Fabric Covered Bulletin Board

So, here’s the thing:

To a creative person originality is very important. When a creative person comes up with an idea and then suddenly discovers that it wasn’t their own individual idea that they can take credit for entirely, it’s not a good moment. It’s like a HISSY FIT inside the head. “No, Ma’am. I do not think so, Missy! That idea was mine, mine, mine!”

That is exactly what happened to me. At any given time I have several blog posts in progress at the same time. Sometimes there are even snippets of other projects in the background of other projects that I’m posting about. I’ve had this project done entirely (and up on my wall) for weeks now. I’ve even used it as a background for other posts and for some Etsy listings.

That being said, the other night I was browsing Pinterest before bed. I don’t know what it is about scrolling Pinterest on the iPad, but it always lulls me right to sleep. Anywho, suddenly, there it was. My project (this project) done entirely, exactly like mine. Same exact fabric and everything. So ahead of time, if you happen to see a similar exactly the same project on Pinterest, it was not intentional. I did however get inspiration from a Pinterest project, and I want to give that project credit for inspiration here. 

~~
I’ve mentioned (either here or on our Facebook page) that I’m revamping my office space. Step one for me is organization. I want it to be organized so that it’s not only functional, but also enjoyable.  One of the small things I’ve done is to take a bulletin board that I was already using and make it beautiful and even more useful. Today I’m going to show you the more beautiful part, and tomorrow I’m going to show you the more useful part.

I started with my bulletin board, some spray adhesive, my fabric of choice, my handy-dandy staple gun, and some upholstery tacks.

Next, I cut my fabric to size so that I could wrap it around the edges. I rolled it up, so that after I sprayed the adhesive it would be easier to apply.

Once the fabric was wrapped around to the back, I trimmed off the excess and used my staple gun to attach it to the wood trim in the back.

The last step was to use the upholstery tacks as a finishing touch around the edges. Since they are sharp, they simply push into the cork board. To make this project a super easy snap, below are links to the supplies that I used.

Time to get to work!
XOXO,
Abby
 

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Cosmetic Sugery: A Furniture Facelift

I have a big birthday coming up in a few weeks. Okay, no I don’t. It’s not a big one! It may or may not be a mid-life number. Okay, it’s not. I refuse to believe that half of my life is over. It’s not. I’m calm over-reacting.

*sigh* At what number did I stop wanting to get older? One minute I’m wishing that everyone would take my super-young, over-achieving, bossy-pants self seriously. The next minute I’m wishing that everyone would just chill out, relax, and get over themselves. How did I get from having two small kids, to having one that is bigger than me? Today is the day. It’s the day that I start my savings account for cosmetic surgery when everything is sagging and dragging on the floor mid-life crisis therapy.

Speaking of “cosmetic surgery.” Check out what got a facelift! Within a couple of weeks, we found two, almost identical chifferobes. This one, I’m embarrassed to say,  has been sitting in our foyer hallway for nearly 6 months. If you aren’t familiar with chifferobes, basically it is a closet, outside of a closet. Houses never used to have the enormous walk-in closets that are standard in today’s new construction. Closets were tiny, and if you needed more closet space, a chifferobe is what you got.

On one side (the left in this case), are drawers and a small cupboard. On the other side is a door that opens to a bar for hanging clothes. In this particular chifferobe, when you open the door, there is space under the drawers for a pair of shoes.

This piece definitely needed a face lift. It’s wrinkles cracks were spackled. It had a limp (one missing wheel). Surgery was successful.


I made my own chalk paint using Martha Stewart’s “silhouette” from Home Depot. Afterwards I used Valspar glaze in “mocha.” I finished it off with Minwax Paste Finishing Wax.

We had originally planned on keeping the mirrors, but while adjusting the hinges I dropped one of the doors. The mirrors were out and the chicken wire and burlap were in. I’m actually kind of glad it happened, because I love how it turned out.
I am having a hard time saying “goodbye” to this one. I would love to keep it in my foyer to hang guests’ coats in. Or perhaps it would be good for hanging the kids’ backpacks in. I can also imagine this being used in a kitchen for aprons, kitchen towels, and other linens. 
I will most likely have this for sale at my next antique festival in April.
I hope you love it!
XOXO,
Abby

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Before & After: A dresser saved from the dump.


