Thursday, July 19, 2012

Filing Cabinets

I had a stroke....a stroke of genius!
OK, so that's probably not the best way to start a text message to your sister,  especially when we have been in a heat advisory for God only knows how long, but it totally seemed appropriate at the time!
Andrea and I have been in our classrooms pretty much all summer, trying to make them as cute as possible, and every time I walked into mine, the fact that my two filing cabinets did not match really seemed to bother me.  Somehow I have lived 4 years in my classroom with these same tan and black filing cabinets, but this year they just weren't good enough for what I had in mind.   I discussed the turmoil I was going through with my sister, and we threw around several options:  1- I could mod podge scrap book paper to the front ( but that wouldn't hide the fact that they were still two different colors). 2  - I could paint them (that seemed expensive and time consuming) or 3 - I could just get over it and deal with it (not an option with my obsessive compulsive brain).  So while working in my room and moving things around, I came across some fun fabric I had recently purchased to cover a table, and had the idea  that I could use it to cover a filing cabinet, and even tried it out a couple times. It didn't seem to be long enough one way or wide enough the other, and either way I was going to have to buy another piece in order to cover the other one.  Then, from out of no where, it hit me - my "stroke"- I pushed the two cabinets together with their drawers facing outward. I then put my fabric over the top. I was so excited about this new idea, but there was one minor flaw.  The fabric wasn't quite wide enough to cover each side, even with a single border and I didn't have a another border that really matched.  So I took an ugly valentines border that I never use and turned it around to use its backside.  I got out my handy dandy glue gun and started assembling my masterpiece.  When it was finished I did the only natural thing; texted my sister, put it on Facebook and then of course I "pinned" it.  Later that evening, my sister and I were both shocked to see how many "repins" my filing cabinet had received, and how many times it showed up in a search. Several times friends and family have commented on our crafts, and with all that encouragement and the popularity of the filing cabinet, we decided it was time to start taking note and sharing our ideas. 


We are really excited about this blog, and have been making a list of all the things we want to share.  We hope you enjoy it, find some use out of it, or at least a little entertainment.  We look forward to all of our future "blogs" and hope you do too!

-Amy

7 comments:

  1. I repinned this and then went in my classroom to cover my filing cabinet but I couldn't figure out how to get it to stay. Did you use double sided tape, hot glue?

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  2. I used hot glue for mine and it worked perfectly. I put something heavy on the fabric on top of my filing cabinets while I glued all the sides and bottom and then I finally glued the top as well. The borders are also attached with hot glue.
    Let me know if you have any other questions!

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  3. Very cute!! Glad you found my blog so I could find yours! I'm a new follower!

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  4. I am so excited about this! I'm a music teacher with 2 filing cabinets that don't match. I'm going to turn my mine, cover them in black/orange fabric (our school colors) and then attach a large staff on vinyl that I've had for years and have been able to use. I'm going to print off clefs, those famous sentences (EVERY GOOD BIRD DOES FLY, FACE, ETC), and music notes on card stock. I am then planning to laminate the card stock and attach magnets to the back. The students will then be able to place the clefs, words, and notes in the correct place. I am so excited!! My kiddos are finally going to learn notes on the staff with an interactive bulletin board!!!!

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    1. So sorry. I meant to say a large vinyl staff that I have NEVER been able to use.

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    2. That sounds awesome!! I am so glad you find it so helpful!! Thanks for sharing your idea :)
      -Amy

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