Paint...the easiest way to update a piece!

When I first started this site I posted every day. Seriously. Every. Single. Day.

That's okay when you are trying to catch up on 30 years of DIY projects...but after awhile it gets a tad tiresome. For a time I posted twice a week...very doable and since I usually have 2-3 projects a week in the pipeline, I always have something to share.

But life has gotten pretty busy around here the last few months. Katie's senior year (and all the hoopla that goes with that!) and then she and Matt's graduations....

Matt graduated from the UofA with his master's degree and a week later Katie graduated from high school with "highest honors."  Precious.... — Matt graduated from the UofA with his master's degree and a week later Katie graduated from high school with "highest honors." Precious....

And of course the apartments...seems the work around there hits in tidal waves...not just "waves" but darn near tsunamis. So the last few months I only found time to post about once a week...which means the projects have been piling up in my "blog files."

Right now I have hutch tops-turned-display cabinets, an antique dresser, a mid century dresser, an antique table, a side table, two chairs and much more...all piled up in the garage, finished and ready to share!

Today I thought I would share a few projects to show that a little bit of time and paint can completely change the look of a piece. I've shared similar projects in the past (tons to be exact...just cruise around this site!) but time and again I see people posting on several blog sites questions about "what can I do to make this better"..."help"..."blah, blah, blah.... bitch, bitch."

Dude. Seriously. Go buy a stinking can of paint! It really isn't hard to take a simple, "blah" piece of furniture and turn it into something worth having in your home.

Take this table for example....

...I see little tables like this at thrift stores and auctions for next to nothing. Or maybe your parents or grandparents gave you one when you started furnishing your own home. Solid little tables...usually in mahogany or walnut or even oak. (I have a similar one in my den that I painted and feature here.)

Let's be honest...not real appealing. I think this one sat in my booth for MONTH before I brought it home and gave it a bright chalk paint/distress treatment (My recipe for "chalk/plaster paint"... 2 1/2 TBS of Plaster of Paris, 1 1/2 TBS of water, mixed well then add 1 cup of latex paint)

I stuck it back in my booth and it only lasted a couple of days. Notice I didn't even invest in new hardware...I spray painted the existing handle with off-white paint!

This antique oak buffet was pretty "dated" as well. Again, something you might inherit from a family member or find in a thrift store or on Craigslist for not a lot of money!

(I took the picture after I had removed the mirror in the top piece)

Some people like the antique wood look and these pieces can be beautifully restored if you use this process.

I chose to restore the top since it was solid wood and paint and distress the rest of it....

I changed out the hardware...again, it only lasted a few days.

And another....

Sorry for the picture quality...phone camera!

This empire dresser was, as you can see, a hot mess. Literally falling apart but nothing a little glue and clamps couldn't fix right up.

Which reminds me...I was working on another dresser this week. Seriously people...dove tail joints were not nailed FOR A REASON!!! So don't try to fix them with nails. And silicone is NOT glue...so don't try to fix loose joints with silicone. My point, if you are going to fix something, fix it RIGHT. I spent over an hour just "undoing" someone else's "fix." If you don't know how to fix it right, GOOGLE IT! My daddy didn't teach me everything I needed to know about DIYing...but he did teach me to use my head and use available resources to find out how to do it RIGHT. And he didn't even have the internet!!!

Okay, rant over. So after some "rebuilding" and repairs on this dresser, I chalk painted and distressed it (again, Google it...you'll get around 1,170,000 results on chalk or plaster paint...I'm not kidding...I googled it and that is how many results I got)

The piece had nifty wood knobs...several were missing so I used a few from the buffet. I decided to give them a little facelift so I primed them and sprayed them with light blue spray paint.

I think it lasted a week!

And lastly, a mirror. I have featured a number of mirrors on here. IMO, they are one of the easiest things to update. This wood mirror had some interesting and intricate carvings but it was a bit dated and dark!

I decided to forgo my usual "boring off white" and give it a little pop of color.

For the time being, it is hanging behind the front door in what little "entry way" I have. Not sure I actually love it there but that is where it is...for now....

