Workshop/Bedroom Makeover Part 1: DIY Light Box Under the Bed- FREE PROJECT!

My sister and I switched rooms a couple weeks ago. Her room was twice the size of mine with a bathroom and sink and walk-in closet and she wasn't using most of the space. 

Most people think switching rooms sounds simple, and I guess it does. But most people don't understand how much stuff I have and how long it takes me to "nest" in a new place. I moved out here with a load and a half in my tiny Honda Civic and I own hardly any clothes or shoes, my toiletries are few and I have 2 necklaces to my name. Why so much stuff?

In one word: Etsy

Well, Etsy and working as a seamstress.

A short list:

Sewing supplies, fabric, tools, hardware, ongoing projects, completed projects, thread, buttons, ribbons, zippers, velcro, snaps, eyelets, paint, painting supplies, markers, colored pencils, paper, glue, iron, ironing board, shipping supplies, photography set-up/supplies...

(And that's just off the top of my head, there's more)

Anyway, here we are a few weeks after the move and I'm JUST settling into my new room. I'm very happy and proud of all the work I did and the space is organized down to every last inch so I've wanted to post about it for a few days. But there's SO much going on in there, I didn't even know where to start, so I just didn't.

So, let's start with one of my favorite, most simple and FREE projects I did that makes me very, very happy and proud- my light box.

I've wanted a light box for a while to trace designs onto both paper and fabric for various projects. They're expensive and it seems like such a simple concept, I didn't feel like spending much money on it. I looked into using some old wood box frames I have but didn't want to deal with finding Plexiglas and cutting it to size. Then I stumbled on the most obvious solution online!

I already had this storage box under my bed for all the random kitchen things we don't need in my current house but that I'm hanging on to for when I get my own place. It wasn't very full so I purged some of the stuff, shoved it all into the back - and - VOILA!

I also already had the LED lights inside and wasn't using them- I had bought one for a buck or two for my last closet which didn't have a light in it and the rest were hand-me-downs from a friend.

I love just pushing it back under my bed and not wasting any space since I don't use it all that often. It's still right next to my work table and i just sit on the floor to trace. It shine through at least 4 sheets of paper!!

So, that's it for today. This was by far one of the easiest, quickest and cheapest (well, free) projects in the room but I'm so happy with it's simplicity that I thought I'd share it first.

Trust me, there's plenty more to come... 

SNEAK PEEK!!

THANKS FOR READING

Custom Dress Form

I originally found this idea in a sewing magazine and decided to make my own this summer after getting tons of clothes from friends and thrift stores. Considering all the alterations I knew I would be making, I figured having an exact replica of myself would simplify things. 

Honestly, I haven't used it as much as I had planned but I think that's mostly because I've been doing only simple alterations. If/when I build a dress from scratch, this thing will be put to work! But I think I've lost some weight since making it because I put a vest on it the other day and it wouldn't close on the form but is loose on me. I may have to make new one soon.

The process was simple but time-consuming. Shout out to my best buds Mike and Kirsten for helping. It took some time and they were very patient and kind to "volunteer" for the job.

Step 1: Put on an old t-shirt start wrapping a lot of duct tape. This is where the loving and devoted friends come in handy. Have one of these incredible friends carefully cut a

 line straight up the back when you're done to take the "cast" off.

Step 2: Finish covering the form in whatever color duct tape you want and stuff it. I'm weird about buying stuffing unless it's completely necessary so I just used anything I could find.

Step 3: Cover the neck and arm wholes smoothly with duct tape and add a wide, sturdy base. I used an old Indiana license plate so the Hoosier state will always be my foundation... :)

Optional: You can add a hanger like I did but, if you are planning on hanging it up to work with, I would suggest not stuffing it with towels, sweaters and hoodies like I did. My form was so heavy that the hanger popped out as soon as I picked it up. Still, having the shoulder of the hanger inside the form helps add structure to the shoulders. 

You can also add a pole in the bottom of the form. I knew I had to transport this thing in my little Honda Civic to North Carolina weeks after making it and I didn't want to worry about making/finding a pole and base strong enough to hold the whole form straight up. I just keep mine on my sewing desk and it seems to work fine for now.

There are tons of examples and different ways to do this online. My sister and I might make one for 

her out of paper mache, she thinks it'll be easier to make and to stick pins in when it's done. 

I just think it will be a longer, more miserable process. We'll see who's right.

 I'll be sure to do a post if we try it to compare the methods. 

If you do sew or are starting to learn, I think this is a huge help to really see how 

things fit and hang. Nothing is more frustrating and back-breaking than trying to 

make marks and cuts while wearing something, I've tried!

THANKS FOR READING

Gold Front Hall for a Golden Birthday

Hi, internet! 

I just got back from a busy but fun weekend in DC with my mom's side of the family- 36 people in all! After celebrating 4 birthdays and a new arrival in the family, Amanda and I drove home through a snow storm in Virginia and re-united with out Lady who was in the safe care of our dear friend, Irina. 

It was a good weekend and I'm especially glad I got to see my parents but I am also glad to be back and working on everything I have to get done. I mean, now that I'm 23, it's time to be real grown-up, right?

