A Lamp Makeover

I'm ever so slowly ridding my house of all things from Mr. T's bachelor pad (okay, not that slowly...but it has been 7 years for heaven's sake).

This week...get some "new lamps" for the living room makeover.

Step 1:

get your lamp (you know...the one you have but hate)

step 2:

buy 15" Pottery Barn lamp shades at NPS for $8.

step 3:

spray paint the gold parts ORB and then to cover your big mess...spray paint the inside heirloom white (cause you have it all on hand:)

step 4:

(forgot to take pics of this process so try and follow along:)

Roll out some Christmas paper with the white facing up...lay your tapered drum shade on the paper and mark the middle at the top and bottom. as you roll your shade to the right and then to the left...trace along with a pencil.

Cut out the "pattern" and pin it to the wrong side of your fabric...then cut out your fabric.

(make sense?)

big hint: if you want the fabric to fold over the top of the shade...cut your pattern an inch bigger at the top and bottom...I am adding trim so I cut it to size.

step 5:

glue your start on the seam with fabric glue, then using a spray adhesive...spray a small section and roll the fabric over...make sure it lines up with the top and bottom and rub smooth.

step 6:

when you get back around to the start...

cut off the extra fabric and glue a hem and then glue your hem down.

step 7: be amazed that you just covered a tapered drum shade.

step 8:

hot glue on some trim.

step 9:

spray paint the base with your ORB.

remind yourself about the

Before:

step 10:

enjoy your "brand new" lamp!

Total cost:

base: previously owned

Shade: $8

Fabric: $2

Trim: $3

Spray paint: previously owned

Total cost: $13

Step 11: go spend the $33 dollars you saved by not buying one of these pottery barn shades!

I'm linkin' to:

Frugalicious Friday

Show and Share day

Metamorphosis Monday

Tutorial Tuesday

Living Room...BIG REVEAL!

If you noticed over on the sidebar...not only have all the living room "to dos" been crossed off...but I went and crossed off living room...'cause girls it. is. DONE!

(and I have realized I don't know how to get a good pic of it so here you go)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

What we did:

Painted the ceiling, walls, door trims and doors.

Put in laminate floors

New baseboards...windows...window sills/trims...window blinds

Sold ALL the furniture on KSL.Com and got some new stuff.

redid a lamp and 2 shades...updated a table...and made a few pillows.

A few things I would still like to do...I want an old book or 2 to go under the lamp on the little table...and some flowers on my little blue table. I am not going to get a coffee table any time soon...it's just nice to have it open and an extra area for Lil D to play...although he reminds me all the time that "shoes don't go on the carpet"...good boy little man!

I'm relieved that one room is done...2 more to go...and only 4 days to go...AHHHH!

But hey...the kitchen just needs window treatments...hurray!

AND

we put up the crown molding in the family room tonight...oh we are getting closer!

I'm linkin' to:

Feature Yourself Friday

Metamorphosis Monday

DIY project parade

Tick Tock...from my new big clock.

I've been wanting a big clock to go on the partial wall between my kitchen and family room, but didn't want a store bought one...so...

I found this clock round at the Wood Connection (it's MDF and about 2 feet across).

It already had the hole in the center and you could buy the clock part.

I think the round and clock parts total around $6.

I sprayed it with primer and then Gloss White Spray paint.

(I did both sides so the back looked finished when it was on the wall...it sticks out because of the clock back)

I used my Lyrical Letters font cartridge and cricut to cut out all my numbers.

(the size kept fooling me...I would cut it out at 2 inches and they were 1...I ended up doing 4 1/2 inches...maybe use scrap paper to get the perfect size so you don't waste vinyl).

I also used transfer paper to put the numbers on...was really helpful with the double digits, but also helpful with the single digits so I could line it up (and move it) without getting my fingers all over the sticky backs.

I placed the 12-6-3-9 first. I tried measuring a bit, but in the end it was more eyeballed then anything.

and when it is all said and done...it looks just fine.

(yeah...the 11 bugs me a bit...oh well!)

Add the clock hands (directions on how to set it came with it...super easy)

I also added our Name and "year"...

...and hung it on the wall...

I'm linkin' to :

Just something I whipped up

Metamorphosis Monday

Motivate Me Monday

Tutorial Tuesday

Get Your Craft On

Feature Yourself Friday

How to "update" your window wells...

Step 1: find a seriously rusted out, busted up window well (or in my case 2).

Step 2: hire neighbor kid to clean out all the leaves and gunk and scrub it down.

Step 3: cover window with plastic (then let the wind cause issues and end up doing the whole thing with no coverage on a windless day...have patience for that windless day to come.)

Step 4: Open spray can after shaking for 2 minutes to find this...

Step 5: swear

Step 6: head to Home Depot and buy more spray paint...buy Rustoleum instead (because somehow in your head you believe that only rustoluem will cover that rusted/busted mess)...check to make sure there are spray nozzles before heading home.

Step 7: prime

Step 8: paint...paint again

Step 9: while you're spraying...spray the rocks:)

Step 10: remind yourself what it looked like before....then...

enjoy your new view...

...invite guests over to stay in your guest room and enjoy the new view!

I'm linking to:

Metamorphosis Monday

Tutorial Tuesday

Power of Paint

freezer paper sibling shirts

We are spending this weekend with Mr. T's family meeting our newest nephew...little Blake...so freakin' cute. This is my sister-in-law's third baby. When she had her second, I made her daughter a "big sister" t-shirt. So after her most recent addition, I wanted to do the t-shirt thing again. But I wanted to do something more then just the "big sister/brother" thing.

