DIY Bookcase Makeover

If I could recommend a particular furniture piece that would benefit almost every type of lifestyle, it would be to buy inexpensive bookcases. Over the last 10 years, I have lugged four bookcases around to fit into houses and apartments. I used them for everything from storing books to kitchen items to shoes!

Let's take a quick look down memory lane...

These bookcases originally cost about $20 each and were purchased from Wal-mart.

Sometimes, I have used all four in one room, other times I broke them up and used them in pairs or individually. In the pictures above, they are in their original condition. The picture on the left has the bookcases storing kitchen ware. The picture on the right uses one in a living room. Another trick for adding storage is to use storage boxes for small items like the light blue ones here. These were both taken in a 500 square foot duplex located in Houston's Historic Woodland Heights. Let's just say, with 500 square feet, there was not room for even a desk! I used the coffee table for crafting and the bookcases to store all of my supplies!

Here is another way I used two of the bookcases in a different house. This house was over 2400 square feet and let's just say I didn't have enough furniture to fill every single room. I had to spread things out and float items in the middle of the room to fill the space! For this example, I used two bookcases and placed a large mirror in between to take up the entire wall.

Well, now the four bookshelves live in my dining room. They line an entire wall and I decided it was time for them to make a bigger impact. About 2 hours later I had a whole new look! Just in time to host my daughter's 3rd birthday party!

Materials Needed:

• Elmer's glue ($2)
• Empty bottle with a lid/jar (Free)
• Paint brush (from $1 store)
• Scissors
• Wrapping paper of your choice ($4 per roll)

Directions:

1. First cut the wrapping paper to fit the inside of the back each bookcase.
2. Mix up your paste - 1 part glue to 1 part water. Shake the mixture.
3. Using a paintbrush, lightly brush the glue mixture onto the backside of the paper.
4. Then, starting at one corner, start applying the paper to the backside of the shelf. 
5. Go around the edges by painting more glue to ensure corners are attached to the back of the bookcase.
6. Let it dry for 24 hours, before putting items back and add more adhesive if needed!

DIY No Sew Pillows

Today I am posting a project that took about an hour. I found this dress at a place in Austin, TX called The Blue Hanger. It's a place to buy Goodwill items for $1.25. The zipper was made out of plastic and malfunctioned. What I liked the most about the dress was the adorable floral print. Instead of replacing the zipper, I decided it was time to re purpose this dress into pillows. I used minimal items to create these and it took about an hour for both of them from start to finish!

Materials Needed:

• Dress (This one is a size 3 I think) $1.25
• Scissors 
• Needle and Thread
• Stitch Witch: $5
• Fabric of your choice (1/2 yard per pillow) 
• Pillow stuffing (About $4 for a bag at Wal-mart) or two old throw pillows

This dress had seams.

 Before I started cutting, I decided that I wanted the seam to be the center of the pillow. 

I started at the back of the dress where the zipper was and cut the dress up the back seam.

 Then I cut the top of the dress off.

Now I folded the dress so that I could see the inside of the fabric or the wrong side.

I had an old pillow case from Ikea so I used it as a pattern and traced the shape onto the fabric.

Cut the two squares out.

Then, cut a piece of fabric for the backside of the pillow. 

I chose to use scraps from a piece I bought years ago. 

You need about 1/2 yard for each pillow.

Use the original piece you cut for the front side of the pillows as a template to cut the back side.

Now, here's the fun part. Starting with one of the sides of the pillow, carefully lay the Stitch Witch along the top side.

Carefully, pull off the paper.

Then, line the floral piece of fabric and iron! 

(I held mine for about 20 seconds, but read the package of the bonding element)

Repeat on two more sides

For the final side, you are going to need to finish the edges. I folded the end over about the width of the stitch witch to form a hem.

Sandwich the Stitch Witch inside and iron!

Repeat with the other side of the pillow.

Below is a close up after I folded the top of the fabric over the Stitch Witch and pressed.

We are almost done.... Now you have to flip the pillow cover right side out!

Stuff the pillow and carefully sew the fourth side with a simple needle and thread. 

There you have it! New pillows in just a few minutes!