Gone with you, you nasty, ugly, flying-saucer light fixture!!!

When we were looking at this home to purchase, there were so many things I loved....the list went on and on. But, this ugly light fixture over the island in the kitchen,

was absolutely not one of them. It reminded me of a pair of flying saucers hovering over the evening's family-style dinner buffet! ICK!!! Ballard Designs and many blogs inspired me to create custom lighting with a simple drum shade. There are a million tutorials out there on how to create a custom shade, but I'll add mine and be number one-million and one! This project is easy-peasy and can be super cheap!!

Step one:
Find a shade in the size and shape you desire. Find a fabric that coordinates with your room style. You can get shades everywhere! Garage sales, Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, your own attic or basement.... I got this one new at IKEA because I loved the shape and it already had all the wiring for mounting into the ceiling. I realize I could go to the trouble of mounting my own custom shade, but for $30.00, I couldn't do much better.

Step 2:
Cut fabric and begin adhering fabric to the shade.
I chose burlap (which I am in major love with right now). It is a messy little monster, but well worth the outcome in my coastal-inspired home. I allowed for an extra inch at the top and bottom portion of the fabric so that you can fold it over to make a nice finished edge. Hot glue worked well as the adhesive for this material, but spray adhesive (which you must move quickly with) would probably work better with a cotton, twill or muslin-type fabric. Next, I glued and glued and glued! I took my time, making sure to get every detail as perfect as I could. Luckily, burlap is a bit forgiving!

Step 3:
Check it over for mistakes
perfection and then get ready to mount. You'll need some helpers for this part if you are mounting into the ceiling. Make sure the power is shut off at the breaker. Remove the old, very ugly, fixture and replace it with the brand new, beautiful and amazing, work of art that you created with your own two hands!!! Once it is wired and mounted in place, turn the electricity back on and admire the new glow in your room!

I liked it so much, I made TWO! One for the breakfast nook as well. I hope you love them as much as I do! I still glow everytime I see them!!! Thanks for stopping by! xoxo

I linked up to these fab blog parties:

Simply Thankful

For Thanksgiving, it is important to me to create a soft, sweet and romantic tone for the centerpiece of our great room. I feel it best to place an emphasis on what the Thanksgiving season is supposed to convey. I went with a minimalistic and understated approach hoping it would sing to you as it does to me. Everyday I try to remain grateful for the amazing people in my life. I am blessed with many gifts, talents, blessings and soul riches by my gracious Heavenly Father. I am, and will forever be, simply "thankful". xoxoxo

I linked up to the following awesome!!! blogs:

Create!

So often I find inspiration in unexpected places, during inconvenient times or from people who don't even realize they are helping me think "out of the box". I originally saw the "Keep Calm and Carry On" inspirational saying on a pillow at an aquaintence's home. I liked it, but was unable to decide how, when or why, I would use it. After I made the coastal style coffee table for my husband, I gained inspiration from the plank-style I used for the top of the table. I decided to build a similar style decorative piece to carry the theme to another area of our home. Since we have an open concept house, the perfect room for this piece is the kitchen. I do all my creating, whether it's cooking, baking, crafting or blogging, in my kitchen. OH...how I love my kitchen!! Someday it will be EXACTLY as I want it and I will take you on the "journey to the perfect kitchen" with me! I'll be doing a lot of staying calm, creating AND carrying on while I am taking on the massive projects of refinishing cabinets, tiling backsplashes, and creating perfect lighting...etc. etc. BUT, for now, my cool sign will do! Tutorial to come another night. xoxoxo

I've Linked to the Following Parties!

Coffee Anyone?

My husband recently celebrated his birthday. This year I wanted to do something as a gift that would really make an impact while being functional and practical. My husband travels extensively and during one brief lay-over in an airport, he sent me a picture of a very cool and VERY expensive coffee table. He adored the "coastal" look of it. The gears started turning in my head.....!!

A few weeks later, I was visiting an upscale furniture consignment store and found a beautiful stainless METAL coffee table base for......get this.....$10.00!! I snatched it up right away, drove home full of excitement and pride and promptly hid it in the garage.

A few days later, my husband left on business and the moment both of his feet were out the front door, I rushed in the garage to plot and plan. I had only 3 days and virtually ZERO budget to build him a statement piece for our family room! PHEW!!!!!!!!!

So, I got to work....with plenty of coffee in hand to keep me going!!!! I was up for two of the three days he was gone until 6am hammering, sanding, building, gluing and painting, but I think the end product is more than worth it! When he arrived home to his zombified (that's right....zombified) wife, he was in shock and amazement. He could not believe that I built him a coffee table. He said it was the best surprise he had ever received. What do y'all think?

I've linked up to:

Why Blog????

My friend, Sarah, from the blog Three Boys recently asked me to share my blogging story with her. I was all-too-willing to share my experience! :)

For awhile, my very closest friends were in a conspiracy to get me to start writing again. Writing is, and has always been, a passion of mine since I can remember. In school my friends preferred having tests that were multiple choice or true and false. I, on the other hand, feared second guessing myself and found it much less stressful to answer in essay form. I was the girl in college who enjoyed writing the papers that took other friends weeks to complete. I don't have anything great to say, I guess I'm just good at BS-ing writing my way through life.

Now that I have a family, I have a more difficult time remembering and documenting the going-ons of my two gorgeous munchkins. Blogging seems like the perfect fit to marry my two passions....writing and my children. Then you add in the fact that I love photography, crafting, upcycling, repurposing furniture, decorating, cooking, baking, etc. etc. etc. and there you have it.....BLOGGING....perfection!

I am super duper new to this process. I'm sure I will make LOTS of silly mistakes, but, at least I'm diving in and trying something new! There is a large learning curve, but stick around

and I promise that you will learn something along this journey with me!! xoxo Sondra

Why is my life a "blue box"?

Why is my life a blue box? I've had many friends and family members ask me to explain the source of my blog title. First things first, for those of you who do not know me, or are getting to know me better through this blog, it is VERY important that you realize I am sarcastic and have a dry hilarious sense of humor! My life is not a box in which I am trapped and feeling blue (although, now that I think of it....). I am not trying to make some "huge" statement with varying degrees and levels and such.... No, simply put, my life is a series of ironies and oxymorons. I have a Tiffany's taste on a mac-n-cheese budget. The title of my blog is a metaphor for what is my ebb and flow of highs and lows. It can be a tough life, but it is an abundantly blessed life! It is MY BLUE BOX LIFE. xoxoxoxoxo