Basket Makeover

Before:

Painted with:

End Result:

I do like the way that the basket turned out.  My problem lies in where to put it.  I have yet to find a place where I think it looks nice.  It's too large to place on a wooden dresser and it doesn't really too nice on our cream colored carpeting.  Perhaps I should have chosen a smaller basket to paint.  Hmmm... So...until I figure something out, it sits on our cream colored carpeting and holds our Wii controllers and accessories.  Who knows, it may get painted a different color!  

Potting Bench Makeover

Remember this great bench Steel and I garbage picked found??  Well, it got a makeover!

It was in pretty bad shape and needed some cleaning.  I found this wood cleaner in the garage that would do the job.  I hear that vinegar will do the job as well but might as well use up the wood cleaner.  I mixed with water in a bucket.  I didn't pay too much attention to the directions of measuring out 1 part clear to 5 parts water.  I just poured.

Just a few strokes with the nylon scrub brush and I could see that it was working and working well.

I scrubbed down the whole bench and let it sit for 20 minutes and hosed it off.

I gave it a few days to dry...

Then...
I grabbed some Krylon Watermelon...

and sprayed away, following up with a hand sander...

My plans were to stain over top of my freshly painted and sanded project.  This would stain the bare wood.  

I had to put my project on hold due to time constraints and other time consuming demands.  My project sat on the top of our hill for a couple weeks and the more I looked at it, the more I DID NOT like the color watermelon!  I think watermelon is a nice enough color and all but not for this particular Potting Bench.

I decided to grab some Krylon Ballet Slipper and White...

I sprayed and sprayed...  

I can't tell you details of how I sprayed but I tried to give the same effect as I got when I sanded (using the watermelon).  This took a lot of trial and error.  This was more of an experiment than anything else.

Having the watermelon underneath was a nice effect, as it showed through in lightly sprayed areas.

I am over all pleased with the way it turned out.

Soap Bottle Etching

Well, you have to look close but I etched my soap bottle that I have in my kitchen.  One is hand soap and the other is dish soap.  So simple.  

1.  I used my (you guess it) Silhouette to cut out vinyl stencils.  

2.  I used Armor Etch and painted it on the bottle and let set for 5 minutes.

3.  I rinsed it off under running water and peeled off the stencil.

Project Rain Barrels - UPDATED

 UPDATED

Project Rain Barrel Complete!  Okay, not really, only one rain barrel complete.  I ran out of time and I cannot wait to post this so the other two barrels will have to wait until the weekend to be finished.  Yes, 3 rain barrels, if you're gonna do it, DO IT!  Right?!?  

We painted a food grade, 55 gallon drum and transformed it into a rain barrel.  I put a pipe at the top for an overflow and two spigots, one for filling water cans and one for connecting a hose.  I am very pleased with the results.  My inspiration? Kathy at Lovelace Files!  Thanks Kathy for the great idea!!!

UPDATE: When the hose is attached to the bottom spigot, well lets just say it doesn't work as I imagined.  Even when the barrel is full, there just is not enough pressure to use a hose, the water comes out but lifting the hose stops the flow.  So the bottom spigot is just used for emptying the barrel of stagnant water or leaving it open when not collecting water as in winter months.  

I do have plans to make the tops of these barrels look a bit nicer...stay tuned...I should be posting on that within the next few weeks!  

Click Read More for the How To...

Project Privacy Fence Complete

Our privacy fence is complete!  (Well, at least one side...)  We love it.  It looks so clean and neat.  The hub (with the help of a few enlisted friends) poured concrete to fill in the area in between the drive and the fence for permanent weed control.  The concrete also stretches back along side of the garage for garbage can storage.  We couldn't be happier (or at least until the entire backyard fence is replaced with vinyl).  See Phase I here.

Project Garden - Update #1

The hub built us a two-tiered garden.  Sorry, I have no tutorial.  I let him handle this on his own.

I bought the green wired fencing at the local discount store to keep our Puppy clean and out of our garden.

I had very bad luck with the seeds that I planted indoors.  They were great indoors but I was too impatient and did not introduce them to the harsh elements slowly.

All the tomatoes died.  I had to visit the local garden center and buy new plants.  The peppers are doing wonderfully!  The hub also built a bed for a pumpkin patch.  It seems the animals are already getting to those, all should be good.  I planted way too many for the area.  I planned this so that I could trim back the weaker plants to make more room for the stronger ones.

See our planting post here.

I will keep you posted on how our garden is doing.

Project Privacy Fence - Phase I Complete

I personally think that the chain link fence in front is a nice touch but it will be removed... =)

The hub finished installing our new privacy fence!  We only purchased enough to fence one side of our backyard due to budget constraints, we are hoping the finish the other two sides next spring although the roof may take presidence.  We found our vinyl (PVC) fencing at Wayside Fence.  Wayside is located in New York and including shipping, we saved mucho deniro!  For example, 80 feet of fencing at local DIY store was $3200, Wayside delivered it ($300 shipping) for $1800!  Yeah us!  We are very pleased with the quality as well.  And the BEST part?  Zero maintenance! 

Coming soon...
Phase II - Remove Chain Link Fence
Phase III - Concrete area from drive to fence

Click Read More for more pictures

Laundry Pocket Finds Jar

I used my Silhouette again!  I made vinyl letters to make a nifty jar for the laundry room to hold contents of what gets left in pockets that may or may not have made it's way into the laundry.  

How I Did It

1.  I made cut out my lettering on my Silhouette.  I made sure to keep the letters and the negative image all in tact.

2.  I used the vinyl transfer found near Cricut/Silhouette supplies in craft stores.  I peeled the backing off of it.

3.  I stuck the vinyl transfer directly to the lettering.

4.  I peeled the backing and negative from my lettering away from the vinyl transfer.  I made sure that only what I wanted to keep was still sticking to the vinyl transfer.  This isn't as hard as it may seem.

5.  I applied the vinyl transfer directly to the jar, lining up exactly where I wanted my lettering.  I eye balled this.

6.  I made sure to rub each letter with a bit of pressure to ensure when I peeled the vinyl transfer away that the letters would stay adhered to the jar.

7.  I peeled the transfer away from the jar.

Viola!

Inspiration:  http://www.athoughtfulplaceblog.com

Lunch Tote

My friend made me this incredibly cute Lunch Bag!  She needs to start a blog of her own to show off her stuff but in the meantime, I will show them off for her!  She found the tutorial at http://ayumills.blogspot.com.

Too Cute!

Check out the coordinating ribbon for the drawstrings.

I need a matching larger tote!  (Hint-Hint)  =)

Simple DIY Valance

Steel has a Disney Cars Room that was in need of a window treatment...

Found some great fabric at the fabric store, Steel picked it out...

How I Did It
1.  I bought one yard and kept that as the width and cut it as 20 inches in length.

2.  I folded and pinned the bottom hem (36 inches).  I made sure that my pattern on the reverse would be in the correct direction when hung.

3.  I, then, folded and pinned both sides (20 inches).

 4.  I angled the corners and pinned so that the corners would lay flat.

5.  I folded the remaining edge (top) down 3 1/2 inches.  I stitched one line across at 1 1/2 inches down and  one at 3 inches. The top pocket is the top 'decoration' and the second is where the curtain rod is slipped in.

Ready for hanging...

And hung...

Can't get any easier than that!