Great Ideas — DIY Inspiration {9}

Stencil a Chevron Curtain @ Nest Full of Posies

Beautiful Bench Transformation @ Just a Girl

 This China Cabinet Redo is so refreshing @ Natty by Design

 Transform a coffee table into a Fabulous Bench @ Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss

 Yellow and Grey bathroom @ K and K company.

 Gorgeous Guest Room redo @ Sew Dang Cute

Sweet Nursery Reveal @ Kara’s Korner

 Make a Dog Bed out of an old chair @ My Repurposed Life

Monogrammed Bar Cart @ Keller-Creative

Make a Chicken Wire Chandelier @ Funky Time

Beautiful Colors on this Mantel @ Love of Family and Home

 Create Matchstick Blinds from 1960’s drapes @ Three Boys

Beautiful Turquoise Dresser @ Simple Home Life

Check out this Pretty Dining Room after @ Scissors and Spatulas

This cabinet gets new life with paint @ The Creviston Nest

An old phone table/bench gets a makeover with paint @ Crafty Scrappy Happy

Beautiful Cabinet transformation with wallpaper @ Just So Lovely

 Mid Century desk transformation @ Primitive & Proper

 Create a Colorful Pennant Nursery @ The Audzipan Anthology

Make a No Sew Pennant Banner @ Whimsy Lane

Amazing Kitchen Cabinet decoration @ Addicted 2 Decorating

Turn an old light fixture from frames @ The Sunset Lane

Find out how to make this fun Painted Rusty Cans @ Homework

There are so many fun Summer ideas AND tons of other great ideas too!! 

Come check them out and link up YOUR great ideas and enter to win a Keep Calm pillow and ANY ring from Little Miss Momma!!

 xoxo

Have a Happy Sunday!!

PS — Another Great Ideas post is coming up soon!!

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Great Ideas — DIY Inspiration {9}

Stencil a Chevron Curtain @ Nest Full of Posies

Beautiful Bench Transformation @ Just a Girl

 This China Cabinet Redo is so refreshing @ Natty by Design

 Transform a coffee table into a Fabulous Bench @ Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss

 Yellow and Grey bathroom @ K and K company.

 Gorgeous Guest Room redo @ Sew Dang Cute

Sweet Nursery Reveal @ Kara’s Korner

 Make a Dog Bed out of an old chair @ My Repurposed Life

Monogrammed Bar Cart @ Keller-Creative

Make a Chicken Wire Chandelier @ Funky Time

Beautiful Colors on this Mantel @ Love of Family and Home

 Create Matchstick Blinds from 1960’s drapes @ Three Boys

Beautiful Turquoise Dresser @ Simple Home Life

Check out this Pretty Dining Room after @ Scissors and Spatulas

This cabinet gets new life with paint @ The Creviston Nest

An old phone table/bench gets a makeover with paint @ Crafty Scrappy Happy

Beautiful Cabinet transformation with wallpaper @ Just So Lovely

 Mid Century desk transformation @ Primitive & Proper

 Create a Colorful Pennant Nursery @ The Audzipan Anthology

Make a No Sew Pennant Banner @ Whimsy Lane

Amazing Kitchen Cabinet decoration @ Addicted 2 Decorating

Turn an old light fixture from frames @ The Sunset Lane

Find out how to make this fun Painted Rusty Cans @ Homework

There are so many fun Summer ideas AND tons of other great ideas too!! 

Come check them out and link up YOUR great ideas and enter to win a Keep Calm pillow and ANY ring from Little Miss Momma!!

 xoxo

Have a Happy Sunday!!

PS — Another Great Ideas post is coming up soon!!

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Fabric-Covered Resin Table Redo {plus 23 other resin project ideas}

I love trying new things!

And sometimes those ideas don’t turn out. If you read my blog a couple years ago you may remember this craft fail:

I spent a week trying to figure out resin. And boy was it tough. It was either too hard, or too soft, or had bubbles, or stuck to the molds.  

