I don't usually like being the subject of gossip

 But this time, I don't mind.

Check this out. :)
(I'm so flattered! Thanks for featuring my project, Amanda!)
  


Craft Gossip has a new Home and Garden section, and it looks like there are new things on there several times a day. 
http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/
Stop and gawk!

Easiest way to make a sign

If you want to make your own sign

 I found a really easy way to do it.

This sign is just paint on the back of some paneling.

I used my Cricut and cut out the words on sticky shelf paper.

(I don't scrapbook at all, and I've used my Cricut a lot! So if you've ever hesitated to buy one because you're not really into scrapbooking, don't hesitate!  There are plenty of other ways to use one.)

Then I measured where I wanted the words to go.

I discarded the letters and kept the sheets of shelf liner, and stuck them directly to the sign. I used clear so I could see my line. That made it easier to keep everything level and straight. I rubbed the edges to make sure it was stuck down really well.

Then I started to paint, just using craft paint. 

I stared out with a stencil brush, but switched to a good paint brush that I use for watercolors. (it was faster) Paint away from the edges, working into the middle of the letter. You'll get less bleed though that way.

For the red cross, I just drew it out with a ruler, and then taped the edges.

I cut curved pieces for the corners.

And then filled it in.

Once everything was dry, I took my brush and painted over the line. Erasing it left marks, so it just looked better to paint it over. 

There were some rough spots I had to go over, but not many.

I put the gray lettering on the same way as I did the red.

The hardest part is getting the letters positioned where you need them. The shelf liner sticks to itself and that can get frustrating, so sometimes 4 hands are better than 2.

If you don't have a Cricut, you can just print the letters in the font you choose and then trace the letters on the board and fill them in. I did that a few times before I got mine. You need a really good brush for that.

It works well, but takes more time. 

Thanks for reading!

Don't forget!

Monday is the first ever

Meridian Road Re-do 

Private Party!

If any of you don't have a blog, get your entries sent to me by tomorrow. You can find my e-mail if you click on the "about me" section on the right of the screen.

I'll open the party sometime Sunday night, so it will be all ready for you on Monday morning.

I hope you'll all come!

$50 bathroom dress up.

You might remember this ladder
(it was free)

that turned into

 this project.
Thanks for all your comments on it.

You were so helpful.
And you were right. It didn't pop. It was boring. It needed more.

So this is what I have come up with.
(may be subject to change.)

Not quite as boring.

(I spent no money on any of this~it's stuff we already had, except for the red craft paint for the frame. So, about 99 cents. I think the frame is going to have to go white, however. After seeing this picture, I realize the red is just a little much for me.

for $1

enter DecoArt.

and I can live with it.) 

This entire bathroom was so boring!

I knew it.

I'd just never done anything about it.

 I decided to dress it up a little.

This bathroom is a two room set up, with the shower and toilet on this side, and the vanities in the other room right next to it.

Standing on the vanity side, this is now  what you see when you come into this side of the bathroom. There was just a hamper there before. I moved it to the hallway.

(On this side of the room, I spent $4.39 for spray paint for the bench and the lantern from this post , the little metal basket holding the towels was $16.79, and the rope balls cost about $25 for both of them. I already had the materials to make the sign.)

And this is what you see as you step out of the shower.

(We already had the "H", the glass float and the wooden box, so no cost there.)

 I like the bench here because it filled up a really empty space. My kids tell me it's handy, too.

I don't use this bathroom, so I couldn't tell you for sure.

(We already had the bench. It was also free.

It used to be plain pine, but I painted it white.

I like it much better white.)

 I like the legs on it.

I like how the crossed legs echo the crossed wooden slats on the ladder.

I added this slat and made a place for magazines. I'm going to add another rung so we can hang up two magazines.

(Because apparently, a person needs choices in a bathroom library. I've never been a big fan of reading in the bathroom, but some of the people who live here are. And they want choices.)

So for less than $50, it's a little more dressed up, and a lot more fun!

 

The DIY Club

Funky Junk Interiors

Our First Project

This was before my blogging days.

Way before.

My husband inherited a china hutch 3 or 4 years ago.

His grandfather built it, and it was sturdy.

Besides the size(it's broad and shallow, taking up wall space without protruding out into the room much),that's about all it really had going for it. I didn't love it, but I knew we could change that.

(without the glass doors)
 It's made out of birch plywood, and it had copper knobs and glass doors that slid on a track. The molding around the top and sides of the hutch was plain and rounded and the door and drawer fronts were very flat and plain.
 My husband and I worked on it together. This was our first re-make project.
This is how it turned out.

We put bead board behind the shelves.

And strips of lattice around the drawers and doors. It has a little bit of a Shaker feel on the bottom.

