Just a Few Examples

Wood Pallet Shelves

Dressers/Pianos

Side Tables/Coffee Tables

Odds & Ends

BARN DOOR!!!!

YAY! I am so excited. So my hubby stayed home today, and got a wild hair. For months I have been asking for us to work together on a project (one that we won't kill each other doing or end up divorcing each other over, while forcing the other to take full custody of all 3 kids).

So we live in a 1700 sqft home with 3 children. And yes, if my posts haven't already clued you in and you still need to ask...I am on the RED EYE TO CRAZY TOWN!!! But I am not alone...my precious husband has bought a ticket as well. Together we are completely Koo Koo for Cocoa Puffs........but I digress.

Anyway, our kiddos have a hallway that separates their bedrooms from the living room where the hubs and I like to veg and watch television. And since he is a man, we watch it loudly!!!! I'm always complaining that we can hear everything that the kiddos are doing and vice versa! Between the "Cinema Quality, Action Packed, Shoot'em Up, Say Every Inappropriate Word Known To Man" movies he watches and the "obnoxious but thank GOD IN HEAVEN for the silly Sponge Bill Circle Shirt" shows my kids love, and the clanking of the GAZILLION dishes I'm washing in the kitchen...a person can seriously beg for Chinese Torture just to get some sanity.

So we decided that our only salvation would be a door. And seeing as how we no longer barter with chickens, or goats, and I have to have something that makes a statement, which means it's going to be pricey...buying a door was out of the question! SOOOOOOO....thank you google....I found Killer B!!! YAY! She gave me the greatest idea EVER!

http://www.killerbdesigns.com/blue-barn-door-how-to/

So here is what we are doing!!!

We got the paneling...the type that snaps together

3 pine boards to frame it and make it look like it actually might have come out of a barn

Next came the Angle cut for the piece across the door. After some major mathematical equations, ruining one whole board, and screwing up so royally that we laughed like crazy cuz it was too ridiculous to even get mad over...we finally got smart and realized we were over thinking it!!! Eventually we got it.

 Here's our final product!!!! But the best part........IT WORKS!!! Open...LOUD....Close....Silence...1 more time for effect...Open...L O U D...Close...S I L E N C E. God is good...and so are doors. Now to figure out how to add a lock without it being a fire hazard.

Painting Rules...

Ok, I have RULES...Painting Rules. There are many places I've been with painting. Some good and some not so good. They were bad, REEEEEAAALL bad. I'm talking 9th level of Hell bad! So bad that I've made myself a set of rules! And I hate rules! But I digress...

Anyway, it never fails. I get in a hurry. I want to do a project. I want to see the finished product! And, even though I've told myself not to go down that Prompt, Painted, Passage to "Project Pulverization", for some screw-ball reason, I just can't help but break the rules!

So how did I prove my point to myself today? Well, I've started my first attempt at transforming one of those "1990's, Cumbersome and Obsolete due to the invention of the Flat Screen" Entertainment Centers into an "OH SO CUTE" kid's kitchenette. Google it, they are adorable. And to someone like me, who sees the destination, not the journey, I think "SOOOOO EEEEEEAAAAASSSSYYYY!!! Should take me a couple of hours, maybe a day". I get started.

As usual, my goal is to do as much, if not all, of a project with things I already have. Thrifty, yes, but honestly, I'm just lazy and I hate leaving the house. That would require a bra, real clothes, and shoes. Makes me tired just typing it. So, I survey the Pandemonium that is my Garage.

1. Entertainment Center: CHECK (found on side of the road, SCORE)
2. Extra Wood for Oven Door: CHECK (Pandemonium, remember. I've got scraps of wood EVERYWHERE)
3. Hardware for Sink, Stove, and Oven: CHECK (again...stuff I just have laying around, weird I know)
4. Silver bowl for Sink: CHECK ("I don't need that mixing bowl, a little silver spray paint & we're good")
5. Paint: CHECK (gallons, upon gallons of paint in my garage in a variety of colo.....oh, wait...my rules.........what was number one again??????

