Trash to Treasure Coffee Can

Life has been busy. I have some big projects in mind that I hope to share soon (valances, closet reorganization, painted dresser) but in the meantime I have just been trying to catch my breath since getting the kids started at school and soccer and everything else that seems to pop up.

Yesterday my son had to stay home from school because of a little cold. So - as he drew pictures at the kitchen table - I tried out my new silver contact paper. It's FUN. I want to cover everything in silver now! But, knowing my husband would think I lost my mind...I just spruced up my little coffee station. I've had this coffee container for several months and keep refilling it because it is a convenient shape, size and my three year old can open it (she loves to make her momma coffee and I'm not going to discourage it). So, to make it a more attractive permanent fixture on my counter top - I covered it with silver contact paper, a paper bag label, decorative paper on top, and some mod podge to seal the label. So easy and silly - but a fun little project to do while my son did his thing - and it got rave reviews from my personal barista daughter this morning.

My reusable coffee container

All spruced up with it's silver self. Notice the matching cinnamon?

This is a view of the whole area a couple months ago before I also redid the mail spot and medicine spot.

See? Looking better! I love getting things organized, a little cuter and simpler. A little change goes a long way in making a busy household feel manageable!

Linking up to Poppies at Play to give you a chance to see some way more creative projects! Also, for some impressive Trash to Treasure - check out Reinvented!

MAIL TIME!

I had a great weekend filled with projects. I am so excited to have some new pictures and posts... and most of all - to have prettied up some things around the house.

The first one I'll share this week (I'm starting off small here) is a little box that I found at an impromptu visit to the Goodwill last week. We actually have an outlet store here that has HUGE bins of crap treasures that you pay for by the pound. It is at this point that I need to state the obvious. If you pick out the three heaviest pieces of crap stuff, you don't get the best deal. 'Nuff said.

BUT - I did get this very cool little box - that I had a specific purpose for before even buying. I actually liked the creamy yellow color that it had already been painted. As luck would have it, I found a matching color of new spray paint at Michaels. The unlucky part - I bought two cans of this stuff and it is the worst spray paint I've ever bought. It sprayed unevenly leaving big drips and took a long time to dry. If anyone really wants to know the brand - I'll tell you. I'm not being secretive... just lazy as it is out in the garage right now and I don't remember what kind it was.

So - here is the before picture. Notice the little feet are broken and missing. When I started trying to take the other one off - I ended up taking all the trim off too because some of that was broken.

This is the space that needed help! I'm kind of embarrassed to post the picture - and I will say that this is on a bad day. But, it obviously needed some help. And one goal I've developed as I'm do these little projects is to make them useful and pretty. It's not an either/or - they should really be both - because I'm not about just doing useless things. Usually.

So - then, I did my thing with the temperamental spray paint. I might have said a few bad words as I made a mess of things due to the new brand of paint. Then, some cute black ribbon - and VOILA! It is perfect. And look at my little counter space and mail holder. Ahhhhhh. SO MUCH BETTER. I love it.

Stay tuned this week. I have at least three more projects to post... and maybe another. I'm linking up to Metamorphosis Monday! Yay - check her out! Updated: I found another party too - this is another big one! I can't believe I hadn't had the pleasure of checking out her blog until today. I know most of you have! Southern Hospitality!