I wanted to make it easy to use so it has pegs that you move around as you score. My youngest had just as much fun moving the pegs as he did playing the game!

DIY Outdoor Scoreboard

Supplies:

*links are affiliate

Plywood cut to desired size

⅜" wood dowel

2 large wood beads  (or cut out 2 3" circles)

Paint

Stain

Foam brushes

Painters tape

Stencils

Helmsman Spar Urethane

Rope

It really is very easy. Even the pegs! I had some large wooden beads left over from a previous project. You can find them in any craft store or online. I cut 3 inch pieces of ⅜" dowels. I had to use a ⅜" drill bit to make the holes in the beads a tiny bit bigger. Then I used a hammer to fore the dowel all the way through to the other side. I spray painted them when I was done.

For the actual scoreboard, I cut a scrap piece of plywood to 20" x 30", sanded it, and stained it a warm brown.

Once the stain was dry, I stenciled the letters and numbers.

To help the number stand out, and to tie in the black stripes, I outlined the numbers and letters with a black marker. It was tedious and definately optional, but I think it really took the scoreboard up a notch.

I waited to drill the holes for the pegs until I had the numbers on so I could make sure the holes were centered under the numbers. You have to be careful when drilling large holes in plywood. Plywood tends to get ripped up while drilling. Two things help with this. Drill slowly and put painters tape over the area before drilling. I forgot about the tape trick until I had already drilled one hole. I added tape for the rest of the holes.

The holes got outlined as well with a black marker.

It still needs to be sealed. I couldn't find my Helmsman spar urethane (outdoor sealer ) before it was time to take photos for this post. Of course I found it as soon as I was done. Go figure!

My kids didn't waste any time putting the DIY outdoor scoreboard to good use. As soon as it was put up on the fence, they were shouting "I'm team blue!"

Here are the other talented ladies who are participating in the outdoor game challenge. Head over and see their creative DIY games!

Addicted 2 DIY

RemodelaCasa

The Created Home

Anika's DIY Life

The Inspired Workshop

The Awesome Orange

Stacy Risenmay

My Repurposed Life

Ugly Duckling House

100 Things 2 Do

Joyful Derivatives

PIN for later:

Since I was making four ( and I love them so much I might make even more!) I wanted them to be as simple as possible but still provide comfy seating.

Outdoor Movie Theater Seats Tutorial

Like I said before, I wanted these to be as simple as possible in case I ended up making a ton of them.

1. I cut plywood that I had on hand into 24 inch by 18 inch pieces. The cushions were about 17 inches wide so that is why I made them a tiny bit bigger.  For every seat you want, cut two boards.

2. Then I primed them with a tinted primer I had on hand. White primer would be fine as well. I primed them because plywood is SO porous and soaks up a lot of paint. I didn't want to go through a million cans of spray paint.

3. I used hinges to attach the two boards together. I used two hinges per seat. Thicker plywood is best for this project for the fact that the screws will go all the way through the board if it is too thin.

4. I had some 1x2 that I cut to fit on the inside of the boards. I cut two pieces per seat. I screwed them onto the inside of the bottom. I then screwed a 5 inch screw all the way through the 1x2 piece. These get pushed into the ground to make sure the seat doesn't move when you lean back on it. There were four (one on each bottom corner) per seat. Then I painted the 1x2 piece as well.

We went super casual and added a crate as our "side table" and mason jars for the drinks.

Outdoor movies aren't just for kids! Why not have a girls night?

Because of the hinge, you can adjust these outdoor movie theater seats to any height you want. You can sit up or make it open more so you are laying down more.

Does your family ever have outdoor movies? Have you ever thought to do it as a couple's night? Or a girl's night? I would love to hear your stories!

I found the ottoman first (a mere $350) and was going to make a knock off of it but I really had my heart set on making a bench so I found one very similar.

I am not very experienced in the whole "knock off project" thing. I have only ever done one (the Pottery Barn Star) and I made it exactly like the inspiration image. This time, I wanted to use a different fabric other than gray and I wanted the wood base to be a bit thicker. So I hope that even though I made a few small changes, that this is still considered a knock off :)

Supplies

*Some links are affiliate

(2) pieces of ¾" plywood cut   17" x 44" or your own desired size

High density foam cut to 18" x 45"

1x3 boards

(4) Tapered wood legs

(4) Leg plates

Fabric of choice

How to make a DIY Modern Bench

Step 1

I used a kitchen knife to cut the foam. I cut it slightly bigger than the board so it would overhang slightly on all sides. I did that so that the fabric would be snug and not loose.

I bought this fun black and white geometric fabric from Joann's. I got it for 70% off!

Step 2

I don't have any photos of me sewing the cover because well, I hate sewing and it stresses me out. I didn't even think about photos. I was just trying to survive. I cut a piece for the top, pieces for the side, and pieces for the ends. I sewed them all together sort of creating a fabric "box" than would easily slip over the foam. The key to having everything lay fat and look nice is to iron the seams flat.

You can see how by sewing it you get clean lines versus just folding and tucking the fabric. It was worth sewing, even though I don't like it ;)

Step 3

I actually used MDF for the bottom of my foam since that is what I had on hand. MDF or plywood would both work. I gently pulled the fabric around the edge and stapled it to the bottom.

