Thanksgiving Menu

A few years ago, I hosted our first family Thanksgiving in our new home. My dining room was unfinished and lacked artwork. I needed something large for the wall behind the table. I did not want to rush into a art purchase.

So, I bought a sheet of MDF at Home Depot and gave it a coat of chalkboard paint. I used it to write out our Thanksgiving menu and give everyone credit for their special dish. Everyone was flattered. It ended up hanging out on the wall for two years until I found the proper art piece. We used it for menus, inspirational quotes, and messages.

The project cost $15. A variation of this idea would be to buy a larger sheet of MDF and lean the chalkboard.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chic Pet Bed

Has anyone tried to find a cute pet bed lately? I searched and searched for one that was cheap, machine washable, comfy and went with my decor. No luck. I was starting to panic because I thought I may have to sew one. But then, it came to me...

I went to Target and bought a new fluffy standard sized bed pillow, a waterproof pillow cover, and two cute pillow cases (one extra to have one hand if there is an accident). A king sized pillow and cases could be used if you have a larger dog. I assembled the pillow and the cases. I attached Velcro along the open end of the case to close.

Viola! A cute, comfy pet bed! Project cost $20.

Sofa makeover

(After)

( Before)

This makeover was so easy and so cost effective! It was time for a new look in the family room. I decided to start with the sofa and loveseat. The flowers had to go.

I decided to recover them. I like sewing about as much as I like going to the dentist. I tried a few different ready-made slipcovers from Potterybarn. They were nice but they looked funny from the back.

I ended up purchasing two white SureFit slipcovers from an Ebay shop for $35 each. I was able to alter them a little to fit nice and tight. I left the two back cushions out and used them as a template to make separate slipcovers out of a Black Damask fabric. I used Velcro to close the back cushions and throw pillows for a quick change if the mood strikes.

The new look cost $170. Much less than purchasing a new set!

Thanks for visiting!

Fireplace Makeover "After"

Here it is! Instant "cozy". It's definitely what the room needed!

I painted the ceramic surround and gas insert with a high temperature enamel. I used a traditional board and batten style wainscot design as the wall treatment. Finally, I gave the existing mantel a fresh coat of cream paint to match the millwork. The project was easy, budget friendly and I did it all myself while my husband was away for two days.

In case you missed them, the before pictures were posted a couple days ago. Scroll down to view them. Thanks for visiting! Check out other projects built by us girls at Sawdust and Paper Scraps!

Fireplace makeover "Before"

My latest project is almost complete. The fireplace wall in my family room has always lacked something. The new look only cost $22 and took 2 days to complete. I think it is exactly what the room needed. Here are the before pictures. Check back in a few days for the after pictures!