Alternate Lack TV stand

Materials: Lack TV stand, Ekby Shelves

Description: Well when I saw your Lack TV stand on Lifehacker I jumped up and shouted "hey that's my idea !!!"..and when I clicked the link I was introduced to the incredible world called "Ikea Hacks"...I never knew about it but I think you guys are awesome!

Anyway, I humbly submit my alternate Lack TV stand design. I think this design results in a more architectural piece to compete with the technology above and within.

The hack is quite simple:

(2) Lack TV Stands
(4) Ekby Shelves (the short ones)
(1) Roll of Double stick tape

Simple build the 2 stands sans feet, then use double stick tape on the shelves as shown in the sketch to eliminate slippage. The shelves create a reveal to a) hide any misalignments between the two units, b) create a relief between the 2 thick bands and c) provide a possible wireway if desired.

Hope you like my simple Ikea Hack !

I am working on a swinging arm lamp iPhone mount for bed viewing....post that soon !

~ Anthony Mekel, Brooklyn, New York

August month in review!

Well hello there! First of all, I need to announce the winner of the Stella and Dot giveaway (I have been bad at this lately!) – the (randomly drawn) lucky winner is Kelsy from We Weren’t Crazy! Congrats Kelsy! Please email me and I’ll get you in touch with Jennifer.

Okie dokie, onto the review of August and the fun stuff that went on around TDC!

At the beginning of the month, I showed you the series of desks that have graced our office, including a DIY desk gone wrong, wrong, wrong. :)

The heavens opened up when I found this farmhouse table through a friend, and it was only $15!:

It was exactly what I was looking for! It was a mess though – more on that later. :)

At the August Before and After Party, I shared how I turned an 80’s clock from Goodwill into a purdy little cloche:

Not bad for four bucks baby!

I shared my debt story and how this guy has inspired us to change our lives:

That was a VERY exciting day – Dave Ramsey’s peeps linked to my post on their Twitter and Facebook pages!! It was a THRILL and an honor. :)

We have since started Financial Peace University and are more motivated than ever to get rid of our debt! As of today I OWN my car outright – we paid it off!! And tomorrow we are paying another credit card. We are so close but yet still so far away…but we will get there and live like no one else!!

I was thrilled to announce my partnership with True Value hardware stores:

I am in great company in the blog squad!! Check out the post for a list of other DIY blogs involved.

I had two fabulous giveaways this month, and the first was from Wuslu.com:

You have to check out the deals every day over at Wuslu! Such a fun idea.

I finally (FINALLY!) finished the staircase project that I started months ago. I used mdf to add some detail to the staircase wall and love it!:

I finally found a good before picture, by the way, from my Houzz interview a year ago:

Lurve, lurve, LURVE. Sigh.

I showed you my transition from white faux wood blinds to bamboo shades throughout our house:

It’s taken a few years, but I’m pretty much done getting the bamboo up! There are pros and cons to the roman shades, but I love them!

I am seriously obsessed with the fall season, and this year was the first I really, truly enjoyed summer:

It was the first summer I was a 100 percent stay at home momma, and I have a feeling that had a lot to do with why I fell in love with it this year.  ;)

Thanks to True Value, I was able to change out some knobs on a couple pieces of furniture, and I showed you the difference they made:

I just love those glass knobs – so much better than the black knobs that came with the buffet!

Towards the end of the month I shared our warm and cozy family room:

I decorated it with the colors of fall and it works OH so well. :)

I swooned, you swooned, we all swooned for the Stella and Dot giveaway:

Congrats again to Kelsy for winning!

It took some help, but I finally got my farmhouse table turned into a desk:

It was covered with lead paint, so I left the paint removal to the professionals. I have to tell you – I LOVE THIS DESK. It is so huge and the absolute perfect height. You can tell I’m already right at home:

;) You can see a sneak peek of the parson’s chair cover I grabbed for $15 at Cost Plus World Market! Love the color – but I’m going to have to make some adjustments to it.

Many of you asked the color on the walls – it’s called Fired Brick from Sherwin Williams. It is a lovely color – but I’m hoping to get the new paint up next week! :)

I am feeling the itch for fall decor, so we all drooled over the latest Pottery Barn catalog:

And I held an impromptu fall linky party – check out over 100 inspirational links to get you in the mood for fall decorating!

Finally, we lost my dear father-in-law last week, and I celebrated his life and legacy with you all:

And again, I can’t thank you enough for your comments and prayers. I miss him so very much.