You can see in the bottom photo that the foam part is bigger than the MDF and the plywood for the base. This is perfect because you will add the 1x3 boards as trim on the plywood base.

Step 4

I decided that the 1x3 boards were a bit too thick so we rip cut them down to 2". When I glued and nailed them to the side of the plywood, I made it so it hung down a bit so it would hide the leg plates.

After the trim was added , it looked like a really big serving tray.

Step 5

I stained the legs and base a nice medium brown. My trick to make sure the color is not too orange is to add a coat of gray stain first followed by a brown stain like Provincial, Early American, or Walnut.

Once the stain was dry I added a few coats of poly, making sure to sand in between coats.

Step 6

Wne  the poly was dry, I flipped over the base and screwed on the leg plates and then screwed in the legs to the plates. I flipped it back over and inserted the cushion.

I couldn't be happier with the results! I can't decide if it will go in the living room, the office, or my son's room.

The living room is hard to shoot in the morning will all the sun coming in the front window. I kind of  like it with the leather pillow and the pillow I weaved.

But I think it makes the most sense to have this DIY modern bench in the office under the coat rack. The shoes are stored in crates to the left and the kids can have a place to sit to take off and put on their shoes. Plus the black and white striped floors go well with the geometric design in the fabric.

Have you ever recreated something you saw that was too pricey? I'd love to hear about your knock off projects in the comment below and if it was a success!

Here are the other people participating in this knock of challenge. Stop by and see their projects!

Addicted 2 DIY

RemodelaCasa

Woodshop Diaries

The Inspired Workshop

The Awesome Orange

DIY Huntress

Reality Daydream

Even though I blogged about it 6 years ago, I still get emails all the time asking if I have a tutorial for the crate I built that was in my living room. It was the first thing I built from scratch and I built it a long time before I started blogging, so I didn't have a tutorial. Now that I am splitting up the boys into two different rooms, I need more storage. The crate I built years ago is going in one room and so I thought I would build another toy box crate for the other room. They are easy to build and you can customize it to be the size you want!

Just like the original, I was going for a bit of a rustic look. I didn't worry if the boards had dents or if they didn't align perfectly. In fact, with the original crate, I purposely cut the boards slightly different lengths to achieve that look.

The crate is made up primarily of 1x4s. There are no fany cuts so you can use a hand saw, miter saw, or circular saw.

Cut List:

(8) 1x4 boards cut to 13 ¾"

(16) 1x4 boards cut to 31 ¾" (so I could get 3 per 8 foot board)

(4) 1" square dowel pieces cut to 14"

(4) ¾" square dowel pieces cut to 31 ¾"

After sanding each board, I got to work building the crate. I used a brad nailer and wood glue for most of the assembly. The 1" square dowels are for each corner.

Another method to build crates is to use pocket holes. I have done that for planter boxes but chose not to do that for this box since they would be visible (since I am not filling it up with dirt).

I did use pocket holes for the lid however. You won't be able to see them though. You'll see why in just a bit.

Because the shorter side pieces sit on top of the bottom slats, that makes them a little higher that the front and back. No problem! A ¾" dowel fits perfectly. Add one to the front and back plus to each side of the lid.

Pine is soft and very porous. In order to get even coverage and avoid blotchiness, use a wood conditioner before staining. If you are using an oil based stain, use and oil based conditioner. If you are using water based stain, there is a water based conditioner.

Use your choice if stain color. My favorite colors are Provincial, Early American, Dark Walnut, and Weathered Oak. But really you can go wrong with any of Minwax's stain colors.

The more coats you add, the darker it will be. Make sure to follow the instructions on the can and wait the appropriate amount of time between coats.

I started out using Early American but after one coat decided I wanted it darker and used Provincial for the second coat.

I added some hinges. I happened to have some non mortise hinges but you can use butt hinges or a continuous hinge as well.

I used some lattice trim to cover the pocket holes. You can also see the ¾" dowels on the lid. I attached them with a little glue and a few brad nails.

My favorite products to seal and protect a wood project are the Fast Drying Polyurethane and the Wipe-On Poly. I like the satin finish but it also comes in gloss.

This crate could be used to store so many things other than toys. When the original crate was in our family room it help blankets at one point, then board games The possibilities are endless!

I will be doing the photo shoot for kid bedroom #1 today! I am DYING to share it with you. I love it when all the stars align and a project turns out better than you even hoped it would. Now finger's crossed room #2 works out just as well :)

PIN For Later:

This post was sponsored by Minwax but all project ideas and opinions are all my own.

My youngest picked out a 99 cent stuffed mouse from IKEA one time when he was about three years old. He named him Mousey and he has been his friend ever since. Actually we are on Mousey #3 since they can only be washed about 89 times before looking really sad. I think my son likes to imagine that he is alive and his little buddy. He carries him in his pocket all the time. He even sneaks him to church sometimes. My son loves to read books about mice and especially loves The Mouse and the Motorcycle.  He even requested a mouse birthday party last year!

