DIY Farmhouse bed!

I thought I would share with you one of the projects that I built recently!  This wonderful king size farmhouse bed!  What do you think?  It really wasn't too bad.  I got my plans from Ana White.  She has made it REALLY easy to build her DIY furniture!  She supplies the shopping list, cut list and instructions. I modified the plan when I found another version on her site from someone else who built the same bed.  Here is her link-

I wanted cubbies for storage and also wanted to access the space under the bed between the cubbies. So here is what I did~

I first build 2 sets of cubbies.  Each one is 16" deep x 15" Tall x 80" Long.
I added 1" trim to the front of the cubby to finish the edges which made the depth 17". I attached the bottom trim flush with the inside of the cubby so it raised the height to about 15 1/2".  (Visit the site and this will all make sense!)

Next I built the headboard and the foot board.  I attached the center board of the foot board to the posts with top hinges and a latch at the bottom so that I could open it to access the middle of the bed. 

Finally (After painting everything!) I screwed the headboard and foot board to the cubbies.  I used L brackets in some place to make it even more secure.  I didn't want the bed to move or squeak AT ALL!  :)

Be aware that when you follow Ana's plans she turned her king size bed on its side and so the dimensions are not exactly accurate for a typical king size bed.  READ all of the directions before you begin your project.

The overall cost was about $400 or so.  About 1/4 of what it would have cost me to buy one!  And...I know it is done right and with solid wood. 

Here are the cubbies!  I bought regular old Steralite storage bins from Target and slip covered them with canvas. I wanted BIG bins so this was my best option. 

I simply laid the tote on top of the fabric (one side at a time) and cut each piece about 2 inches bigger than that actual size to allow for the seam.  The exception was at the top.  I wanted the fabric to fold over the top so I added about 5" to the height and used the finished edge of the fabric.

As you can see there is a lip around the top of the bin. Once I sewed the four sides together I pulled the slipcover over the bin (Inside out) and I folded the fabric at the corners and pinned it so that it would fit snug and not fall off of the bin.  I then stitched the mitered corners.  I had to be careful to not sew it too tight because I had to be able to pull it over the bin. Next, I simply adhered Velcro to the bin and the underside of the fabric to attach it. I glued the Velcro to the bin with E6000 glue and held it down with masking tape until it dried. I stitched the Velcro to the fabric.  It's not going anywhere!  I am super happy with the finished project!  I think I will be adding some sort of vintage print to the front of the slip covers at some point but that is another project for another day!

Kitchen Re-Do! Painted cabinets and more~

And now for the kitchen!  This is the before-

                                                                            Before




AFTER!



Glaze highlights all of the detailing in the cabinets

I made burlap roman shades.  YES, made them!  This gal has an easy DIY tutorial on how to make them yourself!  (Found her on Pinterest of course!) 


I added a simple valance on top of the Roman Shades,  No sew! I used the fusing tape and an iron to make this.  Super easy!

Lastly, I added some definitions to my glass canisters.  I love the way they turned out.  I must say however, I won't be selling these as the words are so small it is a nightmare to weed the negative parts of the vinyl out of the solid sheet!  If you just want the labels, ie. SUGAR, FLOUR etc.  No problem!  I can do that.  It' the little itty bitty words that were not fun!

This is always time consuming but well worth the effort!  It is actually a simple process. 

Here are some simple step by step instructions~

Quick glance guide-
1- Remove doors and hinges
2-Label doors
3-Clean doors and bases with TSP
4-Sand
5-Prime
6-Paint
7-Glaze
8-Seal
9- Hang

Detailed Instructions-

1-  Remove Each door and hinge ONE BY ONE.
 
