Weekend Project Part 2 - Old Dresser Makeover and Art

The master bedroom makeover continues! I started with this headboard and decided to turn on my dresser. Before I painted it, this dresser was an ugly duckling to say the least. It was scratched, the drawers were falling out and it had been well loved by quite a few previous owners. But me, being the crazy hoarder that I am made my husband bring it with us in the move and to show him that it wasn't just going to be yet another project in the garage waiting to be done, I've actually been  using it as my dresser in our bedroom. Even though the drawers sagged every time I opened it and the scratches were sad to look at, I knew some day I would make it pretty. And that day was finally here. Joy of joys! 

Here she is before:

(sorry, I only remembered to take a picture after I had already removed the drawers)

And here she is after:

*sigh* I could stare at her all day. And since she's now located on the wall directly across from the foot of my bed - I can! Here's some pictures of how I got'er done with some sweet narration to go with them. You're welcome. :) 

First, I sanded it like crazy. And I did it by hand with an old school hand sander. Call me crazy, but I love getting a good workout in with a hand sander. 

Next, I painted it. A lot. Like, 3 coats and then I put a clear glaze on the top to protect it from people throwing keys and whatnot's on it. I bought just a sample sized thing of paint (less than $5) in "Canary Yellow" and when I got home I hated how bright it was so I added some white to it - which was great because that made it go further and I still have a lot leftover. 

Next, I spray painted my handles in brushed metallic (which I scored for only $1.35 on clearance!)

Here they are back on the dress. And yes, they will hold up great - I've used this spray paint on other projects and it works perfectly. 

Last, but not least, I'm sure you noticed my sweet art piece above the dresser. Yes, I did do it myself. :) That was a fun surprise for my husband because this is the first "real" piece of art I've done since before we got married and I got to sign it as Bennett! Pretty pathetic that it took me that long to do something this big, but that's what happens when you have 2 kids back-to-back, right? :) 

Weekend Project Part 1 - Simple Queen-sized Headboard

We recently moved  and things have been slowly getting to where they need to be around here. I finished decorating the living room and my son's room but our bedroom was a not-so-hot mess. We decided to turn our master bedroom closet into my daughter's nursery and I had tons of sewing stuff laying around the room because the garage was occupied with boxes. Last weekend I had had enough of the master bedroom clutter and I cleaned out the garage and organized it. I moved my sewing/craft stuff out there (yay!) and started organizing our horrible clothes situation (you know, since our closet was no longer available for clothes storage). Now that the clutter was gone it was glaringly obvious to me that our bedroom was in serious need of a makeover. Pictures were just sitting around waiting to be hung, our dressers didn't go together (which wasn't a big deal before since they were in the closet!) and our old headboard somehow got lost in the move. It was time for a room intervention!!!

The first project was a headboard. I did my usual research and had the usual debate with my husband. That debate goes something like this:

Husband: "Let's just buy one"

Me: "But headboards are expensive."
Husband: "What, like $20? No biggie."

Me: "More like $50-$75 and that's if you want a crappy Walmart one that will break when you blow on it. If you want a nice one you're looking at a couple hundred, easily." 

Husband: "I'm sure you can find a nice one on sale somewhere. Just look around, it will be easier to buy one. Do you really want to spend all weekend in the garage on another project?"

Me: *secretly squealing with joy inside because projects excite me* "Sure, I'll look around first."  

So, I did. And you know what? I was right. I drove all around town with kids in tow looking at headboards. I bombarded him with pictures of everything and he hated them all and couldn't figure out why they were so expensive. I even tried to convince him to let me buy one I had found and let me recover it. But that one was $100 and then I'd still have to buy fabric and be in the garage all weekend. So, he caved and off to Home Depot I went with a smile on my face. 

The end result put a smile on his face. Oh, and it only cost us $27. Well worth it, he says! 

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of the process but I'll do my best guiding you through it. 

First, supplies. 

At home depot I bought 4 pieces of "2x3"s. These are always cut a little smaller than advertised. Mine were 2.5x1.5 and about 98 inches long. I bought the cheap ones and they were about $2 each. I had to sort through the pile of wood to get ones that weren't splintered or cracking or anything. Next you'll need to get a piece of plywood. I didn't need to because miracles of miracles as I driving out of my complex one of my neighbors was throwing a piece of plywood away that he had miss-cut - it was perfect for my needs so I scooped it up! FREEEEEEEEEEE! Most plywood is pretty cheap though since you don't need too big of a piece and you don't need it to be very thick either - at my Home Depot you can get a sheet for about $8. Lastly, you'll need 4 L-shaped brackets and screws if you don't have any on hand. Oh, and a screw driver, saw and staple gun if you don't have one already. :) You can have them cut your wood at most lumber stores to the sizes you need (see below) if you don't have a saw at home. 

TIP - if you chose to get yours cut in store, make sure you are very clear with them that it needs to be measured twice and cut exactly to your measurements. Sometimes their machines aren't very accurate so stick around and have them measure it one more time after it's cut so you don't get home and have it be too short or crooked (this has happened to me in the past).

