Saturday, February 25, 2012

Got a Bench for Working

This is my first build with the Kreg jig.  I've had it since last Christmas (2010).  Sad I know.  It was a little intimidating at first but I just went out in the garage and grabbed two boards and started practicing.  I got a little inspiration from the Shanty sisters,  http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2012/01/20-shelves-anyone-can-build.html.  These shelves are so similar to the ones at Pottern Barn and are on my "to do" list. http://www.potterybarn.com/search/results.html?words=shelves&cm_sp=OnsiteSearch-_-GlobalNav-_-Button&type-ahead-viewset=ecom.  The plans were pretty easy to follow.  I did watch the utube video several times which helped quite a bit.  Not to mention the guy building it was pretty darn cute.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FOx3bTo3G4 :)



The board on the left has the proper amounts of holes.  The one on the right may have 1 or 2 too many.  Oops!



I don't have pictures of the actual building process because once I got going I was in a groove.


Once I figured out which directions the holes should go and which depth to drill the holes it went really quickly.  I love using the Kreg jig and won't use a countersink and putty again.  Ana White also has a great tutorial on using the Kreg jig.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F5wr-cmalM  Love her!

One last tip would be - don't leave your car in the garage with the top down while you're drilling your holes or cutting your wood.  *&^%@  I just washed and vacuumed out my car!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Chalk Paint Experiment

I really like the way the room divider turned out.  I wonder if you could get the same effect as the expensive chalk paint with just a flat paint and wax over that?  I think I'll use the knock off recipe and not buy any more of the expensive stuff.  Maybe if I was painting furniture as a business I would consider it.  I kind of got caught up in the hoopla and had to at least try it.  I didn't wax the room divider because I didn't want to invest any more time.  I painted it, distresssed it and screwed it all back together.  I'm kind of impatient.  That's why I love spray paint and would use that on everything if I could.  It's my I WANT RESULTS NOW type personality.  The new color suits the rest of the decor in the bedroom.




I may try to use something other than black the next time I paint a piece of furniture.  It's just so easy to go with black.  I've got a couple of end tables in the garage that could use some paint.  I do have a can of ASCP in Duck Blue (you remember - caught up in the hoopla).


Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Table Has Color

The table has actually had color on it since this past summer.  I didn't seal it with anything but I definitely will need to throw some poly on it.  With the summers we have here in north central Texas, it will definitely need it.



I'll post the finished results of my chalk paint experiment in the next couple of days.  I really need to get out in the garage and get busy building my workbench.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Mixing Some Chalk Paint

Yesterday was my day to start a bunch of stuff and not finish any of it.  I've got the wood for my workbench which was actually on the agenda but got a wild hair and decided to try my hand at making chalk paint.  Not to be confused with chalkboard paint.  Ok.  So I don't really now the difference between the two other than I'm not going to be writing on any of this with chalk.  Kind of looks like the same recipe if you compare them.  I bought a wooden room divider at Hobby Lobby a long time back.  It was off white and didn't fit in the color scheme I have in the master bedroom.  I had added toile wallpaper to the inserts which I wanted to keep so I just taped them off with blue painter's tape.  I have used ASCP before but didn't have enough of the Graphite for this project and couldn't afford to buy another can of ASCP.  I've depleted my craft budget for February.  Note to self - stay off the wood aisle at Home Depot.  I took the panels apart and repaired the hinge areas where the wood was cracked.



The recipe for the chalk paint came from http://www.lizmarieblog.com/2011/10/homemade-chalk-paint/. I didn't have any leftover flat paint in the color I wanted to use so I just used satin.  I also used more grout than it called for.  I just mixed it until it looked right.  I also want to try the recipe that uses plaster of paris instead of the unsanded grout.   Probably instead of 1 T per 1cup paint, I probably used 1-1/2 T of grout.


I got the unsanded grout at my local Jabo's Ace Hardware but you could get it Home Depot and Lowe's too.

So far it looks and goes on like ASCP.  I've got two of the panels painted on the fronts.  Since it's such a pretty day here in north central Texas, I'm going to drag them outside and finish painting them out there.

Oh and add washing the car to the list too.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Craft Room is Coming Together

This was pretty easy to building following the plans from Ana White - http://ana-white.com/2010/09/modern-craft-table.  I followed her plans step by step except for the top.  I didn't use the floating top.  I put my top directly on the the bases.   It saves you a couple of bucks by eliminating this step.      I originally found this one on Shanty 2 Chic - http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/2011/01/what-i-have-been-up-to.html.  I love all the things they've built.  Very inspiring.


Ignore the messy garage.



My craft room is coming together.  Woo hoo!  I think 2 bar stools from Ana's site will be my next project.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Meet My Kids

Meet my kids.  Taylor and Kyle are twins and were 21 this past August.  Kyle is a junior at Sam Houston University.  Taylor could possibly be considered a junior as well if she could just pass Art Appreciation.  Really Taylor?  Art Appreciation.  She plays collegiate soccer at North Lake University.  My youngest, Colin, will be 19 on the 28th of February and is a sophomore at Tarrant County College.  Our most recent goal (and when I say our - Jim and me) is to get them all through college and off our payroll!  This would be one proud mama at the completion of this goal.  Kids - say hello!



Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I've Been MIA

It's been a while.  I'll post pictures of my new craft table that I just finished.  It's the Modern Craft Table from Ana White.  You'll find her site here -ana white.