Rub a Tub

Kammy's tub was pretty cool, if only because it was a claw-foot tub.  Everyone knows claw-foot tubs are simply cooler than any other tub, except maybe those walk-in tubs for seniors, which, don't lie, you've always wanted to try too.  Anyway, this tub was skating by on it's coolness factor alone, because in reality, it was kind of freaky. Kammy didn't realize just how bad it was until the children of her out-of-guests shed actual tears at bath time because they didn't want to get inside the "scary tub."

But hold on to your hats, because a mere $25 worth of Rustoleum Countertop Paint later, and it's the official opposite-of-scary.  Add the black and white stencil, and it's entered a whole 'nother stratosphere of cool.  Check it out on her blog Kammy's Korner!

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Fashion Friday: Accessory Edition

Hey there!  It's Friday, and you know what that means!  It means I have the "song" Friday by Rebecca Black stuck in my head, as usual.  I'm afraid I'm cursed for life from that one.  BUT it also means it's time for Fashion Friday! Specifically, accessories! Because what is fashion without accessories?  It's like a bell without a ringer thing.  You know what I mean.  Here we go!

 First Nat from Doodle Craft rescued this drab and babyish purse by basically tearing it apart and just re-using the hardware.  So clever!  And wickedly cute to boot.





Margot at Sassy Feet wanted to add some color to her silver mesh purse, but not just any color, specifically the colors in the gemstone watermelon tourmaline.  Wow, sounds fancier already!  She used a cotton ball to dab on StazOn ink, which is permanent even on metal.  Love it. 
 





If you're like a lot of people I know, it's not too far-fetched to consider a can of Diet Coke an accessory. (Hi Mom.)  Lindsay at Diary of a Crafty Lady took her love of Diet Coke to another level with a keychain made with an empty Diet Coke can and Dimensional Magic Mod Podge!






Ooh, this next one is one of my favorites! Christie at Lemon Squeezy Home
made an Anthropologie knock-off belt by simply adding lace to this skinny old belt!  I think it's my favorite because it looks freaking adorable, and also EASY!






Kalleen from At Second Street didn't love this fake leather handbag she found at a thrift store, but she bought it anyway. Because she figured it had all the ingredients to make perfect bracelets!  That is vision, my friends.  If you gave me this purse and told me to make bracelets out of it, I'd probably still be confusedly trying to shove my hands through the strap rings.







And here is another yellow purse that got a makeover, only gold and glitterfied!  Shhh! Don't tell all the mega-expensive luxury handbag companies that we can totally knock off their looks with modge podge and glitter.  Check out Tiffany's tutorial on I am Style-ish.







Or, for a less luxe look, (tongue twister!), you could always knock-off some feed-store designs. Gladys did with a tote bag made from an empty bag of bird food! Have you ever felt those bags? I bet that thing is durable as heck.  Check it out on Pondered Primed Perfected.





And finally, Linda at Spellbound Beads shows us that you don't have to toss out your beloved but tattered books!  She recycles them into jewelry so you can always keep your favorite books close to your heart.  She's recycled art books, atlases, best-selling masterpieces, and even braille for secret messages!  Pretty and cool!

Have something to submit for Fashion Friday?  Hit me with it!
betterafter@live.com

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Gabbin with Gabby

ME: "Hey Gabbi, what's new?"
GABBI: "Well, I just bought this house and the kitchen has GOT TO GO."
"Really?  What's the prob?"
"It's cramped and it's dark, and it's still rocking a few 'trends' that have totally overstayed their welcome.  Old linoleum, wallpapered shutters on the window ..."
"Wow!"
"... backsplash tile that goes beyond the bounds of propriety and creeps up on the sides of the cabinets ..."
"Ew!"
"... and fast-food restaurant booth seating ..."
"Wait, was that ever trendy?"
"... to name more than a few." 
"Yeah, good luck with that!"

But Gabbi knew there was a beautiful kitchen lurking somewhere under there.  Would you believe those are still the same cabinets?  Sigh.  It's dreamy!

Because the last thing you want is your home to feel like a Burger King. 





Ahhh, I love the splashes of aqua.  In fact, the insides of all the cabinets are aqua too!  Check that out and lots more on her blog Retro Ranch Reno!  Thanks Gabbi!