Last weekend I revived a dying 1930’s dresser. I assumed that it was going to be a fairly straight forward and easy project, but it turned out to take quite a bit of time. Grrr. I’m happy with how it turned out, and I’m even happier that I was able to save the fantastic Art Deco hardware.

Here it is before:

During:

Everyone refinishes furniture on their kitchen floor, right?

I decided to use Martha Stewart “Barn Red.” I make my own chalk paint, but that is the base that I used.

After the chalk paint, I used Valspar Glaze in “Mocha.” I bought this at Lowe’s. A little goes a long way.

The hardware needed some love and elbow grease. I used steel wool, baking soda and vinegar, baking soda and Dawn and vinegar, baking soda and water, more steel wool. You get my point; it took a while.

All said and done….

XOXO,
Abby
P.S. This dresser was not saved literally from the dump. As in, I did not go to the dump and get it. Rather, it was close to being headed to the dump. I don’t even know where a dump is. But if I did, it wouldn’t be beneath me to go there. And look for a dresser.//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Chevron Chair Makeover in Minutes

Alone in a dark corner, she captured my heart! Isn’t this chair awesome? I paid around $5 for it at an Atlanta Mission thrift store, which I considered a steal!  It’s awfully utilitarian looking, so I imagine it came from either a dinette set, or it was a desk chair. 

The wood was dry as a bone, but I loved the patina and the wear. I decided that all I wanted to do with the wood was to condition it. I’ve used butcher block conditioner before on a previous project, so I knew that it would do the trick.


So I have to say that this is a very easy project that even a beginner DIY’er can do. If you gather your materials ahead of time, this should take less than an hour from start to finish. To remove the cushion from the chair you will need a screwdriver. This is pretty much standard for all chair cushions. Save the screws and set them aside.

Next you’ll need to remove the fabric from the cushion. This will most likely be attached with staples. My tool of choice for doing this is a flat-head screwdriver. Occasionally a set of pliers will be needed to pull a stubborn staple out. Discard the fabric and staples, set the cushion base (wood or mdf) aside. I was all too happy to throw out the nasty Naugahyde covering my chair. Ew.



Now that we’re out with the old, it’s time to bring in the new. I have a piece of cushion foam ready to go.

I simply laid the wood base from the seat onto the foam and traced around it.

I cut it out and was ready to put some fabric back on. A half of a yard of fabric is plenty for a project like this. Here are three different fabrics that I was considering:

All of these fabrics are from Hobby Lobby. Love them! I decided to go with the gray chevron fabric, and saved the other two for future projects.

I used the same method as the foam to cut out my fabric, except it left a wide enough border so that I could wrap it around to the back. Being careful that my fabric was straight, I put one staple in the middle of each side. (Seriously, you NEED a staple gun!) I then began working my way out from each middle to the sides, periodically checking that my fabric wasn’t moving.

Once your fabric is on, reattach the seat to the chair using the screws that you removed at the beginning. And you’re done!

A single chair project is a great first project if you’re interested in reupholstering pieces. Don’t be intimidated; just jump right in. What do you think? Do you like the wood, or would you have painted it?

XOXO,
Abby

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

I came to Jesus wearing "Catalina Mist."

I’ve fallen in love with “Catalina Mist” by Krylon. It’s dreamy, don’t you think? Unfortunately, I’ve found that it’s a hard to find color. Walmart is about the cheapest place to pick up Krylon paints. However, the only place I have been able to find this particular color  is at my local big-box-chain craft store, where you can only get a decent price on anything if you use one of their weekly 50% off coupons. (Grrr, don’t get me up on that soap box.)



Even more frustrating than being hard to find, is that both of the cans that I’ve purchased from this big-box store have been faulty. I don’t blame it on Krylon, because their paint rocks. I’ve never had a problem with any of their cans other than these two. I just get the feeling that these two cans were sitting on the shelf for a while. How that could be, I can’t imagine. Since this color is wondermoustacular.

I was working on spray painting a chair for the shop, when catastrophically the can decided that it wasn’t going to stop spraying. Imagine, if you will, that I need to set the can down so that I can flip the chair over. Except the paint won’t stop flowing. Laugh it up folks, laugh.it.up. Needless to say, my hands got quite a bit of paint on them. Under the nails. In the crevices. Yep. I’m sure it was quite the scene.