He and his brothers also like the book The Indian in the Cupboard, where a toy Indian figurine comes alive when placed in a special cupboard. Since my son is at that age where he is not a fan of things that are "girly" and pink, I thought that creating a house for his mouse that was like the magical cupboard in the book would be a fun twist.

I headed to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore to look for a cupboard. While I didn't find one the size I wanted, I did find a whole wall of cabinet doors. I found one that I liked and figured it would be easy to build a box and shelves to go with it. I shared pictures on my Insta Stories of the wall of doors. It was quite impressive!

I picked a tall door so I would have enough space for three rooms. I didn't want it too big because I knew that he would want to move it around. He likes to play in whatever room I am in  or where his brothers are.  I think 6 inches deep and 2 feet tall is perfect!

I used Minwax's Dark Walnut oil based stain for the door and cabinet box.

Once it was dry, I painted the inside white. I really wanted the house to have a lot of fun details so I added real wood floors! I cut the ends off of popsicle sticks and used wood glue to adhere them to the top two floors.

I figured Mousey is a pretty trendy mouse, so I went with a gray toned floor that seems to be so popular right now. I used one of my go-to colors of stain, Weathered Oak. It is such a pretty color!

I also stained some wooden beads that would become the feet to make swinging the door open easier. When the cabinet box, door, feet, and floors were all dry, I sealed them with polyurethane. I waited for the first coat to dry then sanded it with 220 grit sandpaper, wipe it down, and added a second coat.

Once they were all dry, I added the feet and added hinges to the door. I really wanted a knob with a keyhole to be like the actual cupboard in the book, but I settled for this old looking pewter one from Hobby Lobby.

It didn't take long for Mousey to feel at home!

He has a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom!

My favorite things in the living room are the gallery wall and the TV with a tiny remote! The drawer on the table opens and the remote fits inside. I made some of the items for the house out of clay and others I ordered (like most of the furniture). I had fun creating and printing off tiny art for all the frames.

This kitchen! I loved the little set of appliances I ordered but they were all white. I didn't want them to blend in with the mouse or the walls so I painted them silver (stainless steel). I love that the stove and under the sink open and can be used to store the extra pots and pans as well as dishes.

I made some food out of polymer clay while watching Hallmark Christmas movies. I think I will make some more so his poor little fridge won't look so bare :)

I stayed up one night (because I could only work when my son was gone or sleeping) to sew bedding, the apron, the chef hat, and this night cap. While I don't love sewing, I have to admit it was pretty fun!

We are a family of readers so it is no surprise that Mousey likes to read as well.

I was obsessed with dollhouses and all things tiny when I was a little girl. Since I have all boys, I didn't think that dollhouses were in my future. When my son asked for a house for his mouse, I knew it would be so fun to make that happen.

Minwax has more project ideas on their site as well as more details about their Made With Love Campaign.

Do your children or grandchildren have a dollhouse? Or did you play with them as a child? I'd love to hear your stories or memories!

PIN For Later:

This post was sponsored by Minwax but all ideas and opinions are 100% my own!

I built these shelves the same way I built the shelves for my friends laundry room. I used plywood for the outer part. Normally I would build the shelves and then stain them but this time, after cutting the pieces for the shelves, I stained them first before assembling them. I was worried about getting stain or polyurethane on the gorgeous wallpaper. Unlike with painted walls, I would not be able to do any touch ups.

I used one of my favorite go to stains, Provincial, by Minwax.

Once I wiped on the stain and let it sit for a bit, I used paper towels to wipe off the excess.

Once the stain had dried, I sealed it with two coats of satin polyurethane. I sanded in between coats with 220 grit sandpaper.

Since these shelves were on the small side, I used 2x2s instead of 2x4s to build the support frame. Once it was screwed together, I attached it to the wall making sure to screw into studs. The pieces of plywood were then attached to the top, bottom, and front with a brad nailer.

Normally I use stainable wood putty but since I had already stained and sealed the wood, I used this wood putty.

Look closely. Along the front of the drawer under the jar of putty is a hole that was filled. It is hard to see since the putty blends in so well!

Choose a color that is close to the stain color. It is soft and waxy and goes into the nail hole easily. I used an old rag to buff off the excess. You can't even tell there were nail holes!

You don't have to wait for the putty to dry. Once the holes were filled I was able to fill the shelves up!

I love how the towels, baskets, and bins look against the wallpaper! You can read about the wallpaper installation and where I bought it in this bathroom post.

I'll be photographing the rest of the bathroom to share this week. I am SO HAPPY with how it turned out, even if it took forever to finally get there.

Pin for later:

This post was sponsored by Minwax but all the ideas and opinions are all mine.

I shared what the back of my yard looked like in a previous post, but as a reminder here are a couple of shots.

This was one of those times I was extra grateful I have four boys because I put them to work leveling the ground. Our yard slopes towards the center and I knew we needed these boxes to be level. It took days and days of all of us shoveling but we finally had it ready to build on!

Shane and I started out by measuring and setting posts. It was very similar to setting fence posts only it formed a box instead of just a line. The we added 2x2 boards to connect the posts. After that all we had to do was add cedar pickets! We bought regular 6-foot fence pickets and cut them in half so the planter boxes would be 3 feet tall.

