DIY – Page 9 – Dust Bunnies and Dog Toys

Getting the Deck Ready for Summer

Published on May 12, 2016May 12, 2016 by JennaLeave a comment

The temperatures are getting warmer and the sun is out longer which means it’s time to get the deck ready for summer! I switched things up in the yard this year and put the sectional seating elsewhere so we could have a dining table on the deck. Having one here makes more sense because the grill is nearby and the space is just off the sliding door to the main area of the house where the kitchen is.

I picked up this great table and chairs set on the local buy/sell page for just $100. I love that the metal design is sturdy and won’t hold water so it should be ready to enjoy all the time. I originally planned to add cushions to the chairs, but they are surprisingly very comfortable so I just used the throw pillows I already had instead.

The hubs dug out the umbrella and we placed it with the table for extra stability. It took a tumble off the deck at the end of the season last year which broke the arm the hubs had repaired after we bought it at Goodwill. This time he used metal tubing and painted it to match so it blends in quite well.

You really have to look closely to spot which arm is the one that’s been repaired, so I’d say he did an excellent job! As an extra precaution we keep the umbrella down when we’re not using it, just in case the winds pick up when we’re not around.

Before we got everything set up we also pressure washed the deck (ignore the fact that it’s still sitting off to the side there.) so we had a clean slate to start with. We’ll be painting the deck at some point this summer since it’s starting to show wear and needs a refresher, but a good wash works for now. I’ll be adding plants to the various planters you see in the far corner this weekend and tilling the area around the deck to add landscaping there. Check back next week to see it all come together! 🙂

A Little Pickin’

Published on May 5, 2016 by JennaLeave a comment

The other day I spotted an ad on the buy/sell page for several old rusty items and decided to spend a few minutes checking out what was available. One of the items was a set of metal lockers for $10. Although I don’t really have a spot planned for them I claimed them and made arrangements to pick them up that evening.

They turned out to be quite large and heavy. While moving them we also discovered that there were small drawers inside each! As the hubs figured out a plan to get them in the truck the property owners told me to look around and see if there was anything else I might want because they were clearing the lot to build and wanted it gone. Not one to pass up the opportunity for a real life picking moment, I started exploring the piles of stuff tucked between trees and forgotten for years even thought I was still dressed from work at the office.

I found these two bed spring frames in an old truck bed and knew they would make awesome trellises for my garden!

Then I spotted this large metal tank that had been cut down and immediately fell in love with it. I’m not sure if it will become garden art or if I’ll make it into a seat for next to the fire pit!

I also found some cool bits and pieces of things to fill in the open areas of my gardens including large springs, metal grates for small trellises and a metal twin size headboard that is begging for a second life. I also spied this amazing jerry can in a pile and snatched it up. I hunted for a match for it but I couldn’t pass it up.

The owner took me up to a conex box he had more stuff stored in and I spotted these larger springs and metal crates. He made me a deal for on the whole group and I quickly stashed those in the truck too. At this point the truck was full and it was getting late, so we made arrangements to come back the next day to get the rest of our finds and I quit looking. Tired, covered in rust and dead leaves we headed home to unload our treasures with smiles.

Take a guess at what my amazing haul cost… I paid just $50 for the whole batch! That’s a whole ‘lotta rusty goodness for a bargain price! I’m not 100% sure where I’ll use each piece just yet, but now that I have them I’ll find creative uses for them and I’ll be sure to share how I utilize each here on the blog once I do. 🙂

The New Chicken Yard

Published on April 20, 2016April 20, 2016 by Jenna2 Comments

Today is the 3rd anniversary of the blog! It’s amazing to think of how far we’ve come since this journey began, but I’m glad you’re here to share it. To celebrate I’m sharing a big project that the hubs recently did, the new chicken yard! Although their coop was pretty big we spoil our critters and wanted them to have lots of room to spread their wings and do their little chicky thing. Plus happy chicks = constant egg production so we’re all about keeping these ladies happy.

