Turn File Cabinets into a Desk!

One of the many challenges with moving to a new house is figuring out how to fit furniture in ways that are functional and aesthetically pleasing!  It's sort of like Tetris.  But with prettier colors and shapes.

We have a large, yet weirdly shaped open living room.  Our only furniture configuration leaves an empty corner in which I've placed a wingback chair that had no other place.  I wanted a functional, yet pretty spot to use as a mini home office/homework spot.  For cheap.  BUT.  I want it be pretty.  I want, I want, I want, I want.. Yikes!  Now we come to the WHOLE point of this post:

I found matching two-drawer file cabinets at Goodwill for $6 each! The price range for brand new file cabinets is $40-$150. That alone was a deal!  (Goodwill can be overpriced at times, but sometimes you get 'lucky'!) 

I bought six 1x4's (6 feet in length) from Lowe's and cut them 5 feet in length.  After lightly sanding down them edges and corners, I stained the planks with Minwax stain.  I used two light coats of the Classic Gray color, and then one light coat of the Honey color.  The mixture of the two stains gives an aged look instead of just stained.  Had I not spilled about 7/8ths of the Honey colored stain, this project literally would used a teeny tiny bit of stain!  I COULD have sealed them with wax or polyurethane, but we will NOT be using this surface for food so I left off that step!

Next, I already had 8x1-1/4" screws and 1x1-1/2" wood pieces that are cut in 17 inch lengths.  I pre-drilled the holes so the 1x1-1/2" wood wouldn't split and attached the connector pieces to the 1x4's.  I attached the connector pieces 24-3/4" apart.  I didn't use 1x1/2" cut to the actual depth of the table because I didn't want to be able to see the connector pieces poking out when you look at the front of the desk.

I did NOT attach the table to the file cabinets.  I placed the table portion on top of the cabinets with the connector pieces lying on the inside of the side of the cabinet.  For now, this works perfectly!  The table is heavy enough that it doesn't shift or shake.  

And there you have my easy, frugal solution to an empty corner of my living room!  My oldest is excited to have a special desk to use for homework, and I'm happy to have another surface and area to decorate! 

Here's the breakdown of the materials and cost:

2 Two-drawer file cabinets = $12

6 1x4's (6 feet each) - 6 x $3.72 each = $22.32

Sandpaper (already had it!) = $0

Stain (already had the Honey color) = $7.77

10 8x1-1/4" Screws (already had them!) = $0

1x1-1/2's cut into 17 in. (already had it!) = $0

Total = $42.09

Considering one of the purchases (the stain) will provide MANY more uses, this is a GREAT deal for a customized piece of furniture!

Thanks for reading, friends!!

Jess

Home Tour: Master Bathroom {Rox's House}

Since this is not a house we planned on living in for long, we wanted to spend just enough to "update" some necessary features without breaking the bank.

I'm really excited at how much cleaner and pulled together this space feels with minimal work.

The paint job alone totally transforms a room (and is pretty inexpensive).

 The bathroom was paint a wheat yellow before.

Again, I say, don't judge me.

I probably painted this room about 7 or 8 years ago and CAREFULLU selected this color.

Let's just say I'm so glad it's gone.

I continued the same gray paint we used in the rest of the house (a 5 gallon bucket of Farrell Calhoun Paint was used on every wall in our 1200 square foot house and we still have some to spare!)

I then spray painted the brass light fixture, towel ring, and towel bar.

M made the frame for the mirror using simple white wood from Home Depot.  We painted it with leftover black outdoor paint from our front and back doors (if you take on this project, make sure to paint the back of the wood as well, at least along the inside edge...you'll be able to see it because of the the double-paned mirrors).

We then applied wood glue (gorilla glue, to be exact...my favorite), placed them directly on the edge of the mirror, and secured them with painter's tape until they dried.

We let them dry about 6-8 hours just to be sure and they haven't budged!



And just so you can see that a simple bathroom update doesn't have to cost an arm and leg, here's a cost breakdown:

Shower Curtain Rod: $20

Wall Paint: Free (Leftover)

Oil-Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint: $8

White Wood (Mirror Frame): $15

Frame Paint: Free (Leftover)

Toilet Handle: $7

TOTAL: $50

Have you done any home updates on a budget?

Please share your projects with us (ofdwellinganddress@gmail.com).  We'd love to feature you on our blog!

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Rox

Rox's Master Bedroom Tour

If you remember me mentioning back in December, my family sold our house and moved back into our old house that we had been renting out.

