Now, I promise that I won’t give the play-by-play on every piece of art I include in my new entryway gallery wall, but several of you expressed an interest in doing your own wall and commented or emailed that you didn’t know what art to use.  So, I thought I would share some of the ideas I am using, all of which fall into the categories of cheap and DIY.  This first one cost me three cents.  No really.  It did.

My photography makes this look like three boring pennies.  But in reality they are three boring pennies that each represent a different birth year…one for me, Chris and Ike.  Amazingly, I found all three very quickly in our loose change jar and promptly glued them to a piece of cardboard wrapped in white linen.

Then there are my maps.  I spent a few dollars on each of these encyclopedia maps of Vermont and New Hampshire from the late 1800s, which I found on eBay.

Why these two states?  I was born in Vermont and Chris was born across the Connecticut River in New Hampshire.  I’m really creative like that.

I may do an extended post on these next pieces.  They were originally small, hideous hangings from Goodwill.  I Mod Podged them to represent our house number: 318.

Just wait until I show you what was originally under those numbers.

You’ve probably been wondering about the puzzle, right?  When a few of you mentioned that missing pieces would add character and conversation value, I twisted my own arm to take the easy way out and frame that thing sans pieces.  It’s really not that noticeable.

The only frame I could find that was big enough is black and plastic.  I’m still undecided on whether or not it will stay this way, or if the frame will get some sort of treatment.

Some time ago on Pinterest I saw gloves framed in the entryway.  I thought that was pretty smart for that particular space, so I took a sentimental variation on the theme by framing the little blue hat that Ike wore home from the hospital.  I should have taken a picture of me trying to fit it on his head more than a year later…good times.

I have many more frames to fill, but I am definitely making progress.

Does this spark any ideas for your own gallery walls?  Can you think of something entryway appropriate that I should try?

Really, there are so many scary things about gallery walls.  Will I space things too close or too far apart?  Will I choose the wrong frames?  Will the end result meet my way-too-high expectations?  Will my husband ask, “What is a gallery wall?” once I’ve gotten too far in to stop?

The answer to all of those questions is probably yes, but I went for it anyway.  Why?  Because all of my inspiration photos just couldn’t be wrong.  Right?

So, instead of stressing about pulling together all the right pieces, I just went frame crazy.  I dug unused frames out of our closet, then raided Goodwill (I think I spent less than $25 for about 15 frames!).  I ignored what was currently in the frames and got busy laying out just one wall (there are four small sections of wall space above our new entryway coat racks that will eventually be covered!).

That clock that is featured front and center is my inspiration for the whole gallery wall.  It is actually a tide clock with a map of the island in Maine where we live.  It was a wedding gift from my sister and brother-in-law.  I love it and I’ve been trying to find the perfect spot for it in our home for years, but the clock has two things that are rarely found in our house…a natural wood colored frame and a coastal theme!  Seriously, every other frame in our house is black or silver, and I’ve tried to keep our house from screaming Maine…but not anymore.  The entryway is going to represent warm wood tones and a coastal Maine feel on behalf of the rest of the house.  I’m excited to mix it up a bit.

Anyway, once I laid my one wall of frames on a  piece of brown paper the same size as the wall space, and measured and marked where each nail would go, I taped the paper to the wall, hammered away, and then pulled the paper off.  Thankfully I had snapped a picture first because I was having a hard time remembering what went where!

I am going to pick something to go in the empty upper left corner, but it’s okay for now.

I was feeling so energized by my progress that I attempted wall 2 after Ike went to bed.  I used the same measuring and placing method, and ended up with this:

Remember, the artwork is not final…it will all be replaced!  And ignore the 9 p.m. lighting…it doesn’t do anything for the hideous Goodwill artwork.  This whole hot mess will look SO different once the frames are filled with the right things.  I promise.

Can I make a confession?  I put these pictures in Polaroid format with captions just in case someone pins them on Pinterest.  I don’t want anyone to think this is my final result (gasp!).  Isn’t it funny how Pinterst has changed how bloggers think!?

