One man's junk...

... can be bought for about a dollar at various locations and then turned into something really cool.  Yep.  Really cool.

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted something like this in my bedroom:

via

Though this one's nice, too:

(just a little too glam for my bedroom design style)

But vanities, you may know, are not cheap.  Lots of moolah for a new, modern one.  Sometimes even MORE money for a vintage one in nice shape.  Even the vanities at the thrift store that I could fix up were MUCH more than I was willing to spend.  

Then I spied an old desk at a thrift store.  It was the perfect small size for my small master bedroom and I really liked the curvy shape.

And it was pretty much a hot mess.  BUT it was only 5 dollars.  I took a chance and bought it, though I had no idea if I'd ever find a vanity chair and mirror of the same vintage/style.

For months I checked thrift stores to no avail.  Until one day, I was at a rummage sale with my sister and encountered this:

Which most people (understandably) walked by without a second glance.  However, when I looked, the clouds parted and angels sang.  I ran to, scooped it up and slapped down my 2 bucks.

I still couldn't find a mirror, but I set about fixing up the desk and chair with faith that the right mirror was out there somewhere.

Here's the chair before:

I took it apart, cleaned it, used Krylon Bright White in Satin finish on the metal, got some upholstery fabric on clearance at Hobby Lobby, used my staple gun and glue gun to get the upholstery on the cushions, and put it all back together.

And here's the finished chair:

The desk took some work.  Here it is in its glorious before:

I took the handles off (though, truthfully I really like them now... my taste has changed a bit).  I pulled out the drawer and took out the floral sticky paper.  This revealed holes in the drawer.  SO.  I washed everything down, used some wood filler to fill in one of the holes left from each handle (I was replacing them with knobs so I only needed one hole each), used spackle to fill in small holes and cracks, used some very thin balsa type wood and a staple gun to attach it over the existing drawer bottom, sprayed it all down with Krylon Bright White in Satin finish and put the new knobs in.  Phew.

And there it sat in my room, by the window, without a mirror.  Totally unfinished.  For EVER. Like two years.

When it became clear we were going to be moving a baby crib in the bedroom and I'd have to rearrange a bit, I decided it was time to kick the mirror search into high gear!
I checked thrift stores, rummage sales, consignment stores, places I never went... then, when re-checking my favorite thrift store, I found this gem:

It was $10, BUT, it was half price Monday!!  I got it for $5!  I cleaned it up really well, filled in the cracks around the frame with spackle, restrung a wire on the back and sprayed it - you guessed it - Krylon Bright White in Satin finish.  I wasn't completely sure I was sold on the big bow on top...

Then I hung it up.  And it all came together...

And THAT is how you create your own vanity from inexpensive pieces.

One desk - $5
One chair - $2
One mirror - $5
One mug rack turned necklace holder - $2
One candle holder turned bracelet holder - $1
(You can see the post about the jewelry organization here)

Ta-Da!

Step one in getting our bedroom ready to share with the baby... Now, to finish that task.  Even though he's already here.

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