Boho Jewelry - Wordless Wednesday

Featuring my newest line of Etsy products - Boho Leather Jewelry

They will be loaded on Etsy soon, if you want first dibs please comment below and I will make them a custom order.

Boho Leather Feather Earrings

Black and Red Leather Feather Earrings

Boho Diamond Earrings

I Heart Leather Earrings

Hippie Peace and Love Earrings

Want to make one of these pairs of earrings yours?  Comment below for a custom Etsy listing.

I'm including a Blog Link Up - Blog Hop in today's post!  I'm excited to visit your blogs, so please link below!

Creating a Color Spiced Bookshelf

 

I hate things that are boring.  I detest white walls unless accompanied by beautiful home accents perfectly chosen to contrast the overwhelming whiteness.  I cannot stand the color mauve (though if it's your cup of tea . . . that's your business).  So in general, I cannot endure plain particle board furniture.  It's boring, it's standard, and it's just there.

Here is the boring, yawnerific bookshelf that I began with today. (Not bad, just needs a little spice!)

White 9 Cube Organizer at Do It Best

I was extremely lucky and instead of paying the typical $54.99 for this product, I paid $25 at a second hand store with it sealed in the box.  Since this project is for my church nursery, not for personal use, I'm very glad to have been able to pass on the savings to my church.

My original intention was to buy a darker wood imitation product for the church nursery, but since I can't pass up a deal, I now had a plain white particle board bookshelf to put together with thick cardboard backing that needed to be attached.

I put together the piece with only a few minor setbacks.  If the peg doesn't seem to fit . . . don't force it you probably have it in the wrong place.  I'm smart like that, if the peg doesn't fit . . . I go get a rubber mallet and make it fit.  So after having to use the rubber mallet to pound the screws into the hole with the plastic pegs to get them back out of the incorrect holes, I now pass on my newly learned knowledge about plastic pegs and inadequately sized holes.

After having the bookshelf together and only needing to attach the thick cardboard panels to the back of five of the openings, I realized that I had to do something different with this bookshelf.  How could I make this piece of furniture match what we were planning to do with the rest of the room?  Here is the color scheme we choose thanks to Design Seeds:

City Brights by Design Seeds

I wanted to find some way to incorporate these colors in this piece.  Then I thought about all of the lovely pieces I've seen that utilize color inside of the shelves of a bookshelf or hutch.

Chenin - After on Design Sponge

Colorful Bookshelf - Unknown Source

(if you know where this came from, I'd love to know)

So I decided to use four different colors inside of the bookshelf to emphasize the color scheme we are using for the room!   Here's how I did it:

My Colors of Inspiration

1.  First, I printed off my color inspiration.  I used the Design Seeds City Brights and brought them with me so I could attempt to color match as much as possible.

2.  I used sponges to apply the color to the thick card board panels.  You could definitely go for a brush or even for spray paint. 

It's Coming Together

3.  I chose to paint the backsides of the cardboard panels thinking that the surface would be more porous and hold the paint better.  If I had it to do over again, I would choose to paint the white cardboard area instead.  The white finish would act as a base coat to make the paint colors stand out more and would help to prevent the cardboard from becoming as wet.

Painting the Cardboard Blue

4. I mixed each color then painted each cardboard panel.  I do one color at a time so that the mixed paint doesn't begin to dry before I'm ready to paint the next panel.  Unfortunately, I used older craft paint and it had quite a few lumps while I was applying the paint.  To have a flawless finish, be sure to use fresh paint.

5.  Finally, I attached each panel to it's prospective shelf.  Be sure to hammer the nail into the center of the particle board.  If you get too close to the surface, the wood may expand causing a ripple in the wood.

Here is the finished product!

We may at some point buy the fabric drawers for some of the cubbies, but for now, the bookshelf is looking good with a spice of color!  Our church is working on redoing the entire nursery:  a baby room, a toddler room, a cry room, and the Pre-K room.  If you have any interest at all in being a part of this project, go to our church website at: www.yourfamilyplace.com.  You can choose to donate time or money to Gulf Coast Worship Center to be a part of our project.  Thanks for reading my blog!!!

Make a Donation to Gulf Coast Worship Center for the Nursery 

Homeschool Room E-design

Homeschool Room Design

This week I have been privileged to provide an E-design to a mother who is homeschooling her two children.  My client really wanted to make her School Room go beyond average and really be a room that would aid her children in their learning and not be a hindrance.  Most of the E-design was designed using existing furniture, but I was also able to add in a few accessories to complete the look and add to the organization.  Here are a few photos of her E-design as well as a some pinterest photos that were my inspiration.

A Storage Solution for the School Room as well as the Kid's Rooms

Each E-design includes storage solutions as well as ideas for increasing organization.  While toys are not a standard addition to a School Room, organized toy storage bins are a great way to begin teaching children to clean up after themselves.  Toys are not just for playing, but they can be a great tool for teaching.

