I've Got Wood

On a recent family vacation to eastern Utah I took the opportunity to find myself some reclaimed wood. Why you may ask? Well, it's because I have been drooling over this picture I found on Pinterest for the past few months.

It's a beauty right? I love everything about it. The rustic wood, the modern metal chairs, the string lights. I knew I wanted to re-create something similar for our own patio/backyard. I tried to find a salvation yard in LV, but the only ones I found are open to people with a construction licenses. Boo on them! So, luckily my Uncle hooked me up with some old, rustic, gray wood while on vacation.

My family must have thought I was insane lugging it back with me for the 7 hour drive, but it was worth it to me. Now we have a pile of wood in the garage and we need to figure out how to make ourselves a table!

At first I thought this gorgeousness was just out of my reach because I couldn't find chairs that I'd be able/willing to throw down the Benjamin's for. I found similar chairs at Overstock.com, but they were over $100 a chair (That is over $400 buck for the 4 chairs I want). I just couldn't pull the trigger on something that would cost so much. Then I found another great inspiration photo on Young House Love.

These ladies also found their chairs on Overstock, but these babies were just around $200 for 4 chairs. They even come in a variety of colors like black, red, and white. This is still pretty expensive for me. But I have talked myself into it by saying that I would spend more than that on 4 quality outdoor chairs, and these will fit our small space even better because they are stackable. Now, the hard part. Making the table.

I found this cool little tutorial on Apartment Therapy and I'm sure I'll turn to google for all the 'how to's' when we get down to building the table itself. I also like how they used Vika Lerberg legs from Ikea. It seems like such a simple solution. I'd even like these spray painted in a cool color, like a bright red or yellow. (I don't mind getting a little more adventurous with color outside for some reason.) Plus it seems like a good price at only $30 buck for the pair with shipping.

I found this table on Pinterest too. I L.O.V.E the painted turquoise legs. They are amazing. I am just not sure if I would be able to re-create this. First, I'd have to find a cheapo table on Craigslist with amazing legs. Second, I'd have to be able to take it down to the right measurements for our space. Third, I'd have to figure out how to paint and sand down the legs so they look all rustic like. I do not know if I have that much faith in my faux painting abilities. But this is still one of my top choices for some sexy backyard table legs.
This beauty I found on Pinterest as well. I really like the clean lines but think it may be a little too modern for the look I am going for. It reminds me of something I would find in West Elm (which I love, just maybe not for our rustic table). The other plus with these legs is I think that they would not be very intrusive and leave plenty of swinging room for our legs.
Lastly, these hairpin legs are probably my top choice. I found these hairpin legs online for only $18 a pop at 28 inches tall. I love them. They read rustic, retro, and simple to me. But even though I love them, I'm still a little hesitant. I know I got the wood for free and all, but $72 bucks plus shipping seems like a lot for table legs. Especially when I have to pay for the chairs too. I'd really have to make sure the table was made correctly and would stand the test of time if I was going to put that kind of money into it.

It will still be a while until we get cracking on the table anyways, so we'll have some time to think about it. I do not want to try and bust this thing out in 108degrees this summer. I plan to start the tables construction around September. (Or, I guess I should say I'll start asking Jeff to make this starting in September.) If anyone still reads this blog would you mind letting me know which one if your favorite? I know I'm going to be pretty indecisive on this one.

How to: Nursery on a budget 2

Cont ... Fourth tip: SEW IT

I know my friend is a great seamstress, but there are really easy tutorials on how to make your own crib skirts if you are novice like myself. Like this one. You can make pillows and all that jazz.

My only "resourceful" type tip is to think about what you are using for fabric. You can go get pretty cute fabric for around $2 but why not shop the house first? I have recovered stuff in my old clothes, a great scarf I was never brave enough to wear, old blankets, tea towels, whatever I feel like. Some of my favorite pillows had a previous life as a napkin. Or I've always thought about making a baby changing cover out of those great table clothes in Home Goods. If they can stand up to messy food maybe it would be able to stand up to other types of messes- haha.


Finding cheap fabric doesn't mean you have to recover everything in your old clothes either. There are also great newly purchased ideas for fabric as well. If you have a shorter window in your room you can take one curtain panel, cut it down the middle, sew a hem on the cut edge, and make 2 curtain panels for the price of one. You can even turn sheets into curtains for your window. Places like Ross and Home Goods have great prices on nice bedding. You can use the fabric for so many different things.

Fifth tip: ART

I like simple art, and I think that even goes further in a nursery, to have those simple places for your eye to rest. And art I can make at home with some paint or on my computer is gravy. Here are some of my favorite kid proof art ideas:

1- You could totally make simple art on your computer in word with colors to match your nursery. Look at Etsy for great ideas like this. If you want it to have some texture get some grainy paper and then put a really, really thin layer of white washed paint over it. (Or what ever color of wash you want). I did something similar like this for cheap art in our mast bedroom.

You can do this for any words or phrases you like really. I want to do something similar to this with a nursery rhyme my grandma always use to sing to when I was young. Pick quotes that means something to your family. To give it an extra kick, modpodge some fabric or paper on some matting and cut it to size.

2- Temples- At the last GC they mentioned having a picture of a temple in your child's room from and early age. I liked this temple print on Etsy for a babies room. To replicate something similar on your own, print out an outline of your favorite temple on your computer (if you can't find a picture on the web of just the outline, then you can change your printer settings just to "outline"), trace the outline onto a paper or canvass, and then just paint the rest of the negative space around it.

3-Embroidery hoops- Find a 20% off coupon for Michael's or Joannes and pick up a few embroidery hoops. Stretch some cute fabric in it, glue any excess fabric in the back on the inner lining of the hoop, and you have a very cute art installation. You can even use fabric you already used in the room, or again, whatever you have lying around the house.

source found here, with how to.

4- Chinese Lanterns and Tissue Pom Poms- I love it when people use a grouping of Chinese lanterns and tissue paper pom poms, hung at different heights, as a kind of crib mobile. Go to World Market for cheap Chinese Lanterns in a wide variety of colors and visit Martha Stewart for tutorials on pom poms. Sewing a banner also seems to be big lately (I've made a few paper ones for holidays and parties and they are super simple.)

5- Don't want to make it yourself but still need free art? Google free printables for children and find great prints like this. Or visit a website like this.

6- Don't want to make if yourself and have an extra $5-20? GO TO ETSY! I love that place. In the very least, it is great for inspiration (as you can tell from #1 and #2).

Sixth Tip- KNOW WHERE TO SHOP

We all know to go to Ross, Homegoods, Marshalls, etc. They are great and I am so glad Las Vegas has so many of them to choose from. But, there are those little shops that are out of the beaten path which have some of the best deals. Here is my list of where to go.

Antiques:
Charleston Antique Mall 1109 Western Ave.
Not Just Antiques Mart 1422 Western Ave.
Antique Mall of America 9151 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

Second Hand:
Salvation Army 4001 West Charleston Blvd. & 360 N Stephanie St, Henderson
Goodwill 9230 S Eastern Ave # 130, Las Vegas (the one on Stephanie and Warm Springs kind of stinks)
Freecycle

Local finds:
Retro Vegas 1211 S. Main Las Vegas Blvd.
JJ Draperies 1321 South Commerce St. (I think this is it. There is a shop down by Main and Charleston that has upholstery fabric all for $5 a yard. It has moved so many times I am having a hard time finding it lately.)