Blogolution Update: Project #1

To date I have finished two of the projects for my spare room:

1. Purchase a bedskirt to cover up the bed's hideous frame and boxspring.

CHECK! I found a pretty white on white patterned bedskirt at Kmart. Simple enough, right?

Puh-lease! I have to add some drama somehow; how else will I keep you intrigued with my home improvement projects?

The day I bought the bedskirt it I put in in the dryer to tumble out the wrinkles. This is what I call the Momma B alternative to ironing. I can't remember my mom ever ironing; rather, she would tell us to tumble something in the dryer if we needed to get the wrinkles out. Now that I'm older I completely understand why my mother chose this option instead of ironing clothes for her family of eleven. Can you even imagine?

Anyhew, when I put the bedskirt in the dryer I did not realize that my adorable kiddo had messed with the dryer settings and put the heat on the 'high' setting. Oh, and then I forgot about it - so it tumbled for at least 40 minutes when I only meant to leave it in for about 15. Imagine my shock when I went to put it on the bed and discovered that the middle portion of the bedskirt was essentially melted together. Stupid polyester!

In retrospect, I didn't inspect the bedskirt close enough upon removing it from its original packaging to confirm whether my dryer was truly responsible for this damage or if it simply came from the store that way. Let's face it, I bought this bedskirt from Kmart, not Pottery Barn; we're not dealing with top quality bedding here. I probably could have marched back into the store and requested an exchange for the damaged product, but I didn't. I wasn't too keen on going all the way across town to Kmart again, and darnit I was excited about getting the bedskirt on the bed that very day!

Here's the clincher: I didn't want Justin to see the disfigured bedskirt and demand that I take it back since it was damaged. Why? Because then I would have to admit that I wasn't sure if I had melted it in the dryer or not. This admission of guilt would most certainly lead to Justin's rendition of Dryer Fire Prevention 101, and I simply did not have the time or energy for that course.

Nope, I was on my own with this one.

So while my husband sat obliviously peaceful in the living room, little old me hoisted the king size mattress off the bed all by myself and propped it against the wall. Then I attempted to stretch the bedskirt back to its original shape without tearing it - not a small feat, let me assure you. I got it as centered as I could, tossed the mattress back onto the boxspring just so, and proceeded to stretch the bedskirt once again, using the weight of the mattress to help hold it in place.

Tug, tug, tug on this side.

Whoops, that pulled it up on the other side.

Go to the other side of the bed. Tug, tug, tug on that side.

You get the picture.

It took me awhile, but I did it. And it looks great! (Please don't ask me what the center of the bedskirt will look like when I pull that mattress off cuz I don't want to know, but I imagine all my tugging left a gaping hole or two.)

Anyway, moving on...

2. Finish my task board to hang above my craft desk.

CHECK! I got this mirror for free from a friend of mine. I knew I wanted to use it in my spare room, but I also knew I needed it to be more functional than just a simple mirror.

Here it is before:

First I tried my hand at a crackle effect with white paint, but it didn't really crackle (I don't think I used enough medium). So I dry-brushed over that in white, leaving a distressed look with a crackle here and there. Then I used some distress ink around the edges for a little more weathered look before spraying it with an acrylic clear coat.

Then I took some small metal panels I purchased at Home Depot (in the roofing supply aisle) and hot-glued them to the mirrored sections. They fit almost perfectly with two panels to each mirror so I didn't have to cut them to size.


Then I selected some craft paper and glued it to the metal panels.

Voila!

On a side note: the wall color in the spare room is called Fleeting Green. I love the color and I have no intention of changing that as part of the spare room makeover, but my photography does not do this paint color justice. In real life there is a nice contrast between the Fleeting Green wall color and the white accents I am adding to the room (like this task board).

Here is a close up.

Is that not the cutest kiddo ever?!

The magnets were easy peasy. I picked up some decorative scrapbooking brads at Hobby Lobby last weekend and simply hot-glued small magnets to the backs.

And thats how its done! Now I have a great magnetic task board that accentuates the room decor and has great functionality for displaying a few photos of my boys, as well as my various notes to myself on craft ideas and needed supplies.

And just so you know I'm still making progress, last night I spent some time in the basement stripping down my vintage suitcases, spray-painting a few accent pieces, and testing my skills for the first time with my Valspars Antiquing Glaze.

Golly am I having fun!