Going two tone; a dresser makeover

This old beaten run down dresser has been in our attic since we moved in three years ago.

  Finally this past September it was time to bring her down and breath new life into her.  Our TV nook was lacking any sort of style  as you can see here:

I had an idea how to fix this corner up and thought the old dresser could help me out. 
The living room is full of mixed tones including a white parsons desk and white picture frames, natural trim on the door casings and a dark finished shelf.  I thought if I took the dresser and painted it a two toned white and natural combo it may help to pull the other pieces in the room together.  Plus I’ve seen it done on pinterest and love the turn out. 
The first step was to pull the dresser down from the attic.  We put it on the porch and there it sat for a while until I was able to get to it.  When I finally got around to it the first thing I did was to clean out the drawers with water and vinegar.

This helped to clean out all the dust and dirt and get rid of the musty smell that was lingering.  Then the drawers came out for Mike to sand and the rest was in the kitchen for me to paint.

I wiped it all down inside and out first so that I’d be working with a clean surface and then I primed it with one coat of primer.

It didn’t take long to dry before I could add the first coat of semi gloss white.  The trick is, in my opinion to apply thin even coats and let them dry completely before applying another coat.  On some of the detailed work and around the rounded edges I used a sponge to help me apply an even coat. 

It took pretty much all day and about 4 coats of paint to get the finish I was after. Here’s what I had at the end of the day:

While the paint was drying I stepped out onto the porch and applied a coat of polyurethane to the drawers after Mike was done sanding them.  This you definitely need to let dry in between coats to get a nice smooth finish.  After the first coat was dried, I lightly sanded it with a fine grid sand paper and then gave it a second coat.  I probably should have done three coats but I was anxious to get it done in one day. 

As for the hardware on the drawers, I just brought them outside onto a piece of cardboard and spray painted them gold.  The next morning I brought in all the pieces and put the dresser back together. I have to say, I was very pleased with the turn out.   Not only is our TV nook looking a lot better, but it did just as I had hoped and pulled the rest of the room together.  I really like the flow that we’ve got going on now.  It makes me so happy to see a room finally coming together. 



So here you have it again, the before and after:

and after;

Sooooo much better!! Were so happy with this dresser makeover.  Not only did it help to pull our room together but we did it with out spending a dime and using supplies we already on hand.  Pretty much a win, win!!

Washi tape in the kitchen

I painted the walls in my kitchen way back in the early spring and I couldn't be more in love with the color.  It's an awesome grey-ish green shade called techno grey, from Sherwin Williams.  After nailing the right paint color, I had visions of colorful artwork in white frames finishing up the walls. I've seen such beautiful inspiration for this idea on DIY blogs like this one and this one and it definitely seems the direction I want to go in.  I've been thinking and thinking about what I like and trying to save our pennies for just the right materials.  In the process of saving for this project, I realize our kitchen is due for a major overhaul someday and until then I'm just trying to make it a place I feel happy in and enjoy until that day comes. I've decided it's a good time to perhaps step out of my comfort zone and use this time to also experiment with things I wouldn't normally do.  Like use washi tape as picture frames instead of going out for nice white ones right now.  I've seen it on pinterest and thought it was such a cute idea for a work space, I wondered how it work in a kitchen.  So, I've decided to give it a try in mine.

Here's my kitchen after making the attempt:

I added some detail to the door as well after seeing it done in neon pink also on pinterest.  I'm still in the phase of 'I think I need to live with it a while' but part of me really likes it!  My fear is that it may give the kitchen somewhat of an immature look.

 I've also been playing around with a family command wall in the kitchen and did a calender in the washi tape as well.

I like it.  Perhaps not long term but for now I'm enjoying it and so are the kids.  There drawn to the color and that was ultimately my goal; to add color and style.  What do you think?

Images: All Ivy Bingham for My ruffled life

Linking up with Craft-O-Maniac, More the merrier Monday, Motivate me Monday

Reclaimed kitchen paneling ‘LOVE’ sign

Technorati Tags: reclaimed wood,diy,crafts


 

While on vacation a few weeks ago, I had some projects planned that I wanted to try and complete.  One of them was this ‘love’ sign that I’ve had in the back of my mind for a while now. It is made from repurposing some old paneling that came out of our kitchen after I painted in there this past spring.  I’m kinda excited about this piece because I can already see all its multi-functions;  Prop in the backyard during a family outing, display it in our home one the million ways I’ve already thought about, or lean it on the porch which is where I have it now.  I’m really digging the fresh country look its offering our door step right now.
Since it is reclaimed from our kitchen I had to use the back of the paneling because the front was coated in several layers of paint.  The back needed a little conditioning before I could use it.  The wood was kind of rough at first so I had to sand it down really well.  I should have used a palm sander but I did it by hand and so it just took me a little longer.  Than I cleaned it off and stained it a dark walnut color.  When that was dry (overnight) I added a few coats of polyurethane to give it a nice sheen. Later I painted my letters with white paint and added the heart I made a few days earlier.  I made the heart out of ruffles made from left over drop cloth I had around from other projects.  I like the mix of textures in this sign.  It gives off a nice vibe. 

