Spring/Summer Look For The Bathroom

I decided to change the bathroom over to a lighter look for Spring and Summer after I found a ruffled shower curtain at TJ Maxx on clearance for $5.00.  Here is what it looked like just last week.

All the stripes went away and I put down this white rug with a gray border that I also picked up.  A solid gray over by the sink, because I already had that one.

I put a white bath towel over the rack, but I still have to go back to Target and get the hand towels I saw there that I liked.  I put the little framed French text print in here on the table I redid because it seemed to fit this look.

A few hot showers and hopefully those wrinkles will fall out {because I’m not ironing a shower curtain}.  I really love that shower curtain!

I think this will provide a nice change for the next few months and then we will go back to the stripes for Fall/Winter.

Enjoying The Weather

This morning I decided to sit outside at our little table to enjoy my morning coffee and some fresh air.  Especially after doing this yesterday.

I got the idea for the basket of pansies from Laura at Décor To Adore.  She did such a great basket and she has hers on a small table like mine, too {although her table set is much prettier!}.  I already had this basket stashed in a closet and just bought the coconut liner and the pansies.  I bought some potting soil the other day when I got my ferns.

I’m dying for some flowers, but with this crazy weather and not knowing will we get frost, will we get a freeze, I’ve been trying to be patient.  Well, yesterday I compromised and got the pansies and another little plant you can’t quite see yet that will trail over the basket and coordinates with the pansies.

I also put my ferns out again.  I bought them this past weekend and brought them in one night when there was a threat of 29 degrees one night.  The rest of the week looks good, so out they went again!

These pictures are from yesterday afternoon when we have shade on this part of the condo, but in the morning it gets full sun and feels wonderful!

I’ve got another hook to the left of the front door, where I plan on adding another hanging basket but with a mix of annuals.  That one will have to wait until May, when all danger of the last frost has passed.  I added this pretty little candle holder that I found at Michael’s in the dollar bins. I think it will be nice to sit outside and have a candle lit in the evenings.

This will have to tide me over for now! 

This Wood Tote Needs A Makeover

It finally dawned on me why I have been having a hard time decorating the red wood tote I got last year just before Christmas.  It’s because it’s red!

After reading Debbie at Confessions Of A Plate Addict’s most recent post on how she decorated her lovely little wooden box {and envying yet another beautiful display she came up with}, I realized that the red of mine is keeping me from coming up with ideas. Now I’ve got these guys that I just bought at Hobby Lobby {at 40% off} and I want to use them with some eggs in the tote.

I love their vintage look!

That means to keep this tote versatile, I am going to have to paint it. I do like it red and it worked great for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, but I need my pieces to work for more than one season or holiday!  So, now I’m debating White or Heirloom White ~ I made both into a chalk paint, but either way it will be getting painted this week. 

A Spring Nature Basket

I had to laugh when I read a comment from my friend, Judy, on this basket that I found and was thinking of keeping.  She wasn’t liking the “crown” for our “throne”!

But since I really like the basket, I wanted to find some way to use it.  While visiting my friend Kristen’s blog at Kristen’s Creations, I saw a tiered basket she did for Spring that was inspired by one she saw on Pinterest. 

This, in turn, inspired me!  Although this basket is not tiered, I thought it might be the perfect size to do something similar and put on the corner of our kitchen counter.  I was testing out things here and wound up not using the terracotta pot as a riser.

I gathered up a bunch of things that I had on hand.  A rinsed out single serve rice container {I keep these for using with Mod Podge and craft paint}, a dollar store glass candle holder {instead of the terracotta pot}, some moss, burlap garland and some seam binding.

And started to pull it together to get a look I liked.  My little bunnies are actually salt and pepper shakers that I forgot I still had wrapped up and in a box.

I used two different mosses on this project ~ reindeer and Spanish {cause that’s what I had}.  I also pulled out some burlap garland I picked up when I did my frame wreath and incorporated that into the mix, too.

