A before-and-after 3 years in the making

I love auctions. Like, really love them, which is why I'm so sad that I haven't been to one in probably 2 years. The timing just hasn't worked out with my work schedule, but when I was in grad school, I could go much more frequently. (There's an auction house about 5 minutes away from where my parents live and they sometimes have some really great deals.)

During that time (3+ years ago), I stumbled across this desk. I didn't pay too much attention to it until after the bidding started. "$2...$2...do I have $3? Anyone? $3? Going once..." - I had to snap it up for that much. It had good bones and I figured I could redo it to use as a sewing table. 

My  mom thought I was crazy, but I knew what I was doing. I faithfully brought it with me to grad school, then to my first apartment back in Chicago, then to my house...And all the while, it sat there sadly as a an ugly reminder of my failure to compete my to-do list. 

Despite the delay, I was making plans, slowly. I initially thought that something like this would be cool, but didn't have a projector to be able to accomplish that. I knew I wanted something travel-themed to fit in with the rest of my decor, but wasn't quite sure what kind of blue to use yet. At one point, Ace Hardware had a really great deal on quarts of paint (only $1 each, limit 10!), so I stocked up on probably 8 shades of blue. Finally, one day I stumbled across this pin on Pinterest and knew it would be perfect:

I "discovered" this pin nearly a year ago, and yet, it still sat, and sat, and sat. Finally, this spring, I stumbled across this map craft paper at JoAnn:

It was decided. The first warm weekend after I found that paper, I was outside getting everything ready. I used a new sander my parents had bought me and some primer I had on hand...and then promptly ran out. I decided to do the rest without primer, and you know what? It worked out just fine - that paint has really good coverage!

Once I had the base coat done, it was time for the next step - the decoupage. I was nervous about this, because I pretty much always manage to screw it up, and this time was no exception.

That happened after I tried to even up some of the rough edges before it was done drying. Luckily, I fixed it up, and I have to say, I'm pretty darn happy with the results! 

Those knobs don't match completely, but I still think they're a great touch. So happy I stumbled upon them in the Hobby Lobby clearance section!

So glad that I finally got this done! What's the longest you've waited to check a DIY project off your to-do list?

Good enough for who it's for

Over the years, this has kind of become a family motto for us. My parents built their house about 20 years ago, and while they did an excellent job, there were a few things here and there that weren't perfect, but hey, "Good enough for who it's for!" I've certainly carried on with this motto. Although I'm very type A, and often demand excellence, I'm also incredibly impatient, so if getting something finished RIGHT NOW means that it won't be perfect, the impatience usually wins out. 

Cases in point:

 

Yes, ladies and gentleman, this is what was covering the window of my front door for an embarrassingly large number of months. I'd intended to make a real curtain for quite a while, but couldn't figure out what fabric I wanted to use. I finally picked out some stash fabric and got to work without a clear idea of how I wanted the curtain to come together. The fabric, which I picked up at a local fabric store warehouse sale as part of a $6/pound special, probably cost me no more than a dollar, so, while I liked it, I wasn't too afraid of screwing it up. It was slippery and very difficult to work with, so I thought fusible interfacing might be easier to work with than the sewing machine. Well, after 2 seams, I'd had enough, and set this project aside for months.

Eventually (as in, the day before my housewarming party - which I held 4 months after I actually moved in), I decided that, come hell or high water, this curtain was going to get done! I realized the way I'd originally envisioned the curtain was pretty stupid and impractical, so I decided on a much simpler version and started over (luckily there was enough fabric left!).

So...it's finished, but the edges aren't quite straight, and the back looks terrible, but...good enough for who it's for! It's neutral, it still lets in some light (a must in my basement apartment!), but is thick enough to provide some privacy. All in all, a job decently done. 

This next project was actually finished the day OF my housewarming party. Back story: I bought these two footstools at an auction 6 years ago for $10. My cat practically tore the "leather" to shreds, but the footstools were incredibly useful and, since I didn't want to shell out for new, store-priced ones, I couldn't bear to throw them away. When I moved into my last apartment, I decided to recover them:

I cut out 6 squares and sewed them into a cube shape. You can't see it in this picture, but I didn't have quite enough fabric to reach the bottom of the stools. Still, it was better than what I had and, you guessed it, good enough for who it was for.

Well, with my new apartment, it was time for a new theme. I decided to use one of the footstools as a sewing "chair" (still needs to be recovered!) and put the other in the bathroom as a good catch-all, since my vanity is so small.

At first, I was planning to use some stash fabric, but then my friend and I bought Groupons to the Chicago Textile Discount Outlet and I found some remnant fabric that matched my shower curtain almost perfectly!

 

I definitely rushed this one, hence the less-than perfect seams and the fabric dragging the ground a bit. Instead of the 6 squares this time, I figured I'd save myself some seams and cut out an X-shape to start with. It's really handy having this in the bathroom, and I really like that it matches! Now, if I could just whip the rest of my apartment into shape...

Are you guys perfectionists? Or would you rather just get a project done?

As usual, this is long overdue...

I planned to keep this up better once summer started and school was over, but between the move, the new job, working 70 hours a week, and hanging out with friends, it never quite happened. I finished quite a few projects quite a while ago (and even throughout the summer), but haven't gotten around to posting pictures. So, this post will be a little apartment tour (it's not quite all in order yet, so I can't show you the whole thing, but things are under way and I'm excited it's finally getting there!), as well as a copycat/stash busting project.

Bookshelf next to the TV...that really doesn't even have any books on it. They're all still at my parents' house, because it's a pain to lug them around from apartment to apartment:

View from right inside the front door: 

Yep, I'm pretty obsessed with globes and maps...hence the chair makeover! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the before, but it was an ugly, scratched green one that I picked up from an auction years ago for $3.

I saw this image floating around Pinterest (unfortunately the link is bad) and knew I had to try something similar. 

 

And a closeup of mine:

 

Honestly, I do like the inspiration better, but...mine's not too shabby, either. I used an old map of Chicago (my new home!) and the same paint I used on my dresser - the ivory to match, and the gold to give it a more distressed look. Total spent for this project - nothing! And I used some good stash items, too. 

Here's another shot of the decoration in my apartment, showcasing some paintings I got in Prague years ago and never got around to framing:

It's getting there, little by little! I can't wait until my craft area is done, so I can show that off, too...