Next Friday I will be traveling on an airplane with a pre-teen, a teenager and a 5mth old baby! During this highly adventerous experience, I am not certain when I will get a chance to post a blog for you. As a result of possible time constrictions, here is a blog for y'all featuring project numero uno:

 

Changing Table Mobile Night Light

Here is the back story on how this creation came to be. All the supplies I used are underlined for quick reference.

The five little critters pictured above, were on our children's wrapped christmas packages last year from my mother. At first we used them as christmas tree ornaments, but then decided they would be cuter floating on a mobile for the baby's changing table! During one of my numerous expeditions to our local thrift store, I found some black chandelier shades and a string of multi colored christmas lights to complete the mobile night light look I had envisioned with these critters. Using the christmas lights was my easy solution for the mobile's lighting, so I didn't have to do any wiring. The multi colors of the string of lights were also soft enough that the light wouldn't blind the baby at night when it was turned on during diaper changes.

The five little critters were sewn onto the shade using clear quilting thread and an upholstry needle. Any thread or ribbon and thick solid needle will work just fine. I hung the critters at various lengths so each critter could be viewed fully by baby from below the mobile.

Next I stuffed the christmas lights into the shade leaving the plug end out with about two feet of the light string after wrapping it around the metal framing exposed like an "X" in the middle of the chandelier shade. By wrapping it around the "X" metal frame of the shade the christmas light string would hold the mobile suspended from the middle of an armoire that we converted into a changing table (post to come next for this Armoire/Changing table conversion) The two feet of extra string, with the plug on the end left hanging out the top of the shade, allowing the mobile/night light to be plugged in.

I took some 3M Command Hooks and stuck them to the ceiling of the armoire to hold up the mobile by stringing the christmas lights through the hooks. We didn't want to drill the armoire full of holes so we could use it later in life for something else besides a changing table if neede be as our son grew.

There you have it! An easy cute accent created in just a few steps for your changing table area, or anywhere in the nursery, made by reusing and upcycling items that most of us have just laying around the house. The baby loves looking at it while he lays on his changing table. Please share your creations inspired by this project as we would love to see what you are doing by being Good & Thrifty!

NOTE:  We did end up modifying the above project because the christmas lights burnt out! :(
I will soon post the updated pictures of how my husband bought some lamp wiring a socket a dimmer switch along with an edison bulb to put the light back into this mobile.

Ah Friday, you have finally arrived. All week long your presence is anticipated greatly and when you appear the smiles spread from face to face and ear to ear. Most of us get out of bed on your morning with a mightier spring and sip our coffee a little more slowly. Knowing that the weekend will ascend upon us all in a matter of hours seems to make Friday the beloved child of the week. Is it the anticipation of sleeping in on Saturday and lazy hazy afternoons on Sunday to come that thrills us so much with Friday? Or is Friday sweet because of it's own promises of freedom when 5 o'clock rolls on in?


Whatever the case may be for others, Friday is the beginning of a three day creativity binge for me! Friday, Saturday and Sunday free my mind from the work week thought crunch. Allowing the creative ideas that have been piling up Monday through Thursday to ooze out. All week long I have been thinking about a pile of treasures found the previous weekend at thrift stores, garage sales and/or through sale ads. My wanderlust mentally of what I will make of them, where I will put them in our home and which ones I will give away to friends and family, consumes any left over space work doesn't. Then Friday morning finally dawns and I am brimming with overload, about to explode. I spend no haste in grabbing that cup of coffee and attacking the pile of goodies beckoning me. Soon an old mason jar has a new identity as my pasta container and some unsightly canvased artwork is covered in pretty paper to hang in my daughter's room. Old place mats become a banner with our baby son's name spelled out on it and the mirrors received new paint and a new hanging place to shine. 


After many years of doing this hunt and create style of decorating, my friend asked me to share pictures of what I had done at home. Then she asked me to start writing about the projects as well. So here I am, on a Friday, telling the world how I become "Good & Thrifty" in hopes of inspiring others to see the possibilities in objects they would have normally thrown away!It is the problem solving side of my brain that ignites my creative side to re purpose, up cycle and reuse discarded treasures to beautify our world. Each week I will create at least one new project and share it here with everyone. I cannot guarantee it will only be ONE project, but I promise not to overwhelm the blog with two many new ideas all at ones. One cluttered brain, MINE, is enough in this blogging relationship! 


So grab that cup of coffee, Paris tea or Arnold Palmer and take a seat. Relax on this fine weekend and browse through my numerous accumulating projects and leave any questions or comments you may have here. I would love to hear from you and share this creative weekend with like minded recyclers. 


Cheers to Creativity and don't forget to be "Good & Thrifty"!
Genevieve

A recent treasure hunting trip at a local thrift store. 

Stay tuned to see what new identities these items take on in our house!