Coral and Gold Desk

If you follow me on Facebook, you know Big K and I started a little impromptu bedroom redecorating project this weekend.  It's still in progress, so I don't have any additions to the house tour.  But, as soon as everything is put back together, you know I'll have a post for you!

One thing that I can share is my new desk.  I've desperately been seeking my own workspace and I've finally done something about it after being inspired by Carmel over at My Fifth House...use a desk as a bedside table.  Genius!!!

Luckily, I had this guy sitting in my garage just waiting for a makeover.  I picked it up for $10 at a yard sale earlier this summer.

Can you spot Emma back there?  She seems to sneak into every picture.  If I was that cute, I might try to be in more pictures too!

I also had some Krylon spray paint in Coral Isle in the garage that I sprayed the desk with after priming it with Kilz.

I hadn't spray painted something in FOREVER.  I had forgotten how easy it is.  No messy brushes to clean.  No waiting days for paint to dry.

Here's the final result.

I think something is wrong with my camera.  All of my pictures have been super-grainy lately.  I have no idea what is going on.  Do you have any ideas????  I don't know what to do, besides buy a new camera.  This camera used to take great, clear pictures.

My favorite part of the desk is this gold detail.

In the background, you can see my new blue-gray paint...also done this weekend.  It's called Oyster Pearl by the Ace brand Clarke & Kensington.

Over in the corner you can see my "new" file cabinet.  This was a old Target dealio...you know the fake wood pieces that you have to assemble???  I just primed and spray painted it glossy white.  This was my first attempt painting this type of "wood."  It looks pretty good and I think the paint will stick.  I made sure to prime well with Kilz.  Otherwise, I was afraid the material might have been too slick and the paint would have peeled right off.

One last look, just because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my new desk/bedside table!  One of my favorite things - it was almost free!  All of the materials I used were found in the garage.  I didn't have to buy anything except for the $10 desk.

Linked to some of my favorite DIY blogs:  Liz Marie, House of Hepworths, My Simple Home Life, Happy Hour Projects,
Elizabeth & Co, DIY Dreamer, Today's Creative Blog, Sugar Bee Crafts, Not Just a Housewife, Reasons to Skip the Housework, Primitive and Proper, Home Stories of A to Z, Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, Tip Junkie, Type A Decorating, , The Thrifty Home, Domestically Speaking, Primp,
A Diamond in the Stuff, Restore Interiors, The Shabby Chic Cottage,  Beyond the Picket Fence, My Simple Home Life,
Addicted 2 Decorating, Just a Girl, Remodelaholic, Miss Mustard Seed, Finding Fabulous, Tatertots and Jello, Under the Table and Dreaming, Thrifty Decor Chick, Coastal Charm, Serenity Now, Get Outta My Head Please, You are Talking Too Much, The Southern Institute  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Bloggy Olympics: Paint Project

Have you been following the Bloggy Olympics?  I decided to take part in an event this week: the paint event.

I've had this wooden mirror in my garage for a while.  I got it as part of the dresser set that I painted for Chloe's room, but didn't need the mirror for her room.  I didn't really have a purpose for the mirror, but was afraid it would break if it sat in the garage much longer.  Not like I've ever broken anything in the garage in the past!

Emma and Tyler were very interested in those two dogs in the mirror.  This is the yucky little corner of the backyard where I like to do all of my spray painting.  It's really a dog run/kennel area that we never use, so I don't mind getting paint all over it.


Painting mirrors is so easy.  There is no need to tape off the mirror...get as much paint on it as you want.  All you have to do to get the paint off is to use a razor blade to scrape it off.  It usually comes off easily.

This is after one coat of Benjamin Moore Stunning.  See the primer sprayed right on the mirror and the blue paint?  No problem!

 I was inspired by these gold corners on picture frames by A Thoughtful Place.

Source: athoughtfulplaceblog.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I used some Martha Stewart metallic paint to add gold corners onto my mirror.

I like the way it turned out and how it looks with the other gold and navy stuff on my mantle.

Here's a little before and after of the mantle:

I still love the Gino Hollander painting that was up there.  It's just found a new home in my living room.  I'll show you more of my living room on Monday, if you want to check back.
Linked to the Bloggy Olympic hosts: Gwen (A Bold Abode), Cassie (Primitive and Proper) and Katie (Craptastic).

Also linked here: Liz Marie, House of Hepworths, My Simple Home Life, Happy Hour Projects

New Paint in the Kitchen

Last Wednesday was a long day.  Big K was out of town for work.  I had been busy shuttling the kids around and entertaining them at home.  I was looking forward to relaxing in the evening.  Instead, as I was making dinner, I decided it would be a good idea to pull out a can of paint and start painting the kitchen.  I can multitask - cook dinner and paint at the same time - no problem!  Don't ask why I thought this was a good idea because I'm not really sure.  I was questioning my decision as 10:00 rolled around and I really wanted to be in bed with a book rather than in the kitchen with a paint brush.