At the end of that week I decided that resin and I would never be BFF’s.  

So when Environmental Technology said they wanted to send me some resin, I was excited but a little apprehensive. But what the heck, I was game to give resin another spin. And I’m so glad I did!! This Envirotex Pour and On product is a whole different, friendlier animal than the resin I had tried before.

I decided to redo a little garage-sale table that sits on my front porch. The porch is covered, but over the winter all of the paint had peeled off and it was in sad shape.

 And you know me, I just had to add a little Chevron to the mix LOL! 

Here’s what I did:

• I sanded all of the peeling paint off with my trusty mouse sander. If you don’t have one of these, you need to get one PRONTO! Love it!

• Then I primed the table with some spray paint primer.

• Then I sprayed the table with some off-white spray paint. Very neutral. {I didn’t paint the top of the table or shelf because I knew I was going to cover it with fabric}

• I decided to use black and white chevron fabric because it is neutral and goes great with my black front door. I cut out a square of material bigger than the top of the table and then cut around the top of the table so the material was pretty close to the same size as my table top. I did the same thing with the shelf too.

• Now one thing I do know about resin is that if you are going to use fabric or paper with resin, you need to seal it first so the resin doesn’t sink into the fabric or paper and discolor it. So I took my Mod Podge and put a thick layer on the top of the table and shelf. Then I laid the fabric on top and smoothed out all of the air bubbles. And then I put TWO layers over the top of the fabric. And I let it dry overnight. Once it was dry, I trimmed the fabric a little more so it was exactly the same size as the table top.

• Now I was ready to get the resin out. I read the directions TWICE. One thing I had heard about this resin product was to measure PERFECTLY and time it PERFECTLY. So I did that. I also made sure to mix it thoroughly. So after 2 minutes exactly, I poured the resin on my tabletop and spread it out with a foam paintbrush.

• I also spread the resin on the table legs to make the whole table waterproof – perfect for being outside on my porch all year!!

• There were some bubbles, so I got out my little propane torch/lighter and ran it over the surface. It was amazing the way that propane gets the bubbles out. There were hundreds of tiny bubbles sticking to the fabric and the propane flame zapped them all up!

• This EnviroTex material is so different from the resin I had tried in the past. It takes a while to set up. I let the table sit overnight and in the morning it was shiny and hard. So I did another layer of resin over the top and followed the steps just the same as I had with the first coat. And I let that dry overnight too.

• I have to say that I truly do love this product. I have some left over and I am trying to decide what to make with it next. I think some pendants or jewelry are coming up soon!!

And if you have ever thought of trying resin, Check out the other 23 awesome resin projects made by these creative bloggers!!  

 Pick some up this summer and make something cool with it! You can find Envirotex resin at most craft supply stores like Michaels, as well as most hardware stores!

Disclosure:
ETI sent me this product to try out. You won’t believe all that you can do with this product. Envirotex Lite was created by Environmental Technologies Inc. (ETI), which is the home for many resin and mold making products.

The use of resin in jewelry making, mixed media and paper arts continues
to grow in popularity. Today, artists are using ETI’s products in many
crafty ways and they will be showcasing these works of art on their new
blog “Resin Crafts.”

Check them out on:
Resin Crafts Blog
ETI on Facebook
ETI on Twitter

xoxo

PS — I am guest posting over on the Beneath My Heart today — sharing my Ottoman Slipcover tutorial Do you know Traci?? If not, you are in for a treat!

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Guest Project — $7 Yard Sale Nightstand Makeover!!

Hey Y’all! 
I’m Myra from The Casabella Project and My Blessed Life. 
I’m thrilled to be here at Tatertots and Jello! 

{Thank you, Jen!!}

I’m a yard sale, thrift shop, spray paint, craft and decor junkie and I’m excited to share my yard sale nightstand makeover with you!

