Blue tags on blue tables

We've got a great city view outside of our front window and an oddly shaped living room that makes it hard to put furniture there so we can enjoy it. Additionally my middle son started a preschool that has a bus this fall and so needed to spend the mornings watching for his bus. So I have been on the look out for a kid's table to put there. Again I searched craiglist on and off, but couldn't find anything that I wanted in my living room that was the right price. Then at Goodwill I found this cute bright blue table and chairs set. It was spray painted, but I think whoever did it did a fairly good job and I love the color. I set a bucket of colored pencils there and I have been amazed at how much drawing my kids have been doing as a result. I guess having a place for them to do it was the key. I paid $10 for them. I ended up spending more on the pencil sharpener I put on the table then the table itself.

Couch Conundrum

Have I mentioned that I have 3 children under 5? I also have a love for mid-century modern design and vintage goods. However there is no way I am going to spend the amount it costs to get an awesome mid-century couch and then allow my 3 children to sit on it. (or allow myself to drink coffee on it) We have had an Ikea couch in our living room since this summer when we installed new floors and sold a lot of our old furniture. I hated that couch. It was uncomfortable and not really cute and belonged in our playroom for kids to make forts out of the cushions. I have searched craigslist a little, but did not find what I was looking for in my price range. At the thrift store I recently came across this couch. Not entirely awesome, but it has a right shape and was decent enough to last us until our youngest is old enough to be trusted near a nicer couch. It was priced at $100, but I had a 20% off coupon so we paid $80.