Painting Furniture: Tales from a Chalk Paint Virgin

A while back, a friend of mine was having a garage sale and posted a few things on facebook.  The first item I snagged from her was an antique metal bed that I repainted for my oldest daughter's room.  Then she happened to mention that she had a little dresser that needed a good home as well... and for only twenty five bucks.

SOLD!

I'd had an idea about what I wanted for my front entry, and this changing table turned entryway dresser fit the bill perfectly.

It's just the right size, has just the right amount of storage and it has some pretty details as well.  This piece is a mixture of wood with some wood veneer, so I knew it would need some prep work prior to painting.  *Groan*  Being the amateur furniture refinisher that I am, I had no idea if I could sand all of the surfaces so that option wasn't appealing and neither was the thought of priming after I just finished the monster of a paint job in my office.

Enter chalk paint... Annie Sloan chalk paint to be exact.

I was intrigued by the claim that, with this paint, there was no need for sanding OR priming.  Shut the front door!  Ever the skeptic, I researched it thoroughly via some great blogs and was pleasantly surprised with what I discovered:

Marion at Miss Mustard Seed has some fabulous information and tutorials.  She completes me.  Seriously.


Shaunna at Perfectly Imperfect also is a great resource for all things about painted furniture.  She even has an ebook you can purchase with all of her tips!



After reading their experiences and suggestions, I bit the bullet and ordered my very own ASCP (as those in the chalk paint biz refer to it ;)) and some of the AS soft wax for finishing.  This weekend, I finally took the cans out of the box and got to work.

This is where it gets interesting.

I read the instructions about shaking/stirring the paint prior to use and about letting it sit open to thicken the consistency, but since I had no hands-on experience with anything other than latex and oil-based paint, I starting painting away.  The first coat was definitely too watery in my opinion and I was not impressed with the initial coat.  Luckily, a trip twist of fate intervened:

That, my friends, is my gorgeous ASCP all over my dropcloth, knocked over accidentally by (I'm pretty sure) one of my lovely energetic daughters.  I know, you're sick to your stomach right now, right?  Ugh, I know the feeling.  I was not happy, and I was a little harder on my kids than I should have been about the spill (it was after all my fault for not sealing the lid...).  As I stared at my gorgeous blue paint (my precious) and wondered how on earth I'd clean up this mess, I decided to make lemonade from this lemon of a situation.

I used the dropcloth as my palette.  Yep.  I used the paint for a second coat.

And you know what?  The consistency was perfect!  It had been spilled for an hour or two (I think), so the paint had thickened just like the label said it would.  Imagine that.


Two coats later, my Provence blue ASCP dresser is looking pretty dang good.  I've added two coats of wax with a little distressing in between, and in a day or two I will get to buffing this baby to a gorgeous shine.  I can not wait for the final reveal!

So lessons learned from my first ASCP experience:
1.  Allow the paint to thicken a little before the first use (for better coverage).
2.  Don't be afraid of the wax - it really is easier than it seems!
3.  Embrace the idea of spilled paint on your garage floor as a makeshift chalkboard...
4.  And whatever you do... seal the lid before you walk away! (You've got to protect your precious ASCP!

Stay tuned for the final reveal!

{Free Printable} Halloween Cupcake Toppers

Are you hosting any Halloween parties this year?  Our neighborhood is famous for its annual Halloween party and I'm really looking forward to it.  I won't be bringing tricks, but I'll definitely bring the treats...

I'm sharing my Halloween cupcake topper printables with you, so you can adorn your sweets for your Halloween bash!

Print file on white cardstock and then use your favorite craft punch for the topper.  Secure to lollipop sticks with a small piece of tape before inserting into cupcake.

Halloween Cupcake Toppers

Have a fantastic weekend!

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{Friday Faves} Hairstyles

I've been on the fence about what I want to do with my hair lately.  I've kept it in a layered bob for a while now and while fun, it's work.  My cut's rather grown out right now as well, so it's even more work than it usually is.  Most mornings, my hair routine consists of adding product, drying, then flat-ironing, teasing, and styling... teasing some more, and then spraying the dickens out of it so it'll last all day.  It's not a blow-and-go kind of hairstyle.

I guess you could say I'm looking for a lower-maintenance 'do.  Mind you, that does not mean I want to have the dreaded MOM HAIR.  I want something easy, but something with a lot of sass.  Here are some of the styles I've been contemplating:

Source: designformankind.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I love how this is short, but has enough length for some little flips on the ends.

Source: listal.com via rhonda on Pinterest

This is a shorter version of a bob, but cute, no?

Source: stylebistro.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Love how this pixie cut has depth from the spiky layers.

Source: pixiehaircuts.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I like the longer bang on this one and the bold color.

Source: worldhairstyles.com via rhonda on Pinterest

I've actually had this super-short pixie cut before... but at a time when I had much more confidence than I do now.  Don't know if I'm bold enough yet to try this again.

