Furniture Repurpose- Before and After

So, I refuse to buy furniture full price (except for couches).  I went to an antique store in town back in March.  I was looking for some type of a bench seat to put at the end of my bed for Dave to sit down on to put on socks in the morning.  When I got the shop, the owner brought me out back and directed me to this hideous long "coffee table"- had I not been perusing before and after furniture redo's online already, I would have snubbed my nose and walked away.  Instead, I asked how much- she said "$10", so out I walked with this UGLY thing:

It has literally sat in my garage for the past 7 months, collecting dust.  I finally decided to get it out and paint it before the cold weather settles in.  I started by having Dave take that ugly looking slider door off the front, then by putting on one coat of primer.  I use Benjamin Moore wall primer- I have a gallon of it- this is the fourth thing I've primed with it, and I'm still not even 1/3 way done, so it was worth the investment.

I let it sit over night to dry and the next day, I painted it with Benjamin Moore paint- Margarita was the color.  I only bought a pint, and for two coats, I had about 1/4 of the can left.

The original intent was to go at the foot of my bed, but Hazel cannot keep her stuff together, and judging by the way stuff was gathering in her room, she needed something in there to help her keep her stuff organized, don't you agree?

And the after.  I love the way this looks in here, don't you?

I am planning on making a pillow for the top of the bench so she can sit in read in comfort, but for now, I don't think she minds at all.

If you're looking for something to jazz up a room, or need something that serves a useful storage purpose, put down the Pottery Barn catalog and start looking around- you never know what removing a door or hardware, along with adding a fresh coat of colorful paint can do to a once ugly piece!

Busy Creating: Hand Painted Ceiling Fan

Okay, I know I just posted about moving into my new house like 30 seconds ago, but I have been DYING to post this!!!!

When picking out ceiling fans for my kids' rooms, I wanted something colorful and fun.  This is what I wanted, but it was too much money.

I found an idea online here, to paint your own design.  Who would have thought???!!!  The very next day, I was at the light store buying cheap contractor's white fans and then at WalMart buying painter's tape and small bottle of acrylic paint.

I painted one fan for Owen and Hazel's room and one for Maeve's.  I did it on the floor of Dave's tiny apartment because I just couldn't wait.

Here's what I did:

Lay out the white blades on paper:

Use painter's tape to create a nice straight line to paint.  I placed three pieces of tape, took out the middle one, then continued up the blade until I had every other line covered with tape and every other one exposed white and ready to paint.

For Owen and Hazel's, I used a rainbow pattern, the same on each blade.  When it was done, we coated it with mod podge sealant to protect the paint in case it needed to be cleaned.

Three months after I painted it, I finally got to see it hung:

I was hoping in action it would make a rainbow, and CHECK THIS OUT:

I just want to lie on the floor and look at it all day long!

Here's Maeve's, it goes with the colors in the curtains that I made for her.

Don't you just want to go buy a fan and paint your own?