Barn Board Shelf

A few weeks ago, my mom and I got a stack of barn board for really, really cheap (thanks to my good friend Erin!). We have been brainstorming ideas on what we can do with all this wood.

I love the different widths and faded colors!

Our first project was a long shelf for my parents main-floor family room. We started by lining up a few boards that were the width that we wanted for the shelf.

My parents found these unfinished shelf brackets at Lowe's. They wanted a more distressed look to go with the weathered wood so I rubbed on some black paint and sanded the edges.



We had just recently painted this end of the room a mossy-green color. The picture below is the closest to the true color of the walls. We took down the pictures that were hanging there and hung the brackets and shelf above the TV.

This is where we get so excited about how good it looks that

we forget to take pictures until it is finished and styled!!!

By the time it was finished, it was late and I wish I would have taken a shot of this wall from across the whole room (this is the far side of an open kitchen/ breakfast/ family room).

We love how versitale it is and have lots of ideas on how to change it and even make it seasonal.

1 board--$2.00
3 shelf brackets--$12.00
Black paint--$0...already had
Accessories--$0...already had

For a Grand Total of: $14

Now...on to a wood project at my house!

Drum Roll, Please...

As stated a while ago...as in 2 months ago...I started to build a new head board for my bedroom. I found the plans I wanted on Ana White's website. I bought the wood and, with the help of my dad and brother, started to frame it out.

Then my brother went back out on the road as a pipe welder and it kind of fell to a stand-still.

Then he came back on a break a few weeks later and put all of the intricate pieces together and finished building it.




And then it sat a few weeks longer until I had time to start painting ALL those pieces and Oh So Many Corners!!!!


I finally finished the third coat of paint today...2 months after we started this project!

I am in {L.O.V.E} with it!

I took longer than I would have liked but the whole project cost around $55.00.

I spent roughly:

$35 on wood

$2 on Liquid Nails

$8 on screws and nails

$10 on black paint

Yes, I need new bedding. Yes, I need some curtains on the patio door. Yes, I need a little something on the wall above the bed.

But for now...I am just going to sit and stare!!

Double Duty

I live in a 1-level condo where space is a premium. Almost every space pulls double duty...and the living room is no exception. My main room in our place is the living/ dining room. The room is long and has plenty of room for a table at one end (right off the kitchen) and the living room at the other end.

The picture below shows the front entrance hall in the middle (my purse is hanging on the coat closet door) and the kitchen is the door on the right (past the table).

My dining table is an old library table that my dad salvaged from a school. I have never touched the base (love the chipped paint) but have re-finished the top. I always wanted benches to accommodate the most people and my brother-in-law built these for me!

I love my capiz chandelier from Pier 1. It is a double-layered rectangle...not a great shot...will try for a better one soon!

The other end of the room is the living room. Apparently, I love Pier 1...couch, chair, and rug also came from there.

The double doors on the right leads to our deck. The mirror above the fireplace was a DIY project.

So, there you have it...my double duty dining/ living room. More double-duty areas to come...

Organized Work Bag

Jen over at IHeart Organizing showed how she organized a 31 Bag into a portable filing cabinet.

IHeart Organizing: IHeart Getting Organized with Thirty-One

**Wait...I already have that bag!!!**

So, what else could I do but steal the great idea... Tah Dah!!

I simply grabbed a small hanging file-holder from my classroom (I still can't believe I had something that fit without having to run around town hunting for something!) and placed it inside. Now I have files for assessments, lessons, ideas, etc. It even holds my plan book and a Teachers Addition book (those are always huge).

In the front pockets, I have different sized Post-It notes, scissors, tape, White-Out and paper clips.

I had recently found these fine-tip Sharpies (a girl's best friend!!). I love the pop of color in this pocket.

I still have 2 extra, empty pockets in the back.

I even stuck a small calculator in one of the side pockets.

Thanks for the great idea, Jen!

Little Key Project

I have had this little frame laying around my house for about a year. I got it at Target on the Clearance shelf for $.49...at that price, I couldn't pass it up! Now that Keys are all the rage in home accessories, I knew just what to do with that little frame. My little condo is the first place that I have ever purchased...all on my own!! So this extra house key is very special and needed a proper display! I started out by sanding down the blond wood finish so I could paint it black. I then grabbed some leftove black paint for my front door and put on 3 thin coats.

I wanted to put some cute craft paper behind the key but I thought it might take the focus away from the key itself so I stuck with plain white.

I hot glued the key to a print out that I made and that was it. Nice and clean and the key really stands out against the white paper.

Now...where to hang it.......

I Was Featured!!

Today, I was featured on IHeart Organizing!

I had linked my post on organizing my entry to her "shoe" post and Jen liked what I did! That's right! Jen from IHeart Organizing...one of my favorite Home Blogs featured my bookcase picture!! Can you say giddy?? My shoe storage is nothing compared to some others but I will take the compliment all the same...

I {HEART} IHeart Organizing!

Starting at the Entry

Now that I am back online and thinking about what to do around the house, I got a little overwhelmed. There are so many things I want to do, where do I start? I walked in tonight and noticed my entry...wow! This is where I start...

Shoes, lunch bags, jackets, mail and shopping bags from this weekend!

It is not a huge area and it is my daughter's drop-off point have she comes home from school. She is very good about taking off her shoes but then they are thrown all over the entry. As you can see below, the baskets on the book case are filed with our winter gear. Now that it is quickly warming up into Spring, we do not need all of that gear out in the open. Time to store them until next Winter and organize this area to better meet our needs right now. So, I started out by emptying the entire area.

I decided that we needed a place for to put shoes as we walk in the door but easy enough for us to grab later and put away. I found a new spot for a few of the "now-empty-baskets" and now have even more room for little odds and ends that need a home until them are put away in the empty basket on the shelf. I also put our stack of Bibles for easy-access for Sunday mornings.

There is not a ton of room for shoes but it is working so far. I usually come in and place my shoes in my closet. It's my daughter's shoes that need a little space.

I re-hung my purse on the coat closet door and am ready to takle another area. It feels good walking into a clean and organized entry...now I just need to make the rest of my place look as good!

**I will share some pictures of what my living room looks like while in the process of organizing the entry. Goes to show how much I need to catch up on de-cluttering my place...

Wonderful Weekend

I know it's been awhile but we have had one hectic week. From school projects and tests to my Kindergarten Open House and program, I have hardly had time to sit down.

But then, the weekend!! The weather was beautiful. We went out and had some fun but was also productive!

I found some new treasures at Hobby Lobby. Here are a few on my shelves.

I have loved these little birds for a while and my mom got them for me...a "Happy Day" gift!

I also picked up the black metal tins on top of the photo box and the tin letter R.

The school year is quickly coming to an end and I have several projects in the works and a long list of To-Do's for the summer.

Here is a sneak peek at what I have been working on...

And thanks to some dear friends, I have LOTS of plans for this pile!!

Stay tuned...