Smile And Wave

Ruby's Room Makeover Reveal

Sweet little Ruby has one of the coolest rooms in our house but it sat in a sad state for over a year. I knew I'd have a little more project-focused time after the holidays so I started planning a few minor adjustments to make her space feel more special. Thanks to some paint, darling decals, time at my sewing machine, and a few trips to the hardware store, it feels completely different. We didn't spend very much money on this makeover but the right improvements and an overall idea of what we wanted went a long way in making this a room we all want to hang out in! 

As you can see, our before photo was pretty sad. The big kids had shared a room until we moved here so we when we split them up, Sebastian's mattress went to his room and left the top bunk with nothing but slats. This wall is the only space in the room that can host the bunk bed and was an ideal option for making use of the incredibly random cubby space that was carved out from empty stairwell space when the house was renovated by the owners. Except the slats weren't safe for kids walking across to get to the cubby hole! Indecision and a tight budget kept me from making a move to either buy a second mattress or get some plywood cut to create a floor that was solid enough for the kids to play on. We just stacked all of our extra pillows and quilts up there and made sure Smith never ventured up the ladder but it was pretty tacky. We also weren't sure if we would keep the bunk bed or bring her old iron bed up from the basement so I didn't bother painting over all of the worn out places. 

The old rug was dingey and the curtains were kind of just leftover lace panels from my fabric stash that were hung with tacks instead of on rods. There wasn't really anything on the walls because I couldn't decide if I was going to keep the bunk bed here or bring in her regular twin bed so I didn't want to start nailing things up and then change such a major wall space taker upper. None of this kept anyone up at night because we're so thankful we have the freedom to complain about how dumpy our safe, warm, private rooms ever look but I also know how much a well-organized, beautiful space can create a sense of peace and allow a little more cheer into all areas of our lives.

My first step was painting the bunk bed. I purchased this gorgeous but inexpensive area rug on sale at Wayfair to help style some of the finished photos in my weaving book but I knew it was going to be the focal point of Ruby's room makeover when I was done with it. She loves pink as much as I do! I then decided on a few complimentary colors to help calm down the pink and let Ruby choose which shade of minty blue to paint the bed. I used an HGTV sample size (I'll have to dig for the specific color number) and painted two light coats over my white. The sample size was 20 oz. of paint for $3.84 and I was pretty happy with the results. It's hard to be such an inexpensive makeover project! It immediately felt better in there.

I also measured out the space above the slats and had some MDF wood cut in two large sections at one of our big hardware stores in town. Getting it cut in two sections was the only way I could ensure I could get it home from the hardware store in our car but it also made it light enough for me to heave them up onto the top of the bunk myself. I went with MDF because it's a smooth surface so there won't be splinters should a child walk on top of it barefoot. I then covered it with two large quilts to help soften the look of things and now it's kind of a lounging space for Ruby to play as well as a safe way to reach her cubby hole. 

I then wiped the walls down to remove any hand and footprints and put up the gold Coronata Stars removable wall decals from Walls Need Love. Phase two was complete and just those two changes were already making such a big impact on the room. See how I measured my grid in this post here. 

My next step was figuring out what we already had that we wanted to reintroduce into this space. I folded our white, queen-sized quilt in half to use as her main bed covering and then brought in a lap-sized quilt I made last year. You can find the tutorial for that one over at ABM. I reintroduced some pillows we've had for years that worked well with all of that pink and then made her a new pink pillowcase with tiny panda faces printed on them. It was such an inexpensive way to incorporate something new that was a perfect fit for our animal loving little girl! I also made a floor pillow that doubles as a large bolster pillow and I'll be sharing the DIY for that later this month. The faux fur bolster was an easy project made from some leftover fabric from my Sew With Us e-course that I just stuffed with poly-fil and stitched close. You can find the tutorial for the kitty pillow here.

Once I had the bed fixed up, I added a curtain to her cubby hole using a wooden dowel that I cut to fit snugly and two screw hooks that I screwed into the ceiling. I added ring clips to the dowel before carefully fitting it into the screw hooks and hung a cut of knitwear fabric that I brought home to make more pillows but Ruby thought it should go up here instead. I think she made a pretty dandy choice. The dowel and curtain hooks I already had on hand and the fabric for the curtain was only $6 with a coupon. Look at me using coupons!

