A very cool chevron headboard!

As you all know, this christmas was "Handmade Christmas" around the Jones house.  I'm trying to round up pictures of all our handmade gifts, but for now, I just wanted to run through the making of the headboard I got from Momma and Daddy. 

The headboard is made of a closet door they found at the Habitat ReStore in Valdosta.  They brought it home, added a few cross bars to make it sturdy and so that it wouldn't bend, and then they added alittle decorative molding.  Alittle primer later, and it was ready to gift.  They left it primed, so that I could pick out what I wanted to do with it.  Sooo, the first step was to find some inspiration.  For this - I took to the internet.  I've noticed lately one design that seems to be trending is the chevron pattern (aka zigzag), so I started searching for that and found this chair.  I have green-yellow (grellow) curtains, and navy blue pillow shams, so I was looking for something that would go with that.  I used this as my inspiration.

                                               

Next, Momma and I went to Lowe's to pick out colors.  I got Kathleen to send me a picture of my curtains and shams, so that we could use that to compare.



We decided to go with the green color for less of a "BAM! IN YOUR FACE ZIG ZAG!" vibe that the navy would have given off.  Once we got home, we painted on the base color which would tape over next.  The base color was called "Candlelit Beige" and basically white, but alittle warmer than if we had just gone with the whitest of white.  While this color was drying, we practiced our pattern on wrapping paper that we had cut out to the exact size of our board.  Once the candlelit beige was dry, it was time to tape.  And tape we did...all night it felt like...

Next, we painted on the green color.  This got two coats and then it was time to remove the tape - my favorite part!!



Here is what it looked like with all the tape removed.  Looking Good!



After we removed the tape, we added more tape!  We had to cover the molding and paint everything green except the decorative molding.  We wanted it to stay Candlelit Beige.



Once that dried, we removed the tape, and added the doorknob back on.  We thought that gave it alittle character and now you can't look at it without realizing it used to be a closet door.  



The one thing nobody wanted to say the whole time we were crafting it up was, "There is no way that is going to fit in your car, so it may have to wait weeks or months before it hangs over your bed!"  I had faith the whole time.  So, we put the seats down in my car and carried the headboard outside to see if it would fit.

and...IT DID!  What an amazing car!?  I could probably fit a hot water heater in there if I wanted to.  Sorry the picture is sideways (and blue for some reason), but that is the headboard...perfectly fitting inside my car!

And we all know that as soon as I got it home, I had to hang it up.  I can't have a headboard that cool just laying around my room.  So, I used our handy dandy Hangman hanger we got at Lowe's and hung it up.

Finally, I rehung the floral picture on the other wall, and the transformation from no headboard to headboard was complete.  I think it looks really great!

It looks really cool at night by lamp light, but my rinky dink phone won't capture it.  Don't worry - my Iphone arrives via FedEx tomorrow and my pictures will be 100 times better from here on out!  Notice the higher quality picture Kathleen sent me from her iphone?  It's the one of my curtains and sham.



You got to nip it in the bud!

I have some sad news...yesterday afternoon I started to feel a little tinge of soreness in my throat and throughout the day, it developed into full on sickness!  What terrible timing!  I went to the doctor today, and told her if I wasn't done with this sickness by Christmas, I was going to be mad!  I would prefer to be done by the time I wake up tomorrow, but that might be alittle too high hopes. She prescribed me a Z Pack and I'm picking it up today after work.  I plan to take some advice from Barney Fife and Nip it right in the bud!

Click on this link to watch a funny video of Barney Fife:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de_P2aUZJyA

Weekend Update

This weekend we celebrated Christmas with LauraAnn and David, and the twins (John David and Bella Ann)!   The babies are adorable and getting very close to walking!  I thought I was going to get Bella Ann walking this weekend, but she only managed to take a couple steps before falling into me.  I think the falling part at the end was her favorite part.  She will probably walk first because she seems to really love the attention she is getting for it.  John David, on the other hand is more happy to watch the monogramming machine, TV or laptop than try to walk.  Here are some random pictures from the weekend.  I only have a few, and only of John David for some reason..  First, here are a few pictures from a sewing project Kate started at 9pm on Thursday night!

She was attempting to sew three tote bags, and these are all of the straps for the bags.  You can see the project is beginning to get to her.  This is where she started to lose it.

Here she has given up, and Momma has taken over to try and help out.  I took more of an instructional approach during this project...from the couch, while watching Miracle on 34th Street...

Finally, she was able to recompose herself, and get one of the bags done!  Yay Kate!!

I found this rug for $25 at Goodwill.  I couldn't resist buying it, as I'm sure I'll need it someday.  It was in great condition!  I am picturing it on wood floors, with a vintage chest for a coffee table, in front of a fireplace!

Momma and John David in watching Daddy's laptop. 

All three of them.  He was propped up on Daddy's shoulder forever watching the laptop, and examining the pictures from the wildlife camera! 

Unfortunately, that is all the pictures I took this weekend.  LauraAnn took alot, and hopefully, I'll be able to put some more up once she gets them to us.

The Bench!! Finally

Finally I've got internet!  Here are the steps it took to go from this:

To This:

First, I picked out all my colors and fabric:

Then, I took the bench outside and primed it.  I sanded it alittle before I used a spray primer on it.  A can of primer would have worked just as well, but I already had a can of spray primer from the Chalkboard wine glasses, and the drying time is about 1/8th of the time. I can get alittle impatient with projects, so this was the best option for me!

Since it was so windy outside, I decided to take it inside for the next step.  So, I covered the dining room table and got started on the Pumpernickle Brown paint. This took 3 coats, with about an hour drying time between each coat.  The can said 4 hours between coats, but it turned out great without the waiting.   

