Easy {DIY} Vintage Sewing Cabinet Makeover

The months of August and September have been crazy busy for me!  I thought for sure that when the kids were back to school that I would have SO MUCH TIME to get all of my housework, work-work, volunteer-work, and DIY fun-work done that I would be literally searching for something to do...WRONG!

Housework has been on hold, work-work has picked up, and volunteer-work comes in almost daily. This means that DIY fun-work gets squeezed in at all hours of the night while everyone is in bed and I am desperately trying to catch up with my "Mom-only" guilty pleasure shows (Mistresses, Devious Maids, Real Housewives of Miami...)

Here's my latest midnight project:

My Easy DIY Vintage Sewing Cabinet Makeover

My daughter has been asking for her own desk since school started, but she doesn't have a lot of space in her bedroom. As I was searching for a small table I could transform into a desk, I came across this vintage sewing cabinet at my local thrift.

These are a fairly common item at garage sales and thrift shops.  In fact, there were two different ones for sale on the day I found her.  Yep, it's a her....

She was marked at $35 because she came with a working sewing machine installed, still a pretty good deal, but I really just wanted the cabinet.  The tag showed that it was the 7th day since she had been put out for sale, so I asked the manager and he brought the price down to $20, machine and all.

This girl weighed a good 40 lbs, so even if I wanted to just tuck away the machine, I knew it would just be way too cumbersome to keep installed. I unscrewed the bolts and set the massively heavy machine aside for my upcoming charity yard sale.

As part of my search for a desk, I had come across a new (to me, at least) line of chalk paints at a local home goods consignment shop and I decided to try some out.

I fell in LOVE with this coral color called Gypsy by Vintage Market & Design Furniture Paint.  I coordinated it with some Annie Sloan Provence, used the Annie Sloan clear wax and left the hardware with its existing patina.  Not much work, but boy, what an update!

My daughter LOVES it, and it fits right into the little corner of her bedroom.  I'm still debating whether to hang a basket in the hole where the sewing machine was or to cover the hole completely with a thin piece of board, but for now she can do her homework in the comfort of her own room.

Adorable, right??  Now on to search for the perfect chair!




Click here to see the amazing sites where this and my other projects are linked!

 Other\ fun parties:
Saavy Southern Style

Fabulously Frugal Fall Fashion Challenge: The Tights Challenge and Features

Thanks to all of our readers and followers who participated in The Red Challenge last week!  Before we premiere this week's challenge, here are our favorite link-ups from last week.

Loyal participant, and fashionista, AnhKay from Glass Slippers on a Budget, put together two great
red-inspired looks this week!  She used the bonus accessory as inspiration for her red flower pin and
her black flower choker.  Love the red peep-toe pumps!

Newest participant, Grace, looks FAB sporting her thrifted black top (from Melbourne, Australia!)
and $4 tartan skirt!  We are LU-HU-VING the oxford pumps. 
LOVE LOVE LOVE!  Can we have them?  ;)

Thanks again ladies for your participation! If your look was featured, make sure to grab a LOVED BY button from our Button Up tab to put on your sidebar or featured page.  Remember, if you want your look to be featured, follow the rules listed below!


Now on to this week's challenge:  The Tights Challenge

Via Pinterest

You are free of a bonus accessory this week!


Here is a reminder of the rules:

• Recreate a similar outfit head-to-toe.  This can mean that you recreate 1, 2, 3 or all of the looks featured this week.
• Create your very own look inspired by the photos we have posted
• Use the bonus accessory in your completed look
• Create an outfit inspired by the bonus accessory

This is where the FRUGAL part comes in.  The looks you create must be made up from:

• Garments/accessories you find at a thrift store/consignment store/yard sale/etc.
• Garments/accessories you already own.
• Garments/accessories you create.

You have until this Friday to recreate the outfit(s) and blog about them. Make sure to tell us where you found the pieces and how much (little) you spent on them. Don't forget to add the button below to your blog post, and we would LOVE if you became a follower.

Come back to AquaSeventy6 on Friday to see how we have recreated the looks, as well.  You are invited to add the link to your blog post on our comments section and the following week we will feature our favorite looks on our site and our Facebook and Twitter pages.


