Monday, June 28, 2010

Chalk board windows




How to:
1.  remove glass
2.  seal flaky paint with stain
3.  To make the chalk board I used hardboard.  Hardboard is smooth on one side and rough on the other.  It is fairly thin. I used a jigsaw to cut it to size, the edges are hidden and I don't have a table saw.
4.  I used spray chalk board paint in a can, I also primed the hardboard with spray primer.
5.  I placed the chalkboard in the window frame then ran a bead of hot glue behind chalk board  to secure in place.
6.  add vinyl

Sorry I don't have better pics, computer issues. 

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

I never should have titled my last post WINDOW WEEK.  It should have been tittled WINDOW -when ever I get around to it. I have had technical difficulties with my hard drive.  Help Paul!

So I am not going to show you the chalk boards today we will go for a patriotic theme.
I bought the flag at the dollar store.  It was made in China, has the wrong number of stripes and is a square instead of a rectangle.  But, when I wrapped it around a piece of cardboard cut to fit the window it looked okay.  I also tea stained the flag before I put it in the window.  This only works with cotton flags.  Many flags are nylon which makes them very weather resistant but it will not take the tea well. 

Cost- $2
window- free
flag- $1
tea- $1 (got that from dollar store also)
stain (left over from another project) I also stained the window frame, still worried about lead paint.

I didn't make this idea up, I saw this in a local antique boutique for $120.00.  I think they had a real vintage flag inside, but for $118.00 savings I will go for the knock off flag.  Is that unpatriotic? 
HAPPY JULY

Monday, June 21, 2010

WINDOW WEEK


I live in a great neighborhood.  We live in a fun cul-de-sac with lots of kids which is why I have no intention of moving anytime soon.  however, my house has very little architectural interest.  Boring windows, doors, etc.  Which may explain my obsession with old windows and doors.  I have always believed in using the resources you have to get the results you want, so when a friend of mine, who has a window business, said he was doing a HUD renovation and had tons of old window I could have, I jumped on that.

My sister and I did a few boutiques and I sold most of what I had. But I will show you what ended up in my house.

As I said I made this a couple of years ago, and I cannot find the website I stole the idea from.  If I can find it I will link up to it.  She had tons of great ideas. 

Because I didn't know how old these windows were and I was afraid of lead paint I painted over the old chippy paint then stained over top of that.  This is how it turned out.
The Red Rooster is done in vinyl (if your are doing this project have them cut the vinyl in three different stickers to save $$) and the shutters are made out of 1x4 pine painted red ($1 spray paint from Wal-mart) then glazed over with black paint.

I'll show you the rest of the above chalkboard tomorrow.


Friday, June 18, 2010

My husband got me new KNOCKERS from the dumpster?!?


Tuesday my husband and I were at a local building supply company picking up moulding for our basement. We had to drive around back to the warehouse to get our moulding.  While there we saw one of the employees looking in the dumpster at a really cool door knob attached to a board.  Knowing my obsession for old doors (and anything having to do with old doors) my husband said, "if he doesn't take that do you want me to go ask him if we can have it?"  UH YEAH.  He had to go ask the "boss" but came back with these. 


Can you believe they were just throwing these away?  None of the door knobs have keys and they are not matching sets because these are sample boards and they are showing all the finishes they come in.  But I still think they are so cool.  If my hubby had given me these for Christmas I may have call Oprah and turned him in for the best gift giver ever.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Free 8X10

Right now at Walgreens.com  you can get a free 8X10 collage print.  Use code GOBIG8X10
Go to photo home, then select gifts, then select collage.  I just select one photo.  Because this is a collage print there will be a border around your photo.  But hey, it's free!  As my dad would say, "beggars can't be choosers."  Walgreens offers promotions like this at least 10 times a year.  I printed this photo taken at at Summer games last week.
I am hoping it will look good with some funky orange chairs my grandma gave me. 

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Inappropriately obsessed with moulding!!!

I think I may have some sort of illness.  I think it is some sort of obsessive compulsive disorder.  When I see a beautiful wood door, or chunky mouldings, an awesome fireplace mantle, or raised panel wainscoting I have this need to stare at it and touch it.  Sometimes it even takes my breath away like a beautiful sunset or flower. (You think I am kidding but I am not.)  On several occasions I have gotten up at night because I have something new in my house and I have to look at it one more time or I can't sleep.  (Not in a prideful sort of way but in an OCD sort of way.) So if you see me running my fingers over your baseboards don't be alarmed I won't hurt anyone it just calms my soul (give me a break, Jesus was a carpenter he probably does the same thing.)

So now that you know my deep dark secret it may surprise you that we are going to attempt our own finish carpentry in the basement.  We have never done anything like this and I am sure there is a learning curve to this sort of thing so if it goes badly I may need intense therapy.

However, I am proud to announce that the tile is done and the baseboards are up in the flooded bathroom and I think they are beautiful.  My hubby did most of it and I love it.  When we were removing the old baseboards we didn't score the caulk so the drywall ripped a little.


I saw this as an opportunity to fulfill my dream of 7 inch baseboards. 

We stacked regular 3.5 inch baseboards on a piece of MDF and just caulked in between. 

The best part about stacking the baseboards like this is it is a lot cheaper than buying 5 inch baseboards.  Just a few more projects in the bathroom and it will be finished.

I am sure you are all asleep now unless you have a similar obsession with moulding like me.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Happy go lucky hair

Hi friends, 
My daughter has started a hair blog happygoluckyhair.blogspot.com She shows cute hairdos for little girls, teens and even some I use.  This is really helpful if you have a daughter just learning to do her own hair.