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Tag: Do-It-Yourself

From Wood to White: How-To Paint Mouldings

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 39 Comments on From Wood to White: How-To Paint Mouldings

If I could sum up my Summer in DIY terms, it was all about painting. From the staircase to my office chair, from the white shelves to the new blue room, I think there was 2 (or maybe even 3) weeks straight that I had a paintbrush in-hand everyday!  Honestly, I’m kind of sick done with painting for awhile. Anyway, alot of projects got accomplished and one in particular were the oak stained wood mouldings that I painted white.  All I can say is…  WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

The staircase project was what did it and started the process of updating the mouldings.  It’s something that I wanted to undertake for a long time, but just didn’t know where to begin.  Once I started painting the stair risers and balusters, I realized that painting the trimwork wasn’t too difficult, so I just continued around the room. Even though the staircase was time consuming, the result was completely worth the effort and I knew I would feel the same way once the mouldings were finished.

To start off, I applied painters tape to the wall so only the mouldings (the areas that I wanted to paint) were exposed.

Here’s a snapshot when I painted the area around the window in the living room.

* Sidenote: My walls were already painted, but if you’re undertaking this project and your walls are NOT painted or you plan on changing the wall color, then paint the mouldings first.  Believe Me, It’s much easier!  So you would reverse the step I just mentioned.  Paint your mouldings first and once they are dry, tape the moulding edge (or buy a moulding paint gadget), THEN paint the wall color.

okay, moving on…

Once the tape was up, I was ready to paint.  Using my favorite Purdy brush, I applied one coat of Kilz Primer (I’ve heard good things about gripper primer too, but haven’t tried it yet).  I didn’t bother with sanding because even though the mouldings were stained, there was no gloss or sheen to them.  They were at the point of needing to be restained (to protect them) or painted (as I did).  IF you’re undertaking this project and your mouldings have a gloss finish, giving them a light sand is probably a good idea.

Primer for the mouldings is really important.  At one window I didn’t use it (by accident – it was late at night – you know the rest…) and you could see the orange color of the stain coming through the paint.  No matter how many coats of paint I applied, the orange tint always showed.  Now with primer, you may still get the orangey color, BUT when you go to apply the paint color, the orange color won’t come through because the primer will block it.  Primer truly is amazing stuff!

After the one coat of primer, then it was time to paint.   I continued with the paint I used for the staircase which was, Snowfall White by Benjamin Moore (thanks BM for providing the paint!).

Here’s a snapshot of the first coat of paint.

In most areas, I applied 1 coat of primer + 2 coats of paint, but in some areas I did use 3 coats.  It really depended on the finish look after 2 coats.

Once the painting was complete, it was time to remove the tape.  I’ll forewarn you – Don’t quickly pull off the tape because you’re freshly painted mouldings might get ruined.  When the paint was dry (to the touch – it takes about 20-30 days to fully cure), I pulled off the tape and some of the paint came to.  To avoid that from happening, I used an X-acto blade to score the corner of where the moulding and wall meet…

…then removed the tape.

At this point, I noticed that some of the paint bled under the painters tape – so annoying, right?  I’ll tell ya, I tried lots of different ways to avoid this, but nothing worked.  I even googled it, and I found nada.  If you know a secret way, will you share?  Until then, this is what I did that worked best.

After removing the tape, I took the wall paint color and my Purdy angled brush, and slowly dragged it down the wall where the wall and moulding meet.  It worked perfectly!

And that’s about it…  Not too difficult, just alittle time consuming.  But believe me, the result is SO worth it.  Take it room by room – that’s what I’ve done.  Honestly, not all my rooms are completely finished, but most are and the result is so satisfying!

Here is the before and after of the living room…

Want to see some more?

Do you remember when I updated the door hardware? Check out how fresh it looks with the newly painted white mouldings…

And here’s one more.  Do you remember the DIY built-in coat rack behind my front door?  Well here it is now surrounded by freshly painted mouldings…

What a refreshing update!  Well I have a few more painting projects that I worked on over the Summer that still need to be shared, so check back soon!

What painting projects did you work on this past Summer?

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

My First Annie Sloan Experience

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 114 Comments on My First Annie Sloan Experience

Yes, using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is an experience!

If you have no idea what I’m talking about and/or have no idea who Annie Sloan is, no worries, just keep on reading.  If you do know about ASCP, stick around and see if you’ve had a similar experience (I’d love to hear your thoughts).

I shared the result of my first Annie Sloan paint project yesterday and the response was unbelievable.  Thank you ALL for your kind comments – I was blown away by your kindness!  If you missed the reveal, I revamped and reupholstered a side chair for my desk.  Before the reupholstery could begin though, I painted the chair frame with my newly purchased Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I had never used this paint before and it was quite an experience.  I shared a little about it yesterday, but wanted to go more in-depth with a dedicated post.  So here we go…

I’ll start off by saying, I had some issues and jumped a few hurdles, but got through it. (but keep reading please…)

Many of my blogger friends have used the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and the results are amazing. One that really sticks out in my mind is Erin’s table and it’s probably because of the vibrant orange color with the antique dark wax.  This piece turned out amazing and after reading her post and seeing her pictures, I was sold and had to place my order.

