Dining Set

So now that summer is here, I have not had as much time to do any projects. So much harder when Ava is not in school. All I've managed to do are a few hoodies here and there. However I finallly decided to do something with my old dining set. And by old, I mean it is my parents from some 25 years ago. It was given to me years ago and I kept thinking we'd get something else but then other things that I'd rather have kept popping up and we talked about moving at one point so I didn't want to get something that might not fit the new space.

Anyways, this set is completely not my style and I am shocked that I have had it so long and not done anything to it.  If I had known that I would own it for so long, I really would have done something years ago.

Anyways, here is what I am doing right now.  Painting all the chairs a turquoisy blue (this is the same paint I used on the media cabinet I did awhile back so it was free!)

  A vast improvement if I do say so myself.  Here are the before photos of the table (please excuse the mess, the very old rug etc. - it's all a bit embarrassing that this is what a corner of our living/dining area looks like).

 A shot of the hutch (it has been empty since we moved it out for the kiddos parties because I knew I was going to do something with it soon)

And here is the inspiration photos I found that made me finally decide to do something about my table/hutch/chairs.  The final product will be slightly different as I think I am going to stain the table top a dark espresso color (since we have a brown couch in the same room as our set) and I think the hutch and table legs will be painted black and have that "Pottery Barn" distressed finish on them. I also am debating if I will make or buy chair cushions so for awhile I would assume that we won't have any.  And I am hoping to buy a colorful striped rug from IKEA that ties in all the colors of my room.  We'll see. 

Keep posted for the final photos.  I still haven't finished the chairs (I can only work at night on this and it's been too hot!) and I know the table and hutch will take awhile to complete too.

Shelves

I made these book shelves for Ry's room about a month and half ago and we finally hung them up yesterday.  Yay!!  I used these plans from Ana White (great site - highly recommend checking it out) to build them.  I am very proud of myself as I had to use power tools (a scroll saw for one) which I never do.

I think they turned out well and were worth the $30 I spent for all 4 (note: we can't hang the 4th yet since Ry will definitely try to pull it down).  I also used paint we had on hand...I believe it is the same can of oops paint we have used on the back door, an outdoor table as well as various other projects.  Best $5 spent.

Book Page Wreaths

My sister asked me to make a book page wreath for her for Christmas.  Sadly, I just got around to it -- she knew I was not going to have it done in time for the holidays with all the stuff I had going on but I still feel a little bad.

I have seen these all over the internet especially while cruising around Pinterest, the most addicting site ever.  I ended up kind of following this tutorial from Living with Lindsay.  I have to say it was super easy and only cost me $1.50 since I used a foam plumbing tube from Home Depot as the base instead of a store bought styrofoam wreath and I had the book and hot glue on hand.   The plumbing tube was obviously a lot cheaper and you can customize it to whatever size you want.  I am shocked that people sell these for $40 or more and that people actually buy them for that much.  I think I'd rather spend an hour making one instead of spending that much money.

The finished wreath. 

 I ended up making one for myself too to hang over my fireplace.  Still need to figure out the arrangement on my mantle (and eventually make a nice mantle slipcover out of wood so it looks better) but for now, it will do. Think I have to make at least one more of these as my mom saw the photo and said she had to have one too!  Good thing they are cheap and don't take too long to do.