 82 I think pieces for...Ready?  $10.50!!!  Can you believe it!?!  I couldn't!  There aren't any markings & I don't think they are top quality, but they work & what a steal!

I also found four other dining chairs because although I love the 'look' of the bench, it just isn't working out for everyday use.  Photos to come soon on the 'new' chairs I am going to mix in with the set! 

I found a loveseat...I found a loveseat!

I have been on the look out for a super cheap, clean, stylish & coordinating love seat for the master for months. Oh, & I only shop on Craigslist. Lol I came across this helpless looking one & called the seller to get some more details. She told me how bad the cover was faded out from the sun. She had purchased it from someone just a few months earlier & it just wasn't working out for them. She really didn't know much about it, but said it seemed to be a really good quality. I asked if it was made to have a slipcover (was it white or off white underneath) or was it some old ugly fabric with an even uglier cover on it? Lol She said it was off white & made to have a slipcover. I started to get very hopeful about it. The other part of the story is I sold my beloved dining set (the one I didn't have the money to get reupholstered) to a local E-Bay seller. We delivered it to him (75 miles away) & this love seat was on the way back. Before we headed out I used good ol trusty MapQuest. What they fail to provide you with is road closures & detours. Fortunately my hubby went with me because I am awful with directions & then you throw in detours without proper signs to follow & I could have easily ended up in Egypt or somewhere close to that. So, after a few turn here & there & an extra 40 miles around & about we made it! I took one look & was sold! I couldn't wait to get home, strip that cover & find a manufacture tag on this baby. After removing the cushion covers I found out it is made by Klaussner. I haven't had any luck finding if I can buy a replacement slip cover, but their Jenny Loveseat (which I think is the newer version of this one) retails for $950.00-$1,200.00+!!! It looks a little off all naked, but I can live with it until I figure something out. The hideous faded denim just doesn't work for me. Oh & I almost forgot...The best part...$40.00! Really!!!

Before

After

A Craigslist Bench to Finish the Dining Set...

Although the dining set was what I wanted & was a great price, it only had four chairs & for our family of six that just doesn't work.  I knew it would be tough to find two more chairs that were the same & although I could go with two totally different chairs I really liked the cane work style.  When I came across this bench on Craigslist I instantly squealed.  It was perfect...Well perfect after I got hold of it!  This was my fastest project to date.  I got home with the bench at 6:30 & it was dine & in the dining room just after 9:00! 

A few before & afters...





There is still SO much to do in here, but things are coming together pretty good!

Another quick sneak peek of the dining table...

Because I am way too impatient to wait until it is all finished.  Lol

 Just for fun...Here is the table that brought on all of the change!  I was so sick of the black & shiny wood.  The shape & height didn't bother me, but that color & finish...ewww! 

Off to finish sanding away...Now I just need to find a rug!  =)

A little sneak peek &...I am going to be featured on Better After Blog!!!

I woke up this morning which I am always grateful for btw still not 100%, but not icky enough to be kept down today.  This dining table isn't gonna paint itself you know.  I have a coat of primer on in the picture.  By this time tomorrow it will be painted!  Can't wait...

Now the even better news today...I have been waiting for our local Wal-Mart discount store to get in more white seersucker that I wiped them out of forever ago making my custom bedskirt & drapes.  This my friend is what we have been living with on the double window in the master...For way too long!

Seriously...Who has this sort of thing on their windows?  Obviously someone slowly raises hand in the air who is too frugal to go to JoAnn's & pay $12.00/yard when it is $2.77/yard at Wal-Mart.  You can imagine my excitement when after four weeks of calling every other day to see if this had arrived I found it tucked away nicely on the shelf!!!  Next project...Getting these down for good!  Lol

And now...Drumroll please...The absolute BEST news of the day even better than getting rid of the horrendous window treatment I found out today that I am going to be featured on http://betterafter.blogspot.com/

I am not sure when, but Better After...The Best of your Before & Afters is one of my favorite blogs & I follow it daily, so I'll be sure to let you know!

Ugh...A stomach bug straight from Illinois

So my husband was traveling last week for work.  He got home saying his stomach didn't feel good & he thought maybe he had food poisoning.  Anytime which is very rarely he gets sick he blames it on something he ate.  You know, cause a man doesn't get sick from viruses.  Ha!  So in the midst of all of the crazy dining table swapping I have done & all I have to get repainted & finished I get bit by the stomach bug.  Blah!  I am down for the count & it is not setting well with me.  I have way too much to do, to not be able to physically do it.  The oldest of the punks isn't feeling the best & the little is the same way.  Being sick during summer should be outlawed...It just isn't right. 

I hope to have a finished project reveal in the next few days, but at this rate it will probably be longer than I hope.    We are planning a birthday party for the little Friday night, our guests may not be too thrilled to be eating cake picnic style if I don't get this project done!  Lol

Living room changes



I purchased this sofa & chair off of Craigslist two years ago when we moved here.  It wasn't my favorite color, but it was in really great shape & the price was right...$300.00 for the set.

