Projects & cutting back :)

Well, we are all moved into our new house. so there are a few random totes or boxes in the garage that still need unpacked. But it's all good. :) I was going crazy building extra storage under our stairs - and and extra shelf in our bedroom. Curtains, painting and the like. Then it was getting the back yard put in. Now I just need trees and some bushes ;) Oh, then I got pregnant with #4 and a lot of that was put on hold because I was sick and tired :) Now I am in the second trimester thank heavens and have more energy to get things done. :)

At first I was not in love with our new home. It's kinda my hubby's baby. :) he picked it out when I was in Utah. I have to say that it is really growing on me. Now that i have "nested a bit" and fill more settled I like the home more and more. I do feel like we can grow up in it. :)

So I had my whole family come down for Christmas and stay with us - it was a super full house - and a lot of my efforts were getting ready for that. . . . now that they are gone I am excited to get back to my other projects :) Working on some curtains that don't belong in a kitchen, but I think that is why I like them :) and I love what I did for the "rod" . WOW I sound like a bragger don't I. I am in this - do things a little different than the norm - cause I like it stage right now. The curtains aren't done yet -long story- but I will get to them soon. :) So far they look like this:

ignore the happy bday banner in the back that still needs taken down. . .

again- i still have more ruffles and two more panels to go. . .

What do you think? Too bedroom y for a kitchen?

Here are the rod holders. I wanted something a little decor like since it would be in between the windows and be seen. . .

I like saying that they were only four bucks! But then I remember I needed 4 of them and it doesn't sound as cheap. . . this was before I knew about the for seen cutbacks needed :)

So my new goal has been a bit forced on me/us due to circumstance - but I get to see how many projects I can get done with out spending money. I have projects I have been working on - so some of the materials needed I already have - so I am just going to have to concentrate on getting those done. :) It really is amazing how much you can cut back when you need to! Even when you were pretty frugal in the first place.

So. . . I guess I will show some of the things I have been working on :) since I haven't blogged in forever between everything. . . this are some of the reasons why. . .

MIL gave us this lovely TV unit. It has SOOOOOO much storage. But I had oak. . .

so one day I painted it. And about a year later I finally got around to putting the wainscoating in the sides like I wanted.

Really want to do it to the top two glass panels too - what do you think?

(I know I need to get some decor in the bird cage - but if I cover it - then it goes somewhere else. . . so i am waiting.)

There are issues with painting the LAMINATE oak - but overall I love it despite the issues. I used a good coat of primer first. :) And the thing is beastly heavy so My hubby wouldn't move it out into the yard - so it was all done in the family room ladies - means I didn't sand but might should have ;)

So I had these Christmas wreaths in the windows that I LOVED and then after Christmas my doors felt so naked. So since I couldn't afford the every day wreaths I want (nor have I seen them). . .

These are my right now fix. Picked up these UGLY blue and plaid Christmas stars 90% off = $2 each. a little paint and scrapbook paper. . modge podge. . . they are fun and different.

So I have had these windows stored at my old place with no wall space - so I made these wreaths for them. . . Cost FREE. Just took two small paper plates and cut wholes out - taped them together for my wreath base because I didn't want to go to the dollar store for a wreath base. . . a buck is a buck. . . and I just used an old hymn book that was free and missing pages. :) There are tutorials online everywhere about these.

Here one is in detail. . .

So the question is: since these are in the same room (not the same wall) as my french doors, can I have two doors with wreaths on them? this has been my wrestle. . .

I also painted a table i picked up on Craigslist for cheap. LOVE the detail on the legs. The tabletop was supposed to be white - but the polyurithane turned it yellow. It has other issues. so we will beat it up and then I will re sand and paint it one day. .
I wanted to put this sign up at my new place. Love it. But the doors are all super tall and about 5 inches from the ceiling. . . so my friend suggested a nail in the door NO! my sis suggested the command strip hanger! BINGO love it! Might need more door signs. . . :)
Fun with paint. Did you know for a buck you can get white spray paint and paint any frame and mat? That is what I did to update some silver gold frames and love it. ALL EXCEPT THE PART THAT I DROPPED THE SPRAY PAINT ON THE GLASS TRYING TO SHAKE IT UP AND TOASTED THIS GLASS BUT OH WELL. all the more shabby chic right? :)-

Lastly. I took some muslim cut, burnt and glued me some flowers and leaves. painted up this old nasty oak frame and mate and couldn't figure what picture to put in it. just set it up on my TV stand thingy and decided to just leave it. FREE accessories, love it!

these are just some of the things I have been up to. . . hopefully in a month I will have a post to wow you with all the projects I got done for free or cheap. . !