In the meantime, I also (virtually) met Trish of The Purple Painted Lady and saw this piece which blew me away. Trish and I corresponded back and forth a few times.  She gave me amazing tips and techniques on using the paint and wax, so I thought I was on my way.

I ordered a quart of the French Linen color, which seemed similar to the taupe hue that can be seen throughout my home, and a can of the clear wax.  My shipment arrived a few days later and an anxiety came over me.  After ALL the many DIY projects that I’ve taken on, I was actually nervous to paint.  Yes, paint.  How could I be nervous??  I think I hyped up the idea of this magical formula so much that my gung-ho attitude went out the door.  And for me, when I’m nervous, things go wrong.  Does that happen to you?

I started off as I was instructed to (by Trish) and turn the can upside down for at least 60 seconds.  Basically, all the good stuff settles to the bottom and needs to be well mixed around. Of course, shake and stir as well.

Then I started painting.  Yup, I started painting WITHOUT stripping, sanding, or priming the existing wood.  That’s the beauty of chalk paint.  It’s designed to adhere to most any surface including wood, concrete, vinyl, and even bathtubs (I learned that from Trish too).  Plus it provides 50% more coverage compared to latex, so the 1 quart can goes a LONG WAY – for this chair, I hardly used any paint.

So coat 1 went on just like usual. Using my favorite Purdy brush, I applied a light coat of this gorgeous color.

Then coat 2.

Two coats was just enough for most areas, but a few spots need three.

Done.  Trish stressed that it wasn’t good to paint in the heat, but I was just fine since I was indoors, in the A/C – ideal conditions!

I wasn’t sure what the result of the chalk paint would be.  I was guessing it would be chalky (obviously), but it’s not.  Honestly, if I didn’t know it was chalk paint, I would think the paint was simply a latex… Until it dries.  The finish on the dried chalk paint is very flat and dull.  You can tell it is in need of something for a top coat.  What is that something?  Well, wax.

Why Use Wax?

Chalk Paint™ is very porous and the wax will penetrate the paint and literally fuse with it making it very strong. Waxing the paint provides protection. Chalk Paint™ in nature- is a very flat chalky finish and over time could be effected by oils from your skin, stains from beverages, dirty fingertips. They can permanently stain the paint. The wax finish is what seals and protects your piece. – The Purple Painted Lady

A day later, I jumped in and started the wax process.  I’ve painted before, but have never applied wax.  Not even car wax, so I was definitely entering unchartered territories.  Again, I was nervous, but sucked it up and followed the steps (once again stated by Trish).

The wax is smooth, kind of like Crisco, and should be applied in “very thin, uniform coats”.

Remember this – VERY THIN, UNIFORM COATS

This is the basic process –

  1. Start by taking a spoonful of wax.
  2. Put it on a paper plate.
  3. Dip the end bristles of your brush* into the wax.
  4. Apply the wax in the same direction as the painted brush strokes

* The brush you choose is important.  It CAN’T be a new brush and really should be a specific wax brush.  I used a well-worn brush that was leftover from my fence project.  I really should have used a true wax brush, but being the frugal gal that I am, decided not to get it with my purchase (probably a mistake). As I always preach suggest, the right tools make the job much easier.  I guess I haven’t learned my own lesson yet…

FYI – These instructions are for applying clear wax only, not the dark wax.  That has a whole set of different directions that I haven’t even looked at yet.

Trish at The Purple Painted Lady has an AMAZING Q + A on her website and every issue / problem that you may run into is on there.  She gives a very thorough step-by-step of how to apply the wax, so it’s a MUST READ!

But of course, I ran into an issue.  Here goes.  I applied the wax, waited a few hours, but it still was tacky.  I waited another 24 hours, but it was STILL tacky.  What did I do wrong?  I immediately sent an email to Trish and this was the subject line: Need HELP with wax! (that should get her attention, right?)

Like always, I heard back from her right away with a thorough explanation and she directed me right to her Q+A page.  I scrolled down and found my answer.

Thankfully “my issue” is one of the most common… too much wax!  I went over the wax with a cloth and a few days later, it was all dry and smooth to the touch.

Boy, what an experience, but I’m glad I stuck with it and learned from my mistakes. Trying something new always has it’s hurdles, but once you get over them, it’s often smooth sailing.  I’m thrilled with the result of my newly reupholstered chair and every time I look at it, I have a chuckle about the days when I wanted to pull my hair out figuring out what I did wrong.

And here’s the finished result.

