DIY Fri.

bumpuser8967176 · September 2013

Share your recent home improvements/ arts and crafts/recipes/etc.

This week, I finally learned how to use my sewing machine. I hemmed all the curtains in the house and made 8 bright red curtains for open cabinets at work. Not too exciting, but a much-needed project! Has anyone ever made their own curtains for their house? I'd like to attempt that soon.

bumpuser8967176 · September 2013

@packerfan4life that dress is very cute! I am impressed with your knitting skills. I don't know if I'd have the patience to knit.

@katiewest please post a picture when you're done! I've never used the chalk paint but really want to get some for our two dressers. I loooooove the stain on top and paint on bottom look. As for the curtains, I think measuring and cutting/sewing straight lines will be the death of me.

MMason12 · September 2013

I get to play this week!!! Disclaimer: I have always wanted to be a crafty person; however, I really do not have a lot of artistic talent flowing through this body of mine -- but I try!

So, anyways.... A few weeks ago I was browsing through Pinterest (always dangerous in my mind) and instead of looking through recipes (usually what I do) I was browsing through the "Kids" category and I came across this picture of a TV hutch that someone had refinished and turned into a dresser/changing table:

I instantly fell in love with it and thought, "Hey, I can do that!" My DH had been looking at furniture that we could use in the nursery and it just boggles my mind how expensive everything is. Once we are pregnant I do not want to count on anyone buying us anything and I was itching to take on a new project that would challenge me.

So, I set out on Craig's List to find a piece of furniture that I could refinish. I searched for quiet a few days and then I came across this piece:

After some haggling I was able to buy the piece for only $125. Heck yes in my book!!!! So, we got the piece home and I started to tackle the job of sanding the piece down.

At this point I have all the sanding done and I am ready to clean all the pieces up to prepare them it for priming and paint. It has been way to humid here lately for me to paint so I am waiting for the fall weather to kick in and the humidity level to drop. After tons of searching we are going to paint the piece a navy blue. That way we can use the piece in the nursery or even in our master bedroom if we wanted.

So this is so long! Like I said I am not a huge DIY person -- I usually try to start a lot of DIY projects they just never seem to turn out -- so I am super excited about this one!

TeeJ526 · September 2013

@packerfan4life and @BurritosAtEveryMeal your DIYs look awesome! I'm going to try and decorate our headboard this weekend. I'm going to try my hand at adding a nailhead trim. I really hope I don't mess this up.

bumpuser8967176 · September 2013

@mmason12 that is going to be beautiful! I am jealous!

@TeeJ526 thanks! Good luck with the nail trim. I bet your headboard will be fancy and gorgeous.

I'm so happy there are so many DIYers on this board! Keep 'em coming!

TeeJ526 · September 2013

Oh @slappalicious those pouches look really pretty! I would totally buy one!

Pintobean39 · September 2013

@mmason12. I can't wait to see the finished project. I'm planning on doing the same thing. My MIL is an interior designer and when I was pg we started designing the nursery and that's one of the things we discussed. She's buying everything (bed, rocker etc ) but I'm going to do the dresser changing table at a diff color.

Peedy · September 2013

Woah, everyone here is so crafty.. I thought I was doing a good job with being halfway through a baby afghan that I'm crocheting for a friend (I hope it's the thought that counts, because it has a few questionable stitches in it)... I obviously need to step up my game.

Pintobean39 · September 2013

@katiewest .... I love chalk paint. I actually make my own now because Its so expensive to buy. I've painted a whole bedroom set and cabinets in my utility room. Not to mention little things.

KingLED · September 2013

Nothing really accomplished yet, but I've been trying to design my "craft room" if you can call it that. Out tiny apartment has a useless dining room and I'm making it my sewing/computer/craft area. I can't decide if I want to do the long table with a cabinet in the middle and separate areas
for sewing and my computer, or if I want to keep the cabinet under the desk to the side so it's more fluid. But yeah. That's my current project. Pictures coming soon!

Pintobean39 · September 2013

wareagle1220 said:
I don't have any pictures and haven't really started yet (probably next wee), but I have my Grandpa's old desk that I'm planning on either staining or painting. There's a pretty nasty scratch on the top and I don't know if there are stainable putties. Does anyone know? Anyway, I might paint the top and stain the rest. Or just paint the whole thing. Maybe I'll have pictures soon.

I think there is stainable putty. How big is the scratch?

BankerBSN · September 2013

Pintobean39 said:

I don't have any pictures and haven't really started yet (probably next wee), but I have my Grandpa's old desk that I'm planning on either staining or painting. There's a pretty nasty scratch on the top and I don't know if there are stainable putties. Does anyone know? Anyway, I might paint the top and stain the rest. Or just paint the whole thing. Maybe I'll have pictures soon.
I think there is stainable putty. How big is the scratch?

We have been refinishing wood for the last 9 months now. I would recommend stainable wood filler. Then sand the whole top of the desk with a coarse then fine sandpaper. Putty never hardens. GL!

MrsN6912 · September 2013

I am really wanting to refinish the cabinets in our bathroom! It's just the builders oak. I loathe them.
Not sure if I want to stain or Paint them! Any ideas and tips would be appreciated!

MMason12 · September 2013

@thekikimonster - I love your refinish jobs!!

@MrsN6912 - Personally, I would paint them and I would probably paint them black.

bumpuser8967176 · September 2013

@slappalicious Those zippered pouches are freakin' adorable! And thanks for the sewing tip- I will take as many tips as I can.

@thekikimonster I love your color choices. We're a little kooky over here too. Me likey!

MMason12 · September 2013

triumphgrrrl said:

@MMason12 - DAMN WOMAN! That's awesome! I always love the idea of refinishing something, but never do because I'm lazy and like instant gratification.

@triumphgrrrl - I know exactly what you mean! I have always wanted to refinish furniture, but I know how much time and patient it takes to the piece properly. I continually remind myself that slow and low is okay with this project to make sure I do it right. We'll see how it turns out in the end, but I am giving it my all.

AmyC925 · September 2013

My fairy skirt for Halloween.

Jasperk23 · September 2013

Our dining set had become a point of contention for DH and I -- he wanted to keep it and I wanted to replace it. It's an antique set that came with the house, but it is in really rough shape and the chairs are not sturdy at all.

Last week, we finally decided on a compromise. I am going to sand down and re-stain the table, and we will be replacing the chairs with leather ones. I'm hoping the finished product will look something like this, except the chairs will be either beige or red.

jlynnlavery · September 2013

I made this wreath yesterday for our fall decor!

MMason12 · September 2013

@wareagle1220 - It's going to be in the paint section - either by the stains or it will be by the silicon and putty, depending on how the store you go to is setup. There are some that come pre-colored in a stain color, then there will be a stainable/paintable one.

This one is the one I used on the dresser I am refinishing to fill in the old knob holes. Just make sure you really let it dry (I usually let it dry a full 24 hours) before sanding it down. My drawers have turned out great so far using this and I only have the primer on!

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