So here's the kicker... I've got an appointment next week with my fave hairstylist (who's just returned from a two year stint in Hawaii).  That means I have until then to make a decision.  Eek!  What do you think?  Should I just go for it?  After all, it's just hair.  It grows back, right?  Right?!

Have you made any big hair changes lately?

{What’s Cookin' Wednesday} Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

The shorter days, the cooler temperatures, and the arrival of fall always makes me yearn for the taste of fall, of pumpkin and cinnamon and nutmeg.  These muffins fit the bill.  The cinnamon sweet topping is a perfect complement to the moist pumpkin muffin, complete with a surprise of a cream cheese filling.  Yum.  And better yet?  They get better with each passing day, making them well worth your culinary effort.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Yield: 24 muffins
Ingredients: For the filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree
1¼ cups vegetable oil
For the topping:
½ cup sugar
5 tbsp. flour
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions:
To prepare the filling, combine the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth.  Transfer the mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1½-inches in diameter.  Smooth the plastic wrap tightly around the log, and reinforce with a piece of foil.  Transfer to the freezer and chill until at least slightly firm, at least 2 hours.
To make the muffins, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda; whisk to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree and oil.  Mix on medium-low speed until blended.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.
To make the topping, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.
To assemble the muffins, fill each muffin well with a small amount of batter, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (1-2 tablespoons).  Slice the log of cream cheese filling into 24 equal pieces.  Place a slice of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin well.  Divide the remaining batter among the muffin cups, placing on top of the cream cheese to cover completely.  Sprinkle a small amount of the topping mixture over each of the muffin wells.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.  (It may be hard to resist immediate consumption, but the cream cheese filling gets very hot!)

Source:  Annie’s Eats
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Halloween Printable Just for You!

What better way to start off October than with a printable to help get your home in the mood for boo?!


This fun printable brings back memories of trick-or-treating as a child, ringing someone’s doorbell and chanting ever so loudly…


Trick or Treat Printable

Makes you ready to hold open that bag for some candy, doesn’t it?!
Printable is ready for download as a PDF file and is set to print 8.5 X 11.  Scale your page as needed to fit the size you need.  (I printed mine on 5X7 paper and just changed the paper source.)


Enjoy and Happy October!!


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The Idea Room

Decorating on a Budget Woes

You know when you have that magical aha! moment of design inspiration and you know exactly what you want to do with a space in a home?  It's such an incredible feeling, right?


And then you have the realization that you're married to Dave Ramsey, Jr. and that joy, that elation of the. most. perfect. room. ever. gets squashed like a tiny bug into the concrete sidewalk of life.


I therefore squash you, hopes and dreams of creating a perfect space!


Today, I am that bug.  And I am peeling up what's left of my plan for our newly repainted office off the bottom of Mr. home.made.'s shoes.  After telling him about what I was thinking of doing in the room, it came down to the fact that we need to buy new furniture... and that, well... wasn't quite part of the "Live Like No One Else" plan.

*sigh*


I know we're doing the right thing, paying down debt so we can truly can be debt free, but I have to be honest ya'll, I'm not excited about the prospect of waiting another eight years before I'm allowed to purchase anything that's not in "The Budget".


I've picked out what I want for the room - and the likelihood of it being around when we finally say good riddance to ole' Dave is pretty slim. 


*sob*


I guess that means I'll have to move on to Plan B: Improvise and Save Up.


Last night I put two items of furniture on Craigslist and I hopefully already have one sold, so if that (fingers crossed) happens, I'll have the beginnings of an Office Redo savings fund.  I had planned on purchasing a new desk space and a new sleeper sofa, and while I'm willing to compromise on the desk and try to thrift one, I'm unwilling to do that with a sleeper sofa.  Ew. Can't do it.  Sorry guys, but my job is all about communicable disease and the thought of a "used" sleeper sofa grosses me out.


Now that I've been firmly put in my place, I'm gonna see just what this girl can accomplish.


So what about you?  Surely I'm not the only one fighting the budget battle?

{Tutorial} Pom Pom Spider!

Just in Time for Halloween…

You Will Need:

Black Yarn
PomPom Maker (or Make Your Own from Cardboard)
4 Black Chenille Stems/Pipe Cleaners
Assorted Googly Eyes
Hot Glue

Instructions:

1.  Make a large pom pom with either your pompom maker or cardboard ring.  Set aside.


2.  Take two pipe cleaners and join them in the form of an X by twisting around each other.

3.  Add two more pipe cleaners in the same fashion.



4.  Separate stems so you have four “legs” on either side.



5.  Now, it’s time to add your spider body to its legs!  Add hot glue to the center of your chenille stems, then firmly place your pompom to the glue.

 

6.  Now, shape your legs.  I gave my legs a rounded top and flexed foot, to help the spider stand.

7.  Add googly eyes…and hello Spidey! 

Oh, and Bridey… my 4 year old was excited about her Halloween costume and insisted on “helping” mama with this project (hence the not-so-great photos).  *sigh* I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial and get to enjoy making some spiders with your little helpers!

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