I’ve received quite a few questions on, “Is the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint worth the cost?”.  It’s difficult to say depending on the look and style piece you want to achieve. With the bonus of no stripping, sanding, or priming, plus how much this paint covers compared to latex paint, it’s worth to give it a try!  You may just fall in love…

Since I’m still a novice ASCP user,  I’d LOVE to hear about your experiences with this magical formula. What issues have you had if any and how have you overcome them?  Do you love the paint or don’t think it’s worth the cost?  Please Share!

If you want to check out my reupholstery tutorial, click here.  And if you’re interested in learning alot more about how to apply the chalk paint and wax, click here to visit Trish’s website.

Kitchen Makeover Update: One Year Later

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY, Kitchen. 26 Comments on Kitchen Makeover Update: One Year Later

One of the biggest projects to date that I tackled was my kitchen makeover.  I can’t believe it’s been a year, but this time last Summer, I was finishing up the final details and sharing it with you.

Since that time, I’ve been flooded with questions (and many kind comments – thank you), and thought a One-Year-Followup post including answers + an update a year later would be interesting and helpful for those thinking of tackling something similar.

There were alot of details and updates that went into the entire Kitchen Makeover, resulting in quite a few posts to explain all the steps.
Here they are:

Since this is a followup post, let’s start with some of the reader questions that I received related to…

painting the cabinets

From Shani:
it is beautifully done! i painted my cabinets in my previous house, and found that if i hit the cabinets hard (with a pot handle etc) that the paint chipped..do you find that to be the case? great job!

From Kyra:
Did you use primer on all of the cabinets ? I would think you would want to use primer everywhere? DId you sand the cabinets first? You don’t mention it but I would think you’d want to.

From Julie:
Looks great!!! Did you not use a primer on these..or did you tint the primer? Also did you sand these first?How is the paint holding up?

I absolutely used Primer and wouldn’t do any project like this, without! Primer is key to a great finish and a long-lasting result.  To start off, I gave the cabinets a light sanding, then applied one coat of Kilz Primer. When using the Kilz Primer, sanding isn’t really needed, but I did it anyway to remove the sheen from the cabinet face.  Plus the Kilz Primer is great for blocking the wood grain and stain from showing through.

Once dry about 24 hours later (the paint can says wait 7 days for it to fully cure, but I didn’t), I applied 2 coats (in some areas 3 coats) of Benjamin Moore Aura Paint. Their Aura paint is a primer + paint in one, but I still felt that it was important to use the Kilz primer first.

 

From Stachia:
What color and brand of paint did you use for your kitchen cabinets?

The paint color that I used for the cabinets was Benjamin Moore Berkshire Beige in a semi-gloss finish using their Aura Paint line (primer and paint in one).  A semi-gloss finish is important to use on cabinetry and/or furniture so the surface can easily be cleaned and/or wiped off.

updating the countertops

From Amy:
Just one question, does the countertop have bumps, or does it just appear that way in the photo?

My Response:
With the Rust-Oleum kit, the countertop is slightly bumpy to imitate the look of a natural stone surface. It’s not overly bumpy, but also not completely smooth.

From sl:
I would love to do this to my kitchen countertop. Yours look GREAT!!! I am still trying to convince my hubby. Did you put the color chip on the backsplash and edges? Is so was it hard to get them in these spots? Is not, does it look odd without color chips? Thanks for any info you can share.

My Response:
Yes, I did put the chips on the countertop edge and backsplash. With the tool that is provided, it sprays the chips all over and will cover the vertical surfaces. If there are spots that don’t get covered, you can throw chips on them, which will adhere because the adhesive is very sticky. All surfaces of the counter, absolutely needed to be covered with the chips or you won’t achieve the quality needed to hold up.

From Marti:
Could you please elaborate on your comment that the chips must cover all areas or the quality needed to hold up won’t be achieved. Do you mean that the chips facilitate the hardening process, and without them, full hardening won’t occur? Also, did you notice any odor at any stage in the process? I have an allergy to paint. Many thanks.

My Response:
When you are at the point of adding the “chips”, you want cover the entire countertop surface – the more, the better. After the chips are added, the next day you put on the sealer (top protective coat). If the countertop is not covered enough with the chips, your old countertop color will show through. The chips DO NOT facilitate the hardening process, but the chips are essentially the color that changes the countertop. So the first coat is the glue, second is the chips a.k.a. “color”, and the last coat is the protective seal. There was very little odor throughout the process. I was very worried about this with having two young kids, but it really wasn’t an issue. Honestly, we ended up going out for meals during the process since the kitchen was OFF LIMITS!

From Kristin:
Hi there! You mentioned the peeling of the top coat when the tape isn’t properly removed. We just did these countertops this weekend and had one spot where it did that. What did you use to fix the area??? On another note I would totally agree that the difficulty level is at a 2. It was SO easy and the instructions were great. The scoring of the tape, though, really is vital.