We hoped to only live here long enough to do some updating and then put it on the market.

We are anxious to move into the next town where we are planting a church.

While I was trying to be optimistic about how much time it would take to paint every interior and exterior wall, purchase new appliances, fix up the yard, and numerous other projects, I don't think M and I would have ever predicted that we could possibly be moving twice in 6 months.

Whew.

We are tired but ready to sell this house!

One of the last painting jobs I completed inside was our Master Bedroom.

We contemplated leaving the room the way it was because the paint job was still pretty good and I didn't think the color was terrible.....at the time.

But now seeing the before and after pictures, I am SO glad I took the time to complete this before listing!

It's crazy what a little paint can do!  

Doesn't the room look so much bigger and less "cave-like"?

And I just thought I would keep it real with y'all again with the before picture - this was amidst the chaos that ensued the week before listing.

Chaos, I tell you.

And here are some other views of our room.

In the top right picture you can see our closet on the right and the Master Bath on the left.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention my purchase that finished my Master Bedroom update - the lamps!

If you scroll back up, you can catch a glimpse of the tiny lamps we had before. 

I knew either the lamps had to change or the decor above the bed.

I've been dying to purchase new lamps but it just hasn't been in the budget.

BUT, I've had a little side job for the past week and had a little to spend.

I thought I would check my regular stops one more time (Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Home Goods, and Target), and I found these babies on clearance at Marshall's for $24 each.....shade included!

If you've ever shopped around for lamps, this price is unheard of!  

Ok, maybe I'm a nerd.....but finding a good deal made my day!

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Rox

{DIY} Chalk Paint & Tinted Wax

Y'all, this might be old news to you.  IF NOT, join in the fun of CHALK PAINT!  Annie Sloan has hit the DIY world by storm with her lovely paint-y ways... distressed furniture heaven...

BUT, I have yet to use hers... Shame on ME!  My DIY is totally a knock-off, and I can't tell you how it compares.  I just know I love the result and think it looks similar at least to what I've seen painted with Annie Sloan's paint.

I started out with 'Oops' or 'Mis-tinted' paint from Wal-Mart (also can be found at Home Depot and Lowe's).  I found a FANTASTIC soft, mustard-y yellow that looked even MORE fantastic at 50% off.  

Here's the chalk paint recipe I used:

1/2 cup baking soda

3 Tbsp. water

1 cup paint

Mix baking soda and water into a paste.  Add paint to paste until completely incorporated.  Use immediately OR let sit for a 'chalkier' texture.

(I've done both.. letting it sit does allow for a thicker first coat of paint)

-I used a small paint roller for the first coat on the large area, but a paint brush proved to be just as fast.  There's not need for the strokes to be absolutely perfect.  This is supposed to look OLD so the sloppier the better! 

-The second coat covered the rest of the table.  I didn't need an extra thick coat since I wanted the dark stain to show through.

-After the paint dried (it dries quickly!!), I lightly sanded all over the table but especially on the edges.  I made sure to allow the original stain show through on the places that would naturally be bumped and scraped.

-For tinted wax, I used Minwax Paste Finishing Wax (found at Home Depot) and Minwax PolyShades in Antique Walnut and Bombay Mahogany.  There really was no specific recipe here.  I just scraped out a good amount of wax into a tupperware bowl, poured in a little of the PolyShade, and mixed it until it was incorporated.  Using an old T-Shirt, towel, cheesecloth, or even one of Annie Sloan's special waxing brushes (which I hear are fantastic!), rub the tinted wax in small circles until the desired look is achieved. I suggest to test it out on a discreet corner of the table (or whatever you're painting) to see if you like the shade.  My first try was a little light so I just added the PolyShade until I was happy with the tint.  Also, rubbing in CLEAR wax BEFORE using the tinted wax prevents the color of the actual paint changing shades... instead, the wax just gets into the cracks and crevices.

If you WANT, you can finish it off with a coat of clear wax.

And.  THAT. Is how it's done.

I can't tell you how much I love my new table!!

I may or may not be obsessed with DIY chalk paint...

I may or may not have done a bunch of other projects because I loved it so much...

I may or may not have quite a few other projects up my sleeve...

What do you think??

Thanks so much for reading, friends!

-Jess

(Recipe for Chalk Paint recipe found HERE!)

Boys Bathroom Update (and some Kitchen changes)

As many of you know, my family and I moved back into our "other" house in December.

