Fall Subway Art

Happy Fall, Y'all! While it's still getting pretty warm during the day here in Western North Carolina, the early mornings and late nights are cool enough to get me good and excited about some fall!

I've seen Subway art popping up all over blogland these days. Most of it seems to be created with some fancy Cricut or Silhouette machines and while I don't own one of those, I do have a computer, a printer and Microsoft Publisher. I love what a big statement some simple words can make.

Want to make your own Subway art? Simply use your favorite publishing program to combine words that remind you of a central theme...like seasons, holidays, or even relationships. Then, print it out, stick it in a frame and you've got some super easy, super cheap Subway art!

Need some other ideas to get you in the mood for Fall? Try these.

Fall Decorating

More Fall Decorating

Fall Tablescape

Pumpkins and Halloween Cookies

Easy As Pie Pumpkin Muffins

Trick or Treat Buckets

-Sarai

Home Office: Details, Details

For all three of you who might still be the least bit interested in reading about my office project, I thought I'd finish up this little series of posts with details on all the, well, details. From containers to organization to personal touches, this post has it all!

Simple glass canisters and printed tags store pre-cut ribbons and keep them easily accessible.

I've had this old bookcase for at least 15 years, but it keeps hanging on...and it provides the perfect amount of storage for my sewing and business products. To the left of the bookcase, I have all my ribbons and fabric stored in a fashion that I am FINALLY happy with. Check out this post for details on the ribbon storage.

I wanted my fabric to be stored so that it was accessible and easy to sort through. Here's how I did it: I painted a couple of old VHS tape organizers black to match the ribbon storage. I folded a bazillion pieces of card stock (well, not really a bazillion, but several hundred!) in half and cut off about half an inch from the long side. I folded the fabric, long ways, over the card stock and secured it with a little pin. It was oh, so easy and now, when need something for a project, I feel like I'm shopping in my own little fabric store! (I got the idea for this project here.)

This little magnet strip actually won't be used for magnets at all. Instead, I'll use it as a place to organize any upcoming orders. The little "keep calm and sew stuff" art was created on my computer, thank you Microsoft Publisher.

This wire basket came from IKEA a long time ago and it's the perfect size for file folders. The problem with it is that the bar it's supposed to hang on requires some crazy anchors and bolts when you hang it on the wall. In order to make it accessible from my sewing table, I opened the table (the top unfolds) laid a piece of ribbon across the crack, closed the table, tied the ribbon to the basket and VOILA!

Magnetic picture frames filled with homemade labels (thank you again, Publisher!) adorn the front of the filing cabinet.

I REALLY wish I had a before picture of this closet. There was an INSANE amount of crap in there. I finally decided that the craft projects I'd been holding on to since college were probably not going to get done and that it was ok to throw them out. I like that everything is neat and tidy and has it's own little space.

I can't possibly end without showing off some more homemade artwork. Before, the stuff on the walls of my office was totally random and most of it didn't even reflect who we are or what we wanted from the space. Now, everything is cohesive and unified and it's all stuff I really really like. In addition to a cheap-o clock from Wal-Mart, some framed pictures of some of my favorite people and a Mod Podged "G" (for our last name), there are 3 pictures from my favorite musical of all time, Wicked. I cut up an old Wicked calendar to get pictures from 3 of my favorite scenes in the entire show. Wicked is such an amazing tale of friendship and loving people because of what's on the inside. These pictures remind me of that wonderful message every day.

I hope you've enjoyed exploring my home office project! I'm loving every minute to crafting and working and playing in this new space!

-Sarai

Home Office: The Skinny Latte Scoop

When deciding on a paint color for the office, I went back and forth between a beige and a grey for a while. Then, I had to choose a specific shade of beige. Do you even know how many shades of beige there are?? I had to narrow it down to something neutral, something classy, something classic, something that would go perfectly with all my black and white accents.

And then it hit me: paint your walls the same color as your coffee. Let me just say that, in the words of my husband, I like "creamer, sugar and a little bit of coffee". When I found the color called "Skinny Latte", I knew it was the perfect match!