I wanted the cubby to have a soft surface to rest on but knew I didn't want to spend $100 on foam so I used a curtain panel that I'd found on sale at Target to create a large envelope pillow case. I then carefully folded up a few of the sleeping bags we don't often use as well as two quilts that have seen better days and tucked them inside. It solved a storage problem and a comfort problem at the same time and only cost me $12! The lights were purchased last year when we moved in and are perfect for keeping things cozy after dark.  

I replaced the lace fabric I had pinned up with tacks with a proper curtain rod and added some painted shapes to a white curtain panel. Here's the super easy potato stamp tutorial I created for A Beautiful Mess in case you are in need of an easy fix for some windows in your own space. Also, we brought in plants to add some more life into this space but have decided just to leave the large one as Smith hasn't seemed as curious about knocking it over. 

This art print was downstairs for awhile and is from Strawberry Moth. It may be one of my favorite prints in our house.  The woven basket is from Target a few years ago and the chenille blanket is vintage. You can find the tutorial for making your own pom pom wall art over here. 

Ruby is a big fan of her revamped space, especially because we added twinkly lights to the underside of her bunk so she can play Checkers with Brett before bed. Imagine my panic when I went to wake her up the morning after I finished everything and she wasn't in her bed! In my bleary-eyed state I got a little nervous and then heard her soft snores coming from behind the pink curtain. She had woken up in the night to go to the bathroom and crawled up there to go back to sleep! I wonder if she'll let me hide up there when I need a mama moment. Ha!

Thanks to a little bit of paint, some wall decals, a repurposed rug, and a lot of elbow grease, Ruby now has a lovely space to enjoy that feels so much better even when it's messy. It's really incredible how much impact a few little changes in a room can make, even as a renter! 

Now that Ruby's room is nearly finished, I'm thinking up ways to give Sebastian a similarly low-cost room makeover. His space is downstairs and has acted as a catch-all for our extra chairs and random toddler toys that we toss in there when we're expecting people to come over so it's time to put some thought into making it work for him. I can't wait to see what we come up with!

-Rachel

P.S. This post was partially sponsored by Walls Need Love to showcase their vinyl wall decals but all opinions are my own. I'm so thankful to get to work with companies that have great product geared to make our lives more beautiful! 

Mid-Century Dresser Facelift with Glidden Paint

Raise your hand if you've ever finished a project you've had on your to-do list for months, maybe years, and after finally cleaning up the makeover mess and getting your new project nestled into place, it feels so fresh and exciting that you reprimand yourself for not having tackled it sooner! Yes! Over here!

I have had that feeling so many times that I should know better by now but sometimes it just takes someone else getting the ball rolling to find that motivation to get started. Enter our mid-century Lane dresser with beautiful dovetail woodwork and dresser handles that made perfect sense when we first found it on Craigslist. When Brett brought it home, though, we realized the place we thought was a watermark on one of the drawers was actually some sort of nail-polish spill. It ended up as one of those things you become blind to as the to-do lists only grow longer! 

Then we moved it with us to Colorado and one of the handles snapped in half (see below) on the delivery truck. After searching for replacement handles for weeks, I decided to remove them and the dresser just became something utilitarian and practical. I couldn't in my right mind toss it to the curb knowing full well it was a keeper that just needed a little elbow grease.

Fast forward another move and another child needing a dresser and this little Lane number's number finally got called when Glidden paint asked if I had any projects that needed a coat or two. Yes! Yes, I did! It was time to bump this thing up the list and put some energy into making it beautiful again. 

While I fully appreciate the beauty of those dovetail edges, the stains on the front of two drawers were too much for me to tackle without covering them up. I did keep the rest of the wood showing as I love the contrast of the two and knew I could fix my handle sizing problem by adding leather straps. I've currently got this dresser in my studio to corral projects but it might end up in either of my sons' rooms soon so it was important to me that it fit in with more than one spot in the house. 

I chose the Glidden High Endurance Grab-n-Go paint in white because it claimed to be good for high traffic areas and had a low odor. Since this dresser will get used at least once a day, I knew it would need to stand up to lots of opening and closing, grubby hands, etc. I'm also pretty sensitive to strong chemical odors so I wanted to avoid high VOC's. I chose the white because it's such a clean, modern contrast to the warmth of the wood I was going to leave bare. 

