DIY Crib Bumper Makeover

Okay...so this project was a little more difficult then I liked...mostly just stuffing the old bumper into the bumper case I just created. I started out taking pictures and then I was just kind of over it. I pinned this tutorial from the Dickerson Diaries, please check out that tutorial. For my project I used one fabric (bought 3 yards used almost all) then another solid color for the ties (1/2 yard). Here's how I used just one fabric. I measured the bumper I was planning to cover (bought it at a second hand store, washed it, dried it and then I was ready to cover it) which was 9 1/2 inches tall and 153 inches long. I measured my fabric and cut it to be 12 inches tall and cut the entire 3 yards length. I did this until the entire bumper was covered twice (to cover inside and out). Then I sewed all pieces together to make one VERY long strip. For the rest of the process I would check out Dickerson Diaries.  It's a great tutorial and was easy to follow. The only thing I changed was instead of having both ends meet and both ends have ties, I connected ties to one end and on the other I made holes using my button hole feature on my sewing machine then laced the ties from the other end through those before tying it to the crib. These are pictures from some of the process and the finished bumper.

button holes on one end, ties on the other

Pinspiration Sunday: Christmas Card Holder

So awhile back on Pinterest I saw a pin of a picture holder made from an old frame. And I thought it was really simple and cute and maybe one day I would make it. Then Christmas season came. Now I always just tape my cards to the closet door in the living room because I really had nowhere else to put them. But this year I remembered that pin I saw. I had this hideous picture from a gift exchange at work. It’s kind of a joke that started before I came to work at this hospital but I wasn't disappointed when I got it cause all I thought was, “I bet I can make something out of this”. And now I have.

Here’s what I started with:

I took the backing off and removed the picture and glass. Next I sanded the frame down.

Then I mixed some paint up to get a nice minty green color. I painted the entire frame and allowed it to dry overnight. The next day I sanded it down again to get a distressed look. Once I had it sanded to my liking, I cleaned it off then put a coat of Mod Podge on it. I allowed that to dry.

Next, I took twine and tied 4 strings across it. To help the twine stay in place I put a dab of hot glue on the back side of the frame. I originally wanted to keep the staples in on the sides that helps hold everything in place and tie the twine to that but one had fallen off. I tried to tack it back in but unfortunately because of my Rheumatoid Arthritis I have recently become very weak in my right hand/wrist (which is my dominate side) so I have to adjust my crafting to accommodate my abilities. But I really like the ties on the front of the frame anyways.

 So that’s it. To hold the cards in place I have super small clothes pins from my son's first birthday bash. This project was 100% FREE because all my supplies were just lying around. I do think that this frame will ultimately be too small for all the Christmas cards we get so maybe next year I’ll redo it with a bigger and thicker frame I pick up from my thrifting. But until then, this will do.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my project!

Pinspiration Sunday: Dresser Makeover

I’ve been wanting a new dresser for a very long time now. The dresser I had was from my Aunt and who knows how old it was…but that I got passed to my son when  he got too big for his changing table (we put the changing pad on top of the low dresser…works amazingly!) and I have his baby dresser/wardrobe. After we madeover our bedroom a few months back I wanted something that would fit in well with our new look. I searched online but just didn’t find what I wanted and if I did like it, it was way out of my price range. So I took to the thrift stores and hunted through yard sales…and one day I found this for $60!

But that was not going to fit into our new room…but after looking on Pinterest, I found a tutorial over at Adventures of a Middle Sister and decided that’s what I was going to do with mine. Now my dresser looks like this:

Here’s how I did it…

Supplies I used:

Electric sander

Medium and low grade sandpaper

Sanding block

Paint of your choice

Rollers/brushes

Sealant

Drawer handles/pulls

Spray paint and sealant

Electric screw driver

Drill bit

Screws

Wood

Stain

 First I sanded the entire outer surface with my electric sander. First I used a medium grit paper then a fine grit sand paper. Then cleaned off any dust.

Then I started painting it. I used a white, oil-based paint for outdoor doors, hoping that this will withstand some wear and trying to avoid priming it first. I put 2 coats on with 24 hrs of drying time in between. 

Next, I took my sanding block and removed the paint along the corners of the entire thing. I love that distressed look, but I didn't want to go too wild.

Then it was time to work on the top. I wanted to incorporate the gray from our bedroom color into this piece. I was orginally going to use wood from an old pallet that has been sitting outside, but with my RA, breaking it apart became quite difficult so I decided just to go by some wood at Lowe's. My husband offered to cut it to the size I needed to cover the top. There was a about an inch or so left in the back, so instead of cutting a strip to fit, I used the ends of the previous cut pieces. This is perfect to give a little back edge. My dresser will be pushed up against a wall with a register at the bottom so the dresser doesn't actually touch the wall and things often fall off the back...so annoying...but now I don't have to worry about that. I sanded the sides that would be stained...and look...they are ready for Halloween!

 I stained the wood using a stain from Lowe's. The color was driftwood. After the stain dried for 24 hrs (I used 2 coats), I set them into place.

Using a electric drill and drill bit, I placed my holes for my screws (one on each end...so 2 per piece of wood). Then screwed in all my nails.

