Casually dressed canopy and dollar store finds

Sheer panels from Tuesday Morning at $3 each!

Here's the before-before:



Then there's the newer before:



Finally, here's the after:



They look a hundred times better in person though.

Before:



After:



Two more afters:





In the pics they look more yellow than they are in person.

The main part that is bugging me is the space between the mirror and the canopy rail. For grins I put up the two remaining napkins from my pelmet box to try to envision it with a shortened valance but it wasn't working for me. They had another one of the sheers and though it appeared the same, the color of it was off just enough in the store I just couldn't bring myself to getting it. Even if it hadn't been off, I don't have a sewing machine and that's not something you want to hand sew for many reasons (slippery fabric, etc). Plus you know the thread would cost as much as the panel so it wasn't worth it.

I will rest on it a few days to see if I am liking it more or not. But seeing as the other ways I have done sheer fabric on the canopy in the past just isn't going to work for this go around (the room is too small, placement of the TV and the dresser just make it too cramped), that was my only option really. Plus they only had the two. If the room weren't set up like it is and if it were bigger I probably would invest in 8 panels and put two in each corner similar to this but without the tabs and not wrapped around the bed posts.

It really does look better in person. I don't know why they look a honey color in the pics...I adjusted the contrast a bit because they looked very washed out and since it was later in the day, the light was pretty diffused as well. They look nearly perfect at night.

If I don't like it, I will keep them and put them up in the bedroom patio door when I take down the panels I have behind the vertical blinds after the main part of heating season is over. They can be used to let in light but help with a bit of privacy during the day. But so far I may just keep them as they are.

Oh and after I put them up there, the regular bed pillows seemed so blah so I added the pillows that came with the duvet. I need to get plain black fabric and cover them all. But it adds a much needed dimension on the bed after putting the sheers up.

Today I made a run to the Dollar Tree and picked up several hard backed rugs. The little rugs I had in there (I think $2-$3 each at Home Depot in May) had seen better days.

Here's Sonny sprawled out on one of them back in the summer:


Believe me when I say, they don't look anything like that today. Between me, the dog, the cat and the fact they shrank after several washings (though I did wash in cold and air dry them per the instructions) they're just pitiful.

So, they had several black rugs with the cloth banding. Shake and vacuum, works for me:


Oh how I miss the wood laminate floors of my old kitchen. That vinyl flooring is just dreadful but better than some of the other apartments in this complex.

They really make the greens, yellows and pumpkin-oranges pop in my kitchen.

I replaced the one in the laundry room that is placed at the laundry room door to catch kitty litter so Sonny doesn't track it around the house. I had a multi-color dollar store rug there and the colors were driving me batty. I also got two for the front door (inside and out) to catch the dirt and salt.

Oh and a while back, I added the valance from the kitchen curtain on the door to the laundry room. I am one of those that if it's there, I try to find a place for it. It helps hide the shelving a bit when I forget and leave the door wide open. If I can find a cheap full length curtain, I will do that instead. I just have to leave the door open so the cat can use the litter box. At least with a curtain he can come and go as he pleases and it keeps the air circulation going (gas water heater is in there).

Okay. Hopefully everyone had a fine weekend. I probably will link up to a few link-a-thons this week so see you around!

Link-a-thons:

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch!