I made a new shelf. It took about a total of 5 minutes with supplies on hand and is super easy. All you need is a fun level! Now, here’s the deal most of my projects are always done with supplies on hand because I am not a big fan of shopping. When I am…
I had GREAT intentions for doing fun art projects with the kids last week while the big boys were home for spring break. But then it rained. I didn’t want to take the four of them to the store for supplies in the rain. Eventually I picked up a canvas for each of them. We…
show 29 comments
Love this! Painting with my kiddos is by far one of my favorite things to do. Such sweet memories your making with them 
Happy Tuesday to you!
I would know General Grievous anywhere. Great artwork.
we painted on canvas in the backyard last week and i’m sure we will do it again soon. firecracker makes me smile every day.
and i’m going with general grievous.
I love Little Brother’s painting! I would totally put that on my wall.
Our kids love painting too… we have a whole rubbermaid bucket devoted to it.
Ok, I thought it was Darth Maul (because of the whole half spider thingy) but then I was corrected & now know it is actually General Grievous (because don’t you know that he has four light sabers). I said four swords and was quickly corrected on that point as well.
Thanks for sharing the links. It is always fun to check out (and bookmark!) your favorite sites. I wish preschool daze was in my town – looks like a blast!
Kids & painting. My kids love it too. And I love seeing what they come up with. Your kids are so cute. Oh, & thanks for the links! Happy Tuesday…I will be spending my day with a sick 4 year old. Weird fever…maybe it came from Oklahoma? haha just kidding;)
Nice work on General Grievous! What a great idea (screws and nails!) – my boys would love it!
love your canvases! I asked my 6yr. old son who also LOVES Star Wars, and he quickly identified the character as “General Grievous!”
i need to get crafty with my kids more often….again. we get busy and forget!
or i am tired.
that is no excuse.
i am excited for nicer weather because ART outside is so much better.
miss you.
and is that general grievace…no clue how to spell it.
This is by far one of my favorite art projects to do with my daughter. I love seeing how her paintings evolve as she gets older. I through her a painting party when she was 3. Bought 16×20 canvases for her and all her friends (15 of them!) and put out tons of paint and brushes (obviously this was done outside). The end result was so fun and I loved that everyone had a souvenior to take home and keep.
I called in my experts to guess for me…General Grevious without hesitation 
). Then, “That’s so cool, Mom…Can we do that?”
You had a fun time. Well, as everyone sees what want to see, I see in the picture of your princess the word “love” and I like it.
Love seeing what you are up to with your children. Is #2 camera shy? I realized the other day that he doesn’t end up in as many photos as the others. Just curious.
General Grievous… Twenty points! I played him with Nate the Great last night. He did a sneak attack and found me hiding in the pantry.
General Grievous… I would know him anywhere!
oh ashley! i’m so excited about this post! as an early childhood teacher turned sahm/blogger, it’s so exciting that the message in this is shared with your following. there’s no greater joy for me than seeing children free to create art… their art. art that is inspired from what is within instead of an adult’s pre-made model.
i’m a serial lurker on your blog i really should comment more, i suppose… thanks for the daily inspiration
God bless.
well, i have never seen an entire star wars movie (GASP!) so i don’t get any points today, but the art is great!!
You’ve got quite the set of artists!
I’d love to hear what you end up doing with a lot of the creations your little people make. I always have a hard time decided what to do with it and makes me a bit sad to do the inevitable purges required to not have your house completely filled up with crafty projects. I currently scan/photograph the majority and keep a few of the special (but flat) pieces in a big file.
I love the creativity and JOY that shines in EVERYTHING you guys do!!! we have spring vacation next week and I can’t wait to get ARTYS and MESSY MESSY!!!
First of all, I envy your paint collection. Second, thank you for all the lovely crafty links – i’m always looking for new inspiration! Third (and most important) I signed up for the April Snapshop yesterday! BEYOND EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, that’s an easy one… General Grievus (sp?). Love the canvases (canvasses?)! Apparently, I’m not a very confident speller today.
Knew General Grievous in an instant! Great canvases!
General Grievous! I knew but just had to show my sons. Thanks for the post, you have inspired me to do the same on spring break with my kiddos next week!!
So fun. This was our house today, too. And we have the same issue… today I just spread napkins on the table over the dried paint for our lunchtime. ha ha.
Thought of you early today. My kids were playing “Star Wars Charades”. One of them acted out “But they’re going to KILL her!”. The hint for the first word of the sentence was pointed to someone’s hiney. They were rolling. And, I know you’re pleased to hear, that all made me think of your boys
And I have to give another guess (mamamogun on istagram) – it’s an old-fashioned water pump! Right?! ha ha. Or it’s a pond. But, I don’t think so. I’m sticking with water pump.
Praying for you, Ashley. And for your little one. Thanks so much for this blog. It’s lovely.
i’m honored and humbled and grateful and excited.
thanks for making my night.
: )
kristin
I need to paint with my kids more. I’m good with crafts but really have to be a good mood to do messy ones with them. I need to set up a table outside to do these kinds of things…. such a great idea.
You’re kids are so clever! What a great General Grievous! It kills me that i’m not more crafty with my son (when all I am is crafty myself all day). I have no one to blame but myself. I need to pull out the paints and clays and just let him have fun. It’s the letting go of the mess I have a hard time with, but I want him to try it all. You’re such a good nudge for me.
LOVE that General Grievous ~ very artistic.
(To be sung to the tune of This Is The Song That Never Ends…) This is the project that never ends. It just goes on and on, my friends. One couple started it on, not knowing what they’d do And they’ll continue working on it forever just because This is the project that never ends….
show 82 comments
It’s gorgeous!!!
Wow, looks great! To me, it sounds like a big job … we are still putting it off 
love the knotty pine. friends of mine turned a barn into a house and used that very same type of flooring and technique throughout the barnhouse. oh, it’s so gorgeous! if you’re ever visiting NY, I can refer you to the sweetest barnhouse B&B that is tons of fun for kids, too! my kids LOVE visiting their farm!
http://www.fathead.com/star-wars/ has TONS of Star Wars peel & sticks and of course there are ideas on Pottery Barn Kids’ site (I wouldn’t spend that kind of dough on their bedding but you could make it). And here are two Before & Afters http://peachstreet.blogspot.com/2011/11/star-wars-themed-big-boy-room.html
http://maryellephotography.blogspot.com/2010/10/completed-star-wars-room.html
Wonderfully bright & fresh… the map ties the rest of your house into this new space… great focal point! Very fun!!!
It looks fabulous Ashley! Sometimes the smallest changes to the smallest spaces really make a difference. It totally took that space from suburban normal to Ashley Ann chic – I love it!
The stairs look fabulous and hooray! for finished projects!
Pottery Barn has a bit of Star Wars stuff and I think you’d be able to tackle this AT-AT Imperial Walker Bed if anyone could… good luck! http://www.instructables.com/id/Star-Wars-AT-AT-Imperial-Walker-Loft-Bed/
wow! this is perfect! absolutely beautiful! not that I’d expect anything different…but it’s awesome! love the map too!!!!
The stairs look fantastic. What a big undertaking. Love the addition of the school map!
They look great!!
Use the ladder as a place to dry clothes. Hang it horizontally from the ceiling. (I saw it on Pinterest!)
Or to hang pots and pans. Or plants.
Gorgeous! I want to do this so badly on my staircase.
love love love love
oooooooh….looks really good. Definitely worth all that hard work. love the oklahoma map too.
lovelovelove the map and garland! looks awesome
Yes, soooo worth it, Ashley! Great job. And that Okl map? Swoon. Perfection!! It looks like there are other maps under there, right? You should think of something to do with those!
Really love the changes! Absolutely beautiful.
Adore the Map.
I really love how you get the kids involved! So fun to have a “peek” into your world
Super great job, and I so applaud the wood and white. What a great backdrop for all sorts of fun decorations!
The map is PERFECT. Love it!
I think a simple treatment of the walls and floors is the best, when all is said and done, and I love your can-do attitude. It inspires me!
it looks AWESOME!
Goodness!! It turned out beautiful!! The white certainly brightens up the space!!
It looks super cool! Now, go pin it on Pinterest!!!
Looks great! I was peeking on instagram, I admit. It seems like all my projects take that long, so I wasn’t minding the wait. It may have something to do with my ADD tendencies with our house. I have about 6 coals in the fire at any one time. At least.
Star Wars room, huh? Tough one. I’m continually trying to work through giving my children their own space while preventing things like neon orange walls and massive milennium falcons drawn on the wall. My 3rd (girl) and 4th (boy) share a room and we have your bunks. I’m planning on putting star wars fabric on the bottom of the top bunk so my son sees it as his “ceiling” from his bunk. And he has a star wars blanket. And, currently, he has a bajillion cut out star wars pictures tapped to his wall. not my favorite look, lol. i’m working on some ideas to corral all of his interests in a less crazed way.
I’ll look forward to what you do with a “themed” room. ANd how you balance their wants and your wants.
