Magnetic Chalkboard Tutorial

Little by little our new family office is coming together. I just have a few key pieces to finish and then I'll be able to share the complete makeover with you!

One of the things I really wanted for me and the girls was a magnetic chalkboard. I am a huge list-maker and while I'm very organized, sometimes I need a visual reminder. The girls, especially Lo, do great with lists too. It really cuts down on me having to remind them over and over (...and over...). Initially thought I could use magnetic paint under chalkboard paint, but after a quick unofficial Facebook poll I found I needed a Plan-B (It was pretty much unanimous that the magnetic paint doesn't work). I decided to use sheet metal sprayed with chalkboard paint. In the end it was the perfect solution and I'm beyond pleased with the result!!! I used a combination of supplies I already had and a few purchased with coupons. In the end I spent under $10 to make both boards! 

Here's what you'll need:

• Empty frame - You can usually get a good deal on frames without glass in them at Goodwill or at your local craft store. The one I used was from my clothespin frame. It was originally purchased at Michael's in their "mistake" frame bin. The one I put over my desk is huge, 24x30in. The girls' is 11x14in.
• Chalkboard paint - I like Krylon spraypaint. In my experience the regular paint kind doesn't adhere to all surfaces well. They sell Krylon at Jo-Ann's so you can use a coupon. 
• Tin snips - Giant scissors for cutting metal. I borrowed mine from a friend.
  
• Leather gloves - I used my gardening gloves. Once you cut the metal the edges are sharp and can cut you. 

• Sheet metal-I went to 2 different home improvement stores before I got smart. I guess the secret is out that people are using sheet metal for various crafty projects. When I asked for the sheet metal the sales people at both stores took me to a display of "decorative" metal. The sheets were in various sizes and the one that I needed for my large frame was marked $29.99. Um no thank you! There was no way I was going to pay that much for thin, flimsy metal! Instead I "borrowed" a magnet from the store and went in the plumbing aisle and basically stuck it on every piece of metal I could find to see which ones were magnetic. The one I purchased was 30"x36" and was only $7.99 a sheet (as an added bonus there was a $3 rebate on them too!). You could easily make two smaller boards with one sheet of metal. 

Here's what my frame looked like before:

• I removed all the fabric, twine and pictures and painted it one of my favorite colors left over from Noa's yellow room (It was a mistake paint so I'm going to be so sad when it's all gone!).  I did the same with the girls' frame.

• Using the cardboard backing from the frames I traced the shape on the sheet metal. You really need to be exact. I found that it's hard to trim with the tin snips, instead of cutting it just bent the metal. One of my sheets was too big for the frame and it took a bit of work to get it to fit properly.

• Follow the directions on the chalkboard paint and cover the sheet metal with several thin layers of paint. Let it dry according to the directions on the paint. Once it is completely dry you can put your metal into the frame, just be careful not to scratch the paint. The metal is fairly flimsy, so you'll want to make sure you have some support behind it. I found using the cardboard and backing from the original frame was enough. My mistake frame didn't have backing so I cut a piece of cardboard to fit it and then used duct tape to keep it in (no one is going to see the back). 

• Before you can use your board it needs to be seasoned. Basically you cover the entire board with chalk. I usually let mine sit for a bit. I have no idea if that makes a difference, but that's how I roll! Once it's seasoned it's all ready to use. The more you use it, the more seasoned it becomes and the better it will wipe off

Ta-da!!!

I'm in L-O-V-E love! Now I have a place for notes, reminders and pictures of the family. The girls love theirs too and keep asking me to write down homework for them, that NEVER happens!

I've got some cute ideas for magnets that I'll be sharing with you soon! You certainly can't have a cute board without cute magnets too!

Thanks for checking in!

The Hubby's Pub Desk Stool

As I mentioned yesterday, slowly I'm getting our new office/playroom together. The main project left is planning my wall space. I'm just waiting for the weather to cooperate so that I can get my spray paint party started! While I'm waiting for things to warm up, I'm attacking some of the smaller jobs that need to be finished. First up was the hubby's stool seat for his pub desk (will discuss his need for a pub desk at a later time). 