To prevent the boxes from bulging when full of dirt, we also added support in-between the posts.

Once the pickets were all on, we lined the inside with water proof landscape fabric.

Now came the fun part! Staining! I chose to use Penetrating Timber Oil Semi-Transparent in Walnut. I loved the rich brown color. I didn't want a solid color that would cover most of the wood grain. This was perfect!

It was really easy to pour. No mess!

Because I had so much surface area to cover, I chose to spray the stain on the boxes. It went fast and gave it a nice even coat. Make sure to wear clothes you can get dirty, gloves, and a face mask.

To save money, we filled the planter boxes ⅔ full of the dirt we dug up when leveling the ground. It also saved us from having to haul it away. The top portion was filled with top soil and compost we purchased locally.

We dug a trench in front of the planter boxes since the dirt was so rocky. The trench also got filled with the new dirt and compost to become a flowerbed. I planted one of my favorite flowers, zinnias! Don’t they look amazing next to the beautiful walnut stain? I love that you can still see the gorgeous wood grain of the cedar.

I built a basic frame for the gates and covered them on one side with pickets. I played around until I got the arch just right and penciled it in darker so I could cut it with the jigsaw. I didn’t bother to sand the boxes, but I knew the gate would be touched more than the planters so I went ahead and lightly sanded them.

I decided to paint the gate blue to match all the interior doors of my house. I used the same navy color that I love. I even bought reproduction crystal knobs just like the doors in my house.

We planted raspberries in the planters and I can’t wait for them to fill in more and be covered in juicy berries!

After I watered the transplanted raspberries, I noticed how well the water beaded up showing how well Thompson’s WaterSeal protects the wood. I'm confident they are going to hold up really well over time.

I love how the planters double as a fence! If you remember our backyard plans I share awhile ago, behind the planters will be storage for all the things we don't want to see like wood piles and compost bins.

Now that all the hard work is done, I can’t wait to sit here and read while I enjoy the view of the whole backyard.

It feels so nice to have such a big project checked off the list at the beginning of summer knowing I will have the rest of the year to enjoy it.

What outdoor projects do you have planned this summer? I'd love to hear!

PIN For Later:

This post was sponsored by Thompson’s WaterSeal but all ideas and opinions are all my own.

Ever since my first trip to Trader Joe's a couple weeks ago, I have been wanting to go back for some more fresh flowers. A post about vases was the perfect excuse! It is probably a good thing it is an hour away or I would spend most of my money there.

Vase 1: Hanging Vase

This first vase I decided to make round. You could make it any shape you want really. After tracing a bowl on the wood, I cut out the 9 inch circle. I then traced another circle in the center. It was 4 inches. Drill a hole large enough that your jigsaw blade can fit then use the jigsaw to cut out the center circle. Sand it all really well with a 220 grit sandpaper.

I stained it the same color as the peg board and boxes in my new office closet. I love it!

Once the stain was dry, I drilled three small holes evenly around the circle and threaded faux leather lacing through it. I knotted the ends so it wouldn't pull back through the small holes.

I still can't believe these giant sunflowers were only a few bucks at Trader Joe's!

Vase 2: Gold Legs

For this one, I cut out an 8 inch by 8 inch square. I traced a 5 inch circle in the center. Just like the one above, I drilled a hole big enough for the jigsaw blade to fit. I cut out the hole and sanded the whole thing really well.

I had a 1 inch wooden dowel I was going to use for the legs so I used a 1 inch drill bit to drill holes in each corner. Measure and mark it before drilling.

I cut the dowel into 2 ½ inch pieces for the legs. I didn't want to too tal. It just needed to be tall enough that the bottom of the vase wouldn't touch the table top. Think pot bellied pig verses gangly teenage boy.

I stained it using Early American by Minwax. The legs I spray painted gold. I added some wood glue and pushed the legs into the holes. I waited for the glue to dry before turning it over and adding the vase.

I love that you can see the legs on the top! It reminds me of the entry way  bench I built.

I ended up liking the 5 inch size hole better than the 4 inch hole.

Vase 3: Geometric!

I started out by cutting three 8 inch squares out of plywood. You can use any wood, I just chose to use scrap wood for these vases. Once I had the square cut, I measured and marked about an inch and a half from each corner, drew a line, and using the miter saw chopped off the corners. It helps to have clamps to hold the wood in pace on the base of the saw. This created the octagonal shape.

Like the hanging vase, I drilled a large hole for the saw blade to fit through. I used the jigsaw to cut out a center circle in two of the pieces.

You will end up with two that have center circles and one that does not. You can either use wood glue to attach them together or a brad nailer. Putty it really well and when dry, sand it smooth.

I painted it my favorite cobalt blue!

It looks so cheery on the shelf!

Real gerbera daisies are so perfect that they look fake even in person! They are such a great cut flower.

Which one was your favorite? Which one do you think was mine?

PIN for later:

Shane was hesitant at first to take down the cabinets (if you recall from our He Said She Said video). Heck, even I was wondering if we would miss the cabinets. But now that it is all said and done, we are both SO GLAD we just went for it!