My Response:
If part of the countertop peels after you’ve applied the “chips” and sealer,  the instructions say to go through the entire process again for that specific spot.

Overall the process of the Rustoleum Transformations Kit was not difficult and the instructions were very thorough.  Included is a comprehensive video that is a must to watch! We took the weekend to work on the project, but it didn’t take all day.  Also, thankfully there wasn’t ANY ODOR – big checkmark 😉

I received quite a few questions and comments about the Rustoleum Cabinet Transformations Kit.  I have not had the pleasure of using the product, so I really can’t comment, BUT some readers that used the white or lighter colors had a bad experience with it yellowing.  Has this happened to you?

tiling over laminate

I guess my tutorial on this part of the makeover was easy to follow (or no one liked it – hehe) because I didn’t receive one single question.  Anyway, with tiling over the 3″ high laminate backsplash, the kitchen really has a custom and unique look.  Often seen in typical kitchens, is a 3″ high backsplash to match the countertop which is sealed at the joint so no water or liquid will leak behind the base cabinets.  Great concept, but very ordinary and not really interesting.  Because we were “painting” over our existing countertops, there was no way to remove the laminate backsplash, so I just tiled right over it!  It was easy and there was nothing different or special than tiling any other surface.

adding decorative brackets

By introducing the decorative brackets, the kitchen has a sophisticated aesthetic with interesting architectural details.  Before, there was one long row of cabinets, but now the brackets add an unexpected element.

Update One Year Later

Now that I’ve highlighted a few of the popular questions from the makeover, it’s time for me to share some images and updates a year later.

Thankfully the cabinets have REALLY held up well over the past year.  We’re a family of four, with two young kids, so the kitchen is used ALOT!  It has received so much wear and tear, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the cabinets.

Unfortunately, I wish I could say that about the countertop.  Within the first few weeks of using the Transformations Kit, the newly “painted” surface started to scratch, show spots and wear.  That being said, I am still happy with the overall look and how much the kitchen changed by using the Rustoleum product.  I’m often asked, “Is the product worth it?  Is it more of a temporary fix?”… well that’s difficult to answer.  It comes down to your budget and how long you plan on living with the kitchen.  The product is around $250-$300 (the last time I saw it at HD or Lowes), which is pricey, but at the same time we didn’t want to invest in a more expensive countertop.  Honestly, looking back knowing the imperfections today, I’m still glad we chose this product.  A bigger, more $$$ kitchen makeover might be ahead of us in 3-5+ years and until then, the updates we made are just fine (and actually more than fine). So my roundabout answer is, if you have the money and plan on keeping the countertops for 5-10+ years, go with another surface, but if you’re on a budget and/or want a quick and on-budget solution, the Rustoleum Transformations Kit is a great idea.

Here are some images of the kitchen that I just took yesterday.

I’d like to stress that even though I’m an in-real-life designer, my home is not staged and looks like most everyone elses.  The kitchen is often the most messiest place in our home and before cleaning it up to shoot some pics, this is what it looked like…

You can see the multiple DIY projects that I’m in the midst of.

Does your kitchen look like this ever?

Thankfully a few minutes later I got it all cleaned up and this is what it looks like a year after the makeover…

These are some of the scratches and wear marks on the countertop.

And this is a stain (completely my fault) where I dropped super glue.

And like I said, the cabinets have held up GREAT, but there are touch-ups that will be needed here and there.  For instance, the shelves on the open cabinet get alot of wear multiple times a day when I take out and put back the baskets.

But there really is no reason to complain, because this Benjamin Moore paint was easy to apply and has held up SO well.

These pictures were just taken yesterday and I haven’t made any paint touch ups since the day they were painted a year ago.

And this quote – a favorite of mine -sits on the window sill by the kitchen sink and keeps me in check many moments throughout the day.

So that’s the makeover update one year later.

Are there questions that you have that I haven’t answered?  If so, Ask Me, and I’ll add them to the post.

Glass Bottle Turned Candle

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 14 Comments on Glass Bottle Turned Candle

I’ve been working on so many big projects lately (like the stairs, painting, and this chair) that I wanted to take a quick break and create something super quick and easy to share with you. One of my favorite drinks, especially in the summer, is Saratoga Sparkling Water. Since I live in the town where this water is manufactured, it’s available most everywhere and everytime I see the gorgeous cobalt blue bottle, I just stare at it’s beauty.

I never get the nerve to throw the bottles away and have been stockpiling them in my garage waiting for a DIY project to pop into my head. And finally, here’s my first creation with the blue beauties…

Cute, right?  And it’s uber-easy to make.  Here’s how…

I started off with:

  • my used Saratoga Sparkling Water glass bottle with screw on top *
  • Lamp oil or citronella oil
  • Large Wicks (I found these replacement wicks for tiki torches at Target)
  • twine
  • hot glue gun
  • drill

* other glass bottles like wine bottles, spaghetti jars, mason jars, etc could also work to create this type of a candle. (check out the small Barefoot wine bottle in the pic below)

Once I was finished drinking my sparkly, I had the Mister drill a hole in the bottle cap (sorry no pic here because he did it while I was out n’ about).  The hole should be slightly smaller than the wick so it fits snugly. Once the hole is drilled, the wick went in.