My point...stop looking at your dated, drab furniture and growling at it. Find some inspiration and roll up your sleeves.

Don't turn your nose up at those "dated" pieces your mom and grandmother want to give you...take them...again, find some inspiration and give them a simple facelift. There are countless super awesome ideas out there for every kind of project!

There are also unlimited tutorials out there on how to repair, paint, refinish, decoupage...if you can imagine it, a tutorial is out there to tell you how to do it!

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Organizing the junk drawer with dividers! Easy little project!

When I am trying to force myself to NOT start a big project, I find myself doing little projects.

My kitchen. I have a severe case of "Pinterest Envy" and I am trying desperately to avoid taking on a major project!

Little has changed in the last 16 years in my kitchen. I installed granite. I cut down the large pantry so it is only 12" deep rather than the hulking 24" deep, installed a different window and added under counter lighting (seriously, you HAVE to have it!) And of course there was the addition of the den which allowed for the addition of a bar!

Truth is, I loved the color of my cabinet stain 17 years ago and I still love it today. It is called "paprika cherry" and it really is a little more timeless than "honey oak" or "pickled" cabinets.

What do I WANT to do to this kitchen?

I WANT to pop up the cabinets flanking the stove and add 2 open shelves beneath them...maybe even make the upper cabinet on the left open shelving for displaying dishes. Maybe add cabinets all the way to the ceiling. I use to decorate on top of the cabinets but honestly, I got tired of having to crawl up there and clean everything several times a year...so now, not so much!

New appliances? Oh yeah...have to have new appliances...a counter-depth refrigerator...maybe the new "slate" stainless. (Un)fortunately all the appliances work perfectly!

I was thinking about removing the cabinets on each side and above the refrigerator and installing open shelving. I bought some awesome walnut "coffins" just for this purpose. Coffins you ask? Yep...actually the wood lids from antique sewing machines. I am in the process of refinishing them now and I can't wait to share them!!!

And then of course, paint! Paint the upper cabinets and stain the lowers a darker color. Add some stainless hardware!

But I am at that point in life where I don't want to do projects just for the sake of doing a project. I made a few changes in my den recently, but honestly, that was because I really needed new flooring in that room. Eventually I want to install the same flooring in my living room and that will be another major undertaking.

So while I would love to give the entire kitchen a "Pinterest makeover," I am working reeeeeal hard to be happy and grateful for what I have!

This is one of those "need vs. want" conversations I have with myself on many occasions!

Last week I decided to do something I have wanted (and honestly needed) to do for years...add drawer dividers and get my kitchen drawers a little more organized.

Everybody should have a junk drawer...it is just one of those necessities. If you have one and feel guilty about it, don't. Honestly, I am a fairly "organized" person and even I have a junk drawer.

Seriously, were else would you keep pencils, sharpies, utility knives, glue, zip ties, birthday candles, picture hangers and Lord knows what else.

I have tried to keep this drawer fairly organized...and several times a year I dump it out and clean it up a bit. The little plastic "organizers" are nice, but truthfully, they are a bit tacky! And since they don't fit the drawers perfectly, there is always that odd, wasted space on the sides!

So I decided to take on a simple little project to organize a few drawers in my kitchen. Three, to be exact. The two "utensil" drawers, and of course the junk drawer.

To do this, I first emptied each drawer and went through all the "stuff" that was in each drawer. Seriously, do I really need FOUR ice cream scoops or three sets of stainless measuring spoons. Um, no. And why am I keeping the turkey seasoning injector when one comes with the seasoning we buy every year! My point....this is the perfect time to do some serious purging.

Get rid of stuff you honestly don't use or need! Now, don't do what I did several months ago during one of my "purging" sessions....when I went to open a bottle of wine recently I found that I didn't have a cork screw. Why? Because I had 3 and I guess I got rid of ALL of them.

Take some time to really think about what you NEED and honestly use!