To get things started the hubs rented this mini excavator to dig a trench around the perimeter of the space. Although I’m practicing no-spend April he isn’t and since it was his idea and project it doesn’t impact my no-spend goal. He did have costs for the equipment rental, posts and concrete but the main panels were freebies from Craigslist last fall and we had a gate building kit left over from installing the yard fence so he did save where he could.

The dogs were pretty interested in this new contraption and wanted to hop on for a ride. When they realized that wasn’t going to happen they decided to hop into the side by side which was parked nearby with supplies in the back. Apparently Stoli thought he was going to drive Tequila and his expression when I told him he couldn’t reach the pedals was priceless!

Here’s how things looked once the trenches were dug. Like with any project it always looks worse before it looks better. The chickens were pretty interested in what was going on and watched from inside the coop run, hoping we’d let them out to investigate.

Next came installing the posts and panels. The hubs cut a groove in the sides of each post so the panels would nest in the groove for added stability. I felt bad that I wasn’t able to help much with the install due to photography sessions but I will say he did an amazing job for putting this together almost 100% on his own.

Above is what things looked like when I left for sessions and below is what I saw when I got home that evening! All of the posts and panels were installed and concreted in which makes the entire thing SUPER sturdy and predator proof.

A few days later I helped install this thin bird netting over the top so that eagles and owls can’t attack from above.

And here’s the finished project with the gate installed. I’ve started lining both sides of the yard with cinderblocks, which I’ll plant with simple flowers to make things pretty and attract flying insects the chicks might enjoy catching. It will also help keep the digs a foot back from the fence when they come to visit, which I’m sure the chicks appreciate.

Now that they have more space I moved their outdoor roost and dirt bath tub from the run out into the yard. The hubs also plans to build a new storage area for the chicken supplies to replace the plastic one we currently have and I’m planning a few aesthetic improvements such as a coop sign, pavers next to the coop door and planting a rose bush to help keep the area smelling pretty too.

I don’t think the chicks will notice most of those things but I’ll appreciate them. They are just happy to have more freedom and room to run around but they are still creatures of habit and all gather back in the hen house each evening to roost, which makes this momma happy. 🙂

Vintage DIY Magnets

Published on March 29, 2016 by JennaLeave a comment

Today I wanted to share a quick DIY project I did with some of my Vintage Market finds. Remember these fun antique letter blocks I got from Alaska Picker? They were the perfect size to work as magnets on our chalkboard portion of the new command center.

The backs were solid blocks of wood so there was a perfect surface to attach magnets.

I picked up a pack of strong magnets at Michaels. Other shoppers probably thought I was a nut-job as I tested several packs on various metal items around the store before deciding which option had the best grip. But I a gal’s gotta do what a gal’s gotta do to make sure her project has staying power. 🙂

I was pretty sure the magnets were strong enough that I could use one per block, but since the pack came with 8 I decided to double them up on each just for good measure. A little hot glue and we were in business. It seriously took longer to wait for the glue gun to heat up than it did to glue the magnets down.

One of the blocks apparently had some paper backing still attached where I added the magnet so it came off, but I cleaned both up and reapplied it without issue.

And here they are on the chalkboard. They do blend in a bit with the colors but that’s ok because they are the perfect size for the space. Once they were up I noticed that having magnets on each corner kept the blocks level rather than having one in the center where the block might get bumped and loose grip, so I’m glad I decided to go that route.

So what do you think of my new/old magnets? I’d love to see how others have used vintage letter blocks in their décor, so leave me a comment with a photo if you have!

Alaska Chick’s Vintage Market

Published on March 24, 2016 by Jenna3 Comments

Last weekend I visited a fun Vintage Home Market, which I had been eagerly anticipating for months. I attended the event last year when it was held at a smaller venue which became very crowded, so I was glad they were able to move to this larger space. I had a wedding booked that afternoon so I went first thing in the morning, despite the late spring snow storm that had rolled into the area. Tickets went on sale at 8 am and doors opened at 9, so I arrived a little after 8 to pay and get in line. The picture above is the view as you enter the building. On the other side of the entry was this beautiful set up.

