Chalk Paint Love

So I've had my Grandmother's desk for quite some years when my parent's passed it down to me. I have very found memories of sitting at this desk when I was a child. There was a red rotary phone that sat atop it and it is where my Grandmother kept her paper and pens for me to draw.

Sad to say, it had been collecting dust in my home and I felt as if it didn't fit anywhere, I tried it for a time in front of my big window with pictures on it (as you can see below) but I did not LOVE it. It was just, well, BLAH....

Before

For a long time, I contemplated painting it but for some reason that felt sacrilegious! In my quest to declutter our home and simplify it became apparent that I either needed to breathe new life into this sentimental dresser or sell it. SOOOO, I busted out my Annie Sloan Chalk Paints and went to work! Here is the after! What do you think? I think while it updated the look, and was much brighter and cheerier (is that even a word?!)  I still wasn't in love with it in front of my window. It still hadn't found it's home!

After

Determined that I was now going to keep it after all the sweat I put into painting it, I dragged it all around my house until I found the perfect spot! It now sits in my hearth room and holds all the little Lego's, bouncy balls, and random toys of my boys that I pick up on a regular basis!

What old pieces of furniture have you re purposed lately?! I'd love to see them!!

Summer DIY Washers Game

Ahhh, who doesn't love summer?! School's out (which means no more crazed yelling at the kids to get dressed, brush their teeth, do their homework....) instead you can opt for a nice cup of coffee on the deck with Mr. Sunshine, until that is, the kids roll out of bed. Then it's "I'm bored," "Mom what can we do?" "I don't want to clean my room!" and the list goes on. How many of us have already pinned '20 things to do with your kids?'

Here is an easy DIY Washer's game project you can make to hopefully keep the kids entertained for at least an hour okay maybe 15 minutes a few times a day?! It's not just a kids game though. We love to break out the washers when we have summer bbq's for some adult fun as well! What is this game? Just click HERE to find all you need to know about this American favorite!

Materials:

(2) 8' 2X4's: cut into (4) 14" lengths & (4) 17" lengths

(1) piece of plywood cut into (2) 17" x 17" squares

(2) pieces of 17" x 17" square outdoor grass

(2) 4" PVC couplings 

(2) pkg of 1 1/2"  L brackets

(8) washers

Gorilla Glue

Screws and a drill

*Home Depot will make cuts for you if needed*

1. Grab your 2X4's and predrill holes to make putting your box together LOTS easier!

2. After boards are drilled, set up your square. You will use the 14" lengths on the inside and 17" on the outside. Yes it will be wobbly. You will use the ever handy Gorilla Glue and the wood screws you see in the picture to then screw everything tightly together to make a 17" square. Repeat for a total of 2 squares!

Make sure your edges line up nice and square

A little Gorilla Glue helps keep edges square while you put in screws

Sometimes you just have to use a knee to keep everything lined up!

3. While your 2X4 squares are drying, you can cut your plywood if you haven't already done so as well as your outdoor grass and glue the grass onto the plywood.

Roll of outdoor grass purchased at Home Depot

 

Add a generous amount of Gorilla Glue to the back side of your plywood

Lay your outdoor grass out flat upside down, then lay your plywood glue side down, of course.

 

It's easiest if you align two of the already precut straight edges

After you get it all lined up, use a razor to cut the remaining edges of outdoor carpet

Next, stand on your square to make sure everything is glued nicely :)

Flip over and make sure all edges are nicely glued

4.Now it is time to drill the outdoor grass plywood board and the 2X4 square together! We used 8 screws total for each square. One in each corner and one in the middle of each side. Start with a middle first so you don't get out of 'square' as you are screwing everything together.

Line up your board so everything is square and fits nicely

Again, use a knee to hold securely while you drill in the screws.

This is how it should look after it's put together.

5. Now for the fun part, adding the PVC coupling to make the "washer cup!"

Measure the center point from BOTH directions

Center your PVC and use your razor to cut around

Ta Da! Do not throw away the circle. You will put it back in.

Glue and hold tightly with your hand, since you can't kneel or stand here ;)

Ta Da!

For extra support screw 3 of your L brackets like so into your PVC and base

.

Make sure to put your circle of grass back in the cup.

Have your little helper check and make sure it's done right!

Now that you have finished your washer set up, it's time to get some washers (2.5" is the size you'll need) to play the game. You can find basic washers at Home Depot, or any hardware store; however there are a lot of fun options to order online! Check out Victory Tailgate for some awesome choices!! I really love the American Flag option for July 4th BBQ's and the Zebra for those of us girlie girls that love to play washers! Washer's also come in different weights....good options for kids vs. adults.

