Tags Archive

huesday: DIY with paint

I’ve been in the DIY mood lately and dig anything that has to do with paint. If feels good to do a project yourself, but I want to see speedy results. I lose patience if a project takes more than 2 days. I live in an Eichler that we’ve furnished with both old and new pieces, so this cabinet was sure to fit in. I got this 1940s cabinet from my Grandma’s house last year and immediately knew what I wanted to do to it. You guessed it — paint. You can find spray paint in so many fun colors that the possibilities are endless! I picked a bright lime green, called my dad for last minute spray painting tips and off I went.     The inside was a bit rusty, but the body of the cabinet was in great shape and didn’t need much attention. I did minor sanding to smooth out a few rough patches and then got to work. I removed the handles so they’d stay their pretty chrome finish, but left the interior hooks in place. The truth is the screws were rusted over on the hooks and it would have taken more strength that I had to remove them. I did a coat of primer on the exterior to ensure a smooth surface. Dry time on spray paint is great, as you only need to wait an hour to do your next coat. It took 2 coats of spray paint (3.5 cans) and she was as good as new! I found cute polka dot shelf liner at Target and she was ready to...

diy: don't trash it, paint it

I love to clear clutter and be organized. The joke around my house is you need to guard your drink glass because mommy will take it and wash it before you are done with it. Or mommy will recycle the newspaper before anyone gets a chance to read it. Every once in a while I go through my house and find the furniture, clothes, or miscellaneous items that are not being used and donate them or give them away. If the item can be used or re-purposed in a different way, then it gets to stay. In my garage (where said items sit in limbo) was this semi-ugly unpainted vanity that was waiting for it’s fate. I was hugely pregnant with my first baby and due any moment. We were shopping around for a changing table and choking on the high prices. I decided that this old vanity was the perfect hight for a changing table and the drawers could be used for storage. We took off the mirror and painted it the colors of the nursery, sage green and light blue. (In before photo). It worked well in both of my kids nurseries. When we decided to redecorate their nurseries to be kid rooms, the changing table was in the way and ended up in garage limbo-land again. My daughter wanted a desk or a vanity for her new big girl room. Enter the old vanity turned changing table. We painted it pink and white to match her new room, put the mirror back on and turned it back into a vanity. I used the leftover paint we had...

Post Holiday Bliss

So I look forward to the holidays for months. I obsess over what the wrapping theme will be, whether I’ll make beef or chicken tamales for 30 on Christmas day, how many more lights can I put up this year… you get the picture. And then December 26th comes and I’m in a mad fury to take down all the decorations, get the fire hazard out of the family room and enjoy a clean quiet house that is not full of people. The day the kids are finally back at school is almost as special as Christmas morning for me. Some people feel a little let down when all the parties and the visiting with friends and relatives end– unless your relatives are super scary or the holiday drunk that says inappropriate things. I have a long list of things to do after the holiday chaos ends but this year I’m going to fit in some things to look forward to: 1. A post-holiday lunch for girlfriends who need to decompress. I’m trying to decide whether the theme will be “Hot food for Hot Broads” or “WTFN?” (Why the F Not?). And naturally there will be a color scheme, I’m thinking hot pink with black and white. 2. A bubble bath and a good book. I’ll light some delicious candles, put a cold drink and maybe some almonds or m&m’s next to the tub and just lay there til the water gets cold. This will happen on a cloudy afternoon (instead of cleaning up dog shit or carpooling kids). My all time favorite candles are Trapp Candles. 3. I’m...