Wine Cork Pumpkins

I love fall decorating.  Specifically pumpkins.  I pick up pumpkins every time I go to Trade Joes.  Which means right now they are all over my house.

So I'm not sure what took me so long to make these cute little pumpkins, but I love they way they turned out!

I was able to make four pumpkins last night.  They are so fast and easy.  I'm sure by Thanksgiving, I'll have several more around the house.

Linking to:
DIY Showoff, C.R.A.F.T., I Should be Mopping the Floor,
Keeping It Simple, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Elizabeth and Co., Coastal Charm, A Bowl Full of Lemons

Desk Redo with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and New Top

We have one more project we can now check off Madison's Big Girl Room makeover.

When she started kindergarten last year, the first thing she asked for was a desk.  She couldn't wait to do her homework in her room at her very own desk.

We searched for a long time for just the right desk (i.e. cheap).  I finally found it at an estate sale for $20.00.  It was a hunk of junk.  I got the usual eye rolls when I brought it home and then I started to wonder what I was thinking when I bought it.  I did not have high hopes for this makeover.

When we first started working on Madison's room she wanted pink walls.  I did not want a pink room, so we compromised and I told her we could paint her new desk pink.  I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Antoinette.  Madison told me not to distress the desk because she thinks distressing makes everything look old and she didn't want that kind of stuff in her room.  Her reasoning:  "I'm getting a new princess room and princesses do not have old things."

The paint is not actually as bright as it looks in this picture, it's more of a pale rose color.  I just have terrible lighting in this room so none of my pictures came out very clear.

 

This is what it looked like when I first got it home.

 

Not only was it chipped and dented, but it had water damage on one side and was so dirty.  I think it sat in a garage for many years.

 

The first thing I did was do a lead test on the paint.  It was negative so we were good to go.  I pried off the top because there was no way to fix it. 

I used 1x6's and 1x3's to build a new top.  I cut the boards to size, sanded the tops and sides, rounded the corners and stained the boards.

I used flat metal plates from Home Depot to connect the boards together to make one solid top.

 

I placed the top on the desk and used L brackets underneath the desk to connect everything together.

 

Last, I cleaned the hardware with Brasso and steel wool and put everything back together.

 

Madison and I both love it how turned out.  The only thing left to do is get a piece of glass for the top so she can actually use the desk.

 



 

Linking to:

 

Elizabeth & Co., Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

A Bowl Full of Lemons, Between Naps on the Porch

DIY Showoff, Thrifty Décor Chic, Miss Mustard Seed

 

 





DIY Bookshelves

We started working on Madison's room earlier this year.  She is so excited with all the new stuff in her room and I am excited that I almost have one complete room in our house.

Our most recent project was a set of bookshelves for her wall.  I love that it adds a little bit of decoration to the room and I love that it's so easy for both my girls to put away the books.  No more piles of books laying around on the floor.

I had some leftover wood from an old project so the only thing I had to buy was a countersink drill bit. 

I used a 1x6 for the back piece against the wall, a 1x4 for the bottom and a 1x3 for the front piece.  I put all five shelves together in one afternoon.  The priming and painting took the longest with all the drying time.  Once they were done, I hung them by drilling right into the wall studs.  It was such an easy project.

Most days I find Madison sitting in front of her shelves reading a book, then rearranging the shelves so they look pretty.

Linking to:

Elizabeth & Co., Coastal Charm

Between Naps On The Porch, DIY Showoff

Keeping it Simple, The Girl Creative

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

 



Summer

Usually I'm not a huge fan of summer.  It gets hot in Sacramento.  But this year, except for a one week 110 degree heat wave, we have had a fantastic summer.  Warm days and cool nights I can deal with. 

Madison made a summer list and we've only gotten about a quarter of the way through.  With only three more weeks of summer, I don't think we are going to be able to finish up the list. 

But, we did make it through three sessions of swimming lessons.  We started the first session in cold, rainy weather.  Definitely not something we're used to in the summer.

 

We used the indoor pool for the first time.

 

 

Sidney had her first official lesson and Madison made huge improvements this year.  She went from not even wanting to get her face wet, to jumping into the deep end and swimming back to the wall.

 

We went to an engagement party about an hour and a half away from home (during the 110 degree heat wave) and had major car drama.  Our car died while driving down the freeway.  Luckily we were pretty close to an exit and we were able to get a tow truck to take it to a repair shop.  Unfortunately, the repair shop kept our car for a week and a half and we had to get a rental car. 

 

 

We had a fun Fourth of July watching fireworks and parades.

 

 

And hung out with cousins we don't get to see very often.

 



Bedside Tables

It's not very often that I hear the word "No" from my husband.  In fact, I don't think it was until this project that he ever said no to any crazy thing I wanted to try.

I searched for bedside tables for quite some time.  I wanted something substantial, and I wanted them similar, but not matching.  I found one at a garage sale for $7.00 and the other at a rummage sale for $20.00.

Here's what they looked like before I started painting.

 

The original plan was to paint the bottom yellow and stain the top.  I actually like the way they turned out, but the yellow was really pale, almost white.  It looked so bad against our white walls.  I knew I would have to redo them if I wanted to keep them in our bedroom.

Every time I look at this table, all I see is a smiley face.

They sat in my room for a couple weeks before I could figure out what to do.   I ended up deciding on purple.  Not something I would usually consider, but it was that or gray, and I really wanted some color in our room.  When I told my husband, he didn't even consider it.  He said no and walked away.  Obviously he ended up giving in, because now I have purple bedside tables.

So, an unusual color choice for sure, but I love them.  I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Emile.