Here are some progress shots, from beginning to end, for several views in the office.

The first picture is the true before...before anything had been moved or transformed.

The second picture is the room once everything was off the walls and the smaller furniture was removed.

The third picture was taken after I had puttied all the holes. No, the room does not have the chicken pox. No, I did not have a clue as to what I was doing when I moved posters and pictures and clocks and more posters a million times in the past 5 years. Yes, it took a long time to putty and sand all those holes. Yes, there were at least 160 holes in the wall. Yes, one hundred sixty.

The fourth picture is the after shot. Between the putty holes and the after picture, there was a coat of primer and 2 coats of paint. But that's boring and you're not missing out by not seeing a picture of it, promise.

(You can click on the pictures to enlarge them).

Here are some other things that got a paint facelift.

These shutters went from UGLY brown to glossy back thanks to 4 cans of 96 cent spray paint from Wal-Mart and 1 can of glossy top coat spray paint.

Here's a before and after of my sewing table. You can read more about that process here.

I forgot to take a picture of this table before I started. It used to be a craft table, so the top was formerly glue, paint and scratch covered. I sanded and sanded and varnished and varnished and am so pleased with my shiny new table top. The bottom of the table was originally white. Then, I painted it light blue (to match the old office colors) and wrote inspirational words around the top with a silver sharpie marker. Not exactly sure what I was thinking there, but it was nothing a little sanding and black paint couldn't cover up.

For those of you who are not quite sick of reading about my office project just yet, stay tuned for all the organizational solutions I put to work in here. See you next time!

-Sarai

Home Office: Budget Breakdown

If you read this post, you know that the budget for our office project wasn't all that hefty. After all, we weren't planning to do any major renovations, but needed to take it from college days catch all room to classy home office. I had planned to spend around $100, but I'm here to tell you that we came in FOURTEEN DOLLARS UNDER BUDGET! And just in case you're not all that awesome at math, that means it only cost $86 to take it from this...

to this...

One of my favorite shows on HGTV is "Design Remix". It's an older show and only the reruns are airing now, but I still love it. The concept is that they can redo any room for $50 and some paint. They "shop" in the clients home and use as much of their own stuff as they can to complete the space. I definitely used that concept in our office. As a matter of fact, there are very few brand new things in here now. Several things got face lifts and lots of things were brought in from other rooms of the house. I'll be posting about some of those projects and things soon.

So, here's the breakdown of how we spent the moo-lah along with some pictures of 2 of my favorite projects...

I got the shutters from the Habitat for Humanity Home Store. They were UGLY brown, but I had a vision :) They weren't marked with a price, so I asked a worker there what they would cost. He tilted his head to the side and said "How about $2?" I said "SOLD!"...and then I got home and could have kicked myself for not getting the other 12 ugly brown shutters.

The curtain rod came from Wal-Mart for a big $8. I used a black flat sheet ($3), again from Wal-Mart, to make the panel for the curtain. I topped it off with a $3 spool of ribbon for my new favorite window in the whole house :)

I just LOVE this little lamp! I found the base at a local boutique for $3 and the shade at Roses for $3. The boring white shade needed a little "umph" so after trying a few different ideas, I resorted to tying some knots out of ribbon I already had on hand and immediately loved it!

I spent about $18 on other decorative things (trash can, frames for the wall, file holders, etc).

I thought the paint was going to crush our budget. The old walls were a dark blue and I was afraid that between primer and multiple coats of paint, we'd be in trouble. Well, I was able to find primer a bucket of primer on clearance which was a huge help! Between the primer, paint, spray paint and a few brushes and supplies that we didn't already have on hand, I only spent about $46!!

That brings the grand total for $86. That's a price I can live with :)

Details on all the little details coming soon! See you then!

-Sarai

My Home Office Reveal...Finally

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I've been promising a big office reveal for MONTHS now, but I promise this is the real deal! It's finally done!

