Creative Writing

I had so much fun with the Window Chalkboard a few weeks ago, that I decided to do another chalkboard paint project.

So forgive me. This is not an original idea, I saw a picture of this somewhere on the internet when I was blog-hopping and I do not know where. But I filed it away in my brain and when I was shopping this weekend at TaiPan Trading Company, I saw a plate I loved and new it would be perfect.

Step 1: Find a plate you can't live without. :)

Step 2: Tape it off. Leave a square in the center

Step 3: Go grab that Chalk Board Spray Paint again. I did 2 coats. Waited about 20 minutes in between coats. Let it cure again. 24 Hours.

Step 4: Remove tape. Wrap the chalk in a damp paper towel for a second before you write on it so the chalk is soft.

Step 5: Remind your family how awesome you are. Display it for all to see.

Voila!!

That's it. So easy and super cute. I really wish I could find the picture I had seen somewhere. I have no idea. But thanks, random picture, I love it.

It is a great gift idea, I already gave 2 away for birthdays.

Well, it only took 2 years.

I tend to procrastinate. Just a little.

2 years ago, I bought an armoire from my sister.

She was going to sell it on Craigslist, I needed an armoire.

So I bought it with intentions of painting it and doing all kinds of cute stuff with it.

Then we moved. Like, 3 times or something.

Then I tackled the kitchen cabinet redo. It was a big job.

So I swore off painting anything.

...that only lasted about 2 weeks.

But I swore off painting anything big with a brush.

So I bought a paint sprayer. Which I am totally in love with.

This is the armoire before. It is big. And as a side note, aren't my nieces and nephews the cutest?

I loved the shape, but it was not really my style. I ditched the side pieces (well, I put them in the garage, where they are waiting to be ditched. still.) because I had NO room anywhere for such a big piece.

So I painted it. With the sprayer I purchased for the project, I painted the whole thing in about 40 minutes.

Done.

Then it sat.

For TWO YEARS.

Which actually turned out to be a good thing. I had all kinds of plans for it. And then they kept changing. Color schemes changed a few times, too. Then we bought our new house. It was supposed to be a home for the television in the family room in the basement. But the beast would NOT fit down the stairs and around the corner.

Pooh!

I wasn't willing to get rid of it so it made it's way to the kitchen.

Where it sat. Still unfinished. Until today.

There was a giant hole cut out in the back so that a big TV could fit in there.

Here it is midway. Painted black, sanded a little and needing beadboard. Waiting for curtains and drawers.

I made curtains for the bottom. I put new drawer pulls. And added the bead board. And here is the finished project......

Voila!

Now, all I need is some cut stuff to put in there. I think I am also going to put a shelf in there. I am going garage selling this Saturday, so it should be full of old, new to me, stuff!!!

Feels good to finally have it done.

Windows!

I know, you have been on the edge of your seat, right?!

I stumbled across what quickly became one of my favorite Blogs... The Shabby Chic Cottage. Gina can seriously transform anything you think is junk into something you wish you could buy. For real.

I have a stack of old windows. I am addicted to them, really. If I see one I cannot pass it up, but I have been needing something fabulous to do with them.

I would give you the play by play tutorial, but it is easier to link you to Gina's tutorial. Go see how to do it HERE. It was really easy. The hardest part was just as she said... the 24 hour waiting period.

Please ignore how smashing I am looking tonight... Why am I in the picture?!

Anyway, I love it!!

Longest 24 hours. Ever.

OMG.

I just made something really cute.

I can't wait to show you.

But I have to.

My Paint will take 24 hours to cure.

The longest 24 hours.

I have not been this excited since I finished my Vanity, like, a week and a half ago.

Gina, You are FABULOUS.

Pictures and Links tomorrow.

In the meantime, leave me a link to one of your favorite projects.

Anything.

Inspire me.

Fab Floor

And so easy!!