2-  Label each door so that you know where it goes. 
(I know you may think that this is a silly step and your thinking- "Of course I will know where they will go"-      TRUST ME....label them.  It is much easier!  I wrote inside the hole where the hinge fits because  it provided enough room to write without it being covered with paint.  Another option is to use painters tape on the back side if you are not planning on painting the inside of the cupboard doors.)  I labeled them "U" for upper and then a #.  For example U1, U2 etc.  L for lower-

3.  Use "TSP" to clean the fronts of your doors and cabinet bases. This is an important step.  It will get all of the hidden grease and grime off of your cabinets.  It's there even if you don't see it! You can get this at your local hardware store.

4. Lightly sand or use a deglosser/liquid sander solution.  This will give the primer a better surface to stick to.  DON"T SKIP THIS STEP!  This is key to a good, long lasting finish.  I would recommend sanding over the liquid because it is a fail proof method.

5. Next prime.  I prefer "Gripper" brand primer as it is amazingly durable.  You can find it at Home Depot.  I cut into the grooves with a paint brush and then immediately roll over it with a smooth sponge roller.  This will prevent brush strokes and give a nice smooth finish.

6.  Time to paint!  Apply at least 2 coats of your paint in the same way you applied your primer.  Use a brush and then roll over it with a sponge roller.  BTW-  The paint people (at Home Depot) tried to tell me years ago when I started doing this not to use the sponge roller because it soaks up to much paint.  Don't listen to them.  :)  This is the only way to get the pro finish you want.  It doesn't soak up that much paint. 

7.  Lastly, if you want to glaze your cabinet doors, mix one part paint, (espresso)  to 2 parts glaze.  Brush the glaze over the doors where there are grooves.  I brushed mine over the beveled part of my doors.

Next, with a lint free cloth, rub away the glaze so that it leaves behind a rich dark color in the grooves of the door.   If you are picky like me, you can methodically pull your rag down one side of the groove and then the other to be sure the glaze leaves a nice straight (ish) line.

I ran a line of color around the edges of the doors as well even though there was no groove.  I just liked the look of it.  Again, I pulled the rag down both sides of the line to get an even line.  (If this seems confusing I basically wiped away the paint on each side of the line so that all that was left was a thin line.) You don't want it to be perfect because it is suppose to look a bit aged.  :)

8.  Last, (because I go a little over the top)  I applied a coat of glaze over the entire door to seal everything and protect the paint!  This makes it easier to clean and since your kitchen gets a lot of wear and tear, it is best to seal everything.

9. Once the cabinet bases and door are dry...(BE PATIENT,)  you get to hang them and admire all of your hard work!

Hand painted furniture tutorial!

I have been having way to much fun re-doing my kitchen and some furniture the last couple weeks!  I thought I would show the results!  First the cabinet-

I found the cabinet at an estate sale a couple weeks ago hiding in that back of someone's garage.  Of course it caught my eye and I convinced my hubby that I HAD to have it!  :) 

I brought it home and got to work!  After sanding, priming with "GRIPPER" primer and painting it, I distressed it with paint using an antiquing technique with paint!  I then rubbed it down with some burn sienna paint tint to give it an aged look.  I love how it turned out!  I will post the pics of the kitchen tomorrow! :)

Dorm Room Decor~

In honor of the many graduating seniors, I thought I would post some fun, inexpensive dorm decorating ideas.  I was able to share some of these ideas with some of my Young Women at our youth activity last night and it was a lot of fun!

Spring Decorating ideas.

Are you itching for spring to come? I know I am! Take a look at these wonderful ways to freshen up your place with these easy decorating ideas!

The more rustic the better!  Grab an old watering can and add some soil and plant your favorite spring flowers!

www.midwestliving.com

I love these shabby design touches! 

frenchlarkspur.blogspot

frenchlarkspur.blogspot

 I have a design similar to this in my own home every spring!  TJ Maxx is a great place to find these rustic baskets.  They have several to choose from.  Of course the antique blue canning jars are a perfect addition!  If you don't have any, simply make your own! 

frenchlarkspur.blogspot

I love the pink against the black door!

