at our favorite German restaurant, Henk's/ Black Forest Bakery.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
shower curtain.
This is the new shower curtain I made using a premier prints indoor-outdoor stripe. When I bought it, I had no idea what I would use it for, but I figured it out soon enough.
How to make one:
1. get 4 yards of 54 inch wide fabric.
2. cut it in half width-wise.
3. cut one of those segments into thirds, length-wise
4. sew a panel to either side of your big, undivided square of fabric, and iron the seams open.
5. sew the third panel across the top, perpendicular. then trim and hem sides of shower curtain.
6. place 12 grommets across the top according to package directions, and using a hammer.
7. figure out how high you would like the shower curtain; mark the bottom hem, and then hem it.
this is a pretty easy and quick project. I think it took me about an hour all together, most of which was spent ironing.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
island time
My awesome, lovely, beautiful mother decided to spoil me by buying me an early birthday present- a kitchen island!
When we moved our new table into its appointed spot, we temporarily left the old one in the middle of our kitchen. This made us realize how awesome it would be to have a little mobile work-station there (and that we really did have space for something in that spot)
I was deciding between:
Flytta
Stenstorp
and Groland.
Ultimately, We really love butcher block, and since we have white cabinets and wanted something that could roll, we decided on the stenstorp kitchen cart. Here it is in action:
excuse the lighting... it's overcast and misty here.
Doak got me/ us a cutting board that happens to fit perfectly over the top of the new cart:
I am very tempted to go buy a few more to cover up the ugly faux-carrera marble laminate countertops in our house.
From what I've read about butcher block, the most important thing to do to take care of it is to condition it with food-grade oil every day for a week, then every week for a month or two, then every month forever. After some quick research, I discovered that the expensive "butcher block conditioning oils" sold in hardware stores are pretty much just pure mineral oil, give or take a small percentage of linseed or orange oils. Know where else they sell mineral oil? in the drugstore, at about $2 per quart, in the laxative aisle. It's supposed to make the wood gorgeous and water-tight.
So if you're ever at our house and you see a big bottle that says "laxative" on it in the kitchen, don't think I'm super weird. it's for the counter-tops.
When we moved our new table into its appointed spot, we temporarily left the old one in the middle of our kitchen. This made us realize how awesome it would be to have a little mobile work-station there (and that we really did have space for something in that spot)
I was deciding between:
Flytta
Stenstorp
and Groland.
Ultimately, We really love butcher block, and since we have white cabinets and wanted something that could roll, we decided on the stenstorp kitchen cart. Here it is in action:
excuse the lighting... it's overcast and misty here.
Doak got me/ us a cutting board that happens to fit perfectly over the top of the new cart:
I am very tempted to go buy a few more to cover up the ugly faux-carrera marble laminate countertops in our house.
From what I've read about butcher block, the most important thing to do to take care of it is to condition it with food-grade oil every day for a week, then every week for a month or two, then every month forever. After some quick research, I discovered that the expensive "butcher block conditioning oils" sold in hardware stores are pretty much just pure mineral oil, give or take a small percentage of linseed or orange oils. Know where else they sell mineral oil? in the drugstore, at about $2 per quart, in the laxative aisle. It's supposed to make the wood gorgeous and water-tight.
So if you're ever at our house and you see a big bottle that says "laxative" on it in the kitchen, don't think I'm super weird. it's for the counter-tops.
gold and orange table.
In my world, every color goes together. I used to think it was a problem that I couldn't pick just one or two to make a color scheme that made any sense in a traditional decorator-y kind of way, but now I embrace the fact that I love just about all of them, and I find myself running away with it.
For example, when we were at the hardware store picking up the gray and white paint for my guest room mirror, Ethan picked up a chip of a bright, BRIGHT persimmon orange. I had no idea what to do with it, but I knew I needed that orange in my life.
Then I remembered this:
I had been using this little Norden Ikea table as a dressing table for a while, but I decided it would fit better in the dining nook of our kitchen than the larger table we previously had there. Perfect orange painting opportunity!
Here's what I made:
An orange table. but wait, notice the gold feet!
gratuitous close-up of the golden feet:
The process of painting wood furniture is not really that fun in and of itself, but it's satisfying when you're finished. Here is how I do it, step by step:
Materials:
mouse sander/ block sander/ sandpaper. 80 grit to rough up wood, 150-200 grit between coats of paint or varnish.