We then filled up the glass bottle with the lantern oil and tested out the new candle.

And it worked!

Then it was time to add some bling (nautical bling, not diamond bling).  I love the Saratoga lettering, but decided to add some rope as an accent.  I’m probably the only DIY blogger who hasn’t created something using rope, so here it goes.

Starting at the back of the bottle, I added a small dab of hot glue and attached the end of the rope.

I continued the rope around and around and around…

…and then once I was at the end, I trimmed the rope and added another dab of hot glue.

Complete and ready to enjoy!

And here are some details…

Pretty simple to create, right?!

Have you ever upcycled a glass bottle or wine bottle?

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Two Toned Mirror with Faux Silver Leaf Detail

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 2 Comments on Two Toned Mirror with Faux Silver Leaf Detail

Another summer week is underway.  I can’t believe how fast it’s flying by, but I’m excited to be sharing a new DIY project with you – let’s get started…

Sometimes a small added detail truly makes a piece look completely new again.  While updating the buffet in my dining room with the new lamps and sunburst mirror, I moved the dark wood mirror that was once over the mantel to this revamped area.  I’ve had the mirror for about 9 years and it was beautiful, but I felt like it needed a little pick-me-up and decided adding a little something around the inner rim would be the perfect update.

The mirror has been seen in many of my mantel makeovers, like this one decorated for Spring 2012. Since it was in fine condition, I was weary about messing-it-up, but I took the leap of faith anyway. Silver leaf detail was the first thought that came to mind.

The addition of silver leaf, like in the dresser below by Jenny of Little Green Notebook, adds a beautiful and sophisticated accent, but since I was hesitant about how much detail would be appropriate for this mirror, I decided to use another method to get the silver leaf look, but make it totally faux.

Beautiful and I’d love to give silver leafing a try one day, but for my mirror, the faux way was alot easier and less time consuming.

Faux Silver Leaf

To achieve the silver leaf look, I used Krylon Spray Paint in Caramel Latte, which is the same color used for my lamp revamp – yes the lamps that now site right next to the mirror. LOVE this color. The cap shows it has more of a gold hue than silver, but the result on the mirror edge and the lamps is a more silver / gold combo.

Instead of the traditional way of using spray paint – is there a traditional way? – I, sprayed a small amount into the cap (in a ventilated space, of course)…

…then using a small paint sponge, I dipped the edge into the paint.

Then I lightly dabbed the sponge onto the leaf detail of the mirror edge.  I went slowly at first not sure of how much would be appropriate.

Well, hello there camera lense staring at me 😉

After I knew the look I liked, then I continued around the entire mirror, and this is the result…

The edge detail around the mirror can be seen more now with the newly added faux silver leaf touch, and the mirror is updated enough to look like new. Within 5 minutes this mirror got a complete makeover and it was really easy!  Hanging the mirror wasn’t difficult either with a method I’ve been using for years AND I’m going to spill the beans tomorrow – don’t miss it.

Have you ever used spray paint in a different or unconventional way?  Have you ever updated a piece of furniture with silver leaf?  It’s surely something I’d love to try!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie


Monogrammed Chevron Pallet Tray

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 39 Comments on Monogrammed Chevron Pallet Tray

As a Blogger, finding support throughout the blogging community is important for blog growth, friendship, and creative inspiration. For the past several weeks, I’ve joined forces with a few fabulous DIY bloggers and we’ve been helping each other with various aspects of blogging.  Along with our helpful “chats”, we were given a Blogging Challenge by Beckie of Infarrantly Creative to create a DIY project using specific materials – additional items could be added, but it was a must to use the required five.

What did I create you ask?

Well take a look… (and then keep on reading for the details)

Included in our Blogging 2 Better group was Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative, Allison of House of Hepworths, Brook of Being Brook, and Kim of Sand & Sisal – all incredibly talented and inspiring women and friends!

To begin, this is the list of items that we were required to use, and actually I pretty much just stuck to the list and didn’t use many additional items.

Fun, but definitely challenging!  I was quite nervous at first trying to think about what to create with these 5 items and then it came to me…  A tray that would be perfect to bring items in and out while BBQing (or even just to display on the coffee table – you know I love trays).

Once I had the idea, my project was quickly underway, especially since I already had a stash of pallets in my garage for a few other projects.

Item #1 – Pallet

To start off, I determined the size of the tray that I wanted to make (17″ x 17″), so the Mister and I measured (4) 17″ long pallet pieces.

