family photo option E

family photo option E by smr297 featuring henley tops

Family Photo Option C

Family Photo Option C by smr297 featuring henley tops

Family Photo Option B

Family Photo Option B by smr297 featuring lacy tops

Ikea Hack

I have been following Erinn at Strawberry Swing and Other Things for a little over a year now. Her little girl is 5 weeks younger than mine so it's been fun reading her weekly updates and seeing where they are in terms of milestones and growth.

Last week she wrote a post about how she hacked a children's Ikea table and chairs. I have been waiting to buy the $19.99 Latt table and chairs because I know my little girl isn't quite ready to sit at a table and we also have absolutely no space for anything anymore. However, after I saw her post, I couldn't resist. So, I bought the table earlier this week and then hit up Home Depot for some supplies.

I discovered that these tables have been hacked in a lot of creative ways. I liked the idea of a chalkboard tabletop because well.. chalk is fun.  It can also easily be wiped clean and still be used as a spot for snacks, reading, coloring, etc as she grows. I also wanted to keep the table on the darker side so I chose a granite grey and then a berry pink for the chairs. I know you may puke if you see one more chevron-ed something, but I decided to make the seats chevron. 

I'm an idiot because I was very careful with the first seat to really push down on the tape so the lines wouldn't bleed but got careless with the second seat. The result is ugly- bleeding lines and chipped paint all over. Huge bummer. I might just completely redo the seats at some point but for now I'll just keep the good seat front and center. 

Here is what the table looks like "before" I put part of it together so I had an understanding of what I was painting. Despite my good intentions I still painted a chair the wrong color..?  I think I got spray paint happy... but, I went back and fixed it. That little error and that little bit of wasted paint made me come up short and a bit of the pine color is still visible on the tabletop. 

I had to do all the work on the roof of our building so I didn't kill anyone with fumes. The rooftop was VERY windy and all I had to use plastic bags weighed down by random objects to spray all the pieces. It was a mess. I had to redo a lot of the pieces because the bag would stick to the wet paint and then the paint would chip, flake, bleed etc. As I already mentioned, I did run out of grey paint and the interior piece of the table top is still pine (sh*t)! It bothers me... a lot. I may buy another can of paint and drag the table back to the roof at some point and fix it one day.

I also sanded the table top lightly and wiped it clean and then painted two coats of chalkboard paint with a roller. After several hours and some frustration, this is the final result:

And a before and after:

So..... I do like it. I think the chalkboard table top will be a lot of fun and I like the bright punchy color for the chairs. The chevron stripes bled a lot on one of the chairs and in time I may do the seats over with a cushioned fabric. And, I'm not happy that I ran out of grey paint with a tiny strip of pine visible on the table top. For now, it's fine. Especially since the little one is just pushing it around the floor and using it as a step stool to climb over the back of the couch. She is a busy body.

As I said, this was not my idea. I got the idea from Erinn and the inspiration from looking around online  at what others have done with this same (or similar) set. 

Have you been crafty lately? Anyone else a fan of Ikea- or remaking Ikea?

Review: Fairweather Cardigan from Madewell

Yesterday I posted about the Fairweather Cardigan at Madewell. I had the chance to pop in yesterday and the promo is also running in store. I did a mega swoop and grab when I saw this cardigan on the sale rack. It was the only one and marked down to 49.99. A size large didn't deter me. The sweater is very light making it perfect for spring and summer. Overall, I'm pleased. I will be careful when washing it as it is dry clean (yeah right) I'll probably hand wash and lay flat to dry.

Sweater, Fairweather Cardigan, Madewell
Jeans, AG High Rise, Shopbop
Boots, Target (old)
Tshirt, Vintage Tee, Old Navy,  I seriously have 20+ of this tee in multiple colors

Madewell save 25%

From now until Tuesday if you spend $125 or more at Madewell you will get 25% off and free shipping. There are three things I wouldn't mind picking up. I have had my eye on the Transport Tote for a while. I think it would be a great mom/baby bag.  If anyone has it, please drop a comment and let me know if you love it. I really want to love it.


The Transport Tote

The transport tote

Fairweather Cardigan

Fairweather cardigan in harlequin

Shrunken Boyshirt in Mapview

Shrunken boyshirt in mapview

How Does it Fit?

I recently wrote about the eShakti Contrast Trim Poplin Skirt. Here are a couple of pictures so you can see how it fits. Again, I ordered a size small/6 and customized it to fit above the knee. I would definitely choose a close fitting shirt or tank as this skirt is kind of poofy. The waist sits nice and high, sure to hide anything you think needs hiding.

Sorry about the plastic baby crap in the background. Since I'm not currently working, I have discovered that I get a fair amount of light in my home during the day. All my ootd pics were always taken around 5:30 am in a barely lit living room. 

                                             

I know it's not sandals season yet, but I'm itching and burning for it to warm up outside. Is it warm where you are?