A Placement Plan for her New Accessories

Since my client had plenty of existing furniture to work with my challenge was using her furniture in the best locations to aid learning.  I needed to create a space where she could stand at the whiteboard while teaching, a computer space, a reading nook, a workspace, as well as ample opportunities for organization.

A Furniture Floor Plan Using Existing Furniture

E-designs are all about the details.  These particular details will help to bring together her classroom and provide unique storage.  Both red, yellow, and green were colors that were reused throughout the room.  This floor plan shows the placement of these items throughout the room.

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Here are some Pinterest pictures of my inspiration!

Source: confessionsofahomeschooler.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: bhg.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Brooke on Pinterest

Today's Project: Closet Organization

My Closet with Hanging Shelves

This is a topic very close to home to me.  In fact, today, the topic actually found its way all the way into my closet!  With much duress, gusto, and sweat, I reorganized my closet to better meet my needs and my husband’s needs.

Though I enjoy designing and decorating, the closet is often the exception.  Even when enjoyment can be found in organizing (which often happens in the morning hours after having my daily cup of joe), I typically tend to take care of the areas that are seen most often such as the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room.  My closet is often low on my list of priorities and, therefore, it normally has to reach a breaking point until I’ll venture into my walk-in closet lined with closet rods filled with clothes on the right and left.

Reaching the Breaking Point

This morning (after my coffee) I took the dive to clean and reorganize my closet.  The breaking point had arrived a few days ago when we came back from vacation with an antique dresser for my husband, James.  I will blog more about this unique find later, but the issue with this dresser came from its space requirements.  We no longer had space in the bedroom for James’s old dresser so we decided to move it into the closet so I could use it in place of my hanging shelf.  However, as it often works out, the night we loaded the new dresser into the room and moved the old dresser into the closet James and I were exhausted.  We shoved the old dresser to the back of the closet, placed our empty suitcases in front of it, and left the hanging shelves in place.  What a disaster!

Clearing Work Space

Left in practically disgraceful condition, I had to begin by moving the four suitcases that blocked the way to the old dresser.  When organizing, you have to begin by creating a space to work.  Many people begin to organize while coexisting with the clutter, but there is really no quicker way to become frustrated, disheartened, and to simply give up.  Clear some space, move bigger items into another room, and then begin working in a breathable and workable space.

Work and Rework

After moving the suitcases, I could spend my time unloading the items that were in the hanging shelf into the dresser.  Each type of item in a closet needs a home.  I put my belts and scarves in the top drawer, my socks in the second, my bathing suits and nightgowns in the third, etc.  I measured the space that I would need for the dresser and realized I would have to pack up some of the formal dresses farther down to make space.  Organization takes time!

After I created the space that I needed, I was able to jostle the dresser forward in the closet until I reached the open space to the left of the door.  While the dresser looks better, I could see that it took significantly more space than my hanging shelf.  I was able to use the space above the dresser for various boxes that had cluttered the floor of my closet.  After moving the boxes, I realized I now had more space for my shoe rack and shoes!  When organizing a closet, you must work and rework your solutions.

Don’t Make it Work

As soon as I had taken down the hanging shelves, I thought ‘Hey!  I’ll just put this in another location in the closet.’ Though the hanging shelves were meant for a full length space, I tried hanging it on a closet rod that had half of full length space.  The hanging shelves poured into the floor and I noticed how the previously sturdy fabric-covered cardboard shelves had begun to sag over time.  Sometimes you just have to let go of the old and allow the new to kick it out the door.  I could not make the shelving work for me and it is now sitting in the trash pile waiting to hit the curb.

Sentiment My Foot!

Like most ladies, I love shoes.  I have old shoes and I have new shoes.  Then I have some really old shoes.  Only they are not just any shoes, they have sentimental value!  Like the shoes I bought when I was pregnant with my son, or the flip flops I wore when I was in high school.  I even have the black slip-resistant shoes that I used when I did waitressing.  Whether it is shoes, clothes, jewelry, or any other item with sentimental value, you must realize that collecting these items does you and your closet no good!  The shoes will never grow young again and will always look dingy, the clothes that have holes will never magically fix themselves, and even the jewelry that you wore in college will never look as good now as it did then.  Saving them is not a solution, it’s a mistake.  I waved goodbye to my sentimental shoes and still need to go through some of the sentimental clothes and jewelry.

Get Some Ideas

Each challenge has a corresponding idea.  My closet has presented me with multiple challenges and I had the opportunity to acknowledge those challenges as I sought to organize and clean.  I did not solve all of the challenges in one organization session, but now I can write down the challenges and begin to work out solutions.  Here are my existing challenges:

How to effectively utilize high closet shelves

Where to put extra guest pillows

What hangers do I really want to keep and which should I toss out

Where should we keep our suitcases

Does our closet really make the best wine rack (yes, there is a story there)

What type of shoe rack would do better than my two shelf unit

Rather than thinking of these existing challenges as all the ways I did not succeed in finishing today, I can understand that taking more than a day to work out solutions can actually make my closet organization better than it would be on a one day project.  Organization takes time, thought, and constant problem solving, but the results are so worth it!