little gingers: Some DIY changes to the house... with more to come!

Wanna see some pics? I took some!!!!!

Keep in mind that we aren't done as I'd like to do things little by little until I feel sassified. I'm definitely NOT afraid of color, so put your shades on!!!!

I picked up inexpensive things here and there and "redid" them. Vases that came from Goodwill or inexpensive particle board from Lowes... or maybe even clearance things, as well.

Anyway, because of the colors bouncing around with the natural light, it's hard to capture the TRUE colors, but I tried... ENJOY!

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Not much of a difference other than the vase and the pillows... helps to tie everything in...

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When this part is finished, I'll have a vinyl quote above the door much like this one...

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The blue light from outside keeps you from seeing the warmth of the backsplash. It's very neutral and not blue at all (of course). It's also not grouted yet. lol!

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Another DIY project. I was going to attempt to do the project where you use spray adhesive and glue cool scrapbook papers to the 12x12 squares, but I couldn't find any cool paper. So what I did was buy a $3 bucket of plaster and coated my 12x12 pieces of particle board with the plaster for texture. I then painted it black. I then drug a paintbrush dipped in a very dark brown over the top to break up the black. Then I went and bought 5 tiles at Lowes for like 35 cents a piece. A little Modge Podge and some of the scrap material from my colorful living room pillow, and POOF! ART! Less than $20 (and that includes the $7 bottle of Modge Podge that I now have for other projects 'cause I LOVE THAT STUFF!!!!!!)

Elvis didn't leave the building, hahaha!

This was my "rug project." After seeing the DIY instructions, I went to Lowes and priced it out. The original instructions were for stained Poplar planks. Hello? Anyone price Poplar? I could go buy ART at Pier 1 for the cost of the wood alone. I went cheap, folks. I bought particle board and painted it black. I then put a clearance "wrought iron" outdoor rug over it and spray painted it white. I didn't like it all white, so I dug through our cans of paint and found a metallic dark color and sprayed the "frame" with it. I had to go back and handpaint all around the black as there was considerable overspray. It was a bit of work, but for the cost, it was worth it. It breaks up the red wall nicely. :)

I can't part with our table just yet. After seeing Sophie stand at it and do a puzzle the night Chris was putting the new table together, it hit me that maybe it wouldn't look so bad in the playroom. I don't think it does, and it leaves us a table to do crafts, sewing, painting, etc. The formica is very forgiving, so it was a HUGE relief to have something like that to play on.

This room will probably come next in terms of repainting. I'll still do a brown color to break up all the brightness, but I *DID* think about a gold color. With the colorful toys still in there, though, I'm not so sure. We also plan to do a really HUGE enlargement of the family portrait with the Converse on one wall in the playroom. That'll add color and pick up on the reds and yellows, as well, so I'd like to keep the walls really neutral.

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Wanna see the "new bathroom?"

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Dark brown with a painting of Mississippi John Hurt staring at you as you 'went.'

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I wanted to paint it gray! I didn't want to buy a new curtain or towels, and I really wanted to use some of the B&Ws that came down from the kitchen -- so here's what came of it!