Before & After: Bed to Bench makeover

It's hard to engage in too many DIY projects when a.) I have the LO attached to me pretty much most of the day and 2.) I don't have much of my own space here on the ranch with my parents.

But here's one of my dad's projects: an iron bed up-cycled into a cowboy bench. It was a gift for my mom.

You can see the headboard is the backrest and the footboard was sliced in half to become the arm rests. He welded horseshoes, a bit, and a steer head thing as accents.

I always think I got my desire to create, craft, and DIY from my Grandma, but it must've come via my dad.

I AM! IRON BENCH! DUUUUUH NUH, NUH-NUH-NUH.... DUH NUH NUH NUH, NUH NUH... NUH NUH NUH.

My dad also welded the front gate, which Flickr user Brave Heart snapped a picture of.

As long as I'm still on the ranch, I'm thinking of snapping a Barn Tour to really give a sense of my dad's design. Consider yourself warned.

Before & After: China Cabinet Makeover

Psych! It's a PhotoShop mock-up of a china cabinet makeover, and a hastily done one at that.

This is currently for free on Craigslist. I asked my husband about getting it, but we ultimately decided to wait on grabbing any furniture until we were moved off the ranch. I agree.

But I also think he didn't see what this cabinet *could* be, so I started with the 'Shopping. And couldn't stop. An hour or so later, I have a lame picture that serves no purpose (I know my husband will only give it a a quick sideways glance) and STILL NO CHINA HUTCH.

So, why waste that pointless hour I spent doing this when I should've been doing something more productive? I'll just post the image here on my blog, where it can live in perpetuity.

IKEA Emeryville wants to "Fix This Kitchen"

IKEA apparently has some series called "Fix This Kitchen". Never heard of it.

Buuut... it sounds like a great opportunity:

Do you have a friend or loved one who has a real passion for cooking but is trapped in an outdated, nonfunctional, unorganized or just plain ugly kitchen? Now's your chance to nominate him/her to receive a kitchen worthy of a gourmet chef! 

IKEA's hit series, Fix this Kitchen, has decided to make an extra, very special online episode... but we need a kitchen to renovate and we need one NOW! 

We are looking for homeowners who LOVE to cook but are in desperate need of a completely new kitchen. We are also looking for YOU...our accomplice in this mission. If your nominee is selected, you will help our team SURPRISE your loved one with a top-to-bottom kitchen makeover from IKEA. . .. and we'll be there film the whole renovation.

The casting call I spotted on Craigslist says you CANNOT nominate yourself, probably because they want the whole accomplice/nominee duo. The duo also has to live in the same area within an hour's drive of the Emeryville IKEA (no mention of the one in East Palo Alto), and "either the Accomplice or Nominee must own the home that is to be renovated". Sooo... a landlord can nominate their renter and get a free kitchen? That's kinda sketchy.

The best part is, the labor and new kitchen are free. But, in a rare peep inside the world of home makeover shows, the casting call says the IRS will be notified of the gift and you're going to have to pay taxes on it.

Anyway. To apply for a kitchen makeover from IKEA Emeryville, and have it shown on "Fix This Kitchen", apply at FixThisKitchen.com.

And to watch the mystery show this design TV lover has never even heard of, tune into A&E on Saturday mornings. (That's right, I'm IN BED Saturday mornings. And the only time A&E is on in our home is when my husband is watching those creepy "The First 48" shows. Or "Hoarders". Or "Intervention". Or "Storage Wars". A home design show on A&E makes as much sense as one on TLC... wait a minute.)

Things I Fancy: Berenstain Bears' Owl Lamp

I've been wanting this owl lamp from Target, but was trying to avoid the whole "Put A Bird On It" craze.

But recently, I noticed someone else had it, too:

Screenshot of "Berenstain Bears: Think of Those in Need" cartoon on YouTube.

Scan of "The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's" book.

Maybe the Owl Lamp, $39.99 at Target.com, isn't such a bad idea after all!

Things I fancy: Star Wars Tea Towels

For some reason, I have a tea towel obsession right now. I think it started when I bought some colorful ones on clearance from Target for just a buck for a two-pack.

Coincidentally, I spotted these on Apartment Therapy. I really, really want these Japanese Star Wars tenugui, a type of cloth that I can use for tea towels. It's an amazeballs, colorful and functional tribute to one of my childhood favorites. Too bad they cost a lot more than fifty cents each.

Is Design Star's Cathy Hobbs already an HGTV employee?

Cathy Hobbs, Design Star Season 6 hopeful.
Credit: HGTV.com

Judging by the comments on HGTV's Facebook page and the HGTV Design Star Blog, Cathy Hobbs has got to be this season's least-favorite contestant. Mostly, fans are complaining about her poor, Nina-Ferrer-esque attitude.

Even posts that have nothing to do with Cathy spawn dozens of comments, such as this one on the Design Star Blog touting Dina Manzo's impending Design Star appearance. Among the comments: that Cathy Hobbs is already an HGTV Canada employee.

Huh? If you already know me, you know that in addition to fancying homes, I also am super-into TV and media (and doing research). So I just had to check it out myself.

What I found: Cathy Hobbs is not necessarily already an HGTV employee.

Here's what her bio says on HGTV Canada:

Emmy award-winning television personality Cathy Hobbs is the founder of the interior design firm aphereä, based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and the Co-Host and Executive Producer of Metro Residential.

Therein lies the confusion. People are reading that and thinking that Metro Residential is an HGTV show. When actuality, it's not. It's not even a national show. It's a local show that airs on WPIX in New York.

The reason she's on HGTV Canada's website seems to be because she's appeared on their "Top Ten" show, which is similar to a VH1 "I Love the 80s" countdown or clip kind of show. Correct me if I'm wrong, but she appears in a commentator-type capacity, not as a host or designer. Or to rephrase that, she does appear as an "expert" designer, but not actually designing rooms.

So, do you think this is a conflict of interest? Should HGTV should have disclosed this to us, the fans? Or are you a Cathy fan and think she should soak up any camera time she can get (and you'll be right there watching)?

Boy's room ideas: Robots in Space

I guess I should start by saying I'm not so into the super matchy-matchy bedroom-in-a-bag, everything's-put-together-for-you way to decorate a baby's room (although Overstock has some cute ones I did consider). But that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun; it IS a kid's room after all.

So... I like "Robots in Space". Which actually sounds pretty corny now that I'm typing it out, but I've had it in my head for a while. Too bad for me then that this room on Apartment Therapy's Odeedoh wrecked that for me. How will the room I make for my baby ever be complete with this:

Check out the badassical GIANT robo-man! ACK! <robot voice>AWESOME OVERLOAD</robot voice>

Lucky for me, I was planning on going with a slight variation of the strictly-robots theme. I'm thinking more of an Atomic Age/Jetsons/Lost in Space feel, but not overpoweringly so. In fact, the theme may only show up in the form of a rug (especially now that the thrift store already sold the robot fabric I was planning in using for curtains).

So here, a potential rug roundup:

Ranging from $50 -$75, this "Roule Olive Kids Collection Go Robots" one from Amazon.com seems like an economical choice. I also found it on BabiesRUs.com.

Also from Amazon, this "Momeni" retro robot rug is a little pricier, from about $170 on up.

These two from Amazon are priced at $219 each and the dimensions are not listed.

We could also always go with a space-themed rug, and there are LOTS of those out there, including on Amazon, at Home Depot, on Overstock, and on BabiesRUs.com

Which one do you like? Are there any others you'd like to let me know about?