I used Benjamin Moore Gray Owl to cover up the sandy brown that was throughout my house.

In this light the paint reads light blue, but it really is a light gray.  It's much lighter than the dingy brown that was in there.

I'm thinking about changing the curtain above the sink to something a little more subdued or neutral.  I've had this one for about a year.  How often do you change your decor?

As you can see, I don't have a lot of decor in the kitchen.  I like to keep the counters uncluttered...until they inevitably become overflowing with papers, magazines, etc.  I used to have a bunch of stuff on top of the cabinets, but it started to look dusty and cluttered to me, so I took most of it down.

I like this Mexican pottery that my utensils are in.  I got in on one of my first trips to Mexico with Andy.

Now, I'm obsessed with painting my cabinets white and/or gray.  I'm a bit intimidated by the project though, especially since my cabinets are in good condition.  I'm afraid I might ruin them.

I would also like to add a tile backsplash.  One of these days all of my projects will be done!  Then it will be time to start over.

Aren't these lilies pretty?  I have a bunch of them blooming right now.  I will have a little tutorial for you later this week on how I painted the vase too.

Homemade Chalk Paint Dresser

There are so many great furniture makeovers using chalk paint.  However, I'm bit too cheap to shell out over $50 for a quart.  I've been thinking about trying to make my own chalk paint, but haven't had the right piece to try it on.

Enter this dresser.  It's perfect for my chalk paint experiment AND my daughter Chloe needs a new dresser.  Double score!!

This is probably the nicest piece of furniture I've picked up at a yard sale.  It's made by Drexel, solid wood (super heavy!), dovetail joints, etc. etc.  It's also in near-perfect condition.

Chloe wanted yellow.  So, I picked up a free quart of Ice Cream Sundae at Ace Hardware in a flat finish.  I had seen different techniques on making chalk paint.  At first I was going to use unsanded grout mixed in with the paint because I had a container of it sitting in my garage.

Luckily, my friend Ange from the Blooming Hydrangea commented that this would make the paint a "chalkboard" - type paint rather than the coveted "chalk" paint.  Instead, I mixed Plaster of Paris with the paint and thinned it with a little water.

I don't have an exact recipe or tutorial for you because I didn't measure anything.  I started by putting a few tablespoons of plaster of paris into a container.  I mixed this with about a tablespoon of water and then added a cup or so of paint and mixed well.  The consistency was similar to yogurt...fairly thick.

As I painted it on, there were glops and bumps.  The paint dries VERY quickly....maybe in twenty minutes or so.  There is no need to wait for the paint to cure.  You can go right ahead and sand as soon as the paint is dry.  Just like everyone says, the paint sanded beautifully into a chalk dust.

I used two coats of Minwax paste wax, which buffed to a subtle shine.

I added some new hardware from Hobby Lobby.

And I have a cute new dresser for my cute little Chloe.

Before:

After:

This is my "After" project for Lisa's Before and After party, which I wasn't supposed to share until the end of the month.  But, I finished it so quickly and was so excited by it that I had to share it now!

Linked here:
Today's Creative Blog, Sugar Bee Crafts, Not Just a Housewife, Reasons to Skip the Housework, Bella Before and After, Primitive and Proper, Home Stories of A to Z, Savvy Southern Style, DIY by Design, Tip Junkie, Type A Decorating, http://sistersstuff.blogspot.com/, The Thrifty Home, Domestically Speaking, Primp,
A Diamond in the Stuff, Restore Interiors, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Somewhat Simple, Beyond the Picket Fence, Fireflies and Jellybeans,My Simple Home Life,
Addicted 2 Decorating, Just a Girl, Remodelaholic, Miss Mustard Seed, Finding Fabulous, Tatertots and Jello, Under the Table and Dreaming, Thrifty Decor Chick, Coastal Charm, Junker Newbie, Serenity Now

Spring Into Action: Week 2

I made it to the second week of the Spring Into Action Challenge!  Last week we all revealed our projects.  I chose to finally finish building shelves in this niche and to do something with the stencil.  Click here to see Week 1 if you missed it.

This week I painted over the stencil.  I used Benjamin Moore's Stunning, which is a deep navy blue.  I love it!

Once the paint was up, I worked on building the shelves.  First I measured the space and how big the pieces of wood needed to be.  I ran over to Home Depot, where my favorite employee, Dennis, cut a sheet of plywood into all of the little pieces I needed.  He also cut pieces of trim for the edges of the shelves too.   I LOVE how they will cut the wood for you.  After my little incident with the hedge trimmers and stitches, I don't want to touch a saw ever again!

I brought my pieces of wood home and painted everything glossy white.  Then I fit the pieces together in the niche.  Everything fit together so snugly, no supports were needed to hold up the shelf.

