Vintage Lamps

Repurposed Vintage Lamps

 

Lamps turned home decor!

~ my re-purposed lamps ~

I bought these lamps for about $15 a piece

{a better blogger would have a picture of them when they were actually lamps, sorry I don't} 

when I accompanied Shantel Caprice

 {read more about Shantel Caprice}

to some guys storage unit to look at a Craigslist couch 

 

going alone = not okay at all

 going with a friend = much more safe and fun

*Besides, it couldn't be more dangerous than all those trips we took to Dallas in our late teens for Shantel Caprice's tattoos ~ right mom!?!?!?

Now back to the lamps!

On their own, the lamps aren't particularly pretty.

{Mom tried to give me a similar looking lamp about ten years ago. 

I told her it was ugly.  I didn't want it and she gave it to Shantel Caprice.} 

When grouped together the shapes and colors

 are interesting and lovely to look at when I enter my bedroom.

I removed all the lamp hardware, cords, etc...

I reassembled the lamps so I could easily place
a battery operated tealight inside

{mom, the pictures are crooked on purpose-don't email me}

All of this got me to thinking...

Have you ever bought anything off Craigslist?

Do you have any decorative thing in your home today you used to think was ugly?

Have you ever gone with a friend to get a tattoo?

Black and Hot Pink Damask Coffee Table

Black and Hot Pink Damask Coffee Table

Damask Stencil Coffee Table

~ Remember when? ~

  Nanny Needed a New Coffee Table 

and I bought two tables that looked like this

and turned them into this

Chandelier Stencil Coffee Table

and this ?



~ Here's how I did it ~

I LOVE Nanny but I don't like sanding and I don't like using primer either. I like to see results quickly! Nevertheless, the top of Nanny's table had a sheen so I lightly sanded it before I painted. I didn't sand any other part of the table. Painted furniture is more likely to chip and scratch if it is not sanded and/or primed so I frequently go with the "roughed up" look. (some may call it Shabby Chic or distressed but my mom once said, "If you want to buy something that has a lot of scratches on it, bang on it with your hammer and sand it a little. That is called the roughed up look." 

I've been a fan of the "roughed up" look for several years now.

I  used a stencil for the chandelier and damask images on the tops. Finally, after the paint dried I lightly sanded the table(s) to reveal the dark wood underneath. The roughed up approach is best because Nanny is in college and this table will see a lot of action be used a lot. 

The readers of mommy is coocoo were almost evenly divide on which table they liked best. Ultimately, the chandelier table won out by one vote, which was perfect because Nanny (who had the ultimate vote) chose the Chandelier table.

 ~ Pretty Nanny ~

If your vote was for the damask black and pink table

you'll find it for sale today at Serendipity Market.

How coocoo are you? Want to blog post trade-off with me?

~The Blog Post Trade-Off ~

Want to write a blog post for mommy is coocoo

and I'll write a post for your blog?

Writing a post for someones blog is an easy way to let a whole new audience learn about your blog! The Blog Post Trade-Off is a great way to bring attention (very important for new bloggers) to your creative skills whether they be writing, cooking, or crafting. You name it!

If you were to trade posts with mommy is coocoo, I would write a post for your blog and you would write one for mine. If you have NO IDEA how to do this, it's okay! I just learned recently and I would be happy to walk you through the process. Again, it's easy. It's also fun for your readers and a great chance for you to make blogging friends.

If you have a great post in mind and would like to be considered for a blog post trade-off with mommy is coocoo, please email me at:

mommyiscoocoo@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you!

Amanda

Five Panel Door turned Towel Rack

Five Panel Door turned Towel Rack

Antique Door

I've mentioned a few different times (or, on SEVERAL different occasions if you happen to know me) I love doors especially old doors. Ever since I found an old door in the alleyway behind my home my passion has grown and grown. A few weeks ago, I was on the hunt for (buried) treasure and I found this:

 

An old five panel door with several layers of peeling paint on it.