Here are the instructions I drew for how to lay out your frame and the cut sizes you need for a standard Queen but please, please measure first and then measure it again and again just to be sure! Measure from floor to top of mattress and then from floor to projected top of headboard and then measure width of your bed and width between where it screws into the frame. 

Lay out your 4 pieces of cut wood on top of your piece of plywood and make sure everything is lining up. Also, make sure you measure you bed AND your bed frame. These instructions are for my standard queen size frame. Now put your 4 braces in the corners and screw them in. Next, flip it over and attach the plywood with screws to the frame. You'll notice this will give you a hole in the middle and that's where you'll be putting your foam. Which leads me to the next step - buying your craft store items. 

What you'll need from your craft store: 

A piece of 2 inch foam. This will need to be 56 inches long. 

Your desired fabric - 2 yards should be enough if it's a wide fabric. 

Nail head trim (picture below)

Fabric glue or some other kind of strong bond glue
Batting, if you want extra padding

TIPS: I never, ever shop at my craft store (Joann's) unless I have coupons. I scored my fabric for only $6 ($3 a yard) and my nail head trim for only $10. My foam was free (usually around $30). Joann's fabric allows you to use competitors coupons - Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. and you can use one of their coupons on your phone and one printed. Restrictions apply, of course. Most are for regular priced items but occasionally you'll find ones that discount your entire purchase. This weekend I had a 50% off one item, a 40% one item (including sale priced items) and a 25% total purchase. The foam was free from a previous Joann's sale that I stocked up on because I'm a pack-rat like that. Also, if you're willing to shop online you can find even better deals and promotions. Fabric.com is a great place to get stuff and they will send you a 20% coupon just for being a new customer. 

Now back to the headboard - Take your foam and cut it to size (I used an electric knife -the one we use to cut turkey and Thanksgiving- and it cut straight and perfect like a dream). Put your glue (I used wood glue) in the hole you created and then press your fabric down on top of it and let that dry completely. Next, drape your fabric (and batting if you bought it) upside down on a bed or clean floor. Place your frame foam side down on top of the fabric and then start pulling your fabric tight (but not too tight, you don't want it to pucker) and secure it to the plywood with your staple gun. Now just flip it over and attach your nailhead trim around the edge of your foam into the wood. Here's a closer up picture of the almost finished product:

The last thing I did was wrap the legs in fabric and attach it to the headboard (see holes from my drawing) with some bolts we had left over from our old headboard. 

FYI, I calculated this out for a friend and her King sized headboard without the 2 freebies (plywood and foam) came out to be about $70 after coupons. That's a pretty awesome deal if you're willing to put in the labor! You could also do button tufting on a headboard like this too. 

Sticker Tip

Do your kids ever rip their stickers trying to get them off the page?

Simple trick: Take the outer sticker sheet off the paper leaving only the actual stickers behind. 

Framed Mason Jar

What do you do when you get married and your husband has an old nasty fake gold leafed 80's frame that he's obsessed with because it's sentimental? Well, you stick it in his office and then years later you "accidentally" drop it in the move. That's what. Kidding. Maybe. Okay, yes, It really was an accident and luckily I wasn't the one who broke it so he can't even blame me. So since there was no glass to go with the frame and it had some damage to the wood, he threw it away. I decided to re-claim it and give it a makeover. 

Now, after I painted it white and glued on some burlap and hung a mason jar in it, it looks like this:

 

Sorry I didn't take a before picture, but it looked something like this: 

Herb Crusted Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Avocado

Grilled cheese is my "go to" for rainy days. Especially with tomato soup. Yum! But today I had some extra time on my hands and wanted to mix up my usual comfort classic. It was simply delicious. I may never go back to plain grilled cheese ever again! 

What you'll need:
French loaf (or Italian or Sour Dough)
Dry Herbs - I chose Basil, Oregano, Dill Weed, Rosemary, Onion Powder and Garlic Powder
Cheese - I chose Havarti and Cheddar
Avocado slices
Butter
Frying pan or panini press

• In a bowl, combine a dash of each herb (to your liking) and 2 tablespoons butter. Melt in microwave for 20 seconds or until butter is melted. 
• Cut two large slices of bread from your loaf (I like mine thick)
• Spread your butter and herb mixture on the bottom of a piece of bread and stick it in your pan. Layer your cheeses and avocado slices (as much as you like). Spread your butter and herb mixture on another piece of bread and put on top of your cheeses (herb side up). Fry on medium/low for a few minutes and then turn. Fry until light brown. 

Decorative Shelves

Okay, so Christmas has long since come and gone.  I have been so busy since then that I am just now getting around to posting this-even though I made them last year!

Thanksgiving was just coming to an end, and I was so antsy to decorate for Christmas. My house doesn't have a fireplace so I was trying to figure out somewhere to put my stockings.  The idea hit me!  "I have a miter saw in the garage and some random pallets lying around, I will make some shelves!".  An hour later I had these beauties hanging!

