Comic-Con Satchel

I made this handbag specifically for going to conventions, just in time for Emerald City Comicon! I started out with the diamond shape (from Superman's logo) but I decided to do it in black and yellow (Batman colors) so I could use black leather.

I didn't use a pattern, other than drawing out a diamond shape. All of the sides are basically rectangle pieces so I just had to measure the lengths of each side and then make all of the strips 5 inches wide. I added an 18" black zipper to the top and a 7" black zipper on the side (for a secret side pocket). The lining is yellow satin fabric I had leftover from my World of Warcraft Priest costume.

When it came time to add a strap, I struggled with indecision. Do I add D-rings and then make a strap out of the black leather? Where am I going to find the right hardware to make the strap adjustible? Then I looked over in the corner of my craft room where I had a pile of Warner Bros. bags I had hoarded from SDCC 2011. I had a "duh!" moment before I whipped out my thread ripper and pulled the strap off one of the bags (which had Big Bang Theory on it). Not only did the strap fit perfectly, but the colors were spot-on!

Refinished French Provincial Nightstand

I purchased this nightstand from a Craigslister for $25. It was old and a little worse for wear, but I knew it would make a great project! I found a lot of pictures of similar French Provincial-style furniture which had been painted, remember this Inspiration blog post?

Can you believe I didn't take a before picture? Oh well. This thing used to painted a yellowish white with gold detailing, very similar to this desk, and the hardware was unpainted.

Here are the products I used. "High Hiding Primer" - two coats, much sanding. Olympic Satin paint "Rise and Shine" color - four coats. Topped it off with one coat of MINIWAX Wipe-On Poly. The can says you should use two coats, by one coat seemed to cover well. I would have added a second coat if I'd missed any spots. The Krylon white (gloss) spray paint was used on the hardware, in several coats.

I love how it turned out, so cheery and pretty!

I even lined the drawers with a pretty black and white floral contact paper. Adorable! Now the dresser is in my guest room, which I haven't done much with yet. But a bold pop of color is always a great start!

Now that I think of it... this nightstand could also be really cute in the livingroom/dining area to hold table linens or games.