bucket brigade

Here is my entry for Ohdeedoh's Now You See It, Now You Don't Contest.

I created this framed storage wall for all of my daughter's hair and clothing accessories. It corralled everything to one easy to access location - great for a three year old's need for independence and autonomy. I removed the screen from a vintage window frame, painted it with Sherwin-Williams Stem Green, and backed it with a yard of fun fabric. Then I attached three rows of heavy gauge wire to eye hooks in front of the fabric. I hung metal paint buckets from our local paint store and tin buckets from Target along the wires using S hooks. I repurposed a kitchen scrub brush holder for hanging a hairbrush. Hand painted clothespins hold lengths of ribbon with hair clips attached. Extra S hooks and clothespins are awaiting more accessories: some things like sunglasses easily drape over the wire.

I love this storage idea for its versatility and ability to be unique for any age or any member of the family. It's important to find storage that can develop and grow with your child. Raise the height, change the fabric and paint and watch this frame easily morph into a new personality suited to a more sophisticated tween, and so on. My daughter uses it for her personal storage, but it would be just as at home in an arts and craft area with buckets filled with crayons and paints...clothespins hanging up a painting to dry on the wire. How about a LEGO organizer?

I am a firm believer in everything having a place. In addition, I think it has to be accessible and easy to put away. Little buckets work perfectly for young children, and they can travel directly to a clean up site.

I gave my daughter's room a little spring face lift:

-new duvet cover with Amy Butler fabric and some yellows and blues from my stash.

-pale yellow pillow cases and two coordinating mini pillows (her new favorites!)

-Amy Butler scraps worked perfectly on her existing lampshade

-created a foam pouf out of a foam cylinder and a chartreuse jersey sheet (SalvationArmy); can work as a stool or night stand

-painted three wood scraps a robin's egg blue and decoupaged elephant silhouettes to them

-mini "sweet dreams" banner

I'm just trying out a bunch of prototypes for future endeavors and my little one is so appreciative...what good inspiration!