Cheap and Easy Lamp Makeover

I inherited this lamp from my parents to help fill my first apartment, and I think I tried to paint black, though it's mauve-ness always seemed to find a way to peek through.

I decided to wrap it in hemp cord, so I covered the lamp in wood glue (my go-to glue) and put it on a lazy susan and just spun the lamp, making sure the cord stayed close to itself.

Necklace Holder

My dear neighbors growing up were an elderly couple, The Ramseys, who came to be like another set of grandparents. We swam in their pool all summer long, they hosted the neighborhood Fourth of July party every year with swimming all day long, Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner, and watermelon and fireworks in the cove after dinner. The adults sat on the benches in the circle drive while all the kids had a kickball game in the cove or a "Cars" game, where we visited each house in the neighborhood on our bikes to take care of a certain item of business (grocery, car wash, bank, etc.)

Mr. Ramsey framed this piece of lattice for me, and it served as my headboard for well over 15 years. He has since passed away, along with his sweet wife, but the lattice has traveled to several different houses with me. A few days ago, I decided to add clothespins to it and hang my necklaces on it, and I have loved the result.

A sweet memory of my dear friends, a useful accessory in my house, and a great way to make artwork of my favorite accessories.

Throw Pillows

I just finished these throw pillows for a friend. The fabric is beautiful, and the piping definitely gave the pillows a crisp, finished look.

finished pillows

great fabric

a close-up of the piping

I heart applique mucho

For Christmas (and a REALLY late welcome-to-the-world present) for a relative's new baby, I did a sleigh applique I found at http://www.planetapplique.com/. Despite a minor mess-up due to me letting go of the excess fabric for a split-second, literally, I think it turned out well. It definitely gave a cute, personal touch to a what would have been a plain $10 outfit.

for 9 month-old Callie

how cute is that peppermint fabric?

I heart embroidery

throw pillows

a close-up

Ok, so I decided to upgrade (to put it lightly) my sewing machine, and went for an embroidery machine. It was a big decision, but I am already starting to see the payoff, financially and creatively. Here are some samples from my first couple of months:

hand towels
(the trick is to use topping!)

pocket pillows for my nieces and nephews

a close-up

Door turned Vanity

Ok, so this is not a unique idea, but it is definitely a piece in my house that lives true to my home design motto, a quote by William Morris, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

I bought my first home a few years ago, a Bungalow style home built in 1919, in Midtown Memphis. It was a dump when I bought it, but I poured countless hours into fixing it up. I sold it to my best friend when I got married, but I got to take one piece of it with me...an original door.

I have an obsession with doors and windows, among a few other things, so when I found this door in the garage/shed laying on top of the rafters, I was overjoyed. I turned it into a vanity, and it is one of my favorite (and most useful) pieces of furniture in my home.

Here are some before photos:

I added a shelf...

with drawers

The drawers don't hold as much as I'd like, but still useful...

What a beautiful door!

Here are some after photos:

I added knobs for necklaces and put a mirror and my earring holder above the shelf

I painted the drawer fronts my favorite green and added some bronze knobs

I attached hooks below to hold my scarf collection
Bonus: it showcases the scarves like artwork and adds a lot of color!

P.S. It is even going to look better when I figure out how to attach all the old doorknobs I found at Water Works.

P.P.S. I apologize for the low quality photographs. I'm not a photographer, but my sister is. So if you'd like to see good photos, visit her website:
http://www.raganoswaltphotographer.com/