Bread Box Makeover

I bought this bread box over a year ago and knew it would come in handy for something. (For some reason I have this thing for containers).

Well, after seeing the makeover from "30 Handmade Days" I knew what I wanted to do.
http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2012/08/upcycled-bread-box/
So I had my handy dandy neighbor, Kraig cut a hole in the back.

I painted the top and sides with brown acrylic paint doing a stain like effect using a rag. The front  was painted with an ivory color. I used an acrylic varnish I had to give the brown a slight sheen.

I went to a really great site to get graphic images called, "The Graphics Fairy"
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/2011/04/vintage-clip-art-beautiful-french.html

At first I thought I might print it on tissue and put it on the box like a tattoo, but then I decided that I would print on an ivory colored paper and burn the edges to make it destressed. Be careful when burning by burning only a couple inches at one time, blowing out the flame then doing the next few until you get the desired size and edging. I then "painted" it with coffee to make it look old.

 I got out my trusty Mod Podge and glued the paper to the front of my box and after drying, I put two coats of Mod Podge over the top. Here is the result:

My bathroom has only one outlet and my hubby and I fight over it with my hair dryer that is plugged in (it is a hotel style I found at a sale) and his hair cutter. This is a perfect solution! I put a power strip inside and plugged in my hair dryer along with his cutter.

So practical, yet so pretty! Don't you agree?

Next on the list is a painted granite counter!

 

 





 

IPAD Case

I babysit my grandsons quite a bit. When they come over they bring their Ipad.

 It makes me nervous because they just carry it in just as it is. So I decided they needed an Ipad case to hold and protect it. I started with duct tape and cardboard:

Then I measured the cardboard so to be just a bit larger than the Ipad.

I needed something to give it some padding so I found bubble wrap!

I cut and taped it to the inside of the cardboard.

Then I cut strips and added them to the inside and outside.

Here is the inside view:

I made and taped tabs on each side:

For the handle I used a shoestring and covered it with duct tape:

It needed a closure on top, so I grabbed some velcro and put it on front

Had I decided on a closure ahead of time I would have put on the back strap before I covered the cardboard with the tape, but it is still okay. I think it turned out fine.

 And Cole seems to like it!

 

Garage sale to Baby gift!

For a long time now I have wanted to make the subway type canvases with birth information that I have seen on Pinterest. I needed 12 x 12 canvas but did not want to pay a big price. I scored these "lovely" pictures at a garage sale for a dollar each and knew they would be perfect!

I used my Creative Memories scrap book software to design my template. I added the baby information for some friends who recently had babies. I sent the pictures I created off to be printed. (I use Costco printing)   I painted the canvas white, painted Mod Podge on it and set the pictures on the top. After it was stuck the way I wanted, I painted the side of the canvas and a little on the top as a border with a matching color. When dry, I used  Mod Podge on the picture to give it a more matted effect. I love them and I am sure the recipients of the baby gifts will too!

Let me know if you need a baby gift and I will make one for you. Your choice of designs and colors. The possibilities are endless!

Master Bath Redo, Part 1

Pool season is upon us so it is hard believe I even had time for redecorating and blogging, but here I am! We had a rainy day last week so I decided to finish painting my master bath.
I forgot to take a picture before it was tore up, but here is the color of the wall before:

 (I know bright right?)

 So, I decided to change the decor to chocolate brown with turquoise accents. I had been collecting items that I found at garage sales or Goodwill to use. 

  The towel holder is a wine bottle holder I got for 2 dollars.

  I already had the little lamp on the vanity and the jar and letter D on the shelf as well as the tin on the wall, I bought the towels on sale and with a 30% off at Kohl's I love what new towels do to a room!
and last is my trash to treasure chandelier that I redid hanging above the tub below:

I still have some work to do, new floor, shower doors, painting the counter, figuring out what to do about the gigantic mirror and making roman shades from a tip I saw on Pinterest! But the pool awaits so it will all have to wait until pool season comes to an end.....

Trash to Treasure

I have been known to dig around during bulky trash pick-up in our neighborhood. I have several things that I re-purposed for my home. Last week my neighbors had this in their trash can:

 So I first cleaned it and removed the parts that usually hold the electric wires inside the flower thingy. Then I grabbed my handy dandy bronze paint and painted it.

I went to Goodwill and found these juice glasses for 50 cents each, I already had the tea light candles:

Here is the finished light:

It is going in my master bath that I am in process of redoing. Pictures of that later!

Tiki Time!

I have had a tiki bar under my deck for the pool area for several years. The chairs that came with it did not last after the first year. So I have been on the lookout for bar chairs to paint in bright colors. I found some last fall and found time to paint them this week.

I bought a spray paint at Hobby Lobby called Gesso Spray. It was a great primer for the chairs and allowed the other spray paint to stay bright. I used an idea I found on Pinterest to use "Glad Press n Seal" around areas that you don't want sprayed. It worked great on the metal foot rest. I used the caps from spray cans to rest the feet on during painting.

Here is the orange chair during painting:

and here is the end result.... I can see many good times with a cold beverage on one of these chairs!

Paint Paint paint

I was so excited to have a three day weekend to be able to finish some projects that I had started. I painted my powder room a week ago and was able to put in the finishing touches. I also had my guest bath done a few years back but never quite pulled it together. This weekend I painted the cabinets in both bathrooms and added some other touches. I love the end result. Here is my powder room before:

I added the counter paint last year, but here is what I did this weekend:

I used Rustoleum Antique Black paint kit. I had bought it a few years back for my bedroom dressers and had a lot left. I used it for both cabinets, the mirror and the toilet paper holder. Unfortunately the pictures don't look as well as it does in person.The basket on the wall was a garage sale find and I added the D which was a paper mache' that I painted black. I got the word emblem from Kohls on sale and with a 30% off. I think I spent a total of maybe 30 dollars on the whole room. The tile sitting on the back of the counter is a sample. I am going to use that as a border as soon as I buy some. Here is my guest bathroom:

I had painted the walls a few years back and put in the shower curtain and the baby pics but that was it. I think the painted cabinet and the wall border pulled it together, I used a toilet paper roll to stencil the white circles (the idea from someone on Pinterest) then I just painted various circle in the green and gray. Pretty neat for zero money!