new (unfinished) desk!

my new desk!!

look at those legs!

excuse the poor photos

Quite awhile ago, I requested (on a social media group) that someone make me a console for my new house. I got a response from another military member, who said he could not make me the console due to a limited time frame, but he would be happy to make me something else. So I requested a desk based on these Ana-White plans. And today, he delivered. And it only cost my $90! Which, for a desk this size, is a steal.

I LOVE my new desk. It's huge (22" deep by 72" wide), super sturdy, and I get to finish it in the colors I chose. It is going to make an excellent sewing desk in the new house. I can't wait to finish it and then use it!

color choices

I snapped this picture at my local Lowe's today. These are the colors available for Minwax water-based stain, which is what I want to use to stain the desk. I am thinking about doing one color for the legs and another color for the desk top. What colors do you think I should use?

spray-painted lamp

before

 I found this lamp in a "for free" pile outside a neighbor's house. I drove past it at first, but something drew me back to it. I adopted it, and decided to transform it into a modern lamp.

So I spray-painted it a satin black.

after

Now I just need to find the right lamp shade for it!

look at those leaves!

[completed] framed fabric jewelry display

diy framed fabric jewelry holder

 Yesterday, for no apparent reason, I became convinced that I needed to make a jewelry holder/hanger. I spent some time googling DIY tutorials and images, and finally was inspired by this framed cork jewelry organizer. So I went over to my local Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies to make my own!

I easily found a 20x24 frame, some gray faux-suede fabric, and black pushpins, but couldn't find any cork. So I wandered around, and then settled on using two 20"x30" craft foam boards instead. It was a gamble, but it was low investment and it paid off!

Assembly was easy. I took the back and the plastic "glass" off the frame and cut my foam boards down to 24" in length (they were already 20" wide, which was perfect). I taped the foam boards together, and then covered them with the faux-suede fabric. I ended up just taping the fabric to the boards. I'd prefer to staple, but I don't have an industrial stapler yet. And glue was too risky - it's difficult to readjust with glue. And I needed to pull the fabric taut again after I stuck the fabric-covered boards in the frame.

Then I forcibly pushed the frame back on, and taped it down for extra security. The back didn't fit very well because of the thickness of the boards and the fabric, but it worked with a little encouragement.

Then I simply stuck the pushpins through the fabric into the boards, and hung my necklaces off of them. Easy, pretty, and organized.

So a quick recap:

Materials:
1 20x24 frame - 14.97
2 20x30 foam boards - 3.00
1 yard of faux-suede fabric - 1.00

Total cost: 18.97 for a fabulous (and large) new jewelry organizer!

a sense of scale