Dresser to TV Stand Tutorial

So...I ran into this beauty at Savers for $15 & decided that even though it was pretty ugly...I could make it pretty...

I sanded her down...

and with a jig saw...cut off the two dividers on the "top shelf" of the dresser. Then I had a piece of wood cut to match the dimension and laid it down to create a smooth open shelf, instead of the 3 top drawers. I also put a piece of beadboard in the back...but this wasn't necessary, as you can't see the back in the finished project. Oops.

I primed the entire dresser and here you can see my wood "shelf" sitting on top...

I applied wood glue and then clamped it for a good 24 hours until I thought it was secure...

I put my freshly painted doors back in & bought some cheap white knobs at Hobby Lobby! Notice that they were the "handle" knobs, but I couldn't find any that I liked, so I just put 2 single knobs in each drawer and I think it turned out great!

Freshly painted light blue "entertainment dresser"...

And my TV is much happier sitting on a pretty piece of furniture! I didn't even notice the curves at the bottom of the dresser until it was painted & I love them. The top shelf provides a perfect spot for our DVD Player and Tivo and a spot for a woven basket in the middle...

Hidden in that basket??

Remotes & tv cords!

and those dresser drawers provide storage for ALL our movies!!!

Remember this???

It's now this...

Happy new chair

This was honestly one of the quickest makeovers I have ever done! I bought this chair...actually 2 matching chairs at a garage sale last week for $10. I grabbed 1/2 yard of some fun fabric when grocery shopping at Walmart one day last week on a whim. I believe that cost me $2. Since I am the only girl in my household, I knew I wanted to incorporate PINK somewhere in my craft room...because, well just because it makes me happy! So when I saw this fabric, I had to have some:) Then...because I have 3 young boys and shopping with them is a nightmare, I sent my hubby to Lowes to buy a can of spray paint...$3 I sent him with a piece of the fabric and told him I wanted a blue that matched and {hoped} he would pick a good color and as it turns out, it was exactly what I had in mind!! I quickly staple gunned my new fabric on and gave the chair a coat of primer, followed by a coat of blue and tada...my new chair for around $10! I love that I finally have a chair at my desk and not only does it make me smile...it's also super comfy!

Kitchen Curtains

Here is our kitchen exactly 2 years ago, when we bought our home...

Since we bought our home, we painted the kitchen walls green & we painted the trim and cabinets white, which brings us to what our kitchen has looked like for the past year 1/2 or so...

These PAPER blinds have been sitting in the windows, waiting to be taken down for a couple of years, but without much of a budget, they haven't been touched...

ENTER...green striped fabric I picked up a year ago when we went to the LA Fashion District for $1 per yard...

Simplest sewing project I've ever done...I cut RECTANGLES out of the fabric, hemmed the edges & attached with CLIPS...
(lighting is terrible in these pics...sorry!)

It made kind of an "accordian style" curtain(I ironed the creases, to look that way)...

so when I pull them open each morning...they are tucked away nice & neat...

They aren't very fancy & I will possibly want something different in the future...but for $4 in fabric, I am very happy! :)

 

Next up...

new countertops!!!

someday...when we can afford them

My "NEW-ish" Front Door

I was reading on my friend's blog---Randum Fancy this week & saw this post about changing her Purple Door. 

It was just the kick in the pants I needed(THANK YOU LeDawn!) & I went to the garage to see if I could find some paint to makeover MY FRONT DOOR...I literally got up from reading her post & went and put on my paint clothes! That is what I love about creative blogs...they really inspire!

 I cleaned my door really well & have been planning on painting it white or red since we moved in, but I was worried white might get really dirty with little neighborhood kids hands knocking on it all day & I didn't have any red on hand...so BLACK was decided on! (Why are all of my decisions based on what I have around the house when there is a Lowe's & Home Depot within 2 minutes of my house?)

I laid a drop cloth down & decided to skip the sanding & priming...which I would NEVER TYPICALLY RECOMMEND! My front door happens to be completely dry wood with no stain, varnish,etc.  which is the ONLY REASON you can ever skip those crucial steps!

The weather was beautiful, so it was a perfect day to sit & paint, while my kids drew ALL OVER THE SIDEWALK with chalk!

Oh...and of course they helped too! ;)

I can't believe I have been letting people come up to THIS FRONT DOOR for the past year & a half!

After the 1st coat...Okay, this is where PRIMING might have helped! This door SUCKED up my paint & I had to use SEVERAL coats!

After a couple more coats...

It looks SO MUCH better!!!

Can't wait to hang a cute SPRING WREATH on the front!!!

A farewell to 2010

We all had a BUSY 2010 & I just wanted to recap with 10 of my favorite projects of the year that I completed!

(in no particular order)

1. Painting my bedroom furniture GREY...

2. Putting grass in our backyard!
(and removing ugly extended back patio, pavers, rocks, cement border around previous grass BEFORE getting the grass)

3. Painting my Kitchen Cabinets WHITE...

4. Making these EASY Ric Rac Necklaces...

5. Putting Board & Batten in my Kitchen Nook...
  

6. Making this EASY Necklace Display...

7. My brother took this Brick planter nightmare to a perfect Entry Table that I get to now decorate throughout the year...

8. One of the easiest projects of the year, this super simple heart that I made for Valentine's Day...

9. I love looking at these pictures of my boys when I hang up my keys every day on these Beadboard Key Racks...

10. Last of all I have had a busy year making CLOCKS!
I have had more business this year than ever before & I feel like I have this blog to thank for that...so THANK YOU!!! Here are a few of my favorites from this past year...

What were YOUR FAVORITE PROJECTS of 2010???
Get busy & post them on your blog, I'd LOVE to see them!!!