Light up the Room

Im so happy to share today's project with you because it was like my best idea EVER!  Remember when I told you I used to hate my bathroom and redid it to look amazing in green , well if you dont click on this link and you can check it out.  Anyway, the first version of my bathroom was pale purple walls (that everyone thought were pink, major boo on that) with grey towels/bathmats and moroccan accents of lanterns and flowers.  Ok I dont know WHAT I was thinking when I put all that crap together, and I mean crap it didnt look good together and my face wash bleached the grey towels so they looked like crap too.  Needless to say I have my pretty bathroom today but what was I going to do with all the stuff I had in the old bathroom?  Well the old towels are sitting in a linen closet with the rugs, the flowers are in the media room waiting to be put to death and the lanterns, well thats where the project comes in.

I got this great lantern from Pier 1 to use in the bathroom and I didnt want to get rid of it because I really liked it, but at the same time I didnt know what to do with it.  Enter the guestroom.  I have this awesome colorful floral quilt-esk comforter in the guestroom so I thought it would look great in there, then I though man it would be cool to have a lamp of sorts on the nightstand next to the bed.  Well sir, why not make this awesome lantern a lamp!  So all you need for this project is:

1. lantern
2. drill (one that makes circles and can cut metal)
3. lamp bulb kit (you can find these at home depot for around $5)

Wow, only 3 things you say!  What an easy project!  I know it took all of 10 minutes to do, crazy right!  Ok so all you need to do is drill the hole in the bottom of the lantern and install the lamp kit according to the instructions on the package.  Plug in the lamp and turn it on.

See how awesome it looks when it lights up, throws that cool pattern on the walls with all the colors on the sides of the lantern coming to life, I love it and am so happy to have thought of this project.  The fact that it was way easy was an even bigger bonus.

What awesome items could you reporpose to become useful again?!  I would love to hear your awesome ideas!

Project Housewife Out!

Im linking up!  Come check it out at Southern Lovely , Lil Pink Pocket , Vintage Gwen, House of Hepworths , Beyond the Picket Fence , and Blissful and Domestic

     

 

 

 

Quick Curtains

As you know from yesterday, I love my bathroom...finally.  I love the fresh green and white colors and the accents I added to the room.  One of those accents is the curtain.

Originally this window had blinds on them and I just dont think blinds belong in a bathroom.  So we frosted the window (frost film you can buy at lowes and slap on the window, takes 30minutes, seriously you should do this) and then I KNEW I needed to add a curtain or SOMETHING on this window, it was just so bare.  I found an article in "Decorating Shortcuts" (2011) on how to make this curtain and tried my hand at it.  So without further ado, here is how to make this lovely curtain.

Supplies:

• Fabric (I used outdoor fabric because its thick and heavy, but you can use whatever you love most)
• Fusible Hem tape ( I made the mistake of getting the ribbon hem tape not the kind that goes inbetween the seams, it works but is not as nice to look at)
• Ribbon
• Tension Rod
• Embelishments (you cant really see them but I have crystal tassles hanging from the ribbon)

Instructions:

1. Measure the inside of your window frame and add two inches to the width and three inches to the length.  I bought extra just in case I messed up a cut, but I always buy more fabric than I need, which is sometimes a good thing, I have used this fabric twice more from this curtain.
2. Cut fabric to your measurements
3. Fold each long side over 1/2 inch, then fold again another 1/2 inch (see why you need the extra inches, this makes for a much nicer hem in the back if you do it this way).  Press with an iron, insert hem tape in the fold and iron over again.
4. Follow the same method for the bottom side but on the top side fold over 1/2 inch then 1 1/2 inches to make the flap for the tension rod.  Insert hem tape and iron.
5. Insert the tension rod into the pcoket and hang.
6. Cut two equal pieces of ribbon, about 1 1/2 times the length of your window.
7. Accordian fold the bottom of the curtain to the desired length and tie the ribbons into a bow.  Note here, you will probably want help with this, I had a really hard time holding the curtain and tying the bow at the same time.  You may be more skillful than I, but holding the according fold just right and trying to tie a bow was frustrating the heck out of me.
8. If you have embelishments you can add them now, I always like to wait until the end and add them, you can do whatever order you like but I prefer the end.

(Here is the side view of the curtain and a better view of the bathroom, more to come later on that)

Well that was easy right?!  I hope you had fun making a curtain, I cant wait to make more for my media room and laundry room!  Share yours here, I would love to see the awesome fabrics you find.


Im Linking Up!  at addapinch.com, come check me out



Project Housewife Out!

Easy Custom Mirror

I have a confession...I LOVE my bathroom.  Ok so there are things I want to change but that requires construction, but the bathroom as it is right now, I love my bathroom.  This is the 2nd attempt at my bathroom though, the first try just wasnt my style and I decided to change it.  My husband was none to happy (he hates painting) but the new result I love so much.  Ok enough with the love fest, Im going to tell you how to make these awesome mirrors.  I hate the builder standard mirrors, they are so boring and plain I needed something more original.  Before I tell you how to make this, here is a list of supplies that I used, but feel free to make this project your own:

• Mirrors
• Frame to fit mirrors (color of your choice)
• hardware to hang mirror
• mosaic tiles (color of your choice)
• super glue

I have to say I was really lucky, my old town home had these two great pieces of glass in one of the closets and I knew I had a great use for them.  I did have to get the class cut a little to make the pieces even and it fit in the frame but that cost a whole of $10, compared to who knows how much a mirror costs I know I did great on that.  The frames I used are 24x36 white wood frames from Michaels at 50% off there were a great deal for $30 total.  The tiles in the corner are mosaic tiles from Michaels at $6 each they spice up the corners and really make the mirrors look custom.  To set the tiles on the mirror, we put them where we wanted them first then set them with super glue (you know the kind that will glue your fingers together).  We let that dry overnight then added the hardware to the back of the frame.  For some reason these frames didnt come with anything to hang them with (silly Michaels) so we had to go to Home Depot to get hanging materials.  We bought the heavy duty hangers that interlock so they are very sturdy and wont fall off.  Each frame is probably around 25pounds so make sure you get hardware that can support the weight you have.  Once you get your hardware up, hang the mirror and you are good to go. 

(sorry for the elbow shot :)  )

On a side note, if you do have the big builder standard mirro you can always frame that or you can take it to a glass shop and they can cut it for you.  I was going to repurpose mine in the dining room, but unfortunatley my dog knocked it over and broke it into a lot of little pieces so that was a total waste (let me tell you I was pissed when I saw all the glass on the carpet, what a mess to clean up!)

Have fun spicing up your bathroom, I would love to see how it turns out, post a picture or comment of your bathroom change-up!

Project Housewife Out!