Ceiling Fan: An update

Previously I posted my bombed ceiling fan rehab project. It was done on the fly without much consideration... and it showed. So, I went back to the drawing board and came up with a new concept. Actually, I took some advice from a commenter and a couple facebook pals. Take a look.
I know what you're thinking... why didn't I replace the ruffly frosted glass shades? Well first, I haven't found any that are that much better and second, they're expensive!!! So, for now we'll stick with what we've got.

What do you think?  Better?

My lazy Dog

I'm always complaining about how lazy my dog is. He won't go for walks with me. I can barely get him out of bed in the morning. All he does is sleep all day. Here's a little taste.

Productive Unemployment Project #4... I think I made it worse.

Every Morning I wake up to the sight of this not-so-attractive ceiling fan above my bed.  It's one of two wood/wicker ceiling fans left by the house's previous owners.  I thought I could improve it by flipping the paddles (or are they blades) and painting them white... a super quick and easy project for a Monday afternoon.  I'm not sure if I improved it or not.  Even with white blades this fan is ugly.  I think the white is too much of a contrast with the dark brassy metallic pieces of the fan... Maybe I'll try a different paint color. Who's got suggestions???

Before:


After: Different, but not better.

Productive Unemployment Project #3: I made a LAMP!

OK, to be fair, I think the thing I made the lamp from actually used to be a lamp or at least some kind of lighting fixture, so this was pretty simple.

I bought this wrought iron thing at a flea market last summer for $1 with no real idea what I was going to do with it. For a very long while it sat on top of the piano getting dusty, an objet d'art if you will...

There's this store not far from my house with a sign in the window "We make lamps out of anything" Awesome!  Wylie's Lamps... So, I stopped in and purchased all the hardware I would need to make a functioning lamp for $8 + tax.  Add in the can of spray paint and a shade and the whole lamp cost about $25.  Not bad.

I totally love it.  Actually, I'm not sold on the shade yet.  I'm going to try a couple more styles. Maybe something a little bigger and more modern...  What do you think?

Before

After

I've got the time, but not the wardrobe.

It's becoming very clear to me lately that for the past 8 years I spent a lot of my time working. It's funny, but now that I spend my days at home I don't have a thing to wear.  My closet is full of black pants (9 pair at last count) and an assortment of jackets.  How is it possible that I don't have enough lounge wear to make it through a week without doing laundry.  I think maybe a trip to Target.com is in order.   I think it's important to get up and get ready for the day even if your day consists of online job hunting, Facebook, Twitter and bulldog walking. I still get up early, even earlier than I did when I was working.  I've even found that the morning is a very productive time for me. Who would have guessed??

Productive Unemployment Project #2

I've been meaning to do this ever since I snagged this little gem out of my grandmother's basement years ago.  I've been dragging it around from apartment to apartment in it's original, yet beat up state. Here's what I did.  

I asked my husband drag it into the basement; sanded the shiny varnish off; sealed the wood with primer; spray painted it black (note: regardless of how clever your ventilation plan is, do not spray paint in your basement! yuck!); added a little cushion to the seat with some batting; and covered the seat with some fancy, yet very inexpensive fabric I bought on fabric.com.  

I'm pretty pleased with myself here. I love this little telephone seat, but I definitely plan to move my spray painting activities outside!! Check out the pics and let me know what you think.

Before...

After...

Here's a close-up of the seat fabric... It's kind of busy, but I dig it.

Making the best of UNEMPLOYMENT

I'm unemployed and panic stricken, so...I've decided to use this, my unknown blog, to keep myself from going completely insane with worry and stress. 

I guess how I got here is really unimportant. My story isn't that much different than so many others... let's just say... I knew that working for a financial institution was a gamble, but I did it anyway... for exactly three months. No regrets...

Anyway... I learned yesterday (my first actual day of unemployment) that I can't browse craigslist, monster, carrer builder, linkedin, and the like ALL day.  There comes a point when you have to do something else and there's no sense in feeling guilty about it.

So take a look at project number one... my new and improved desk chair.

Before:                                             

After:

Much better, right?  Took the whole thing apart;  got rid of those ugly plastic arms; made a slip cover for the top piece; stapled fabric around the bottom piece... and put the whole thing back together.  It took about an hour.

OK, so my sewing skills aren't what you might call "good", but whatever... I still think it looks 100 times better.