I bought the brackets for these shelves from IKEA (which I spray painted matte black) about 9 months ago and had a very specific look I was going for. When I realized that the opening was bigger than I thought and that regular boards were too thin to fit correctly inside of the brackets, I had to come up with a plan B. The space where the wood goes into the bracket is 1" and even though boards say they are 1" by whatever, they are really about ¾ inches thick due to them being sanded down. I could have used stair treads since they are 1 inch thick but they are rounded and I really wanted a more rustic look. I headed to a local lumber yard that sells rough cut lumber and picked out some pine boards that would be thick enough as well as having the beautiful saw marks that you can see well below.

I have four shelves all together. There are two on each side of the window above my sink.  I still have to go through all my cabinets and the pantry and figure out where everything will go, but I sure have had fun playing around with styling them!

Shelf Tutorial

This was my first time using a biscuit joiner and I have to say it was really easy and I am now HOOKED! I cut the boards to the legnth they needed to be and then cut 45 degree cuts to make an L shape. In order to connect them I needed to cut out grooves for the biscuits.

First I laid out the boards and drew a line across the seam where I wanted a biscuit to go. Every 6 inches or so is good.

There are three sizes of biscuits. I chose the largest (20) given the size of the project. I lined up the pencil mark to the line on the joiner and cut the wood (see arrow below).

Pull the trigger and get the blade up to full speed before pushing the blade into the wood.

If you are working with a large piece of wood it is best to clamp it to your work space.

In case you are not aware of what a biscuit is, it looks like this. It is compressed and once it gets wet from the wood glue it expands and makes a tight joint.

Once the shelves were all glued and had dried, I stained them using Provincial from Minwax. If you are a long time reader you are probably thinking "What? You didn't use Dark Walnut?"  Yes, I have been a long time lover of walnut but have been branching out lately. Plus I didn't want the shelves too dark since I wanted to see the saw marks and other imperfections. Provincial and Early American are my go to stains for a medium brown.

Make sure to use the wood conditioner before staining. It makes a big difference! It will make it so the wood accepts the stain more evenly and it isn't splotchy. I talk more about that in my entry table post.

After I stained, I sealed them so they would be easy to wipe down.  As far as the installation goes, I knew the brackets on the end would not be enough especially at the corner.  I have used the type of floating shelf bracket like this before (see below) and wanted to do something similar to help distribute the weight.  I couldn't use these exact ones because they were too big so I opted to use really big, really long screws. I drew a line where the shelf would go and then screwed several screws along each line making sure there were some close to the corner. In our case, these walls are all exterior walls so they are pure brick and concrete. But if they had been regular walls I would have screwed into the studs.

Normally I would just drill a hole into the shelf that was the same diameter as the bracket/rod and then slide the shelf on, but because I was pushing the shelf into the corner I had to notch out a larger section. However far out your rod bracket (or screw) sticks out from the wall is how long and deep your notch has to be.

(Source: Natural Accents)

The stack of plates alone weighs quite a bit and the shelves have held up really well.

I am quite sure it will wear off, but I have been more accepting of having to do dishes because I can stare at my cute shelves :)

Would you ever do open shelves? Do you already have them? I am curious how people like them after living with them for a long time. Leave your thoughts below!

I teamed up with Minwax to bring you this post. The ideas, thoughts, and tips are all my own! Follow Minwax on Facebook for even more project ideas.

Keep reading for a fun giveaway!

After thinking on it for another month or so I knew that the perfect color was navy! The master plan is to get this thing upholstered in navy velvet. I have seen so many blue velvet chair and sofas popping up all over and I am obsessed. But before I spent what could be a lot of money on upholstering it in a bold color, I wanted to make sure that was the correct choice for my space. That is why I decided to paint the current upholstery.

I have painted upholstery before so I knew what I was getting into. If you remember, I painted my office chair several years ago. It was a similar fabric in the fact that it was a little on the rough side already. Paint was not going to make that much of a difference on the textured fabric. Unlike last time, I used a paint sprayer. Oh man! It made it go by so much FASTER!

When painting fabric you need to either thin it down or add a fabric paint medium. Since you need to thin down the paint for the sprayer anyway it worked out perfectly. Once I sprayed and area, I rubbed my hands all over it to work the paint into the fabric more. In the past I have also used a rag for this step. By doing this you also can see where it needs more paint. My fabric had these skin tag like bumps (gross, I know, but now you know exactly what I mean!) all over and I was able to paint all of them by rubbing different directions.

It dried rather quickly too since I did not use a ton of paint. I think it looks perfect and will work great until I can afford to have it reupholstered in velvet!

Since painting the office chair 4 or 5 years ago I have received more emails about that project than about any other project. Here is my take on when you should or shouldn't paint upholstered furniture...

Don't paint it if it is a dark color and you are going for a really light color.

Keep in mind that the existing color (whatever it may be) may change the color of the paint you are applying such as  if you paint a yellow chair blue, it will be on the greenish blue side.

I personally would not paint a piece of furniture bigger than a side chair. But if you want to tackle a bigger project than you go for it!

