Bookcase redo and a quick re-arrange

     Welcome to a new week! My serger had to go to the shop for a week...or two. Boohoo! I can sew stuff without it obviously, but I don't really like to. I don't feel like its as sturdy or as neat. So, I've been spending my spare time fussing with furniture. After I fixed the "closet" in the girl's bedroom, I had an extra bookcase I had to do something with. It is just a cheap particle board bookcase.

      I decided if I had to look at it, I mine as well do my best to make it pretty. Out came the spray paint...and it failed me miserably. Never thought I'd say that! Apparently, spray paint does not like fake wood. The stuff just turns to powder when it dries. Once I figured out I was just waisting my time and paint, I broke out the bucket paint. That worked much better! I covered it in poly acrylic after I was finished to help protect the paint. It is still pretty sensitive to scratching, so I don't know that I would recommend this for a high traffic piece. I distressed it so that extra scratches would just fit right in! I put it in the corner of my dining room.

     You can check out how I did my plates on the wall in this post.

     As you can see, I have a thing for old crates. In my little house, a lot of things have to be stored out in the open because of lack of space. Crates, baskets,and buckets are my go to items for making storage cute. I pick them wherever I can find them, usually garage sales. I find that crates in antique stores are usually super expensive. These three hold table cloths, dish towels, and cookbooks. I get a chuckle out of the one that says "High Explosives Dangerous" on it...it's no coincidence it hold things related to cooking. You just neeeeever know what might go on when I'm in the kitchen! =)

     So there, you see? Even a cheap bookcase doesn't have to scream "hey! I'm from Walmart!" Paint works wonders people!
     I also had this dark little corner in my living room that needed fixing.

     The shelf that used to be where I put the bookcase got moved here. It really lightened up that corner!

      See? There is the ever present crate, and basket again. The crate stores candles and small such things and the basket helps my two year old corral her books a little easier. Funny how moving one piece of furniture can change the whole feel of a room.
     Well, I'm off to fiddle with my next project! Have a happy day!

Linking to:
Boogieboard Cottage
Between Naps on the Porch
Running with Glitter
Someday Crafts
Tea Rose Home
Organize and decorate everything
Restore Interiors
The Inspired Room