My *New/Old* Bedside Tables.. From White to Black..

I have been looking for bedside tables that will fit several bills at once for months..

1. I must love them..
2. They must have great details..
3. They must be matching..
4. The must be able to FIT beside my bed..

The last one is a toughie.. In my room, there's really only one good wall suitable for a nice headboard and finding thin enough tables to fit, without sacrificing the second table, was proving difficult.. I had been looking since December..

I had this image in my mind of what I wanted and when I dig my heels in, I usually don't let go til I get what I want.. I had looked at everything thrift and antique store around, with no luck, until two weeks ago..

I was cruising at the Antique Mall in Adairsville and spotted two matching end tables.. Nice details? Check... Right color? Nope.. but that's an easy fix.. Would they fit? Yes they would! AND the handles even had flourished versions of fleur de lis on them!! The price tag? $100 for the pair.. I walked away...

During that entire week though I couldnt stop thinking about those tables.. I fantasized about how they would looking.. I longed, I pined... I got a day of overtime at work.. I decided to go get them..

When I got there I was terrified that they would be gone.. So as I walked in I was on edge.. But guess what? They were there!!!!! and guess what else?? The seller had dropped the price to $80 for the pair!!! Joy, rapture, and happy dancing ensued.. Those babies were MINE MINE MINE!!!

I paid for them, loaded them up, and headed to Home Depot for my paint.. I bought 2 cans of Krylon Fusion Satin Black and a Gloss Enamel Sealant..

The next day I painted them... I got almost done and had to go for more paint but it was worth it!! Here's the pics!!! What do you think? I love them and they fit great!!!! Ill post pics of my entire bedroom once it's all settled like I want it.

BEFORE:



AFTER:





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An Awesome Clock Giveaway!~

There's a fabulous clock giveaway going on over at The Stories of A to Z.. It's a choice of a beadboard clock or a HUGE red clock both custom made by Staci from Craftify it..

Go on over to The stories of A to Z and get yourself into the drawing.. Who wouldnt want either one of those fab clocks?

What Do I Want to Be When I Grow Up?

Well, it is finally coming down to it.. One of two things is about to happen..

1. In a few weeks I will be laid off from work

OR

2. In a few months I will be laid off from work


I have survived layoffs several times now, but there's no way to survive when your entire department for the county is getting laid off.. What I don't know is when. I don't know if I will be a part of the first group to get laid off in a few weeks or the second group in a few months.

I'm hoping I can at least survive for a few more months.. Maybe I can find my way through.. I've been at this job for over 10 years now.. I'm good at it.. I'm dependable. But none of that matters to a company where they care more about lint on carpet than about people..

But this could be a blessing in disguise. I hate it here.. I have for years.. I stay because the economy got bad and I was afraid to go anywhere else.. But now, being forced out, maybe I will actually find something that I like.. Which leads me to the all-important question of the day, er... week?...year?.. century?

What do I want to be when I grow up?

I know what I WANTED to be.. When I was so young and idealistic.. But I am not young OR idealistic anymore.. And now, given who I am today, What do I want to be?

The simple answer is that I just want to be happy..

I am relatively happy now.. With myself, at least. No, I dont like my job, but again, I'm good at it and Im proud of that. I have things in my life that keep me happy.. I have better people in my life now.. Yes, I am single, but I dont see that as a reason to be unhappy.. When I find the right person I will just know.. and then Ill be more happy..

Im rambling I know.. But does anyone know how we figure out what we want to do? or be? I mean yes, we can make a list of the things we like and that we do well.. and that's all well and good in theory, but how do we KNOW what will keep us happy?
If anyone has figured out even a way to start please let me know..

A Little Bit of Bling!

I bought these cute and fancy little frames at Michael's a month or so ago for $1.00 each. I FINALLY got around to painting them. I chose Krylon's Banner Red! They were yellow and Silvery before.. They didnt have glass in them though. They just had plastic.. It was glued into the round one and I had to tear it all up to get it out.. Oh well, but I figured Id either get some glass somewhere (or maybe small mirrors hehe) or do something else to it.

Yesterday while I was poking through drawers in my craft room I found a little bit of bling.. It had previously been one of those purse hangers that you hang on the edge of a table, but my friend's purse was so heavy that it broke hers.. She gave the pretty, top part to me.. What can I say? It's shiny.. rhinestones and some lacquer lol.. I pulled it out and laid it down for a while on my craft table..