 The finished product makes me happy. I’m still in love with Krylon and “Catalina Mist.” But, I won’t be going back to the same store for this color, 50% off coupon or not.

Fast forward to church this morning. We’re always invited to “turn, and greet your neighbor with a handshake.” And I died just a little inside when I turned to greet my neighbor and realized that all of my “Catalina Mist” hadn’t come off in the shower. I’d come to worship Jesus wearing “Catalina Mist.” But I don’t think he minded.

Catalina Mist


XOXO,
Abby

Abby Smolarsky3 Comments

Repurposed Window Frames

I’ve been having a great time repurposing some old window frames that were crowding a corner of the garage. In a previous post I showed you how I made the kiddos an advent calendar. I’ve also found some other uses for them.

First, I’ve made a Christmas card holder. How cute is this?! When Christmas is over, remove the cards and use it as an all purpose organzier for the family. Wouldn’t the kids love to see their artwork and spelling tests hung up on this? I think so.

I attached the cards with some small clothes pins. I tried the regular size and they were a little too big to be functional. I think that I will throw these clothes pins into a batch of our vinegar barn wood stain so that they don’t look so bright and brand spankin’ new.

I *love* this as a jewlery organzier. It can hold a ridiculous amount of necklaces and bracelets. For the jewelry I picked up some “S” hooks from good ol’ Home Depot. They are p-e-r-f-e-c-t for hanging your lovely baubles.

Like I said, you can get a ton on this. I just hung a few pieces to show you how it can be used. I love it when things are pretty and functional, too. Makes this girl happy!

Good news! I have been busy, and I’ve made quite a few of these. You know what that means? They are available for purchase. Lucky you. 😉

These are currently for sale in my Etsy shop. You can click on the word Etsy or click on the icon on the top right corner of the page.
XOXO,
Abby
//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Why you No-Good, 3-legged, Hunk of Junk!

I’m not afraid to speak up. And I’m certainly not afraid of a little (well, maybe a lot) of hard work. Both of which come in handy from time to time.

Recently I was at a garage sale that was actually a driveway sale. The garage itself was packed full with junk that wasn’t for sale. There wasn’t anything at the garage driveway sale that I was interested in. But there were several things that I could see in the garage that I liked. The more that I walked around looking at what was for sale, the more I couldn’t help looking past it all into the garage.

So, I spoke up.

And guess what? It turns out that the only reason that the stuff in the actual garage wasn’t for sale, is that the lady holding the sale couldn’t.get.the.stuff.out. Um, I’ll get it out. It needs some work, she tells me. Um, I’m not afraid of work. Y’all, you have got to speak up and ASK! So I ended up getting a 1940’s cupboard for less than it costs to get a case of moon pies down at the Piggly Wiggly.

The doors needed to be put back together. They weren’t broken; they had just come apart. Unfortunately, one of the legs was broken. No problemo! Some of the hardware was missing. We’ve got that covered.

After repairs, Before paint

So into the furniture hospital it went…

Ken, hard at work!

We decided to paint it in a chalk paint, which we love. If you haven’t tried it, you would love it! You don’t have to prime or sand before using it. You can find chalk paint in stores. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is a great brand. However, you can also find recipes on Pinterest to make your own, which we did.

Follow Me on Pinterest

The color we used was Martha Stewart Living “Bone Folder” from Home Depot. On the areas that we did not want the paint to stick to, we put Vaseline on before we painted.

After! I love her.

We decided to leave the top unpainted. Both Ken and I were really happy that we did. We used a butcher block conditioner to bring out the warm wood tone and to protect it.

Here’s a picture shortly before we sold it:

I’m so happy with how she turned out. Our hard work definitely paid off. We sold it for a lot more than that  case of moon pies! 
I wish that I could’ve kept her. The young couple that bought her seemed really happy with it. I hope that they enjoy it! Interesting note: While fixing up the piece we found the name and address of the original owner, who was from New York. We googled her name and discovered that she was born in 1900. How I wish I could hear the stories that this cupboard could tell!
XOXO,
Abby

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment

Either Oar {Beach House, Lake House}

A few weeks ago, Ken and I headed out on a Friday to see if we could pick up some antique and vintage items. We must’ve stopped at 6 garage sales, in addition to our regular spots where we usually find stuff. It was just one of those days where there is just not anything good. It was about time for him to head to work and me to go pick up the kids from school, and we were exhausted. On our way home we stopped at one last garage sale, and I’m so glad we did. We picked up a vintage coke crate in excellent condition, filled with vintage coke bottles, a beautiful, old rustic box, and two wooden oars. The oars weren’t old, but ever since I saw this picture on Pinterest, my brain had been coming up with tons of ideas.