I spotted this nightstand/end table at a yard sale for $7. I hesitated slightly when I saw that it was laminate, but it’s actually good quality with a dovetailed drawer and solid wood instead of particle board under the laminate. The shape is just adorable and the price was right, so I bought it. I couldn’t wait to give it a new look!

1. I lightly sanded it down with a coarse sanding pad. Old stringy tape was stuck to the sides {eewww}, so sanding took care that.

2. Then I primed the nightstand with white Rustoleum American Accents oil-based spray primer and let it dry for a few days.

3. I used Rustoleum American Accents Blossom White spray paint in a few light coats to finish off the paint process.

{lookin’ better!}

After a few days of forcing myself to allow the paint to dry and harden, I lightly distressed the nightstand’s edges. I also distressed the drawer a bit. I love how it added texture, color and depth. The knobs are from Hobby Lobby where I scored them for 50% off – only $2.50 each! Woo to the hoo!

Now for the really fun part… stenciling!!

{supplies I used}

1. I divided the top into quadrants so I would have the center vertically and horizontally. I couldn’t find my hard measuring tape, but a sewing measuring tape and a ruler worked just fine.

2. Then I taped down my stencil with blue painter’s tape.

3. I squeezed Americana’s Bleached Sand acrylic paint onto a foam plate {fancy, I know!}.

4. Then I lightly brushed the paint onto the stencil with a foam brush. The key here is to not saturate the brush, but to lightly and repeatedly add more paint to the stencil. You could also use a small foam roller for this step.

I continued stenciling the design all over the top of the nightstand. {Don’t you just love those sweet little fingers peeking over the edge?} Once the stencil was dry, I sprayed two light coats of clear matte spray paint on it to give it a little bit of extra protection.

{swoon}

I’m thrilled with how my nightstand turned out!

It was easy and inexpensive to makeover. I only spent about $12 for supplies that I didn’t have on hand.

{more eye candy}

We all love a good before and after, right?

I hope you’re inspired to makeover a piece of furniture or even to stencil something in your home. I would love for you to visit my blogs – The Casabella Project and My Blessed Life.

Again, thank you SO much for having me, Jen!

Such a great project, Myra. I adore that stenciled top!

I can’t wait for the weather to get warmer so I can get out to the yard sales again! 

If you haven’t been over to My Blessed Life or The Casabella Project, this is what you have been missing: 

{Valentine’s Day Vignette}

{Before and After: Mirror Makeover}

96%

 {DIY Nursery Decor}

And now with her new blog, the Casabella Project, Myra and her husband are redoing a 1950’s home and showing us all of the DIY projects. I am so excited to see what they do! 

Don’t miss out on all the DIY goodness going on at 

The Casabella Project and My Blessed Life!! 

xoxox

PS — There’s a super sweet deal at GroopDealz today from my friend Brittany at {Love Stitched}. She is selling these amazing Cabochon Rings for 1/2 off — $5 each!! 

These would make awesome Valentine’s or Birthday gift for your mom, sister, best friend, neighbor, babysitter, teachers — anyone who loves cute things!! 

Check them out here.

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Great Ideas — DIY Inspiration!! {and a few winners}

This DIY Media/Bookcase Wall is bright, functional and beautiful @ Until Tomorrow, Val

I love this idea – put a slide in to your basement (and stop by and see her basement tour while you are there – amazing!!) @ Decor Allure

How happy is the DIY Dresser Redo? @ Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss

 

 This Chair-Themed entryway is fantastic @ House of Chic and Penoche

This Nursery Transformation is so chic! @ Creatively Living Outside The Box

Find out how to Emboss Wood @ Frou-Fru Gal

Turn old scrap wood into a DIY Coffee Table Tray @ Ten June

Transform a plain closet to a Quatrefoil Showpiece @ Keep Home Simple

These Beachy Bookcases make me smile @ Senseless Sophistication

I love this Stenciled Desk Transformation @ Christina’s Adventures

 Create a DIY Rustic Side Table @ Finding Home

I love this bright, happy Craigslist Hutch Redo @ Taradara

Here’s a great Furniture Glazing tutorial from the very talented Sausha @ Show & Tell

