Today I muse...about confidence!

Occasionally I will get a comment on an old post and have to go back and read the post to see what I even said.

Man I am the smartest person I know…..hahahahahahahaha!

Seriously, not even close.

But on occasion I feel I have something important to share that may resonate with others!

This week I received a comment on a post from two years ago…”This is awesome.”

Seriously? What in the world could I have said that was “awesome.”

When I reread the post I realized that it was indeed “awesome”….and timeless. Just this past week I took a self-defense class and when we shared, I shared this same exact “personal resolve” as it applied to self-defense.

With respect to defending one’s self, it is all about CONFIDENCE.

The same can be said for DIY projects.

So here is the original post from two years ago with a ittlle editorializing.

“MY YOUNGEST SON IS GETTING MARRIED NEXT WEEK!

Precious bride-to-be…they met in college and have known each other for nine years. They want a small wedding…family only…then they will have a “reception” at their house the next day. (She has been my daughter in law for two years now and yes she is still precious….and they have given me a grand puppy!)

Being the mother of the groom is pretty smooth sailing…UNTIL they ask you to make THE cake. I experimented with fondant TEN YEARS AGO and now they think I am a professional baker!

They want three layer cakes… a chocolate cake they can decorate with flowers, my strawberry cake with a fruit topping, and a funfetti cake with sprinkles…all covered in buttercream icing.

I have spent the last two weeks baking and icing “test cakes”…yes, I pretty much walk around in a “sugar coma” most of the time! (I stopped eating sugar 1 1/2 years ago….I think the weeks of experimenting and feeling like crud convinced me I should NOT be eating sugar!)

Since all the cakes need to have a “smooth” finish (and fondant is evidently so yesterday), I decided I couldn’t use the strawberry buttercream icing on the outside of the strawberry cake so I tried just using it between the layers. I watched a ton of youtube videos on how to ice a cake smooth with butter cream icing and the strawberry cake turned out AMAZING! UNTIL… it sat out and warmed up and the strawberry buttercream between the layers couldn’t handle the weight of the layers and “bulged” my perfectly smooth exterior! CURSES! But this is why you “test!”

Back to youtube to find out how to keep a buttercream iced cake from “bulging” when it warms to room temperature.

Problem solved…I hope…I tested the new process today…so far so good.

If all else fails, I know a few REAL professional bakers I can call on at the last minute! Fingers crossed!

No problem, I rocked it!

This whole process got me to thinking about DIY anything…whether it be stripping and refinishing furniture, tiling, painting, baking…whatever!

My dad learned from his father how to build a house back when the builder poured the footings and installed the door knobs…and everything in between.

He grew up in construction and he learned how to “do it all.”

I was the only girl…but I was the oldest and probably the most like my dad…and both my brothers were typical “middle” and “youngest” children. So while Dad would start a project with one of my brothers, because, well, they were boys, his “Type-A” personality just couldn’t handle their “inattention.” Usually he would get frustrated with them and call on me to help.

Which is how I learned to do the “construction” and woodworking thing. I jokingly say I cut my teeth on a block of wood and learned to walk in a cabinet shop…but honestly, I’m not exaggerating.

Sadly, he didn’t have time to teach me everything.

But he did teach me several important life lessons.

First, if you want something done and don’t have a lot of money to hire someone to do it for you, you do it yourself. In today’s world it is super easy to turn to the internet and find a tutorial for just about anything…if we really want to learn how to do something, we have a huge resource at our finger tips…something my dad didn’t have!

Second, confidence. My dad didn’t actually teach me to lay tile or strip furniture or build a swing pergola…but working with him I gained the confidence to roll up my sleeves and do the work.

I often joke with my kids…just think of all the cool things we wouldn’t know how to do if we had tons of money to hire everything done.

It is tough to have “nice things” when you are on a tight budget.

But if you want beautiful throw pillows, learn to sew! Where? Most hobby shops, county extensions, a friend.