Later in the day I was poking through my jewelry box.. Since Ive had several surgeries on both my hands, it is nearly impossible for me to wear rings anymore.. Unless they are just HUGE I'm out of luck (my hands swell).. I pulled out one of the costume jewelry rings that Id bought at Torrid and started eyeing it.. An Idea started to come together.. What else could a shiny red frame need more than a bit of bling, right?




Items Needed for this project:
small frames
thin cardboard (I save the backs from notepads and stuff from work and use them in crafting)
scrapbook paper
Mod Podge
Bling (My former purse holder and my huge ring)



My small frames only had the "backs" of the frames in them, no inserts, so I took some of that extra thin cardboard and made inserts to decoupage my paper to. I still had the little plastic front from the square frame so I could use it as a stencil but the one from the round frame was pretty torn up.. Luckily I had a bunch of round things on my desk that were ardoun the same size as I needed. I think I used the bottom of a candleholder for my pattern for the round one.

Once I had the inserts cut out I chose my paper. I decided to go with two different kinds of paper for more interest. I used my inserts as patterns and cut out my paper shapes. Then I decoupaged them on to my inserts.. I put them aside and let them dry.. While they were drying I removed the "ring" part from my big ring.

Once they were dry I put the inserts in the frames.. They already looked a lot better. Then I hot glued the Big ring and the Purse Bling into the middles of the frames... Now they are a nice little addition to the shelves on my built-ins! :)




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Make it for Monday! Go Check out my Monogram Iron Piece featured in her favorites!


And a brand spankin new Linky Party at Punkin Seed Productions! Go check it out ladies.

More wreaths.. Burlap, fabric, flowers, and frames

I saw on one of the blogs here (I can't remember whose, I'm sorry) where someone used one of those cute barn-like frames from the dollar tree for a wreath. I was looking for Easter gifts to make for my friends and family so I thought something like that would be great..

I made my friend Kay one for the inside of her house.. She likes Burlap and burgundy and all things country..

Items needed for this project:
Grapevine wreath
burlap
2 colors or prints of fabric
Beads in a coordinating color (or buttons or just something for the middle of the flowers)
Barn-like frame
printed off words, name, whatever you want to put in your frame
Ribbon for bow
Doily (stiffened)
Needle and thread
Paint for frame (mine was black before I painted it)
Hot Glue gun

I painted the frame a rusty-burgundy color and then sealed it with matte spray sealant.. Then I took a cream colored small doily from the dollar tree and used one part glue and one part water to stiffen it.. I dried it over a plastic bowl to shape it. I let both those dry over night..The doily came out looking similar to a flower..

First I printed out my words, in this case it was the last name of my friends, then added it to the frame. I removed the stand from the back of the frame then hot glued it to the grapevine wreath. I made a regular ole bow out of burgundy and gold ribbon and glued that on just under the frame. Then I glued my doily to the center of the bow..

I cut out different sizes of circles in the burlap and fabric.. I made the burlap circles largest, the burgundy a bit smaller, and then the printed fabric I did a bit differently. I didnt use regular scissors. I used wavy edge scissors for those.. Then I sewed the circles together in the middle. Once that was done I added my beads.. Luck had it that I had some burgundy beads shaped like flowers. I glued those to the center of the fabric flowers. Then I glued my burlap and fabric flowers into the wreath, adding one to the inside of the doily also.

I think it turned out great! And even better, my friend Kay loved it!






Next I did an outside spring wreath for my mother.. Everything on this wreath came from the dollar tree~! My mother loves blue. I found some cute blue and purple flowers at the Dollar tree that I thought would work nicely.

Items needed for this project:
Hard wreath
Ribbon for bow
Silk flowers
Barn-like Frame
Words for inside frame
Glue gun

I figured I would use silk flowers for this since it was going outside. I also found a big hard wreath at the dollar tree. I figured that would be better too since it was going outside.

I painted my frame cream color. Then I added my mother's name to the frame. This was the first thing I glued to my wreath.Then I made a regular old bow out of purple ribbon. I glued it just below the frame and added a flower to the middle of the bow. Then I just glued on flowers til I got it looking the way I wanted. I added a bit of bowdabra bow wire to the top for hanging it.





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Make it for Monday! Go Check out my Monogrammed Iron Piece! She put it as one of her favorites from last week's party :)


A Brand New Link Party at Punkin Seed Productions!!!! Go Check it out Ladies!!