Playroom Storage Stools

Ok I have time to post one more incredibly easy beginners project. The boys pulled the stuffing out of the padding on their 2 year old chairs from their table set. After my recent successes with beginner carpentry projects I starting cruising the web for some easy plans.

Shanty 2 Chic had some wonderful ideas. These stools were perfect minus the wheels. I had visions of toppling stools when they jump on them to sing! The boys picked out their own spray paint colours and had a blast painting them. Three stools took me about an hour minus sanding time.

I read all about how easy it is to stain and finish these but I have to admit I am becoming a spray paint junkie. They came out so good and dried so quickly I am considering giving a few other things a facelift. They match their new bookshelves and can be used as more book storage in a pinch as they outgrow them.

 I have to say I would never even have considered doing any of these projects if it weren't for these really great instructables and blogs. These authors have been an inspiration to me. Living well on a very small budget is looking easier and easier. I have been looking at goodwill furniture and even junk in the garage with a new eye!

Shelves for Children's Books

You would think I had tons of time right now with all these projects I have accomplished this spring.
Somehow I have managed to actually finish a few projects with the help of some great blogs and instructables.

By necessity we needed a place for the boys books after a new resident took up space on our bookcase. The books have been piled in a laundry basket for 2 weeks when I came across this blog.
Ana White has tons and tons of easy plans for simple furniture and I believe even has a new book out with great ideas as well.

These ledges were my inspiration. I changed the measurements to fit some unused hall wall space right outside the boys bedroom. I only spent $12 for the whole project.

Couldn't have been easier to make. One of these days the wonderful people at Home Depot will not be able to cut my wood and I will have to learn to use a saw. Until then I can put together these fabulous projects in a naptime!

Baking Your Own Bread, Part 2

While looking for those fabulous build your own bed plans I came across this post from the same author.

I read it through twice and was shaking my head in disbelief. No kneading? Little rising? what kind of blasphemy is this? I tried it, fully expecting a horrible loaf that at best would be passable for croutons.

Crispy brown crust and light flaky bread reminiscent of those delicious artisan French bread loaves after a couple of hours! That big bucket of dough made a ridiculously easy pizza dough, a ciabatta for some toasted sandwiches, and a few crusty loaves to serve with salads.

My son even expressed an interest in making it and was so proud of his first loaf. We left a bit of dough in the bucket for the next batch and got a beautiful sourdough flavor. I am thinking about getting that book the next time I have found money burning a hole in my pocket.

Aeray, seriously, why did you have to be already married.............

Easy Bed Frame to Build

SO my bed frame broke.....yeah, one too many jumps from one of the boys (yes you Nicholas). I went to look at bed frames at a few stores and came to the conclusion that I did not have over $200 to spend on a new one. I store a ton of stuff under my bed so mattress on the floor was not really an option.




I googled bed frames plans and Holy Cannoli there's a pile of them. The one that caught my eye was " Cheap Easy Low Waste". Much Thanks to the author for this fabulous plan!

For $72.50 I built a queen sized bed and repurposed my headboard. Woohoo! The really bored guys at Home Depot cut my wood so essentially I just had to predrill holes and screw the pieces together.

This baby is incredibly sturdy and comfortable besides. I still have my storage space as well.

An unintended side benefit was that this bed takes up much less space, at least visually if not in actuality, so my room seems much bigger.


I am working on my saw phobia and plan to do a few more projects. My scrap pile is growing and I have bookmarked a few pages.
The low cost is wonderful and I am so pleased with myself. Yay!