Fancy Little Curio Shelf

I am in love with this cute little shelf. Of course, I wasn't smart enough to take a before picture (thought I did, but it is nowhere to be found), but it was stained brown with a bronze glaze over it. I updated it with my favorite spray paint, Krylon Black Gloss. I think it is very chic now and ready to hang on the wall. It is about 14" long and will look perfect in a bathroom or anywhere you want to display a few little curios. I was so excited to find this shelf in an antique mall and it was a bargain.
Thanks for looking!

T-Shirts + Stuffing = New Bed for Duchess

If you came to my house, you might wonder who really owns the place...me or the dog?  She has more beds, blankets, toys, knick knacks, leashes, etc. than any dog could ever need in a lifetime.  I know I probably go a little overboard when it comes to spoiling her, but how could you say no to a face like this?

(No, this isn't the newest bed.  This one I made back in February out of old beach towels.

I told you she was spoiled.)

So, I continue to find fun and creative ways to make her new accessories and bedding all the time.  My latest project is turning old T-shirts into a new bed for her.  I just recently cleaned out my closet and gave all my unwanted clothes to Goodwill, so I had to go buy used shirts for this project.  Of course, I did go to Goodwill and buy someone elses used shirts...so I am still recycling!  I am not very thrilled with how small it turned out.  I should have been shopping for large men's T-shirts instead of women's.  She is a pretty tall girl and needs more room than this new bed gives her.  But, I guess that just means that she will probably be getting yet another bed in the very near future. 

This is a pretty quick and easy project to do.  All you need is four T-shirts, a bag of stuffing, scissors and a sewing machine.  (Tip: If you have a big dog, don't try to use a tank top like I did.  I really liked the print on this tank and was sure I could make it work, but it was not enough fabric and I ended up having to use a different shirt.)

Cut 2 quarter circles out of each shirt.  You will use one quarter circle on the front and one on the back.  Stitch one quarter circle from each shirt together to make a full circle and then repeat to make the back side.  Sew the front and back together, leaving a small opening to allow for stuffing.  Fill the bed as full as you desire and then stitch the opening closed.

Let the dog check your work....

And he/she will let you know if they approve....

Awww...she barely fits on there.

Vintage Canopy Bed

This vintage canopy bed has to be my most coveted thrift store find ever! I discovered it in the corner of a great store that is no longer open. It was in pieces and didn't look like much. It is a metal canopy bed frame with a bamboo style and a wood look finish. I kept eyeing the frame in the corner, and one day I decided to get a little closer. The store owner had taped a very small photo to the frame that showed it put together. It was so cool that I knew immediately that I had to have it. I brought my husband over to look it (since it was too big to bring home by myself) and he loved it too. I was so excited to bring it home.

Our daughter had just moved out and we suddenly had a guest room for the first time in our lives, so this was the perfect bed for guests. We raised 6 kids, so a guest room was never an option. When she moved out we still had 3 boys at home, but we weren't going to give this room to any of them. I was so excited to have a place where someone could come to stay and I could always have it ready. As you can see we painted the walls a rich sunny yellow and mixed some floral bedding that my mom had left over from her house. Our house is very traditional with alot of navy blue, camel and red. I wanted something bright and cheery so the yellow was perfect for the effect.

This room was completed about 5 years ago and I am now getting tired of the yellow bedding with the yellow walls, so after taking these pictures I have decided that I am ready to change the bedding. I also think that I will change the swags on the canopy, they just seem a little to heavy. I want to keep the yellow walls, but tone it down. Any ideas? I would love to hear them.

My Favorite Green Bags!

I don't need to tell you all the alarming facts about plastic grocery bags and their long, long, long lifespan in a land fill.  Basically, we all know they are bad and we should be using green bags instead.  So, now the question is...should you get one of the boring green bags that you can buy for $1 or $2 at your local grocery store?  Who wants to be boring?  There are so many adorable green bags out there for a very reasonable price that aren't in any way boring.  Check out the great selections at http://www.envirosax.com/. Get a cute and trendy bag and shop responsibly.

If you are crafty and want to make your own, there are a lot of great patterns out there.  I made a couple of my own green bags from this Butterick pattern and this McCalls pattern.  Originally, I thought I was going to want a bag that resembled the shape and size of a plastic grocery bag like the Butterick pattern.  I made a bright and colorful floral bag in this shape.  The pattern didn't call for a lining, but I added one in to make it reversible in a coordinating polka dot. So now I have options...floral or dots!! 

But, this isn't the only one I made.  I also tried the pattern with wooden handles from McCalls.  It is longer and wider, so it definitely holds more.  I was concerned it would be awkward to carry and difficult to handle...but I couldn't have been more wrong.  This has quickly become my favorite bag.  I can't believe how much stuff I can get in it!  Basically, anything you can fit in your hand cart at the grocery store will fit in this bag. It is, in my humble opintion, the perfect green bag.

Either way, if you buy one or make one, make sure to take your green bag with you everytime you go to the store.  Any store. 

Is It Old or Is It Sustainable?

I have always loved old things, especially things that have been in the family for a while. I love old furniture and mixing it with newer things. So I guess I have always been "green". We can all be green and recycle in more ways than we think. It doesn't just have to be green bags and recycling our paper or plastic, although those are great things to do. We can recycle and reuse many things in our lives, and I want to talk about the many ways we can contribute to saving out earth and still maintain a stylish, chic approach to life. I will share alot of old things as well as new things made out of recycled materials. I would love to hear from you about what you have done or used to create a stylish lifestyle with recycled items.

I am going to start with some of my favorite pieces that I have been using in my home for years. I never thought about them being hand me downs or 'old', used furniture. I thought about how beautiful they were and how lucky I was to have them in my home. I have also realized that these 'old' pieces are well made and have lasted so much longer than pieces I have purchased along the way. Sustainable furniture has been around for a long time, people have been passing down family heirlooms for many generations. Let's see how we can enjoy style and not be filling the dumps with all of the cheap, imitation wood furniture that is so common today.




This is probably my favorite piece that I own. It is actually called a doughbox. A doughbox was a kitchen essential used to keep the dough in that was rising for the days bread that was to be baked. Obviously, I have never used it as a dough box, but I have used it as a side table. It is a beautiful piece that was brought to Kansas on a covered wagon from Ohio by my great grandparents. If it could survive that trip, it is definitely sustainable.
Well, that's it for today, but I'm looking forward to sharing my ideas and finds with you, and I would love to hear about your chic but recycled items.