I'm a Gemini. I'm not so sure I completely believe in all the astrological brew-ha-ha, but I do think there's something to be said for a belief system that resides in the international social subconscious. Be it the moon's pull or a self-fulfilling prophecy, my Gemini-ness is most evident in my split personalities. I'm not crazypants, but I do have two equal and opposite forces fighting tooth and nail with in me at all times: I have expensive taste but I am cheap frugal. Luckily, I have cultivated other characteristics to assist in marginalizing the internal struggle: I'm a superstar at haggling and I'm not so bad at fixing things up. Here are 3 projects I've worked on in the last couple of weeks that have satisfied each twin that lives inside this little gemini:

I found this lucite gem at the City Wide Garage Sale last weekend. Normally I go when the best deals are to be had: just before close on Sunday. This time, I tried something different: I went when the doors opened on Saturday and the, ahem, planets aligned and the gods presented me with this vintage lucite barrel chair.

The price was $130, which is approximately 13 times more than I like to spend on a chair, but my frugal side also knows a good deal when it sees one (similar chairs are going for $800 - $900 online). I talked them down (of course) to $100 and hauled ass out of the convention center.

Now, don't be fooled by the quasi-good lighting. That fabric is one thousand percent polyester and had enough dirt to fill a shallow grave. I ripped it off post-haste.

After taking off the offending upholstery, I realized why the seat was so uncomfortable: most of the rubber supports were rotten and torn to shreds. I cut new ones and Matt stapled them on for me. Look, I'm crafty, I can make things, but few people on this earth are strong enough to work the devil's hand-tool that is Matt's staple gun. One half-clutch of the handle is enough to give you a life-long battle with carpal tunnel syndrome

Once the internal repairs were complete it was time to spiff up the seat. I chose to cover the seat with fabric cut from a vintage silk scarf that I had purchased at a City Wide Garage Sale several months ago for two whole dollars.

I then covered the scarf with clear vinyl. I chose to use the vinyl for several reasons: 1. Putting plastic on furniture is hilarious. 2. I wanted to protect the scarf and 3. I wanted to give the seat the same wow-pizzazz as it's lucite shell. In person, it looks lovely together.

Because I didn't have enough fabric from scarf #1 to line the outer edge of the seat, I used fabric from a second scarf also purchased from the garage sale several months ago for $.99. See, Erin, I do have a use for all the fabric I hoard.

Moving on to project #2

I bought this sad little excuse for a chair at a yard sale for $2 a year or so ago. When I brought it home I could see Matt's little mind adding up the plausibility of filing for divorce. I promised him glory and grandeur then the chair sat for months. Now that my office is almost done (pictures coming soon, promise) I finally had a need for it at my sewing station.

I painted it with high-gloss black spray paint, then recovered the seat with this awesome black and white Native American graphic print fabric I purchased when I lived in Albuquerque a gazillion years ago. I'm almost positive that I got it off the $1/yard table. I bought every last inch and have used it for several projects over the years, this is the first time it's appeared on an item for my home, though.

And finally, project #3

I bought this lame lion head print from the thrift store for $7.99. It felt a bit steep for all that mucky beige art, but I had a plan and figured that, even if I failed, at least the frame was worth 3 times the price.

I used a straightedge to draw laser-light-show lines across the background, then taped off each area separately and painted as needed. It should be noted that I originally planned to cut out the lion head and put him on a new background, but the print is mounted on thick cardboard and I wasn't sure I could cut it out cleanly. The result?

This little lion was relocated from depressingville to crazytown. I think he likes it better there. Oh, I painted the frame black, too.

All of these projects are living in my office now. Here are all the before and afters together. Are you starting to get a sense of the color scheme?

After months of zero zilch nada progress made on my home due to analysis paralysis, I finally made some decisions and got to work this weekend. Everyone had awesome suggestions for my room last week, Sherry had the genius idea to use photoshop to test drive designs and I loved From the Right Bank's idea to switch the black wall and paint my fireplace a bright color... but I wasn't up for painting over black. In fact, you all had so many awesome ideas, I almost had to spend another 6 months in hibernation trying to figure it all out. But! My mind was about to explode and I had to make a move. I decided to go with my gut and laser-light-show it up. A visit to the always brilliant Sanders sealed the deal when he gave his nod of approval and pointed me to the metallic paint (!!!!) display. Sanders and I quickly agreed on pearl white and I was out the door with some fancy paint and lots and lots of tape:

I started by free-form taping the wall behind my bed, making each stripe about 1.5" wide.

I continued around the corner and onto the 3rd wall. I didn't tape the entire 3rd wall, I let the design taper off so that there would be a spot for your eye to rest. Fancy, huh?

I was actually pretty smitten with the kelly green tape (of which I used 180 yards) and was almost remiss to paint it all white, but green angles are too crazy for a bedroom and I had a plan and I was going to stick to it, dammit.

Ta-Da! Laser-Light kicks kelly green's ass! To understand how amazing and fabulous this looks in real life, please take the awesomeness of this picture and multiply by eight hundred thousand, give or take. It is seriously out of control. Do you want to see more pictures?

A close up. Don't worry, we're shopping for new lamps next. (I will be taking Camilla's advice and finding some with black drum shades)

Doesn't the dog bed just make this picture? What about the crappy bathroom door that's about to be replaced? Ok, Ok, focus on the wall... j'adore?

last one, promise:

Once Erin comes out of maternity leave, project #1 is to have her take some decent looking photos of this joint. You'd think I could have at least photoshopped myself out of the mirror. lazy lazy Karly.

This project was actually super simple despite my gigantor walls, from start to finish (including clean up) it only took about 5 hours. With all that extra time left over, I decided to tile my living room fireplace.

WHAT?! HUH?! But, Karly, you've been indecisive about tile for months!

I know, I know, but Friday night I was having cocktails in Hope's back yard when I spotted a stack of white marble 1/2 inch tile going to waste on her porch. Apparently it had been given to her roommate who never got around to doing anything with it. A few drinks in and I was ready to end my tile misery and make an offer: $3 a sheet. Done and done.

If I were to search the world over and could have my choice of tiles, would I pick this? No. But is it 800 times better than the bare fireplace I've been living with for the last year? Can I get a hellz yeah?!

Here's a close-up:

It's marble, it matches my room, and it shimmers, so I'm happy with it. Oh, and it was dirt cheap, so I'm really happy with it. I did some web sleuthing and found out that in the real world it costs $11 a sheet here, still pretty cheap.

I have visions of finding the world's most perfect tile one day and replacing this but until then I don't have to hang my head in shame when the first thing people see when they walk in my house is a bunch of junky drywall surrounding my fireplace.

So, there you have it, my weekend in a nutshell: cocktails and decorating, what more could a girl ask for?

PS. stick around this week as we have some badassical guest bloggers in store: tomorrow Andrea from House of Slappy does a fantastic (I mean really fantastic) artist roundup; Thursday, the always lovely Tula of Whorange brightens up the joint with my favorite palette; then Friday, it's lame old me again wrapping up the week. Come on back now, ya hear?