I was especially intrigued by the door because it was smaller than most. The width is just under two feet. I figured it was probably used for a bathroom or closet at some point. This got me thinking!! For a long time I have wanted something unique for my daughters bathroom for towels, robes, etc... My daughter's room used to be our guest bedroom and will still occasional function in this capacity. I wanted our guest to be treated to something unexpected.

~This is what I came up with ~

 

~ Pearls Bathroom Towel Rack ~

After sanding and scraping and sanding and sanding and sanding, I painted the door off white. I hung the door on the wall behind Pearl's actual bathroom door (the brown door with blue dress). To hang the door, I placed a cinder block on the floor (to hold the door up-it's really heavy) and then I mounted the door to the wall by drilling large screws through the door into the wall studs.

Go me!  I was channeling my inner Rosie the Riveter.

 Imagine my delight when I went to move the door from the warehouse into my truck and I found two vintage towel bars on the other side of the door. It was meant to be (eventually, I removed the towel bars and spray painted them pink).

~ Pretty Towel Bars ~

I didn't cover up the holes where the doorknob used to be. I think it makes it more interesting. You definitely know this thing on the wall used to be a door and I may add a doorknob in the future.

This perch on top of the door is the perfect spot for the bird my book club best friend T-Bell made for me my daughter (T-Bell is coocoo for making birds right now).

 

Pearl doesn't use this bathroom yet (she is the baby of three and bathes with her brothers, poor girl) I've hung some pretty blankets on the door. If you are over for a visit and need to pee walk right by the powder room and head up to Pearls bathroom. It is lovely and definitely the cleanest bathroom in the coocoo home.

Would you have bought this door if you saw it for sale at an old warehouse?

Do you have an upcycle at your house that you just love?

 

 

            

 



*Please visit my affiliates...
I love everything from Layla Grayce
Shop at The Land of Nod for amazing kids stuff
If you are looking for wall decals visit here
Tea Collection has AWESOME clothes for women and kids
 

I frequently link to these great parties...

the Shabby Nest six sisters stuff lil luna not just a housewife I Heart Nap Time Thrifty Decor Chick Under the Table and Dreaming Elizabeth & Co.  Todays Creative Blog The Shabby Creek Cottage  Monday Funday @ uncommon designs online  My Repurposed Life

for PINKs sake

I am so happy to be the featured blogger at Beverly's blog How Sweet the Sound.

Beverly's blog features a link party every Saturday for all things pink.

I am especially honored to be selected for the Pink Saturday feature right before Valentines day! I am going to showcase some of my favorite pink things.  Starting with my baby girl in her pink tutu.

~ I especially love this newborn picture taken by Kyla ~

Another pink favorite perfect for Valentines Day is this

~ Valentine Heart Ornament Wreath ~

If you'd like to make an ornament wreath of your very own

 {click here to look at my tutorial}

decoupaged dresser with pink Anna Maria Horner fabric another favorite

Anna Maria Horner Decoupage Dresser 

~ magnet board for Ms. Amy (momma to four girls) lots of pink here ~

~ book wreath in my pink guest bedroom ~

Book Wreath

Beverly would feel perfectly at  home in this bedroom at my house.

 ~ hoop artwork with lots of pink ~

 Embroidery Hoop Artwork

If you'd like to make hoop artwork click here to learn how.

These are a few of my favorite pink things.

Have a lovely weekend!

Thank you Beverly this coocoo Momma couldn't be more grateful.

From a cardboard box to a Very Cute Playhouse

~ My First Ever Guest Post! ~

I am so happy to have my first ever guest post at mommy is coocoo!   Holly has an awesome blog about one of my favorite things, thrifting.  AND, look at the corkboard hanging behind her!  Clearly, I can have a lot of wine relate to this woman.

Hello! My name is Holly, and I blog over at Life as a Thrifter. I am most thrilled to be guest posting today! My blog is all about being thrifty, so I thought I'd share a cheap and easy project made from an old cardboard box. I hope this playful project brings you a bit of inspiration!