Yet again, I have to thank my wonderful advertisers for August! You can click their buttons to get to their sites…

ALL items over at Cute as Pie Office Supplies are less than $35 – and they are adorable!:

Every one of the beautiful pieces at Amy’s site are made using fine materials such as sterling silver, gold-filled, gemstones, freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals:

If you are interested in a photography class that teaches you the basics of beginner photography, how to better use your camera and its settings, etc., then Angie’s class is for you!:

If you need quick, easy dinner recipes and family meals, check out Quick and Easy Dinners for a ton of ideas!:

Dimples and Dandelions is a family owned company that sells the most adorable and unique products available for both baby and child!:

Bomobob’s shop is full of fine carnival, bird, flower, nature and travel photography -- all shot with vintage film, digital, and Polaroid cameras. And ALL unique and original!:

PhotoJewelryMaking.com is the world's largest photo jewelry supplies super store, offering a large selection of photo jewelry making items such as bracelet, brooch, pendant and ring blanks. (And more!):

Need help decorating a room in your house? The designers at My Design Guide will help with everything from choosing the perfect paint colors to picking furniture, lighting and accessories:

And thanks to my additional lovely advertisers for August – The Vintage Pearl, Thirty-One and The Rusted Chain:

And thanks AGAIN for what was by far the biggest month ever at Thrifty Decor Chick – I nearly passed out when I looked at my stats tonight. ;)

I couldn’t do it without all of you!

Have a fabulous Labor Day weekend!!

The pink Malm, prettified.

Materials: Pink Malm, Spray paint primer, Interior Latex Olympic Paint in White Mood, Spray Paint in Seaside Green, Brushes, Stencil, Tape

Description: My daughter has had this dresser for a few years, and as she got older and her favorite color went from pink to green, I thought it was only fitting that the Malm followed suit.

I sprayed the whole thing with primer, twice. Rolled on three coats of the Olympic paint to the main part of the dresser. Taped off the side edges of the drawers so that I could spray paint the Seaside Green to the tops of them. Once they were dry, I lined the drawers up and started stenciling using a foam roller brush and the same Olympic color that I used on the dresser. Viola.

See more of Angela's Malm dresser.

~ Angela

Lanvin loves H&M!

The rumors that Lanvin and it's designer Alber Elbaz would be collaborating with H&M were confirmed yesterday!  Fashionistas everywhere are already in a tizzy and announced that they might actually stand in line for this new collection.  "I have said in the past that I would never do a mass-market collection, but what intrigued me was the idea of H&M going luxury rather than Lanvin going public” Elbaz said. “I really wanted to try the whole idea of brand, and not just a dress for less…It’s about creating a dream and giving it to people who couldn’t afford Lanvin. We thought it was a very relevant move.”  I'll see you in line on November 23rd!

Equestrian Chic: Part Deux

ShelterPop was kind enough to ask me to comment on Equestrian Style for a piece on their site that ran yesterday.  You can learn more ways to incorporate equestrian accessories into your decor.  I also found these new photos since my last Equestrian Chic post.  Enjoy!

Foxcroft Riders, 1960, Slim Aarons

Old Krister desk made into a compact TV stand solution

Materials: Krister Desk, Hack saw, Allen wrench, drill bit (or something to puncture the metal), Nuts and washers to fit the screws

Description: I needed a much smaller TV stand for my new room which is only 9'X 9' and after finding this site, I was incredibly motivated to tear apart the REALLY old Krister desk (pix, right) that had been sitting in the corner of my parents garage for years. It's a fairly simple adjustment, and I still have a few left over parts which I may incorporate by way of shelves if I have the time.

1. remove both top and side pieces of metal from the desk, which includes the angled back, meant for the old CRT monitors, the mouse pad, the keyboard panel, the PC holster and it's side support, and the monitor support beam.

2. use the hack saw to cut 12" off of the bars hanging out off of the frame.

3. Remove the caps from the end of the cut bars and place them on the cut ends to avoid cutting up anything or anyone.

4. Grab the angled panel and line it up with the holes about 4" down from the frame on each side.

5. Mark the sides of the angled panel that don't line up with threaded holes.

6. Remove the panel and drill the holes to fit the screw.

7. Place the panel and screw the front end into place, set the screws in the back end and place the washers and nuts on the backside of the angled panel.

~ Martin Pittis, Washington

The ultimate scarf organizer

Materials: GRUNDTAL Towel rail, and S hooks, BINDER CLIPS

Description: I needed a way to store Scarves. If you have a basket or some sort of closet thing, you will know that it SUCKS. Because scarves need to be seen, and not folded. They also need to be organized in a way that does not leave them in a massive pile on the floor every morning. NO SUCH INVENTION EXISTS. Until now.

Install the GRUNDTAL two pole towel rack into the wall at about 6 feet from the ground. Hang the S hooks from it and then attach about 2 Binder clips per hook. You can not just hang the scarves on the S hooks directly - you will get tears and bumps and they will fall off constantly. Now clip all of your scarves to the binder clips. You may peruse through your scarves with a simple click click click.

See more of the scarf organizer.

~ Mae Callen, Ottawa, Ontario