Last minute Ah ha's

These are some of my easy, last minute, quick trash to treasure Ah ha's that metaphorphasized from a need to get something together under the gun.

Quicky #1

I bought this at a garage sale.  What it was origionally I have no clue.  My plan was to wire it for a lamp, but I never got around to it.  We had company coming and I was trying to clean  up.  I was walking through the kitchen holding this, carrying it out to to the garage, when I spied the paper towel roll sitting on the counter.  Our cheap plastic paper towel holder had broken, and not wanting to buy another cheap plastic one I hadn't found one that I liked yet.  Ah, ha stroke of genius!  Put the paper towels on the thing-a-ma-gig, but it needs some kind of top, a finial if you will.

Then I remembered I had several of these.

Woohoo, a fancy shmancy paper towel holder.  About a month later my mother-in-law told me she saw a couple of paper towel holders similar to this one for around $40.  Not bad I probably spent 6 bucks total. (not including the paper towel)

Quicky #2

This wooden queen sized headboard was free, left by the people who had lived in the house before us (3 houses ago).  We used it for a while plain.  Then one day when I was doing some decorating after a trip to the flea market I decided to put this blanket over the headboard to tie into our southwestern theme.

When we moved into our current home the queen sized headboard went into the guest room because we inherited an almost new king size bed from my parents for the master bedroom.  It needed a little make over though.  I spied this fabric in the guestroom closet at my in-laws house.  My m-i-l had ordered this from e-bay for her bed origionally.  When it came it was in pieces.  The bed skirt cut into 2 pieces and the duvet cover was cut into 2 pieces.  The color wasn't was she wanted either, so, into a closet it went, and then it found a home in my guest room.  I simply draped it over the headboard and folded the excess behind it.

Here's what she looks like with her cooshy pillows.  She's a nice backdrop for a pretty bed isn't she.

Quickie #3

About a month after we moved into our curent home we were having friends over for dinner so I wanted to get the dining room put together presentably finished.  There was a brass chandelier with 5 "candle" lights.  The wall paper in the dining room is a light blue with shells on it, and I wanted a light airy beachy look.  So, I wanted to lighten up the chandelier and make it unique.  I added the chic, white shades.  I thought about adding crystals, but our firends were coming the next day.  I didn't have time to look for crystals, and I wasn't 100% that was the look I wanted.  I looked around in my decorating stash and found I had 2 spools of 3/4' white satin ribbon.  Hmm, I thought it would add lightness and soften it.  So I tried it.  It looked good.  I added the laurel greenery to add another layer to it, and tied a metal bird ornament to the bottom to add another touch of character.  So cute, huh.  Oh, and what about the drapery behind the chandelier?

Quicky #4

Same scenario as #3.  Our friends are coming in a few hours and I was very unsatisfied with the east wall of the dining room.  An entire wall of dark cabinetry was not adding to my light, beachy feel.  My solution?  I had 10 yards of $.99 a yard white muslin fabric and white thumb tacks.  Voila, Mistreatment.  (Won't The Nester be proud.  I found a way to mistreat without windows).  My husband helped me tack the fabric up.  The woodwork was evidently hardwood.

I didn't even hem the fabric. I simply cut it into lengths that were about 4 inches longer than the floor to ceiling height so that it would drape a little at the top and pool gently on the floor.

Here's what the mistreatments are covering up. Much needed storage space, very ugly.

There's 4 of my quickie decorating escapades.  To tell you the truth that is probably how 75% of of my home gets decorated, only 25% is actually planned. 

I'm adding this to Reinvented's Trash To Treasure Tuesday

Thanks for visiting.

Amanda