 It also looks like there are 4 drawers instead of just two. I think it looks more balanced that way.

 I took off the copper knobs and added glass ones.

 The rounded trim was taken off and we added 6 of these

and some fluted molding on the sides and in the center. 
The trim on the top would normally be used for baseboard, I think. We also put it on the bottom. 

 We put some trim all around the center and the sides to make it look more like two pieces that are stacked.

I painted the whole thing with Behr's "Black Diamond". It's a soft black that I've used on other pieces. I like it because it's not  overpowering.

I love this hutch now!
I think it still looks like an old piece 
(maybe even older than the original version)
  just better.
 

Thanks for reading!


Funky Junk Interiors

Toes with FLOWER POWER!

Lately, I've been hearing the "B" word a lot.

You know the word.

BUDGET.

(what "B" word were you thinking?)

I think everyone is feeling a pinch in this economy.

Some feel more than a pinch.

And what are some of the first things to go when you feel that pinch and you have to pay the bills?

The little luxuries in life.

Like pedicures.

Bummer. 
That "B" word can sometimes suck all the fun out of life.

Well. Here's some cheap fun.

I got out my craft paints the other day, and experimented.

I did some fun pedicure art.

A cute young mom in our congregation showed me some simple designs a few weeks ago, and I just took it from there.

(my daughter's feet)

The supplies you need for this are some base coat, a bright color of nail polish, some top coat and a sparkle coat (if you want sparkle),and some craft paint. (like Ceramcoat or Plaid.) You'll also need some Q-tips with the cotton torn off, some toothpicks, and a straight pin with a ball tip. 

Paint your nails, and don't forget the base coat. It really does make it last longer.

Also, if you put a top coat on before the craft paint, it makes it easier to scrape off any mistakes. Just use a damp paper towel, scrub it all off and start over if you do make a mistake.

Make sure it's all good and dry, then the fun can begin!

To make the big flowers, use the Q-tip stem. Dip it in some craft paint, make a dot, dip it again, make another dot~until you have 5 dots in a circle. The larger one on the left was done with the Q-tip stem.

(showing you on paper was easier than taking  pictures while I was trying to paint toes.)

Use the straight pin for the smaller flowers, and do 5 dots in a circle. 

When those are dry, add the centers using the same tool you used to make the petals.

Let those dry, and add the black accent dots.

 (you can see they aren't perfect. That's OK. They'll still be cute and the sparkle polish helps hide some of the imperfections.)

Use the straight pin on the big flowers, and a toothpick for the black accent dots on the small flowers.

 I also added some random polka dots with a toothpick.

 I thought it looked cute to have some of the flowers half off the nail. The pinky nail is so small that I just did polka dots and no flowers on it.

When the craft paint is good and dry, put on a top coat. Put the sparkle coat on top of the top coat. I used the sparkle first and it messed up the flowers~I think because the sparkle polish is a little gritty and it was like sand paper. You can see how it smudged the flowers on the left a little bit.

 You can go as simple or as elaborate as you want with this.
(You could do a leopard print, too! Just adjust the design a little.)

Every time I look at my feet I just have to smile!

It's not something I'd want to wear to a formal event (or a funeral), but I think it's a fun look for summer. And since the supplies used are so cheap it's all affordable.

Thanks for reading!

Thank you, Better Homes and Gardens

Did you see the cover of this issue of Better Homes and Gardens?

No?

Take a look.

You know what caught my eye?

 That lantern.

I mean, come on!

It's white!

It almost screams

"You know you want me!"

And I did.

I wanted it.

So.

I found this in my garage.

(OK, not that exact lantern. It looked exactly like it, but for some reason, my picture wouldn't download to my computer. This one is from an eBay listing. But mine really did look exactly like that. It's the same color and model and everything.)

Yeah.

 Blech. 

Do you want to see the after?

Do you?

(Please say "yes"!)

OK.

Here it is.

How stinking cute is that?

 And that?
It's like a brand new thing.
(That I didn't have to buy!)
Not an old blech thing.
(That I probably would have thrown away if I'd found it a few years ago.)

I.

Love.

Spray paint.

 And this lantern. 

Thanks for reading! 


 

Our party is coming up.

 August 2nd. 

The first ever 

Meridian Road Re-do

Private party.

All followers are invited to attend.

(If you don't have a blog, just e-mail me your photos and the story by July 30th, and I'll post it for you the same day the party opens.) 

Show us your favorite makeovers, re-vamps and re-dos!! Then grab a drink, 

 (or something like this)

put up your feet and stay awhile. 

I really want this will be a 

"Link and Linger" 

kind of party, where everyone gets visits and comments.

I hope you'll all come!