Grey House Harbor
  • Home
  • about
  • contact

Aug 16 2015

the sniff test

Posted by hayley
Tweet

We live on one military income. I contribute a few bucks here and there with freelance artwork/graphic design, but our budget is based solely on Handsome’s provision. We are comfortable, but not extravagant. I shop clothing sales, thrift stores, Walmart groceries and tackle a lot of DIY to stretch our dollars as best I can. Craigslist has been kind to me: providing several home & child accoutrements at a fraction of the cost. Most of the time I’m even able to re-sell outgrown items for nearly (if not exactly) what I paid for them.

95% of my Craigslist purchases have been awesome. Nice people, fair price, smooth transaction, no creepers. I did have one nightmare experience where I drove 6 hours round-trip alone with both kids to end up NOT buy something that was clearly broken and totally misrepresented. That was a major bummer, but I henceforth set a travel limit of an hour — no matter how much me likey.

And then along came this console table.

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

I only drove 15 minutes to buy this antique beauty and I got it for a song. Solid wood, gorgeous detailing, perfect shape and size.

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

Problem was… the lady I bought it from had it sitting on her covered patio. I only saw it on her patio, purchased it from her patio, and never once stepped foot inside her house. It needed some work, but I saw it’s potential and wasn’t afraid to put in a little elbow grease.

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

As I drove my new treasure home, the car began to smell. After sitting in my house overnight, the entire living room reeked of cigarettes. Turns out, the table smelled to high heaven. It was as if the poor thing had been sitting in the corner of a nasty dive bar for 50 years. Just look at the thickness of this horrible waxy buildup…

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

After dry scraping a majority of the table, it still stunk. So I tried chemical paint stripper. The vile sludge that came off that thing was downright vomitous. This was not going to be a quick fix.

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

It took me 3 afternoons and a few minor chemical burns to get it down to bare wood. Then I repainted, restained, and applied 3 coats of polyurethane.

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

Looking sharp, right? That’s what I thought too. Until I put it in our bedroom. Woke up with a headache and my room smelling like the aforementioned dive bar.

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

I couldn’t believe that after all that work the table still had the aromatic potency to clear a room. But I also couldn’t bring myself to sell it (and lie about it’s stench) or trash it (I’d put in so much sweat equity)!

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

So I put it on my covered patio. For 3 months. Hoping and praying that all it needed was some fresh air.

console table makeover  greyhouseharbor.com

Turns out, I was right. The little blue console could finally come inside without offending anyone and now lives happily in our master bedroom. If you smoosh your nostrils reeeeeal close, there is a dainty hint of this beauty’s past life of neglect, but she not longer defiles the room.

Moral of the Story: from now on any and all Craigslist purchases (wood furniture included) will be subjected to and have to pass a stringent sniff test.

Tags: furniture, our home, trash to treasure
CONTINUE READING >
5 comments
Aug 3 2015

studio update

Posted by hayley
Tweet

Remember that one time I painted over a beautiful mural in our previous playroom to transform the space into a working studio? Now I’m finally getting around to writing a follow up and sharing a few organizational solutions.

Drum roll please… Ta-da!

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Yes, the room is white on white and I like it that way. Something about a crisp, well-lit space totally motivates me to do good work.

Less visual clutter = more creativity.

I did keep the blue sky, however. Painting a decorative ceiling is hard (shout-out to my homeboy Michelangelo), so I’m not parting with that piece of the magic anytime soon. The studio table that I built from a rescued sanctuary door is the central workhorse of the space. I did end up staining the legs with Minwax “Special Walnut” finish and 3 coats of semi-gloss polyurethane.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

It’s almost as if these Alex drawer units from Ikea were made for underneath the table – a perfect fit. I put one on each end to hold all our art papers, stickers, foam, construction paper, scrapbook supplies, stationary, stencils, and every other flat supply.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Between the two drawer units was just enough room for two Bekvam step stools and a small trash can. Because I wanted this room to be kid-friendly, the step stool seats were important but it’s really nice that they tuck out of the way so no one trips over them when not in use.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

The back wall has 3 bookcases from Ikea’s Billy collection, 2 of which have the optional Oxberg glass panel doors added.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

The original doorknobs were ultra modern and ugly, so I replaced them with these stylish oil rubbed bronze ones I found at Home Depot.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

A place for everything and everything in its place. Makes my tidy heart happy!

