A Little Baby Moose

Meet Moose :-) This sweet girl will be Remington's little sister in a few weeks! We can't wait! :-)

Ladder Love

As with many of my projects, this one started with a pin on Pinterest.

I needed wanted a ladder.

Well, Sunday I visited with my friend Renee and she introduced me to a blog she loves, Jenna Sue Designs and I was hooked. I read her blog back all the way from the beginning in one sitting. She’s got a lot of great projects. One of those projects is this ladder:

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Super cute right? So that reminded me that long ago I’d pinned a ladder as well and it was time to make one.

About 4:00 on Sunday as I’m about to head to my parents’ for dinner, I had the grand idea all the sudden, and called my Dad and told him I’ll be coming earlier than I’m supposed to, because I have a project for me us. And to get ready because we’re going to Lowe’s when I get there. He has a huge shop. I need one. Hint hint Dad!

That’s kind of how I get projects done. Some people have impulse buys (well I do that too), but I am an impulse builder/crafter/painter.

I think it, I do it. Right then and there.

So, I mostly followed Jenna’s tutorial but tweaked it a little to my liking.

At Lowe’s I picked up the following:

- Two 1x3s (Pine)

- Three 1 1/4” Dowel Rods (to make 5 rungs)

-Minwax Stain in Ebony

-1 1/4” drill bit (same size as rods)

Total Cost = $35

I had stain on hand but I wanted Ebony, and the drill bit was needed. So it cost around $20 if I’d used stain I had on hand and had the drill bit already. 

I am not gonna re-invent the wheel, so see Jenna’s tutorial for how she did it. I followed it except I made my ladder the same width all the way down.

Specifics:

Height – 82”

Dowel Rod Width – 18.5” 

I had my Mom on duty as project photographer so here’s a lot more pictures than are ever needed for a ladder tutorial

Measure twice.

Cut once.

I decided on 14.5” apart for the rungs. And I wanted the top rung only a few inches from the top, and the bottom much higher up.

My Dad  

Practicing the depth and evenness of my holes. I finally got the hang of it on about the last real ladder hole.

Dad, did you say these were Grampy’s old screws? He said something about them being very neat and old and we thought they’d go perfect with the “aged” ladder. Not that you’re “aged” Grampy!  

Then my Dad went to start dinner while me and Mom finished up.

Sidenote:

This is what we feasted on! London Broil, Shrimp, and roasted veggies and potatoes! Yum.

Finishing touches.

Construction done!

Then, at about 11:00 Sunday night, I started staining. I don’t know why this sounded like a good idea. I was kicking myself come Monday morning. However, I was finished by 12 so it didn’t take too long at all.

Ready for some paint!

I dry brushed white on, and then once it dried, hit it in several places with 100 grit sandpaper.

Then came the hard, but fun part – styling it! I originally thought I’d decorate it like Jenna did, with magazines and such. Then yesterday when we were heading to Lowe’s I had a lightbulb moment and decided it’d make a PERFECT scarf rack!

But I still had to see what it’d look like in this state. Loved it. In fact, I need two ladders now so one can reside in the living room. For now though, I’ve got the one and I’m loving it as a scarf rack!

Springy entry!

My scarf situation in the closet was not looking pretty. Nor could I get to one easily that was on the bottom, AND they were getting wrinkly.

The solution! Pictures are so much prettier outside.

 

I have several more but these are my favorites and get worn the most, so they get to be on display and easy to access.

I cannot wait to see it in a pretty room in my next house!

Ikea Treasures

I wasn’t planning to share my IKEA treasures since it wasn’t anything earth shattering, but since I’ve had several requests now, I guess I will!

First things first, David and I have been House Hunting. We are actively looking at places but trying to get what we really want, instead of like last time, settling because we fell in love with a house. We thought we could overlook the teeny weeny backyard or the fact that we could spit on our neighbors. But hey, that’s what first homes are for right? Learning what you do and don’t want in the future.

Anywho, my lease is up in July. Will we find a house by then? I hope so. If we don’t? No biggie. I found out my neighbors who have the same landlord, pay month to month and I’m hoping I can sweet talk my landlord into letting me do the same if that’s the case. As in, needing to keep renting my place while we’re looking.

Since we are hoping to get a house this summer, and we sold our guest room furniture after the last house, we were in need of some new stuff. We decided we wanted to go ahead and get it and put it in storage until we get a house, versus getting a house and being without it. And we wanted to buy it at IKEA, hence getting it this trip. We probably won’t be back down there in the next few months.

I didn’t really know what I wanted for a guest bed, but I knew I wanted something fun. In fact I had NO idea what I was looking for. And typically guest rooms aren’t very big, so I didn’t want anything to big and chunky. I almost got a white wood bed, but I just didn’t love it. And it was pretty pricey, not including mattresses. After mulling it over a bit and browsing the selections, I decided on the Lilliesand bed frame, queen size. I just now did a little googling and found these awesome inspiration pics. Now I’m really sure in my decision! And super excited to create a guest room!

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I wasn’t sure about the black, but after seeing these pictures it’s perfect. I could always paint it white or another fun color if I got bored with it though. We all know I’m addicted to Spray Paint.

The other big thing that was on my list was a dresser to go in the guest room. I had no clue what I wanted but literally the first little “room” Sarah and I went in, I saw it. A gorgeously fun red dresser, the Hemnes Dresser in red.

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And to make it even better, I opened it to fine white and yellow paper lining the drawers. SO CUTE!

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(This same liner is in the red one)

So these were the two big ticket items I got. I would take a pic and text it to David and hold my breath for his thoughts. Luckily he really liked everything and said what I like to hear best, “Sweet! Whatever you want!”

The saddest part was coming home and putting the bed and dresser straight in the storage unit, still in their boxes. But oh what fun it’ll be when they get to go in a pretty new guest room! I can’t wait to have a house again!

I also got a bench. Remember this cute bench I bought second hand on my birthday?

Well it broke almost immediately after I got it. David Someone sat on it and a few of the slats broke. I hauled it to my Dad and he fixed it for me  

Well, a month or so ago I think I sat on it, and a different part broke. Apparently the wood is rotted all over it. Pooey I guess the store I got it from just slapped some paint on an old rotted bench and sold it to me for $80 and was laughing as I left, knowing it wasn’t gonna last. So, I have had it on my back porch and it’s unsittable. I am still LOVING my new patio table and chairs, but on nice weather days, I like to spread out on the bench with a book and kick my feet up.

So, I found a great treasure at IKEA! And guess what, it was $80. I think it was marked down from $89. It’s brand new and very pretty. And sturdy! It’s the Applaro Bench.

The pillows and plant unfortunately can’t stay outside. Fake plant and cloth pillows wouldn’t hold up well to the elements. And the grill has to go somewhere too. If only things could stay as pretty as when they’re “styled”.

The other little treasures I got were some hanging planters, white cardboard magazine holders, an orange throw blanket, and a three piece glass vase set. I did pretty good this trip, budget wise!