A Week of L-O-V-E

Family. Home.

We decided to do something a bit different this year for Valentine’s Day.  Instead of making it just one day we decided to do something for an entire week.  We like to call it , “Our week of LOVE!”  I know it sounds cheesy but it’s a nice build up to the big day and it’s a playful little treat.  We will start the week out on Sunday prior to the day. To make it fair,  I have chosen the even days and Jeff will be the odds, then we both do somthing bigger on the actual day.  I know I’m excited to get this little adventure started, I just hope Jeff is too!

I promised that I would share some of my ideas for this year when I shared my Christmas present for Jeff as a V-Day present.  There seems to be such an influx of ideas this year that it is making hard to decide what to do.  No matter the idea, choose what you want and make it your own. I won’t divulge exactly what I am planning on doing for my handsome husband, but I know I will be borrowing some ideas.  Jeff edits all my posts so maybe he might get an idea as well. Wink, wink!

Cards Ideas

• Here are a bunch of DIY card ideas.  I personally like the one with the matches the best.

• I’ve loved you for ____ days!  This is a free printable card for your  love.

• DIY Scratch–Off Card

• Unconventional DIY Cards

Easy and Inexpensive DIY Ideas

• Make a manly bouquet

• Last minute printables

• 52 Reasons I Love You

• 25 DIY ideas here.  I love the succulent and the puzzle (above).

• 14 Days of Love

• Fruit with a loving message

• Cute ways to say “I Love You”

• Show your love with a Sticky Note (or a lot of sticky notes)

• Decorate for V-Day

• DIY Heart Garland

Make a Sweet Treat

• Red Velvet Brownie Hearts- my mouth is salivating just looking at that picture!

• Mini-Heart Cookies

• Red Velvet Heart Cake

A Few Ideas for the Kids or Your Adult Kid

• I totally want to do the nerf gun thing.

• Cute food treats or little surprise ideas for the kids or you kid at heart

• Make some heart mini-pizzas

Like I said, so many ideas and these are only a few of my favorites that I found and pinned.   No matter what you do, just do it to show how much you appreciate the one(s) you love.   Make it fun and make it your own.

xoxo

<3 mk

Simple DIY Pipe Shelf

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Simple DIY Pipe Shelf

Industrial pipe shelves seem to be popping up everywhere. They are on sale in stores for big bucks and there are tons of DIY ideas to make your own.  When Jeff and I were finishing our basement, we were going for the industrial feel so what better of a project than a shelf made from pipes.

Many of the ideas have numerous levels and can get a bit intricate and time consuming.  We didn't have the space or need for a large unit yet, so a single shelf was made. 

Supplies list:

• Iron pipes
• Pipe flanges
• Pipe caps
• Pipe brackets (they hold the shelf to the pipe)
• Metallic spray paint
• Lag screws or serious drywall anchors (not recommended)
• Pine panel - ours was 16" x 8' ($23) but they cut it to size 
• Polyurethane

Pipe, flange and end cap for simple pipe shelf

When purchasing the piping, we needed the shelf to be 18" in width, as an audio receiver is going to sit on it. The pine was 16", but we planned on keeping it a few inches away from the wall so wires could go behind it. The hardware store sold the pipes pre-threaded, but it was much more expensive than buying the pipe by the foot and then having an employee use the pipe cutter and threading machine. The employee may try to sell you on the pre-cut and threaded pipes because it's time consuming for them to cut and thread the pipes.You'll save quite a bit more this way though.

Test fitting pipe flanges for shelf

Test fitting board on pipe shelf

Prior to painting, we used a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water plus steel wool to remove as much grease and grime as possible from the pipes, of which there was a ton.  You'll need to do this so the paint adheres properly.

We also applied a coating of polyurethane to the pine, but it doesn't show very well in the pictures.

Putting the shelf together is very straight forward, especially our single level design.  Make sure to attach the flanges to the studs in the wall, or your drywall may be coming down with the shelf!