I prepped my drawers by using a power sander and fine grit sandpaper to get the finish off of the top and then wiped them down with a damp cloth. I was able to remove most of the nail polish that had made a stain on the surface with the light sanding. Then I used a soft roller brush to add my first thin coat and let it dry for the recommended amount of time before adding another coat. It is SO hard to wait in between coats when you want to finish your project but I knew it would look so much better if I left it alone!

I battled all the mosquitos the next morning with a second coat after giving it a good stir. I was sure to add thin coats as I've rushed paint jobs in the past with thick layers and have ended up with wonky lines in all the wrong places. Since I was covering such a dark underlayer, I ended up adding a third thin coat just to be safe and I am so happy with how it turned out. It was worth going with a third coat since it was such a small project and it looks as smooth as butter. It even wipes down well as I had some sort of bug leave it's mark when I left it out to dry after that last coat. I just used a baby wipe and it was as good as new. Perfect for all of the smudgy fingerprints it's sure to get when moved to one of the boys' rooms! 

After my drawers were put back in place I decided it really did need handles to make it easy to use. I got some cowhide leather I have had since the days I made leather journals in college and picked up some brass screws and nuts from the local hardware store. Then I cut my leather down to size to about 2.5" longer than the distance between the holes, measured about 1" from each short end, and carefully poked a hole with my awl for the screw posts. They're thick enough that they won't tear or stretch out and have just enough of that oiled leather finish to feel exciting.

I've used several brands of paint for projects I've repurposed in the many years we've moved houses and needed something to work hard for us on a modest budget and was really pleased with the outcome of this project. The paint did its job and went on smoothly and there was no strong paint odor at all! I've become sensitive to strong chemical smells over the years and knew I didn't want to bring something into the house during the summertime when we wouldn't be able to air out the room with open windows so that was a huge bonus. 

This dresser suddenly has so much more to offer than it did in its shabby state and feels like a new piece of furniture altogether. It really is amazing what a little paint can do for a space whether that be a vintage dresser, an accent wall, or an entire floor of your house. I've got so much paint left from the gallon that I had available that I'm ready to give our huge white cabinet that has served as both Ruby's wardrobe and our home office a fresh coat!

I know I'm not the only one with a project that has been waiting ages for a little facelift! The good news is that I've partnered with Glidden to offer one lucky Smile and Wave reader a $50 gift card to Walmart so you can pick your paint and finally check that project off your list and refresh your own space. 

To enter to win:

* Check out Glidden's paint colors.

* Share in the comments what kind of project you'd love to tackle with $50 worth of Glidden paint.

*  For an additional entry, write a review for Glidden here if you've used any of their paints in a home project and then leave another comment here to share that you have.

I'll be choosing a winner by Friday afternoon so be sure to leave your comment soon as well as an e-mail address or way to get in touch with you! Thanks so much for stopping by and catching up on another project over here. I'm so thankful for the chance to partner with companies and products I feel good about sharing with you so that we can all create a space we love!

-Rachel

* This post was created in partnership with Glidden. I received compensation for my review but all thoughts and opinions are my own. Sorry, open to U.S. readers only. $50 USD total value. Winner will be contacted by email once comments close and announced at the bottom of this post.

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EDITED: AND THE WINNER IS.....

Brooke Knipp said...

Isn't it amazing what some paint can do?? So fortunate that that handle broke! I love your solution. You have such an eye! I have a dresser very similar to this that I got from our neighbors when they were preparing to move. They were going to toss it out. It's a nice color, but a bit beat up, so it needs a fresh coat or two. The handles are the one thing I don't love about it, so now I'm picturing some leather there instead. Thanks so much for some inspiration! (I've had the dresser in our guest room for the last two years or so, so yes, my projects often...marinate...in my mind for a long time, too).

It's a toss up, though. I've been putting off painting our kitchen island for a year now. It's a hutch that we repurposed and it works great but I'm tired of the color, and it's also a little beat up now. It would get the 'blue-grey slate' I think. :)

CONGRATULATIONS, BROOKE! I'll be in touch with details. I want to extend a giant THANK YOU to everyone else that took the time to comment. I wish I could send each of you a gallon of paint!  

