A new storage project and Christmas 2019!

It has been a minute since I shared a home project…just too much going on the last few months to do anything other than what HAS to be done around here!

But I saw this little storage idea HERE and knew it was exactly what I need in my guest bathroom!

I had to build a little Christmas gift but I can’t share that just yet since it is suppose to be a surprise. But while I had the saw and nail gun out I decided to take time to build this little storage unit.

I keep plenty of spare toilet paper under the vanity but it is out of reach if you have already sat down. So for years I kept spare rolls in a basket on the floor next to the potty but I just didn’t think it was a sanitary place to store paper. So I set up a little wickerish box…paper inside, magazines on top.

So here’s my opinion about reading materials in a bathroom. First, I don’t want guests hanging out long enough to read an article in the guest bathroom…seriously, do that in your own bathroom. Second, if you have to sit there long enough to read an article, add fiber to your diet.

I needed something to set a little Christmas tree in so the little box got “repurposed.”

Anywho, I saw this little storage idea and thought “HEY! I can do that!”

I constructed mine a tad differently than Barb, but the concept is the same…and as I always suggest, use the tutorial that makes sense to YOU!

Either way, SUPER simple build! Something you could do with a miter saw and box. hammer and screw driver if you don’t have fancy power tools!

The first thing I did was use a stud finder to locate the studs then I cut into the sheet rock to measure the exact distance between studs…

…15”. Most wall studs are 16” on center so they SHOULD be 15” apart, but you never know so it is better to be safe than sorry! Just measure the distance between the studs and make your box a smidge narrower than that…or do as Barb did and “fur out” the studs to make a box a specific width.

I laid out the TP hanger (THIS is the one I used) and the spare rolls to see how tall I wanted the entire box to be…17” seemed to be perfect.

One suggestion…make sure the bar on the holder you choose “pivets”…you want the bar the paper will sit on to swing freely so you can swing it out of the box to put the paper on!

I used 1x4 (actually 3/4” x 3 1/2”) pine boards and 1/4’ luan to build the box. I cut the width pieces about 14 3/4” to give myself a little wiggle room between the studs. Basically I made a 14 3/4” x 18 1/2” box (outside measurements), then backed it with luan, cut to fit. I used wood glue and brad nails…ALWAYS glue your joints…trust me, the nails just hold everything together until the glue dries!

I used “door stop” for the face trim…it is 1/4” thick and 1 1/2’ wide and has a very simple profile! I used it when I installed the glass on my laundry room door…simple and beautiful!

After the box was constructed, I puttied the holes and caulked the joints, primed it with Bullseye primer, sanded it smooth, then wiped it down with a tack cloth.

I used the backside of the box as the “template” to mark the sheetrock, making sure it was level with a small 6” level (don’t assume your studs are level). I used a sheetrock knife to cut the sheetrock.

To install, I slipped the box between the studs, making sure the trim sat flush on the sheetrock. I drilled four 1/4 “holes approximately 3/8” deep on the inside of the box (2 on each side) and used 1 1/2” sheetrock screws to attach the box to the studs. Then I used wood putty to fill those holes and sanded it smooth after it dried.

All my trim is oil based “Swiss Coffee” (and of course I have spare paint on hand) so I painted the box with the trim paint. Again, ALWAYS use an additive when brushing or rolling paint on wood…in this case Penetrol since I am using an oil based paint. Two coats!

After the paint dried well I installed the TP holder and stocked it with spare paper.

Too stinking cute and perfect for storing extra paper and even a little “air freshener.”

Christmas is next week and so little changes from year to year it seems almost redundant to share my Christmas decor. But I will leave you with a few pictures of our cozy holiday home…

I hope you and yours have A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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A season of giving....

“It is more blessed to give than receive.” If you are of the Christian faith you are familiar with this bible verse.

What does this tiny little verse mean to me.

I am not familiar enough with other faiths to know what the commands are for “giving.”

Regardless of your “faith” or “beliefs” or whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this is the perfect time of the year to “give.”

There are so many who struggle during this time of year for so many reasons.

A young single mom trying to find a way to buy a little something for her child.

A family struggling to put a decent meal on the table.

An elderly person trying to figure out a way to heat their home.

A teenager living on the streets because mom and dad are unable to provide a stable home.