Etsy

LOVE THIS!  This is the same idea as the watering can.  Line the umbrella with plastic....(A heavy duty grocery bag will do.)  Fill it with soil and add your favorite spring flowers!

tinywhitedaisies.tumblr

Unique Walls!

Do you want to make a dramatic difference in one of your rooms without redecorating the entire thing? Dress up your walls! Simple identify your focal wall and wallpaper it or paint it a fun or dramatic color! Yes, I said wallpaper. :) There are so many beautiful and unique wall coverings available now that you can't dismiss it as your grandmothers design idea anymore!

When deciding which wall is your focal wall, identify the area in which you want the eye to go to. If you have a fireplace, built-in bookcase or architectural element in the room, this is the most natural focal point. If your room has no distinguishing features, identify the largest furniture pieces.   In the bedroom, the wall behind your bed should be your focal wall, the kitchen may be the wall behind the eating nook etc.
Once you have identified your focal wall, its time to choose your wall covering or color!  Don't be afraid to go a bit beyond your comfort level.  Often times we do a project and don't quite go as bold as we would like and it just doesn't turn out as spectacular as we were hoping.  That is because we fail to push ourselves to go all the way with the design.  If you are using paint and don't like the color, simply paint over it!  Paint is easily changed and if you are doing a focal wall, it is typically a smaller area to change. 
When choosing your color, don't over saturate your room with one color.  If you have blonde wood in your bedroom, stay away from yellow.  The color on the wall should pop against the furniture or wood.  Of course there are exceptions to this rule.  If you are doing a monochromatic design, keep it subtle. If your bedding is Blue, don't do blue on the walls.  You may have a secondary accent color in your bedding or accessories that you can highlight by painting the wall a similar color. 

Take  your time.  Always test the color on your wall before buying an entire gallon. Lighting, current wall colors and number of coats will effect the overall outcome of the paint.  Look at your test area at different times of the day.  This will give you an idea of how the color will change due to lighting.  If you want to go nuetral, choose something a little more saturated than you may not typically go with.  A dark mocha, rich chocolate or silky cappuccino color rather than your everyday beige will be much more appealing!

Now for some inspiration!  Take a look at these FABULOUS wall treatments and colors! 

This is one of my FAVES!  I love the unique design and natural tones!
This wallpaper was developed by Wall and Deco!

Wall and Deco

http://www.kayainternational.com

http://www.decorpad.com

The Cross Decor and Design via Decor Pad

Nicholas Haslam

Apartment Therapy

Paint graphic designs using painters tape to add interest!
HGTV.com

Heart Shaped Crayon Valentines!

Time for some fun Valentine projects!  Let's take a look at some cute valentine card ideas.  Of course, you can do as simple or as complex as you would like but as we all know kids love to get some sort of treat with their Valentine card.  Today I will show you how to make crayon hearts!

These are so fun and really easy to make.  Gather your misc. crayons and strip all of the paper off of them. If you need to purchase crayons, your local Dollar Store is your best option.  Many tutorials will tell you to cut them into small pieces but this is very time consuming!  Instead, put them in a plastic baggie and break them up with a meat tenderizer.  Be careful not to totally crush them.  You will get more color variation if the crayons are chunky.  After they are broken into small pieces, place the crayons into a heart shapes pan or silicone mold.  After you have filled your molds, place them into the oven on low heat.  Bake at 250 for 15 minutes or just long enough to melt the crayons.


armcandyconfessions.com

(Individual silicone molds)

Megasimple.blogspot.com

Once the crayons have turned into a "liquid rainbow" remove them and let the wax cool until hardened.  If your wax looks cloudy, no worries, in a couple hours it will be clear and pretty!

Adhere the heart shaped crayons onto a paper Valentine!  It is best to use card stock for your card to hold the weight of the crayon. Take a look at these finished products! 

This one is from arm candy confessions 

From small little pieces of crayon to a super cute homemade valentine!



thelongthread.com