Kilz oil based primer
cheap paint brush (primer is a pain in the butt to clean up, and it will make a mess in your sink. just get a throw-away one.)
re-usable paint brush if using acrylic paint.
small sponge roller
mineral spirits (to clean up anything oil-based)
Paint in color of your choice, eggshell or gloss finish
OR
Spray paint. I've had good luck with Rustoleum.
wipe-on poly
lintless rags, such as rags-in-a-box
old cardboard box or tarp.
1. Sand the surface of the wood lightly if it's already smooth or varnished, to make it easier for the primer to grab onto it. if it's rough, sand the wood until it's smooth.
2. use a tack cloth or a slightly damp rag in a box to wipe off sawdust.
3. prime the furniture. Use several coats of oil-based primer. I use a mini-roller for flat surfaces and a brush for nooks and crannies. There should be a pretty even white surface once finished.
4. wait a day for the primer to completely dry. More if it's cold or humid. Then sand down lightly with 150 or 200 grit sandpaper. this is to get rid of brush marks. Wipe dust off with a paper towel dampened with mineral spirits.
5. paint the piece. If using spray paint, use long, wide strokes of spray, and wear a mask. it is less likely to have awkward spots on the piece if you go slightly off the piece before turning directions with the sprayer.
- if using paint in a can, you can basically use the same technique as with primer; sponge roller for large flat surfaces, brush for nooks and crannies.
6. if there are large texture variations after painting (happens especially on a hot day) then you may need to sand again, lightly. wipe down table with cloth dampened in water (for acrylic paint) or mineral spirits (for oil-based paint/ most spray paints)
7. for a glossier/ more durable finish, use poly. I like minwax wipe-on poly because it's idiot-proof. just use a lint-free disposable towel (rag in a box or something similar) and wipe it on. However, this may make pure white paint look slightly yellow.
8. let it dry, thoroughly.
For cleaning up, anything oil based can be cleaned with mineral spirits, acrylic (water-based) can be cleaned with soap and water. If oil based primer gets in your hair, it is going to stay there. if something is stinky (oil based paints, spray paint, poly) it is probably flammable. for safety, fill an old pickle jar with water and throw any rags soaked in flammable things (poly, mineral spirits) into it.
As an aside, most of the painted furniture I've put on this blog does not look anywhere near perfect, because I am impatient. once I get bored of sanding, the piece is officially declared smooth enough. If I'm bored of painting, I can ignore a slight color variation somewhere.
For example, when we were at the hardware store picking up the gray and white paint for my guest room mirror, Ethan picked up a chip of a bright, BRIGHT persimmon orange. I had no idea what to do with it, but I knew I needed that orange in my life.
Then I remembered this:
I had been using this little Norden Ikea table as a dressing table for a while, but I decided it would fit better in the dining nook of our kitchen than the larger table we previously had there. Perfect orange painting opportunity!
Here's what I made:
An orange table. but wait, notice the gold feet!
gratuitous close-up of the golden feet:
The process of painting wood furniture is not really that fun in and of itself, but it's satisfying when you're finished. Here is how I do it, step by step:
Materials:
mouse sander/ block sander/ sandpaper. 80 grit to rough up wood, 150-200 grit between coats of paint or varnish.
Kilz oil based primer
cheap paint brush (primer is a pain in the butt to clean up, and it will make a mess in your sink. just get a throw-away one.)
re-usable paint brush if using acrylic paint.
small sponge roller
mineral spirits (to clean up anything oil-based)
Paint in color of your choice, eggshell or gloss finish
OR
Spray paint. I've had good luck with Rustoleum.
wipe-on poly
lintless rags, such as rags-in-a-box
old cardboard box or tarp.
1. Sand the surface of the wood lightly if it's already smooth or varnished, to make it easier for the primer to grab onto it. if it's rough, sand the wood until it's smooth.
2. use a tack cloth or a slightly damp rag in a box to wipe off sawdust.
3. prime the furniture. Use several coats of oil-based primer. I use a mini-roller for flat surfaces and a brush for nooks and crannies. There should be a pretty even white surface once finished.
4. wait a day for the primer to completely dry. More if it's cold or humid. Then sand down lightly with 150 or 200 grit sandpaper. this is to get rid of brush marks. Wipe dust off with a paper towel dampened with mineral spirits.