Here is the room before:

First, I scoured the internet. I had NO IDEA how hard it would be to find Black and White Vinyl tiles. I went to every flooring store in all of Salt Lake County. NOTHING. Lowe's carries it but only at the "midwest" stores. I could have ordered it from them but it was pricey and wold have taken 5-8 weeks to get here. Forget that.

I finally found them at a wholesale website. If I could remember the link I would tell you. So they were a great price, ($9/box, 30 tiles/box) best I could find anywhere. But.... shipping was nuts. The total cost of my tile was about $60. I ordered plenty so that if a tile ever needed to be replaced, I would have plenty left over. Shipping was $100!!! YIKES!!!

They are the peel and stick. Self-adhesive, giant vinyl stickers.

They were here quick, about 5 business days.

Next I tore out the carpet. I did not even break a single fingernail in the process. Which, in my book makes for a very successful project!

Next, just to be sure it stuck well, I primed the floor. I bought a primer at Home Depot. It came in a gallon, I poured it all over the floor and rolled it with a paint roller. Not perfect, just got it on there. In hindsight, I would have done a leveler, which basically levels out your subfloor before you lay your tile. My floor was level, except where the board seams were, they didn't match perfectly, so I wish I would have filled it. But oh well. Not a perfectionist, remember?

Next I laid the tile. I sectioned the room in quarters, finding the middle point and working out.

Peel off the backing, and get it as close and tight to the other tiles.

On edges, I used a piece of paper as a pattern to know how much to cut. Corners, anywhere, make a pattern with paper so it fits snug.

Someday I will lower my baseboards, but not this week.

It took about 30 minutes to lay all the uncut pieces and about 1.5 hours to do all the cut pieces.

I LOVE it. It makes the room.

Vanity and Mirror

Thanks for being patient (cough Deanna cough... just kidding, hot stuff)!!

So this is the table before:

Step 1: I roughed it up. On the table top, the paint was really peeling and cracking bad, so I completely sanded that. The legs, sides and drawers, I just sanded lightly.

Step 2: Paint. I choose a blue. I used a brush. Wasn't rocket science.

Step 3: Paint 2-3 coats.

Step 4: I brushed a stain on (dark chocolate brown). I brushed it on the entire piece vanity. After I applied everywhere, I wiped off in the order I applied. I did this twice. I wanted it to take better in the grooves.

Step 5: I was bored. It was so solid and so blue. So I was at Joanne's and found some great paper. Since I heart Mod Podge, it was perfect. I made a pattern with regular paper and used it to cut the scrapbooking paper. The drawers were a piece of cake, the front piece was bigger than the paper, so I had to match the paper the best I could. I put a coat of Mod Podge on the front of the vanity, then on the back of the paper and stuck it on. Waited 30 minutes and applied a coat of Mod Podge to the front. I did 3 coats over the top.

Step 6: I VERY LIGHTLY and with a very LIGHT GRIT sand paper, sanded over the paper.

Step 7: I used the same stain over the paper. Wiped it off. 3 times.

Step 8: I used a spray paint poly top coat, sprayed the whole thing.

Vanity: Free (Thanks Grandma Bird)

Paint: $18

Stain: already had a can, couple bucks?

Top Coat: Already had it (everyone should, same with the stain, so handy) $3

Scrapbooking paper: 3 sheets 3/$1

Time: Total, about 2 hours of work. 3 days including waiting and setting times.

Mirror Before:

I painted it with the same Blue paint. Tape it off. Paint 2 coats. Rubbed same stain on. Sprayed Poly spray paint.

Mirror: Free. These mirrors are so easy to find at garage sales and DI, but this was also Grandma Birds.

Paint & Stain: Same from the table, spray paint works awesome on these mirrors though.

Time: 20 minutes.

The Final Products!!! I love them They turned out great!!!

Wait for it....

Look what I made:

I love it.

It is probably my favorite piece of furniture I have ever refinished. Writing up the How-to tonight.

It'll go up really soon...