First DIY Project!

So, I feel like this is the beginning of DIY for me. I did it all on my own. It might not be perfect, but it's just what I wanted.

The materials I started out with:

• I got the cork board at Salvation Army for a dollar. 
• The fabric was actually used as the wrapping for one of our wedding presents, which I was happy to keep. (Lovely light green with white polka dots, doesn't show well in the pictures.)
• I used a regular stapler (I couldn't find the staples for our staple gun, but it turned out fine.
• I used the Mod Podge to just get the fabric to get closer to the board and stay in place a little better.

So, I got to this point, and realized I didn't have a way to hang it.

I went in search of ribbon to hang it, but then I found this in my wrapping paper, etc box. (I had already ripped the handles off when I decided to take a picture.)

I decided to use the handles like this. I'm sure there's a better way to fasten it, but I don't have many supplies, so I used staples, which it was slipping through, and then covered them in duct tape.

Back:

 Front:

The big test, will it hold? (I had this location planned for a while.)

Yay! It works! Now to decorate/ use it!

Organizing!

The other day, while my husband was watching baseball, I got the chance to organize the guest room/ office/ storage room a bit more. It's a continual work in progress. I changed the height of some of the shelves to move the children's books up a level.

 Before (sorry it doesn't show the whole thing):

After (it just kind of works better):

I was able to do all of this because of this shelf that I found empty in my parent's house. I like having a shelf just for crafty supplies. It's still got a bit to go, but the little green and blue baskets from Dollar Tree really helped.

Before (And this picture was an improvement from what it used to be, I wish I had taken pictures from the beginning.):

After (Still working on some things, which are laid out across the bed, but much better anyway):

Most of the craft supplies were previously in a plastic drawer thing, which you can see empty in the middle of the room in the before picture. I emptied it and it now resides in my closet, holding shoes that I am less likely to use based on the weather.

I had been trying to use a couple of fabric baskets to help organize in the office, but I found a better use in my closet. There were previously little bags scattered across the top of my closet. Now they are all in one basket. The other holds all of my wintery scarves and hats. Now I have lots of extra space in there.

  
I found this wooden box at a thrift store the other day. My husbands dresser used to be piled high with whatever happened to be in his pockets at the end of the day. I set this box up to be an extra drawer, so at least his mess is contained. I also gave him a jar for his pens.

I also got the husband to help me go through our bucket of wires and electronics. We made a box to donate old, unnecessary wires. I organized similar wires and ones that are for the same electronics into labeled ziploc bags. We also started to go through a box of random tools and other unknown objects, but the husband got burnt out and we had to go to the grocery store, so we didn't quite finish.

I love progress in organization! It makes me happy. :)

More thrifting.

So, I went to Salvation Army and Second Blessings and found a few little treasures, my total for everything was $8.00.

I'm using the basket to hold readily used electronics (iPods, cameras, and such).
The pretty gravy bowl (or whatever that's supposed to be) is holding a variety of teas currently.
I just love the yellow and blue bowls. They are exactly the direction I am trying to go.

Crafting with my Bible Study, Estate Sales, and Thrift Store

I haven't posted in a bit, but I have lots of things to show. First of all, I had a craft night with my Bible Study, which resulted in this button bouquet:

I found this jar in a cabinet at my parents' house and the books at an estate sale. When I was 11 my dad bought me tons of beads to make jewelery with, but I haven't made too much, so I've started using them to decorate. Oh, and that thing in the background? That's a piece of a boat, which my husband apparently has plans for... possibly a lamp or something?

Some things we've found at estate sales:
~Reader's Digest books: $1.50 for both

Empty frames: $0.25 total, I seen great things for these.

~Candle holder: $2.50

4 Canisters: $6.00

6 wine glasses: $4.00 for set

4 Jars: $1.00

Chest: $20.00

Children's books: $0.25 each

Then today, I found these pretty plates at a thrift store down the road.

I had previously found these ones in my parents' garage:

Here they are all together: I still need to get hangers for them, but I want to do a wall of plates. Anyone have any suggestions between disc hangers and wire hangers? I've been trying to decide what to use.

Attempts at a Gallery Wall

So, I'm in love with the whole gallery wall thing and I had a blank wall in my guest room/office, which is the one room where I don't care what my husband thinks, so I decided to try my hand at it. I had a box of things that hadn't gone up anywhere yet, mostly old antique things, which I love, but I don't think my husband does. I'm trying to slowly infuse it into things. So, here was my first try:

 

Then I found this beautiful little girl for $12 at an antique store down the road, and I wanted her to be part of it.

So, I moved things around. It's still not right, but this is it now.

Here's another wall in the room:

It's all just a mess, I know. Maybe someday I'll get this all figured out. For now, I'm having fun trying.

 

Dorm Rooms

 I just wanted to show you how I used to decorate my dorm rooms. It was really fun, but I'm trying to use a more grown up approach in my apartment.