 

 

All Shiny and Bright

I pulled every box of Christmas decor from the basement and garage on Black Friday with all of the excitement you'd expect from a kid on Christmas morning. I promised myself I'd wait to decorate until the Thanksgiving leftovers were properly chilled in the fridge so I wasted no time in spreading out four years worth of thrifted, handmade, and store bought Christmas decor across our rather large dining room table. About half of it has made it's way to it's resting place and the rest are waiting on inspiration.

My decorating process isn't a quick one. I have been set on a color scheme for about a month but I still have to do things in layers and see what's missing, what needs to be edited down, added to, or put away for another year. This year the large white tree is decked out in pink, red, and gold, the small white tree has mostly gold, the aluminum tree I found a few weeks ago in Perry, OK is still waiting it's turn and we're also planning a trip to the tree farm for the kids. 

A good chunk of these ornaments were found about three days after Christmas last year so it was fun pulling them out without rembering them. I really don't know how they all made it in the move without being smashed to pieces. They'll soon be spread throughout the house with the exception of the front porch. It's been designated as the natural Christmas tree room.

It's funny because about seven years ago we went to Indianapolis for Thanksgiving to meet up with my English host family and their dear friends. We had the ultimate ideal day after Thanksgiving day cutting down a tree in the snow, having s'mores by a huge outdoor fire, and enjoying hot apple cider in their beautiful home. Their home, by the way, was decorated to the nines with a Christmas tree in every single room including the walk-in closet. I remember thinking how beautiful and extravagant it was - as well as a teensy bit ridiculous - and laughing with Brett about it. I think I'm on my way to that same place folks! 

I'm going to enjoy every second of it.

-Rachel

What I Wore: Garage Sale Style

Garage sales can be as fun as you make them, right? Saturday morning we were up with the birds pulling stuff out of our garage to prepare for the multitudes that were surely coming since we'd put an ad in the paper this time. We ditched the lemonade/brownie stand because all of that sugar went into my two-year-old's little body last time and made her crazy for the rest of the weekend. No bueno. I had music on, the yard was nice and shady, and the littles were either asleep or playing happily. 

Outfit details: Vintage dress cut into a top, thrifted. Tank and shorts, Target. Minnetonka moccasins, trade store in Oklahoma. Sunglasses, ModCloth. 

One hour and two customers later I decided it might be just another hot afternoon that ended with a trip to Goodwill so out came the camera. This is my 'Where are all the customers?' face. Whatever happened to 'If you build it, they will come?' 

I was so prepared! I had my trusty money bag full of ones, fives, tens, and a few twenties in case we had some big spenders. I even had a separate bag for quarters!

I made sure to wear comfortable shoes since I knew I'd be on my feet all morning helping the busloads of treasure hunters find something shiny to take home.

There was plenty of caffeine on hand to help me remember prices, flirt with old men, and entertain kids. 

I even put on makeup. I didn't want to scare potential customers away! 

The crowds never showed up but it was another morning of special visitors from down the street and as far away as Brighton (Hi, Stephanie). A sweet friend brought iced coffee on her way to the flea market and another army wife/mama that I've run into randomly twice stopped by for a visit and I got to hold her baby boy!

We made about the same amount of money, earned a little more garage space back, and got to visit with friends. I'm not doing it again any time soon but it was worth the effort. Today is for cleaning the house and preparing my to do list for all the things I want to finish before my family arrives in a few days. Nothing like company to light a fire under my tail!

Speaking of fire, you may have heard the mountains near us (as well as throughout the state and surrounding states) have been burning. We were coming back from a date last night and got high enough to see where the smoke was coming from and were shocked that we could actually see the flame line on the mountain just North East of us. We had a trip into Manitou Springs planned for this afternoon so we could use the photobooth but the town has been evacuated and parts of the highway have been closed. 

We aren't in danger at all but it's been sad to hear about the structures and homes that have been lost already. One news report said there were deer running through neighborhoods fleeing the fires and that scene in Bambi flashed through my mind. We had to close all of the windows last night before bed because we started smelling smoke all of the sudden and this morning for a few hours I couldn't see the mountains at all. I feel like we'll be keeping an eye on things for awhile as today is going to be another hot, windy day. 

