So...I've had a huge home improvement wish list for a while now and within the span of my month and a half summer (reduced from the typical teacher length because I taught summer school!) I have accomplished almost ALL of it! My newly found do-it-yourself confidence is thank to watching hours
of HGTV!!! I finally finished hanging all the faux wood blinds throughout the house and then it was onto my next project. I decided to sand and stain all of my mis-matched bedroom furniture...a BIG JOB, truly bigger than I'd expected!!! The sanding was by far the hottest, hardest, most tiresome part of the job. I sneezed for DAYS after breathing in all the sanding dust and the skin on my poor fingertips still hasn't quite healed...and yes I know, I'm sure I was supposed to wear a mask and gloves but of-course I didn't! Once I got the light colors sanded off it was into the sauna I call my garage to start the staining process. The first coat went on rather
smoothly (given I could keep the stinkin' flies outta it!) but the color came out with more reddish tones than I wanted, so I was excited to see what the second coat would bring! I was pleasantly surprised to see the second coat really darkened everything up while leaving subtle red undertones. Now my mis-matched furniture finally LOOKS like it belongs together...the only thing I needed to purchase was a couple of nightstands (because I was using a dumb little table and I really wanted something with one drawer and maybe a shelf). I looked at second-hand stores first but
NOTHING jumped out at me! I finally gave up and went to Woodland Furniture and picked out a set that was unfinished and ready to stain that had feet similar to my existing bed posts. I was so stoked that the guy roughed up the surface for me prior to me leaving the store so I literally came home and was able to start
staining! I then got a bit carried away and added clock with wooden "spokes" that I stained to match just for the fun of it. Now the last thing I've gotta do is update the laminate top on my dresser. I had gone to Lowes to scope out the various colors offered and brought home a handful of samples. Thanks to the opinions of friends and family I finally settled on a color and special ordered it. It came in today so I'll be learning-while-doing this weekend but I'm happy that I'll get it all done before the school year starts! My bedroom (after about a week now) still has a hint of varnish smell but it has gotten much more faint (hallelujah)! THEN I
tackled another "make it better or totally ruin it" project by putting a peep-hole into my front door! This was SCARY because I took an electric drill, put a mid-evil looking wood boring bit and headed to my perfectly functioning front door in hopes that I would not completely mutilate it! I got it right on the first try and considering there wasn't a second try option, I was super happy with it! Now I can see who is at my door without going into the office to peek! Well...fingers crossed for my laminate and contact cement dresser top weekend project...'cause in two days it is back to the grind with a 5-day student filled work week, keep ya posted!!!
So...I've had a huge home improvement wish list for a while now and within the span of my month and a half summer (reduced from the typical teacher length because I taught summer school!) I have accomplished almost ALL of it! My newly found do-it-yourself confidence is thank to watching hours 
of HGTV!!! I finally finished hanging all the faux wood blinds throughout the house and then it was onto my next project. I decided to sand and stain all of my mis-matched bedroom furniture...a BIG JOB, truly bigger than I'd expected!!! The sanding was by far the hottest, hardest, most tiresome part of the job. I sneezed for DAYS after breathing in all the sanding dust and the skin on my poor fingertips still hasn't quite healed...and yes I know, I'm sure I was supposed to wear a mask and gloves but of-course I didn't! Once I got the light colors sanded off it was into the sauna I call my garage to start the staining process. The first coat went on rather 
smoothly (given I could keep the stinkin' flies outta it!) but the color came out with more reddish tones than I wanted, so I was excited to see what the second coat would bring! I was pleasantly surprised to see the second coat really darkened everything up while leaving subtle red undertones. Now my mis-matched furniture finally LOOKS like it belongs together...the only thing I needed to purchase was a couple of nightstands (because I was using a dumb little table and I really wanted something with one drawer and maybe a shelf). I looked at second-hand stores first but 
NOTHING jumped out at me! I finally gave up and went to Woodland Furniture and picked out a set that was unfinished and ready to stain that had feet similar to my existing bed posts. I was so stoked that the guy roughed up the surface for me prior to me leaving the store so I literally came home and was able to start 
staining! I then got a bit carried away and added clock with wooden "spokes" that I stained to match just for the fun of it. Now the last thing I've gotta do is update the laminate top on my dresser. I had gone to Lowes to scope out the various colors offered and brought home a handful of samples. Thanks to the opinions of friends and family I finally settled on a color and special ordered it. It came in today so I'll be learning-while-doing this weekend but I'm happy that I'll get it all done before the school year starts! My bedroom (after about a week now) still has a hint of varnish smell but it has gotten much more faint (hallelujah)! THEN I 
tackled another "make it better or totally ruin it" project by putting a peep-hole into my front door! This was SCARY because I took an electric drill, put a mid-evil looking wood boring bit and headed to my perfectly functioning front door in hopes that I would not completely mutilate it! I got it right on the first try and considering there wasn't a second try option, I was super happy with it! Now I can see who is at my door without going into the office to peek! Well...fingers crossed for my laminate and contact cement dresser top weekend project...'cause in two days it is back to the grind with a 5-day student filled work week, keep ya posted!!!
2 comments:
Girl you are crazy!! I can't believe all the stuff you've been doing. But it all looks awesome! I'll have to come check it out first hand...then you can come see all that we've done up here!!!
Thanks! I'm kind-of proud of myself actually...it's always a bit scary to start a project by demolishing something that was perfectly fine to begin with! I'd love to come up to see all of your home improvement projects and the garden too sometime...not to mention visiting with you guys! :)
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