Next, I added the decorative nail heads in Bronze.  I measured the middle of the bench and then kept breaking it half and then half again, so that the nail heads were evenly spaced. 

Here's what it looked like after the paint dried and the nailheads were in place.  That is the original fabric.

Finally, I borrowed a staple gun from Betsy's sister and was able to recover the cushion in the fabric I found for $5! 

And...tada!   

Feliz Navidad!

I have finished the bench!  But since I haven't had time to write about it, and probably won't tonight - I thought I'd tease you alittle bit with the fabric swatch, paint swatch, and decorative nail heads that I used.

And just for fun, here are a couple pictures of me and Laura in a Feliz Navidad video from elfyourself.com.  I would have had to pay to send that one, so that is why no one found it in their inbox.

Oh man! I get such a kick out of these videos!

On my To Do List for after work today is to: Go to Michaels, Hancock Fabrics, Take back pants to Gap, Go to Crate and Barrel, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Walmart.  Then when I get home from all that: Eat a hardy dinner!, wrap presents, finish christmas cards, and do laundry.

Ay ay ay!  Say alittle prayer for me! Me and Betsy witnessed a verbal/physical altercation over a parking spot at the mall yesterday...People are starting to lose it!

Weekend Update

Well, since I've been spending my evenings this week, wandering around the malls trying to get ideas for Christmas presents, and hoping to find a winter addition to my work wardrobe (with no luck so far), I haven't been getting on the computer much after work, or taking too many pictures.  But this weekend, I hope to knock out a couple more presents.  I plan to repaint Daniel's bench and pick out the fabric for the seat.  I'll also go ahead and get any other little things like decorative nailheads or whatever else the craft store inspires in me.  Since I don't have much to put in my blog right now, I thought I'd link you up to one of my favorite blogs that has a tutorial on redo-ing a bench similar to mine. (which has been riding around in the backseat of my car for over a week now) A drive thru person actually commented on it the other day.

The blog is called Young House Love, and it is a young family that posts about upgrading/remodeling their house on a budget through Do It Yourself projects.  Click Here to check it out!

Also, tonight is my work Holiday Party!  Should be lots of fun and an excuse to get semi dressed up.  The dress is "Holiday Casual"  and I'm alittle afraid that my casual might be alittle more casual than the bigwigs I work with, so I've been asking around, and it turns out it is a good thing I did.  Looks like Holiday Casual translates to the same thing we wear everyday at the office...I'm going to try and add alittle red and sparkly though!

UGA experienced quite a brutal loss this weekend to LSU in the SEC Championship.  We had hope the first half, and even went to halftime with the lead.  This didn't last long after the 2nd half kicked off.  LSU intercepted the ball right away, and I think everyone knew that was it.  They came out ready to go!  And that's what they did.  With a final score of 42-10, there was no need for a rematch. 

Jen's dad dropped us off at the Blue Lot which was designated UGA tailgate zone, and we met up with a lot of her sister's friends.  From right to left above, that's Jen, Me, and Joanne (one of her sister's friends).

This guy above in the middle is kind of a Bulldog legend!  He is at every game, and he always paints his head!  From right to left, Me, Jen, crazy fan, Katie, Taylor (Jen's sister).

The tailgate right next to us was nice enough to let me check out their food selection and take away a ham sandwich and some potatoes!  Instant friends at tailgates are the best!

After the game, we took the MARTA to meet Jen's dad in midtown where my car was parked.  Overall a good day!  I don't think many UGA fan's actually believed in their heart of hearts that we would win, so it was almost cruel to give us hope in the first half and then completely fall apart in the second!

A few random side notes:

*Last night, I finally met up with the craigslist lady, who sold me Daniel's bench.  It is in the back of my car right now.  So, now all I have to do is sand, prime, paint, and recover! 

*I just paid for the 6 month extension on my Marketing Research Certificate class.  It was only $50, and I just couldn't admit that I paid for it and didn't do it.  Plus, I want it on my resume! 

*I didn't get the Hire Heroes job, so that's a bummer.  However, I am constantly on the look-out.  In fact, tonight when I get home, I'll be taking a 2.5 hour Aptitude/Personality test for one of the jobs I've applied for.  Good lord - that's almost as long as the SAT!  At least they'll know how smart and likeable I am! ha

*update: you spell it peruse! i feel so much better knowing that!

Who's that coming down the track? All decked out in red and black.

...why it's Lizzie, with a free ticket to the SEC Championship game!

I know Georgia's chances of winning this football game rank among pigs flying or hell freezing over, but wouldn't it be exciting if we did!  There isn't much more exciting than an amped up crowd of football fans!

Here's where I'll be on Saturday:

 I've never been to the Georgia Dome before...this should be fun!  I'm especially excited about the roof!  I won't be freezing my tail off at this game! No need to stuff hand warmers in every pocket.
It's okay to be alittle jealous...



Jewelry Party!!

Today is the jewelry party!  I set everything up last night, so that this evening when I get home all I'll have to do is some last minute cleaning.  I think I'll stage the place alittle with a nice fire going, cookies in the oven, and a candle that smells like a christmas tree!

I might also lose the umbrella that's propped up behind the table...

Check it out!  My homemade displays are staying strong!  To make those, I bought frames from Goodwill and spray painted them the perfect Stella & Dot blue, and then just put a simple fabric where the picture would go! 

As you can see, I've acquired alittle bit more jewelry since the first show.  However, I could always use some more.  Laura and I need to have one combined, SUPER jewelry party.  Together we have most of the collection!  Not really, but we've got alot!

Wish me luck!  I've just decided I'm going to have my car and student loan paid off in three years.  Yikes! - that's alot of jewelry! Okay - I'm off to buy a lottery ticket!