Come on storm clouds. We need some rain.

-Rachel

 

What I Wore: Floral on Floral and a Blowfish Giveaway

Floral prints are my happy prints. I'm all for stripes and geometric patterns and even a great font but slap some flowers on something in the right color way and I'm a goner. So when I first saw these floral wedges I was smitten. I've worn them out twice since they've arrived courtesy of Blowfish and both times with floral dresses. Too much of a good thing? I think not.

Outfit Details: Vintage dress, found in Chicago. Belt, thrifted. Floral Wedges c/o Blowfish. Bag, ModCloth. Brass silhouette necklace, Stella Saves the Day, Geometric ring, Osnatharnoy. 

The best part is that Blowfish is offering a lucky reader a pair of shoes of their choice in case you happen to crush as hard as I do on floral prints! They've got so many floral prints!

To enter to win your choice of Blowfish shoes head over and like them on Facebook. Then come back here and let me know (honor system in place over here).

Get extra entries by tweeting about this giveaway and/or visiting their site and leaving your favorite shoe in the comments below.

Winner will be chosen early next week.

Seriously, go win yourself something pretty! Thank you, Blowfish, for such a lovely giveaway.

-Rachel

What I Wore: Tulips and Sunshine

I'd like to nominate yesterday (Monday) as an alternate Mother's Day. Mostly because of the sunshine. 

Ruby and I enjoyed some time trolling about the backyard enjoying the perfect weather while rearranging strawberry plants and sweeping dirt. We took a walk to the park to swing and pick dandelions before nap time and dog poop duty. I bet you've never worn a dress to pick up dog poop, have you. It doesn't make it any more fun.

Our afternoon included a thrift store or two, NPR on the radio with the windows down, and more glorious sunshine. I didn't have to cook (thank you leftovers!) and after hosing the kids down in the yard, we skipped baths and Brett put the kids to bed while I went to the gym. 

Outfit Details: Vintage dress c/o Katie Shelton. Belt, Target (?). Cowboy boots, thrifted. Cameo necklace c/o Benandi. Vintage suitcase, thrifted.

Maybe that's all a girl really needs to be happy - sunshine, a pretty dress, and the people she loves most. I'm telling you, that thrifting didn't hurt either.

Ruby and Sebastian were chasing Sunday around in between shots. I think Ruby thought this was her cue to come stand by me for our regular mama/daughter vintage shot. Sweet thing was covered in dirt and chocolate pudding but still has that great little smirk. 

Here's to sunshine!

-Rachel

Vintage Pop Up Shop

I've been preparing a vintage pop up shop where I'll be offering vintage dresses ranging in size from 12 months - 6 years as well as a few pairs of shoes and some typewriters from my collection that I no longer have room for in our new space. Some of the dresses have been outgrown, some are far too big for me to hold on to, and some are just dresses I've found along the way that I couldn't leave on the rack. They've all been washed and pressed and almost all of them are in excellent vintage condition - just waiting for a new home!

I'll be sharing more details Tuesday morning and will be opening the shop Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 pm CST. 

Can't wait to share these pretties!

-Rachel 

Worn: Misha Lulu Got It Right Again

I have been a fan of Misha Lulu's collections for a few years now after having seen several of her pieces worn online and by some pretty cute kids in Springfield. I love how her lines have evolved over the years but still have that consistency of being absolutely charming and playful and mixing and matching great prints. I don't think I've ever seen something from any season that I wouldn't want for Ruby. 

Outfit Details: Vintage dress, thrifted. Circus shorts c/o MishaLulu. Saltwaters from last summer, here.

Karen and her team have been working incredibly hard to launch the Spring/Summer '12 collections and she was so sweet to send Ruby a few pieces to add to her wardobe. One of my favorites are these striped shorts because they are so soft (easy to play in) and go with almost everything. We like to mix and match over here!

They're already a new favorite staple in her spring/summer wardrobe. 

When I first set eyes on some of the illustrations from the circus line I got a little giddy. They are so beautiful and the color story is perfect. Pinks, corals, yellow, and black. In love.

We styled this shirt with some jeggings and a skirt I made from some darling polyester fabric I thrifted and her sparkly sandals. She loves to show off her mama pedicure. 