Also, quick tip...while I am not a huge fan of having "stuff" on my counters, I do have a crock where I keep all my spatulas, serving spoons, wooden spoons, etc. in. This frees up a TON of drawer space...worth the investment (a whole $1 at an auction) and a little real estate on the counter! More importantly, the utensils are at my finger tips when I am cooking!

Adding dividers to your drawers is really not hard.

After emptying them and purging what I don't NEED, I put everything in the drawer to see how it would all fit. Then I marked where I wanted to put dividers to create "sections" with a pencil on the bottom of the drawer. Then I measured and drew it out on a piece of paper. Basically, I just measured the INSIDE of the drawer and then measured out where each of the dividers would go.

For example, in this drawer...

....small utensils that would get lost in my crock...paring knives, mixers, ONE ice cream scoop, biscuit and pizza cutters, etc. I knew I only needed two little dividers so my knives, beaters and basting brushes wouldn't get lost in the clutter. It is still a tiny bit cluttered, but the stuff I use every day are at my finger tips!!!

For the dividers I used 1/4" x 3" (actually 2 1/2") oak boards. You can find it at most home improvement stores. Since the inside of my drawers are a natural color, I just sprayed each board with polyurethane to seal them....no stain needed!

For this drawer I cut two pieces the exact width of the inside of the drawer with my chop saw. I applied A GOOD wood glue (that dries clear!) to the edges along the bottom and sides, then just slipped them into place. You may want to clamp them to hold them in place until the glue sets up. There is no need to nail. When the glue is dry, they are not going any where...besides, if you tried to hit a 1/4" wide piece of wood with a nail, you will probably fail and find yourself seriously frustrated (trust me on this one!)

The other two drawers were a little bit more challenging only because I have more dividers and I wanted to make sure the longer items had a place. Again, empty the drawer, purge and then lay out everything where you think you might want it. Mark the drawer with a pencil where you want the dividers, measure, and draw it out on a piece of paper so you know how long each board needs to be.

I know a lot of people hang their measuring cups and spoons on the inside of their cabinet doors. Nifty idea, but honestly, I don't want mine banging around every time I open the cabinet door...here, they are at my baking finger tips without the noise or knocking them off the door every time I take something out of the cabinet!

Now it was time for the dreaded "junk drawer." So much "junk." But honestly, MOST of the stuff is stuff I need from time to time. Unfortunately, it gets so "unorganized" that I can rarely find what I need or what I know I have!

THAT is one of the benefits of staying organized...being able to find what you know you have so you don't have to go out and buy it again!

I did the same thing with the junk drawer that I did with the others...I emptied it out, purged the stuff I don't need (seriously, do you really need a dried up sharpie or empty bottles of glue!) and then laid everything out in the drawer and marked where I wanted the dividers. I measured and drew it out on a piece of paper, and then cut the wood dividers to fit.

I glued the edges of each divider....

....and slipped them into place. Again, you may want to "clamp" then....or just set something with a little bit of weight on top of them...like a can of veggies. But if you cut them to fit, they should stay in place until the glue dries!

DO NOT get in hurry to fill the drawers back up....let the glue dry overnight!!! If you mess with it too soon, the glue will not have time to dry and the dividers will pop out of place...then you will have to scrape the half dried glue off and start over (again, trust me!)

Since this was a bigger drawer with lots of smaller pieces, I put in the longer pieces first, let those dry, then went back and put in a few smaller pieces to create small "cubbies".....

Everything has a place...and there is even a little room to spare just incase I need to add something in the future!!! (Like maybe another 30 or 40 pencils or highlighters)

The most important thing is it is all organized and finding an emory board, glue stick or the magnifying glass will no longer be a twenty minute ordeal!

I will no longer have to dig through the drawer to find things I use almost every day like my mixing beaters or a paring knife!

Truthfully, I was amazed by several things...first, there was a LOT of stuff in each of those drawers that just did not need to be there (except the cork screw that I will now have to buy!) Purging is important!!!

Second, getting everything organized and easy to find is a real time saver and when you factor in the fact that you don't have to go out and buy something you know you have but can't find, it is worth the few dollars and little bit of time you will spend on this simple project!