If you want a beautiful tile backsplash, learn to install tile! Where? On the internet, apprentice for a tile setter, take a class at your local home improvement store!

If you want a swing pergola, learn to build one! If you want a painted wall, learn to paint! If you want to change the look of a ho-hum piece of furniture, learn to strip or paint furniture!

If you want a beautiful wedding cake, well….do what I am doing…youtube and trial and error!!! (Just don’t do it the week of the wedding!)

DIY is a lot like “personal change.” If you want or don’t like, you have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and do the work…want to lose weight, do the work…want to refinish a dresser, do the work.

(I heard an interesting “thought” the other day….it’s hard being overweight, it’s hard loosing weight. It’s hard working two jobs, it’s hard being broke. It’s hard building a strong marriage, it’s hard being in a crappy marriage…etc. CHOOSE YOUR HARD!")

Where do you get the confidence….sorry, no one will give it to you and there is no specific place you can go to get it. There are a ton of self-help sites and books that tell you “how to get confidence.” But in a nut shell…. confidence comes from making a CHOICE to do something and putting in the time and effort to accomplish it.

Do you “get confidence” if you try something and fail?

Well, in my opinion, kinda-sorta…it really depends on how you CHOOSE to look at that “failure.” If you look at it and say “well, I guess I can’t do that,” then no, you didn’t gain any confidence.

If you look at the “failure” and say “well, I guess I shouldn’t do it THAT way, but I’ll try it another,” then yes, you have gained a little knowledge and a little confidence.

Failure doesn’t destroy “self-confidence.” The way you THINK about it, the way you PROCESS that failure in your brain, does.

I’ve probably over simplified it. But I have learned in my 55 years that MOST things are pretty simple.

This morning get up and look in the mirror and say “Today I am CONFIDENT that I will________.” (keep it super simple and positive) Tonight, if you did not fulfill that statement, look in the mirror and say “Today I did not _________, but I am confident I will TRY again tomorrow!” Congratulate yourself for something you DID accomplish…even if it seems silly and simple! Then smile at yourself!!!!

Looky there…you just gained a tiny smidge of confidence.

Coffee Bar...

When I looked to Pinterest for inspiration for a coffee bar I realized that there are some super serious coffee connoisseurs out there. I just wanted a nice organized place for a few coffee necessities.

My stove top area in the kitchen is a bit tight for a “coffee station”…

…but we managed because I have TONS of prep space on my island. Regardless, I wasn’t happy with having my coffee maker in this area….and I didn’t want to have a full sized coffee pot taking up even more space so we would have to remake coffee all morning in our little 4 cup maker.

I decided to utilize a corner of the counter top in the laundry room for a “coffee station.”

Even though we make coffee every morning, the distance from the kitchen trash can and water source was almost equal so it really was no biggy to put it in there vs. on the kitchen counter.

Right now I am on a quest to use up some of the wood and materials I have accumulated over the years. It would have been real easy to go out and buy new materials to make shelves but I decided to get resourceful.

When I remodeled Katie’s room eons ago I removed the black floating shelves she used as her makeup station….

(Man my photo skills sucked!!!!)

I’ve kicked those things around for YEARS thinking I would eventually use them.

They weren’t the size I wanted for my “coffee station” and not even the style. But I decided I would try to make them work.

The first thing I did was cut them down. Not difficult since they are constructed out of fake wood and cardboard. I did have to take a metal grinder to one of the metal support brackets to make it shorter, but that was seriously no biggy.

I did add some wood support inside the corners of the cut down shelves because my next step was to clad them in wood.

I had some leftover “bead board planks” from another project…similar to this…

…so I used that to clad the tops and bottoms of the shelves (just glue and a few nails). Then I used some 1”x3” pine boards I had for the fronts and sides. A little stain…a little polycrylic to seal.

Repurposed floating shelves…they didn’t cost me a dime because I used scrap materials I had on hand.

My goal was “rustic” shelving…I think I accomplished that.

I did purchase a few new canisters…one for coffee, decaf, and cocoa.