I would not paint something that has a soft fabric and is meant to be a cozy place to sit. The paint will make the fabric stiffer. Even if it is only a little bit, it will affect the coziness of the piece.

I would paint something small that already has a rough or stiff texture. And I would paint a piece that would otherwise end up in the dump and by painting it, it gets a new life.

As far as how much paint you need, it depends on the brand of paint, how much you thin it, the color of paint you chose VS the existing color of the piece, the texture and type of fabric it is, and how big the piece of furniture is that you are painting.

For this chair I filled the canister on the paint sprayer and did not use it all. On my office chair I used fabric paint in the small bottles and it took about 8 bottles.

Today I get to give away a paint sprayer to one lucky reader! Then you can paint all the things... even chairs :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As an ambassador for HomeRight I was compensated for this post but the projects, ideas, and opinions are all mine!

Since the crate was going to be up on a shelf and you wouldn't see the joints, I decided to go the easy route and only cut two ends at a 45 degree angle. If this were a piece of furniture or something you would see the corners on, I would have figured out the angles and done mitered cuts on all corners.

To make a bottom simply set the triangle on a piece of wood and trace the inside with a jigsaw and nail and glue it into place.

After gluing and nailing it together I sanded it smooth. I wiped off the dust and then stained it using Golden Oak from Minwax. I wanted it to be a lighter but warm color.

It looked great just stained and I could have left it as is, but I really wanted that vintage-y feel of an old crate.

When looking at examples of old crates online the main colors of the stamped lettering seemed to be blue, black, and red. I went with red and black and I luckily had those colors of stain on hand.

I cut a stencil out of vinyl using my Silhouette cutting machine.

Using a foam brush I gently dabbed the stain on and then used a paper towel to remove the excess.

Once it dried I lightly sanded it with 22o grit sand paper to get that aged look. I like to set pots inside of crate rather than plant them in the crate itself. That way I can easily take out one pot at a time to use the herbs or to water as needed.

I will be revealing my finished dining room later this week. I am thrilled with how it all came together!

I had built a crate planter and I wanted it to make a statement, not just blend in. I don't have all the colors that are available but these are the ones I grabbed and had to choose from.

After testing them on some scrap wood, I chose the Navy Blue but I was really torn between the blue, coral, and yellow.

Planter Tutorial

The planter is very simple to build. Decide how big you would like to make it and cut some 1x4s to that length. Drill some pocket holes using a Kreg Jig. Half of the boards will have pocket holes that will connect the corners together and half will have holes drilled down to connect the boards together. This will make more sense as you see the following steps.

Screw the boards together at the corners to create a square.

Repeat the process until you have as many square frames as you want. The more you have, the taller your crate will be.

Then you will screw each of the square frames together through the downward pointing pocket holes.

Creating the bottom of the planter can happen one of two ways. One option: You can trace the outside of the crate onto some plywood and use the pocket holes to attach the bottom to the crate. The downside is you will see the board used for the bottom. Second Option: You can trace the crate on the inside (so the bottom piece will fit snugly on the inside of the crate) and use a nail gun to attach the bottom. You will need to fill the nail holes with sandable, stainable putty.

If you are going to add dirt to this and put the plant directly in this, you will need to add a drainage hole. But I prefer to keep the plant in a regular pot and set the plant inside the crate without a drainage hole. This way when I water the plant, if any water seeps out the bottom, it stays in the crate and doesn't go on my floor.

I love that I can have a fun, saturated color but still see the wood grain. If bold and bright are not your style, they have a ton of other colors to pick from. The colored stains are water based and are mixed in the store for you.

Would you ever stain something a fun color? What would you stain?

Did you notice my books? Does it make you twitch to have books not alphabetized? We are going to dive into that tomorrow!

I received product and compensation from Minwax for this post but the ideas and opinions are all mine.

I do however have some progress to share with you today! We installed a new door and I painted it blue. Shane helped me one Saturday to install the door and we gave ourselves what we thought was a very generous 2 hour chunk of time. It took us ALL DAY. I sometimes forget that when you have an older home, that things are never as easy as it seems. But the door, the wall, and our marriage is still intact. PS the worst time to argue over a DIY project is on a Saturday when all your neighbors are home and your door is off..... :P

I painted the hallway door blue awhile back and shared my tips on painting doors. I will never use a brush again. Ever since I started using my paint sprayer there is no going back. It's so much easier!

I have LOVED having them paint blue!

I also finally got the ceiling painted in the kitchen to match the dining room. I'll have a tutorial on that later. I also added some color to my chalkboard by hand painting a turkish rug inspired pattern around it. More on that later too!

As I am starting to put my house together again (Yay! Finally!), I am finding permanent places for some of the projects I did for my book, Natural Accents. I decided to share a few of my all time favorite planters from the book.

Hexagon Planters

These were fun to make and I started out staining them a medium brown. But after looking at them for a few days, I decided to paint them gold! I'm not sure if they will stay gold or get painted another color, but they are for sure finding a place in my home.

X planter

I love anything with an X detail to it. It is so classic. When I bought a lemon tree that was too large for any of the pots I had, I built one and made sure to add my favorite detail.

