September Deals & Steals

So sorry for not posting on Friday, peeps. I had every intention of doing so, but got smacked down by a really random virus that clogged up my sinuses and made me into a zombie version of myself. I'm finally feeling like myself again - only took two days in bed, some NyQuil and extra strength Mucinex.

Oh, and some Starbucks. ;)

Anyway....when I wasn't feeling like a total zombie I got inspired by a fellow blogger (albeit a much better known one than yours truly). Some of you might be aware of Emily Henderson's Trolling Cragislist post series, where she posts the most intriguing Craigslist design finds from different cities.

I like it so much that I'm going to do my own twist on it: a monthly post series about some of the most character-filled bargains I've found in the Chicago area via a variety of sources, whether it be garage sales, thrift stores or Craigslist. Although, let's face it, a lot of the stuff I find will likely be on Craigslist because I don't have time to be driving all over the ding dang place looking for bargains.

Here's a snapshot of some awesome stuff I've found this week. Please note that some of these items may or may not still be for sale.

Happy bargain shopping! :)

1.) Two Butcher Blocks for $500, Craigslist. This would be a great addition to a cookie-cutter kitchen to give it a more rustic look.

2.) Pine End Table, $35, Craigslist. This would be an easy one to paint and add new hardware to in order to make it your own. Plus it's in really great shape!

3.) Solid Wood Long Dresser, $150, Craigslist. Ohhhhh my. I'm kind of in love with this one. I can SO picture sanding it down, painting it another color, and adding some nifty hardware to make it mine. 

4.) Unique Armchair, $35, Craigslist. Definitely a unique-looking chair that can be easily spruced up and re-upholstered.

5.) Wood Windows, $20 each, Craigslist. I can find about a dozen decorative uses for these puppies. Come to mama.

Anyone else find any awesome bargains lately (on Craigslist or otherwise)? Sharing is caring, my friends.

Knick Knacks and Odds 'n Ends

Remember when I told you about the console table we finally found a home for and that I was on the hunt for stuff to decorate it? I'm still on the hunt overall, but did end up finding this gem at Goodwill for the low, low price of 99 cents.

Granted, it didn't look pretty. What others saw as a sad excuse for a fake pumpkin, I saw a diamond in the rough. I ran out to Lowes and grabbed some navy spray paint and went to work. Since I wanted to be lazy efficient, I got the Paint & Primer in one.

Here's the final spray-painted product. Looks a lot less sad, right?

Since I've been on a bit of a nautical kick lately, I freehanded an anchor with acrylic paint. Just because, ya know, I can.

Pretty spiffy, eh? All in all it cost about $5 with the paint, and didn't take too long at all (like 15 minutes total....it took longer for it to dry than painting it!).

Anyone else spruced up any thrift store finds lately? Do share!

Step-By-Step: Re-Upholstering a Chair

Sometimes the best way to overcome grief is to distract yourself from it temporarily. At least that's what works for me.

So, to distract myself from the fact that my crazy freckle-nosed furball has passed on to the afterlife, I drowned my sorrows into reupholstering a chair that we got as part of a set we bought off of Craigslist awhile ago (it included a desk, this chair, and what eventually became Owen's dresser).

I loved the distressed look of the paint/wood, so I didn't want to change that. However, the cushion left much to be desired.

Yeah, it was pretty blaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.

I ran out to my local craft store and after perusing many yards of fabric, I ultimately decided on a navy blue with a white classic pattern.

And because actually re-upholstering the chair took all of 20 minutes (seriously, one of the easiest design fixes ever), to prolong the distraction I spent two hours on Photoshop creating this handy step-by-step guide. Ain't it snazzy?


WHAT YOU NEED:

• 1-2 yards of fabric (I only needed a yard, but if you're prone to mistakes or if having only 1-yard cuts it close you may want to get two or more)
• Scissors
• A screwdriver
• A ruler or a tape measure
• A staple gun and a package of staples (these run anywhere from $10 - $20 at your local hardware store)

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First, turn over the chair and unscrew the base of the cushion.

2. So, turns out this wasn't the first time this chair was re-upholstered. I gotta give credit to the former owners - it was a step up from a pink flower nightmare, that's for sure.

3. Lay out your fabric, and set the cushion on it upside down.

4. Measure 3-inches away from the edge of the cushion on all sides. For ones that are not perfect squares and that bow out toward the end, make sure you measure three inches all the way down. Cut the fabric at these marks.

5. Fold the two longer ends over the edge of the cushion. Break out that staple gun and begin stapling, keeping staples about 1-inch apart and stapling about a quarter inch from the edge of the fabric.

6. When you're done with the two long sides, fold the bottom/top ends into triangles. This is similar to folding wrapping paper for presents.

7. Fold the fabric over the edge and continue stapling as described in Step 5.

8. This is about how the bottom of the cushion should look when it's all stapled up. Almost there!!

9. Lay the chair upside down on a flat, even surface with the newly re-upholstered cushion in place. Screw the cushion back into the body of the chair. Note: you may have to drill pilot holes for these, but luckily I had some mad skillz and mine just went right in, no pre-drilling necessary.

10. Place the chair right-side-up and admire your snazzy new(ish) chair.

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Here's a final photo with the chair in its final place (until I decide to move it, that is). For the time being, we're using it as a phone charging station and extra seating.

Any other re-upholstering peeps out there? Tell me about your projects!

A spot for baby.

My son's room was one of the first areas I tackled when we moved into our house last year. I wanted a space that could grow with him - too often I see fancy-schmancy nurseries with chandeliers and lace and ruffles that have to be completely changed around once the kid grows out of it in a year or two.

Based on my experience, here are some words of wisdom to moms prepping their nursery for their bundle of joy. Of course, feel free to take these with a heaping grain of salt - always do what's best for you and your family!

• Try to buy most furniture used if you can, although you shouldn't get a drop-down side crib per the new safety standards. Craigslist is a great source for this kind of stuff - in fact, the dresser I bought off a Craigslist seller for his bedroom was only $50. That's compared to the $600+ that Buy Buy Baby wanted for something similar. 
• Make your own nursery art or support artists on Etsy or at local shops. That way, you'll have some unique pieces and (hopefully) won't overpay for cookie-cutter artwork. I created almost all of the art for my son's room, and not only did I have a blast doing it, but I'm stoked that he can point to them one day and proudly say that his mom made them for him. Ahhh the little things. :)
• Find one item to splurge on. For me it was the rocking chair and ottoman, which ended up costing around $650. It was a HUGE help in feeling comfortable while feeding my son, and I don't regret this purchase one bit. Heck, I feel like it helped prevent what would otherwise have been inevitable visits to the chiropractor. 

Just some samples of my quirky sense of humor.