Quick and easy detail: Adding fabric to end tables

I've always wanted to dress up our family room end tables with something under the glass tops. I lived with the plain wood for quite a while, but ultimately this room needs more pattern and more detail. This was a quick, easy, non-permanent and cheap way add some interest. No risk and nothing to lose!

I took a trip to a local art store and perused the selection of oversize decorative paper. (You know, the $5+/sheet stuff that's supposed to be "gift wrap.") I spent what must have been half an hour being indecisive, not finding anything I really loved. And then I left empty handed. Hate it when that happens.

Then I remembered this piece of houndstooth fabric I picked up on clearance a few years ago (for $3/yard!). Apparently, I couldn't pass it up even though I didn't have any real purpose in mind. Such is the root of my fabric hoarding problem.

Very simply, I cut the fabric to size and then just sandwiched it under the glass. One yard of home decorator width fabric was enough to do my two large-ish end tables.

Apologies for the glassy glare. Next to impossible to take photos of flat glass without some type of reflection. (Well, next to impossible for me anyway.)

p.s. I've got a photo assistant working for me now. (She takes excellent closeups!)

Folded paper Christmas tree garland (from adding machine tape!)

This is our first year with a full-size Christmas tree (we used to decorate a mini tree), and I thought I'd have a difficult time filling it up. Turns out that was a pretty silly thought, as I probably have enough ornaments for at least two trees. But I was missing one thing: garland.

I ran across a roll of adding machine tape from years ago and knew I could turn it into something. A little bit of playing around with different folding techniques and I came up with this easy geometric garland.

I'm no origami teacher, so this is a little hard to explain in still photos. I'll admit, it looks complex. But play around with it, and you'll find it's pretty simple. You're just alternating between straight and 45-degree angle folds. Get into a groove, and you won't even be thinking about which direction you're supposed to fold.

Repeat, repeat and repeat some more. I did a whole tree's worth of folding while watching a movie. It's a mindless sort of activity.

You can unfold it to see how it's coming, but I preferred to keep everything folded up until the end. Easier to manage.

I like how geometric and modern it looks. And the way the light shines through and casts interesting shadows. But what's even better? No guilt about sending it to the recycling bin after the holidays.

If you don't have adding machine tape at home (and really, I don't know why you would), it's available at office supply stores for a couple of bucks. I only used about half a roll on my tree, so a single roll should be plenty even for giant trees.

If angles aren't your thing, try folding it another way. Or make fringe! Adding machine tape is such a good base material for so many different ideas.

$100 Bathroom Challenge: Done and under budget!

Our upstairs bathroom makeover is finally finished and came in under budget at $83.32! Let me take you on a tour.

I would like to thank paint for making this makeover possible. This bathroom's biggest problem was the blue on the walls and the vanity.

It wasn't pretty, it wasn't our style and it didn't coordinate with the floor. I could have done nothing but paint the vanity and walls and this bathroom would have looked a thousand times better.

This room needed a simple color correction, and I was happy to give it one.

The almond color on the walls helps bridge the gap between the chrome fixtures and the brass shower.

I challenged myself with an arbitrary budget of only $100, but it wasn't much of an issue since I kept all of the fixtures. I also added some items we already owned: the nightstand, the medicine cabinet, the tablecloth that I sewed into curtains.

I made or found all of the artwork and framed it inexpensively.

What's that black bat-shaped thing, you ask? It's a hinge from our old fence! The hardware was too pretty to throw away. I have a few more pieces that will probably surface in future projects.

After hanging the cabinet earlier this week, I realized I needed some sort of artwork in the space below it, but didn't have time to make anything. I found this piece of wood in the basement that fit the bill perfectly; it was already red! I have some vague ideas about what to do with it, but for right now, it's just a placeholder.

I'll have an addendum on that later, but for now I'm calling this room done! 

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How I spent my $100 budget

1 qt. Semi-gloss wall paint ... $11.42
Curtain rod ... $4.49
1 qt. Semi-gloss paint for vanity, mirror and nightstand ... $11.42
2 Frames ... $0.02 (yep, for real)
Mirror ... $26.91
Bathmat ... $7.47
Paper for top of nightstand ... $4.32
Knobs ... $3.22
Tissue box ... $14.05
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Total spent ... $83.32
Amount unspent ... $16.68
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The rest of the posts in this series:

1. Another bathroom update: Before
2. My color plan
3. Painting the walls
4. Curtains made from a tablecloth
5. Painting the vanity
6. No cost vintage boxer wall art
7. New mirror & bathmat
8. Hang a pretty book as artwork
9. Clock makeover with a Pottery Barn twin
10. Nightstand repurposed for storage
11. Silhouette artwork
12. Repainted medicine cabinet

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Linked to: Thrifty Decor Chick Before & After Party