Our plan is update the house and then try to sell it.

My husband is planting a church in the town right next to ours, so we are anxious to be in the community as well as settle in a house that we will be in more long term.

And because Spring/Summer is the best time to sell, we are on a mad dash to finish the last little updates in the house before listing it.

Most updates are just cosmetic.

You can see the much needed paint job in the pictures below - dark brown to a light gray.

I also added some shelving as well as purchasing and raising a new curtain rod.

I have a couple more things I'd like to do (add a frame to the mirror and paint the cabinet hardware in Oil Rubbed Bronze), but it looks much better already!

My husband and I bought this 1100 square foot house 6 months after we got married.

I was 20 and hadn't quite figured out my style, so the paint colors I chose were horrendous, to say the least (just look at the bathroom and kitchen colors if you doubt me ;)

Since the house is so small, we decided to paint all interior walls the same color that way the rooms would flow a little better.

We also have bought a few new appliances since ours were pretty dated.

While my boys were at school this week, I decided to paint the kitchen (sneak peek below), and I have no idea why I waited so long to do it!

My initial plan was to paint the cabinets as well, but we are anxious to sell, so a new paint job on the walls as well as updated cabinet hardware will have to do.

(Oh, and I didn't bother cleaning up the kitchen before I snapped the shot above...just keeping it real for all our readers!)

Happy Thursday!




OH, AND DON'T FORGET TO ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY!!

IT'S GOING ON NOW THROUGH MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT!!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!!

Freezer Paper Stencil.....and Giveaway date announced!

Well, baseball season is upon us.

My oldest is playing for the first time, and I can honestly say, I had no idea how much it entailed.  (I think I owe my parents some extra thanks for running me and my two sisters around to our various sports and club meetings for years.  Whew!)

All that to say, we decided to let our oldest (who's only 14 months older) play something first.

I had no idea how much that would affect our youngest.  

They are so close in age that they do practically everything together, so I've tried to come up with some ways to make our youngest feel special while his older brother is getting to play a sport and get all new gear.

Don't get me wrong, J LOVES going to his brother's games, and I think it is good for them to do things separately, but I thought it would be fun for him to have a special shirt to wear to support the team.

PLUS, I've been itching to make my own Freezer Paper Stencil.

Win.  Win.

To begin, you'll need Freezer Paper (of course), fabric paint, and a sponge brush.

(You'll need an iron in a couple minutes, so get that ready.)

1.  This picture just shows the look I was going for.  I planned on using the stencil to create the same number as E's and then using the fabric pen (pictured above) to write 'Eli's Bro' above it.
2.  I cut a small piece of Freezer Paper and traced the two from the back of E's shirt.
3.  Cut out shape with scissors.
4.  Place and iron on Freezer Paper stencil to back of shirt.
5.  Use sponge brush to apply fabric paint.  I used a hair dryer to speed up the drying process because I wanted to do another layer of paint.  Use sponge brush to apply second layer of paint.
6.  Let it dry for 10 minutes or so before carefully removing stencil.

And you're done!

I think the fabric paint is supposed to set for 72 hours before being washed.

I haven't finished the lettering on the front and back but will post pictures as soon as I do!

This project was very simple.

Jessie used a similar process to make her boy and my two boys some Star Wars pajamas for Christmas.  She shirt has a Darth Vader silhouette and are by far my boys favorite thing to wear to bed.  She'll have to post hers soon!

Annnnnnndddddddd..........

Don't forget to check back Monday, April 21 for your chance to enter our Giveaway!

You don't want to miss it!

{ The Baby Bob }

To cut?  Or not to cut?

THAT is the question.

Right?

Ok, baby haircuts in the grand scheme of things is not REALLY that big of a deal.  But for the mama, baby's first haircut FEELS like a big deal!  Mamas of curly-haired little ones, I can only imagine saying 'Good-bye' to those sweet curls the first time would be traumatic!

My babies don't have the sweet curls, so I said 'Good-bye' to a stringy, straight mullet.  Not quite as sweet sounding as 'Baby Curls'... either way, it was weird to give my baby girl her first haircut!

Ok, peeps.  I took the ram by the horn and pulled a DIY.  (Ok, did I just call my little gal a ram?  With horns?  Ok, weird... just replace it with your favorite line.. I can't think of a different one...)

I found a video tutorial for a little girl's bob haircut complete with a stack in the back! (Video found HERE.)  I decided it was worth trying for FREE.  I could always take her to get it fixed at a salon if I needed to!!