The hardest part was trying to get everything square.  It took mutiple trips up the ladder, banging the pieces into place with a mallet, climbing down to eyeball it, and then climbing back up to hammer some more.

Yes, I am a total dork.
Once I got the pieces in place, I used wood glue to glue on the trim.

I used caulk around all of the edges, painted the trim, and touched up the navy.

I still have to paint the upper wall.  I'm going to need to join another challenge to get that done!
Now, I have the most difficult part left...styling those bad boys!  Come back next week for the big reveal.

I won't be getting any work done for the next few days because we're celebrating Big K's birthday in Vegas.  Today is his actual birthday.   Happy Birthday to the best husband and father EVER! 

This was last weekend when he took us on a hike to see wild ponies.  We ended up seeing 8 wild mustangs.  It was so cool!!!

See you next week!

Check out what my fellow Spring Into Action challengers have been up to this week.
Tiffany – Living Savvy

Kerry – Design du Monde

Laurie – Traditional & Modern

Cathy – Room Rx

Carrie – Hazardous Design

Lisa – A Room with A View

Sam – The Junk House

Becca – from Gardners 2 Bergers

Jean – Flower Hill Design

Nancy – Powell & Brower Home

Linda – My Crafty Home Life

Color My World Challenge!

I'm so excited that today marks the kick-off of the Color My World Challenge!  This challenge was dreamed up by Jessamie of Bird and Branch Redesign.

A group of bloggers has taken the challenge to introduce a new color into our homes.  This series will be running for the next four Tuesdays.  We'll be using our new color in decor, paint, and fabric.  The final week will be a wrap up and a HUGE blog hop where you can link up a post showing how YOU added a new color to your home too.  I really hope some of you will take the challenge and link up on May 1st...mark your calendar now.

Source: threepinkdots.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

It was a little hard for me to choose a color.  I already have tooo so many colors in my home and was wanting to go a bit more neutral.  But, I kept coming back to NAVY.

Source: veranda.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Suzanne on Pinterest

My favorite living rooms feature not just navy, but navy paired with pink.

Source: bit.ly via Suzanne on Pinterest

Source: mypinksketchbook.blogspot.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Or navy and coral:

Source: melissahare.blogspot.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Source: decorpad.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Even my favorite princess is drawn to navy and coral!

Source: applesandonions.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

What looks better with navy than some warm gold and crisp white?

Source: emilyaclark.blogspot.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

I hope you'll follow along over the next few weeks as I incorporate navy (and maybe even some pink, coral, and/or gold!) into my living room.

Some of my absolute favorite bloggers are also participating in the challenge.  Stop by and see what colors they are adding to their homes.  This challenge should be fun!
Ange - The Blooming Hydrangea
Anna - A Newfound Treasure
Carmel - Our 5th House
Cassie - Primitive and Proper
Jadyn - Dutch.British.Love
Jessamie - Bird and Branch Redesign
Julia - Black Tag Diaries
Julia - Pawley's Island Posh
Kristy - Hyphen Interiors
Lisa - Shine Your Light
Lisa - Trapped in North Jersey
Maury - Life on Mars
Shaunna - Perfectly Imperfect
Shelley - Crazy Wonderful
Suzy - Saved by Suzy
Tiffany - Living Savvy
Tiffany - Worthwhile Domicile
Vashti & Jamie - Like me Some...

The Bedroom

I think my bedroom is probably the most neglected room in the house, which might explain why I've never shown you pictures of it.   Well here it is:

Yes, that would be a gigantic wedding picture circa 1999.

And a pair of mismatched lamp shades:

Big K likes to read children's books before bed....to the three year old who always ends up in our room.

That was one of my first DIY projects - wrapping a lampshade in jute twine.

Just this morning, I decided to see what small changes I could make using things I have around the house.  Coral and gray is a new favorite color palette, so I wanted to incorporate those colors.

I replaced the wedding picture with this sunburst mirror I purchased at Home Depot several weeks ago.  If you're looking for a mirror this one was a bargain at $35.

The lamps got some new lampshades.  I got these at Target on clearance plus it was buy one, get one 50%.

The lamps needed something else, so I decided to paint them.  When painting lamps, I protect the top by tightly wrapping it in tinfoil.

I wrap the cord in tape and then place the remainder of the cord in plastic grocery bags.

Here's the lamp painted with Krylon's Coral Isle spray paint.

I flipped the quilt to the white side, put on some different shams, and moved pillows from the living room to the bed.

It's not perfect, but it's a start.  It's also fun to try to reuse things I already have...OR have gotten for free!  I got a quart of free paint at Ace Hardware.  They are giving away free quarts every Saturday in March.  This is the color I'll be painting my room.

Update: I stopped at the thrift store this evening and found a pair of lamps that I'm going to replace my little stick lamps with.  Don't worry, I'm still going to spray paint them coral.  I'll post pics when I'm done.