I started by cutting holes for the door and windows. Next, I painted several strips of cardstock different shades of teal, and simply glued them on the cardboard. (I did this by dipping each strip into a mixture of Mod Podge and water.) However, to make things SUPER easy, you could, in fact, just simply paint the whole thing whatever color you wanted! I used the same method with black strips for the roof and shutters.

On the inside, I Mod Podged old children's book pages to the walls. When that was dry, I painted a black frame in the center of the back wall and put a mirror from the Dollar Tree right in the middle.

Later, I came back and added a few small details like the numbers and light.

Thanks so much for allowing me to share today, Amanda!  If you'd like to see more thrifty projects, be sure to check out Life as a Thrifter!

Happy hunting, everyone!

-Holly

We're saving our money for Disney World.

Disney World

Mr. coocoo and I are teaching our kids about money and there is some evidence it is working! The coocoo family went to Disney World a couple of years ago.  I was five months pregnant with my daughter at the time and my boys were three and nearly two.



Please take a moment to absorb this!

I was pregnant and Mr. coocoo and I took our two young sons to Disney World. Mr. coocoo and I can barely go to the grocery store without arguing {currently, we get two separate carts divide up the children and go our own way IF, we are forced to go together}.  Disney World can make or break you.  It's like a marathon all day long, everyday. I saw parents who looked to be very reasonable people yelling at their kids all over the place.  One dad said, "I am prepared for war.  I am not prepared for this."

Yet, something magical  happened and Mr. coocoo and I thrived at Disney World. We were a family on a fun mission and we had an awesome time! We were planning our return trip as soon as we got home.   The boys don't exactly remember the trip but they have ideas because we have a great photo book and talk about it frequently.  From the time we came home, I started telling the boys... 

we are saving our money for Disney World

When we are at the store and they want something I tell them, "we can buy it or we can save our money for Disney World." I let them make the choice and (so far) they always choose Disney World.   This also works when they ask to go to Chuck E. Cheese and we've just been there. I tell them, "Sure, we can go but that is going to take a lot of our Disney World money" and suddenly they aren't as interested. 

I use Disney World whenever I can.  When my kids don't shut the back door or hold the refrigerator door open to long  I say  "you are letting all are money out the door!"  When they have barely eaten any of their food, I'll say "that is so sad you aren't eating your dinner.  Guess we'll use our Disney World money to buy some more food."

I was especially encouraged a few weeks ago when I was out shopping with my  four year old son.  He found a toy in the clearance section and I told him he could have it.  He asked me how much it cost and I told him (truthfully) I didn't know.  He then tossed the toy back on the shelf and said, "No, that's okay.  I'd rather save our money for Disney World!

~ Hallelujah! ~

~ something right is sinking in ~

  We are planning a return to Disney World this year.

I'd like to learn from you!

What has worked for you? 

What simple things have you done to teach your kids important life lessons?

* P.S. I dressed my boys the same everyday we were at Disney World because if we lost one I thought it would be easy to say, "we're missing one and he looks just like this." 

Valentine Heart Ornament Wreath give-a-way

~ Happy February ~

 

For the give a way, I asked people to share their favorite Valentines day. After reading your comments, I learned a lot of people don't have a favorite (including me). I also learned a favorite Valentines Day doesn't have to involve a sweetheart.  Many people commented about their children and special memories with their families.

My favorite comment came from Elizabeth {http://www.esladicphotography.net/}

My 83 year old Daddy makes every Valentine's Day the most perfect, when he shows up at my door with an "old fashioned" lace ribbon-covered heart box of chocolates and says, "Will you be my Valentine?"...a tradition that has not been broken since I was 3 or 4!!!! (now that's LOVE)

Maybe its because I have a daughter now but I thought this was beautiful and so sweet.  I'd like to challenge you to make this year your favorite Valentine's Day ever.  Love on the people you are with!

 

 ~ and the winner is ~

Shonda! 

Congratulations!

Please email me @ mommyiscoocoo@gmail.com