The old silver tureen has held my filters for years…love it.

I found this cute little office supply thingy…originally labeled for paperclips, rubberbands, erasers, stamps etc.

I decided it would be perfect for all the different sweeteners my family insists on…God forbid they use the one I use. I relabeled each space for my purposes.

A fake plant. (BTW I keep reading fake plants are a decor faux pas…ask me if I care!)

We did purchase a larger coffee pot.

Again, this space is right off the kitchen so it really isn’t a bother. I like that it freed up a little bit of kitchen counter space.

I would like to add that 1) I now have a HUGE laundry room and 2) it is just Brian and me so rarely are there piles of laundry demanding my attention. I can see where some may not have the room or desire to use the laundry room for this purpose! But for us, it worked out perfectly.

I am a HUGE proponent of looking to Pinterest for inspiration…but sometimes we get a little intimidated by what we see online and forget we don’t NEED all that froo-froo or even have the space for it….

Don’t get me wrong…I think these spaces are amazing…but for YOU are they realistic? Hopefully my tiny little corner will inspire you to “think outside the box” if you need to create a space. Know that you don’t need a huge space for a basic coffee bar if you just need a place for a few basics.

Making a table or bench top...

One tool I wanted for years was a “biscuit joiner.”

One of the many things I love about my kids….when I ask for a specific tool for Chirstmas/birthday/Mom’s Day, they listen. So several years ago I got a biscuit joiner for Christmas!

This little tool has allowed me to make a few things I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to make. It allows me to join together several boards to make a larger board. A necessity if you want to make benches or table tops.

Let me give you a few examples….

The first was this bench….

Source

I was able to join together the three 1”x6” boards and the ends to make a strong top.

Brandon and Taylor wanted a plain pine table and bench for their new house. I guess they could have spent a fortune like we did for a custom made table but that isn’t really an option for a young couple.

So we went to Lowes, picked out some straight, nice boards with good grain and used the biscuit joiner, glue and clamps to create a table top and bench top.

After some serious construction, a LOT of sanding, a polycrylic clear coat, and some nifty bases, they have an AMAZING table and bench!

Last year I went looking for some shelving…I found one I absolutely LOVE. It was from the same company that built our dining table so I knew the quality would be amazing….but the price tag was just a tad too steep!

SOURCE

I love everything about this shelving unit….the look, the style, the quality.

So I went looking for a less expensive option. I found one I thought was okay on Overstock.

Waaaay less expensive…and for obvious reasons. The frame is metal vs welded steel and the shelving material is MDF vs. beefy solid wood.

The look and style is very similar…almost identical sizing…but the MDF shelving HAD to go. I knew immediately I wanted to replace them with solid walnut.

It has only taken five months to get around to this project.

The biscuit joiner was a life saver.

Walnut is a pretty expensive wood…and finding pieces wide enough for the needed 12” shelving was pretty much impossible (without a serious outlay of cash.) What I did find were 7”ish board we ran through my son’s table saw and joined together….

Using a biscuit joiner is NOT difficult…just take your time and follow the directions.

One little trick I did learn was how to mark the joints so they lined up perfectly. Just put your two boards together then run a mark across the joint….

Then just line the joiner up with the mark and plunge away…the joints will line up perfectly!

Always dry fit everything to make sure it all lines up perfectly before you apply glue….

Apply glue and clamp….

Joiners are NOT difficult to use. Just follow the directions and watch lots of YouTube tutorials.

I sanded each piece with 220 grit sand paper, tack cloth and sealer.

I used Waterlox as a sealer…no stain…same stuff I used on my kitchen cabinets and I have been extremely pleased with it!

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

I was able to take a shelving unit fit for a dorm room and turn it into a beautiful accent piece!

LOVE!

A little tweeking to the laundry room...

There weren’t too many “structural” changes to be made in this house. Most of the big stuff was done before we moved in but there are a few little things I have been tweeking since we move in,

One is the laundry room. I installed the window before we moved in (featured HERE) , new tops and sink, shelf above the washer and dryer, and replaced the light fixture. Since we moved in I have painted the cabinets, changed the hardware, and added a coffee bar (to be featured later!)

