Tomorrow marks one year since my grandfather passed away. What can I say except that he was my hero, the epitome of generosity and love, I miss him every single day and the last year has been harder than I could have ever imagined. Words cannot begin to express how grateful I am to have spent the past year (and the 4 prior) living in his home. Those four walls on 53rd Street were one of the few constants I had in my childhood and living there this past year without my grandfather has been difficult. I remember those first few nights so vividly - there was a strange silence and a sense of emptiness and feelings of loss that I had never felt in that house. And I hated it. I knew I had to do something to fill my time since I couldn't bear just to sit and be still. So I started cleaning and Lord knows there was a lot of that needed to be done! From the time I got home from work until the time I went bed, I went through closets and drawers and boxes and rooms. Spending that time going through my grandfather's belongings was most certainly therapeutic and led me to discover just how much I love giving new life to old things. That little hobby of mine has helped me more than I can possibly say. Looking back, I can't believe the sun has risen and set 365 times since that horrible morning but it's a reminder that life goes on and with each passing day it gets a little easier. I thank the Lord for carrying my family and I through this past year when we could barely walk and I trust Him to see us through the next. I recently found this quote from Memoirs of a Geisha that I'd like to end with...
"Grief is the most peculiar thing; we're so helpless in the face of it. It's like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it."
Gorgeous, right? However, the $269 price tag was most definitely not what we were going for! Luckily, I found an diamond in the rough on Craigslist a few weeks back for a mere $20 bucks! I don't have a really good before pic so these two will have to do. We had already taken out all the drawers and it was on it's back so we could paint it. 
Here's the top and you can see the drawers here, too. It didn't come with any hardware but that was an easy fix! And besides the finished product, the price tag on this bad boy was the best thing about it!! 
I had high hopes for this dresser but truth be told, it has exceeded all expectations! And it was only $20...take that Kirkland's. 
This may look like a really big frame with really big flowers but to me it was pure gold!! The best part of the project (besides how much it cost!) was it took me less than hour - start to finish! 
Initially, I was planning on painting the frame and stapling the fabric on the inside so I removed the picture - but once I did that I realize that wasn't going to work so I moved onto Plan B and just wrapped the entire frame with fabric and stapled away. 
Did I mention how simple this was?? Because it was simple. Like. Really. Simple. And since this was a picture it already had what it needed to hang making it even more so! 
Picture frame - $19.99
It one of many great things that were in my grandpa's garage that I saved knowing that I had to fix up! It was pretty scratched and worn but in over all decent shape and nothing that a light sanding and can of spray paint couldn't fix! Have I mentioned how much I adore spray paint...because I do. It's awesome. Anyway....back to business.
I spent a good 30 minutes standing in front of the spray paint cage at Home Depot going back and forth between colors when I finally decided on this one!
I'm quite pleased with my choice and the final product!!
I love my new yellow chair!
So tell me, what have you spray painted lately?
Anyway, I took inventory of the spices...
Transferred them into these cute little jars from IKEA...
Added some free labels that I printed out from Martha Stewart and viola!
This totally makes me what to cook from scratch. 
I don't think I've ever used that Ginger...but now that's in a pretty little jar, I just might! 
For a mere $4.99 I couldn't pass it up! I really liked the outside and inside frame and the pop from the interior artwork. I knew some spray paint would magically transform it so I cleaned it up a bit and then busted out the paint!
I had my standard grey on hand so I just used that.
It was already looking better but I knew it needed a little more pizazz so I took some scrap booking paper and cut it down to fit the inside border. It was harder that it looks and I was annoyed because I couldn't get the little flower things to line up and I ran out of double sided tape but I won't concern you with those details! Here's the final product!
I love when simple things like an old frame can be turned into something new and pretty to look at!