5. paint the piece. If using spray paint, use long, wide strokes of spray, and wear a mask. it is less likely to have awkward spots on the piece if you go slightly off the piece before turning directions with the sprayer.
- if using paint in a can, you can basically use the same technique as with primer; sponge roller for large flat surfaces, brush for nooks and crannies.
6. if there are large texture variations after painting (happens especially on a hot day) then you may need to sand again, lightly. wipe down table with cloth dampened in water (for acrylic paint) or mineral spirits (for oil-based paint/ most spray paints)
7. for a glossier/ more durable finish, use poly. I like minwax wipe-on poly because it's idiot-proof. just use a lint-free disposable towel (rag in a box or something similar) and wipe it on. However, this may make pure white paint look slightly yellow.
8. let it dry, thoroughly.
For cleaning up, anything oil based can be cleaned with mineral spirits, acrylic (water-based) can be cleaned with soap and water. If oil based primer gets in your hair, it is going to stay there. if something is stinky (oil based paints, spray paint, poly) it is probably flammable. for safety, fill an old pickle jar with water and throw any rags soaked in flammable things (poly, mineral spirits) into it.
As an aside, most of the painted furniture I've put on this blog does not look anywhere near perfect, because I am impatient. once I get bored of sanding, the piece is officially declared smooth enough. If I'm bored of painting, I can ignore a slight color variation somewhere.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Sorry
I have not posted in two weeks. Things have been crazy at work. In free time we've planted our spring garden, but I've been too pooped to take any pictures! I will post some as soon as I can.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Yesterday was one of my days off for the month, so I decided to run some errands. My sewing machine had not been working right so I decided to take it across town to a repair shop, 25 minutes away.
I take it in to drop off. The repairman took one look at it, said "you have the needle in backwards", turned the needle around, and proceeded to show me that my machine worked perfectly. Cue me feeling like an idiot.
These are the trials of a self-taught crafter. At least the repair was free.
I take it in to drop off. The repairman took one look at it, said "you have the needle in backwards", turned the needle around, and proceeded to show me that my machine worked perfectly. Cue me feeling like an idiot.
These are the trials of a self-taught crafter. At least the repair was free.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Vanity
I'm not talking about the deadly sin. I'm talking about the incredibly imperfect piece of furniture I just made for our bedroom.
I used these plans from knock off wood. And let me tell you my friend, it was a day of misadventures. just imagine many, many skinny wedge shaped pieces of lumber on the floor because I could not for the life of me get a true 90 degree angle. Seriously... what they will do for you for FREE at Home Depot in about thirty seconds took me three hours. I will not be making any more furniture for a while. Here is a picture of me in action, looking like I know what I'm doing. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, but if this picture were talking, it would be telling you a flat out lie.
After I built it (with much help from Ethan), I primed it with oil based primer, waited a couple of days, and sprayed it white with Rustoleum. It looks pretty good in the picture... just don't zoom in too close!
I added a little brass lamp from the thrift store with an Ikea shade. Everything else I already had. Here is a picture of my previous vanity area:
I decided to move the table to our kitchen and shift the bed over about 10 inches to make the room feel bigger and to make one of the windows seem less oddly-placed. Before:
After:
I'm finally starting to like this room. It felt so ramshackle for so long!
I used these plans from knock off wood. And let me tell you my friend, it was a day of misadventures. just imagine many, many skinny wedge shaped pieces of lumber on the floor because I could not for the life of me get a true 90 degree angle. Seriously... what they will do for you for FREE at Home Depot in about thirty seconds took me three hours. I will not be making any more furniture for a while. Here is a picture of me in action, looking like I know what I'm doing. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, but if this picture were talking, it would be telling you a flat out lie.
After I built it (with much help from Ethan), I primed it with oil based primer, waited a couple of days, and sprayed it white with Rustoleum. It looks pretty good in the picture... just don't zoom in too close!
I added a little brass lamp from the thrift store with an Ikea shade. Everything else I already had. Here is a picture of my previous vanity area:
I decided to move the table to our kitchen and shift the bed over about 10 inches to make the room feel bigger and to make one of the windows seem less oddly-placed. Before:
After:
I'm finally starting to like this room. It felt so ramshackle for so long!
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