DIY Deadline: Custom Jewelry Trays

There's a deadline looming in our house.  One that will change everything. 

I'm a girl who works best if I have a deadline.  Now there are some out there that may label me a procrastinator.... but, I just choose to say I work well under pressure.  So now that we are past the half way point in this pregnancy, it seems like we need to get down to business and get things done.

There are tons of things I'd like to get done before the baby gets here: the nursery, painting our closet, some outdoor projects, deep cleaning, etc... but one thing I'd like to get done is to finish up some of these looming DIY projects that I have sitting around waiting to be tackled.  So, from time to time, I will be bringing you a post called DIY Deadline where I show you one of these projects that has been sitting around waiting to be completed. 

This time... It's all about these jewelry organizers I have been wanting to make.

Last March, Michael and I were at the Habitat ReStore and I saw a huge stack of shallow drawers.  As soon as I saw them, I knew instantly what I wanted to do with them.  I knew we could make them into jewelry organizers.

So we bought four of them, with the idea that they would fit seamlessly into our IKEA closet system that we had just purchased and assembled.

And then they sat in our basement for 9 long months, waiting for us to get to them.

One of the biggest issues was how we were going to transform them from empty drawers into organized jewelry trays. 

Then this Christmas we decided to invest in a beautiful and magical piece of equipment called a miter saw.  Once this wonderful machine entered our home, the answer was clear. We'll cut some scrap wood and glue them down to create dividers.

So working on this project became a nice excuse for Michael to play with his new toy. 

Here is the before...(The bottom one was an old bamboo kitchen drawer organizer that we used in our old apartment kitchen drawers, but no longer need in our new kitchen. The top were the shallow drawers that we got from the ReStore) 

 ...and here are the new jewelry trays...

To do this, Michael sanded and cut some wood trim that he found at the ReStore to make the dividers and then glued them down with liquid nails. Some of the gaps were a bit large so we just used some caulk to fill them in. 

Then I painted them.   ....three times... that was fun. 

I mixed up some chalk paint using this recipe, that way I didn't have to sand or prime them. 

And here we are!

Each drawer cost us $2 since we bought them on a 50% off day. The tray separators were made from wood trim we also picked up at the ReStore for around $6 total.  So for all 5 custom drawer jewelry trays, we spent $14!

Looking online, you can spend anywhere between $10-25 a tray.  So I'm thinking we saved about $40 some bucks by making them ourselves.

 And I love how they fit in my closet. 

I put felt pads on the bottom of them and just slide them out when I want a piece further back in the tray.  I love them!

One Project down.... lots more to go!

linked to: On Display Thursday, Week's End, Thrifty Decor Chic -Before & After Party

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Nursery: The Great Scout-Doorsman

Hi All! What a fun week it has been finding out the gender of our little one -click here if you missed the reveal. Now that we finally know it is a boy that will be joining us in about 20 weeks (gahhh!!), it's time to get going on the nursery and preparing for his arrival.  

I have known for a while that if we had a boy that his nursery would have a pretty strong campy, outdoorsy, woodsy, Boy Scout-y theme.  Why that in particular?  Well the daddy of this little guy, Michael, is an Eagle Scout.  And so was his dad.  What a fun way to honor that tradition than welcoming the next generation into a home surrounded by all things Scouting.  And it's just plain fun! 

So lets look at some of the details I am cooking up. 

1. Lantern Light 
A classic lantern would certainly set the mood of the room, as it usually does.  I love this camp-like lantern pendant. 

2. Benjamin Moore Nantucket Grey
I am still unsure of what color we may go with but this color by BM may be a good option.  I like how it is kind of an army green/grey.  I also think a khaki color may work.  We'll see.  Overall I think that the color scheme for the room will be khaki, army green, navy, with pops of red. 

3. Crib sheets
Oh my goodness.  These crib sheets are so so cute.  And there are so many cute woodland themed sheets on etsy.  It was hard to just choose one to highlight.  We went and started to register this weekend and found nothing at the store that would work with our theme.  So it looks like ordering them online will be the plan for our crib bedding.  