I browsed the front booths from the line, including this double space booth done by the market coordinator, Alaska Chicks. There were so many great items packed into the space that you had to look several times to see them all.

They also had this fun photo booth at the front of the line where you could take selfies with the vintage car and model. It was a great idea to utilize the wait time, which several folks did.

The line grew as the opening time got closer and eventually filled the whole staging area, with several groups flowing out the door. I took this shot just 10 minutes before they opened the market with a vintage air raid siren from Alaska Picker, who we bought our windmill art from!

I was so busy shopping that I didn’t take any pictures once the market opened, but you can see lots of the vendor’s booths and wares on the event page here. My favorite set up was this rustic truss with moss.

And of course I found a few treasures to bring home. The first thing I got was a custom order for a grain sack sham for our bed from this amazing vendor. I made a beeline for her booth as soon as they opened because that was my one MUST get item for the show. Across from her space was a vendor with repurposed wine barrel furniture and décor where I found these cool barrel band hearts! I’d seen some on craigslist back in February and messaged the seller but never got a response so I was giddy to find them here. Plus they were the same price, just $10 each! They will be going up on the side of the house when we expand the chicken run later this spring.

I also found several “little” treasures, including a handmade whale and fun Alaska art print for the foster room, a large ampersand that will be added to the gallery wall soon and vintage letter blocks that I plan to make into magnets for the project I’ll be sharing next!

This show has me so motivated to start making things for the Junktion Market in July where I’ll be sharing a booth with the gal who does our furniture refinishing, where I plan to do a little browsing as well. I’ll also be shopping the Alaska Picker Day in June, then hit the Junk Bonanza outside of Portland when we visit in October! I’m sure I’ll find more rusty, vintage goodness to bring home at each and will certainly share my finds with you all right here on the blog. 🙂

Crafting Organization with Baskets

Published on March 17, 2016 by JennaLeave a comment

I recently added some new organization to my crafting area that I’m pretty excited about. Although I have tons of storage for tools and small materials in my craft cabinet, I often found that I had larger items saved for projects stashed away in other parts of the house and being out of sight, I often forgot about them. So when I spotted a simple ladder shelf on the buy/sell page for $25 I jumped on it.

I knew right away that the wire baskets from the Better Homes & Gardens line I’d been lusting after would work perfectly on the shelves. Unfortunately my local stores didn’t carry the baskets so I had to order them online and wait for them to arrive.

Once they did, I placed two on each shelf and organized my various project materials in them, leaving the narrower top shelf for my paints and stains. I also had room to slide a large item behind the lower shelves and rest several flat pieces on the bottom of the shelf frame.

The baskets are the perfect size to hold all those oddly shaped pieces and the canvas liners keep little parts contained. They even have chalkboard panels on the front, so I can add labels to them and easily change them as inventory changes.

This space is still a work in progress, but it feels more inspiring now that it’s well organized with everything ready and available. And soon that box of barn door hardware tucked next to the cabinet will be installed for a project I’ve been dreaming of since we started construction! I’ll share the details once it’s complete so watch for that. 🙂

A Simple Revamp with Paint & a Knob

Published on March 16, 2016 by Jenna1 Comment

Today I’m sharing a quick revamp I did on a side table with a bit of midcentury mod style. Here’s how it looked when I spotted it on the buy/sell page.

It was a good price for a solid wood piece and I knew I could give it a facelift with a quick coat of paint. I had grey paint on hand from a previous project so I used that. I was pretty happy with how modern the new color made the piece look, even part way through painting!

Once everything was dry I switched out the futuristic drawer pull for a simpler knob. I originally wanted to do a farmhouse style pull like we have on the drawers in the office, but since that would require drilling new holes I decided to stick with the single attachment option. I also added a basket for more storage space. It’s the perfect size for magazines or a throw blanket which makes the piece very functional in a multitude of spaces.

