I GIVE UP!

As I've mentioned before I had an idea to make a collage of mirrors in our upstairs guest bathroom.  I had 2 mirrors that I had got at a yard sale and Salvation Army that I spray painted and was ready to hang.  I felt silly just hanging 2 mirrors so I patiently waited until I found at least a 3rd mirror.  Mrs. DeVore swooped in and saved the day once again.  Her mom actually found a small mirror that is perfect!  FINALLY, I could hang the mirrors.  I did and it looked amazing.  The camera was downstairs and I was upstairs so I kind of didn't get a picture of it.  This is really super stinky because the next day one of the mirrors was busted on the floor.  Luckily for me (and the next 7 years of my life) it was just the frame that shattered and not the mirror.  Whew, crisis kind of averted.

Once again I'm stuck with only 2 mirrors, back to square 1.

Fast forward about a week when I stumbled upon an estate sale.  I found this mirror and a matching one for a few bucks.  I though I would try my hand at "Rub 'n Buff" so I bought some at Hobby Lobby (it's in the craft/glue section).  The directions say to put it directly on your finger and rub it on the item.  Since I'm pregnant and all I was thinking this might not be the best idea considering you would have to wash it off your finger with paint thinner.  I figure I probably expose myself (and this baby) to more paint/paint thinner/ hair color/ etc. than I probably should in the first place so I wore a rubber cleaning glove during the process.  I'm not quite sure if that's why it didn't turn out as I would hope or not. 

FINALLY, 3 mirrors again, time to hang this one.  As I was hammering in the nail to hang it, CRASH, the round mirror fell and shattered.  Once again though, just the frame broke and not the mirror, whew.  I was still super upset because I bought that mirror at a yard sale of a hoarder for $1 and I thought that was a cool story, bro.  After I threw my hissy fit about it by myself and my sweet husband came upstairs to check on me.  I figured out that I could glue it all back together but I would just have to spray paint it, AGAIN.

These are the 2 mirrors pre-busted up. Isn't it ironic that I have a pic of the 2 mirrors that fell and broke?  It's almost like they knew it was going to happen.  It was fate.

Throughout this whole process I realized that I didn't even like the mirrors on that wall in the bathroom and decided to hang them over the throne instead.  I went ahead and hung the 2 mirrors and then decided I really need to go ahead and glue the round one back together.  IT WORKED!!!  I have not spray painted it because well, if it's going to fall right back off the wall I don't want to waste time and money spray painting it.  So far it has been hanging up for a few days so it looks like I will be spraying it after all.

I also finally bought a towel bar and toliet paper holder.  The only thing really left for this bathroom is a new large mirror for over the sink.  It's kind of an odd measurement though so that might take a while. 

 The long rectagle mirror is the one I used Rub 'n Buff on.

Sorry for allt he shadows.  I was trying to get pictures taken before I left for work and was rushing!

Garage Sale Gramma

Have I ever mentioned that my Gramma is a yard sale diva?  Well, Grampa is too, they went to 108 yard sales in one day!  IN ONE DAY!  Makes me so proud (and a little jealous).  They travel around in their motorhome and find yard sales all over the United States.  How neato is that?

They came to visit the other day and boy did she bring me some loot.  The first of it was this picture/plaque kinda thing.  The original tag was on the back and it was from TJ Maxx.  I can guarantee she didn't pay what the original price tag says!  Gramma don't mess around.

Here it is after a little spray paint.

Bookshelf

I bought this bookshelf at a yard sale about a month or so ago.  Just your plain ol run of the mill cheapo bookshelf.  Not anymore!  

I primed and painted the whole thing white.  I was going to back the whole thing with scrapbook paper and modge podge but my local fabric store was having a sale so I decided on fabric instead.  

I wanted something a little fun and funky but neutral enough so the bookshelf could be moved to another room later on.  Love this fabric!  I ironed it before putting it on the bookshelf
(man I hate ironing)

My wonderful husband helped me when it came to putting the fabric on the back.  He took the nails out and removed the back of the bookshelf completely.  We then laid it out on a desk that is in the garage waiting to be refinished and used spray adhesive all over the backing.  Then we laid the fabric on top and smoothed it out to remove any bubbles.  After all that we flipped it over and sprayed the edges with adhesive so the fabric would wrap all the way around and be more secure.  Still not done...then the hubs nailed the backing back onto the back of the shelf (let's say back one more time...back back back)
while I held it in place. 

FINALLY

Time to organize all the books.  I have them organized by genre and starting today will be reorganizing to put them in alphabetical order.  Here's a fun fact- one day when I grow up I would like to be a libriarian. 

Here is my Janet Evanovich collection.  I love her.  I waited in line for over 4 hours to meet her and by golly I would do it again.  If you live in the Charlotte area you really need to read "Motor Mouth", it takes place here!  So cool!

Glazing

I found this frame at a yard sale over the weekend.  The original price tag said $99.99...I don't think so!  When I brought it home I wasn't quite sure what I was going to do with it but while sitting at work it hit me.  I had some "oops" paint that is the perfect turquoise that I would paint the frame and then I would glaze it with black to make the designs pop.

Here it is before:

I primed it and let it dry for about 30 minutes.  It was super hot and sunny outside so I figured that was long enough.  Then I hand painted it with the turquoise paint.  It would have been WAY easier to use spray paint but I have yet to find the perfect turquoise in a spray paint.  After that dried for about an hour I went to town with the glaze.

Some people buy "special" glaze but not me.  Who's got time to keep running to the store, or the money?!?!  I just use semi-gloss or high gloss paint mixed with a little bit of water.  That's it.  Nothing special about it.  Actually now that I think about it...the homemade kind is more special than the store bought kind.  Boo-yah.  

I had to work super quick because it was drying so fast.  I did a small section at a time.  You just paint it on pretty heavy and wipe it off with a damp rag.  Also, get ready for some ugly looking hands and finger nails.  The paint from the rag gets all over you.  I look a little gothic right now.

The finished project is so totally worth it though:

 

The piano bench was a yard sale find from this past Saturday.  It actually has storage for books!  I am so excited about it because before we had the bench seat sitting there and bleh, that did not look good there at all.  I am going to recover the faux leather that is on there now.  Stay tuned... (no pun intended)

Mozart was a yard sale find from about a month ago.  

 To the booth it goes...even though I really like it up there...