 
 

 
Here it is on the porch.  It’s a nice greeting for friends and family as they arrive.


What do you think? Besides needing to clean the porch floor I really, really like it!  So have you reclaimed anything lately or made a love sign all your own? If you have, I’d love to read about it!

Images: all  'My ruffled life'

I will be linking up here!
Craft-o-maniac Monday
More the Merrier Monday
Motivate Me Monday
Savvy Southern Style
Made to be a Momma
Wicked Awesome Wednesday
Someday Crafts
Whimsy Wednesdays

Fabric Rosette Pins

Sometimes it is so hard to stay away from the hot glue gun! 

 My latest project involves no other than that and a strip of fabric.  I wanted something to dress up my tank tops a bit so I decided to make a fabric rosette pin.  Actually, I decided to make three fabric rosette pins.  During these long, hot, summer days tank tops are pretty much a staple for me and so I thought it would be nice to have something to jazz them up a bit.  I was pleased with the results!

 

Here's how I made this super easy pin:

 

First I created the rosette as shown here.  Then on the back I glued a circular piece of felt and then simply added the pin.  I was sure to place the pin high enough on the back so to allow the rosette to fall right when pinned to clothing.  Easy enough, right!

 

I decided to try this on my handbag as well.

 

  

 

 Also, on my daughter's handbag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So cute! We just love them.  Nothing like a little easy, breezy, summer bling!  

 

Getting ready for the Holidays

Well, Thanksgiving is over and the merry holidays of December are well on there way.  We celebrate Christmas in our home and the children are all geared up and excited to be seeing decorations and lights appearing all over the place.  I should have been more on the ball with decorating our home last weekend but I just wasn't.  However, I have managed to place a few festive ornaments around our home.  I saw a great picture somewhere on the Internet of tree ornament chandeliers and thought it was a great idea.  So great, in fact that I had to make my own.  I had pictured them hung about the house differently in my head but in the end this seemed to work. 

 

 

Our bay window still needs some TLC but for now I think this will do.  The kids are happy and really, when it comes to holiday decorating, they are the ones I aim to please.  This weekend we plan to do the tree and of course we will add festiveness to the rest of the house.

 

We still have much more to do.  I wish we were already done but isn't that what makes up at least half the holiday is preparing for it?

Do you decorate for the holidays? Is it all done? And what is your favorite part?

DIY Drop Cloth 'LOVE' Sign

Hey!!!
 

Hope everyone's doing well!
 

It's incredibly busy around here this time year with all the school and after school functions and activities.  Lily's in gymnastics and doing super well this session and the boys are doing great on there first ever season of soccer.
 

Anyway, I wanted to share a project I just finished.  It was a super easy project and took me practically no time at all which is probably the only reason why I got it finished!  It's inspired by the many DIY LOVE signs I see.  I've been thinking about an original one for me and where I could appropriately fit one in my home.  Finally an idea came to me and it is as simple as drop cloth and white craft paint.  Here's what I ended up with:

 

 

Super simple but I really LOVE the way it fills that space!

I literally just ripped the drop cloth to size, pinned it to the wall, wrote a chalk outline for LOVE and then painted it. 

DONE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's it!! Thanks for stopping in!!

 xoxo

I link up with these fabulous parties!!

 

DIY Junck Jars

We have a junk drawer in our kitchen and quite literally it IS a junk drawer.  You could find everything from twine and ribbon to Lego's.  I've got a bad habit of picking up stuff off the floor when I vacuum and just tossing it in the junk drawer until later (which usually never comes but once or twice a year!)  Well, I went rummaging through this drawer earlier in the week and this is the mess I ended up with.  I thought, OK, enough, what can I do?

 

 I've been wanting to make some decorative jars for my office area down stairs and thought that project would work great for what I need here.  I dug through our recycling and came up with these jars. I thought the bigger ones would be good to put stuff in and still be able to get it out.  The smaller one would be good for things like tacks, screws, curtain hooks, and things like that.

 

 

I took some craft paper that I've had around and hot glued it to the jars.  Then decorated two with ribbon.

 

 

I think that they turned out pretty cute for my first time trying this but I think maybe they will be better with the caps spray painted white and some labels.

 

 

Here they are on the window sill going down to the basement. 

 

A little more organization is needed but for now not a bad start.

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Do you have junk drawer in your house? Does it ever get out of hand and what crafty ideas do you have to solve your junk drawer dilemma?