I thought about doing shirts that said: "kid 1" "kid 2" "kid 3"...but then you run into the whole "hand me down thing"

...anyway...

after reading her post announcing Blake's birth I got a better idea...

Meet "team larson"

I used freezer paper and made the stencil on my cricut (used the Disney cartridge). I decided to go all lower case so the letters would be small enough and I thought it looked more "kiddy". The fonts are actually different sizes so they fit the size of the shirt better. I got the pink shirt at Old Navy for $5 and the blue shirt at Walmart for $2.50. The onesie came in a pack of 5...so I think it was about $1.50 or so.

(I LOVE the garanimals brand of t-shirts at Walmart...they are dirt cheap and hold up better then most t-shirts.)

I ironed on the stencil and used black fabric paint and a sponge brush.

pull it off when it's dry and here's what you get...

I just love them.

I'm linkin' to:

Just something I whipped up

and

Tot Tuesdays

The CSI projects paint challenge

I'm reposting this dresser I did for Lil D a long while back. The CSI project is having a paint challenge, and I thought I would join in the fun. Head over and link up for favorite paint project, or take a look around and get inspired!

Mr. T has had this dresser for about 10+ years. When Lil D was ready to move out of the baby room and become a big boy...I decided to give him a new dresser.

(sorry, it's the only before pic I have of it)

after a good sanding and a coat of primer...I gave it 2 more good coats of semi-gloss white.

Then I painted the door fronts with apple green (craft paint...I don't remember what brand).

I found the wood cars at Joanns and painted them and hot glued them to the top drawer.

Then found a font I liked and printed it in the right size. Using carbon paper, I traced the words onto each drawer and then filled them in with 2 coats of a paint pen.

here it is:

I still just love it! and Lil D loves to read all the letters...even "pretends" he knows what they say:)

Why I started my blog....

Wendy over at Ordinary Miracles of Life started a link party to share why we started blogging...thought I'd join in the fun...

Just over 2 years ago, I decided to start a blog to record the life of Lil D. ALL of my family lives far away....and this was a fun way for them to see what Lil D is up to...so My life as a Thompson started. It's written from Lil D's perspective and I just LOVE it!

As I finally "found myself" in this new role of stay at home mom...I began to take more and more time crafting, cooking, decorating, all the things I loved to do, but didn't have time when I worked...and I wanted to share what I did...but struggled to find how to fit that into the blog I was doing for Lil D...so I decided that I needed a blog for myself...and thus started Mama Thompson.

My blog is just a place that I post the jewelry I make for T's ETC (my etsy shop), the craft projects I make, home projects we are working on, and anything to do with food. I do it to record my life as Mama Thompson...and I am having a blast!

As for those that inspire me...let's just say this post could be super long if I listed them all...so here are a few:

My long time friend Karla at It's the little things...I love her and her home and the husband that helps her...so her blog...well, I love it too!

Juniper at Hope Studios...each friday I so look forward to her "feedback friday" posts, so I can get all riled up and leave ridiculously long comments. Oh...and there have been more then a few tutorials I have done....she's just awesome!

PK at Room Remix...if you don't follow her and all the home/decor inspiration she puts out there you are missin' out...what a giant help she has been to me, as I find my true design style and finally make this home of mine something that I just LOVE.

And Rachelle at Fingerprints on the Fridge what a fantastic blog with such great craft ideas and fun parties...love her.

I am loving this blogging world and all the inspiring people in it!

cost less then the gas to drive and pick it up...

When we started selling off all of the living room furniture...I told Mr. T that I would spend VERY little on the tables and such that would go back into the room. I REALLY wanted a little round table to go in between my 2 green slipper chairs.

Mr. T found this table for me....it was $5.

I sanded the crap out (off) of it...primed the wood and the metal (with metal primer) and gave the metal a nice coat of oil rubbed bronze...and the wood a couple coats of Martha Stewart's Aegean blue. I also had to replace all the bolts, washers and lug nuts as they were seriously rusted...they got a coat of ORB too.

My little $5 table is oh so perfect now.

I LOVE it...and it is the PERFECT height to go with the slipper chairs.

Great find Mr. T....now we just need you to find me a coffee table I can mess with.

I'm linkin to Frugalicious Friday.

main bathroom reveal.

The bathroom is finally 100% done.

When we moved into the house (nearly 5 years ago). All of the bathrooms had "sweet" honey oak cabinets and laminate counter tops...and those awesome mirrors glued directly to the wall (you know, the ones all houses have). The toilet was little and the floor was the same tile that went through a lot of the main living area. The toilet was changed out immediately:)

(I couldn't find a picture from the original bathroom)

About 2 years ago, we decided to update the bathrooms by putting in new vanities and countertops...and to replace the mirrors with framed ones. We put in a new bar light strip (don't judge, I just can't really see spending any money on the "fancier" looking ones...for a bathroom).

So this is what the bathroom has looked like for the past couple years.

So much better then the honey oak.

When we started "Thompson remodel 2010" the tile in the bathroom had to go too. So Mr. T had to pull out his toilet and vanity. I said, while you are at it...and while I am painting every other thing in our home...go ahead and pull out the mirror etc and let's do this baby right.

Our new bathroom.

What we did:

painted the ceiling

painted the door and pocket door to the laundry room

changed the towel hook

spray painted the pocket door latch

changed out the door knob from awesome brass to satin nickel

painted the moldings around the door

put in new baseboards

put in new flooring

painted the walls...with stripes

I'm linkin to:

Metamorphosis Monday

and

DIY Day

Update: I'm also linking to

go enter in all your fantastic paint projects!