Don't have a blog, but you still want to join in?  NO PROBLEM!!  Create your look, upload the photos to a share site (ie: Photobucket or you can pin your look to Pinterest) and add the link, as well as the purchase/cost details, in our comments section on Friday for a chance to have your look featured.  You may also email your look by clicking on the email tab in our sidebar and using the word "TIGHTS" in your subject line.

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Fabulously Frugal Fall Fashion Friday #5

On Monday we posted a few photos of fall fashions from our Pinterest board.  Our challenge (and yours) was to create similar looks using only items we already own or have bought second hand.  So how did we do with the Red Challenge?  You tell us!

Original inspiration:

Our Recreations:
Sorry for the poor photos!  The week got away from us and we took these last night.

I bought this dress years ago at Ross, paired it with my favorite
soft scarf and boots for a floral red look.

You can't tell by this photo, but this is a vintage sweater I found at
Goodwill a couple of weeks ago for $2.50.  I added a black cardigan
I got at Ross last year and my black Ross boots from earlier this year.

This mini-dress/blouse is an H&M brand that I found at Goodwill
a few weeks back for $4.  The black leggings are from many
seasons ago and my black Ross boots.

We want to see how you recreate these looks!  You have until Sunday to post a link to your photograph in the comments section of this post or email us the photo using the subject line RED.  We will feature our favorites on Monday along with the new outfit inspirations for next week's challenge.  If you need a reminder of the rules or details, click here.







Click here to see where this and our other projects are linked!

Fabulously Frugal Fall Fashion Friday #4

On Monday we posted a few photos of fall fashions from our Pinterest board.  Our challenge (and yours) was to create similar looks using only items we already own or have bought second hand.  So how did we do with the Monochromatic Challenge?  You tell us!

Original inspiration:

Our recreations:

This black monochromatic look was put together using items from our closet.
The clutch was handmade by Yvette (do you like??)  The owl pendant was a souvenir from
Charleston, SC last winter.  The boots are more recent from Ross.

This dress was found in a consignment shop in Savannah, GA the winter of 2009. 
The boots are from Charleston, SC winter of 2009 and the owl pendant was found
last winter in a second-hand shop also in Charleston.

The top was found last month (new with Dillard's tags) at Goodwill for $2.50!  The pants
were found in 2009 in a consignment shop in Lutz, FL, the shoes are last fall Forever 21
and the clutch is handmade.

We want to see how you recreate these looks!  You have until Sunday to post a link to your photograph in the comments section of this post or email us the photo using the subject line MONOCHROME.  We will feature our favorites on Monday along with the new outfit inspirations for next week's challenge.  If you need a reminder of the rules or details, click here.




Click here to see where this and our other projects are linked!

Fabulously Frugal Fall Fashion Challenge: The Monochromatic Challenge and Features

Thanks to all of our readers and followers who participated in The Floral Challenge last week!  Before we premiere this week's challenge, here are our favorite link-ups from last week.

Our veteran FFFF Challenger, Anh-Kay put together a GORGEOUS floral outfit this week! 
We love the green clutch (woot for the accessory!) and adore the vintage boots.  Great work, AKP!

 

Tanya from Kreative Korner came up with not one but THREE complete floral inspired outfits right from her closet! 
AWESOME job, Tanya!  Can we borrow some of these hot looks?!

Teresa from You Made That??? put together this outfit for $0!  Can you tell her
jeans are unrolled capris?  Way to creatively use items you already own! We love it!

Thanks again for your participation! If your look was featured, make sure to grab a LOVED BY button from our Button Up tab to put on your sidebar or featured page.  Remember, if you want your look to be featured, follow the rules listed below!


Now on to this week's challenge The Monochromatic Challenge:

Sources found on our Pinterest board.

Bonus Accessory:

Pinterest

 Here is a reminder of the rules:

• Recreate a similar outfit head-to-toe.  This can mean that you recreate 1, 2, 3 or all of the looks featured this week.
• Create your very own look inspired by the photos we have posted
• Use the bonus accessory in your completed look
• Create an outfit inspired by the bonus accessory

This is where the FRUGAL part comes in.  The looks you create must be made up from:

• Garments/accessories you find at a thrift store/consignment store/yard sale/etc.
• Garments/accessories you already own.
• Garments/accessories you create.

