I'm excited to finally share my new tiny office reveal! This under-the-stairs walk in closet measures about 3 feet wide by 12 feet long, with the staircase taking up a lot of the vertical space. I think most people thought I was crazy for trying to turn this into a working office. But with some careful planning, small furniture, creative storage pieces and a LOT of my husband's hard work (a TON of work), we somehow made this little tiny office dream of mine a reality. I'm giddy just typing this in this very space!
When I look at the before pictures, and remember what this used to be, I only have two words: HOT MESS. Since we've lived here, this closet was a mishmash of storage space for craft supplies, books, paper products, clothing and whatever stuff we didn't have room for somewhere else. It was bad. Real bad. The actual structure of the closet was a disaster. There was a giant heating and cooling vent weaving through the floor. There was asbestos tile and patches of floor that were missing. An oddly positioned wood beam that served no purpose. A few unfinished sections of drywall and decomposing ceiling. It was not pretty to say the least, but it did hold a lot of stuff.
When we decided to move Marshall into my former office, I kept trying to figure out the best place to relocate the large work desk that we built, my computer, office supplies, and other things that I really wanted to still have access to. My mind would not rest until one day it dawned on me that maybe this closet could be transformed into just enough space for me. I ran it by my husband probably enough times to wear him down until he finally (reluctantly) agreed. I married a patient and very loving man. That's an understatement right there. None of this could have happened without him. I need to sing his praises because he worked many nights and weekends, cutting and installing countless boards and flooring, painting, painting and painting some more. We hired professionals to reroute the vent and update the electrical (which was the biggest investment), but the rest was all him.
We searched high and low for the right boards that would create that shiplap look (channeling my inner Joanna Gaines) and finally landed on new wooden fence posts. We considered leaving them their natural color but I really wanted the room to be all white, including the stairs, which was probably the worst part to paint.
How great does that look?!? We picked out inexpensive laminate flooring to match the rest of the downstairs. I really like the contrast. It started to look like a real room! If only there were 3-6 more feet of space...
This closet actually has two doors, one from Marshall's room (it truly is a closet) and one leading to the rest of the house. It's kind of fun to be able to go through to both sides. This may sound silly, but I've always wanted my own little "place under the stairs".
I could not WAIT to move my things in and figure out how everything would fit best. Marshall put the new desk to the test, which was actually a very narrow console table we had in the living room. Anything wider would not have fit, and anything smaller would not have supported my (large) computer.
I also had a small filing box on a metal stand that was perfect for extra desk space and to store my printer underneath. I stacked my white storage boxes and some baskets under the stairs.
I really hoped to be able to fit a small chair and side table to sit and read or have an occasional visitor. I picked up this adorable white chair at a local charity garage sale for $8. I created a small bookshelf-table by stacking two wooden crates from the craft store. Andrew made the floating shelf above for my jars of art supplies. The metal baskets used to be in another room and were from Hobby Lobby. Isn't it cute? I occasionally sip cup of tea in this spot while enjoying a few quiet moments in the morning.
A wreath and some prints hanging on the wall, along with a metal letter organizer and one of my burlap cork boards cozy up the space. I didn't want it to feel cluttered, just a few pieces that make me happy to adorn the walls.
I'm sure I'm forgetting some details, but I'm just so thrilled that it's done and that it turned out waaaaay better than I even imagined. My growing baby belly is still able to fit behind the desk! I've been pregnant throughout this entire makeover, so I'm curious to see how much "roomier" it will feel once baby arrives.
Even though there were quite a few times I thought about giving up and got really discouraged with this project, I kept picturing what it could be like. I'm so glad Andrew was willing to work so hard to make it come to life. Don't let anyone talk you out of your dreams! It may take some time (or a lot of time) and there may be setbacks, but keep looking for new ideas and solutions. It will be worth it!
We made Sharpie mugs at our MOPS (mother's of pre-schooler's) meeting today and they were a big hit! Jenny and I teamed up to lead the craft and put together a step-by-step presentation, along with a design template and a take-home instruction sheet. There are TONS of Sharpie mug tutorials on Pinterest and various blogs. After some trial and error, we found the best method that worked well for us.
SUPPLIES
Dollar store white mug (the cheaper the mug, the better)
Sharpie OIL BASED Paint Pens (regular Sharpie's will wear off quickly)
Rubbing alcohol
Cotton balls
Pencil
Paper template (or freehand your design)
Tape
Here is our visual step-by-step guide. The design template and instruction sheet will be at the end if you wish to download and save. We used the pencil transfer method to put the design on the mug. Be sure to add "Hand Wash Only" to the bottom. Let the paint dry for 24 hours. Place the dried mug into a cold oven on a baking sheet and set the temperature for 250 degrees and bake for 2 hours. When the 2 hours is up, leave the mug in the oven to cool completely. That's basically it! Now you'll have a cute mug to sip your morning coffee.
I designed this template with Mother's Day in mind. You could give mugs as gifts or keep them for yourself!
DESIGN TEMPLATE
*Be sure to print this template on 8.5x11 inch paper and check to make sure the size will work for your particular mug.
FULL INSTRUCTIONS
Here is another example of Sharpie mugs that I've made: Wedding Gift Mugs
Who doesn't love succulents? Maybe you call them "hens and chickens". Either way, these adorable green drought-resistant plants with rubbery leaves, in variety of shapes and sizes, have been all the rage for quite a while. I've been trying to keep some alive, indoors and outside, for years.
Here's my latest indoor loss. This cute succulent from West Elm only lasted in my house about a year. Rest in peace. I never know if I water them too much or not enough! This is probably the third one I've managed to kill. Enough is enough.
I started looking for inexpensive fake succulent alternatives. They can be a little pricey, depending on the size and container. Plus, I don't want them to look super-fake.
I discovered single succulent pick stems at Walmart for just $1.99. It was the perfect size for the mercury glass vessel from my recently deceased plant.
I found a vase of sand lying around in my basement (because who doesn't have perfectly good sand lying around? This is why I never throw things out!). I used it to fill the container.
And I stuck the succulent pick inside. Done! My own little DIY greenery for cheap.
It's adds a little life in an otherwise dull area.
THEN I found these little fake succulent containers at Target for just $3! THREE DOLLARS. There were a couple styles left, but I grabbed this one because it was different than the one I made. I think they are selling out fast.
I've seen similar styles for $8-15 and up. If you're looking for some adorable plants that you won't kill, to spruce up your decor, you can make your own or run to Target, ASAP. You can use any small container that you have - milk glass, mini flower pots, glass, mason jars, bowls. You could even get a small bouquet of individual pics and make a little garden or terrarium. Happy (fake) gardening!
