The Playroom is Done!!!!

A few weeks ago I got this crazy idea to convert part of our basement into a playroom for Brax. I decided that he (and Aunt LuLu) would need a space to run and play and be messy, as they will be couped up inside all winter long. And I didn't want that place to be my living room and kitchen. Mike was not excited about my new project--I believe his words were, "I better be pleasantly surprised, because I don't think this is a good idea." Ye of little faith.

My pursuit began with Craigslist. I would say that 90% of what you will see here was found on Craigslist. (For those of you not familiar with this WWW phenomenon--it is essentially an online classified ad/garage sale. You can buy and sell anything; you post your ad for free, search local ads for free, and pay no fees AT ALL. You pick up your treasures at the location of your choice, and there you have it!!!)

After I spent about a week bargain-hunting, I began the overhaul of our dungeon basement. First I primed the walls, then painted them a beautiful Crayola-box yellow. I've always wanted a yellow room, it's like sunshine!

(Mike says it looks like cornbread, but whatever. Cornbread is yummy.)

Post-primer.

Mmmmm!! Cornbread! And a fire hydrant.

SIDE-NOTE:
This project was sponsored in part by Mighty Putty--that annoying guy that yells in EVERY commercial he does just might be onto something!! I tried drilling into concrete (yes, Dad, I bought a concrete bit) but that was taking waaaaayyy to long for me. This weird stuff really works! It's the ONLY way to hang stuff on concrete!!

Billy Mays gives his approval.

And here you have it...

Baby gate, Little Tikes slide, puppet theater, Little Tikes toybox, even the carpet (and pad)---Craigslist. Some guy who does hotel remodels was selling the unused carpet remnants and pad from his jobs! What a deal! I even taped the seams myself!!! (Okay, I had help laying it tho--Gotta love being buds with a real life Mr. Handyman.)

All the toys you see here were littering my living room and computer room floors.
Now they all have a HOME!

The shelves you see here were my "splurge." They were custom built by Aunt LuLu's husband, in just a few hours!!! This would have been impossible to do on my own, and they turned out even better than I had imagined!

Play rug, kids' sized bookshelf--Craigslist! And my Aunt Kathi (the Queen of garage-saling) found the felt educational poster I've been looking ALL OVER for!!!!!!!!! Yay!

I did buy this valance brand new... It was the least I could do for now to spruce up of our lovely view of the window well with a dead rabbit carcass in it. Seriously, skull and all. I guess little boys like that kind of stuff, right?

Click the link to see my plan for it (that's my project for next spring):

http://www.scenicwindowwells.com/view2.htm

For now I'm just thinking about throwing in a garden gnome or two. Maybe a flamingo.

Tunnel maze--birthday gift.
Mattress/pillows--had it in the basement anyway, made it a "couch."

Little Tikes rocking horse--CL. Kids' table--hand me down from our cousins.

And do you see the "fire hydrant" with water shooting out of it over there? I had to disguise the water pipes!

Now THIS is my favorite part--the Christmas lights I painstakingly hung to de-uglify the joists. I took this picture midway thru the installation, hence the extension cord hanging down. I wanted to make sure they were working...

Apparently you aren't supposed to string 6 strands together... something about an "overload..." This is a work in progress, as I have now burned out two fuses...

Clark Griswald made it look SO easy.

Here are the boys, enjoying the fruits of my labor.
I think Mike looks "pleasantly surprised," don't you???

Car garage--CRAIGSLIST!!!