Okay, this is mostly about updating a thrifted footstool. But who can resist a good story about a freebie?
This happened months ago, but I just got around to doing something with the mirror.
Me and the Mister were in Lowe’s, browsing a clearance endcap. I saw a mirror marked down from $60 to $30. I picked it up to examine.
Behind us, a voice said, “Name your price. I need to move this stuff as soon as possible.” It was a manager. He was redoing the endcaps. He told us to name a price for whatever was there.
I mean, we didn’t need random bits of tile or bronze light switch plates, but a mirror? Yes please. (But not before Ryan asked what we possibly needed another mirror for. JUST BECAUSE, DEAR.)
Anyway, I offered $20, and the manager agreed. “Tell the cashier Mike So-And-So told you you could have it for that much.” Deal.
We went to check out and told the cashier, “Mike So-And-So said we could have it for $20.” The cashier smiled, rang it up, and punched his keyboard to change the price. “I’ll do you one better,” he said. “How about you just take it for free.”
Umm. OKAY!
Moral of the story: hang out around the clearance endcaps on a restocking day and maybe Mike so-and-so and his trusty cashier sidekick will let you have a bargain mirror.
But then the mirror sat in the corner of our guest room for ages. I was going to hang it in there, but thought, eh, why not the nursery? It was originally gray, but I spray painted it a glossy aqua.
In addition to the mirror, we have a footstool. I found it at a thrift shop for $18 back in March. It works perfectly with the Graham glider. But I wasn’t in love with the gray-blue fabric, and the washed out black paint wasn’t doing anything for me.
So naturally, spray paint and new fabric!
Like with the table, I used black chalkboard spray paint on the base. The fabric is burlap, and was a freebie from Online Fabric Store last year at the Haven Conference (by the way: super sad to be missing that this year, but Charlie will only be five weeks old, and I’m so not ready to travel).
Rogue big toe photobomb. Ooops.
First I pried out the existing staples. Wasn’t hard; whoever upholstered it used a terrible staple gun, so half of them were wiggled loose.
That revealed a somewhat grody piece of fabric from your grandma’s house in 1982. Bleh. I didn’t bother taking it off. I was tired of messing with staples.
From there, I just stretched the burlap over the stool. It’s just like stretching a canvas, but easier.
Done! Two simple projects for less than $25. Yay for freebies! I’d like to get a fun, colorful pillow for the glider too, but that lumbar pillow is so great for nursing. So just imagine a fun, colorful pillow.
And the nursery is one step closer to being complete. The last major project is making a skirt for the crib. I have the fabric, but I also have a newborn, so…it’ll be done by the time we have our next child.
PS: Dad went back to work today. Me and baby are so very sad. Wish us luck on our own!
