DIY Handi Andi Style (with the remarkable talents of JRP and Holly Doll assisting in the Dirty Work)

So I read the Blog This Young House
and I love it.
And Today, they had a link to another blog
That is all about redecorating and renovating.
And on this blog,
There was a post about


Habitat for Humanity Re-Stores
My curiosity was immediately piqued.

These are stores with overstock, odd-lot,
or gently used building products, and greatly used products
that are sold for CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP.
Seriously cheap.

If you know me,
then you know
I CANNOT PASS UP STEALS OF DEALS
and if you read this blog then you know
I have been trying to piece by piece
actually decorate this house
I have been living in for 6 years.


What if they had the coolest thing ever there...
For Cheap?
They only have ONE in all of Utah.
I thought...GREAT its going to be in Salt Lake.
NOPE.
PROVO.
YEAH!


and all of the proceeds from sales
go to build houses for habitat for humanity.
So its a good cause!

I was so excited!
Except,
Ryan was at a Church activity
I called Holly, she didn't answer,
Called Caitlin, sick baby, at the doctor,
Called Rachel, didn't answer,
then called back, but had a baby shower and some errands.
Called Amy, baby napping, can't go.
AHHHH!
Holly called back,
and like the awesome friend and sidekick that she is,
she said, "When are we leaving?"

I have to admit,
it was a little junkier than I thought it would be.
But really, they had some cool stuff.
I was looking for a new vanity and sink for my half bath off the kitchen.
Hated the current one.


I circled the store about five times.
Decided to make one more pass,
and found this thing

I called Holly over and asked her what she thought.
"I think its hideous" she said calmly.
"I know, I said, "but try to see it with black paint,
new faucet and knobs in brushed nickel."
She gave me the look.
"Its that bad?" I pleaded.
"Yes" she said.
and then like the champ she is, she continued.
"Right now its that bad, but...
If you will go today and get the paint and faucet,
and fix it today, I will help you."
But you cannot buy it
if it is just going to sit in your garage for 6 months.
JRP, my fabulous husband, said, Ummm...sure.

Sold.

Got the paint, got the faucet.

Holly gifted me the darling knobs.

Ryan did the demo of the old sink.

We got to work.



We sanded it.
We painted it.

We distressed it.
Ryan and Holly redid the faucet.

Ryan had perhaps the hardest, and most important job.
Since we were painting in the kitchen
He had to keep the kids out of the kitchen.
No easy task.

He had to lay down with them on the couch
In order to get them to stay there.



It was MADE for my little bathroom.
A quarter inch bigger in any direction would not have worked.
And the little bit of turn to the sink adds character
and makes the bathroom a little roomier.

I LOVE IT.
LOVE IT.


I keep going into the bathroom and looking at it.
So do the kids.
And all done in about four hours.

This sounds a little narcisistic, but,
I would like to give a little shout out
to MYSELF,
For having faith in a poor, lonely, UGLY, vanity,
and for the creativity it took to see promise in it.
Also shout outs to Ryan and Holly
who are often roped into my hair brained schemes
and usually make sure that the vision becomes the reality
when I can't figure out the steps in the middle.
I love you both.
(and I love my new vanity)

Sorry the pictures are tiny and crappy.
My camera decided to be stupid today and wouldn't take pictures.
These are courtesy of my cell phone.