Simple industrial DIY pipe shelf

We got the look we were aiming for and the shelf is not only serving its purpose, but it is also appealing to the eyes.  No matter the type of wood and number of shelves, this project is a sure winner for any DIYer.

P.S. - More on that gym later!

<3 mk

Modern Bird Feeder Update

Home. DIY.

Last November, we decided it was time to bring some colorful wildlife with a modern bird feeder to the back deck during the cold months, and boy did it deliver.  We have had constant winged visitors in all sorts of colors and sizes.

The bird cafe feeder has held up very well over the winter, but I would recommend using an adhesive stronger than silicone if you plan on attaching it to a vinyl fence post like we did.  A few weeks ago I noticed it was slightly loose while sitting on the post so I knew it was time to take action.  This provided an opportunity to wipe down the feeder and give it a fresh look for the new warm season. After removing the feeder from the fence post, I removed the silicone caulking and applied JB Quick Weld that Jeff had in the garage.   The JB Weld is much stronger and will hold for much longer. 

Overall, the bird cafe has been great!  We love the fine feathered friends that have visited our modern bird feeder. The only downfall is that there is bird seed remnants all over the deck. 

<3 MK

Fabric Covered Filing Cabinet Makeover

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Fabric Covered Filing Cabinet Makeover

I've been MIA for the past few weeks.  I feel like I have been doing tons of projects, making tons of dinners, i.e. things in the food, fashion, home realm, but not posting updates.  I seem to have caught an early spring fever.  Now it's time to catch up, starting with this great looking filing cabinet makeover.

Metal filing cabinets are pretty ugly.  They belong in an office building, not so much in a home.  There are filing cabinets that are made for the home like this or this, but they cost a good amount of money.   Instead, I figured out a way to take one of those old school metal cabinets and warm it up for you own home office storage needs.

With a few yards of fabric and some glue, you can make this filing cabinet your own with a few steps and some time.

• Clean the cabinet with an alcohol / water mixture; make sure it is completely dry.
• Iron the fabric.  The wrinkles will not go away when gluing. 
• Measure and trim the fabric from the top all the way over both sides in one solid piece. Make sure there is an overhang of about a ½ inch to the front, sides, back and bottom. 
• Start at one of the top corners and spread a thin layer of Mod Podge using a foam brush.  If your fabric has lines line mine did, you will want to line up the fabric to make sure the over hang and fabric is straight.

Mod Podge - An indispensable DIY supply

• Continue spreading the Mod Podge on the top and rubbing the fabric so it is straight and flat. Make sure the fabric sticks so that there aren't any air bubbles.
• In sections, spread a layer of glue and then press the fabric.  Do this all the way around the top and sides. 
• Depending on your cabinet, you will need to trim the fabric to fit around the corners in the front. I used a technique similar to folding a present for the corners.  
• Spread a layer of Mod Podge as a topcoat on the fabric to finish the project.

Hints: 

• Spread the glue evenly.  You don’t want any glue stripes on the top layer of the fabric.
• Stay away from super dark fabric.  The black fabric looks great in the photo, but I was not a big fan of how it turned out in person.  There were some flaws in the metal of the cabinet, which show through on the flat black.
• Mod Podge comes in a variety of finishes.  I used the glossy finish.  
• Instead of using fabric you can also use wrapping paper.
• Use thinner fabric that isn't stretchy.
• Add wheels if your cabinet allows.  Casters were added that we bought at our local hardware store and screwed on with nuts and washers.  They usually run for about $4- $5 each, but worth it if you plan on moving the heavy cabinet around. 

A great way to keep track of our race numbers for a future possibly project

Cost Breakdown:

• 3 yards of fabric cost a total amount of approximately $15 on sale, purchased at Hobby Lobby.  
• Large bottle of Mod Podge - $7.99; only about half of it was used.
• Filing cabinet was bought used from the Restore Store for $25 with 25% off which came to grand total of $19.50. 