Beautiful Kitchen Remodel @ Cherry Street Cottage

This Faux Fireplace is so pretty @ All Things Beautiful

Cute DIY Kitchen Remodel @ Creating Balance

 

 This No-Sew Slipcover is an easy way to change up a room in a flash @ Signal Hill Interiors

Great way to accent a focal point in a room – paint it a distinct color @ Bella Grace Home

Have you seen Beth’s board and Batten Project? Beautiful! @ The Stories of A to Z

What a gorgeous Bed turned Bench Project @ Diary of a Crafty Lady

And this DIY Yard Sale Transformation is beautiful. Love that toile! @ Designer Garden

 

What a Happy Lamp Makeover @ Yellow Songbird

It’s amazing what paint can do! Turned a dull, dark kitchen into a bright welcoming space @ Three Boys

Check out these Painted Countertops @ The Wonders of Doing

I would love to do this someday — Staircase Redo @ Cucumbers & Vinegar

Wow – this DIY Bed Project is amazing and it was freestyled with a jig saw! @ The Feminist Housewife

Fun DIY Laundry Room – I love the platforms they built @ Live Simply, Laugh Often, Love Deeply

If I featured you today or preciously, feel free to grab a featured button! 

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It has been so fun going through the great ideas that have been linked up to the Weekend Wrap Up Party!! 

I love seeing everyone’s projects!

Come by and see the creativity and link up YOUR ideas
for a chance to win a one-of-a-kind shirt:

from  Pink Lemonade – trendy, fun and affordable accessories! 

The linky closes tonight at midnight and I will be doing one more wrap-up post.

xoxox

Here are a few winners: 

The winners of the Karatootie — children’s clothing giveaway are: 

 

1. #66 — Courtney @ A New Creation

wins  

• TWO Joy Z patterns — one pattern sizes 6m to 5/6 and one pattern sizes 7/8 to 14!! {$24 value}

2. #199 — Janelle @ Sew Blessed 

wins: 

• TWO Joy Z hoodie patterns — one pattern sizes 6m to 5/6 and one pattern sizes 7/8 to 14!! {$24 value}

3. #264 — Wife, Mom, Woman

wins: 

•  One Custom Handmade Applique Dress in the winner’s choice of size 6m thru 14!{$65-$85 value depending on the size}

Congratulations!!!! 

And the winner of the Thanksgiving Point Family Pass {$175 value} is 

#172 — Wendy 

Send me an email by Friday ladies — so I can get your prizes coordinated to you!!! jennifer@tatertotsandjello.com.

Have a Wonderful Day!

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Guest Project — Trash to Treasure Desk Transformation!

 Hi! I am Stacy from Not JUST A Housewife and I am so HaPpY to be here on Tatertots and Jello!!!

I love building and refinishing furniture! It all started when I was a newly wed and received a ton of hand-me-down furniture from family and friends. Most people probably would have left it “as is” until they could afford new things. But not me. I wanted them to look nice and match right then ( I don’t have a whole lot of patience). So I figured out how to fix them up. I still have almost all of that furniture and some are my favorite pieces even though I have lots of new things too.

Today I am going to show you how I refinished an old desk that has been collecting dust in my mom’s barn for years! The first picture is the before before.

And here it is all cleaned up. The before picture 🙂

 It needed a lot of TLC. It had a minor crack on the top, thumb tack holes along the front, and chunks missing. It also had a broken leg. I first addressed any repairs that needed to be made. I used Elmers stainable, paintable and sandable wood glue. I put glue along the crack and let it sink in. Then I wiped it off with a damp paper towel.

