Up coming projects !!

Here are a couple of projects that I will be working in the next few weeks. Both are Goodwill finds.

 

I was so excited when I found this dresser. Ok, so I didn't know how  it how it worked.....the sales tag was tapped to the top of the dresser. I took the tag to the nice lady at the register. She asked if I had the bottom half of the tag and I said no, that was how I found it. She said that someone else must have the bottom half of the tag. She had to overhead page three times for that person to come to the front with the tag or the item would be sold. She paged three times and yippee skippee to me it was all mine for $39.95 !! A good deal I think, it is solid wood with some minor scratches. I plan on refinishing it and using it as a TV stand. I will post before and after pics with instructions of how I did it when I'm all finished.

 

Here are three Eddie Bauer picture frames that I found at the Goodwill. As you can see from the price tag, originally it was $19.99 and I got it for $2.99 !! I haven't decided on what I'm going to do to these yet, but I'll post before and after when I do. Just post a comment if you have any suggestions.

$100 Solid Wood Headboard



This is a project we did a few months back. My son was sleeping in our bed and said he didn't want to sleep in his twin bed because it was too small. We had a queen bed on a metal frame in the spare bedroom, so he decided he wanted to sleep in that room. So as a mother.....who was wanting her bed back.....was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen. I saw a pin on Pinterest of a headboard with lamps. I loved it and set out to make one of my own. My husband and I took a trip to Lowes and priced different options. The pin on Pinterest looked like fence panels, but that turned out to be a little more than what we wanted to pay.  I am saying that this cost us approximately $100. Here is what we purchased:

 

(1) 36" Flat Panel interior door for around $25

(1) 3/4 x 3 1/2 x 63 (top)for around $2

(4) 2x4x6 (sides) for around $2 each

(2) Lamps for around $25 each

Stain

Brushes

Sandpaper

Screws for assembly and to attach headboard to bed frame

 

 



Here is the finished Headboard! I know that the Chevron may be a little girly for a boy, but at the time I was making it I didn't think it would be. My nephew now sleeps in this bed, the twin bed was too small for him. We have since sold the twin bed and got my son a full size bed. Eventually I will change out the bedding for something a little more manly.

 

This is what it looked like after assembly and after I started putting stain on. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the assembly. I have included a diagram below of how we assembled it.

 

Here are pictures of the headboard after I put the stain on. I used a bristle brush to apply the stain. I stained everything except the back.

 

 Here are pictures of the back after we attached the lamps. We ran into a problem......the screws that came with the lamps were too long and we had to use several washers.......as you can see!

 Here are pictures of where we attached the metal bed frame and lamps. I really wanted a different style of lamp, but like I've said before sometimes a girl has to take what she can get. I wanted a lantern style lamp, but there were concerns about the combination of glass and an 8 year old boy! I could only see them getting broke after something goes sailing across the room! Then comes a visit to the ER and stitches. So we chose the safer route. It still turned out nice!

 

 

Here are the exact dimensions:

Top 3/4 x 3 1/2 x 63

Door 36 x 58

Each side is (2) 2x4x60

 

So here is how we assembled the headboard:

 

1) First we cut all the 2x4 to 60" lengths, then we glued them together in a "L" shape. The small 2" side up against the larger 4" side. My husband also screwed in screws at an angle on the inside of the 2x4 on the front to help secure it to the 2x4 on the side.

 

2) We purchased a standard 36" wide door and cut it down to 58". The top of the door has a piece of wood on the inside, so we were ok with attaching that end, but the other end that we cut was hollow. So my husband looked around and found a piece of wood that we glued to the inside of the hollow end of the door. We used wood glue and screws to attach it to the sides.

 

3) Next we glued the top piece on and gave the sides and top a good sanding.

 

4) After the stain was applied and dry we decided where we wanted the lamps and drilled holes for the cords and screws. After the lamps were assembled and attached we held the bed up to the frame and marked where the screws would need to be. My husband drilled holes and attached the headboard to the frame.

$30-$40 Mantle Shelf

Here is a post that I posted on my Photography blog about a week ago, before I decided to start my DIY blog.

 

Here is my latest DIY project. If you don't already know my family recently made a huge move. We moved 9 hours away! Yea, you said it....WOW.....WHAT! We moved from Tennessee to Illinois. The land of SNOW!! My husband has forbid me to leave the house today and tomorrow. Currently as I set here typing this post it is -12 and feels like -37!! School has been called off today and tomorrow for my son.....I'm soooo glad!! We have at least 10" of snow, I had to shovel out a path of snow in my back yard for the dog.......it is too deep....he has to try to hop. It's so funny to watch him.

Anyway back to the project our house has a fireplace in the corner and no mantle. We moved for my husband's job and because we weren't sure if we were going to stay up here or move back to TN we decided to lease a house and not buy just yet. Since we are leasing I needed something that could be taken down. Since I am on a budget and I wanted something not permanent I choose to build one myself. I drove my happy little hiney down to my local Lowe's to pick up all the needed supplies. The total cost will be between $30 - $40 depending on what type of shelf brackets, type of wood you choose. Also if you have wood screws and paint at home. I bought two cans of white spray paint....the cheap kind. Like 98 cents a can. Let me tell you don't waste your two bucks. Instead of driving my not so happy, but tired hiney back to the store I used some flat white paint I had left. I really wanted a shine on it, but a girl has to take what she can get. I was impatient and wanted up on the wall. I choose to paint and not stain because I figured that would be more versatile. I could take it down and use it somewhere else if I wanted to.

I used the 1x10x6 for the piece that will be up against the wall and the 1x8x6 for the top piece. I pre drilled all the holes and counter sink each. I used the shelf brackets to help hold everything up while I drilled the holes. After it was all assembled I painted it white. I marked the wall where I wanted the shelf (top of shelf 60in from the floor) and where the studs were. In a weird kind-of way I held it up on the wall all by myself and pre drilled through the wood into the wall and stud.  I put it back down on the floor and used a larger drill bit (the size of the top of the screw). I only drilled deep enough to counter sink the screws. I put plugs in the holes. I didn't glue them because I wanted to get to the screws if I needed to take the shelf down. I touched them up with white paint.

While I was putting up Christmas decorations I realized that I hadn't take a close up of it, so I snapped one quickly. If you are wondering.......yes that is a curtain rod that the stocking are hanging on. Since Christmas is over and all decorations are down and stored away til next year. It only has a few thing on it. I'm still deciding on how to decorate it. I'm open to suggestions, please leave me comments. I'll post a picture when I finally get it all done!!

Sorry for the mess!!