Dressing Room

As of last week my husband and I have an empty nest.

Apparently I only take pictures of my house in the snow. (White Christmas 2009)

 I am so happy for my kids. This economy has made it tough on young adults and they have persevered to get out on their own. I am not really one of those weepy moms. I enjoyed my years raising my children and have very fond memories of the different life stages they went through, even the teenage stages. I miss those stages sometimes, but I am not really one to get all emotional about them moving on. I do miss them, but I know that they will always stop by. They are welcome to my washer anytime. ;)

I don't know why, but I just cannot have company in the house if  I have a room in transition.
Since this last one was fairly sudden, I didn't have time to make a plan for the makeover.  Usually I have a fair amount of warning, so I can decide what the decor will be and what the room will be used for.  I have company coming on Saturday for Christmas Eve. I used it to wrap gifts earlier this week, but I couldn't just shut the door and leave it for another day.
This is what it looked like on Saturday.

Part of me was so tempted to go out and buy a bed for this room. But, I could not spend $500 or so on a new mattress during the holidays. Eventually it will have a full bed, but I have yet to see the bed of my dreams at a price I want to pay. I went thrifting to see if I could find a headboard but no such luck. I found some very scary mattresses, but I just really don't think I want to bring bed bugs into the house at this point! This is the first time we haven't had a headboard in the attic waiting for a room. I have a crib for grandchildren but no bed.

The kids thought I should turn it into an craft room.

But, I really don't need another craft room. I have a little cubicle desk in one of the closets downstairs. (That will have to be another post.) I usually set up my sewing machine in there or in the creepy doll room.

I thought about it and decided I would turn it into a makeshift craft room until we find a bed. The folding table could stay for Saturday. I added some chairs. (I have a chair problem. I like to rescue old chairs.
Maybe I am worried the zombies won't have enough seating during the Zombie Apocalypse.)
I created a little seating group with my daughter's pink vintage chair and one from my Nana.

• The tea table is from my Grandmother.
• The ottoman is a garage sale find. 
• The needlepoint pillow was made by one of my husband little aunties.
• The crochet throw was made by grandmother-in-law. It probably won't always stay out, but since I was going dusty pink I pulled it out.  

This secretary is "Gene". What? You don't name your furniture? We inherited it from my mother-in-law. It belonged to a cousin or uncle that was a Texas state representative. In the years preceding my house it had been a gun cabinet. I stripped Gene back to the original finish because it had been antiqued a red color in the 70's. Rebekah named the secretary "Gene" when she was about 12. Gene is a she. Rebekah didn't know Jean is the way to spell the female version of the name. 

She would have liked to take it to her apartment,  but it is very hard to move. 

I love my little New Home Sewing Machine. I almost got rid of it this past summer, because I had no place to put it in the house. My husband talked me into keeping it and I am so happy that I listened to him.  

It belonged to my great grandmother. I bet she was so proud of that thing. 

Finally, I staged the folding table to look like a dressing table instead of a craft table. Crafting supplies are a little messy. Besides, I have always wanted a dressing table.  

• The antique curling iron came from my Granny.
• The mock dress form was birthday gift a few years ago.
• The jewel box was an ugly thrifted thing I painted black and edged in gold.
• The mirror and clock were from garage sales.
• The dresser set came from another one of the aunties. 

There you go. Now I can have my company and not be in a tizzy about having an empty room. 

This really should be called the little aunt and granny room. It has so many of their accoutrements.

Here is a sneak peak at one of the other projects I have in the works for next week. 

I can't wait to show you what I am doing with one of those. 

Sprinkled with stuff from little old ladies,

Katie