Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Take a seat

I am so excited to share one of my latest piece of furniture transformations! Our family room was in desperate need of some storage to corral Maddie's toys and some extra seating. I had almost given up hope that I would find something in my shopping ventures (and we haven't quite developed our DIY chops enough to tackle a custom piece) until I saw this diamond in the rough.


The dresser looked like a castoff from a hotel. The top surface had holes where a TV or lamp had been bolted down and the front had normal wear and tear from frequent use.

But I didn't care. It was literally calling out my name when I walked into the room, begging me to take it home. The price was marked at $30, which was okay but not ideal considering the amount of work that needed to be done. But my dreams came true when I spotted the sign on the back wall that said they would negotiate on prices in the back room! Moments after finding this piece, I had haggled my way into a $15 dresser. $15! Wowza! I had to contain my excitement and refrain from buying one more dresser (BOGO right?). 

Ideally, I would have taken this piece and spray painted the living daylights out of it, but since it was a high of 40s, spray painting was out of the question. Since I didn't have the patience to wait it out until the spring, I bundled up and busted out my orbital sander in the garage. Ben has learned that when I get into a project, I.MUST.FINISH.IT. (immediately). So I bribed begged convinced Ben to help me drag the freshly prepped dresser into the family room to be painted. After a coat of primer and 2 coats of paint, she looked like this:


It was love at first sight. It was perfect. Yes, we struggled to open the drawers for a few days while I painstakingly searched every home improvement store in Rochester for the perfect cup handle. I may have gone to Home Depot and Lowes. twice. in one day. After seeing Katie Bower's dresser transformation, I knew that Martha's brushed nickel handles would complete the look.

The dresser is perfect! Not only does it hold Maddie's ever-growing collection of toys, books and our electronics, but once I get the cushion made, it will be a welcoming window seat. Once my family saw the completed project, they wanted one. Unfortunately 3 weeks later, the thrift store marked the piece up to $75! 

Here is a sneak peak at my newest thrift store purchase. At $35, this was a steal! I am so excited at the potential it has. 


Stay tuned for the transformation! 


Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Guess Who's Back?

Back again? Roushey's back! Tell a friend...Roushey's back, Roushey's back, Roushey's back...Okay, enough Eminem. After much convincing and gentle nudging, I am back in the blog-o-sphere. I was also reminded that Maddie is no longer a "9 month Princess" anymore. She is 15 months! She is an extremely smart, strong-willed, curious little girl that has changed our world. I guess she is my excuse for the blog disappearance. It is tough to "live life"AND document it. I give daily bloggers, daily MOM bloggers a ton of credit. How do you fit it all into one day?

Well, enough of the chit chat for now. I am trying to ease myself back into this once more. I will leave you with a few photos that capture some highlights from the last few months.

Our NY Giants won yet another Super Bowl!

Colty is 16 months! 


Colty and Maddie look more like twins every day. We are so blessed that they get to share every day together. 

Maddie's intense look. This can be seen whenever she is watching TV. It is clearly on behind me.

My latest home project - $15 dresser turned toy storage for our family room

New pillows have renewed my love for this couch or at least extended my love for it.

Tried my hand at painting wood cabinetry. Will the kitchen be next?


A new hairstyle!