I thought seriously about doing my makeup drawer and my silverware drawer. But honestly, I think I will stick with the plastic dividers in those for now. Those drawers need to be "cleaned" more often and I think the plastic dividers are easier to clean!

Not sure if this is enough to keep me from ripping down cabinets and breaking out the paint, but it is a simple project that may pacify my need for "change" until this urge passes!

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Display hutch...before and after!

Brian has long since stopped questioning my purchases at auctions. I think he has developed a little bit of faith in my ability to make something out of nothing. But occasionally I do question myself. I must have subconscious flashes of inspiration that, in the stark light of day, are forgotten because occasionally I will look at a piece I brought home and think "WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!"

This would be one of those pieces....

It's not a horrible piece...it's just very "ho-hum." Not an antique or even remotely interesting. Just...well...boring.... for lack of a better word.

Basically just a "pine and particle board" piece that is pretty dated...seriously, hunter green?

The upside to this piece is it did not need any major repairs...just a few nuts and bolts tightened here and there. The stained top, shelves and crown where in good shape and didn't need to be refinished.

Honestly, it just needed a little "facelift." A brighter color to update it a bit! I taped and papered off the stained areas, removed the ugly wooden knobs and gave it a little KSTP treatment (Kilz, sand, tack cloth and paint!)

My favorite teal spray paint and simple little black knobs and we are good to go!!!

I even "displayed" a few of my auction finds just so the pictures would have a tiny bit more interest! This piece would be an awesome addition to a kid's room, an office, or even in a kitchen!

Again, this is one of those "boring" or "dated" pieces you probably have floating around your house. Whether it be bedroom furniture, a little table, an old dresser, or even a dated light fixture, a couple of hours and a few cans of spray paint can make all the difference. You don't have to be even remotely creative...just find your inspiration and go for it!!!

I have a garage full of projects I have been working on since the weather warmed a bit! I can't wait to share...something for everyone!

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'Tis the season for graduation!

This is a big year in our house for graduates. And since both boys surprised me this week, Matt announced he IS going to walk for graduation and Mitchell came home for the weekend, I decided to take a minute this week to brag a bit on my awesome kids!

My baby, Katie, will be graduating (with high honors mind you) from high school! Wow...where has the time flown! She is an amazing young lady with incredible talent! I can't wait to see what the next chapter in her life holds!

My youngest son, Matt, will be graduating from the University of Arkansas with his masters! This has been a huge year for Matt. He received his professional pilot's certification AND his masters. So proud! And I would like to add that he will be the FOURTH generation to graduated from the UofA!

Mitchell completed his certification for EMT this past year and his girlfriend, Moira, will be graduating from law school this month! They graduated from USC together four years ago...again, where did the time go!

My oldest daughter, Sarah, is still trudging away at her degree. Tough to do with two kids, a home and a job (even with my favorite SIL, Joel, to help) but she is still pulling down As and working her way towards a lofty goal for a woman with just a few demands on her time and attention! Next year she will get the spotlight all to herself! In the meantime she has a huge cheering section rooting for her!!!

Brandon, Brian's son, will finish his under-graduate studies in December. He is an incredible young man and we are so blessed to have him as part of this family!

I don't think a day goes by that I am not thankful for the talented, intelligent, and kind children I have been blessed with. Amazing.

I remember thinking when they were babies...THIS is the best age. Infants learning to smile and laugh...toddlers learning to crawl then walk...little people learning to read and explore...teenagers showing off their talents and developing maturity.

Then they become "adults." Funny...as a mother I never stop seeing them as "babies" in my mind's eye. It's as if when I look at them they are still "little people." But I know they are "adults" now...finding their way in this world...working towards a place where they feel comfortable and confident. Happy.

And I think, THIS is the best age!

There are so many lessons I wish I could teach them before they have to figure it out themselves. Hard lessons. So many harsh realities I wish I could protect them from...but I can't.

Thank you Lord for giving me healthy, intelligent, kind "little people."

I am so proud of them all. But more importantly, I am so grateful for every one of them!

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