Have a great day, Ashley!
Lovely! We did the same except instead of white…I used barnyard red. I love them. I’ll have to keep white in mind for when I don’t have an entire house to redecorate.
Oh I looks so awesome! Worth the the extra time and work I think. I have several of these never ending projects too.
It IS so much brighter! Love it!!!!! Love the busy!
Looks great! I love the big square pictures that you have up in the Before pics, are they canvas or clip frames or what? They’re SO darling, I want to copy you!
Wow! It looks so fresh and great!
About the looooooooooong ladder- could you attach it sideways to the wall leading up the second half of the stairs? I know you did not ask for any input on that (ha!) and you always have such wonderful ideas!
We just tackled the exact same project at our house AND I think we had the same carpet!! It makes a big difference, for sure. Yours looks great!
It looks wonderful!I loved the crazy pictures of all of you that you took down to put up the map. I hope you found somewhere for them.
WOW! What a fabulous transformation! I love it!
Turned out so fresh and nice. I have a carpet-removing project in my future…you don’t necessary make me anticipate the process, but it will of course, be worth it. : )
It looks fantastic!! Congratulations on finishing it.
although i have only crossed your doorstep once, it never ceases to amaze me how much your home has changed, yet remained the same. there will always be a welcoming, cheery feeling that abounds, even when things like a major stair makeover occur! it looks great!!
Ashley, I have a suggestion for your ladder. I have no idea what your front entry way looks like, but in my parents house we screwed an old board high on the wall, then leaned an old ladder against it and screwed it to the board…and, now its a coat hanger for when guests come over.
ah, star wars. now you’re speaking my language. since you’re miss arts & crafts, how about pillows with stenciled silhouettes of r2, vader, c3p0? full body or just their heads. you can always set up the legos for a shoot. my nephew has tons of star wars legos and we set one up to look like a storm trooper had pulled over a speeder to write it a ticket. haha. have some lego star wars prints on the walls. easy peasy…or a lot easier than sanding the stairs!
it’s SO lovely!!! fresh and happy.
looks incredible!! Love the bright, fresh look- you need to hire yourself out- I would totally put you to work in our house as I love the way your home feels so inviting and airy!!
Ashley:
First off… have not commented to say congratulations on the referral of your baby girl! Can’t wait to follow your journey to bringing her home! I am an AP too… and cannot imagine my life without my Sophie~Bug in it!
The stairs look great! Can’t wait to see what you do for the Star Wars room! This is not Star Wars, but DIY No Sew Star Drapes that you may want to look at for the boys room…
http://www.theyellowcapecod.com/2012/03/no-sew-diy-star-drapestutorial.html
Good luck!
Beautiful!!! I love the wood and white stairs and maps are always my favorite!
we just removed the carpeting from our stairs (along with a wall) and we replaced the treads and risers – ours were particle board and in terrible condition. We painted our treads black and did white risers as well. I am more than thrilled with the outcome and yours is an amazing transformation. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the map of Oklahoma and what a phenomenal spot for it! Amen for no stairs with carpeting!!!
it looks SO GOOD. Worth the time I’m betting.
(funny thing I just finished an upholstery project almost 2 years in the making! hallelujah for finished projects!)
The transformation looks great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a transformation! It looks great. And I’m totally jealous of your map. I have a weird fetish for topography and would love to have an old schoolhouse map like that in my house!
Very nice! I’m not a fan of carpet either and I love your results. I’m frequently letting the little ones be a part of our major projects too. They learn so much and I love working together as a family!
Very cool, love how the landing turned out.
Have you seen this for a Star Wars themed room? I am a Star Wars geek,and I love it. http://pinterest.com/pin/214413632229253718/
Ashley it looks AMAZING! What a great makeover. The stairs are BEAUTIFUL. I love the simple and clean white. That map is a treasure!
It looks GREAT!!!!!!!
It looks so great! i love it!!!
Looks fantastic! Envious of all the white!
Im in love with that map. Seriously, IN LOVE. Sooner born and Sooner bred, but living in Pennsylvania since high school (so 18 years now) with our dear friend Angie W., but anytime I can get ahold of Okie stuff, I grab it up quick. LOVE THAT MAP. And, the stairs really look fantastic, too!
I’m having a son in June, and we’re using this room as inspiration for his nursery. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/rockys-star-wars-nurserynurser-159366
Awesome! It does look so much brighter now, and the wood looks great. For Star Wars rooms, I really like the ones in Pottery Barn Kids. They’re themed, but also cool and somewhat sophisticated. Of course, you could always do a full wall mural of the Millenium Falcon. And/or use colored flourescent (sp?) tube bulbs as DIY light saber wall (or ceiling) art. That would be cool too.
the map was made for that space!! i love how it all came together! so cute!!
y’all did an amazing job. and that map…oh that MAP!