I originally planned to use this piece as part of a desk in the foster room but changed my mind as the room came together, so for now it’s acting as a nightstand in the guest room.

I paid $30 for the table and around $20 for the basket, so the total cost came in just under $50. Not bad for a quick little project. I’m currently on the hunt for a small dresser for the guest room so when I find one this piece may find a new home elsewhere in the house. I could see it working well as a side table in the family room as well. But if not it should be an easy piece to sell.

I’d love to hear what you think of the transformation! Leave me a comment below about how you’d use it in your home if you had the chance.

Board & Batten in the Laundry Room

Published on March 15, 2016January 5, 2017 by Jenna2 Comments

While we were putting up the shiplap wall in the dining room, we also installed a board and batten treatment in the laundry room. The last time you guys saw the laundry room it was looking like this. We put up this small coat rack shortly after moving in so our coats didn’t end up draped across the dining room table chairs and island bar stools. It was functional, but the short width of the rack meant things bulked up in the middle and started to intrude on the walkway.

Here’s what it looks like now. With spaced out hooks it’s easier to organize the coats we use daily and they lay flatter against the wall making the space less crowded.

The process to get this look was minimal and fairly low cost. We already had the paint on hand, the hooks were purchased with a coupon and the boards were cut down from a single sheet of plywood. We started by nailing up a header board at the same height as the old coat rack.

Next we added the vertical boards to create the panels. We had to piece together a few of the verticals, but since those spots end up behind the door I wasn’t too concerned about it. We also removed the handle pad on the wall since one of the vertical boards now runs over part of where it was.

We spackled the nail holes and joints between boards so we’d have a smooth surface to paint.

It took several coats of paint to get everything covered, and I eventually painted the one trim section of the door casing on either side of the room so it tied in with the new wall treatment.

The final step was adding the hooks. I found these on Amazon after seeing them used in a bathroom revamp on one of my favorite blogs. They didn’t come with screws so the hubs picked up some at the hardware store that were close to the same finish.

I could have staged the space to make it look even more amazing, but I decided to keep it real for you. The fact that the coats are hung and out of the way is enough to make me happy!

I plan to add some sort of artwork or décor on the wall above the top board, but I’ll hold out until I find, or DIY, the perfect pieces. Who knows, maybe I’ll find that this weekend at the local Vintage Market! But even if I don’t it will be fun to look! 🙂

We’ve Got Shiplap!

Published on March 10, 2016January 5, 2017 by Jenna1 Comment

The first project we tackled after getting back from Hawaii was adding faux shiplap to the dining room. Although it was high on my wish list I didn’t have plans to get it done until later, but the perfect opportunity presented itself and we decided to make the most of it.

While on vacation I found a larger sideboard to replace the inefficient one we had and made arrangements for my awesome furniture refinisher to pick it up before we returned home. The buffet we had sold so fast that I had to empty the entire contents on the dining room table, which left the wall empty for about 2 weeks. Knowing this was a rare opportunity the hubs suggested we just knock it out so it would be done when the new buffet was ready. I quickly agreed and we figured out what we needed.

We started by locating the studs and marking their location the entire height of the wall so we’d know where to nail the boards in at. Here’s my stud locating the wood studs. I helped draw the lines and we recorded the measurement of each from either side of the wall so we’ll know where to anchor the windmill when it goes up later this spring.

We purchased several sheets of 1/4″ hard oak plywood which we planned to have the box store cut into strips for us, but due to poor training the hubs was told they don’t do that. So he brought the full sheets home and we ripped them into 8″ planks on our table saw. Unfortunately, we didn’t notice that the back grip on the guide had come loose and most of our boards were not perfectly matched. We divided them into piles by width so we could easily find similar sized boards as we added new pieces. We started at the top and nailed the first board in along the stud marks.