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com update-4

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Ever buy tiny summer clementines in a wood box? Long after the citrus is devoured, they make great storage containers.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

The door panels hide all the non-pretty gadgetry on the lower shelves. And the power strip solution is working flawlessly, too. My Sizzix die cutter, pencil sharpener, and sewing machine are always plugged in and ready to rock, without being in the way.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

The kids know they have to ask permission to use anything inside the doors (messy, dangerous, mommy-only type things). But the middle bookcase I left open. This is where their crayons, markers, paintbrushes, and coloring books live for easy access any time they’re feeling creative; which is several times a day most days.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Originally belonging to my great-grandmother, this antique sewing chest is at least 80 years old. It was recently passed down to me and does a wonderful job of keeping my sewing knick-knacks contained. All my extra fabric is hidden in those woven baskets atop the bookshelves.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

This little green desk has played many roles in our homes (tv stand, work nook, coloring table). Now it’s the perfect spot for my computer. I plan to do a few small organizational things in this corner to help it function better as my mini-office.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

Spill proof flooring is a must in a creative space with kids. In fact, a rather unfortunate (and permanent) incident with red paint on carpet is what pushed me to rethink this room in the first place. Eventually we plan to install wood flooring throughout the first floor, so it’s nice not having to worry much about this carpet in the meantime.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com

So are you still wondering if I miss the mural and playroom? Nope, not really. The kids and I spend so much time being creative together in here that the risk was worth the reward.

With all the right kinds of storage and kids constantly gathering around a tin of freshly sharpened pencils, the new studio is a breath of fresh air – and quickly becoming my favorite room in the house.

Art Studio   greyhouseharbor.com update-9

Tags: our home, the studio
CONTINUE READING >
4 comments
Jun 1 2015

get yer face on the wall

Posted by hayley
Tweet

If you follow me on Instagram (@greyhouseharbor) you may remember this photo from last fall. We dubbed it the “Great Snuggle Incident of 2014.”

diy crib bed frame photo holder   greyhouseharbor.com

It had been a few months since we’d converted Bug’s crib to a toddler bed. One fateful evening after bedtime books, Handsome decided the infant-sized piece of furniture would be a great place for a snuggle sesh and crawled in. Whether he was delusional or Bug convinced him it would all turn out ok, we’ll never know—but the result was disastrous.

diy crib bed frame photo holder   greyhouseharbor.com

diy crib bed frame photo holder   greyhouseharbor.com

The front support arms were crushed beyond repair, rendering the entire crib useless. It was a (now-outlawed, gasp!) drop-side crib that I could not sell or donate anyways, so the entire thing got scrapped. All except one piece…

Fast forward six months to today. We have lived in this house for over 2 years and I still have zero family photos on the walls. Zero. People are starting to question whether we’re a real family. Rumor at the bus stop is that we’re actually in witness protection.

I attribute this epic lack of photo representation to two things: my indecisive borderline OCD fear of putting holes in my walls and between my phone and my DSLR I have too many great pics and get overwhelmed. But not anymore!

Recently I was introduced to the print company Artifact Uprising. I adore that their products are “inspired by the disappearing beauty of the tangible.” Ugh, like an arrow right to my rebellious non-photo-printing heart! They offer an array of high quality printed tangibles, but I was especially drawn to their square print set due to it’s clean, timeless format. They even have an app that allows you to load images straight from your Instagram feed. Now I really had no excuses.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call happy mail.

Artifact Uprising Happy Mail greyhouseharbor.com

Broken cribs, cool print companies… where I am I going with this?  Hang in there, friends.

I had saved the wire bed frame from Bug’s crib, knowing I wanted to turn it into a wall photo holder. It took awhile to figure out how to hang the frame because in order to clip photos to it, it needed to protrude ever so slightly off the wall.

First I cut a 5/8″ dowel rod (purchased in Walmart craft section) into 1/2″ wide discs.

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

Then I hammered a 1.5″ roofing nail into the center of each wood disc. Roofing nails are key, because they have a large head that will hold the frame in place.

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

At each corner of the bed frame, I tucked the wood disc against the wall behind the wire and snugged the nail up tight against the edge before nailing it down. In the second photo you’ll see a hint of the Blue Stik I also put on the back of each disc. Because the nail is going into plain drywall and isn’t long enough to reach a stud, the Blue Stik helps it stay put without being permanent.

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

To properly secure the grid, I ended up with 6 supports — 4 corners and 2 centered on the long sides.

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

Songbird was eager to help arrange the new space (pay no attention to her cold-weather-is-almost-over-so-mom-refuses-to-buy-new-leggings-that-fit-well wedgie).

diy crib bed frame photo holder   greyhouseharbor.com

We used mini clothespins to attach the photos. This way, they are easy to reposition or change out on a whim.