Seeing as Saturday was my golden birthday, here's a post about my gold frame front hall!

The final product after months of finding, adding, moving and filling gold frames.

The inspiration for this whole wall was taken from the poem Desiderata mentioned in some of the captions below that my sister found and introduced me to. We both love it and practically every line speaks a very loud and clear truth about living a good and happy life. 

From sound business advice to fair warnings about romance, the poem straight-up rocks! We tried to make every picture either a quote or an image related to the overall theme and message of this poem.

If you have a minute, read the full poem at the bottom of this post! You won't regret it...

Bob. F'n. Ross.
I (illegally) printed this from a google search and I love it! 

The last few stanzas of Max Erhman's Desiderata.
My sister wrote this out and covered the text in a
thin layer of gold paint but she's iffy on the result.
 I like it but it may be a re-do down the road...

Probably my favorite picture- I found this old print of
a hunter and his pointer, perfect for our pointer mix, Lady! 

A wise but ironic quote for two very loud occupants! 

One of my sister's thrift store finds.
I love the colors and how the gold in the map sparkles. 

Mirror conveniently hung by the front door
so you can "check yoself" before you leave! 

Coming Soon...

I'm hoping to make lots of blog posts this week of all the things I've been doing lately. So many projects! And (hopefully) soon, I will be making some changes to the blog and opening an Etsy shop, which has been a goal of mine for a long time now... Get ready, people!

Thanks for reading!

Max Ehrmann 


Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

Taken from http://mwkworks.com/desiderata.html

Hang Shelves for $14

This is a follow-up to the post I made in January about the wall I painted with 
$3 leftover paint from the Habit for Humanity ReStore (check it out it here). 

Before: Messy and very, very white 

$3 for paint + $14 for shelves = $17 total

After: Shelves added and re-organized

I bought the 4 shelves for $2 each at the ReStore. They were all matching and with very little damage. Plus, all of our furniture and molding was already a similar stain. I bought brackets and hardware at Home Depot for $1.50 each in black so they would be visible and complement the black accents we had throughout the room. I also alternated the long and short ends of the brackets along the wall, just for funsies. A level, drill and pencil took care of the rest!

All the kid's stuff and board games

The goal was to make a living room that also doubled as a safe and fun area for kids when I'm babysitting, hence why the shelves are hung so high. I'll make a post (someday) about turning my house into a makeshift in-home daycare without making it look or feel like a preschool...

(Sorry if this post seems pointless- I guess I just love being cheap and doing room makeovers)

THANKS FOR READING! 

Thrift Store Re-Do: Floral Dress

This summer, for a grand total of $40, I bought or received enough clothes to create an entirely new wardrobe. Two giant garbage bags of hand-me-downs from friends (Thanks, Cort and Dee!) and a few thrift stores in Colorado I was set. It's now over 6 months later and I'm just getting to some of the alterations and some I've had done for months but haven't posted... until now!

The before photo is pretty awful. I apologize.

I found this "teacher dress" at an ARC in Fort Collins while Kirsten and I were visiting the lovely Molly. When I showed it to one of my most fashionable and brutally honest friends, he tried to chop it up with scissors and threatened to burn it. He said it hurt his eyes. Oh, Mikey, how I love you. When I sent him the after picture, he took it all back.

With Kirsten's "soft cardigan"

The process was shockingly simple and quick. I cut a straight line across the top just below the armpit seem, hemmed it and gathered the fabric for about 2 or 3 inches at the top. That's it!

With a tank top and belt

The only problem I've run in to is keeping it up since it's strapless. I usually either layer a tank top underneath or at a cover so I don't have to deal with constantly pulling it up. A belt makes a big difference, too. I might add straps but I like the flexibility of layering it with different things.

With my favorite cover-up-thing

So, that's all. Just thought I'd share. Tell me your thoughts and I recommend doing this with any "potentially-cute-but-ruined-by-sleeves-and-shoulder-pads" thrift store dress you can find. 

I'll try to post more re-do's soon!

Paint a wall for three dollars

I wanted to do a project this week so, naturally, I decided to give the whole house a makeover...

Oops.

But I think it's possible, thanks to my new obsession: the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Raleigh!

I'd heard tales of these wonderful places but never lived near one until now! I've already been there 2 times in the last 2 days and will probably be back soon.

The best deal so far has been the discarded paint. That's how I painted this wall for $3.00 (plus tax) in a couple hours last night...

 Did I mention this cost $3.00?!

This is my new technique for painting:

Since I'm renting (and I absolutely hate to tape before painting), I've been leaving a border of white around every edge, window and door. I still use painter's tape for this but, for some reason, it's way easier, faster and crisper this way. Then, when I move out, I can paint the wall white without having to re-tape! Plus I like the white "trim" it creates; it gives the room a completely different feel.

Also, although I shouldn't admit it, I added a little bit of water to the paint. It doesn't take much away from the thickness (don't add too much!) and helps the paint roll easier. I picked this trick up in the high school theater shop and it worked fine in this case but I wouldn't recommend it if you 

A) are using a darker or bolder color or 

B) own the home you live in and want the paint to last for years. 

