Reorganizing a Closet

Kids grow quickly.  My daughter has grown several inches over the past few months.  

She told me that on one side of her closet her shirts were hanging too low and interfering with the tennis skirts hanging below (I had already started emptying the closet before realizing this would be a bigger project than expected).  I thought I could just raise the top hanging bar, however, with the shelf and support bracket on the back wall, it wasn't going to be that easy.

This side of her closet has a three drawer unit from The Container Store.  It's worked great, but in order for me to lower the hanging bar with the skirts, I would have to remove the drawers. 

I lowered the bar for the skirts, but now I needed a solution to fit everything that was in that three drawer unit.  

So I ran out to The Container Store yesterday and bought a wider, shorter drawer unit (they are having their annual 30% off sale right now).  This actually fits the space much better and it allowed me to lower the hanging bar to maximize the hanging space in the closet.  (Yes, my daughter owns many, many tennis skirts...but she does play six days a week so it's her main wardrobe).  

Since it's wider, it actually fits even more than the other unit.

A couple of aqua, lightweight baskets from Home Goods for pretty storage on the shelf above, and this reorganization project is complete.  I just love an organized closet.  How about you?

-Judy

Easy Desk Update

This weekend I did a simple update to my daughter's desk in her room.

If you remember, this desk was originally a Craigslist find for $30.

After painting this desk with chalk paint and reupholstering the chair, I added a piece of clear acrylic to the top.  It was one of the smartest things I did, no longer having to worry about the top of the desk being damaged.  It also gave me an opportunity to add a pop of color by using scrapbook paper underneath the clear acrylic top.

The scrapbook paper was colorful, but it was never exactly right.  

I was always on the lookout for something a little bit better.

When I saw this wrapping paper at Home Goods a few weeks ago, I thought it would be perfect for my daughter's room.  I have been very impressed with the wrapping paper I have bought in Home Goods.  It is all very substantial and great for so many different projects.

I took the clear acrylic off the desk and used it as a guide to cut the wrapping paper to size.

It changed the look immediately.

Then I thought I would get really crafty and cut out pieces of wrapping paper to fit the fronts of each of the drawers.  I glued it to card stock so that it wouldn't curl or bend. 

What a difference a little wrapping paper can make!

For the side drawers the card stock is so sturdy that it didn't need to be 

adhered in any other way other than being held on with the handles.  

For the center drawer I added a little mod podge to the edges to keep it all in place.

The color is beautiful and picks up on all of the decor and accessories in my daughter's room.

You could do this with any desk you have.  The clear acrylic was bought at Home Depot and we cut it to size at home.  It was inexpensive as well.  You could add fabric or paper to match any decor.  

My daughter loves the update!

I can't wait to hear what you think.

-Judy

Sharing with Saavy Southern Style

Peace and Love Equals Happiness

I updated my twelve year old daughter's room earlier this year, creating a tween haven for her.
You can check it out here.

I absolutely love her peace sign quilt we bought at Pottery Barn Teen.
She has the pink zebra sheets already (see them peaking out on the bed) and a set from Pottery Barn Teen that were a gift from her Mema.  So technically I was not in the market for sheets.  

However, a few weeks ago I was walking through Target and saw these Peace and Love sheets in someone else's cart.  I kept walking but kept thinking about them.  Even though I had only gotten a quick glance, I knew that they would be perfect.  I went back to the bedding aisle and found the label where these peace sheets should be, but there weren't any left.  I found a Target employee and asked them if they had any in the back (I don't know why I ask any store employee this...I don't think anyone has ever said yes to that question). She said that there were none in the back and that the store had one set in a full size.  I knew that already...the person who had it in their cart got the last set.  I tried to make myself feel better by telling myself it must not have been meant to be.  I walked away and did some more shopping a few aisles away.  A few minutes later that same Target employee hunted me down  - she had found the sheets - and she was nice enough to actually come and find me.
I guess the other person changed their mind.  All I could think was WOO HOO!!

 Don't they go perfect with her bedding?  They are so Pottery Barn Teen-ish, but at Target prices.  

What could be better.  

What deals have you found lately?

On a separate note...I just noticed that today is my 500th post.  WOW!!
Thanks for taking this journey with me each and every day.

Have a great weekend.

-Judy

A Funky Pillow for a Funky Chair

My daughter received the coolest, funkiest chair for her birthday from her Mema (my mother-in-law).  It is from Pottery Barn Teen and is such a perfect accent in her room.  I love the round shape and thought it would be fun to make a round pillow to match.

It was a quick and simple project.  I found this fabric at JoAnn's and knew it would be cool for my daughter's room.  I used a round tray to create a perfect circle.  I actually flipped the fabric 

to have the right sides together  (not shown) and then traced around 

the tray on the wrong side of the fabric using a pencil.  

 I used fabric glue to adhere pom pom trim around the perimeter 

of the circle making sure the pom poms faced toward the center.

 With right sides together I sewed around the circle leaving 3-4 inches

 to turn it right side out and stuff it.

 After stuffing it full, I used the fabric glue to seal the pillow.

 A funky pillow for a funky chair.

 Here's a closeup of the fabric and the trim.  

What do you think?  I can't wait to hear.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

-Judy

Fabric Covered Letters

I am taking a day off of Christmas posting to share with you a project I did for my daughter's room.  

A few weeks ago I shared with you the Pottery Barn Teen inspired style tile board 

I made for her room.

After I hung it up, it just didn't look complete.

It seemed a little high and to be just floating there.

Then I remembered that I had bought these letters from Target a few months back.  They were on clearance for only $1.48 each!  My daughter's name is Sydney, but Target only had a few letters left so I could only get a S, Y and a D.  That was okay because so many people call her Syd anyhow and she really likes that nickname.  I didn't know what I was going to do with these letters when I bought them, but when I saw how awkward the memo board looked all alone, I knew exactly what I would do with them.

At first I thought I would cover them with scrapbook paper.  But then I realized it would look so much cooler if I used fabric.  So, I started by using the left over fabric from the style tiles and ironing on fabric interfacing I have on hand that I use with my Silhouette machine.  I then laid the letter upside down on the backside of the fabric (the part with the interfacing on it).  

Then using an exacto knife on a cutting board, I carefully cut around the letters.  I didn't trace it first, I was just very careful not to move my letters until I was done cutting.  The interfacing keeps your cuts perfectly clean with no fraying of fabric.   

Then using Mod Podge, I adhered the cut fabric onto the front of the letters.  I only applied the Mod Podge to the back of the fabric (not the face of the fabric). 

Fits perfectly!

This project was done for a total of $4.50!!  Using leftover fabric and things I had in the house, I made very custom letters for her room.  She loves it.  It certainly adds to the tween vibe of her new room.

Plus it allowed me to lower the style tiles so that my daughter can reach them better (I covered the hole in the wall from where I originally hung the board with the letter Y-faster than patching the hole - Lol).  

So incredibly easy but with a really professional end result.  I want to make more of these!!

I hope you will let me know what you think of this project.

-Judy

Don't forget that there is still time to enter the Threaded Creations giveaway.  Click here to enter.