You have until this Friday to recreate the outfit(s) and blog about them. Make sure to tell us where you found the pieces and how much (little) you spent on them. Don't forget to add the button below to your blog post, and we would LOVE if you became a follower.

Come back to AquaSeventy6 on Friday to see how we have recreated the looks, as well.  You are invited to add the link to your blog post on our comments section and the following week we will feature our favorite looks on our site and our Facebook and Twitter pages.


Don't have a blog, but you still want to join in?  NO PROBLEM!!  Create your look, upload the photos to a share site (ie: Photobucket or you can pin your look to Pinterest) and add the link, as well as the purchase/cost details, in our comments section on Friday for a chance to have your look featured.  You may also email your look by clicking on the email tab in our sidebar and using the word "MONOCHROMATIC" in your subject line.

<center><a href="http://aquaseventy6.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="AquaSeventy6" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/YManes24/aquaframesmall.jpg"/></a></center>

Fabulously Frugal Fall Fashion Challenge: The Floral Challenge and Features

Thanks to all of our readers and followers who participated in The Stripes Challenge last week!  Before we premiere this week's challenge, here are our favorite link-ups from last week.

Sydney from Chic Stripes sent in these two HAUTE looks.

Anh-Kay and her mini-me combined black and white striped tops with
jeans and brown boots (all from their closets!).  We love Mini's pop of  color in the hot pink scarf.

Minh brought some color to her black and white dress
with a lime green cardigan all from her closet.

Marcy from k.a.i-y.a. made a statement with her blue stripes
(which happen to match her fab armoire!)  These are items she's
had for "a million years". ;)

Geekmum from Half Cocked Living sent us
a photo of her little muse rocking the stripes!

Thanks again for your participation!

Now on to this week's challenge The Floral Challenge:

 via Pinterest

Via Pinterest

Bonus Accessory:

Via Pinterest

Here is a reminder of the rules:

• Recreate a similar outfit head-to-toe.  This can mean that you recreate 1, 2, 3 or all 4 of the looks featured this week.
• Create your very own look inspired by the photos we have posted
• Use the bonus accessory in your completed look
• Create an outfit inspired by the bonus accessory

This is where the FRUGAL part comes in.  The looks you create must be made up from:

• Garments/accessories you find at a thrift store/consignment store/yard sale/etc.
• Garments/accessories you already own.
• Garments/accessories you create.

You have until this Friday to recreate the outfit(s) and blog about them. Make sure to tell us where you found the pieces and how much (little) you spent on them. Don't forget to add the button below to your blog post, and we would LOVE if you became a follower.

Come back to AquaSeventy6 on Friday to see how we have recreated the looks, as well.  You are invited to add the link to your blog post on our comments section and the following week we will feature our favorite looks on our site and our Facebook and Twitter pages.


Don't have a blog, but you still want to join in?  NO PROBLEM!!  Create your look, upload the photos to a share site (ie: Photobucket or you can pin your look to Pinterest) and add the link, as well as the purchase/cost details, in our comments section on Friday for a chance to have your look featured.  You may also email your look by clicking on the email tab in our sidebar and using the word "FLORAL" in your subject line.

<center><a href="http://aquaseventy6.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="AquaSeventy6" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/YManes24/aquaframesmall.jpg"/></a></center>

If you were featured, please pick  up a button on our Button Up tab!

Fabulously Frugal Fall Fashion Friday #2

On Monday we posted a few photos of fall fashions from our Pinterest board.  Our challenge (and yours) was to create similar looks using only items we already own or have bought second hand.  So how did we do with the Stripes Challenge? You tell us!

Original inspiration:

 

Our recreations:

This outfit was created using pieces we already owned.

The top in this outfit was a Forever 21found at Goodwill for just $2!  The rest of the pieces were in our closets.

The top in this outfit is a Gap piece found at Goodwill for $2
(love those 50% of tag colors!) The rest of the outfit are pieces we already owned.  You might remember our
DIY infinity scarf we used as the BONUS ACCESSORY.

Three fall outfits, total cost $4!  We want to see how you recreate these outfits!  You have until Sunday to post a link to your photograph in the comments section of this post or email us the photo using the subject line STRIPES.  We will feature our favorites on Monday along with the new outfit inspirations for next week's challenge.  If you need a reminder of the rules or details, click here.

Click here to see where this and our other projects are linked!