Oar Rack from A Beach Cottage
Follow Me on Pinterest
Since we found two oars, I decided to show you two different ways that they could turn out, depending on your preference.
First step, sand off the finish. On one of the oars, I sanded less in certain spots.
The oar on the left has been sanded. The one on the right has not.
I just love the character from this split in the wood. We’re all a little cracked up, aren’t we? 🙂
After the oars were sanded, it was time to re-stain them. Why would I sand off the finish and them refinish them? Because I want them to look old and rustic! 
The oar that I sanded less gets the DIY vinegar stain that I showed you how to make on the crates.
One day I will think ahead and wear gloves. 

On the other oar, I made a glaze using Benjamin Moore Studio Finishes clear latex glaze mixed with Benjamin Moore Hawthorne Yellow. I used a wet paper towel to wipe some of the glaze off while it was still wet.
After the oar with the glaze on it dried, I added a stain to it. I used Varathane stain in “sunbleached.” My goal was to get a weathered look. But you could use any color you wanted, depending on the finished look that you were going for.

Finally, both oars got robe hooks and hanging hardware.
Here is the finished product! I like to call them “Beach House” and “Lake House”. 
“Beach House”

“Lake House”

 Both of the kids said that they like the “Lake House” oar better. Ken likes the “Beach House” one. I can’t decide which one that I like. What do you like? Leave me a comment and let me know. If you like either one, will you please “pin” it to Pinterest?
XOXO,
Abby

This blog contains Google Affiliate ad links.

Abby Smolarsky2 Comments

Just call me "Dr. Love"

It always starts out strong. You like each other. You need each other. You think she’s pretty. You think he’s strong and dependable. But then things start to change. You outgrow each other. Things fall apart. You start to take each other for granted, and you start looking around for something new and exciting. In the worst cases, there is abuse and neglect. Furniture divorce. It happens.

Ever feel like you need a new piece of furniture? Are you outgrowing what you currently have? Do you have something hiding in the garage, shed, basement, or barn that you just don’t love anymore? I feel like Dr. Love. I find your problems (furniture, that is). I give them some therapy (love and elbow grease). I play matchmaker with someone that appreciates them and thinks they’re prettier than you do.

It’s okay. Really. People change. I’m here to help.

Here’s a lady that needed me:

Mid-Century Credenza by Indiana Desk Company, Jasper, Indiana

Sure, she was big. And let me tell you, this girl was heavy. She was made by Indiana Desk Company (now called Indiana Furniture) in the mid 1900’s. Made in America and built to last.

When she came to me, she didn’t need much therapy. She just needed a good cleaning up, and some touch up in spots. First I made a spray of 50/50 vinegar and water. Next, I used (very gently) a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Aren’t those things awesome? Just be careful that you don’t take any finish off, causing yourself more work.

Next, I purchased some touch up materials:

The first guy on the is a Blend-Fil Pencil and the other guy is a Wood Finish Stain Marker, both made by Minwax. For both of these I found a color that I thought would match the existing stain, which I thought was a dark walnut. The Blend-Fil pencil is kind of like a waxy substance that you can fill into nail holes and cracks. The Wood Finish Marker is filled with stain. In this case, the Wood Finish marker worked best. The Blend-Fil stuff doesn’t really dry hard.

So after an easy cleaning, I simply took the Stain Marker and touched up any scratches and scuffs that were still noticeable. Easy as pie, y’all. No sanding, painting, or refinishing required. We simply cleaned her and touched her up. Kind of like putting some heels and lipstick on for a date, right? And if you’re southern, don’t forget your pearls!

Once she was on the market, she didn’t last long. We sold her very quickly, like I thought we would. It just took some match-making to find the right person to love her. She went home to be in someone’s dining room as a fantastic buffet.

Tell me about your furniture match-making!

If you have a piece that you need to divorce (get rid of). Let me know! Dr. Love is here to help!
XOXO,
Abby

Abby SmolarskyLeave a comment