I probably spend more time in my home office than any other room in the house. It's the space where I create for my business, take care of home business, blog and keep track of my daily schedule. I figured that a room that acted as the command center for our home and family needed to reflect our personalities and foster a sense of calmness and order. Until this redo started, the office had NONE of those traits.

Before I welcome you to my new home office, let's take a look at the chaotic mess it used to be...

Yep, there she is in all her glory. We painted those stripes on the wall when we moved in 5 years ago in an effort to cover up the hideous Carolina Blue that covered the walls. Sure it was fun and neat, but ENOUGH ALREADY. Like I said, I'm in this room all the time. The stripes were about to cause me to go crazy.

And now, without further ado, welcome to my new home office!!
When I walk in this room now, I can seriously breathe a sigh of relief. Everything has a home. There is a reasonable amount of furniture occupying the space. Each wall and surface is filled with things that are inspiring and encouraging and things I love. This room is no longer a dumping ground for junk or extra crap. And I LOVE IT!!

Here are some other before and after shots to help you get the full picture of my office awesomeness.

Before...

After...

Before...

After...

Sometimes I still can't believe the transformation! Our budget was pretty small, so nearly everything used had to be something we already had. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting a breakdown of projects, organizational tips and how we spent our measly little budget. So check back often for tips on how to transform a space with little to no money!

-Sarai

This post is linked at the following:

Prettiest Sewing Table On the Block :)

For starters, we Simple Girls apologize for the insane amount of inactivity happening over here. Summer always seems to be such a busy time for all three of us, but this one seems especially so! Brooke's spending the summer as our world traveler, Katrina's an extremely busy full-time mom to 3 sweet little girls and I'm filling my days with getting ready for summer camp, keeping my oh-so-precious niece and, well, this....

It's official. The office project is well underway. And by well underway, I mean that the walls and furniture are painted and it functions as an office again, instead of a room full of tables pushed to the middle of the room. I'm still working on getting pictures and such on the walls, getting some curtains made/purchased and picking up a few more accessories to finish it off. I'm EXTREMELY pleased with the results so far and FINALLY feel like I'm working in a classy adult space as opposed to a young, full of college leftovers space.

The biggest obstacle to completing the makeover was this one...

This sewing table belonged to my mom's mom. I love thinking about all the amazing things she created while sitting at this very table and how I get to continue that tradition! The honey color wasn't bad, but it really didn't match what I was going for in my new and improved office.

It's got some cool detail on the legs and sides.

And LOTS of damage on the top from wet ups and flower pots.

Check that out! The top folds open to create a bigger work surface. Back in the day, my Nanny was able to store her sewing machine inside the table and raise it up when she was ready to use it. That function doesn't really work now, but that work space is perfect for all kinds of sewing projects!

And after HOURS of sanding (definitely used an electric sander and totally not even kidding about the amount of time it took...I think it took about 45 minutes to get the feeling back in the hands and arms!), 2 coats of paint, several coats of varnish and loads of drying time, I'm pleased to present this beauty...

So polished and so chic in my new office (and yes, that's the new office wall color you see there! More on that in an upcoming post.)

To take care of the brassy hardware, I simply removed it, sprayed it silver and finished it with a clear spray sealer. Hopefully it will all stand up to some wear and tear.

If this pretty little thing doesn't motivate me to whip up some of the cutest little baby items, I don't know what will!! Stay tuned for more on my office makeover!!

-Sarai

Wanna see other cool projects?
Check out the blog parties happenin' over at House of Hepworths and The Shabby Chic Cottage!

Gotta Start Somewhere

Redecorating my office seems to be the project that never happens. I feel like I've been talking about it for months if not years, yet nothing seems to get the ball rolling. Yes, I have my handy little project book (thanks to another simple girl who knows me all too well) filled with paint chips and color palettes and furniture layout ideas. I have my to-do list ready. I have my shopping list ready. And yet...nothing. About the time I started seriously getting my plans together for this project, I took on the task of keeping my niece a couple of days a week. And while, that is one of the most fun jobs to have, it doesn't exactly lend itself to help in the home improvement projects!