Then it was time for the hardware. I bought new ones from Lowe's...some cheap ones (I'm not too picky) and I spray painted them orange (Valspar's La Fonda Copper) to match the rest of the orange stuff throughout our bedroom. I left them dry for 24hs, then sprayed them with an acrylic sealer and allowed that to dry overnight.

The box is already orange because I used it when I sprayed my book pumpkin from the last tutorial

While those were drying, I applied a furniture sealant for light color wood called polycrylic. I allowed the first coat to dry, then lightly sanded it with the sanding block, wiped clean and then applied another coat of sealant. I allowed that to dry for several hours. Then I placed the drawers back in just to free up some room in the garage until it was fully dry after 24hrs.

And there you have it....a thrift store dresser makeover. Hope you liked this tutorial and it inspires you to get crafty! Thanks for stopping by!

Pinspiration Sunday: Upcycled Book into Pumpkin

Since my best friend, Angela, and I raided a yard sale scooping up a ton of old Reader’s Digest books, I’ve been looking for projects I could do with them. Making a pumpkin seemed like a really great idea…at the time….I only say that because it’s a long tedious project. Just like my recycled book into keepsake box, this involves a lot of time cutting pages with an xacto knife.

Well anyways…let’s get started, shall we? First things first gather your supplies

I used:

Old Reader’s Digest book

Pattern from BHG—cut out

Valspar's La Fonda Copper Spray Paint

Acrylic Spray Sealant

Cinnamon stick

Burlap

Tattered Angel’s Glimmer mist

Lace/ribbon

Hot glue and gun

First I removed the cover and binding from my book (and put it away for safe keeping so I could do something with it later on). 

Next put my pattern on the book, traced it and started cutting away…this takes FOREVER…and with my RA, it didn’t feel so good on my wrist…but after awhile (for me I did it in stages over many days) you cut through all the pages and you have something that looks like this:

Now it’s time to start hot gluing pages. First, you want to glue the first and last pages together to make the pumpkin fully round. Next, you take a strip of hot glue along the binding, top to bottom, throughout the book. This helps separate the pages a little to make the pumpkin fuller. 

Space between the first and last page--glue these together

Start gluing between pages at the binding--make it full all the way around---fill in gaps

After, I did this, I sprayed the entire thing with my orange spray paint. I tried to separate pages so that the color would get on the inside as well…I was covered in paint by the end but the pumpkin looked good. I let that dry overnight. Then I carefully separated any pages that got stuck together from the paint and I added more hot glue along the binding to help separate pages as needed. Then I sprayed the pumpkin with my acrylic sealer. After that dried it was time to add the finishing touches. 

I took a cinnamon stick and broke it in half, and stuck one half in the center opening of the pumpkin top. I had some burlap leaves on hand that I made up a while ago using mod podged burlap and Tim Holt’s tattered leaves sizzix die. My leaves were in neutral colors so I decided to glimmer mist it using Tattered Angels leapfrog glimmer mist.

 Once that dried (I hurried it along with my heating tool), I hot glued it into place. I finished it off with a piece of lace ribbon that I tied around the pumpkin’s stem.

And there you have it…a pumpkin upcycled from a book! Hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Thanks for stopping by!

Pinspiration Sunday: T-Shirt Rosettes on a Wreath

When I originally thought about making these T-shirt rosettes I was going to use an old gray tee I had to cover my lamp shade for this lamp makeover. But then I decided not to. I have pinned several ideas for wreaths and I decided that I would make these flowers for on my wreath. Now some wreaths I pinned were spray painted...and I absolutely wanted to do that in the Spring which was when I purchased my grapevine wreath...and well...it was still sitting in my craft room closet with the price tag still on...but now I have made a gorgeous new wreath anyways...just a little different than originally planned.

I previously posted a video showing how to make the yellow flowers. You can see the how-to here. This post will show you how I made the orange flowers. First I had an old T-shirt that was given to my by a friend for FREE! (Love that word!) I was going to make a reusable shopping bag, but never did get around to making one with this shirt. {Please ignore the ugly stains on my carpet...Good Tip: always lay something down and around where you Glimmer Mist!}

Then I cut it into strips. I started at the seam along the bottom but was not using the bottom as a flower (I used it later on). I cut a total of 4 strips about an inch in thickness.

I cut two of the strips of t-shirt along one fold making two long strips. Then I cut the other two along each fold (2 cuts) making 4 shorter strips. This gave me 6 total flowers.

Next I used this awesome tape I got from Michael's. I only used this because it was had...LOL. But you would want to use something similar, just maybe not as decorative as the tape won't be seen.

Take one strip and fold it in half length wise

Next start at one end rolling and turning creating your center.

Although the tape helped hold the fabric together as I rolled I thought added some hot glue could only help and not hinder. 

Just keep rolling around, hot gluing when you need to. 

Once I reached the end I secured it down with hot glue. This is what the bottom looks like.

Then I just placed my flowers on my wreath. I figured out how I wanted them placed BEFORE I hot glued them down. Deciding the orange weren't enough, I added the yellow...and I still wanted some more filler so I added in some leaves. Then I used the T-shirt bottom as my hanger at the top. 

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Thank you for stopping by!