Putting the large clamp on caused some of the glue to squeeze out so I wiped it again. I glued and clamped the broken leg too. I used a small C clamp.

The desk wasn’t the best ever made. The drawers were held together with only 2 nails on each side. Needless to say, they weren’t very strong. I re-enforced them with my brad nail gun. I looked around the desk and found some other spots to re-enforce as well. Really I just like to find reasons to use it. It is my favorite tool!

 I let the glue dry for a day before I took the clamps off and sanded it. I was lucky because it was pretty much all flat. I did most of the sanding with my hand sander. There were only a few spots I did by hand. You need to remove the old finish so the wood will accept the new stain. If you have something that you want to refinish and it would be hard to sand, you can use gel stain. I have used that several times with very good results. I use Minwax’s gel stain. You can apply it over existing finishes. It is thick and sticky. It would be best to practice on something else first to get the hang of it. For an example, see my bathroom HERE.

 It is all naked and ready for a new look! I almost forgot to mention that I used putty to fill in any small cracks or nail holes. Putty, let dry, and then sand. I use Elmers stainable, paintable, sandable wood putty. I used the natural color because it was outside and so was I. I should have used the darker colored putty (it was ALL the way inside ). This putty is stainable, but to a point. That is why they have a darker color. I added more stain to the puttied parts and it worked out fine, but in retrospect I should have got off my big behind and got the darker putty!

 In a situation like this, I use oil based stains. This wood was old and dried out. The oil in the stain helps the wood. Plus it dries slower than waterbased stains and gives you more time to work at getting an even finish. Waterbased stains sink in fast, especially with dry or porous (soft) wood. You can also use a wood conditioner before applying the stain. It is sold in cans just like the stain and is milky white. I always use foam brushes too. There aren’t any brush marks and it makes for easy clean up. Just toss them in the garbage!

 I let the stain dry for a day and a half. It needs to be completely dry and not sticky at all.

Then you can add the polyurethane. I love the smell of polyurethane! I know, I know, in the state of California it is known to cause cancer yadda yadda. . . But I love it. In a well ventilated area of course. It brings the wood to life and protects it. I use Minwax’s Fast Drying Clear Satin finsih.
And drum roll please. . . . . .

Taaadaaaa! Isn’t she a beaut??? All I did for the drawer pulls was scrub them in some soapy water. I love the patina on them. I think this will make a welcome addition to my office.

I don’t JUST do furniture. I love to craft, (attampt to ) sew, bake, cook, garden, paint, and do fun activites with my kids. Come and check out my blog sometime! Not JUST A Housewife

Wonderful project Stacy! It turned out so well!! 

 Thank you so much for coming over and sharing your tutorial with us!! Not Just a Housewife is one of my new favorite blogs! Stacy has fantastic ideas!! Some of her recent projects I have loved have been: 

 

{Pumpkin Topiary}

{Paper Mache Pumpkins}

 {Shadow Box Shelf Tutorial}

{Laundry Shoot Tutorial — genius!!}

And. she also has another fabulous blog! I know – how does she do it??? Check out her Birthday Blog too!! 

You will find all sorts of great party ideas and cakes, like one of my favorite cakes of all time!

{Smore Cake}

{Campfire Cake}

So much fun!!!

Have a great day!

xoxo

PS – come over and see me at Simply Modern Mom today. I am sharing my favorite picks for Holiday Place Settings 🙂

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Guest Project — Trash to Treasure Desk Transformation!

 Hi! I am Stacy from Not JUST A Housewife and I am so HaPpY to be here on Tatertots and Jello!!!

I love building and refinishing furniture! It all started when I was a newly wed and received a ton of hand-me-down furniture from family and friends. Most people probably would have left it “as is” until they could afford new things. But not me. I wanted them to look nice and match right then ( I don’t have a whole lot of patience). So I figured out how to fix them up. I still have almost all of that furniture and some are my favorite pieces even though I have lots of new things too.

