Coffee Table Redo

 

I had been looking for a round coffee table for a while. I came across this low pedestal round table by Heredon Furniture on Craigslist this summer and Jason and I drove to the location in Severn. When we arrived it was an AMAZING new waterfront home. The seller/homeowner was extremely nice and showed us around the home and property.

 

We ended up buying the table for $40, which was a great deal since it was such high quality and solid. The table had some discoloration and needed an update, especially to match our décor. With the move and the house redo, this table project was put on the back burner until this weekend.

 

 

After a few coats of paint and some glazing, here is the finished product, which matches our TV console table from HomeGoods.

 

Jackson Colt's Nursery

 I LOVED LOVED LOVED decorating Jackson Colt's nursery!

 

Our entire house is a coastal beach theme, so obviously I continued this look into the nursery.

 

Paint

 

Pottery Barns Sea Salt

 

 

 Furniture

Simmons crib

Eddie Bauer glider with storage ottoman

 

 

Ikea nightstand

Ikea tall dresser

Ikea Dresser (use top as changing table)

Ikea metal cart for diapers/wipes, etc.

Ubbi Diaper Pail in Gray

 

 

Bedding from Pottery Barn

 

Fitted sheet (no bumper)



Bed Skirt

Personalized whale quilt

 

Windows

Brushed nickel rod to match door handles

Blue/gray grommet panels (in Dove Gray- found at Marshalls)

 

Lighting

 

simple lamp

Wall Décor

 

Wooden Fish

Wooden Whale

 

Buoy signed by all the girls at the baby shower

 

Shark art made by my husband and the matching quilt homemade by Lauren's mom :)

 

Finished Product

 

It took a bit of rearranging but we were able to make all of the furniture fit!

 

 

Welcome Aboard Buoy

 

 

 

 

Jar of pacifiers

 

Closed curtains

 

I am so happy with the way it turned out. The colors (grays, blues, and ivory) are all so soothing and go together so nicely and the paint it just the right color.

 

Thank you so much to our friends and family for all of their generous gifts! Baby Jackson Colt is one lucky little man already!

Polished

 

Using an old glass flower vase (which was nothing more than a simple cylinder style tumbler)

I found a creative and aesthetic way to store/show off my polishes on my bathroom vanity.

 

Clean, simple, fast.

 

Love it!

Wine me up....

In past blogs, I have discussed creative ways to reuse wine bottles (here) and corks (here). In a more recent post, I highlighted how a high school friend is re purposing bottles for his candle company (here).

 

Here are some more creative ways to recycle your bottles into awesome new things!

Simple wall feeder instructions here

 

This bird feeder is adorable!

Go here for the easy step by step instructions for this hanging feeder.

 

 

Halloween decor!

For the how to go here

 

 

and Christmas decor!

I don't have a link to step by step, but this is achieved with glitter and modpodge.

First use stickers on the bottles, glitter, and peel off stickers once dry.

 

 

 

 

As you can see there are many varieties of wine bottle shelves. These take a little more work then some of the other projects, but with the help of you hubs, boyfriend, or dad I'm sure you could knock this DIY project in a day!

 

Go here for the second pic's how to

 

 

 Looks like Pottery Barn :)

 

Directions here

 

 

 

These lanterns are great!

 

If you don't want to hassle of making, you can buy them here

 

 

 

Here is a wine bottle light tutorial!

 

 

 

 

or make a lamp! Go here!

 

 

These bottles are beautiful as candle covers and would be great outside to keep them from blowing out!

 

To do this simply cut off the bottom of the bottle and remove the label. Stick over top of a candle and you are done! For more go here.

 

 

 

 

Saving $$

Lately I have been all about saving money! I love to eat well, shop, and travel. In order to make the most of my budget, I have come to realize that I can save in some areas to splurge in others! Saving  takes just a little effort, but worth it in the end.

 

Here are some easy ways I've been able to save.

