How To: Vamp Up an Outdoor Space

To be honest, I don't know anything about outdoor spaces.

I am a newb. Did you know that there is a difference between n00b and newb? If you did, you are impressive.

I let nature handle our outdoor space. This may explain why our backyard is a jungle of weeds and overgrown trees. This may change in the future, but first, I need to tackle all our indoor projects. 

Anyway, Tee actually has a green thumb. Can you believe I am still friends with her? I'm so open-minded.

Anyway (for real this time), remember when I mentioned that we picked up a book shelf at a thrift store? Well, we actually did something with it.

A few sheets of sandpaper and two cans of spray paint later...

It became a plant shelf! Does this exist already? Because if it doesn't, it really should.

It really vamped up her outdoor space with a nice pop of color.

How awesome are we (and Missie Pooh)?

How To: Create Old New Things

Before we moved into our new place, I was going to give this IKEA dresser away. It had a broken drawer and floppy back panel.

(Why yes, that IS a cereal bowl. How'd you guess? Well, if you must know, I had Lucky Charms, and they were magically delicious!)

Little did I know, a little wood glue, paint, and hardware go a long, long way.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that Mel and I visited the Country Living fair. We found this vendor that sells paint that adheres to most surfaces. It was a bit pricey, around $40, but still much cheaper than buying a new dresser.

To repaint my laminate IKEA dresser, I'd traditionally have to go through this long process of sanding, priming, painting, and sealing. This paint from RECLAIM promises that I can paint directly onto a clean laminate surface, without any major prep. All in one, it's no lie.

It's true. The paint rolls on very smoothly and easily with a paint roller. Unless you like the streaky, textured look, I don't recommend a using paint brush. I learned the hard way. Score one for you guys.

I should have read the instructions first. Doh. Shame on me.

After 3 coats, I had a new dresser/filing drawer. This is my take on modern meets country chic. At some point, I might paint over the black, but for now, I kinda love it.

Oh, check out these cute knobs. I got these for $3 a piece at Breed & Company. I really like that place. 

Another DIY success!

Now, I just need to build a work productivity machine.

How To: Find Thrift Store Treasures

This past weekend, my bestie, Tee, and I embarked on a DIY binge. We visited a couple of thrift stores and found two pieces that we thought we could salvage.

For a total of $12, we got a book shelf and a side table. Seriously. What a steal.

Anyway, Tee wanted to stain the side table and turn it into a night stand. So, we spent a little money on stain,  a paint brush, new hardware, and sandpaper; watched this video; and then performed some DIY magic. 

This is what the table looked like before the facelift. Not bad, but the drawer was broken. With a little wood glue and some nails, I was able to put the drawer back together again.

 Now, check out the difference:

What! For less than $25, we have a new, old table. 

I'm loving the hardware that Tee chose. Absolutely gorgeous. 

Overall, DIY success! 

How To: Kill Two Birds

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with a wonderful lady AND finishing my first ever real DIY home project. Well, if I am going to be totally honest, there was that time I experimented with wood glue, and it did not turn out successfully. Words of wisdom: don't glue together your dresser. You will fail.

Anyway, onto the fun stuff!

My First DIY Project: Chair Reupholstery!  

Supplies

• Sharp scissors
• Fabric (about 4-5 yards total for 6 chairs)
• Staple Gun (with at least 2 thingies of staples)
• A good friend to help you  (not shown in the photo)

The Culprit

 

How You Do It

Step 1: Unscrew the seat cushions from the chair. Don't lose any of the screws! Put them somewhere safe, like in your pockets. Or somewhere smart, like on a table.

Step 2: Measure the fabric for each cushion. The best way to do this is... to watch this video.

Was that totally lame? Hey, I'm a huge advocate of the written word, but I swear, video tutorials kick how-to articles' asses.

What We Did

We (She) Did It!