I'm pleased to say, it turned out alright!  A hairstylist would probably be MORTIFIED to say the least...  BUT Y'ALL.  I saved 20 bucks!  Seminary life calls for cutting costs!  I can't say, "Go on!  Try cutting your little girl's hair yourself!!"  I CAN say, "Proceed with caution."

This little endeavor took about 2 hours... complete with numerous breaks for fruit snacks, goldfish, turning on new TV shows, getting hair out of said snacks, spraying, re-spraying hair, taking deep breaths, trying not to freak out about sweet baby hairs on the ground, and more.

Anyway, thanks for reading and NOT judging! :)  We're friends here, right?  Shoot it to me straight.  Would you cut your little ones' hair to save a few bucks??

Have a fantastic day, y'all!

-Jess

Drab to Fab: Tribal Print using Freezer Paper

We've ALL seen the tribal print craze.  Leggings, purses, shirts, jackets, scarves, pockets, and more and more and more!  Here's a way to join the trend (or add to your tribal print collection!) without spending much or ANY money!

1.  Draw your favorite tribal print on the paper-y side of freezer paper with a pencil.  (There's a waxy side, too.)  Before you draw, decide the size you'd like your print so you don't have to erase a bunch of times!

2.  Using an Exact-O Knife, carefully cut out the print to create the negative.  Iron the print with the waxy side DOWN.  Smooth out/iron down the fabric first to avoid bubbles and creases.

3.  I chose to use Martha Stewart's Multi-Surface craft paint.  I'm unsure of the durability of regular craft paint on fabric, and the only color of fabric paint I had on hand was black!  (Look back HERE to see where else I used this metallic paint!)

4.  Carefully dab the paint onto the fabric in the negative space.  Make sure to put cardboard or extra freezer paper in the middle of the shirt to prevent bleed-through.  

After deciding if you need another coat of paint, carefully peel off the freezer paper.  (My favorite part!!)  I chose to do only one coat of paint and peeled the paper off immediately after finishing.

Be careful to follow instructions for the fabric paint!  Some paints suggess letting the paint 'cure' for 48-72 hours, then heat-setting the fabric either with an iron or in dryer.

Now it's time to rock that print!  You can obviously choose a more intricate pattern to paint, but I like ease and time to be on my side in my projects!  This was literally a 30 minute deal.  You can make it even EASIER by printing out the tribal print from a template.  But we don't have a printer... bummer.

Let me know what you think!  This project is obviously VERY versatile.  Paint a word, picture, etc.

Thanks for reading y'all!!

-Jess

Front Door, Back Door Makeover

This VERY rarely happens.

And by 'this' I mean completing a project this quickly after blogging about it.

M surprised me this weekend with a TON of time spent on home projects.

And I couldn't have been happier!

The project I worked on was painting the inside of both the front and back doors black.  

And it did not nearly take as long as I expected.

We used Valspar outdoor paint and primer in one for the first time, and I was very impressed.  

2 coats (with about 2 hours of drying time in between) and I was done!

And I love the results.

I hope M doesn't read this, but I am tempted to paint all the interior doors black in our next house, I like it so much.

1.  Remove ridiculous pillow cases from back door window.

2.  Tape off window panes.

3.  (After first coat of paint.)

4.  After 2nd coat of paint (and glass frosting).

I used Young House Love's glass frosting technique like I mentioned in the last post.

It was fairly easy and is removable in case future owners don't like it!

(Oh, and if you look at the tile floor in the before and after pictures of the back door, you can get a sneak peak of some grout work that M was working on while I painted the doors.  Check back soon for a post on his hard work!)

Happy Thursday, y'all!

Rox

A Lamp Revamp: { Part One of the Dramatic Tale }

Once upon a time I found a lamp at GoodWill.  It was cheap.  It worked.  It NEEDED some work.

And it came home with me...

Then it sat in the closet for a few months.

Then I decided to paint it:

Here she is 'before'.

I dusted her off, taped off the bronze accents, and covered her vital parts with plastic bags...

Using Rustoleum in White Gloss, I painted her up.... I paint her down... I painted her all around...

Can you fall in love with a lamp??

Um, yes.

"I love lamp."  -Brick, from Anchorman

I DO love lamp.

At least I DID until I put on the lampshade...

It's almost like seeing a girl that's wearing a skirt that's too short:  kinda awkward.

SO.

That's where I leave you:  with Part One of the Lamp Saga...

