{DIY} Animal Bookends

Hello and happy February 1st! Where have you gone, Father Time?! Did you know February has 29 days this year? Does that mean there are 366 days in 2012? Weird. I guess our employers get a free day out of us. *disgruntled*

Today's project is one I am stupidly, inappropriately giddy about, and I couldn't wait to share it with you! I'm also on a roll with the $2 project this week, since my only purchase was....wait for it.....

.....Plastic elephants from the dollar bin! I found these at the Target Danger Dollar Zone for $1 each, and the spray paint I already owned (duh). As for the rocks, you can find them in the garden department of the hardware store, on walks in park, or stone yards. I happen to have a stone yard nearby (kind of random, right?!), so I grabbed my 'Rattlesnake Rocks' (that's really what they're called) there. The poor guys were so confused by my request, they just let me wander around and take whatever scraps I wanted.

I originally planned to use stone tiles as the bases, but they were too small and not heavy enough to hold the weight of books.

I didn't love the tusks, so I trimmed them off with scissors, then gave each animal a few light coats of spray paint. I wanted the rocks to sit straight, so I filed the bottoms down using our concrete driveway. A dot of super glue to the bottom of each foot adheres the plastic to the stone.

Here are the mighty elephants now!

I think my Living Room was getting too sweet, with all the soft blues and pinks, so I'm adding some pops of red to liven it up. The Elephant Bookends are the perfect addition to our Updated Bookshelves!

Oh, Elephant Bookends, how I love thee! (See, stupidly, inappropriately giddy!)

So are you off to raid your kid's toy closet, or the local dollar store? You can find these plastic animals everywhere! In fact, I can't seem to stop spraying them, and have another goodie to show you soon! As well as more red accents!

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{Valentine's Day} Paper Heart Runner

Thanks so much for the love on my new chairs yesterday! Hopefully I didn't enable your online shopping habit too much. I'll make up for it today with a cheapie-cheap project! How's $2 sound?

I found these packages of paper heart doilies in the Target Danger Dollar Zone. I'm not big on Valentine Decor (despite me having an entire tab of Valentine projects!), but I do like a few sweet touches here and there.

So I whipped up an easy table runner, perfect for the Breakfast Room. I measured how long I wanted it to be, then just arranged the hearts in a pattern I liked. Once that was done, I went back and added a dot of glue to the underside where each heart overlapped (that dries clear).

Allow the glue to dry and you have a cute runner that adds a bright pop of color to a Valentine tablescape.

Not too shabby for 5 minutes and $2, right?! The spotted plates are currently on clearance at Target, since they consider them Christmasy. I'll use them for Christmas, Valentine's Day and all the patriotic holidays!

The Breakfast Room is my favorite spot to add some Valentine fun, since it's where we tend to gather as a family. Last year's Paper Heart Garland hangs from the window.

Are you working on any sweet things for your Valentines? I've got a few more easy-breezy ones coming up!

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Mama's Got a Brand New Chair

Or six new chairs, rather! Happy Monday, lovebugs! How was your weekend? Other than the permanent indention in my right hand from tightening FIFTY-FOUR 3-inch screws with a 4-inch Allen wrench...mine was divine! I wasn't actually in the market for new Dining Room chairs yet, but when Overstock sends you a 15% off + free shipping code, you're going to check out your options!

Seeing as how my Dining Room looks like a giant brown Buick took up residence, I knew I'd eventually make some changes for the lighter.

Don't get me started on my list of projects for this room! (Rug, chairs, paint, curtains)

Turns out, my option was the Crown Fabric Off-White Dining Chairs! I've purchased all kinds of things online, but never something as big as six chairs. Sure shipping was free, but if Rita Return had to get involved, sending them back would not have been. So needless to say, I was just as nervous as I was excited when the boxes showed up (less than a week later!)

Since the price was so great and they're from Overstock, I wasn't expecting much in the white-glove department. I was shocked to find them perfectly packed, with the upholstered pieces wrapped in individual drawstring bags!

But then I spent the next 15 minutes shrieking destroying searching the box to find the other chair legs and parts! "Son of a biscuit, no wonder my chairs were on sale, they don't have legs!!!" Before my fit reached wall-eyed status, I realized the seat cushion flaps peel back....to reveal chair legs and assembly parts. Really, nothing gets past me. Thank goodness no one else was home, or they'd surely have had me committed.

It was easy, but tedious, to attach the seat bottom to the back, and then the front two legs TWSS. The chairs are incredibly solid, with no wobbling, and the tufting and trim are flawless. The material is a natural linen, and the cushion is thick with a nice spring. I'd definitely give them 5-stars!

My table could seat eight, but it'd be a chair army in here. So I'll keep it at six, and bring in smaller, extra chairs from the Breakfast Room when necessary.

It's amazing how much lighter and brighter the room already is!

Okay, so I've made other changes since the 'Before' picture above, but we'll address that if I ever once I complete the Living Room makeover! (Remember, one room at a time! Ha!)

You may recognize the Metallic Lamps. I did a little switcheroo, which means we have another Lamp-A-Looza post coming up!

And for the big comparison, here's the Before & Afters.

Don't the chairs just change the room completely? The lamps help, too. Aaaaaand, I've already sold the old chairs on Craigslist, which puts my total expense at $200!!! Crazy, right?

I can't speak for other chairs, but I can vouch for these and Overstock. And you can't beat the prices! (They aren't paying me to say this, I promise!) So next time a coupon code pops up in your inbox, maybe you should just have a peek!

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