Using the reciprocating saw, we buzzed right through that wood :-/

I’m always leary about using the BIG TOOLS (even though my friend Brittany has empowered me with the right skills), but I helped out and made a boo-boo when cutting. No problemo – the Mister came to the rescue with his Band Saw and cleaned the edges right up.  In no time the (4) pieces of pallet were ready to make into a box.

Lining up the corners of the pallet planks, we hammered 2 nails into each corner.

Onto the bottom of the tray…

The only material used that wasn’t on the list was a piece of 1/8″ thick plywood that I used for the bottom of the tray.  Once the pallet “frame” was made, we measured the distance to the outer edges and cut it using the Band Saw.

Once the plywood was cut to the right dimensions, we nailed it onto the bottom of the pallet “frame”.

I gave the overall tray a quick sanding, and within 20 minutes it was done!

Now onto the fun part…  Using my second and third required items, fabric and Mod Podge, I lined the bottom of the tray with a brown and white chevron fabric.

To start off, I spread a nice coat of Mod Podge along the entire bottom of the tray.

Item #2 Mod Podge

Then I added the fabric onto the glue-y surface and made sure to get it nicely in the corners as well.  Make sure the fabric size is larger than the surface because in the next step, I’ll show you how I trimmed it.

Item #3 – Fabric

Once the fabric was well stuck to the Mod Podge, it was time to trim the fabric (this can be done before the glue underneath is dry).  Using a very sharp blade, I dragged it along the edge of the tray to trim the excess fabric.

Once the fabric was cut, I add a layer of Mod Podge OVER the fabric – no worries, it will dry clear!

Once the Mod Podge was dry (fully about 1 day later), it was time to add my last 2 items – the stencil and the color coral.

Using a new Word Doc, I found a font I liked (credit valley) and printed a large letter ‘B’ in lowercase for Burger (my last name).  Then I cut it out with a scissor and traced the outline on the fabric.

Item #4 – Stencil

Then filled in the stencil with a beautiful color coral (it needed about 4 coats, but it didn’t take long).

Item #5 – Coral

And here it is all complete!  My Blogging 2 Better Challenge was done and I was quite happy with the result.  What do you think?  Perfect for the indoors or out!

And you of course have to check out the other B2B Challenge Projects using the same materials.  It’s truly amazing how they’re all SO DIFFERENT!

Rustic Industrial Storage Bins by Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative Blog

Dangle Earring Frame by Allison of House of Hepworths

Fabric Wall Art by Brook of Being Brook

Pallet Art Surfboard by Kim of Sand & Sisal

I’m sure you know all these ladies, but if not, you are REALLY missing out!  Be sure to visit each of their great Challenge projects, as well as their daily DIY creations.

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Outdoor Sculpture Made From Trash

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 15 Comments on Outdoor Sculpture Made From Trash

DIY: Outdoor Sculpture using metal straps from an old barrel. Big impact with little work + no cost!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  It was a half rainy, half sunny weekend in my neck of the woods, so I took the opportunity to do some thrifting with my mom on Saturday and then some major DIYing on Sunday.  I actually worked on about 6 different DIY projects and am super psyched to share some of them over the next week or two.

One project in particular is a new outdoor sculpture that now sits in my garden that I made using, well…  trash.  It’s kinda crazy, but I love it!

Before the cleanout began for the sideyard makeover (which I’ve mentioned here and there over the last few months), there was an old wood barrel planter sitting in the corner, falling apart, and in desperate need for the trash.  When the time came for the barrel to hit the garbage, there was a DIY fairy that sat on my shoulder telling me to keep the corroded metal straps that once, long ago, kept the barrel together.


I had NO IDEA what I would do with them, but in the shed they went… for about two months… until the revelation hit me… How about making them into a sculpture??  Hmmm… That could work!

There was part of the garden on the sideyard that was bare and instead of planting more flowers, the vacant spot was perfect for my new-found idea.

How to Make the Trash Turned Sculpture

This sculpture took minutes to make – probably less than 10 minutes in all!  Using a drill with a metal drill bit, the Mister and I worked together and drilled 2 holes in each ring.  The holes were placed directly opposite of each other.

Once all the holes were drilled, we aligned the top and bottom holes of each ring.  We secured the rings at the top with a nut and bolt, and for the bottom, we used a 6″ tent stake which went into the ground.

And that was it!  I rotated the rings until the positioning was just right, and then sat back to admire this trash to treasure.

So what do you think?  Pretty neat, right?
What treasures have you made from trash?

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Painted Two-Toned Desk + Tips on Painting Furniture

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY, Tutorial. 34 Comments on Painted Two-Toned Desk + Tips on Painting Furniture

I’m just about finished with the updates for my son’s bedroom makeover.  It hasn’t been a huge overhaul, but with rearranging the furniture, adding colorful stripes on the wall, and hanging new DIY pallet shelves, this space has received a welcome refresher.  In the midst of moving around the beds and dresser, I realized  my little man is at the age where he really needs a desk to work at and hold all his creative supplies.