Outfit Details: Top c/o MishaLulu. Jeggings, Target. Skirt, handmade from vintage fabric. Sandals, thrifted. Amber teething necklace (that we still wear because we love it), Amberizon.

You can find Misha Lulu from a number of stockists online to pick out one or two of your favorites. One of the best things about Misha Lulu pieces are how well made they are to last more than one season and sometimes even more than a few years. Ruby has had a tunic that she's been able to wear since last spring and it's still going to be big enough to wear as a top next spring. 

Speaking of spring, I think we've struck gold with the beautifully mild weather here in Colorado Springs. It's been dresses and shorts and bare feet for a few weeks now. I'm going to enjoy every single day of it!

What are your favorite things to mix and match in your wardrobe? In your kids? Do you still find ways to layer in spring? 

-Rachel

What We Wore: Denver For A Day

What's cooler than exploring a new city on the perfect sunny day? Doing it with your favorite people in the world!

That's exactly what our family did last Friday to celebrate Brett's 31st birthday. We have a history of travel/shopping birthdays for Brett.

There was San Francisco in 2008 where we visited the Alameda Flea Market, Rare Device, and a few other fun handmade shops.

April 2009 I was in my first trimester with Ruby so there is no documentation of Brett's birthday and I can't remember for the life of me what we did! Sorry, Brett.

In April 2010 we took a surprise day trip to Arkansas to pick up his birthday present, a Vespa! 

April 2011 was a weekend trip to Oklahoma City where we got to enjoy a whole day of exploring by ourselves while my parents watched the kids. It was AMAZING.

This year we made some more fun memories thanks to everyone's suggestions on Twitter and on the blog. If you're planning a trip or just haven't been out in awhile, check the comments in this post!

We were planning on staying overnight before we realized we were so close to home that we could easily enjoy a full day and still get back to our own beds. Staying in hotels is not quite as fun or relaxing with children who won't go to sleep unless you do too. Hehe.

Outfit Details: Dress, Target three years ago. Flats c/o Blowfish. Belt, thrifted. Satchel, ModCloth (similar to this). Wooden glasses c/o Tumbleweeds. Top locket c/o Gleeful Peacock. Middle locket, vintage and thrifted. Bottom locket designed by Elsie for ModCloth (gifted).

Ruby's wearing: Vintage dress, traded. Too small shoes from Target that totally fit in the store. Wooden sunglasses c/o Tumbleweeds. 

Sebastian's wearing: Thrifted shirt, gifted shorts, shoes from Target that I let him pick out. He's ready for a summer in Colorado, for sure!

Brett said it was the best birthday he's ever had. I think it had more to do with Sebastian and Ruby being exceptionally sweet to him than all the browsing on Broadway and Colfax. Sebastian's presents to him included a Yoda birthday card, two chocolate pudding cups, and as many turns playing his Lego Star Wars video game as he wants. Like, twenty turns. Talk about thoughtful!

Trips to two record stores wasn't bad, either. 

I plan on sharing all the places we managed to fit in in another post with lots of Instagram photos for anyone who'd like to do their own exploring. Thanks for all of Brett's birthday wishes on Instagram last Thursday!

-Rachel

Thursday Was Fun

Thursday was full. Ruby and I started our day at Lowe's and picked up supplies for our new dining room table before hitting up two thrift stores in search of a small, round table for the kids. 

Instead we found this.

And this!

After Sebastian's Kindergarten concert we came home and played, ordered pizza in, made another trip to Lowe's (because you can never finish a project with just one), and after kisses and bedtime for Brett and the kids (he was a tired husband), I worked on my dining room table project in our garage. I don't know how we ever lived without a garage before. I'm not sure I can go back now. 

The table underneath the tabletop is a kitchenette I thrifted in MO. I'm going to remove the hairpin legs and screw them on to my new table when it's ready. A few people on IG have asked about them and the only place I know you can buy them directly is hairpinlegs.com unless you're checking Etsy and/or eBay. 

We've got dinner guests tonight so I'd better get to cleaning and cooking! Hosting people at my house for dinner is something I'm not naturally gifted at but I'm working on it. I'm always glad we did once it's over. Good conversation is always worth it. What are you doing this weekend?

-Rachel