I don’t know who the moron was who thought 4’ was wide enough for the washer and dryer opening….

Why is this an issue?

And worse, I have been having issues with the dryer properly venting. Another moron ran the dryer duct under the slab of the house to the back yard, a good 40’. An absolute no-no. Why? Because the length is entirely too long for a normal dryer to push the warm damp air AND they can potentially (as mine has) take in ground water. So you end up with water in the duct and moist lint sticking to the inside of the duct. Which of course sets off your dryer and shuts it down repeatedly.

I can’t even periodically pull out my dryer to at least attempt to clear the duct work without first pulling out the SUPER heavy washing machine, then moving the dryer sideways.

Hence the problems with the narrow opening. (Thank God I don’t have a dryer with a drop down door!)

Serious pain in the rear and a problem I knew I was going to have to deal with..,..eventually.

What has been causing the serious case of procrastination is my knowledge of framing.

When you frame openings for doors and windows, you have to put a “header” above the opening….let me TRY to explain.

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Normally walls have studs every 16” to carry the load of the ceiling weight. The header is to provide solid support over an opening. Now, you have to remember that a 2” x 4/6/8 is actually only 1 1/2” thick, so in order to make a “header” you sandwich two 2xs (usually 10” or 12”) and a 1/2” piece of plywood together…making a 3 1/2” thick header, the width of a 2x4 stud (because it is actually 1 1/2” x 3 1/2”). That header stretches the width of the opening and sits on a “trimmer stud,” which is attached to a “king stud.”

I suspected that when I removed the 8” of wall on the left to widen the opening, the header would be sitting on a trimmer stud, which meant I was going to have to take the entire header out and make and install a new one long enough for the new, larger opening. MAJOR pain in the rear because that meant removing all the sheetrock above the opening to the ceiling, install a new header, then repair and paint the new sheetrock.

The day came…the dryer was no longer getting it done and it was time.

I removed all the trim around the opening and cut out the wall on the left….

BY THE GRACE OF GOD the moron who framed the opening too small made the header too long!!!!!

I was able to slip a few studs in the wall under the header, trim the opening, paint and….

…WALLA. Problem easily solved with no major reconstruction or sheetrock mess.

Well, not “solved” per se….I’ve really only made it easier to clean the vent periodically (and open the door all the way.) The next big chore will be rerouting the dryer vent up the wall and across the attic. A much shorter distance and should solve my problem. But it is hot…super hot…and the attic is even worse. I have no desire to pass out and fall through the ceiling so this chore will wait until it is waaaay cooler in the attic.

Now, the downside….

…the flooring. When I removed the wall, I was left with this gap in the tile where they had tiled around the original framing bottom plate. Boo-hoo.,..now I might have to replace the floor tile in my laundry room! Of course I will have to conveniently forget that there is an entire box of this tile in the garage.

I want to replace the tile. I know this tile is original to the house because I used the exact same tile in my apartments 23 years ago…around the time this house was built.

So I want new…the question is do I NEED new. Or do I just replace the few pieces that need to be replaced.

Only time will tell. Knowing me I will wake up one day and take a hammer and crow bar to the tile….

But not today….today I am still recovering from getting my first Covid shot. I had Covid in December so I have used that as an excuse to not get the vaccine.

I am not a ”conspiracy theorist” and I rarely believe most of the crap posted on Facebook. And I certainly don’t believe this whole mess should have been politicized.

But this new variant has raised a few hairs on the back of my neck….and after having it and knowing how sick you can get, I decided to get the vaccine. We are also flying to Colorado in 8 weeks and at the rate things are going I worry that the airlines will require proof of vaccination to fly. I certainly don’t want to wait until the last minute.

So I got the shot….they say if you have had the virus the first shot will kick your butt. It did.

But I am much better and just about ready to take on another project. Hum…that floor is really starting to bug me….