Tied some seam binding bows around the bunnies to make them look handsome and added some to the sides of the basket as well.

I intertwined the burlap in between the basket and cut a piece of cardboard to fit in the bottom {so the moss wouldn’t fall through}.  The burlap also helps keep the moss in place within the basket.

So, what do you think?  I think my friend, Judy, will like this use much better and, frankly, so do I!

Linking up with

Wild About Mother Nature at Grits and Glamour

Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

The Bunny Blog Hop at DIY by Design

A Girly Girl Room

Finally, I got all my pictures together to show you the transformation of my granddaughter’s bedroom, from this

boy’s room {picture from when the house was on the market}, to what it looks like now.  I’ve added in some “before” pictures along the way, so you can see the differences. A list of resources and prices are at the end of this post.

The plug-in chandelier above was the biggest splurge and was my gift since the lighting in this room is recessed.  Every girl needs some bling, even if she is only 20 months old!  I added a cream colored cord cover to the chain. This chandelier can be hardwired as well and I left those pieces with my daughter in the event they ever decide to go that route with it.

The tease I gave you from my Tuesday Morning purchase was a cream chenille ruffled throw, which became the coverlet for the crib.  I was going to add a canopy of some sort over the crib, but since my granddaughter likes to hide behind and pull on drapes, I didn’t think it would be safe to do right now. We’ll keep that on the back burner until she outgrows that!  Here’s a more recent “before”:

After:

Rods were added as close to the ceiling as possible and white tablecloths were attached to rings for the window treatments.  These worked great as they were 70 inches wide and 120 inches long.

The mirror over the dresser is the mirror that came with my Craig’s List dresser find from a few months ago and I wasn’t using it.  

To dress up the dresser a little bit {until it is either painted or replaced}, I made a ruffled runner for the top using fabric I had on hand.  Here’s another before picture.

And this area after:

We hung existing wall décor and moved the existing furniture around.  I used the white basket that I had added a ruffle to, as well as this blue pedestal that I had.

The Goodwill shelf I got last year, fixed up and painted for the Goodwill china tea sets finds a home here also. Once we decide where we want to place that on the wall, I will show you that. I added some of her existing accessories, as well as some new little finds {like these teacup and saucer pots}. 

And it all adds up to this!

Crib wall before.

A bedroom fit for a princess!

Even with the blue shades and carpet, I have a hard time remembering what this bedroom looked like in its before state!   Here’s a side by side comparison.

The paint alone created a major difference in this room.  Never underestimate the power of paint!  This room took a bit longer than I anticipated because we had to get me in the house and upstairs without the baby seeing me. It was a whole covert operation to get this room completed, but it was well worth it!

Cost Breakdown & Resources:

Chandelier ~ approximately $110.00 ~ from Lamps Plus Pro;

Cream Cord Cover ~ $.61 Lowe’s {12 foot};

Ruffled chenille throw for crib ~ $39.99  ~ Tuesday Morning;

SW 7118 French Vanilla ~ Lowe’s Valspar color match ~ 2 gallons approximately $60.00;

Mirror over dresser from my Craig’s List dresser ~ Free;

Window Hardware ~ $80.00 ~ Lowe’s ~ 2 rods and 2 packs rings;

Window Treatments ~ $19.99 each ~ two white tablecloths – Target ~ 70 x 102;

Teacup/saucer pots and little flowers ~ $4.00 ~ Christmas Tree Shop;

Blue frame on dresser ~ $.78 ~ Christmas Tree Shop;

Ruffled runner for dresser top ~ Free {materials on hand}.

Total for Bedroom Makeover: $335.36.

My daughter had all of the furniture already so that is always a big savings, but we were able to add the finishing touches to this room without breaking the budget.  Best client I ever had!

Linking up with

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at The House In The Roses

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Spring Into Spring at DIY by Design

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Inspiration Friday At The Picket Fence

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Country