Overall, I’m loving this project!  It took a few short hours to complete and the filing cabinet has been completely transformed for under $40.  You can literally choose any pattern, bold or neutral and make it one of a kind.

<3 mk

DIY Silver Leaf World Map

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DIY Silver Leaf World Map

This project has been in the back of my mind since I pinned it over a year and a half ago.  I wanted to do it, but never quite got it started until the day I went to Hobby Lobby and all the canvas was 50% off.  That was motivation enough.  Frugality is the mother of invention too.

Gold really isn't in the color palette in our home so I choose to use silver leaf instead.  This truly was not super difficult, but it was really time consuming and tedious at times.  The steps are minimal, but plan for a few days because after a while you will want a break.

Step 1 - Tracing the World

Trace an outline map of the world onto the canvas.  I am lucky enough to be a teacher with access to a projector.  I simply searched an outline map of the world on the iPad and traced lightly with a lead pencil.  Now, you might have a tv projector at home or even a teacher friend that can help out, but if not, fear not, you can always make your own projector at home.  Some people are so innovative.

You'll see that there are many variations in perspective on the world maps, some with Greenland lower, or higher and some leaving out Antarctica altogether.  Choose your favorite.

Step 2 - Leafing

I choose to use liquid silver leaf and paintbrushes.  Outline the coastlines and the islands first, then fill them in with a larger brush.  You can see the strokes and even what order it was painted, but I think that adds character.  This process took two nights of about two hours.

Make sure you are in good light when doing your final touch ups.  The silver leaf can play tricks on your eyes.  When bringing the canvas outside to be sprayed, I noticed many areas that had missing silver leaf.

Leafing with actual silver leaf involves many intricate steps, especially with the world not being perfectly straight.  If you are up for trying, you need to buy the special adhesive and the leafing.  The good thing is that the leafing will only stick to the adhesive, but you would have to be very precise with where the adhesive was sprayed.

Step 3 - Cleaning

After all the painting is done, go around with your handy eraser and make sure you don’t have any pencil lines or smudges on the bare part of the canvas.

Step 4 - Border

With a small roller, I painted the sides of the canvas to create a frame effect.  I also added some curvature to the earth by edging onto the front of the canvas.  It made it look a bit old school, which I liked. To make sure the curves were equal, I measured in eight inches from each side corner and used a circular Tupperware top to create the arc.  This way, they were all symmetrical.  I actually free handed the curves with the paint.

Step 5 - Spray Sealing

This was a recommended step on the bottle of silver leaf that I purchased.  This acrylic clear coating was a matte finish.  I didn't want a glossy finish to take away from the silver leaf finish. Let it dry for a few hours before mounting on the wall.

Overall, I am pleased with the way this project turned out.  I do wish I hadn’t chosen a map with the perspective with Antarctica so large.  It somewhat looks like we are looking at the world from an angle below.  If I was to do this again, I might have totally left Antarctica out in the cold (get it?).

<3 mk

Vanity Refresh

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One thing that always makes a piece of furniture look brand new is a new coat of paint.  As you can see (here, and here), I've had my fair share of refreshing furniture.

Before

The vanities in the master bathroom were originally painted white.  It was weird though, some pieces looked like they were hand painted, and the others professionally sprayed.  The vanities are original to the house and they were custom made.  They are solid and study so there was no need to get rid of them, just a nice coat of paint would do the trick.

12 Shades of grey

My M.O. is usually black paint, but we did our best to find a gray that would go with the tile that is already in the bathroom.  The tile isn’t our favorite, but it is in great condition.  It has tones of yellow, beige, and grays.  We took paint swatches in every gray we could find at the local do-it-yourself store.  The choice wasn’t easy, as they all looked ok to me.  In the end, we chose Valspar Mark Twain Ombra Gray (who comes up with this stuff?) because we both liked it and it was dark enough for the job.  A gallon did the trick for both vanities and we used semi-gloss.