Groceries and household items

1. Coupons, duh! 

·         •We get the Sunday paper and I'll spend about 10 minutes going through and cutting out any coupons on items we ALREADY BUY. I emphasize this because I think too often people cut out and try to use every coupon they see, in turn spending way more money and buying stuff they will not even use.

·         •Online! There are coupons everywhere. First some are on various products websites like PG Everyday and each products individual website. Second, look for coupons on websites such as Coupons.com. You can also get coupons right to your email or from Facebook, by liking your favorite products or by entering your email on your favorite brands website. Lastly, Target has a ton of coupons! The best thing about shopping at Target is you can use both Target coupons and manufacturer coupons, for double savings!

·         Coupons can also be found on products you already have purchased, either on the box or inside the packaging. I have found coupons inside Crest White Strips box, inside cereal and frozen item packaging, etc.

2. Target Card

·         This is not a credit card, but instead a debit card linked directly to your bank account. It’s free to sign up and with each purchase you get a total of 5% no matter what you buy or how much you spend! Also free shipping for every online purchase.

3. Target Prescriptions

•     I get one prescription a month and that is to prevent babies! LOL! I get it filled at Target because it is free and after getting it filled 5 times, they send you a 5% off coupon in the mail good for any purchase- again on everything you buy! AND YES YOU CAN PAIR THIS WITH DEBIT CARD AND GET A TOTAL OF 10% OFF!

Everything Else

1. More coupons!

·         Just as you can save with coupons on groceries and on household items, you can save on just about everything else! Many stores send out coupons via mail or email when you sign up on their website or give your info when making a purchase. Stores like Macy’s, Express, and even Saks Fifth Ave. flood my mailbox with coupons each month!

2. Online Promo Codes

·         Before making any purchase online, simply Google to fins a promo code for whatever website it is you are making a purchase on. For example if you are buying something from Victoria’s Secret, search for “Victoria’s Secret Promo Code” or “Victoria’s Secret Coupon” and you will have tons of websites full of various codes. It takes about 5 minutes, but can often save you money with free shipping or with a percentage off!

·         This works on more than just stores! I have used promo codes to save money on race entry fees and travel.

3. Discount and Outlet Stores

•           If you know me or have read this blog, you already know my obsession with Marshalls, Off the Fifth, and Nordstrom Rack. Stores like these are a great way to score designer deals for less! Queenstown outlets feature designers like Gucci and Michael Kors, while Arundel Mills has Coach and BCBG. However these stores do require time and patience J Arundel Mills and other outlet malls often send coupons and announce sales at their store by email and mail, so sign up on their websites or in store. Banana Republic Outlet always has a sale and often a 20% off coupon. You can bring it up on your phone and show it to the cashier to redeem and save.

4. Second Hand

•           I have blogged about consignment stores before as a great way to make money on your old stuff- including handbags, clothes, and accessories. These stores are also a great place to shop as well and I'm not talking about your Macklemore Thrift Shop! Right here in the Baltimore area, there are high end consignment stores like Wear it’s At (Resiterstown), Bmore Betty (Federal Hill) and Uptown Cheapskate (Timonium) to name a few that sell luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Just because it is second hand, doesn’t mean it is not new! Often consignors get rid of items that are brand new still bearing the original store tag. We are all guilty of buying something we couldn’t return or getting something as a gift we never wore! Oh these stores also email coupons out as well and also have sales on their already low priced merchandise.

5. Ebay, Amazon, and so on….

•           Sites like Ebay and Amazon are a great way to buy new and used items for way less! From textbooks to clothing- it’s easy to find what you are looking for and save. Be cautious before buying- read reviews, use Paypal and read descriptions carefully. There are a lot of scammers out there! Sites like Ebay do offer buyer protection, but still the site is littered with fakes from handbags to jewelry. Use common sense before buying.

6. Scanner

 

•           Scanner Apps are free download for your smart phone that enable you to scan product barcodes. It doesn’t work with every product, but works with many. To use simply scan a barcode with your phone and it will show you everywhere you can purchase that item online. This is a great way to save money!