Linking To:

The Girl Creative, The Shabby Nest, 733 Blog

Somewhat Simple, Shabby Creek Cottage

One Project Closer, Thrifty Decor Chic



Painted Mason Jars

I love jars.  Even my husband knows that we never throw away clear glass jars.  They get added to a shelf in my office for future flower arrangements.  But who really needs 30 clear glass jars?

Last week I got out my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and painted two coats of pure white over my mason jars.  A little distressing on all the raised edges and some random spots and I have cool vintage-y vases.

I filled them with Trader Joe's flowers and set them all over the house.

Some on our mantel, a couple in the bedroom and one on our kitchen table.  Flowers make every room so cheery.

The jars did not get a coat of wax since they will inevitably get water all over them.  I wasn't sure how the paint would hold up without wax, but they are holding up great.  I even had a hard time distressing some parts of the jars.  After a few days, that paint is set.  

Linking to:

Finding Fabulous, The Girl Creative, The Shabby Nest

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

So, it's been long time.  Anyone still out there? 

I recently discovered Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and I've been painting like crazy.  I love this paint so much.  It makes everything look so good and it is so easy to use!  After I purchased my first can, I drove back to my local stockist (The Vintage Bricoleur) and bought more 3 more cans of paint, clear wax, a wax brush and two paint brushes.

We've been looking for a buffet since we moved into our house two years ago.  It couldn't be just any buffet, it had to be the one I pictured in my head.  And, it had to be cheap.  We found this buffet at an antique store in Sacramento and when I spotted it at the other end of the store, I knew it would be coming home with me.

It was completely scratched up and had dings all over the top, but the drawers worked great and it was solid. 

I sanded the top and took off all the original stain.  I restained the top using Minwax in Ebony.  Then three coats of polyurethane to get a streak free finish.

Next I filled all the scratches and dings with wood filler, then sanded it down after it dried.

The great thing about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is that it the furniture does not have to be primed before you start painting.  However, I wanted a little bit of white showing after I distressed the buffet, so I did prime this piece before I started painting.

I came home from work one afternoon and thought I would be able to paint the drawers before I had to go pick up my girls.  I had about 45 minutes.  I ended up painting the drawers and the buffet while I was waiting to pick them up.  I picked them up, painted my second coat, waxed the entire thing then distressed it a little bit.  I had done almost the entire thing in one night.  I only had one more coat of wax and I did that the next day.

I could not believe how easy it was and it turned out exactly the way I wanted it.  My husband is always pretty skeptical when I start something, especially something this big, and he loved it.

I used Annie Sloan's Louis Blue paint and the hardware was spray painted with Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Linking to:

Keeping It Simple, The DIY Showoff, Mod Vintage Life,

Between Naps on the Porch, Elizabeth & Co.

Bowl Full of Lemons, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Sugar Bee Crafts, Miss Mustard Seed, One Project Closer

Thrifty Decor Chic

First Christmas Project of the Season

The weekend before Thanksgiving was my annual boutique and it was awesome this year! Good Day Sacramento came early on Friday morning and did a couple segments with our group. It was fun to hear so many people say that they stopped by because they saw us on TV that morning. Especially when they came looking for something specific.
Even though I love “boutique week,” it’s always a relief when it’s done because I can start working on something for myself without being under a deadline.

Every year I say I’m going to make some Christmas stockings and I finally did it. I used bits and pieces of a couple different tutorials from Diary of a Quilter and Fabric Worm. They turned out better than I expected, although I still need to work on sewing while turning. I just can’t seem to keep it even.

I think the tree and the sequins stockings are my favorite.  I will definitely be making more before Christmas is here.

Linking To:
Reasons to Skip the Housework, Sugar Bee Crafts
Blackberry Vine, Coastal Charm

Ruffle Apron

I have never been much of a sewer, but after seeing Krista Maurer's Ruffle Apron Tutorial, I knew it wouldn't be long before I really got into it.  This apron was so easy to make and I love the way it turned out.  The ruffles really make it look like I know what I'm doing.

I ended up making two at the same time.  I wanted to give them away as Christmas gifts, but I think I'm going to end up keeping one for myself.

Linking to:

Beyond the Picket Fence, Somewhat Simple, Katie's Nesting Spot

Shabby Creek Cottage, Fireflies and Jellybeans

Buffet Redo

I found this buffet on Craigslist a few years ago for $40.  It came with a hutch so it was a pretty good deal.  When we moved into our current house, we used the bottom half to hold the TV until we could find something better.  We ended up really liking the set up, so we kept it.  The only problem was, the buffet hadn't been painted yet.

It sat in our family room like this for almost a year, through parties and holidays.  My mom was so embarrassed for me.  Every time someone came over, she would tell them that it would be painted soon and that's not the way it would stay.

Finally, before a big family party, I took it out to the garage and painted it.  The original plan was to paint the bottom and stain the top a dark brown, like our dining room table.  For some reason, the stain would not take, so I had to paint the whole thing.  I used a flat interior paint, distressed the edges and then used Minwax Finishing Paste to seal it.  I love the way it turned out.  I have a hard time with the gloss paint because it leaves too many brush strokes.  With the flat paint, I don't have any.  The paste gives it a smooth satiny finish. 

It's been painted since May and I don't have a single scratch or ding on it.  The finishing wax is so durable!  Even with both my girls opening and closing the doors constantly, it is still holding up. 

Linking to:
Making the World Cuter, The Girl Creative, Sumos Sweet Stuff
The DIY Showoff, Keeping it Simple, C.R.A.F.T.