Once we had the top row done we used nickles to space out the second row. Eventually we got tired of fussing with the nickles and just eyeballed the spacing, which worked out pretty well. The process went pretty quickly and soon we were almost done.

Stoli was quite interested in the process and kept trying to figure out how he could help. Eventually he decided that guarding dad while he was down on the floor was his best option. 🙂

The hubs had to cut around the two outlets at the bottom of the wall, which took some measuring but went smoothly. Another row after that and we had the entire wall done.

Next we spackled all of the nail holes, let them dry and then sanded them smooth. Luckily we could find most in a line where the studs were but we had to find the additional nails were the boards joined going across. We still missed one or two but I figure it adds a bit of character.

The wood had an orange, almost red tone so we knew it would take several coats to cover. Here’s how things looked halfway through the first coat.

Another coat had countered the orange but there was still some bleed through so we opted for a third coat.

The bright white makes the entire space so much brighter and I love how it reflects the light from the windows in the dining room. There were a few imperfections, but it fits our rustic style so I let them be.

The hubs wasn’t crazy about the idea of this project in the beginning but once it was done he stood back and said “Looks pretty good. I like it.” I’m glad he does because I LOVE it! It makes me smile every time I walk in the room and see it. What’s even better is how it works with the new buffet which I’ll share in my next post!

It’s Curtains for the Foster Room

Published on February 11, 2016 by Jenna4 Comments

Before we left for Hawaii, we checked one final project off the list – installing a curtain rod in the Foster Room. You may remember these green curtains from our Master some time ago, but when we replaced them with something new (seen in the background here) I stashed these away thinking they might somewhere else. Looks like I was right. To be honest they aren’t really curtains – they are actually table cloths, as are the new curtains in our room. I prefer to use table cloths because they are less expensive, typically dirt & moisture resistant and come in long lengths to fit our high ceilings. Plus they are washer friendly so I can take them down and run them on the sanitary cycle to help combat my severe allergies.

The curtain rod is more industrial pipe just like what we used on the bed and other projects such as this, this and this. We’ve found that this is best option for window treatments in our house since the dogs and cat like to play in the fabric occasionally and kept ripping the screw mounted brackets of traditional curtain rods out of the wall.

The hubs put the pipe pieces together with a 90* elbow on each end to give a bit of depth and made sure to put the curtain rings on before mounting – that’s a key step in this style of rod since it’s more permanent. Luckily the ring clips add a little extra length to the overall effect and making taking the curtain down or switching them out super easy. Here’s a closer view of the pipe and ring clips.

Now we just need to install a closet system and finish up this side of the room. I’m on the hunt for a small dresser for the left side of the bed since the side table I picked up and revamped isn’t working out the way I planned it. I’ll share that project soon as well. The closet is next to that space on the right of the bed where the stools currently are. I’m planning a fold down desk in that spot, which can also be a chalkboard! Someone gave us a second twin mattress for the trundle under the industrial cart bed, which was a little thicker than we planned for so we’ll have to adapt the trundle frame to fit a bit more clearance.

The fabric you see at the bottom is the thin blanket currently protecting the sheets from the bed frame. Although it works, the color isn’t right for this space so I’ll swap it out for something else when it’s all finished. I think we already have a blanket that will work, but I’ve got to test it out before I commit it to this purpose. Luckily having a blanket on the trundle eliminates the need for a bed skirt so it serves two purposes, and you know how much I love things that pull double duty! The two standard pillows against the wall work for the main bed and trundle while the king pillow in front is an extra in case there are friends who stay over with a sleeping bag. I plan to let the children who stay with us pick out throw pillows to add to the bed so they can show off their personality and interests a bit, then have something they can take with them when they leave our home.

I’m loving how this room is coming together and the fun industrial vibe it’s developing. I’m hoping to have it wrapped up in the next month so we can start the final preparations to become foster parents. It’s going to be a big change but I’m sure it will also bring big rewards for both us and those who’s lives we’re about to be a part of.