The basement playroom: Let's get it started

Once again, it's a good thing you can't see me because I am so geeked up right now that I'm cabbage patch-ing, humpty dancing, Roger Rabbit-ing all OVER the place.

I'm going decorating y'all!!  Oh yeah, that was TWO exclamation marks.

Come with me to my basement, won't you?

I took these pictures about five minutes ago.  I touched nothing.

This is the 'adult' side' because that's where you'll find the liquor cabinet.

This is the playroom side.  This is the side that's about to get CRUNK y'all.

I don't even talk like that in real life, but I'm going with it because I'm so happy right now.

This bookcase is currently holding tools and paint.  Even though Sofia doesn't go anywhere near it, it's still not safe to have it in the same area as the playroom.

Next to it is my sewing area with my mountain of unfinished unstarted projects.

Fireplace and heater closet.

This is only half of the basement.  The other half holds all the junk that's going to get sold in a massive garage sale in the spring, as well as the workshop area with all the tools I'm no longer allowed to touch.

I've been on Drew for the longest that we need to have a proper playroom for Sofia because it's so cold for so long that going outside is not an option.  He was dragging his feet because eventually we want to refinish the whole basement and he didn't want to have to pay for things twice.  I kept saying paint is not that big a deal! She needs a playroom now!  It won't be that expensive I swear!  And on and on, back and forth.

But now!  It's going to happen people!  So let's break it down:

Flooring.  Since we are going to refinish the basement sometime in our lives with proper flooring, whatever we did right now has to be temporary.  Temporary=area rugs.  We scored two awesome rugs for the playroom side at Target for $30 each and they've held up perfectly.  I plan to attach some fabric to the rust-colored edges, since they don't match, but that's down the line.  The rug on the adult side of the room is the old flowered one from her nursery from way long ago.  It works and if there's enough money left in the budget, I'll replace it but it's good for now.

Storage.  I scored that Expedit on Craigslist for only $30, but once I had it down here I realized I really wanted everything to be white.  But all is not lost because that one will move to the workshop and hold all the tools from the bookcase, and I will get the same one in white.  

Lighting.  We have nasty fluorescent lights in the ceiling and there's nothing we're going to do about them right now, but I do want a cool floor lamp for the far corner, because the lamp we have now isn't bright enough.  

Except Money Man Drew was like, no more spending.  You could have heard my heart breaking a mile away, but I didn't give up.  I had to find a way to get some money - my baby must have her playroom.  So TODAY, on a whim I went to one of those 'sell your gold' places in the mall.  I took some of my old-school gangsta chains and bracelets that I haven't worn and probably will never wear just to see what they'd give me for them.  You remember, back in the 80s-early 90s when it was cool to wear tons of gold?  Yeah.  Me too.  It's ok - we can hang our heads in shame together.

Well, I've since matured and most certainly no longer wear my chains and bracelets and they just sat there for the longest time.  Even when I made my jewelry wall and they were out in the open, I still had no desire to reach for my Eazy-E wanna-be necklaces.

I was hoping for $60 at most, because I had $20 in my pocket and the white Expedit is $70 plus tax.

You guys!!  They gave me nearly $300 for my gangsta gold!!

A couple of chains and bracelets that I haven't worn in over five years and most certainly will not miss, and my baby's gonna get a playroom!!

$300 is plenty to do what I want to make this playroom happen for her!  So here's the plan; you guys, I can't even deal right now I'm so excited.

I'm getting one of these bad boys.

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One of these too.

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There will be an awning over her kitchen.

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There will be shelves and a bar underneath to hang dress-up clothes.

I'm thinking a magician cloak, a doctor coat, a superhero cape, 

and yeah, probably some fairy dresses too.

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The bookcase will get painted white and I'm in love with

those rainbow painted backs so that's probably going to happen.

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There will be a gallery wall.

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The sofa will get slipcovered, I'm going to sew bright and happy pillows and it's going to be the happiest playroom EVER!  You guys!  The biggest transformation will be paint, and everyone knows that paint is the cheapest thing you can do!  I seriously can't even sit still because I want to get started right the heck now!  Do you see all these exclamation marks!  My baby's gonna have a playroom!

Ok seriously, Sofia's napping and I'm about to take all those tools to the workshop and this weekend, but maybe even tomorrow, we're going shopping!

Stay tuned!