Upholstered Headboard

I have been on the hunt for a headboard for awhile ...I've also been broke for awhile. I found one I only sort of liked at sears but for over $500 sort of liked was not going to cut it. I knew I wasn't going to find anything I really liked in my price range (which was closer to free then the sears listed $500) so I hunted around the attic/house instead. I found a broken hollow core door in the attic, an old blanket in the closest, some picture hooks, ribbon, flat buttons and some self cover buttons. I had to buy the fabric but because I can sniff out a bargain a hundred miles away I found the exact fabric (cream coloured cotton velveteen) on the clearance wall for $3.99 a meter.

1. Drill holes in the door in the pattern you would like to place your buttons

2. Place an old blanket or quilt batting over the door and staple on to the edges

3. Lay your fabric out right side down on the floor, place your door on top of it and pull the fabric over, staple to the back. Start in the middle of each side and then go back and work all your way around

4. Cover your buttons with your fabric. Simple instructions come on the package of self cover buttons.

5. Thread a long piece of ribbon or string through your button and with a long upholstery needle run the ribbon through the fabric, batting and pre drilled holes in the door. Secure at the back by running through a flat button and tie a knot. This will keep the knot in the ribbon from pulling back through the door

6. Secure large picture hooks across the back and either hang on screws drilled into wall studs or wall anchors if there are no studs where you need to center your headboard

Around the House

In between all the other projects, at some point the apartment has to be tackled. Unfortunately the projects that are just for us seem to always be put off until last or they take the longest time to finish. I'm still hunting down the before pictures of Reggie's dresser so you can see how much it's changed. Technically it's still not done, one of the handles still has a screw missing and it's been months since this baby was started. I'm totally not taking the blame for this one....you know who you are.

Living in a dye vat frenzy!

I'm guessing I'm going to start kicking myself when there isn't a single white item left in the house, but as with most of my creative bursts this too will pass and make room for another temporary obsessive outbreak of some other kind. The waist cincher underwear came in a pack of two and I promised I'd leave the other one white, wish me luck. I imagine I'll keep dying gloves for as long as I need them because once you break away from the standard black, white and red gloves you can't ever go back.

When in doubt dye it!

Anyone who knows anything about me at all knows I have the biggest stash of the strangest things. Most of the time they never get used but my love for treasure hunting makes it so that the stash grows bigger and bigger. One of the many collections of hardly ever used but obsessively purchased things is vintage bras and slips. I never wear them because there are almost always white or off white and frankly that just doesn't excite me very much. So even though I treasure them dearly (I do really love the shapes and detailing) I decided to start dyeing them. I'm pretty good with a pot full of dye and some rubber gloves so I don't normally worry about ruining things but you just never really know how things are going to turn out when you don't know the fiber content. Plus there is always the dreaded spontaneous combustion that can happen with vintage things the first time they hit the water or worse your body, as you slowly come apart at the seams on the dance floor.

Before and After

I'm trying really hard not to shop which is really motivating me to revamp my wardrobe. Funny enough that hasn't really helped me stop shopping at all. I'm much happier with this sweater now. It was one of those lingering things in the back of the closet that got bought and never worn. It has now officially left the house on more than one occasion.

Before and After

I really loved this white T-shirt when it was in the store but I ended up only wearing it a couple of times and then it rarely got pulled from the closet. I'm not someone who enjoys having things just take up space I want to really love everything in my wardrobe or let it go to someone else but for some reason I just couldn't let this shirt go. I figured it's been sitting around now for a while so I really had nothing to lose if I didn't love the outcome. Who knew that green cowboys would make me so very happy?

Before and After

I have been browsing in little boutiques lately only to find that everything looks like things I already own but sort of taken apart and put back together. I will admit that I am much too thrifty (not cheep) to spend tons of money on things I can do myself at home for nothing. I changed this hoodie from last season by removing the hood and adding a contrasting collar, shortening the sleeves to 3/4 length and adding some buttons. I'm pretty happy with the outcome and I think this may start a whole reworking of my wardrobe.