Schoolroom is Finished

I planned on this project taking a week or two, but it was really more like several months. BUT I'm SO happy with the way it turned out! Welcome to our schoolroom/my newborn photography studio. Look! My bookcases match now! Step one: paint the bookcase.

 One of the first things I did was paint the entire room, agreeable gray. Perfect light gauge.

 To remind you of what it looked like when we first moved in, check out this post.

I got these 2 chairs at a junk store. One of them didn't even have a seat. Chris fixed that for me.

 

Like that plaid seat cushion? Sad thing is there was another layer that was even worse under that brown plaid!

 I had them all painted nicely, procrastinated putting on a sealant, then four boys happened. So I had to do a little more touch up a couple months later and THIS time I added the polyurethane.

 

I distressed the turquoise one a little and added some stain to it after. Love the way that aged it a bit.

 This black one we bought at a garage sale years ago and kept it in the bedroom.The red one was donated by my awesome brother in law. I painted it red - a crazy bright clown red at first, but dark walnut stain to the rescue to tone down. I added these homemade seat cushions because Zane and Caedon's desk is a little tall. Makes it more comfy, too.

I found this mirror at a garage sale this summer. I think I paid $3 for it. All it needed was a little paint.

 

My wall of garage sale finds. The desk was one that Chris and dad built several years ago. Here's that blog post.

The clock I made from scrapbooking paper. It's all about boys. Fitting for our home.

 Chris made me this arrow out of some fence in my parent's neighbor's trash.

A few things I made on the computer and printed...

I found these old records at GoodWill. 

 My timeline for school...

I got this simple chalkboard at Hobby Lobby and stained the frame so it wouldn't be so plain. I intend on putting our Scripture memory for the week on there. Right now we are memorizing the 10 commandments.

It was time for the little boys to graduate from their kiddie table and move to real desk. I wanted them to match our first desk, but didn't want to do all that work. So we bought these storage cubicles and cut off about 5 inches or so off the bottom and stacked 2 on each side of a board that I painted with chalkboard paint. The whole desk cost about $65 or so. And it's got plenty of storage. Each kid has a place for their books and extras in the back. The bottom cubby is the "mommy check pile". 

The curtains I found at Tuesday morning for $11, the throw pillow, I just covered an old one.

 Every kid has their own token jar (our reward system) and a tin with their supplies at their seat.

One of my favorite spots in the room. I made this calendar with our first school room that's stuck around. And I've still got my hanger with my reminders hanging from it. I feel like I still need something on the other side of the calendar, but I guess it'll have to wait until I find the perfect piece.

  I saw something (or some things) on pinterest to help me come up with this. I found the "Y" and the "U" at Hobby Lobby and told the boys to look for anything unconventional that we could use as an "O". It was a bit of a scavenger hunt, but Ben found this wreath. LOVE IT!! The "are" I printed off on my computer in mirror image, colored letters on the paper with pencil, then rubbed the paper to this piece of wood. Then I had to go back over it with a pen, but I had a decent outline with the pencil rubbing. The "LOVED" is a chalkboard that I can change however often I feel like. The old books, I had bought from Good Will a long time ago. We had the shelf and just needed the iron racks we got from Lowes.

 My newborn wall. This room has a wonder large window where I do my newborn sessions. I just pull in a bean bag from the boys' room and set up a backdrop stand. Mom gave me this old bookcase when we moved - I think my grandfather built it. I painted it turquoise and of course used my stain again.

 

I finally ordered some prints of my favorite newborn photos (I think I have a few more since that I'd love to add). The "love" was a seriously 10 minute project of bending some wire. I didn't really do it intending on keeping it. I just needed a filler there and I had wire. Lol!

 

 I got these baskets from the Dollar Store, perfect for all my little bonnets and hair tie backs. I've managed to stuff all my wraps in the Christmas box that I've covered with burlap.

  

Well, that's our schoolroom. I have almost a whole week to enjoy it being clean before we start school. Then it because our hub station once again.

Ben's Lego Room

So we've been in this house for about 9 months and I've finally decorated another room. Ben has had a "B" and one picture on his wall and 2 non matching quilts on his beds. Sad. When I asked what he wanted, he requested green and legos. So here we go...

His one green wall. I'm on a time crunch here, and the room was already tan, so I just painted the one wall. But I'm all about having an accent wall. I originally was going to make his bedding, but that quickly went south. I found these comforters at Kmart for under $20 each, Score!

This "poster" is one we made ourselves. The boys picked out which legos they wanted to me photograph with a little guidance from myself (I wasn't having that 4 armed creature blown up on the wall). I photographed it and had it printed at Staples as an engineer print for under $4. The blog I found with this idea suggested gluing to foam board, but then I remembered I had 4 boys. So I bought a poster frame on sale at Hobby Lobby for $10.

 Ben is constantly creating art for his wall, so I painted these old frames and hung them for him to tape his art inside them. I LOVE how this turned out. The dresser is OLD, but I gave it a new coat of paint, slightly yellower than opposite wall. I love all the different greens.

My artwork. :) It's kind of hiding behind the bed, but I couldn't find a better spot for it, so behind the bed it shall stay. 

 I bought simple navy pillow shams, but added the white stitching to give them a little more character.

 My pillows. I found images online, printed them, used them like a pattern and cut them out of fabric. Then hand stitched them on. Simple, but it did take several hours. Thank goodness for Netflix.

 My create sign. You should have seen me sprawling all these letter out on the floor at Hobby Lobby. 

 My little creative man doing his thing.

Bible Journaling

I had almost thrown away this old duct-taped Bible when I was packing because it is falling apart, but couldn't bring myself to do it. Then I discovered this idea of decorating the pages in your Bible while studying it. I pulled out my duct-taped Bible and it's worked perfectly. Honestly, I'm not that consistent with it, but I'm working on that, too. I'll read a page, underline my favorite phrases, then pick one to journal. It really helps me focus on the phrase. I'm meditating on it as I'm coming up with drawing ideas, lettering, etc. Then when I write each word of the phrase, I'm meditating on that specific word. It's a really great way to study the Word for us creative types. This morning, the big boys are all at VBS, so I pulled out the paint and Jack joined me too.

 

I'm trying NOT to cover the words in the Bible, but didn't work this time. I think I needed to add water to my paint to thin it out. But, like I said, this Bible was headed to the trashcan anyway. I've got several more on the shelf, not to mention a Bible app on my phone, too.

Growing up a Lindsey Boy

Just an ordinary Saturday with these super heroes, messes and all...

 Meanwhile, in another room, legos. Always legos...