mckernanb's Profile

Love it. Used the exact same spray paint to make a big striped rug for the nursery (from a $40 white ikea rug): https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hjaN4EE5gOVfOucqoioxmw?feat=directlink

Not to mention, chandelier, picture frames, and lamps! I try to use spray paint restraint when it comes to decent wood pieces, but it's so great for those accessories that would just end up in the trash...

-$5 thrift store lamp to a fun glossy red: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qsxZRxLOD0ailKPa4RPT_w?feat=directlink

-And a fun aqua lamp for one of my kid's rooms: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/q9eRqOe5UbRvIucP6Wjb4w?feat=directlink

Great work! Where are the narrow/tall white drawers from in the 5th picture?? I've been looking for some small drawers just like those!

oops, album link here: http://picasaweb.google.com/mckernanb/KitchenRenovation?feat=directlink

I got the idea from here awhile ago to make a really simple framed canvas with wood furring strips from Home Depot, a staple gun, and some basic canvas. See here for the pics and process: http://picasaweb.google.com/mckernanb/DIYNurseryArt?feat=directlink
I then glued the flash cards to the canvas in a grid and hung it up like a picture. It worked out great and was really easy.

For another room and a different set of cards we're using the wire method someone mentioned. Just hang the wire around the top of room like a border and hang the cards using those little curtain clips (we're using the Ikea Deka ones: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20079342 or Dignitet).

Dansof: 511 Porous Plus Sealer was highly recommended to me, and we've been very happy with it for our carrara marble. We've only applied it once, and no stains yet!

I have two ikea couches made of the same material, and I love them! I picked them up for insanely cheap, and while they have their pros and cons, try as they may, my 2 and 3 yr old boys cannot destroy them. I keep throws on them too which helps.

I agree with the others--a pair of colorful chairs would look great. I have this "Oasis" armless chair from Target: http://www.target.com/Floral-Upholstered-Chair-Oasis/dp/B000U0ISWM

...or if you wanted to go more modern, I also have the Ikea Lunna chairs (very comfy) with some fun throw pillows: http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/lunna-1 I see them on CL all the time.

I second that "housefulloffur." My now 2 & 3yo started sleeping through the night as infants pretty early on, and my doc said let them and enjoy it. Their weight was great, and I personally loved being on a schedule with feedings, so I encourage others to not feel like the whole "eat on demand" is a set rule.

Always use common sense though & listen to your Dr. I personally think that when babies nurse too often they tend to not get full feedings (often missing out on nutrient-rich hind milk) & as a result are hungry more often which just starts a cycle. By letting my lil ones sleep through the night when they were ready seemed to make them more rested & happy during the day, & then I'd do very long (& yes, [gasp] scheduled) feedings during the day. As they got older they really found comfort in having a schedule during their day, and to this day they are amazing sleepers/nappers.

Of course a "schedule" is just a guide to HELP the parent and the baby, and should never be taken tooo seriously :) And I agree with everyone that a mom should be able to do what she thinks is best for her baby, without anyone lecturing or looking down on her. What worked for me doesn't mean it will work for everyone!

FYI, another good find on DC CL are some Emeco bar stools for $95 each (and some other great items): http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/fuo/1330402869.html;
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/gms/1330424361.html

A very nice lady moving her Georgetown design studio. We just bought the 6 aluminum chairs pictures as well as a Flexform Carlotta chair, but don't have room for the bar stools although I wish we did!

Hi Catrin!
To fish the wires from the outlet to the ceiling I think we had to cut 2 small holes in the drywall (and patch one). The outlet that was already controlled by a switch was on one of the walls in the room (in the pic, it's to the right of the windows).
1. We cut the first hole for the fixture box in the ceiling where we wanted it (I think we used a more heavy duty fixture box made for a ceiling fan) and,
2. another hole right where the wall and ceiling met directly above where the outlet was (I forget if we had to cut a small hole by the outlet too or if we were able to just pull it out and access from there?).

We then used an electrical fish tape reel (from Home Depot) to "fish" the wire from the outlet up to hole#2 where we had to drill a small hole in the ceiling joist I think to get the wire from the wall to the ceiling--this hole we had to patch after (sorry, not sure if this all makes sense). From there, just a straight shot to the hole where the fixture box was going. It was actually a lot easier than it sounds.

With that being said, at the end of our hallway we ALSO installed a ceiling fixture where there currently wasn't one (see pic#81 in photo album) and that one we did just wire it to a single recessed light nearby (the light directly over the dinette table in pic#79) which was controlled individually from the other group of recessed lights in the kitchen, so now the switch turns on the one recessed can and the new fixture nearby. If you have that option, it may be easier...

Ha, sorry for the long response-- hope that helps a little! If you need more details just let me know, and I'll have my husband refresh my memory on the exact steps we used:)

Ha, the hairy arms/ five o'clock shadow would be my wonderful hubby Kevin ;-)

As for the living room photo, I apologize for the randomness, it was the only pic we had of the room before renovation (the previous owner's), and a before pic was required. We turned it onto a dining room and there was no overhead light...

We needed something inexpensive, since we're slowly working through renovating the whole house on a budget. I saw the pendants at ikea and figured I could turn them into something. We kind of had to wing it as we went, and originally thought we could install them into some sort of existing box or fixture plate of some sort, but after scouring the hardware store gave up since it had to be long enough to space the lights far enough apart. We just decided to use some scrap plywood and build the box to the dimensions we needed. The cable ties to hold them in, was likewise stumbled across after a lot of frustrating trial and error, and scrounging the house for something that might work:) (although I noticed, one of the lights hangs a tad lower than other 2, but haven't felt like taking it down to fix yet)

It gave us what we needed, which was some much needed light and a fun fixture that didn't cost a ton (really, less than $60 since most of what we used we already had lying around).

Here are some more pics of it in the room, and thanks a TON to AT and all of you, for the inspiration/ ideas I've been using throughout our remodeling!
http://picasaweb.google.com/mckernanb/34NewlandCtRenovations#5306022852572063906