If you are into wood working, don't look too closely because the angles don't line up great, but heck I think it adds to the rustic charm!  I have since added some pegs (found at Joann's and then stained).  I forgot to take a picture of the stockings...darn!  Trust me though, it was cute!


Making something out of nothing!! LOVE IT!

CB's Breakfast Casserole

Tonight I made a spur-of-the-moment Breakfast Casserole with hash-browns, ground beef, bell pepper, egg and cheese. As with most casseroles I make, I started out by perusing my pantry, fridge and freezer to see what I had on hand. Tonight I found some ground beef that was calling my name. I ran the usual ground beef dinner ideas by my husband (meatballs, salisbury steak, meatloaf, hamburger helper...) and nothing sounded very exciting. It had just started to rain outside (which is odd since it's been so toasty this week) and I wanted something comforting and warm. So, of course, I decided on a casserole. When it was finished, my husband and kiddos gave it rave reviews and there wasn't a single bit left in the pan. I always love it when a plan comes together out of thin air! I ate mine with ketchup, a side of fruit and orange juice. YUM!

What you'll need:

Casserole dish (9x13 works fine, mine is 7.5x12)
Southern style hash-browns (frozen)
1 pound ground beef
Bell peppers - red, green and yellow (frozen)
Eggs (5)
Milk
Sharp Cheddar Cheese - grated (about 1 and a half cup)
Seasonings of choice ( I used salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and burger seasoning)

CB's Breakfast Casserole Instructions

Step 1: Spray your casserole pan with cooking spray and turn the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Step 2: Sprinkle about half a bag (1/2 pound) of hash-browns in your dish and stick them in the oven (this will help keep your hash-browns nice and crispy).

Step 3: Brown your meat and add a little burger seasoning. (My meat was straight from the fridge so this step only took a few minutes) Drain fat. 

Step 4: Crack your 5 eggs into a bowl and whisk in 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1.5 tsp paprika, 1.5 tsp onion powder, and 1.5 tsp garlic powder. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of milk. 

Step 5: Retrieve your hash-browns from the oven and start layering your casserole. Put the meat on top of the hashbrowns, followed by about 1 cup of peppers (or you could mix it up with whatever veggies you like - maybe tomatoes or onions or spinach..), evenly distribute egg mixture and then top with cheese.

Step 6: Bake until edges are brown, cheese is melted and a knife comes out clean - about 40 minutes.

Crayon Making - Recycle Those Broken Crayons

I work at a preschool, and we use crayons on a daily basis. Therefore, we end up with a ton of broken, or too short crayons, which is perfect for this project. I, however, went a bit crazy, and after I used up all of our nubby crayons, I went to the dollar store and bought a few more boxes. I thought it would be a fun Valentines gift for the preschool kids to have multicolored crayons in fun shapes. 

The most difficult part of this project is peeling the crayons. I ended up using an old kitchen knife to score the crayon wrapper, then it practically came off on its own. If you try it, just be sure to lay the crayon flat on the table, and pinch it with your thumb and index finger. Then gently slide the knife from tip to tip over the wrapper. It's definitely fine if you slice a little into the crayon, because you are going to break them up anyways.  

I found the silicone molds at a store in the mall called Kitchen Collection. They had several different shapes, and each one was only two dollars. You can end up making five to eight crayons at a time, rather than two in the Crayola Melt'n Mold Factory (Which retails for around $40 or $50). 

I used my toaster oven to melt the crayons, because I wanted to keep a close eye on them, and I also didn't want to heat up my regular oven. I have a cookie sheet that fits my toaster oven, and I placed the silicone tray on that, so it was easier to pick up when the crayons were hot. 

Here is how I did it:

1. Choose your colors, and peel several crayons.
2. Break the crayons, or cut them up, and fill the silicone mold. Larger pieces take a little longer to melt, but tiny ones melt too quickly, and run together.
3. Place tray on a cookie sheet, and heat in a 325 degree oven for approx. 10-15 minutes. 
4. Keep an eye on the melting crayons, because you don't want the colors to mix and become a yucky gray color. Remove them from the oven when you no longer see any solid crayon pieces. 
5. Allow to cool. I usually sit them on the counter for a bit, and then move them to the fridge for ten to twenty minutes. 
6. Once they're solid again, they should just pop right out of the mold.

Mickey Mouse Oreo Cupcakes!

My son loves Mickey Mouse and I love cupcakes. When the two worlds collide, you get these! I had so much fun making these red velvet mickey mouse cupcakes with my little guy. Delicious and fun!

He had a blast putting on the Oreos. And when I say "putting on" I mean "eating". They were a hit at the birthday party we took them to. 

Here's the easy frosting recipe I used:

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on low speed. Slowly add powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.

My easy no-sew fabric flower headband!

 

Today I'm going to show you how to make a shabby chic, no-sew fabric flower for a headband! It only takes a few minutes and it's really easy to do. 

Here are all the things you will need. I did a video tutorial for you so you could see just how to fold them and place them. Enjoy!