Ottoman from Scratch

So if you guessed from yesterday's post, dear hubby and I built an ottoman this weekend. After purusing them for some time, I just couldn't justify spending $1,500 on an ottoman. Nor would hubby let me... :) So, after seeing this ottoman from Restoration Hardware, I knew what I wanted.

I considered the option of fabric, but after remembering that i have a toddler, two dogs and a husband who gets dirty on a daily basis, this wasn't a very good idea unless I wanted to cringe every time my 2 year old walked over and stuck her sucker on it or decided it was a beautiful pallete to draw with her crayons on. So leather it would be. So, after I found this tutorial from Michelle over at Three Men and a Lady (which I might add is a very talented and sweet lady), I figured "I can do this".  I used the tutorial as a guide for what materials I would need, but we ended up adding more supplies and taking it a little further. I had looked for coffee tables to recover and use, but because we live in such a rural area, I have to drive an hour and a half just to get to the city to pick up thrift or craigslist finds. Everytime I found one, it was gone before I could get there. So I started getting everything I needed, using my 50% off coupon at Joann's saved me huge. I told dear hubby what I wanted it to be and for him to work his magic. He laughed at me when I said "how hard can it be, it's an ottoman." On sunday I was eating my words and praying for cheese fries (more on that another time!) I'll just point out now, this project is in no shape or form an easy one...and I've done a lot of projects, and this one had me almost in tears toward the end. So here's some pics from the project. It helped tremendously that dear hubby used to have a leather shop and built boots and repaired saddles, so his awl and wax thread, along with his imagination came in VERY handy...as with all our projects.

Here is hubby measuring the tufting holes, getting ready to drill.

This is the start of the frame. We did extra supports and brackets in the corners as well, so this thing is STURDY.

Drumroll please...here it is first time in the house.

Here's a closeup of the legs. I wanted a turned leg with brass casters. Beings my love for all things Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn, these babies were the icing on the cake for me.

And here she is...in all her glory!
I wanted to add that my initial plan was to adorn her with nailhead trim on the bottom, but after she was done, I think I like her the way she is, but hubby thinks I should put the nailhead on. What are your thoughts??

Hope you like her as much as I do...I love how she grounds the white in my home.

You can find the full tutorial HERE.

Linking up to these parties:

The DIY Showoff
Somewhat Simple
Shabby Shic Cottage
Crazy Domestic
Shabby Nest
Remodelaholic
Just a Girl
Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Makeover
Fingerprints on the Fridge Feature Yourself Friday
Funky Junk Interiors

The CSI Furniture Makeover Project

Garage Sale Goodness

So this weekend I hit the garage sales and a little flea market that we have in town. This is usually a bust, but this weekend I found some steals! I was most excited about all of the vintage items I found. I scored big bag of antique linens. The lady who sold them to me told me her grandmother that was gustavian had made all of these and they were from her family. I wasn't sure why she was selling them, but with them there I absolutely could not pass them up. She sold me the lot for $10. I was practically running with them to the car so that no on else could steal them. My favorite is the one with the embroidered "g". I love the embroidery...and I love that it has someones story attached to each item. The plates were .25 a piece and I thought would go good with a new dining room project we have underway.

The books were a steal too and I picked up some to use around the house. I'm a sucker for old books. I love books anyway and I'm adding to my collection for our "someday" library we may have.

Then up next...a project...or should I say ONE of the projects we worked on this weekend. Dear hubby almost put me into the ward with all the "ideas" I wanted to do this weekend. I'll share the results soon! If you can guess what we're making here, I'll be uber excited!!

Lets Be Honest

After seeing other blogs with their cute little daughter's in dresses and flowers, looking all clean, prim and proper and just enjoying the day with their watermelon, I come to this conclusion...Where's the dirt? Where's the old cracker stuck to their cheeks? Where is the farmer tan from always being outside? So lets be honest...This is my daughter. Here is her picture from helping daddy last night in the yard and she always insists that she wear her hat. Her mudd boots must be worn at least once on a daily basis. If she doesn't wear them to the daycare, she puts them on when she gets home. So here she is...all in her true self...looking anything but clean and prim and proper...and mommy couldn't be more proud and full of love for this blessing that the Lord has given her!

"God...is Love in it's purest form"...(from the "Last Song", Nicolas Sparks)

(The patio and fire pit is what dear hubby is working on...it's getting there!)

Berries and Blessings

With the 4th coming up, I've been full of ideas for a bbq at our house since our back yard is just getting completed by the dear hubby. He managed to build a stone waterfall set atop a stone patio with a fire pit. I don't know how he comes up with these ideas, but dear hubby I am forever grateful to you for saving us so much money by doing it ourselves ("ahem", ok mainly you). This in return lets me and our dear daughter buy more shoes ;)  I also wanted to extend some blog love to all you new followers and your comments have been so sweet and supportive. You can come on over to my bbq anytime!

Images via Paula Deen

Over to the Better After

Hi All! I'm over at Better After today for our kitchen remodel so stop by and say hi!

Hang it Up

When we were back visiting my inlaws a few months ago, I got to rummage through their barn and after finding this piece, they all looked at me like "what on earth are you going to do with that piece of wood?" (But I'm pretty sure my mother in law was doing the happy dance inside her head as I was cleaning out things they no longer wanted :) But I knew what I was going to do with it. I'm a sucker for chippy paint and mixing old with the new. So, after screwing on some new hooks from Lowe's, this baby is now our new coat rack off the patio doors. And this was my subtle hint, not said aloud but saying it through my stardown to the hubby after it was put up: "Dear Hubby, please notice the hooks that you can now use to hang your jackets (aka the dirty work clothes) and not put them on the back of the dining room chairs or the bar stools. Love, your gracious and understanding wife".

Linking up to: Just A Girl, The CSI Project The Shabby Chic Cottage

I'll be over at..The DIY Show Off

I'm featured over at The DIY Showoff today...so stop by and say hi! Thanks, Roeshel for featuring our kitchen remodel!!

Riding into the Sunset

I have to admit I'm jealous...very jealous of my folks for moving down to South Padre Island. I've always wanted to live on the coast, but my dear hubby has different ideas of living. I'll give you a hint...they involve a very large metal shop to tinker in :)...Even though they may not stay there year round, I really do miss them. I know Teagan misses her Grandma and Granpa, too, but also understanding that the cold winters of here get to everyone pretty quickly. So with that thought in mind, I think T and I may be down this summer for a little visit...who can resist that sun over the water?

Family Room Design Board

I'm getting ready for my finals, and the final is to design a living room. Only a living room...but I'm in luck...this is a room that needs to be updated. So, with a little research and some talking with dear hubby (ok, really him just rolling his eyes at me and telling me to do what I want), I finally made a first draft of a mood board for our living room. I may still change some things, but right now its getting me rolling in the right direction and some purchases have already been made. Drumroll please...

I'll keep you posted on the progress!!