So, this is where my gallery wall stands.  Chris is totally skeptical and I am still scared.  But I am encouraged.  Hopefully next weekend I can finish the other two walls, and then I can focus on pulling together all the various art to go in the frames.  But let’s be real…they may stay empty for a few months!

If you’re interested in my inspiration photos, just check out my entryway board on Pinterest.

And feel free to add in your two cents on this whole thing.  Please.  I need gallery wall therapy.

First up is a sewing project.  I recently ordered this cute Amy Butler apron pattern (I know, I’m obsessed with Amy).

courtesy of: sewthankful.com

I get all jittery thinking about finding fabric and sewing one of these beauties.  Here’s hoping I have the patience to sew more than a straight line and use interfacing…

As for the next project, Goodwill got me yet again with another $5 fix-me-up-furniture find.

It needs some serious work, I know.  I was trying this chair on for size for the bathroom but decided it was just too big of a piece for the small space and went with a stool instead.  So, it’s going to have to find a home elsewhere.

The chair has really good lines and potential, but the shoestring holding the arm up gave Chris some serious doubts.  But, there is nothing I love more than proving him wrong, so game on!

And tell me, have you forgotten all about the bench that I constructed and then promptly ignored?  I haven’t because the unfinished project stares me in the face all of the time.

Now that the summer visiting season is upon us, it’s about time I get this bench finished for its spot in the guest bedroom.

So, do any of you have some bright ideas for finishing any of these projects?  Seen any cute fabrics or furniture finishes lately?  Please, share some inspiration with me so I can get started!

Enter my dear friend, Goodwill, who never denies me when I come searching for an old piece of furniture to freshen up and make new again.  And enter in my new pretty new-to-me sapphire stool.

It wasn’t always so pretty, of course.  But I knew this dirty old thing had potential:

After removing all of the fabric and giving the piece a good sanding, it was set for a new punch of color that would brighten up the bathroom.

On a gorgeous spring afternoon, I headed outside with my trusty can of spray paint and went to work.  The lawn even got a little blue treatment…

A few days of drying in the basement and my stool was ready for action.

When I reveal the big budget bathroom makeover next week, I’m sure that you’ll agree that this stool adds some warmth and color to the otherwise cool and clean room, and its overall style lends a bit of traditional to the more modern touches of the curtains and paint color.

Oh, and I should mention that this little piece was a steal.  The piece was marked $9.99, but I got it on a 50% off day for that color sticker!  So, with $5.00 for the bench and $4.00 for the spray paint, I spent less than $10.00!

What do you think of my little sapphire stool?  Have you used spray paint lately?  Any Goodwill makeovers?  Share it all!

You might remember that our initial design plan featured some pretty, modern curtains a focus point.  Let’s be honest, with that linoleum and eye-sore of a vanity, we needed to draw the attention elsewhere…like up to the ceiling and over to the window AND the shower curtain!

I was initially just planning to use a plain white shower curtain, but I loved the idea of extending the look of the curtains over to the shower.  So, surprise, surprise…I added a DIY shower curtain to the mix!

After painting the walls the nice grey-blue shade of Behr’s Pensive Sky, I pulled out the sewing machine and got to work.  You’ll have to forgive the fact that I haven’t gotten very good at photographing while sewing.  Truth be told, I get going so focused when I’m sewing that I forget about all of you.  Maybe when I get better at sewing you can have some pictures.  Deal?

I tackled the window panels first.  Knowing that I would simply use the curtain clips (I love that look) I used the same process as I did with my white guest room panels, which goes something like this:

• Determine the desired finished width of each panel and cut the fabric at least 1.5 inches wider (for seam allowances).  Make sure your fabric is about a foot longer than what you want your finished panel to be.
• One long edge at a time, fold over the raw edge (about 1/4 inch) and press well.  Then, fold this edge over one more time, so that it looks nice and finished.  (Be sure to use the steam setting on your iron and the edge will pretty much stay in place.)
• Then, focus on the top edge.  Fold this one over about 1 inch the first time, then 2 inches the second time.  Sew straight across the top and everything will stay in place for the moment.
• Next, hang your curtain on the clips.  Fold the bottom of the fabric to your desired length and mark accordingly.  Go back to your iron and press as needed, following the same steps as the top.  Sew across the bottom and call it good!
• (If you have flimsy fabric, you will probably need to sew along all four edges.)