4. Curtains
I like to make my own curtains in general and I have some ideas cooked up for some cheap DIY curtains for our little guy's room.  I like these canvas grommeted curtains but I think I can make my own....with a fun little spin on it.
 
5. Mountain Pillow
I'm all about adding whimsical little touches like this pillow to keep this room from becoming too serious. 

6. Rug
Texture is important.  And a soft rug will be a must for our boy as he grows and starts to play on the floor of his room.  So I really like this soft faux sheepskin rug.  I also like the price a lot.  I am just concerned about keeping it clean...

7. Boy Scout/Vintage Camping Art
Michael got all of his Boy Scout stuff out this week and was showing me a lot of it.  He even has some of his dad's old stuff... which was really fun to see.  Old books, old merit badges, and lots of memories.  I'd like to think of a clever way of displaying some of it in the nursery.

8. Felt campfire
This. is. so. fun.  And I want it!

9. Slipcovered Glider
Gliders and ottomans are crazy expensive.  So I am exploring different options for getting/making a slipcovered chair for the nursery.
 
10. Jenny Lind Crib & a Planked Wall
I love the jenny lind style cribs.  I like their simplicity but nod to vintage.  So we will be purchasing a wood stained version.  Behind the crib I'd like to plank the wall to add a different texture and bring a cabin-y feel to the room. 

11. Clever Storage
I just love how Lisa added this fun diaper storage to the side of the changing table that is not only functional but cute! Update: Michael just told me that those diaper bins are buckets from an old grain bucket elevator...which is so cool because that's what Michael does for a living!! He designs and engineers grain processing equipment! Now I really love them! Maybe I can find some similar ones somewhere...

12. Dresser Changing Table
We are on the hunt for a great dresser for our changing table.  Wood stained, straight lines, with lots of drawers would be great.  I also love how Lindsay hung these wire baskets above it for storage.  So cute. 

So that's where the plans are for now! I will keep you updated as things progress!

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Baby Blough's Gender Revealed!

Well I was planning to not reveal this until Sunday but Pinterest has spilled the beans.  Apparently, I was trying to make a secret board for the new baby that wasn't so secret. oops!

So in case you didn't already find out via Pinterest.... are you ready?....

Well I was right... and so were the old wives! We're having a boy!!

And we couldn't be more excited about the trucks, soccer balls, bugs, and bow ties in our future.

More on our plans for the nursery coming soon. Thanks again for all your encouragement and excitement as we continue on this journey. 

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What the Old Wives Are Saying: Boy or Girl?

People say a lot of things when you share the news that you are pregnant.  It's been fun hearing people share their experiences with us.  But after a while you begin to notice some of the same beliefs being brought up again and again about pregnancy.  Some of them are so commonly said that they fall into the category of Old Wives Tales....especially when it comes to guessing the gender.

So on the eve of our ultrasound, I thought it would be fun to go through some of these Old Wives Tales and see what the Old Wives are Saying: Boy{b} or Girl{g}?

Heart Rate: Below 140{b} or Above 140{g}?

 Above 140

Morning Sickness: Yes{g} or No{b}?

 No

Skin: Dry{b} or Soft{g}?

 Dry

Chinese Calendar: Boy{b} or Girl{g}?

 Girl

Pregnancy Acne: Yes{g} or No{b}?

 Yes

Clumsy{b} or Graceful{g}?

Clumsy

Moody{g} or Pleasant{b}?

Pleasant

Cravings: Salty{b} or Sweet{g}?

Salty

Sleeping: Right side{g} or Left Side{b}?

Left Side



Based off the 'Ol Wives, looks like we're havin a boy!.... which is kind of the way I have been feeling lately.  The biggest reason that I think we are having a boy is because on both my side and Michael's side, boys are the oldest of siblings: both our dads, Michael, my brother, our nephew... all were the first born. So we'll see if that pattern is continuing!

How much stock do I take in any of this?  About zero.  I may have a feeling but, being a nurse, I know it is totally up to chance and that these old wives tales have no scientific backing.  But it's fun to talk about and speculate! 

What do you think we are having? I'd love to tally up your guesses and see what the consensus is!  And, of course, stay tuned for the big news!

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