Hanging Geometric Planter

This is one I had to confer with Shane on for all the angles but it was worth the many angled cuts because I LOVE how it turned out! I have about 5 spots I want to hang this. I either need to do a meeny miny moe or make a few more :)

Hanging Clay Planter

Playing with clay brings me back to when I was a kid. It is relaxing and fun at the same time. Make it any color, size or shape! Just make sure it has a drainage hole.

Terrarium Side Table

This was hands down my favorite project in the whole book. It was also the one that I was the most nervous to try. I had never welded plexiglass before. But it worked out great and I would do it all over again. It will be in my family room next to the couch and will be the first thing people see when they walk in.

This is just a sample of the planter ideas from the book. There are also flower vases, beach themed projects, tree branch and stump projects, rock projects, and other natural elements like pinecones, and acorns. There are vignettes, tablescapes, and how to display nature photography as well.

What is your favorite way to decorate with plants?

 (affiliate link) Natural Accents

Have you ever had one of those projects that should have taken a couple days but because of unforeseen issues.... and mother nature throwing a hissy fit, it took more like two weeks?

I present you with my picnic table.

I had been throwing around the idea in my head of fixing up and painting a design on my picnic table. When ScotchBlue™  asked if I wanted to partner with them I knew that this was a perfect project!

I painted placemats!

Let's take a gander at what it looked like before....

We bought this hand made picnic table soon after moving here. I like the fact that it was really long and the base was metal. It needed some major TLC. Fast forward 7 years.... I am just now getting to it. The paint had almost all peeled off the very old and rotted wood. The bolts were rusted on. It took Shane and I two days, a can of WD-40, and multiple vice grips to get them all off. There were 40 total in case you were wondering :)

The base was very rusty. I had to sand the crap out of it, clean it well, and prime and paint it with paint meant for rusty metal.

Once all the old wood was removed and the base was freshly painted with a nice gun metal finish, I was ready for new boards.

Materials Needed:

• Stain
• White paint
• Sand paper
• Foam brush
• Ruler or carpenter’s square
• Paper towels
• ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Exterior Surfaces

I stained them in Classic Grey from Minwax. It is one of my favorite! Remember the plank wall in my laundry room?!

Start by sanding the table panels really well and then wipe them down with a damp cloth to remove all the sawdust. Using a foam brush, apply the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes before wiping off the excess with paper towels and allow to dry completely following the manufacturer’s instructions on the stain can.

Once the boards were completely dry, and I had attached them to the base, it was time to paint!

1. To create the painted placemats, apply ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Exterior Surfaces in a rectangle sized to your liking. Tape another rectangle within it approximately one inch from the outer frame.

2: Using a foam brush, lightly apply a thin coat by dabbing on the paint. Repeat until you have full coverage. I did three coats of the oil based paint.

3: Remove the tape while the paint is still wet. Pull the tape off at a 45 degree angle for best results.

4: Once the border is dry, apply strips of painter’s tape side-by-side within the center of the painted rectangle. To get evenly spaced stripes without a ton of measuring, cover the entire center with tape and then remove every other piece.

5: Paint the stripes using the same technique as before.

You could do any pattern, any color. The possibilities are endless! I loved the classic feel of the grey and white. I feel like this could be dressed up or down depending on the occasion

.

When I saw the pink roses at the grocery store, I knew they would look great with my recent obsession with cobalt.

And doesn't my grass look fabulous ;)

A quick story about the photoshoot. I was running out of light by the time the paint was dry and the table was ready to style. I hurried and styled it with the help of all 5 of my guys. I grabbed the camera, set it up, and it started to rain before I could even take one shot. We scurried and took it all back inside. I waited until the next day. It was cloudy and threatened to rain again. Shane was at work but my boys helped me style it again. I got done with the shots just as it started to sprinkle. I'm not sure if it is going to help them at all in life, but for the record, my kids can style a table like nobody's business and set up and take down a shoot lickety split.

More than likely "photoshoot skills" will fall into the same file in their brain as algebra but this momma loves her assistants!

PIN for later:

Do you eat outdoors? Do you have a picnic table? Would you ever consider painting placemats?

I have partnered with ScotchBlue™ to bring you projects this summer that have lots of fun patterns! It is going to be awesome :) I have been compensated for my time. The projects and opinions are all my own.

The first thing you need to do is put a wet dish cloth on tip of the label. Let it soak for about 30 minutes.

Using a plastic (not metal!) putty knife, gently scrape the label off.

Next you will need to clean the crate really well. I have details instruction in my post about sanitizing reclaimed wood, but basically you scrub it with hot soapy water, and then steam it.

The steamer that I use is the HomeRight Steam Mop Plus. I adore it! I'm convinced it can clean anything. I've cleaned things like mattresses, rugs & carpet, ovens, toilets, tile grout, windows, etc. And it can steam the wrinkles out of clothes, curtains, tablecloths, and pillows. It is one of my favorite tools I own and I since I am a brand ambassador, I get to give one away!