Stay tuned for my finishing touches on this here beauty... I can't wait to see what happens!  Because I literally don't know what's next yet! :)

OH.  And Happy Halloween/Happy Reformation Day/Happy October 31st/Happy Normal-Day-of-the-Week-if-Halloween-Ain't-Yo-Thang!!

Boys' Bedroom Redesign

So, most of you readers know that we are in the process of selling our house and moving a town over.  

This means we are in the phase of trying to keep our house spotless so we can be out in a moment's notice for our house to be shown.  

While this is our main focus right now, what is also true is that we have 2 growing boys - 4 & 5 - and our 5 year old is pretty tall for his age.

SO.....they have been in "toddler" beds since they climbed out of their cribs (both at 14 months.....I'm not sure why I produce children so full of energy....they MUST get it from their dad :)

So that's been about 4 years for our oldest.

And his legs were almost off the end of the crib mattress.

(You can check out the boys room tour here.)

A friend VERY KINDLY gave us a bunk bed for our boys but it has been sitting in our garage because it wouldn't fit in their current room (because of the slanted ceilings) and I don't have time to completely move them to another room of the house.

After talking to my brilliant sister, she suggested I find out if our bunk beds could change into twin beds.

And, lo and behold, they could!  

So, I've been slowly buying bedding, sheets, mattress covers, etc. for the new room.

And this past week, we finally had everything we needed to complete their new room!

M and I started the process one day at nap and completed the whole disassembly and assembly of beds and decorating in 2 hours!  

(The animal heads on the pallets were a DIY of sorts that I will feature next week, so check back!)

My goal was to update their room with a design that they could grow into.

Have you done any room updates lately?

Rox 

{ Have any before and after shots of projects or room redesigns?  Send us some pictures at ofdwellinganddress@gmail.com with a brief description.  We'd love to feature you on our blog! }

DIY Cake Stand { or jewelry holder }

I absolutely love the idea of using something for something else... you got me??

Example:  The cute porcelain Anthro egg crates used for storing jewery, water pitchers used as vases, or stacked suitcases as nightstands.

Now that my examples explain my vague description...

 You've probably seen (on Pinterest) gorgeous cake stands used to store jewelry or perfume, but I can't seem to find any for myself at a good price!

Sidenote:  Rox found a beautiful one on clearance at Target (awhile back..) so you CAN find them... I just never have... 

So I made my own!!

Supplies:

2 thrifted decorative plates, a candlestick from Dollar Tree, and a thrifted ceramic cup/planter

E6000 Adhesive and Krylon spray paint in Coral Isle

The process is EASY:

- Glue the candlestick or cup to the bottom of the decorative plate.  Let dry for 24 hours.

- Spray paint the cake stand using as many coats as needed.  You may do well to use a primer first!

That's it!  And I didn't even have to spray paint the off-white stand since the cup and plate were the same color! SCORE.

I used these to display rings and bracelets at my craft fair last weekend, and I loved how it looked!

I don't recommend putting food directly on the stands (especially the painted one) unless it's lined with wax paper or something similar.

I also recommend that you NOT use the clear gloss protective paint after painting with your original color... I had to scrape and scrub and start ALL over on the coral cake stand after trying the protective coat.  It wrinkled up and started peeling away... I wanted to cry.  SO, save yourself the tears and DON'T DO IT.

I've made them using a candlestick and a stove burner cover before... while they served their purpose for a cheap price, they have since broken and are not very sturdy.

So go make yourself a cake stand to use for your jewelry or perfume for just a few dollars!  And let us know if you do!

Thanks for reading!

-Jess

Master Bathroom Before and After

I started painting my master bathroom about 3 months ago and have FINALLY finished!

Woop! Woop!

As you can see (and I think I've moaned and complained about this before), the trim and doors in our entire house were painted the same butter yellow as all of the terrible builder's grade paint.  

I HATE it.

Do you see the whole buttery glow in the before picture?  

Yuck.

So, anytime a room is repainted, the trim has to be painted as well. 

Otherwise......yuck.

No paint looks good with buttery yellow trim to complement it.

(Are you getting the picture about how much I DESPISED it?)

PLUS, I heard that the Master Bath is a selling point for any house.

SO, something HAD to be done.

I used the same color that I used in the boys room and I love how much more calm and fresh it looks now!

I still have to decorate it a little bit, but that's the easy part!

Repainting a room really makes a world of difference.

Have you done any repainting lately?

Happy Monday, y'all!

Rox