If you remember back quite a long time ago, I purchased a beauty of a desk off Craigslist.  It lived in my family room ever since (over 6 months), but wasn’t “right”.  Then pufff… I had an idea – it would be perfect for my son’s room.


And this is the evolution of the Craigslist Desk…

It started off as a stained executive desk typical of the 1940s and is in really great condition.  The only thing it needed was a little makeover to update it and bring it back to life to mesh with today’s decor style.

In knowing that the desk would live in my son’s room, I wanted to do it right.  With my lack of patience, I sometimes skip steps or rush, but with this desk makeover I took my time so the result would be something he could live with for many years.

Supplies: Onto the makeover – here’s my arsenal of supplies…

1. Fill Holes & Sand: I started off removing the hardware, which I decided to replace with simple knobs.  Then I filled all of the scratches, holes, and nicks with wood filler.   And the last step before painting was to sand the overall desk surface with my orbital sander using a 120 grit sandpaper (medium coarse), then a 220 grit sandpaper (very fine coarse).

2. When the sanding was complete, I cleaned off the entire surface with a damp rag before I started priming.

3. Primer: Once the desk was completely dust-free, I added one coat of primer with my favorite Kilz Primer which blocks the stain and allows for a well-prepared surface to paint.

4. Secret Agent: With every painting job, I always add my favorite “formula” to eliminate brushstrokes – Floetrol.  It always works like a charm to achieve a clean, brushstroke-free surface! (And I wasn’t even paid to say that – I truly just love it 😉

Desk Colors:

  • Desk Top & Frame – Dutch Boy High Seas
  • Drawer Fronts – Dutch Boy Hurricane Cliffs

5. Paint: After the one coat of primer, I added the first coat of paint, which I used both a brush and roller.  On the top and flat surfaces of the desk, I used a 5″ wide small roller and for the difficult crevices and edges, I used my favorite 1.5″ wide Purdy brush.  *Sometimes, I used the brush first and went over it with the roller.  The roller makes for a smooth surface to avoid brushstrokes.

6. Then onto painting the drawers.  I wanted this desk to be a little playful and not just one color, so I decided to use a lighter color blue on the drawer fronts.

7. Polyurethane: The last painting step was to add a coat of polyurethane – truly the most important part in finishing any piece of furniture!  I usually use water-based clear satin polyurethane, but since I knew this desk would be getting lots of use in the years to come, I decided to use an oil-based polyurethane, which really is more durable (hands-down).

8. Hardware: Once the painting was complete, I drilled one hole in each drawer front for the new knobs, which were originally natural that I spray painted white.  The knobs went in and the desk was complete.

To add a little unexpected fun to the desk, I added a drawer liner that has a geometric pattern with green, blue, and turquoise colors.  My son was quite surprised when he opened the drawers to find this hidden treasure!

And once again here is the before and after…

And these are just a few important tips to remember when painting furniture:

 Do you like painting furniture? Have you painted anything lately?

Traditional to Transitional Spoon Rack Revamp

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY. 11 Comments on Traditional to Transitional Spoon Rack Revamp

As you know, I have a little obsession (well more than a little – little would be an understatement) with transforming and updating the decor around my home.  Most of the furniture or accessories though, have been of little or no value, which always makes me less apprehensive about jumping into a project.  If I mess up, who cares!  There are many pieces that I would love to change, but feel I don’t have the skill set (yet) and would be very upset if the result was NOT what I envisioned.

BUT, recently I took a (reluctant) leap of faith, and changed a special piece… my spoon rack, that houses my growing collection of spoons from our family trips and travels.  It’s a special piece and I was quite apprehensive about touching it, but I really was just tired of the traditional style with heavy black wood and red velvet fabric backing.  The style needed an update for my decor and I couldn’t look at it anymore without wanting to give it a lighter, simpler overhaul.

Well, here “she” is.  It was quite the process to get “her” to this point, but I have to say, I am quite satisfied.

I actually wrote about my spoon collection and my special spoon rack when I first started blogging.  It’s kind of dorky and a bit of a cliche to collect spoons, but other than my memories and pictures, the only tangible connection from our family trips are these spoons and they’re a pleasant reminder of the places we’ve been.

I purchased the spoon rack about 7 years ago from the Bombay Company, which I don’t think is even in business anymore.  At the time, the style went well with my aesthetic and I really liked how different this spoon rack looked compared to what was typical.  But recently, my style has been going more casual and less ornate, so a change was a must.

The before… And the after…

Thankfully, this year the Winter has been non-existent and a few weeks ago, the weather was so nice that I was able to work on this project outdoors.  I hadn’t planned on tackling the tranformation till Springtime, but when the opportunity allowed, I jumped on the chance!

I started off sanding all the surfaces with my orbital hand sander, as well as using sandpaper by hand to get in the nooks and crannies.