First I shall digress...

When I first starting blogging a few years ago I tried to come up with cute and catchy titles that would spark people's interest and entice them into reading more. As I started reading more blogs myself, I realized how that while it's clever, it can sometimes be frusterating. I can't tell you how many times I've searched and searched through someone else's blog looking for a particular post (usually a tutorial) and I can't find it because I can't remember what catchy title it's hiding under! I vowed to try my best to make most of my titles straightforward so that you can hopefully find what you're looking for. Then we get to today's project, MY HUSBAND'S STOOL. Um...the nurse in me just giggles. My hubby's STOOL tee-hee-hee. I thought maybe I could do My Hubby's BLUE stool, but that made me laugh too. I could say "chair" but in reality it's not a chair, it's a stool. Do you see my dilemma? So that is why today's title is long winded, so you don't think you're going to get a whole post about the hubby's GI system!

Back to the hubby's stool...

Here's what it looked like before I got my hands on it...

As much as I wanted to stencil something on the seat (it's flat top was BEGGING for some sort of stencil), I had to restrain myself. For the past 7 years the hubby has been surrounded by pink and princesses. He gets made-up routinely and rarely has anyone to share "manly" things with. I thought that I'd just give him a boring, manish seat. He only has one tiny corner of the whole office, it's the least I could do!

It was a super quick fix. Primer, paint, distressing (my favorite part!!!), black wax and a coat of polycrylic and I was done! It came out perfectly and goes nice with his manly corner of the office/playroom.

Thanks for checking in!

Dressin' Up The Dresser

Not too long ago my friend Kristen sent me this picture and asked if I'd be interested in refurbishing it for her. It's been in her family for a long time and they wanted to put it in the nursery for the baby they are expecting in April. I was up for the challenge!

It kinda reminded me of the World's Ugliest Dresser that I updated for Lo's room awhile back, but instead of poop-brown paint it was covered in stickers. NoJo sat and watched me take off all the stickers, which was not an easy task. Her response was, "Now I know why you tell me no stickers on the furniture!" A little Goo-be-Gone and a coat of Zinsser and she was ready for her new coat of paint.

The dresser itself was pretty beat up, there were lots of dings and dents and the edges were pretty uneven. All that made me so excited. I knew it was going to look totally amazing once it was all finished. We went with a dark blue the matched a table in the room. The color is Prussian Cadet by Valspar. I made my own chalk paint (for directions you can go {HERE}) so I used a flat finish. I think the chalk paint is the best for distressing and wearing down the edges. I gave it two coats of paint and once it was dry and cured (The waiting is the hardest part!), I got down to the real fun, the distressing. I used a fine grit sanding block to give it the aged look. All the dings and dents worked to my favor and gave the dresser lots of character. Once the dresser was "aged" to my liking I used my dark Mylands Wax to give it even more dimension and an extra layer of distressing. Once I had everything how I wanted it, I gave the whole dresser two coats of Minwax WATER BASED Polycrylic in Satin finish. I know in the past I've sealed my pieces with Annie Sloan Wax (which I still LOVE), but I wanted the dresser to be able to be wiped down and survive any type of beating it may take. I really like the Minwax. I used it on Lo's desk & Noa's desk and it's been great. I can just wipe off all the crayon, marker and glue without having to worry about taking off all the wax too. It goes on super easy, dries quickly and is virtually odorless. It comes in a few different finishes, but I like the satin because it's not super shiny.

I was beyond excited with the results! She's so purdy!!!

Kristen found these adorable drawer pulls on-line. They are so cute and go perfectly with the surf themed nursery. 

It was so much fun and I've definitely been re-infected by the Refurbishing Bug! I've been walking around the house choosing my next victim! 

The Blue Room Reveal

One of my major goals was to get Logan's room redone before the baby arrived. With the two windows on one wall, the closet on another and the air vent on the floor we are really limited on where we can place furniture. Add in that Lo is a total hoarder her room was a total disaster! I'm amazed at how much one small girl can accumulate. I found box after box full of crap her "collections" (It totally reminds me of the Little Mermaid and her cave of crap dinglhoppers and snarfblats). She is also big on what I call her shrines. She will display items on every bookshelf and dresser top and DOES NOT like them to be moved. It's not uncommon to find rocks, leaves, jewels that have fallen off from dresses/shoes/art projects and pictures organized together. 