Today I am going to show you how I refinished an old desk that has been collecting dust in my mom’s barn for years! The first picture is the before before.

And here it is all cleaned up. The before picture 🙂

 It needed a lot of TLC. It had a minor crack on the top, thumb tack holes along the front, and chunks missing. It also had a broken leg. I first addressed any repairs that needed to be made. I used Elmers stainable, paintable and sandable wood glue. I put glue along the crack and let it sink in. Then I wiped it off with a damp paper towel.

Putting the large clamp on caused some of the glue to squeeze out so I wiped it again. I glued and clamped the broken leg too. I used a small C clamp.

The desk wasn’t the best ever made. The drawers were held together with only 2 nails on each side. Needless to say, they weren’t very strong. I re-enforced them with my brad nail gun. I looked around the desk and found some other spots to re-enforce as well. Really I just like to find reasons to use it. It is my favorite tool!

 I let the glue dry for a day before I took the clamps off and sanded it. I was lucky because it was pretty much all flat. I did most of the sanding with my hand sander. There were only a few spots I did by hand. You need to remove the old finish so the wood will accept the new stain. If you have something that you want to refinish and it would be hard to sand, you can use gel stain. I have used that several times with very good results. I use Minwax’s gel stain. You can apply it over existing finishes. It is thick and sticky. It would be best to practice on something else first to get the hang of it. For an example, see my bathroom HERE.

 It is all naked and ready for a new look! I almost forgot to mention that I used putty to fill in any small cracks or nail holes. Putty, let dry, and then sand. I use Elmers stainable, paintable, sandable wood putty. I used the natural color because it was outside and so was I. I should have used the darker colored putty (it was ALL the way inside ). This putty is stainable, but to a point. That is why they have a darker color. I added more stain to the puttied parts and it worked out fine, but in retrospect I should have got off my big behind and got the darker putty!

 In a situation like this, I use oil based stains. This wood was old and dried out. The oil in the stain helps the wood. Plus it dries slower than waterbased stains and gives you more time to work at getting an even finish. Waterbased stains sink in fast, especially with dry or porous (soft) wood. You can also use a wood conditioner before applying the stain. It is sold in cans just like the stain and is milky white. I always use foam brushes too. There aren’t any brush marks and it makes for easy clean up. Just toss them in the garbage!

 I let the stain dry for a day and a half. It needs to be completely dry and not sticky at all.

Then you can add the polyurethane. I love the smell of polyurethane! I know, I know, in the state of California it is known to cause cancer yadda yadda. . . But I love it. In a well ventilated area of course. It brings the wood to life and protects it. I use Minwax’s Fast Drying Clear Satin finsih.
And drum roll please. . . . . .

Taaadaaaa! Isn’t she a beaut??? All I did for the drawer pulls was scrub them in some soapy water. I love the patina on them. I think this will make a welcome addition to my office.

I don’t JUST do furniture. I love to craft, (attampt to ) sew, bake, cook, garden, paint, and do fun activites with my kids. Come and check out my blog sometime! Not JUST A Housewife

Wonderful project Stacy! It turned out so well!! 

 Thank you so much for coming over and sharing your tutorial with us!! Not Just a Housewife is one of my new favorite blogs! Stacy has fantastic ideas!! Some of her recent projects I have loved have been: 

 

{Pumpkin Topiary}

{Paper Mache Pumpkins}

 {Shadow Box Shelf Tutorial}

{Laundry Shoot Tutorial — genius!!}

And. she also has another fabulous blog! I know – how does she do it??? Check out her Birthday Blog too!! 

You will find all sorts of great party ideas and cakes, like one of my favorite cakes of all time!

{Smore Cake}

{Campfire Cake}

So much fun!!!

Have a great day!

xoxo

PS – come over and see me at Simply Modern Mom today. I am sharing my favorite picks for Holiday Place Settings 🙂

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