26.7.11

we're getting a Nino!


After 7 months of being certified for foster care, we're getting a {Nino}!  We've been waiting to have a little boy in our home who needs some extra love, and we finally got the long awaited phone call.  We're not sure how long he'll be here, we're just going to to take it one day at a time and make the most of each moment.  For privacy purposes, we can't post pictures, but I can tell you he's six years old, has curly red hair, and a light sprinkling of freckles across his nose.  He loves swimming, animals, all kinds of food (yeah), and has the sweetest little raspy voice! 

Here's the dresser I recently finished for his little boy belongings.

I found it on CL and it was the perfect size for the room I've been working on upstairs.  I paid a bit more then I like to pay for a used dresser ($65), but I had been looking a long time for a specific size that would fit right under the window and this one was perfect.    

I liked the original stained wood but decided to change up the drawers and spray them black.  I used this brand of spray paint found at Home Depot.  It truly is twice the coverage and it goes on really evenly. 



Then I added some character to it with some paint splatter and I hit it a few times with a big, heavy chain to add a few dents.


I sanded it around the edges,


and took some small nails and pounded them in the corners of the drawers to look like worm holes.


I'm really diggin' the industrial look these days and I decided I wanted some cool, old casters for the feet to give it a little height, and to add another element.  Jilly just so happened to have these laying around in her back yard (for real) and she gave them to me.  I know.


My man and I spent some quality time in the garage fastening the casters on the bottom of the dresser,


and making blocks legs for the back of the dresser which I stained to match the wood.


I spent some time looking for the right pulls for this dresser and I finally decided to use jute, similar to the rope I used on the {anthro knock off }.   It's inexpensive and unexpected.


This rope is a little thicker and I tied the handles just a bit different. 


Simple and easy.  I didn't waste any time getting it upstairs and placed in the perfect spot.



Here are some other projects I've completed in the Nino's room lately.  I think we're ready! 

Click on the picture to see the DIY tutorial.




I made these roman shades with my friend Cindy who runs a professional work room.  I found the fabric at the "mother ship" Creative Home Fabrics in Phoenix for $3/yard.  It was imperative that these babies were blackout lined to give the nino a few more hours of slumber after the sun comes up:) 

P.S. There was no sewing involved in the making of these shades.  Not one stitch.  It's all done with double sided, professional sewing tape and scissors.  Who knew?   


I snapped a few pictures of us "working".  We had ridiculous fun chatting and catching up, and consequently, they took us entirely too long to finish.

But it was worth it. 

Cindy is a great friend with a laugh I could listen to all day.


It's AMAZING the things you can do with all the right tools and gadgets.  How am I ever going to go back to sewing on my kitchen table? 


We even used some potentially dangerous power tools without the assistance of a man.


On Wednesday afternoon, my family will be waiting anxiously at the door for the moment he arrives.  I have a feeling this will be a great learning experience for all of us.  I've got two crossed fingers and a prayer that it works out for the best.  So it's onto a new and exciting chapter in our lives:)


38 comments:

  1. Love this dresser--tons! And the headboard too! I would love it if you would share this at my linky party starting Wednesday.

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  2. P.S. Congratulations on the nino--wishing you lots of love and fun!

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  3. Yay! What a lucky little nino! I love the entire room. Best wishes on your fabulous new adventure!

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  4. You may never know how much it means to a foster child to be so wonderfully warmly welcomed, prayed for and prepared for. Every inch of that room says 'you belong' and for a child in need that's just huge. Thanks for sharing!

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  5. This room looks amazing, I think he will be pretty happy with it too;)
    Great work!
    Lovely greetings...

    http://pudel-design.blogspot.com/

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  6. I'm so excited that he gets to be with you guys! And thanks for posting a picture of Cindy! I miss her. The room is (as always) perfect!

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  7. what a great makeover!! Congrats on the little nino--connie, measuredbytheheart.com

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  8. GREAT JOB!

    I'd love for you to share your room and dresser at my link party... I hope to see you there!

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  9. Inspirational. Congratulations on your news. I am a new follower. Found you via Miss Mustard seeds party. I am supposed to be starting a blog but instead i just keep getting sidelined by awesome makeovers!

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  10. Do you have a pattern for the roman shades?

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  11. I'm seriously in LOVE with that room! I saw your link at vintage revivals! come visit me at burkeandrachellekunz.blogspot..... I'm so inspired to do the zig zags? did it take forever?!

