Framed chalkboards

In a late night Pinterest cruise I ran across chalkboard fabric and got really excited. Think of the possibilities! You could make table runners and label each plate, you could upholster a couch, you could have a chalkboard dress...

Ok, maybe a dress would be impractical. I had been wanting an attractive way to keep lists in my dining room (where I eat, pray, answer bills, and evaluate my life over food). I ran to a few thrift stores and found 3 frames that were roughly the same size. I've found that often it helps to look at frames from the back--it's easier to ignore whatever's going on in the prints and just focus on the shape and size. One of these days I'll post all of the ridiculous art prints I've taken out of thrift store frames.

This is the chalkboard fabric. I found it at Joann's in the utility section. It looks just like black vinyl, but you can draw on it.

Coffee table restyle

When I first moved in I was using my lego table as the main coffee table in the living room. That was great, except that my coffee cups were always fighting with AT-STs and ewoks. So I watched craigslist, looking for a quirky table to fit my quirky space. My living room is connected to the entry, stairway, and dining room. This means it's as much a hallway as a room. I've worked around this by positioning the chair on an angle, effectively closing in the seating area and leaving room behind it for walking. 

This coffee table works perfectly with my funny angles. There's enough space to walk around it, but it's within reach of each couch. And here's the cool part:

Yes, it lifts up. Perfect for lazy nights when I just want to eat dinner and watch a movie on the couch. The table had been living in someone's garage, and it wasn't in great shape. And I already have a lot of different wood shades in the house. (Several people have complained that I ruined a perfectly lovely piece of furniture, but it's just composite wood and was kinda ugly. I have no regrets.)