Here's what her room looked like before Mommy got her hands on it:

I had a few goals for her room:

• a tall, narrow dresser to hold her clothes
• a bigger desk that would give her space to do homework and all her art projects
• find a solution to the stuffed animal epidemic
• get all her little dolls and their accessories organized so she can actually find what she is looking for a be able to play with them

I wasn't particularly good at taking my "before" pictures. I was a woman on a mission, determined to get it done before the baby's arrival. 

The desk came from Goodwill. I paid under $20 for it and with my Goodwill Rewards Card I received 10% off my total. It was in pretty good shape, all the drawers worked, but there was some warping on the top. Once it was distressed it really wasn't noticeable. 

The desk was given a coat of Zinsser Primer and two coats of an Behr Oriental Silk in semi-gloss. I used the warping and imperfections to my advantage and distressed those areas. Once I had the distressing to my liking the desk received a coat of Minwax satin polycrylic. I usually coat my projects in wax, but I know this desk is going to take a beating and I want to be able to wipe it down. I'm so glad I did because everyday it's covered in crayon, marker and glue.

The drawer pulls are from Hobby Lobby, 50% off of course! You may recognize the chair, I think it goes with the new desk perfectly!

I also painted a shelf for above the desk too. I've had the shelf in my garage for over a year. It's an Ethan Allen piece purchased at Goodwill for $3.99. Such a steal! I didn't want it to be too matchy-matchy so I gave it a coat of dark wax for a more distressed look. It's the perfect place for Lo to store all her art supplies. It's the right height for her, but just a little to tall for lil' sis to reach. 

I also added a few coordinating shelves to hold all Lo's treasures. We dedicated one to keep all of the special gifts that Daddy has brought home from his trips.

The dresser was a great find and a steal! I got it for $45. It is heavy and in perfect condition. It almost seemed wrong painting it, it was so nice. I'm still working on the drawer pulls. I didn't have time to spray paint them before the baby arrived and I've been too busy with the baby since, but they'll get done eventually. Here is my only "before" picture, I got too excited painting to think about pictures!

Like Lo's chair I used my homemade chalk paint. Oh boy do I love that stuff! It took me less than 30 minutes to paint the whole dresser. It dries so fast that you can put on a second coat almost immediately.  Once the painting was complete I sanded/distressed the dresser quite a bit. Then I sealed the entire piece with Annie Sloan wax. 

Thanks to a great find at Goodwill I was able to solve our stuffed animal "situation." This piece was $20 after my Goodwill Rewards discount and not only is sturdy, but it also has cabinets to hid all of Lo's "collections."

I used the same paint as the desk and did very minimal distressing, basically to hide my imperfect painting. Again, the drawer-pulls were purchased at Hobby Lobby at 50% off. The open center is the perfect habitat for Stuffed Animal Nation. Our rule is that if it doesn't fit in the space than it has to go. Mommy is no longer letting Lo's stuffed friends take over the bed, dresser, closet and floor! As she outgrows her fascination the open area can be used for books, picture frames or other treasures.

Add in a few other pieces that we already had, the World's Ugliest Dresser and the Craigslist Daybed and you've got one fab-u-lously bee-u-t-ful room that is full of organization and floor space!!!

We are all very pleased with the end result. Of course it's not always as clean and organized as I'd like all the time, but she has much more room to play and do her art projects. I still have a few areas that I'm working on, a place to display her art work and more organization for her art supplies, but right now it's a happy place for me and Lo!

So that's our Blue Room! What do you think? If you missed our Yellow Room reveal check it out {HERE}. Next up we'll be working on G's room, the Navy Room, and I've got to take the princess out of the kids bathroom and make it more boy friendly too. We're never short on projects and I can't wait to share them with you!!! 

Thanks for checkin' in,