When you’re all done, admire how nice the fabric looks against the freshly-painted wall and new bamboo shade.

I was pretty tired at this point on Sunday evening, but I decided to forge forward.

I knew that I wanted to use my remaining 18 inches of fabric on either side of the shower curtain to mimic the window treatments, but I wasn’t sure what to use for the white fabric.  Well, as luck would have it, I found a beautiful high-thread-count flat white sheet (twin sized) at Goodwill while I was trolling for other finds.  It was perfect (after laundering, of course)!

I cut the fabric into two panels and, with right sides together, sewed one on each side of the sheet.  I folded/pressed the fabric at the top and bottom and sewed across so that the seams matched up with those on the sheet.  Some hemming was required, so I used the same technique as the curtains (hanging, folding, marking sewing.)

I had searched throughout our little rural Maine town for some ceiling mounted hardware for the curtains (like these), but I couldn’t find them anywhere.  I contemplated ordering them online, but for $5.00 I got two brushed nickel rods at Lowe’s and mounted them as close to the ceiling as possible.  The finished result isn’t as sleek as I imagined, but pretty close!

Of course, when you peek inside, the regular fabric liner is hung at a normal height.

In case you need help deciding how much of an improvement this is, let’s compare the before and after pics.

Here we have the before:

And after:

I’m dying to know what you think, so let’s hear it!  Are you like my husband and think that maybe the floor-to-ceiling fabric is a little overwhelming?  Do you think I should split the shower curtain so that it opens in the middle?  Or, do you like it just the way it is?

Psst…I’ve you’ve missed any part of this on-going makeover, be sure to check out the previous posts!  And stay tuned, because there is much more to come!

This post is linked up to:

…to this?

I can’t say I blame you.

Just head on over to the Goodwill of Northern New England site where I am guest blogging from time to time about my Goodwill finds!

After more than a year of searching for the perfect bench for the dressing table in our walk-in closet, I found this hideous little thing at at Goodwill for a mere $4.99.

I’m happy to say that after revealing its innards and finding fresh new fabric, the bench is complete!

Not only is it a bit prettier, it’s also a bit higher.  Remember how I could only see my shoulders when I sat down?

Even though many people said unexpected nice things about my hair, no one really thought that the bench was the right height.  So, I came up with a solution for that…

Want to see the nitty gritty on how it all came together?  Well, grab a snack, hunker down and scroll through the photos below!

My initial idea when purchasing the bench was to cover and tuft the cushion and then re-finish the wood base.  But because the previous owner had simply wrapped fabric over the cushion and onto the wood, I was left with a gazillion staple and nail holes.

All those holes, combined with the fact that I needed to add a solid 6 inches to the base, were enough to make me re-think my plans.  I decided that I would add a base to the bench, then skirt the wood frame and re-cover/tuft the cushion.

I tackled the cushion first, by adding a thick styrofoam back to the cushion (I found the styrofoam in our basement!)

Using a staple gun, I secured the fabric, wrapping the cushion like a present.

Then, using a ruler and pencil, I marked where my covered buttons would be pulled through to create the tufted look.  I used an extra long needle (called a doll needle) that I found at my local fabric store to pull the buttons tight against the cushion.  Once I got the needle through, I secured the string on the back of the foam with the staple gun.

I think it came out pretty well!

With the cushion finished, I set out to add some height to the bench.  I came up with a scheme using simple 2×4″ boards.  First I trimmed two boards and attached them to the inside of the legs.

