Good Example of What Not To Do

I debated putting this on the world-wide internet. But if you are like me (i.e. Rammy, impatient, a tad spontaneous, adventuresome, trying your dardest to stay out of trouble, and low on funds) you may be tempted to do something like this one day. And I want to guide  you away from it. I want to lead you to the light. Think before you act. Measure twice & cut once. Think: will another week of waiting really matter? Do your homework....

HERE IS A BED I DECIDED TO MAKE ONE AFTERNOON - I'm only a little pleased with it.

Here's what I like:

- I got it done FAST
- I got it done CHEAP
- I got it done

Here's what I don't like:

- I should have used better wood
- Should have used more batten on the headboard
- I definitely shouldn't have decided to use the dremel tool which I have never used before
- I should have used higher quality paint

OK enough of it - let's see what we are talking about. Remember - this was a Sunday I woke up with nothing to do, just a few pieces of wood lying around, very few dollars in the pocket, and had a little creative juice (= wine.) I also happened to still be sleeping with my mattress/box spring on the floor.

I had 1x3's in the garage. I started experimenting a little.

Before I knew it, I had a decent idea in my head. I measured my full-size box spring, laid out the 1X3's accordingly. I did - for real - stop for a moment to look on the internet for a good leg idea and this was the most simplest. I Cut 9 pieces one length and 9 pieces a little shorter. I screwed those together with one end being level. Yes. I already said it. I am impatient. It was a quick, fun Sunday project that I am now living with until I get around to doing it better.... but wait..... it doesn't tun out THAT bad......

So - if you look closely in the above picture, the short ends of the "legs' support the weight of the bed frame. I didn't want something that would wiggle and be loose. This is NOT loose. Very solid, actually.

I put these handy-dandy 2X4's cut on a diagonal that I used for the black dresser, in the corners to give it some more solidity and to keep it square.

A few good views of the "legs."

Then - it was done SO FAST - I literally could do it all with my miter saw and it was very repetitive, that I decided to break out the dremel which I have NEVER used before. But how hard could it be? And wouldn't it be SO CUTE to add a little saying? Wouldn't that be neat? Wouldn't it???? I THOUGHT SO TOO!!!! But - one should know how to use the freaking tool. This is how it came out - 

Then I painted - grey. My color at the moment. Not any longer. Unfortunately. Since everything in my house is now grey.....

BUT WAIT - That was done SUPER FAST TOO!!! Maybe - Maybe I should make a fabric covered headboard? A quick and messy dig through my attic turned up some nice black fabric (Which later, I have discovered, to be a super duper lint attracting fabric!) I had VERY little batten but who cares? (I do now) It will look AWESOME! I drew a pattern on some newspaper taped together and folded in half - unfolded it and taped to a piece of plywood - 1/2". Then whipped out my jig-saw and this is what I ended up with.

Then I covered it.

Then I carried the frame upstairs and screwed the headboard on using connecting 1X3's.

Then I made my bed to make it look less silly.

And then I decided that I really liked it. I was glad my bed was off the floor. It was 3+ hours well spent. Maybe it was $20 some dollars? The 1X3's made it cheaper and I did have the material. If I had had to go buy everything it would have been closer to $100 and not, probably worth it. For $100 I could have done it so much nicer.... And I plan to!

For now - this keeps me up off the floor. Keeps my pillows from falling behind the bed - and helped me learn a few basics about building a bed frame. I know what I'm doing next and how it will be awesome. The cool thing is, I can unscrew all the wood and re-use it for some other "experiment."

NOW WHAT????