Maybe this time of year is no more a struggle for them than any other time of the year…but the “commercial spirit” of the Christmas season seems to make it so much worse for those without.

So every year I put 5 $20 bills in my wallet. If you have more, make it 5 $100s…less…5 $10s or $5s or even $1s!

When “the spirit” speaks, I give.

I gave to the woman at the bus stop who may be the single mom struggling to make ends meet…let alone buy her child a Christmas present.

I gave to the family at the grocery store. I could tell from their purchases that a “good meal” is a struggle.

I gave to the teenage kid at the gas station when he was digging in his pockets to find enough change to put a little bit of gas in his scooter.

I gave to the elderly man whose gloves had holes and his jacket was entirely too thin for the frigid weather.

I give quietly…discreetly…with humility and without fanfare.

I don’t know if God speaks in an audible voice…but I do believe he speaks to our hearts…and if we make a commitment to listen, we will hear “his voice.”

Give. Give now. Give to THAT person.

You will know…

Share what you have….even if it is not a lot…give.

This is my wish for Christmas…that every person “give” what they are capable of giving…even if it is nothing more than an act of kindness, a smile, words of encouragement, a silent prayer, a little bit of your time.

And before you start whining about what you DO NOT have and why you CAN NOT give, think about this….

I saw this posted on Facebook and it really resonated with me. First, because it reaffirms my belief that gratitude and happiness go hand in hand.

Also because we ALL have those times when we bitch and moan about what we don’t have and forget that there are people in this world who have WAY less than we do.

No matter how little you have, there is always someone who has WAY less.

So give…give because you are blessed.

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Hutch makeover reveal....

I shared the china hutch I started HERE.

Not the prettiest piece of furniture I have ever seen but I knew it would be perfect for the space Matt and Hannah have in their dining room…with a little tweeking!

In this post I also shared a few important tips for painting any piece of furniture. Tried and true advice!

First thing I had to do was “find my inspiration.” It doesn’t matter if you are making over an entire room or a piece of furniture…you have to find your inspiration.

In this case I needed to find a similar hutch so naturally I searched Pinterest…I sent several pictures of “french provincial china hutches” to Hannah and she liked this one best (originally posted on 509 Design)…

…beautiful. I love the stained top and the Miss Mustard Seed boxwood green.

The kids did not want doors or dividers on the top so those were removed.

They also decided to paint the entire inside white.

The first thing I did was strip the old finish and stain on the top of the base. Keep in mind that the top and the base where attached pretty tight so I just left them as is and only stripped and finished the part of the top that was showing. I used this process and it literally took me less time to strip and re-stain than it did to tape it all off. I used General Finishes Brown Mahogany stain, then sealed it with poly.

After the the top had dried (a day or two) I taped and papered it well so I could prime the entire piece. I also removed the drawers and taped and papered those so I could just paint the fronts.

Removing the vertical dividers left a gap that had to be repaired…

Pretty simple fix…I just cut a piece of decorative wood from the pieces I had removed and glued and clamped it over the gap…

After primer, I sanded it well, wiped it all down with a tack cloth and then painted…first the inside of the top with satin white. After that dried I taped it off and sprayed the rest of the hutch with Kylon Satin Italian Olive paint….closest green in a spray paint to Miss Mustard Seed’s boxwood. Again, it SAYS it is a “paint and primer” in one but I always prime wood furniture with Bullseye or Kilz.

I mentioned the brass froo-froo hardware in the original post…I honestly didn’t think it would make the cut.

But after some serious scrubbing with Brasso and SOS pads, they shined right up and believe it or not, the kids loved them!

So….here is the final product in place….

The farmhouse table is one I featured HERE. I found the black chairs at the apartments and they just needed a little repair, paint and reupholstery (never featured those), the bench is one I made for Thanksgiving one year, the plaid scarf is like the ones I featured HERE and the candle sticks were used as the stands for their wedding cake! It took YEARS for all this tp come together and now that it has…cute as a bug’s ear!

I know the original brass hardware may be a tad “gaudy” but I love it!

The “gap fix” isn’t exactly perfect, but as my Daddy use to say “You’ll never notice it on a passing train!”

I love how this piece turned out…and it shows what you can do with a pretty, um, not-so-attractive piece of furniture with just a little time and paint…all in all I probably spent less than $20 on supplies!