I don't know how long I'm planning on staying in one place but I can bet you I'll be worn out before one coat of watered-down paint, that's for sure!

This is the room before painting. (Meh...)

The paint: I paid $1 for the little one and $2 for the bigger one

How it looks after painting! There's still a lot left to do...

So, that's the extent of the makeover so far. 

Still to come: custom shelving, re-decorated mantel, organized kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, a custom-built table, lots of painting/spray-painting and a whole new, kid-safe play area. 

All in three days. Aaaannd I have to babysit in 4 1/2 hours.

Better get some sleep... Goodnight, internet!

My View on Student Loans

I made my first student loan payment yesterday and I was feelin' a little spry so I did something kinda crazy for my age group: I actually payed above the minimum.

Leading up to graduation, all of the advice I received about student loans from friends, family and even professors was the same: Don't worry so much. Defer them. Minimize the payments. Or, try to avoid them altogether.

I didn't like that advice.

So, this week, I started doing some research online. I watched home videos and news reports and read articles and blogs and found something very upsetting: much of the advice was the same. More about government programs and deferment options or certain jobs that relieve debt. I really didn't find much advice out there for paying off student loan debt, just getting out of it.

I came across one quote about avoiding debt that really pissed me off and summarized the whole mindset behind not paying what you owe. It said:

"Don't be kept from living the life you deserve"

Wow, that's really nice and empowering and inspirational and- wait, what life do you deserve?! Was receiving the education in the field you chose at the college you chose and living the lifestyle you chose not what you deserved?!

College was great. I absolutely loved every minute. But I am fully aware that I could have made better decisions concerning my university (expensive!), my degree (it sure isn't Accounting...) and the amount I earned and spent while there (alotta money went towards gas, cigarettes and booze. I mean... not booze. I went to Anderson University! We don't... drink...).

And I'm not alone. One report I found estimated that the average college student spent about as much on off-campus housing, alcohol, food and entertainment in their 4 years at school as the amount of loans they took out!

Why does everyone my age have to feel so entitled?

I had my years of glorious irresponsibility, unforgettable memories and, ya know, a higher education! How could anyone think that should come at no cost? (Certainly, in part, because of our parents' generation teaching us the wonderful uses and abuses of credit and how much we were given growing up buuutt, that's another topic...)

Even if you feel like student loans are an injustice, there is the simple reality that they don't go away. Yes, there are government programs that will relieve student loans after 20 years or so, but do you really want to be making school payments into your 40's?! I don't!

I know that I want live debt-free. I want to be able to go where I please, travel the world and build my own tiny house. But I also know that I have responsibilities right now. So, for now, my plan is to earn and pay as much as humanly possible, as soon as possible.

I'll be back on a hammock in Costa Rica someday. Just not yet.

Homemade Dog Bed

I mostly want to use this blog for projects and ideas as a way to keep myself motivated and to share ideas with others. So, without further ado...

My beautiful Lady and her beautiful bed!

 She curled up and fell asleep only a few minutes after I finished making the bed

Why make your own dog bed?

When my sister and I adopted Lady- our wonderful 8 year old Blue Heeler/Pointer mix- 2 months ago, I knew I wanted to make or use resale items as much as possible for her. I try to buy as few store-bought things for myself, so why not do the same for my dog? If you're not particularly opposed to buying-new, however, there are several practical reasons to make your own bed:

Customized: Make it the exact size, color and fabric you want. Mine matches my bedspread!

Cheap: I used 2 old pillow shams and bed pillows that I didn't need. A pack of pillows from the store costs less than $4 but you probably already have old pillows laying around anyway!

Washable: Since the bed is really just a big pillow case, you can machine wash it.

Semi-disposable: If you have a dog that rips everything to shreds  why waste money on store-bought beds? Just use all pillow cases, bed sheets or even tablecloths and make a cover. If it gets ruined, make a new one!

Easy: How easy? Read below!

Making your own dog bed:

If you have sewn a lot before, this project is a walk in the park. But even if you don't sew much, this is a great beginning project because you can do it however you want and it doesn't require much attention to detail (it is for a dog, after all). Even if you don't have the same materials I started out with or you don't understand my very vague directions, basically, sew 2 pieces of fabric together and stuff it! I'm sure your pup won't complain...

What I used:

2 pillow shams (left from the previous resident and that match my bedspread!), 2 old bed pillows (less than $4 at any department store), my sewing machine and my dog (as a tester).

A very tired puppy waiting for her bed...

The Process:

I didn't get any step-by-step photos for this one and it's relatively hard to explain (though not hard to do) so I'll just lay out the basics. I cut off one edge of the long side of each sham and sewed the tops, bottoms and edges together SEPARATELY.  If you don't sew each part separately, you will basically end up with two sew-together rectangles and your dog won't be very comfy...

That's it. The complications come in the details though, as sewing each part separately can be pretty difficult with a machine depending on the weight and weave of the fabric you're using. That's why it's fine to do it however works best for you!

Enjoy!

Lady still using her bed 2 months later, as I type!