DIY Thursday : Laundry Room Overhaul

Over the years, my laundry room has served as my emergency catch-all. You know, someone suddenly drops by and you need a spot to shove things and shut the door. Unfortunately, it doesn't always get cleaned up as often as I'd like (or never, to be honest).

Since the munchkins are back in school and I had some free time and a creative itch, I decided to tackle this mess:



I pulled out all of the kids' craft supplies to relocate them in the basement since there isn't much time for crafts these days. Do you think I might have an issue with purchasing and/or holding onto craft supplies?



This is the nice, clean, boring laundry room after I finished cleaning



Amid the piles of construction paper, glue, feathers, and play doh, I came across a foam brush set similar to this. I think we all have bits and pieces of a set like this lying around.


Something popped into my head about Just a Girl's bathroom bubble-ish looking wall art so I pulled out the paint.

I decided I wanted one colorful, kid art friendly zone in my home where we can display some of the cooler projects they bring home from school.





I used rubber foot from a shelf to create an open bubble to mix with the solid bubbles for interest. I think you can find them in the aisle with PVC pipe at Lowe's. Try to choose a color theme, mine was blue, then sprinkle in other colors randomly like the red and purple and orange. Overlap some bubbles and make little bubble clusters. This really was fun and a quick coat of paint is all that's required when you get sick of it.

So, let's not take decorating so seriously all the time. Do you have a spot where you can just let loose and make it fun? The boys feel like they now have their own kid-friendly art gallery!



.

DIY Thursday

Okay, I feel bad for leaving you high and dry on Tuesday with no tutorial for the week. I sucked you dry for ideas on my settee and the inspiration is flowing. Thank you all!

This week's DIY will be tutorial-ish to make up for it. (note: my spell check hates me.) See? Two for one!

Let me show you my Antiqued Living Room Wall...

Supplies:

Acrylic glaze
DecoArt Elegant Finish Metallic Gold Acrylic Paint
Paint brush
Rag
Stencil
Folk Art Metallic Pearl White Acrylic Paint

This was soooo easy, and I love the effect of aging on the walls. Oh, I hate the furniture in here, by the way.

Begin with a boring beige wall (you have one of those, right?)

Mix 1 part gold paint with 4 parts glaze.

Paint 2-3 foot sections of the wall with a cross-hatch stroke using the brush.

Dab the paint back OFF the wall in the same area using the rag.

Most directions for this type of finish tell you to work quickly with another person to keep a we edge, but I like the darker edges and color differentiation, so I took my time and did it alone.

Repeat over the entire wall surface. Let dry.

Measure your wall and work out a pattern for placing the stencil (I originally wanted a fleur de lis, but couldn't find it. This stencil cost me $1.00).

I used a laser level to keep each row straight.

Stencil the pattern over the antiqued wall using a rag dipped into the paint then dabbed off. (the rag should be almost dry)





Because of the metallic nature of the paint, the finish looks different in every light and at every angle (yet, not shiny) - it's soooo cool! The effect is kind of like old parchment.

Do you want to join in Kimba's DIY Linky party? Click the button below and head over to see some other great project ideas. You can also click on over to The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursday!



Don't forget, next Tuesday will be your chance to join my Tutorial Tuesday Linky Party. Get something fun posted and link up here for us all to come visit!

DIY Thursday - Window (mis)Treatments

After my Bathroom Chandelier post, I had a few comments about the window treatment over the tub. I subscribe to The Nester's "window (mis)treatment" theory, and agree that is doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. Thus the term "(mis)treatment". Love that.

This window is a perfect example of this theory in action. Yes, a real interior designer would cringe (look away now if you are one!), but it suits the purpose I intended and it's pretty...so it works for me (and really, what the Big Guy doesn't know won't hurt him).

We hung a thick drapery rod with awesome finials (I don't like to cheap out on those as far as looks go, but regarding cost; you can pick these up at any discount place Marshall's, TJ Maxx for a lot less).

I hung an every day store bought sheer in an antique gold color using the clip on drapery rings. I just like the way the curtain falls when using these vs. pushing the rod through the pocket at the top.



I pulled it to the side by screwing a little cup hook into the wall and using the band of fabric included. I tucked the fabric band into the cup hook and hung an extra tassel on the front.



I cut a rectangle about 1 1/2 x the width of the window out of a rough dupioni silk (about a yard, and I used my JoAnn's 1/2 price coupon). I didn't even hem the edges, just tucked them under and swagged it over the rod, leaving the ends longer.

The first end I wrapped around the rod and pinned it tight with straight pins from behind (click on the picture to see an enlarged photo, you can seethe little straight pin, no sewing! Oh, and you can also see a layer of dust sitting on top of the curtain.)



The second end I ballooned with some plastic grocery bags and pinned from behind with straight pins.




And another little bathroom tidbit, I didn't have a good photo of this (and I'm too lazy busy to go up an take another one). But, I hate ugly containers on my bathroom counter (disregard the large tub of shaving cream and tube of toothpaste in front as I type this), so I bought a cheap "crystal" decanter (read: cut glass from discount store) for the Big Guy's mouthwash. It just dresses it up a little bit.



That's all for me, link up below and then head on over to A Soft Place to Land to link up or to check out some of the other great DIY projects. Just click the button below:

**UPDATE: I just clicked myself over to check out Kimba's booty and there is a PRIZE for linking this week! Hurry, go enter and win an awesome postcard inspired pillow!


,

Fruit Flies, Help!!!

Okay, I love Costco, but I wasn't counting on a bunch of new pets when I bought that pineapple! We have purchased the fruit fly traps online in the past ($24!!!) so we decided to try out some of the ideas for homemade traps. It's surprisingly simple, and looks like this:



You will need:

a small jar(baby food size)

a bit of fruit(chunk of banana)

plastic wrap.

Place the fruit in the jar and cover tightly with plastic wrap. With a sharpened pencil poke 3-4 tiny holes in the plastic, just big enough for a fruit fly. Place it on your counter and watch it with morbid fascination as it fills up. Take it outside to empty it out every few days and start over. (the flies can squeeze down through the hole, but can't crawl back through the jagged edges of the holes)

This is my contribution for Kimba's DIY Thursday, so hop on over there to check out what else she has to offer!