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  12. Congrats! The room looks amazing! Would love a tutorial on the roman shades

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  13. I love this dresser!!! You did an AMAZING job. My fav part are the rollers you added.

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  14. I am DYING over this dresser!! I love it!

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  15. I love the entire room. What a great place to feel safe and secure in!

    Best wishes,

    Jenny

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  16. I LOVE this post. You make me want to get up and copy every detail in my son's room. Amazing! Loving the rustic take on that dresser... this post was like a caffeine saturated creativity hit! Thank-you!

    Shared this on FJI Facebook for SNS 92. :)

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150320922296141&set=a.192514281140.164586.175378011140&type=1&theater

    Donna

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  17. Wow! Your room is so original and creative! Truly magazine ready!

    Hope you will please drop by and enter my $50 Overstock.com Gift Card Giveaway!! If there are 500 entries, the amount will increase the Gift Card to $100.

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  18. I just want to let you know that I'll be featuring your dresser and bedroom makeover tomorrow on my blog... Feel free to visit and button up ;)

    Thank you so much for sharing!

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  19. oh wow!!! I am loving this!! and please do share how you made that shade! Awesome job ladies!!!

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  20. I came back to read you post and I am so glad that there is people like you in this world. If you EVER would like to be one of my beYOUtiful guest, please email me... I would love to have you.

    Say Hi to Nino from us!

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  21. your dresser is so cool id love to feature it on my revival monday please let me know if its ok
    lauren

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  22. What a great dresser. The handles are my favorite.
    I am a new follower.

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  23. I wish I had a fraction of your creativity!! I love it!

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  24. Hi girls,
    I don't have a pattern for the shades they're pretty simple. I made mine from the ceiling down to the window sill, with 1.5" overlapping on each side. The shaped bottom can be simply made by folding a piece of butcher paper in half and drawing the arch so you get both sides exactly the same. Pin it on your fabric as a guide.
    I used a cord lock along with the all the components on the back. Youtube "cord lock" if you want to see how they work. They can be ordered online at Amazon.com


    xoxo,
    Mia

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  25. I really like what you've been doing to get this room ready. It's looking very classy. What I appreciate most about the dresser makeover is the reminder that we don't have to use furniture as-is, but can add things to it to serve us better, like the casters. I even featured your dresser in my weekly "Metamorphosis Monday" post.

    http://www.imbusyprocrastinating.com/2011/08/metamorphosis-monday-4.html

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  26. What a great makeover for the room! Hope all goes well on Wednesday! I'm sure you'll all have a wonderful experience!

    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a great week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  27. thanks for linking to Take-A-Look Tuesday - I just featured you on my FB page!

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  28. Lovely! I think I could pull this off on a smaller dresser I bought for $10.
    Thanks for the idea.
    Tana

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  29. That's a lucky little boy to get such loving folks to make that gorgeous room for him! Thank you for linking to Wicked Awesome Wednesday!

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  30. I saw your post as a result of it being a "favorite" on the BoogieBoard Cottage blog party recently. I think the drawer pulls are genius! The whole room is so wonderful. You are an angel to help the little guy.

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  31. The rope handles you made are so cool:) I love love love everything!

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  32. You did an excellent job fixing up this dresser! Thanks for sharing it on "Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop".

    From this week's party co-host:

    Jacque @ Jacque's Soda Parlor
    thesodaparlor.blogspot.com

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  33. This is adorbs. For real. And my twinner adopted her first little guy so we're kindred spirits to you two (even though we've only met Jill who rocks) LOVE this dresser!

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  34. I know this is a VERY late reply to this post but oh my this room is fantastic and you must be a very special girl for doing all this for the little Nino, I hope everything worked out just fine for you all. Thanks for sharing this. (I just found your blog browsing the internet. Bye the way I LOVE YOUR DRESSER and all the other stuff you work on.

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  35. I just finished re-doing a dresser and I have one more to do and I am loving this look! Plus, the idea of only sanding the drawers and not the whole thing makes me grin from ear to ear. Thanks for sharing!! xo
    www.blondebellezza.com

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  36. Was lucky to find this on pinterest. Any chance you remember the size of the caster wheels and block legs?

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We LOVE comments and we read every single one. Go ahead, make our day!
Mia & Jilly