A few weeks ago, my husband was out of town, and I was bored. I really wanted to dive right in and slap some paint on the walls. However, because of the stripes that are currently on the walls, I wasn't up for the sanding and priming that would have to precede said paint job. So I decided to start small. I checked out my to-do list and found that project that would require the least amount of time and would require only materials that I had on hand. And so, "Reupholster Desk Chair" had its day in the sun!

Here's the chair before in all its boring blue plain jane office-y glory. The office is blue now, so sure, it matches. But that doesn't mean it looks awesome. We need awesome.

And one hour, several hot glue gun burns and some black and white gingham fabric later...TADA!! Much more awesome and it will tie in perfectly with the black and white theme I'll have going on in here.
I didn't remove the old fabric. I didn't use a staple gun. I just folded and tucked and snipped and glued until it looks how I thought it should. No, it's not perfect, but it's prettier than it was. And while motivation for this project hasn't exactly turned into motivation (read: free time) to get the rest of the office started, it's one less thing I'll have to do in the long run. You gotta start somewhere, right?

Simple Storage Tip-Flags & Table Runners

A few weeks ago when I was cleaning out my guest room I ran across a storage solution I had put into practice some time ago that I thought I'd share with you all!

We have several outdoor flags that we cycle through throughout the year in an effort to spruce up our sorry excuse for a front porch. (Right now, we're sportin' some Duke Blue Devil pride! Yay for March Madness!) Those flags can be a pain to fold and store, so I came up with this idea:

Who doesn't have a ton of the leftover pants hangers from department stores? Simply fold the flag in half, secure in the little clips, hang it on the closet rod and you're done! And see how little room it takes up?

If you don't have a guest closet, you can stash these in your own closet, a kids' closet or even a coat closet.

If you don't have a guest closet, you can stash these in your own closet, a kids' closet or even a coat closet.

Did you see that random blue hanger in the mix up there?

That would be my storage solution for table runners. I love being able to change the look of the kitchen table without a lot of work. I learned a few years ago that if changing the look meant finding and ironing a table runner, it just wasn't going to happen. By hanging the runners on a hanger, they remain un-wrinkled and ready to go! Again, they take up very little space!

These easy-peasy storage solutions allow me to make small changes around the house for special occasions and holidays at a moment's notice! Nothing fancy, but I thought I'd share!

-Sarai

I'm an Organizing Junkie...

...but you'd never know it if you'd seen my guest room a week ago! Let me explain...

About 3 months ago, our guest room became our junk room. In the winter, we use the gas logs in our living room as our main heat source to cut down on heating costs. Because we don't have guests all that often during the winter months, we close the heating vent and door to the guest room so that we're not heating unused space. So, not only is that room about 15-20 degrees colder than the rest of the house, it's also the place where things get dumped. After all, I'm not about to go spend any length of time in there to put things away!

Over at I'm an Organizing Junkie, there's a 28 day organizing challenge going on for the month of February. There are some prizes and stuff, but I simply used my "enough is enough" mentality to motivate me to sign up. Here we are at the end of the month and I'm proud to say that our guest room is officially a guest room again!

Over the past couple of months, I've been doing some serious purging in order to create a simpler environment and also to get ready for an upcoming yard sale. I didn't have enough boxes to store all of the "get rid of" things, so our once somewhat inviting guest room became this...

(before)

It's ok...you can cringe (I did every time I opened the door to throw something else in there!). Those big piles are yard sale/to be put away/don't know what to do with you items...and yes, there are even some Christmas boxes and decorations still couped up in that room. Ugh. I knew it was pretty bad, but when my husband walked by one day when I had the door open to throw something on the pile, his I didn't know it was THAT bad! remark confirmed my deepest fears!

So, after acquiring some boxes, I began the daunting task of battling the piles (and the cold!) in order to restore some sanity in this room. You can kinda see that the room had some pretty good 'bones' already...decent furniture, nice curtains and linens and tons of organizational containers. After about 3 hours of boxing up, dusting, organizing and cleaning, that horrendous mess turned into this...