So writing about this process is a hell of a lot easier than actually doing it.  It is time consuming, but can be done in a weekend.  You’ll be happy in the end when it looks like you have a brand new piece of furniture.

Prep

Remove everything from the drawers, etc.  Remove all of the hardware and take off the drawer or door. This might be a good time for you to organize your belongings too.  Everything will be sanded down and be full of dust, so there isn’t a need to clean anything off.  Put down a drop cloth, because it will get dirty.

Sanding

Using a sander (we used a random orbital), start with a coarse grit sand pad.  Attach a shop vacuum to the sander and don’t forget to turn it on.  The coarse sanding will take off most of the current paint. Make sure you don’t round the edges of the wood when you do the sides.  Once you used the coarse grit, do another round of a finer grit, and then another round of the finest.  The wood will be exposed in most parts.  You should be able to run your hands smoothly down the wood.

Cleaning

Use the wet vacuum to clean up any dust or paint that came off while sanding.  Using a wet cloth, wipe down the furniture and allow it enough time to dry.

Prepping for Painting

Make sure your area is dust free and clean.  You don’t want any of the sanding dust mixing with the wet paint.  Don’t forget to clean off the drop cloth you used for the sanding.

If there are any areas that you need to tape off, do it now.  Using a hairdryer on the tape will help to prevent any bleeding around the edges of the tape.

Painting

A small foam roller works best for a project like this.  Because we are using a semi-gloss, any imperfections are more forgiving and you wont have to sand in between coats, like I did with the bar table.

This project took three coats of paint.  The primer was already built into the paint, which also saved an extra step. Allow ample time to dry as it will be tacky.

Putting it all back together

Once the paint is no longer tacky, about 24 hours, you can put the hardware back on and put the furniture back together.  It is recommended to wipe down the drawers again and put a liner in the bottom before putting your items back in.  In the future, we will be adjusting the gaps - see a future post on that.

Before

After

There you go, a “new” piece of furniture that cost you not much more than a gallon of paint (assuming you have the other supplies). It is worth your time and following all the steps so it looks its very best.

<3 mk

DIY His & Hers Mounted Pictures

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Mod Podge used to adhere photo to canvas

Did you know it was called Mod Podge, not Modge Podge?  I have been calling this wonderful product the wrong name for many years.  I love how my husband pointed this out to me today as I was completing this project.  Who knew?

This project was created to add some personalization to our master bath.  We have so many wonderful pictures from our many travels and none of them are displayed around the house.  Picture to frame is the most obvious choice, but there are other easy and inexpensive options.  I had never mounted a picture on a canvas using Mod Podge before and it was about time I got to it.

This project takes about 5 minutes from start to finish.  Originally I wanted to paint the sides of the canvas black to mimic a frame, but I ended up purchasing a black canvas which saved time and was the same cost as a white one.

Trim.

Although the frame and the printed picture both were advertised as 11" x 14”, that didn’t seem to be situation.  Trim the printed picture to fit to your canvas so there is no overhang. It is suggested you use a paper cutter or something that will give you a perfect edge.

Glue.

Spread the Mod Podge on the top of the canvas.  An inexpensive foam brush works best.  Coat well, but not too thick as it will seep out the sides when pressing the picture on top.

Mount.

Wearing gloves is recommended to this part as fingerprints can ruin the printed picture.  Mount the trimmed picture on top of the glue, pressing lightly.  Turn the frame over and press the backside of the canvas to ensure the picture adheres to the canvas.  There might be some seeping of the glue, just wipe with a paper towel.

If you choose, you can coat the front for the picture with the Mod Podge as well.  I choose to not use it as my pictures were matte finished. 

Mod Podge comes in a variety of finishes. Check out the different finishes then finish to your preference.  The entire look of your project can be drastically changed just on the finished of this glue product.

His

Hers

Our pictures were taken by Jeff and I on our honeymoon in Hawaii’, our favorite place in the world.  The picture of Jeff is over my sink and my picture is by his sink.  I just love the way this project turned out.

<3 mk