   I decided it was time for a major change...I am loving all of the lighter colors right now...earthtones & browns just aren't doing it anymore.  I sold the chair for $50.00 in our garage sale & the sofa for $225.00 on Craigslist.

I have wanted a slipcovered sofa forever, but as you know they are not easy on the budget.  I couldn't believe it when I found this Linden Street Sofa on Craigslist for $350.00!!!  A single lady had it, no kids, no pets, no smoking & she traveled, so really she was only here in KC about half the time.  I asked her what her bottom dollar would be & she said $275.00! 



I also found a new chair on Craigslist for $30.00!  Before I headed to get it the seller e-mailed & said they remembered they had a matching ottoman in storage & if I wanted it I could have it for $10.00...Score!

I got rid of the brown drapes...

And replaced them with these faux silk drapes from Target...They sell for $19.99/panel, but I found them on Craigslist...All 8 panels for $60.00!  I sold my others for $20.00 so really I have $40.00 in the new ones!





It's a sofa...It's a playtable





I found out yesterday the new sofa isn't only great for lounging, but because of the large cushions the little decided it was great for a playtable too...

Lucy Enjoyed watching her play!  =)



Some before & afters

I found this ugly table at the local thrift store.  They were running all furniture 1/2 price & I knew it was the height I needed for the bed after putting 5" risers on it.  Honestly, this was one of the ugliest pieces of furniture I have purchased to date.  This was before I did anything to it...Made sanding it awful quick & easy though.  Lol

After sanding...

After painting...Robin's Egg Blue

And a little distressing

I found this old radio/record cabinet also at the local thrift store...I immediately saw possibilities & fell in love.  The hardware alone was enough to swoon me!  My husband on the other hand looked at me as if I was crazy.

  One of my all time favorite pieces so far!

Old Keys from thrift store...

Painted & glazed...

 

Craigslist Finds

Here are some of my on going projects that I have found on Craigslist...

Desk & hutch for my daughter's room...This project has been hanging around way too long & keeps getting postponed.  As soon as the dining room dilema (later post) is finished I am going to get started on her room.

Vanity for the other girls' room...Another long lingering project that is gonna get finished soon... 

Set of four rose patterned chairs...Going to use a couple in the master & then the others just here or there as extras.  Paint & new seats to come...$25.00 for all four

Dining table & four chairs (pictured below)...This is top on the list to get done since I already sold our dining set...After pics to come hopefully very soon...$60.00 set



My beloved dining set...I found this on Craigslist & it was exactly the style I wanted for the dining room.  I had big plans to paint & distress it.  After getting the set I realized how difficult it was going to be to re cover the seats, especially for someone with zero no sewing ability.  I have mastered stitch withery, but that's as goos as it gets here folks!  So back to my dining set.  I hauled a chair to a local upholstery shop & they were blown away with the quality and the price of the set.  I tried finiding something similar on the internet & on E-Bay, but no such luck.  As a last resort I contacted an E-Bay seller (who also happens to be in Missouri) that sells older high end and price furniture on E-Bay.  I gave him a tidbit of info on these, sent him a couple of pics & waited for a response.  He did tell me that he cringed at the thought of anyone painting this set as many others have also informed me.  He also told me that these Louis XVI style chairs in very good condition an 8 (out of 1-10) is worth $1,500.00 & the table in the same condition is worth $800.00!  Not bad for a $150.00 Craigslist buy!  There is another part to the story though...Those horribly hideous chair cushions.  The local upholstery shop quoted $62.00 a chair for the four side charis & $87.00 a chair for the two captains chairs.  Plus I will need 6 yards of upholstery fabric.  I figured $422.00 on the labor for the chairs & if I could snag fabric for less than $178.00 I could get them done for just under or around $600.00. 



Blog world...Here I come!

I have been thinking about starting a blog for quite some time & a friend (who owns the coolest little vintage shop http://www.broadwayandpenn.com/ here in town mentioned it to me & pinky swore well not really, but it sounded good she would follow, so I thought 'What the hey' & here I am!

I am on a mission and ever changing journey to find the best deals & cheapest prices possible while decorating our home.

How this all started

I am mildy addicted to Craigslist. I love finding a gem for an amzing price. I honestly can't fathom going into a furniture store & buying regular priced furniture. It all started when I was looking for a bookcase for my son's room. I went to the local discount store & found a cardboard particleboard one for $90.00!! Ridiculous! So I started stalking looking on Craigslist hourly until I found something better & cheaper than the junk at the discount store. Two Broyhill Fontana bookcases along with a full size headboard/footboard & rails. Are you ready...$80.00 for it all! Although the finish wasn't what I wanted, the quality & price was. I decided to glaze them to fit the look I wanted. I used the one on the left in my son's room. I sold the one on the right for $40.00 & the bed for $65.00...on Craigslist of course.