Then, I applied one coat of primer to all the surfaces to allow for a good base before painting.

All primed and ready to paint!

I was originally going to paint the spoon rack the same color as my kitchen cabinets, since my plan was to put the rack in the adjacent room, and the two spaces would tie together.  After giving it some thought, painting it would have been ALOT OF WORK.  So spray paint was the answer.  Thin, Slow, Even Strokes always leads to spray painting success!

My spray paint color of choice for this project? Thorny Brush in Satin (a taupe hue)

After completely spray painting the frame, I tackled the glass door.  This was a little trickier, but using painters tape around the edge and foil in the center, I was able to spray paint the outer edge without getting any paint on the glass. Once it was dry, I ripped off the tape (carefully, of course).

**CONFESSION** ~ I should have taken my own advice.  At first, I DIDN’T use foil for the center and after putting on the tape, just started spray painting.  SHAME, SHAME. Paint got on the glass.  THANKFULLY, I have a quick fix = Brillo and a sharp knife.  Using an abrasive brush or pad (like Brillo), gently scrub the paint off the glass, but steer clear of the edges.  For those tough parts, a sharp knife is perfect to scrape off the paint.

The last step to finish up this spoon rack overhaul was to change the fabric back.  Originally, I thought about using a bright color, then I thought about a fun and funky fabric, but in the end I wanted the spoons to “speak”, so decided on a quiet linen fabric.

What a change!  Once it was complete, I gave a HUGE *sigh* of relief!!  The spoons got to go back to their home.

It’s complete and hung on the wall {happy}!

Throughout the process, I quietly cursed a few times and bit my fingernails alot, but in the end, I am quite happy with the result!  I’m proud of myself for taking a chance on something that I was so unsure about.

Have you transformed or upcycled any projects recently?  Have you ever changed a piece of furniture or decor that you truly treasured? and if so, what was the result?

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Under the Table & Dreaming

DIY: Turning an Old Rug into a Chevron Beauty!

Written by Jenna on . Posted in DIY, Paint, Patterns, rugs. 26 Comments on DIY: Turning an Old Rug into a Chevron Beauty!

In yesterday’s post, I shared with you how the classic chevron pattern is back and better than ever with a new twist making a modern and BOLD statement.  I wanted to add the stylish chevron pattern in my own home, so I took the worn and blah sisal rug from  my front foyer and vamped it up with some color and pizzaz!  Inspired by the nursery rug that Miggy of This Little Miggy Stayed Home, I set off to add some chevron into my life!

Here is a before shot of my old, ugly sisal rug that I’ve had for years ~

Let’s start the REVAMP!  First, you need your tools.  Using the right tools  ALWAYS makes the project SO MUCH easier. Figuring out the pattern was a little tricky and I had to do some calculations to make sure the pattern was centered on the rug. (Even with using my handy-dandy calculator and drawing, I STILL made mistakes)…no biggie…it’s handmade, right? That’s the beauty of it….Are you asking yourself what the clear “thing” is with the yellow on it (at the bottom of the pic)?  That’s an adjustable triangle.  It adjusts to the angle that you are working with.  Most standard architectural triangles are on a 45 degree angle or a 30, 60, 90 degree angle, but this magical instrument lets YOU adjust the angle to whatever you need.  It’s actually from my college days in Architecture school and even though I never thought I’d use this tool again, it REALLY came in handy for this project.  SIDETRACK, let’s move on…

I found the center mark with two measuring tapes and using Painter’s Tape started making my zig zag line from that point ~

Once you’ve got the center point and first line complete (which is the most difficult part of the project), you are smooth sailing… I chose a zig zag width of 5″ thick and it made sense for this 5′ x 8′ rug size.  Thinner or thicker stripes could also work.

Continue your zig zag stripes to create your beautiful chevron patterned rug ~

It’s time to start painting!  I chose the colors of chocolate and burnt orange.  Both colors I already had from other painting projects in the house.  At this point, I’ve spent nothing for this project (I even had the painters tape from our recent basement renovation).

Because the rug had a worn look from years of foot traffic, I wanted to create a distressed, non-perfect chevron look. Using a dry brush method, I applied one coat of paint in a stipple style.  Chocolate is FINITO ~ on to the Burnt Orange…

And it’s done!  Looks a little weird with the blue, but just wait…

Beauty! (it doesn’t look amazing against the existing blue tile, but that’s another project for another day…it’s all a work in progress…)

I love how the rug looks with the vibrant colored striped fabric on the bench.  It also works wonderfully with the rug designs in the two adjacent rooms. (The scale of the jacket on the hook looks a little odd ~ guess I should have taken it off, O well…I still love the rug)!

Another view…

I’m in LOVE! With the added pattern in the room, the foyer looks completely different.  I hope you’ve enjoyed my chevron tutorial.  If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!  Do you have any chevron pattern in your home?