How to Cover an Ugly Alarm Panel

See how to cover an ugly alarm panel by modifying a small hanging cabinet. Right in the front entry of our home we have a hideously ugly alarm panel next to an even older alarm switch. I have always hated looking at these and wanted a way to cover them up. So here is how we covered up our ugly alarm system.

Here is what is hidden inside. We took a shallow small wall cabinet and popped off the back panel. It is small enough to not stick out as we go in and out but the perfect size to camouflage the ugly alarm pads.

It also is a great place to stash keys and sunglasses right by the door.

There you go. The alarm system is covered and the entry looks so much better. You'd never know what was hidden inside.

Aging Dollar Store Flowers

I have this cute milk can that needed a little something but I didn't want to spend much so while visiting Dollar Tree I spied these yellow cheap silk flowers.

I thought they would be great but they needed to be toned down a bit and given a bit more of and "aged" look.

So here's a tip. Take a pan and soak some tea bags good and strong. I think I used five. I just left them for a couple of hours turning them in the tea every once in a while as I walked by.

Let them dry and arranged them in my cow can. I think they look a little richer and a little less Dollar store now.

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Tabletop Tuesday

Owl Themed Bedroom on a Budget

I never shared my daughter's owl themed bedroom on a budget we re-did on a tight budget. She wanted green and orange and she wanted OWLS. I said okay. Sounds good. She first wanted orange walls and I said no way. Could not stand looking at that so she picked this lovely green. 

We picked up a green spread on clearance for $17 at Target. We also used pillows she had and added an orange one. The cute owl pillow was also clearance at Target and the other was from Etsy.

I have to say Target was good to us because I then found this lamp which was perfect on clearance for around $9.

She wanted a shelf for her favorite books and we used one we had in the garage. No money spent.

I took two hideous old pictures and flipped the inside part over and painted with chalk board paint. I then used samples to paint the frames bright. The cute green owl came off of a gift.

Okay, I let her have some orange and bright orange at that in this cupboard. It was just full of shelves before so we took some out and made it a cozy desk area for her.

All her owl collection has been hung up and displayed.

Now some of you will recognize this peg shelf. Remember these? It is from about '91. It was country blue and sitting in the garage. We painted it with the bright orange and I think it came out great. Perfect for her bags.

We got rid of a bulky old desk so she could have her keyboard out all the time. We have a regular piano but she uses this all the time when in her room. I am so proud of her as she earned a piano chair as an incoming freshman in the high school concert band. She is going to be so busy this year. This owl picture was a gift from her aunt and uncle. The old wicker cabinet has seen better days but she needed more space so it works under here.

I think it came out really cute and she loves it so that is what I wanted. Also, with paint and using what we had and a few clearance items, I think we spent less than $100. Can't beat that. Sharing over Brenda's new party at Cozy Little House.

My Teeny Tiny Office Re-Do

Small space office ideas. I know this is scary but I wanted to show you what I am working on. I don't have room for a home office anywhere. This has been the place for our desk top and printer and it sits in the corner in an L shaped hallway. I am declaring it mine. I want to re-do it for more efficient space for me to have as my own. 

I will keep the desk and the desk top computer. I have convinced the two oldest to set up the printer in their room. They have two desks in there and lots of space and they also use it the most. The wall color will stay the same is I don't want to repaint the entire hallway right now. I hate all those cords you see walking down the hallway. I have begged hubby to make it a project for himself to figure out how to hide them all. The shelves are going in my third daughter's room. She wants a couple shelves for books and mementos so these will be perfect.

Here are some inspiration pics all from bhg.com. 

Just love the colors and all in the above photo.

I love this entire set up. They have truly maximized wall space here and I am on the hunt for a hanging unit like the one on the left.

I just love this photo for the colors. Of course I cannot really use these colors but how cheery they are. I could sneak in some pretty paper products that would make me smile for sure.

On a side note my daughter and I have been so busy and stressed trying to get her registered in her college classes for the coming semester. This is her third semester and yet this has been the hardest time we have ever had. Continual budget cuts and an increasing student population have made it so difficult to get into any classes before they are filled. We are waiting for confirmation that she was able to get a spot into her last class. We had to go through five attempts to even get her into one class as everything was already filled by the time she could log in. I need chocolate bad!!!!!!! Yeah she just yelled back to me that she got the last class. Whew.

Vintage Christmas Kitchen Shelf

Vintage Christmas decor in the kitchen with my little vintage toy stove.

This old (very old) bookshelf used to be in our front room and was a hunter green. After several coats of paint she is finally all white and I put her in my kitchen. It is perfect to display all my red and white kitchen goodies.

The vintage Santa face was my moms. I cherish it very much.

Moved my little stove over here and now my youngest keeps stashing things in the little oven. Including the remote. Not funny.

The little sparkly houses were an after Christmas buy from my favorite shop last year.

The bottom shelf is just the perfect spot to display my metal picnic basket.
I am so happy to have completed one painting project. Now on to the next item on the list.

Old and New Again

This was one of my grandmother's aprons. I have two of them. She was born in 1898 and died in 1984. My aunt, a talented seamstress, made all of her aprons and I have always loved the colors of this one. It is in need of some repair from hanging and a good soak but I treasure it. Grandma always wore an apron and I wear one whenever I am in the kitchen. Sloppy cook.

Clearance Susan Branch calendar. Love her illustrations. My recent thrift store find. I needed a new bread box and snatched this one. I decided to paint it as it has some stains on top.

I used some leftover paint and distressed it a little. Not sure I like it so dark but for a $1.25 it is good enough and hold lots of bread and bagels in there.

Linking to:

Ruby Tuesday

Today's Creative Blog

BNOTP Link Party

Coastal Charm

Brambleberry Cottage

Vintage Thingie Thursday

Diane 1876