Our finished set.  Notice we have different weight washers for the adults vs. kids.

I might "fancy" this up a bit with a coat of paint, but I may not since it will just get quite a bit of wear and tear throughout the summer! Hope you enjoy!

Fabulous Friday Finds

This week's Fabulous Finds are below. It is not hard to find things I adore on a daily basis let alone during the holiday's when everyone has their halls decked and trees trimmed. 

Hope you enjoy this weeks' eye candy. 

Kitchen

Isn't this kitchen just yummy? I can just imagine it filled with family, friends, food and lots and lots of laughter.

Holiday Bedroom

 I love the classic gray and white of this room. The crisp linens of the bed are complimented by the soft curtains and glow of the simple garland.

Bathroom

The minimalist look of this bathroom has a warmth to it due to the natural wood and the wall of windows let let's in mother nature's beauty. I would love to soak in that tub, and I think my whole neighborhood could fit in the shower! Ha ha.

Living Room

The same furniture, yet very different feel and look. It's amazing what a wall color or pillow can do!

Christmas Decoration

It's so hard to pick a favorite Christmas decoration as I love most all of them! This classic, antique Santa brings heartfelt memories to mind of Christmas' past. Love.

Chevron Rug

Chevron is everywhere. Sometimes it can get a little overwhelming, but I love this rug from One King's Lane. Available in multiple colors...always a bonus!

Outdoor Serenity

Sometimes you just need an escape, especially this time of year with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. This space speaks to me. It says, "Grab a cup of coffee, and a good book(or design magazine) curl up by the fireplace and relax."

Fashion 

I love winter because I love boots and sweaters. This look doesn't disappoint. Love the combination of plum, cream and black.

 

Quote

I live by quotes. This one is perfect for this time of year!

What are a few of your favorite things? I'd love to see them!

Cheers!

DIY $12 Noel Christmas Decor

If you haven't guessed yet, I LOVE Christmas! Everything about it. It's in my blood. I grew up with a Mom who LOVED Christmas as well. So much so she transformed her house every year starting on Halloween. She even changed out the telephone cord, yes, telephones used to have cords. (Am I dating myself?) Needless to say, I tend to go crazy decorating as well...I just can't seem to stop.  Here is this weekend's creation...all for $12 or less, depending on what supplies you may already have on hand.

What you will need:

(1) 1 X 3 board (you can use 2' or longer)

NOEL chip board letters

(1) small grapevine wreath

red, brown, and gold paint

gold glitter

Gorilla Glue

Cut the boards to your desired length using either a hand saw or circular saw.  Using our trusty Gorilla Glue, glue the boards together and clamp until dry.

Sometimes you have to use a shim or two

While your boards are drying, at least an hour, paint your chipboard letters. I used the DecoArt Americana Alizarin Crimson color for my classic Christmas look.

I wanted a pop of color so I opted to paint the O a gold, as red and gold, well they just look beautiful for the Christmas Season. The gold I used it actually more of a Champagne than a true gold. It is the FolkArt Metallic Paint in Sahara Gold. (Truthfully, I am a bit OBSESSED with this color right now!)

After the boards dried, I laid out the letters exactly so and then glued them on, again with my beloved Gorilla Glue. In addition, I decided to not distress the boards for this look, as sometimes I feel I am over distressed...ha ha!

For the finishing touch I used Krylon Adhesive Spray on the wreath followed by a dusting of gold glitter. I just set the wreath in front of the O for display. I opted to not glue it on, so that I can change the design in the future if desired.

So there you have it! Easy afternoon Christmas decor project for less than $12!

Fall is in the air

The breezes are getting cooler, the leaves are starting to fall and football is on the big screen. Ahhhh, Fall. My favorite time of year. I love it even more so now that I live in the mountains...there is something magical about the crisp morning air and yellow aspen trees that makes my heart sing. Not to mention football. I LOVE football...always have, always will. It makes me weird to my girlfriends, yet pretty darn cool as far as the fellas in my family are concerned. When I am not busy dreaming about raking a big, fat pile of leaves and jumping in them I am busy decorating for fall! It's the "kick-off" to the best décor season ever: Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, then the touch down, Christmas!! These shots are of some of my current fall eye candy. I am in the process of making some cute DIY fall decorations and will post them up as soon as they are ready! What is your favorite season? Do you love Fall?

This is my DIY display box I made in the spring. It runs down the center of my DIY farmhouse table and I LUV decorating with it.



The acorns are the finishing touch.

I just adore these glitter pumpkins and gourds.

  Another Shot

  Pumpkin love