Wow! It looks fantastic! And I love that map. I’ve been looking for one of the USA like that. Jealous.
Definitely love the new stairs compared to the old! And your little helpers looked like they put in their share of work! Thanks for the visit to my little blog by the way!
I stumbled upon a link to your page on Pintrest, and SO GLAD I DID!!! We are about to start on our stair remodel(ours will also involve striping and painting the original metal banisters) and LOVED seeing a post on diy the way I know it- with kids underfoot
I saw this Star Wars wallpaper on Pinterest a while back … it is very toile-ish, actually. It does not scream “Star Wars” — maybe a little nook could be papered in it? Or frame a large piece? (as it is not cheap) http://super7store.com/wallpaper.html
I came across this book in a bibliography for children’s books. It’s titled The Day We Met You by Phoebe Koehler (1997). It’s a book about a couple adopting a child. Thought you and your family would be interested.
When my son was little I stenciled the quote “long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away” around the top of the walls of his room- also painted the ceiling deep, deep blue and glued (yes, glued) those glow in the dark stars you used to be able to buy, in the constellations of the northern and southern hemispheres up there… and of course, decorated w/ all his starwars ships (lego, and others) and collectibles (he had MANY) on shelves etc. Also framed blueprints of all the empire and rebel ships (you might be able to find these online- they weren’t expensive) in plexi frames and put those on the wall… maybe a bit of overkill, but you might be able to combine one or two of the ideas…He is 23 now, and no longer lives at home, but this lasted up through middle school, and was not little-kiddish or cartoonish, but looked very tasteful and pretty grown up for the time… ps. Your blog is one of my favorites- I always look forward to reading and seeing what your little family is up to- you are an inspiration! God bless!
You know about all the star wars themed stuff on thinkgeek.com , right?
I’m so impressed. Really. I gave up home projects when I had my second baby. It looks really great!
Beautiful!
I have an idea for the ladder….if you want one? Perhaps you could have it leaning against the wall on the stairs landing? (it looks high enough) You could either attach some wood to the rungs to create ‘shelves’ or screw in little hooks to the bottom of each run and hang pictures off them? We have a similar ladder, but it has 2 very long pieces. I plan to have one hanging across my back verahdah with little baby-food jars filled with candles hanging from it. The other will either be hung in the ceiling of my kitchen for lights or pots and pans to hang from, or leaned against a wall with shelves added to it…..not sure yet.
Love everything you do!
xx
LOVE IT! We are Star Wars crazy here-we are always on the hunt for planets (balls to hang from ceiling with fishing line)
Very pretty!! I love how bright and airy it all is now! Great way to display that map too! 
Gorgeous end result – clean and bright and fresh. But I love the fact you couldn’t resist hanging a gorgeous garland over your map of Oklahoma even more!
Wow, looks fab!
Any way you could take that ladder outside and use it as some kind of trellis? Might be something…
wow it looks awesome! i really love your decorative creativity.
I love it! I want to do my stairs like that. And I love the map!! I have been looking for a nice pull down map like that! I think I have some star wars themed rooms on my pinterest. Also, I know pottery barn kids has some stuff right now.
The stairs turned out awesome! I love your house and that is all
The stairs look fantastic! Makes me wish I had stairs… We are in the midsts of decorating my sons room. It will be Star Wars themed…but haven’t exactly decided how to take it yet. I know for sure we will have a big black canvas with a white (maybe silver?) AT-AT painted on it. That’s it so far. I’m kind of a slooowww decorator.
This looks amazing! That’s always my favourite stair combination: painted and wood. So classy/classic, but fun and bright at the same time. The map is a great addition, too. Nice!
What an awesome place for an oversized map! I love it! Reminds me of memorizing all the OK counties and their seats in seventh grade Civics class.
Love this! I’ve been dreaming about tearing out the carpet on my stairs ever since we moved in (9 months ago). I even priced out new treads and found it too pricey! But after this post, I peeked under our carpet and it looks like we have the same treads you do and they look great! Of course I’ve got a few other projects to finish up first, but I’m excited to know there are possibilities for gorgeous stairs like yours. Thanks for sharing.