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

My hanging solution has held up splendidly, even withstanding the littlest not-always-gentle hands without a budge. This might very well be the kids’ new favorite spot in the house. Several times a day they stop and tell each other stories about one picture or another.

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

My goal is to rotate the photos on a seasonal basis. And I must say, our new interactive “memory grid” was totally worth 6 holes in the drywall. In fact, I’m currently scouting space for some actual framed prints now.

Don’t tell the U.S. Marshal Service.

diy crib bed frame photo holder greyhouseharbor.com

Tags: bed frame photo holder, diy, diy home improvement, grid photo holder
CONTINUE READING >
0 comments
May 1 2015

art and a bargain

Posted by hayley
Tweet

The name Eastman Johnson may not ring a bell when it comes to famous artists. But I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of one of his greatest accomplishments — he co-founded the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in NYC. Yet he himself was a painter and his work Woman Reading is one of my all time favorites.

art and upcycling  greyhouseharbor.com

Handsome and I got married 3 months before his first deployment – a 7-month-long separation. Not one to sit around pouting, I adventured all around San Diego to fill the time. On an outing to the SD Museum of Art, I saw the original of this painting and was instantly smitten. She felt familiar and I connected with the idea of reading letters from a distant love (this was before Skype, people!). I found the sparse composition and muted color palette calming and loved how the water is not actually painted but rather implied with the reflection of the sailboat.

This past Christmas, twelve years after first seeing it, my cousin bought me my very own oversized print of Woman Reading. For several days I let it sit under my set of trusty cornhole bags to flatten it from its shipping tube.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

Most of the art that hangs in our house was done by yours truly. Not really a bragging statement, I’m simply too picky (and frugal) to hang just anything. But this piece was to be framed and displayed properly! I got quotes from custom frame shops and craft stores… HO-LY milk maker. Those 60% off framing ads are nonsense. The minimum they wanted to rob me of was over $200.

My bargain hunter alter-ego kicked in hard.

The kids and I scoured thrift stores for something that might work and found this …

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

Scary right? But you gotta look past the two-tone wood frame and faded ensemble of creepy kids! Here you can see just how large it is (as well as another nice frame I snagged for a different project). Bug wasn’t convinced.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

Below is the frame shop quote for a chincy frame with single mat (left) and what I paid the thrift store for a large, solid wood frame with glass and double mat (right). Cue the happy dance.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

After disassembling the frame, I patched a few nicks in the edges with Ready Patch spackling compound, let dry and sanded flat.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

art and upcycling  greyhouseharbor.com

A couple coats of Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spraypaint took care of the rest.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

Initially I planned to cut a brand new mat, but luck was on my side and it was a precise fit (I’m talking millimeters)! Then I was going to spraypaint the mat, but when I placed it on top of the artwork, it was pretty much perfect as-is. Even the dark gold inner color worked.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

I cleaned the glass and reassembled everything. Framing staples originally held in the art and backer board, but since I had to tear those out I kept the new art in place with small wire nails instead.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

Then I just replaced the hanging hardware and added cut adhesive felt furntiure pads on each bottom corner to keep it from scratching the wall.

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

If that’s not an uptown look for a downtown price, I don’t know what is. Can I get an amen?!

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

Now every morning I wake up to my favorite painting and feel mighty good about my latest thrift store success story!

art and upcycling greyhouseharbor.com

Tags: art, our home, trash to treasure
CONTINUE READING >
2 comments


I'm Hayley. Wife and mother by day, DIY enthusiast by night. Fueled by sweet tea and jelly beans, I own power tools and know how to use them. Consider yourself warned.

featured on button

New posts delivered fresh to your inbox!

Follow on Bloglovin

Recent Posts

  • big ‘ole magnet board / job chart
  • a collection of caps a collection of caps
  • a new chapter a new chapter
  • treasure rocks treasure rocks
  • missing grams missing grams

 

S P O N S O R S - & - F R I E N D S

PREV 1 2 3 … 7 NEXT

Categories

Archives

Follow

Follow on Bloglovin

Recent Posts

  • big ‘ole magnet board / job chart
  • a collection of caps a collection of caps
  • a new chapter a new chapter

disclaimer & copyright

All opinions within are exclusively and honestly mine. I do not commit to posting positive reviews of any promotional items I may receive. However, if the product or service suits the interests of my readers I may feature it and denote such compensation.
All content © greyhouseharbor.com 2015.