I've had some delays in starting my headboard project, but I finally got it underway this weekend! I am SO excited at how it's looking already! If you remember, I was given a free stencil from
Cutting Edge Stencils for this project. I started out with a big sheet of 1 inch MDF and had Home Depot cut it down to the size I wanted. {One less thing to do at home!} Next I painted two coats of white paint. I let it dry completely and the next day, started on my stenciling!
Cutting Edge Stencils sends you detailed instructions with your product, complete with pictures! They also tell you what tools you'll need to get the best results possible. For my project they included a clip on level {See it at the bottom of the stencil? So helpful!} and the mini roller I would need.
I leveled my stencil, and used painter's tape to secure it in place. I ordered a free paint sample from Valspar a few weeks ago when they were giving them away! I was able to scrape the sides of the jar clean and complete the whole project with the sample size {which I think is about $3 in store}. This is "thunder gray" in Valspar from Lowe's. It also came with a $5 coupon off a gallon of paint, and a tiny roller and tray. Quite the free deal!
I took a picture about halfway through, but I have completed all of my stenciling now. The next step is to start the framework!
I was amazed at how easy this stencil was to use. I followed the directions, and took to heart when they said "it's better to have not enough paint on your roller than too much" and I had NO BLEED THROUGH under the stencil!! I did two light coats of the gray, and I am LOVING it! Don't forget, that once I'm finished I'll be doing my first giveaway! One lucky reader will win a $40 credit to pick their own stencil from
Cutting Edge Stencils!
I moved the bed to the opposite wall it was on and added a headboard.
There was a set of two shutters at ReStore {two sets hinged together, with four panels total} that would have been perfect! They were tall enough that I could have just stood them up behind the bed. I took them up to the front to see how much they were...$25 each!! Nope! No way I'm spending fifty bucks on a headboard for a kids room! I went back and found two of these shutters. They were the perfect length for the queen bed, if I laid them on their side. They were $15 each. Still more than I wanted to spend, but twenty dollars cheaper than the other ones, and I REALLY wanted shutters! I painted them both with two coats of white paint.
We've had this pink, 3 bin sorter for years, but the dress up clothes have been camping out on the floor forever! Driving me c-r-a-z-y! I built this addition to it using 2 boards and a dowel rod! I tested it out to make sure it fit before painting it and securing. it.
I used my Silhouette and vinyl to put their names over their side of the bed and cut out "Royal Princesses". I also moved their old castles so that they can each put their little treasures in the one by their side. Kids always want to sleep with little trinkets that can get lost. Now they have a place to put it.
I hung the shutters by hammering in a sawtooth picture hanger on each end. First I hung the bottom one, and then hung the top one so that it's sitting on top of the bottom one perfectly. The slats on the shutters are opposites, because if I put them the same way there is a difference in the width of the top board and the bottom board.
This dollhouse has been on the floor since we bought it at a thrift store over a year ago. It had hangers on it, but I never bothered to hang it. Today I hung it above the little kids table and chair.
I moved the castle hanging basket to an area where I had room for it. The book sling has been there for awhile. I hung up some pictures that have been laying around and that the girls love.
I finished the dress up closet this morning. I gave it two coats of pink spray paint.
I had some brackets in our "junk basket" of odds and ends and they worked perfectly. I also used wood glue to give it some extra strength.
I kept the curtains the same because I love them. These were made by my sister in law for my niece when she was a teenager still living at home. Now she's married and gone so the curtains got passed down to us. The lighting in this room is horrible but it's a shimmery periwinkle fabric.
It has beads hanging down from the trim.
I made a pennant for the shutters to tie in with the big ones stretching across the room. I love it so far! We're going to go tomorrow to look for a long mirror at a thrift store to go by the dress up area. I would also love to change the regular old light fixture to one of those chandeliers with the clear crystals hanging down. I think that would be perfect for a princess room! 
I originally got this idea over here at the 