Oooohhhh. Love it. Extremely great job on the planks. looks perfect! Really. Love the map. Use the ladder in your someday dream art studio. lay it on the side and use the squares as “frames” for pics – that’s one idea. :0)
My boys have a Star Wars room and love it – hers a link to their room and the projects
http://www.bigdandme.com/2012/03/star-wars-art-the-final-chapter/
May the Force Be With You when decorating the room
Jennifer
absolutely LOVE the stairs! My boys have two of these reto-ish Star Wars posters in their room with simple Ikea frames. It was a design momma could go for
WOW! this is AMAZING!! so much light fills your stairwell. GREAT, GREAT job!
just love, LOVE your stairwell. so bright…and that map is so great! wondering about using white paint on the stairs and walls and having little kids in the house. have you had problems with the back of the stairs being scuffed up or handprints on the walls? i desperately want to use white paint in my house and my husband always says i will regret it because we have 3 little boys in our house. has this ever been an issue for you?
Looks great! I love the map. I live in a converted school and have been looking for an old school map. Maybe of California (where I’m from) or the U.S.
WOW! a ton of work totally worth it. Looks great!
by AshleyAnn
show hide 24 comments
Danielle - The level is so perfectly pre-loved… something about a hit of red to liven up a room! And the #7… well how perfect is that? Thanks for sharing.
Seriously Sassy Mama - That was fun and simple! I love it!
Jeannette - Love it! I thought everyone knew about command strips – I’ve been hanging everything with them- hung Noble’s headboard a couple days ago. They are amazing!
Windie D - what a fun idea! although i can’t help but notice the level is not level
i haven’t used command strips in years, but this makes me want to try them again!
Kara Paslay - Ash, I think we were separated at birth!
I thought the piece of art I posted today was very “you” and I think this piece you posted is very me! I’ve been wanting to make a level shelf, thanks for showing me what the finished product will look like! Continuing to pray for your little one until she makes her way home!
Susan - Super cute shelf!! I’m so excited about winning the give-away! Thank you so much!!
Sarah Wolfe - This is so cute. Love that your number is 7!
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - YAY!!! Congratulations, Susan!
Molly @ mixedmolly - Genius! I wonder why this wouldn’t work with a weathered piece of pallet wood? Or a vintage yard stick. The possibilities!
ko - So cute and vintage! I love it!
Abigail C - I love the way you find beauty all over the place–though I must confess my first thought with hanging a level on the wall was that it would absolutely *have* to be level otherwise the little off center bubbles would accuse me forever!
AshleyAnn - Abigail…my level is ‘broken’. When it is level the bubbles go to the side anyway!
Kim @ Miracle-Round - Love the level. I have a few old levels that belonged to my great-grandfather. I was planning on using them as shelves in the office. I was going to lay them flat and rest them on small L brackets. I never thought of mounting them with 3M strips! I’ve used them for other things and they are great. But before I get to the levels. I have to paint the office first…
megan@contentedsparrow - Seriously cute!! Love how well-loved that level was, too. Perfect!
Jenna - I was gonna make a quip about how easy it must have been to hang your level level, but then you said it was broken. Ha, ha! Love it though! What a great idea for a little shelf.
The Prairie Hen - Dear Ash,
Love this! What a darling way to display that oh-so-significant “7″!
Love,
R
hannah singer - this is adorable! thanks for sharing.
looks easy enough for me to do, too
Kimberlee J. - Love the level.
This makes me wonder what other kinds of things I should be hanging on the wall???
Glad to we were able to talk you into going Command-o.
Ha.
Kimberlee J. - And yay for Susan!!!!!!
Sara torbett - Love this project! We live out in the country so I’m not a fan of shopping either. I do love to think creatively with what I have on hand at home though! Thanks for the adhesive strips tip. My husband hates a bunch of holes in the wall every time I change my mind ( which is quite often)
gkey - Dear On the Level,
I was JUST thinking I need a big number 7 to display somewhere. My husband is #7 out of 12 kids, (and I simply love the number). You did a great job with the idea of hanging the level as a shelf. I’m a’gonna keep my eyes pealed for an old one like that now!
love,
Hoping to be so Lucky
in
NE
p.s. I’ve missed stopping by here the last while. Looking forward to catching up. Think of you waiting for your family of 7 to be all together!
Jodi - We have a level shelf too! We use ours for chalk and it has a Katie Daisy print on it, you would love.
elizabeth - such a cool idea~thanks for another one!!
Mara - Thanks for sharing! I absolutely love this idea and Command Strips are awesome! I was disappointed though that I couldn’t pin the images to Pinterest. I was hoping to have an easy way to catalogue the idea for the future. I am curious why you would restrict pinning access?