Then I simply added 3 more pieces (screwing one into the other) on each side to provide just about 6 inches of height.

It was pretty hideous looking, so it was time to start the skirt.

Originally I had picked up a beige sheet set to use for the skirt fabric, but I didn’t like it as much when I got it home.  So, I went back to the local Marden’s bargain store and picked up more of the blue silk that I had used to cover the buttons.

I ironed it (although it still looks wrinkled in the picture) and carefully wrapped it around the bench, stapling as I went.

It looked a bit too square and straight when I was finished, so I added some bunches of fabric to each corner.  You know, to add a little fru-fru-ness.

And then it was done.

A little bit better than this, right?

The final cost for this makeover breaks down like this:

• Bench: $4.99
• Fabric: $23
• Wood: $6
• TOTAL: $33.99

While it didn’t work out to be quite as cheap as I had hoped, it sure beats the prices of benches and seats that I had seen online and in stores.  This particular seat really needed to be a custom height, since the dressing table/counter is awkwardly high.  So, short of building a new bench, a re-purposed piece truly was the best solution!

What do you think of the finished result!?  Have you re-finished, tufted or skirted anything lately?  Tell all, please.

Linked up to:

As I mentioned earlier, I found the perfect silk fabric to fix up my Goodwill-find bench.  I decided to use the accent fabric to cover some buttons that will be attached to provide a tufted look.

I picked up a button-covering kit at my local fabric store and followed the easy directions.

First you cut out the fabric according to the size button you have. (Thin fabric works best; you might have trouble with flannels, tweeds, etc.)

Next, center the cut piece over the nifty button-maker thingy, and press the button top down and in.

Then, tuck in the edges and press the button bottom down and in, snapping it tight.

And a finished button you will have!

The whole process to make 6 buttons took less than 10 minutes and I was really impressed with the results.  Now I can’t wait to attach them through the bench cushion!

Have you ever covered your own buttons?  The button covering kit was very handy, but I think you could even pull buttons off of an old coat or blazer and cover them with some hot glue.  I suppose that it all depends on the look you are going for.

I also hunted for the perfect fabric to re-cover the bench and I found everything I needed at Marden’s, a local bargain store (it’s a Maine legend, for those of you who don’t live here!).  I found a nice silk print that I will use to cover the cushion.  I also picked up a piece of the blue silk to use as an accent.

I couldn’t find the perfect fabric to use for the skirt that I will make (to cover up all of those dang holes) and I was about to give up.  That is when I found the perfect solution in the sheet section (you have to be resourceful, people!).  I picked up a beige sheet set for $7.49 and it will work perfectly.  All together I spent $14 on the fabric.

Now I just need to pull it all together!

What do you think of my fabric choices?  Have you ever used a sheet in lieu of fabric for a project?   Can you believe I just typed “in lieu?”

If you haven’t been following this drawn-out saga, you can check out the first posts here and  here .

Before I get to the goods, let’s talk about the future home of this bench: in front of my dressing table in our walk-in closet.  Okay, it’s more like a dressing counter, but who’s getting technical? Table sounds way more sophisticated.

The bench looks like it works pretty well, right?  Right.  Until I sit down…

That’s when I sink down into the foam and feel like the shortest person in the world.  Why didn’t I think to place the mirror closer to the table…err…counter?  I don’t know, but let’s talk about my DIY shortcomings later.  Thanks.

(I might have to find a way to add 6 inches of height to the seat.)

Feeling like I needed some revenge on the slightly-too-short bench, I attacked.

And it attacked back with a whole round of staples under the trim.

I thought I had made it through the worst, until I found the next layer of staples…and holes.  Apparently this was the previous owner’s DIY job.

At long last I revealed what was beneath.

Clearly I have my work cut out for me.  But I am feeling confident that I can turn this into something beautiful, and something that is the right height.  Game on!

Do you have any suggestions for the bench?  Any creative ideas for covering up all of those holes?  How about making the bench taller?  Do you think that I should just give up? All solutions and ideas are welcomed!