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House Dressing

Meg recently restored this "kitchen dresser," as she likes to call it, and I guess I'll call it that too, because the only other words I could think of were "hutchy thing."  The previous owner had also planned to restore it, but never found the time, and over the years it just became a beaten up place to store tools instead.  Admitting defeat, he sold it to Meg, who wasted no time getting back in fighting shape!  It looks fantastic, I love the contrasting hinges and hardware.  Check out her blog Meg & Mum's to take a peek inside.  True story: it's lined with Vegemite fabric!

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Bring on the Stain

Today's makeovers feature the often overlooked and ignored cousin of Paint – Stain.  It's not Stain's fault, he really is a great guy.  He's just a little more subtle and subdued than that loudmouth Paint.  If you get a chance to spend some quality time with Stain, I think you'll really come to appreciate his good qualities.  He's classy and refined. He has a certain glow about him and always seems to bring out the best in others.  So let's tip our hats to Stain, and to these stunning redos that he made possible.

I lovity love this dresser from Jill at Junky Vagabond.  It's both masculine and elegant!  It's masclegant!  It's elemanly!  I'll work on it ...

And I also love this desk from art student Emily. She needed an upgrade from her flimsy drafting table and decided to refinish this relic to take its place.  I love how the stain brought out it's character, which is a nice way of saying 'flaws' ... but I'm kind of digging those flaws.  It looks weathered and worn, but also loved.  Our ol' pal Stain took it from a wreck to a WOW!

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Honey, I bunked the kids!

Nikki from Grand Design Co. is one of the craftiest people walking the earth, this is a fact.  Her son's before bedroom can attest to that, as she single-handedly hung all that beadboard and moulding, repurposed the globe, painted the chalkboard border (genius!), and probably sewed the comforters and laid the carpet. I wouldn't be surprised if she smelted those beds out of old pipes she found in her garage too. She's handy.

So handy that none of that stuff was even a challenge. No, she wanted to stretch herself.  She wanted to build quadruple bunk beds in a weekend.  And she did.  Actually, there are two trundle beds underneath each side, so that's like sextuple bunk beds, which sounds kind of wrong to say in a kid's room, but amazing nonetheless.  Kinda makes my weekend marathon of Toddlers n' Tiaras look unproductive in comparison.

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Glassy and Classy

This little dresser was not grossly offensive to the eyes, it was cute n' shabby.  But shabby and cute?  No thanks, not today. The look Courtney was going for was GLAM, m'aam.  I'd say mission accomplished, because nothing glams anything up faster than high gloss paint and mirrors!  In fact, if I happen to get invited to the Oscars, that's exactly what I'll wear.

See more from Courtney on her blog Little Glass Box.

PS: We have a Scentsy WINNER! Whitney Davis, c'mon down!
Don't be too bummed if you didn't win, because you can still place an order at our Better After party!  It will be open all week, and orders of $75 or more will receive a FREE Scentsy Bar!
Join the party HERE.

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Pretty in the City

Ok, do you remember a looooooong time ago, when that guy named Iann Robinson was a VJ at MTV, and he did an episode of "Cribs" where they toured his Manhattan apartment, and he was all smug-like and obnoxious? And he went on an on about how overwrought and useless bedframes were? And how they just waste space and he was so much cooler for NOT having a one?  And he just had a big, ugly mattress on his floor, and that was all? Do you remember that?  Oh my gosh why do I remember that?! 

Um, anyway, he was dumb, because bedframes certainly CAN look cool, and this upholstered bedframe from Lizzie at Pretty City Things only proves me right.  Ha! Guess I showed that decade-old imaginary fued with Iann who's boss!

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All Right (angles)

Everyone knows it's hip to be square (except probably not the people who were born after me, because that song came out like, 30 years ago. And also people who have not watched nor read American Psycho).  But other than that, everyone knows it's hip to be square.  So then, do we all agree that if it is truly hip to be square, obviously the more squares, the better?  Or hipper? I certainly think so. 

See more of this hip and square big girl bedroom from Niko on her blog Neezy Peasy.

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Cheerio!

 Sorry if this post happens to be typo-ridden and wonky, but I' am typing this one-handed as I babysit a friend's baby today.  Actually, the baby is sitting on me, and she is the squirmiest, floppiest baby I've ever seen in my life.  I'm convinced she has no bones.  So, I must go before she dives forward and does a floppy face-plant on my desk, but not without leaving you with this magnificent desk redo from Danielle at Antique Recreation.  I don't know if that center piece was an actual drawer or just a front, but if so, she disguised it well! Ok, the Cheerios have run out, I really have to go now.

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