*Must be 18 years or older and a resident of the USA at the time of the contest. Giveaway will run from July 24, 2015 until August 1, 2015. The winner will be chosen via random.org and notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.  The prize will be shipped by HomeRight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am part of the HomeRight ambassador program. I am compensated for my time in reviewing/using the products and writing/promoting the posts. The thoughts, opinions, and project ideas are all mine! 

Here is what it looked like when I hauled it out of the stall in my mom's barn.

And here it is all cleaned up.

 

 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 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.

 

 

 

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. Use 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. Use 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.

 

 

 

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.

 

This little guy is my painting BFF. He is my right hand man whenever I have doors, molding, baseboards, or furniture to paint. And since I am a brand ambassador for HomeRight, I get to give one away today!

I still need to take the tape and plastic down off the windows and and hang the freshly washed curtains, but I can visually see the room coming together in my head!

I also recently finished my hallway. The walls and trim got a layer of white and the doors a rich cobalt blue! You can read my tips on painting doors over on the HomeRight blog.

Some other projects I used the sprayer on are.....

When writing my book I needed a white dresser that I could style different ways. A basic unfinished IKEA dresser and a layer of paint and I was good to go!

I have also used it to stain my fence.

The first time I ever used it was to paint my brother's basement. We painted all the doors, all the trim and baseboards, and all the shelves in the closets.

I painted my bedside table the same cobalt blue as my upstairs doors. Can you see that baby butt smooth finish?

I painted a room divider to hide my furnace and water heater. The slats would have been a pain and a half with a paint brush but it was done in minutes with the sprayer :)

Enter below to win a HomeRight Finish Max Fine Finish Sprayer (affiliate link) of your own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I love mid century modern furniture! But since I live in a very traditional cottage style home, I can't have every single piece of furniture in my home be MCM. Hairpin legs are a great way to add a touch of mid century modern to any style of home. Add them to side tables, chairs, coffee tables, TV stands, entry tables, and benches! Did you find a table at a thrift store with a broken leg? No problem! Do you have a piece that your dog has chewed to pieces? Or maybe you just want to change up an existing piece for fun.

As with my tree stump planter, I love to add a touch of something modern to something that would ordinarily be considered "rustic". That is why I chose to pair the reclaimed wood with the hairpin legs.

To attach all the boards together to make the desk's top, you need to create pocket holes with a Kreg Jig. I used my  Kreg Jig Jr.  with the Clamp and it worked great!

Once all the pocket holes are drilled, screw the boards together.

Then all you have to do is add the hairpin legs. There are holes in the plate for you to screw them into place.  I buy my hairpin legs online through ebay mostly. I have seen good deals on etsy as well. The 4 inch legs I used on the planter are $20-$25 for a set of four legs and these 28 inch legs are $75-$85 for a set of four.

You don't have to use reclaimed wood boards. You could use a marble remnant, plywood, or a live edge board. The possibilities are endless.

After I made my deadline (two days early!) I thought "I should relax."

I tried that.

For two days.

It was hard.

Then I decided that I needed to put the house back together and shove some of the extra furniture I had accumulated into the basement (otherwise known as my future bedroom). I deep cleaned my poor kitchen that had functioned as a florist shop, woodworking shop, potting shed, and art studio. Then I started cleaning my bathroom.

And this happened.

I had one of those "If I have to dust this ledge one more time..." moments.

The beadboard has lived a good life. The previous owners put it up and I stained it shortly after moving in. The gel stain held up wonderfully but I was tired of cleaning all the groves and was ready for a new look.

So I ripped it carefully off. We have lathe and plaster so this is what it looked.

I would apologize for the ugly cell phone pics but who am I kidding. They would look gross even if I had used a nice camera.

I made sure all the nails and glue were removed from the walls and plastered over it.

I also ripped off the molding I added to the vanity years ago. I am going to strip it down and stain it. I am also going to strip the paint off the window molding and baseboards since there are 70+ years of paint layers and you can tell. I will repaint them after I get the inch thick old paint off of them.

After the joint compound dried, I sanded it smooth so it matched the finish on the upper walls.

I moved the bathroom stuff out first....

I was in the middle of sanding when Shane came home. He raised his eyebrows and said "Wow." And that was it. Bless him. Someone really needs to give him a medal.

If you remember the up bath saga at all you will recall that almost 3 years ago we had to rip out some tile and fix some pipes and water damage. We have not had the money to replace all the wall tile, the tub, and the floor tile, so we have not had a tub for that whole time. I had to hurry and finish the down bathroom so we could have a place to shower.

I still don't have the budget for this bathroom project but I am going to try the whole Field of Dreams thing and say "If I demo it, the funds will come."

And then I will pray while my eyes, fingers and toes are all crossed. And maybe toss a few pennies in a fountain for good luck.

For now I will finish painting the bathroom since I can afford paint. I will work out the rest later. But I have a four year old who doesn't even remember playing in the tub and that makes me feel sad. So this just got moved up the priority list.

At least until I demo something else.....

So much for relaxing!

Have you ever spontaneously demolished something? Or started a big DIY project on a whim? Please say yes. Then I will be validated and I will know we were meant to be DIY besties :) I would love to hear your stories!!!