(after)

A little more inviting, huh?

I didn't get a chance to paint and I need a few more photos or artwork to complete the space, but I'm extremely pleased with the results! A few candles, photos of friends and family, magazines and extra towels make this room super cozy. This is finally a room that I'd be comfortable inviting guests to stay in.

Here are some alternate before and after views from the 4 corners of the room.

(before)

(after)

(before)

(after)

(before)

(after)

Now, we come to the closet. Before the guest room became a junk room, this closet became the place to dump things and shut the door so no once can see them". Then, the closet overflowed and...you know the rest of the story. Here's a glimpse at the before:

And thanks to some old bins, boxes and space bags (storing extra pillows under the bed!), here's the after:

I've stored like linens in containers (twin sheets, duvets, etc), have all of my gift wrapping items stored according to type (extra gift boxes, tissue paper and gift bags and a gift wrap container back in the corner of the closet) and there are a couple of crates on the bottom shelves that contain items purchased to give as gifts.

No, it's not my most spectacular organizing transformation ever, but for a few hours of work and no additional money spent, I'd say I pulled it off!

Here are some questions posed by the gals over at I'm an Organizing Junkie to help summarize the whole experience.

1. What was the hardest part of the challenge for you and were you able to overcome it?

The hardest part, for me, was getting started. I knew it was going to be a huge project and I had a hard time finding the motivation to get going. Obviously, I was able to overcome it...thanks to some help from Diet Coke and the new Lady Antebellum album :)

2. Tell us what kind of changes/habits you have put into place in order for your area/room to maintain its new order?

I was able to implement containers for like items...such as like linens, gift boxes, guest towels, etc. After purging a great deal of things, I was able to store most of the rooms extra items in the closet...and was still able to shut the door!

3. What did you do with the “stuff” you were able to purge out of your newly organized space?

I have about 10 boxes of items ready to be sorted and priced for a spring yard sale! I love when organizing projects yield money!

4. What creative storage solutions were you able to introduce in order to create additional space as well as establish some limits and boundaries?

I used an old white plastic shelving unit in the closet. With a closet rod and simple eye level shelf, the closet doesn't lend itself to storage of any sort (except clothes!). By adding the shelf, I was able to create multiple levels of storage. In using the containers to store linens and gift wrapping/giving supplies, I'm able to have a set boundary for how many of each item to keep on hand. When the bins get full, something's gotta go! Overall, I believe keeping the main surfaces and floor space of the room clear, will allow me to see any little thing that's out of place and cause me to take immediate action.

5. Why do you think you should win this challenge?

I believe I was able to clearly define the space for its intended purpose (a guest room) and create adequate storage for items overflowing from other areas of the house (such as linens, gift wrapping, etc). The room is well organized, allows for easy up keep and is, overall, a welcoming space.

-Sarai

Welcome Mat ReDo

Most of us are experiencing winter weather like crazy these days. This kind of weather makes me want to do 1 of 2 things:

*Curl up on the couch and do nothing.

OR

*Redecorate and reorganize the whole house.

A few weeks ago, I was feeling a little of the latter coming on and decided that I'd tackle a small project during an afternoon. During this particular afternoon, it was sunny (gasp!) and above 50 degrees (gasp again!), so I felt like doing something kinda spring-ish.

A few years ago, we bought a welcome mat for our main entrance. It was all cute with flowers and bright and colorful and it was made from recycled materials which meant it was eco-friendly and it would last for a long time...oh and it was on sale! Perfect! However, like most things that get a lot of foot traffic, it began to show signs of wear and our once cute and colorful mat all of a sudden looked like this:

So, I decided to give it a little face lift. I used a couple of small paint brushes, some craft paint and turned it into this:

We wondered if it would wear off quickly, but so far, it's showing no signs of wear! And the recycled welcome mat lives on!

-Sarai

Linking this project up here:

ps... Be sure to scroll down for more of this weekend's lovely tips and ideas! :)