The Apple Street Cottage

I found this magazine stand at an Estate Sale a couple of years ago...yes, that's the one I went to 4 times! I finally finished it's makeover last Spring, but with moving and the holidays, I'm just getting around to sharing it with you.  W elcome back to the 'Do It Over' Designers blog hop.  We are a group of bloggers who love to recycle/upcycle/DIY.  I'm happy to host this hop and I hope you'll visit everyone to see what they have to share with you.  Their links will be listed at the end of this post. The quick story behind this magazine stand?   It was 5 bucks.   My husband said it was ugly.   I said, "SOLD!"   One of the antique dealers there said it might be mahogany.  I wasn't convinced, but it sure was dirty! A good scrub with soap and water and it was looking much better, but I was curious to see what was under that paint, so out came the Citristrip. And there was green and blue paint under there too!  Take a look at this short video: I

Are you looking for a Valentine's Day project that is easy and won't take to long to make?  I've got just the thing for you.  I made this in an afternoon and it's perfect for adding a little Valentine's Day decor to your home.   Before starting this project, let me welcome you to the  Creative Craft Hop  hosted by Sara from  Birdz of a Feather .   If you just came from seeing Donna's Pom Pom Wreath , welcome to the Cottage.  At the bottom of this post I'll direct you to the next stop on this hop, but be sure to visit all of the other stops too for some amazing inspiration. They will all be listed. It all began with a package of small wood planks from the dollar store. Since it's winter and I'm in an apartment right now, stain was not an option - too smelly.  So, I used some antiquing medium on one plank. I used a paper towel to wipe it on/off until had the color I wanted. Wanting a   'weathered-look' I lightly brushed some white craft paint o

  If you're anything like me, you have a planner or a calendar to help keep your life organized.  Even though I add a lot to the calendar on my phone, I still like being able to look at a paper version.  As a Literacy Specialist, my planner was my life.  Every meeting, workshop, in-service, classroom visit, etc. that I was in charge of was there, along with everything I needed to do to prepare for it.  Now that I'm retired and life is much simpler, a dollar store planner works just fine for me.  The only problem was I didn't like the look of it.  So I grabbed some scrapbook paper and supplies from the craft room to make it 'A Little More Me'!   Since the scrapbook paper was 12x12, it wasn't going to be wide enough.  I measured it against the original cover and scored it with the short side on the front. I removed the original cover and attached the new one with my long-reach stapler. If you don't have a long-reach stapler, you can glue your new cover directl

If you've ever saved the pockets from an old pair of jeans, today I have the perfect project for you.  Welcome to The Sustainable Pinterest Challenge , a group of bloggers who are challenged to recreate a pin from Pinterest focused on sustainability. Many thanks to Julie from Sum of Their Stories & Gail from Purple Hues and Me for hosting.  This month we are 'Shopping Our Stash' and since I have pockets, let's get started! My inspiration came from this pin  and I knew just how I was going to recreate and make this my own.   I pulled this pocket from my stash and trimmed around it carefully leaving the back on it. Then I cut a piece of chipboard to fit inside the pocket: Once it was slid inside, the pocket was much more stable. Two magnetic strips were added to the back: It was time to make the front pretty.  I started with some lace trim across the top of the pocket. Next came an old earring from my stash of jewelry. I used a clothespin to hold it in place while t