Painting Rules for Furniture or Large Projects

1. Spray Paint, Spray Paint, SPRAY PAINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And this is where the gift of Free Will backfires on me EVERY TIME! 2 choices; 1 right, 1 wrong. Latex (here, but bad for me on this project) or Spray Paint (Not here, have to drive). I go back and forth.

"Meenie, Miny, Mo"...then I think to myself "The perils of painting that caused me to create Rule #1 weren't THAT painful. I mean, I don't wanna drive! So...Latex it is. FULL SPEED AHEAD!"

Wrong Choice made. For me and my none detailed hands, using the regular "paint and brush" method on these kinds of projects DOES NOT WORK! I KNOW THIS! No, I mean I KNOOOOOWWW THIS!

Big projects and a gallon of Latex paint (don't even get me started on Oil) with an expensive brush in my hand will undoubtedly end up with clumps and strokes (and yes I use Flotrol, but it looses it's flow control on me!). Inevitably, I find myself painting, sanding, painting, sanding, changing colors, clumping, sanding, painting, sanding, more clumping, scraping...throwing, kicking, breaking, EXPLODING!!!!

And there you have it; my day in a nutshell. So, now, after my explosion, I'm taking a time out. Having spent last night and all of today on just the painting and sanding dance, I've decided I should have gone with Choice #1. Later, I will force on suitable clothing and shoes and head to HD for some spray paint. And all will be right with the world...

Project will resume tomorrow.

Annie Sloan Paint

Ok, Ask me WHY I LOVE ANNIE SLOAN PAINT? It is PHENOMENAL (Sung in a high sing song voice) Love the paint, love the waxes...wish I was independently wealthy so that I could purchase EVERY SINGLE COLOR

Here are just a few things other people do with her paints

 These colors and finishes make this Texas Girl feel like I live in the Hamptons! Are these BLUES TO DIE FOR OR WHAT?

 Now you know this dresser was a hot mess before the paint and knobs. I have seen 1000 of these 70's "shoulda'never happend" designs on Craigslist, but Annie's paint makes it chic and hip...as opposed to the the actual 70's when everything was ugly and people had BAD HAIR YEARS...

Words are not necessary... FAB

Seriously...c'mon...this makes me want to drive to the nearest distributer and do this little project TONIGHT

I mean, I might actually ENJOY LAUNDRY if that's what my W/D looked like

ANNIE SLOAN'S PAINT

I'm a Blogger...or Blogget...I'm blogging

Ok, FINALLY...BIG SIGH. So, I have been looking at EVERYONE's blogs for the last...well FOREVER...and I have finally gotten up the nerve to do one myself. GOOD GRIEF, it was no small task...I feel like my Grandma when she asked (in an East Texas, southern/hick drawl) "Honey, can yew teach me how'da do that there COM-pew-TER?". Seriously, who knew that being born before 1980 would significantly hinder my ability to blog. Or maybe, I just hinder my ability to blog. Either way, I had some choice words for my MAC during this little journey.

After spending 3 hours trying to figure out how to get my BLOG TITLE centered, I'm finally up and running. Yep, I said 3 hours...I know, I'm embarrassed for myself.

So, what the heck do I want to say? Well...frankly...nothing. I have no wisdom to give or jewels to share. I just want to find cool projects to use as an excuse to tear, beat, burn, cut, saw or paint. It's cathartic. Frankly, it helps me release the "I'M GONNA SNAP" feelings I get in the morning preparing 3 kids for school.

So this Blog is about Projects...all projects...any projects that use up some of the energy in my brain and body that would otherwise be wasted on the important, yet unattainable things in life like striving to be a wonderful wife and mother.  Lololol...actually....not lol...that's kinda sad.

Anyway! As you can probably tell my projects are the "fly by the seat of my pants, can this be made into that, what can I use this for, how can I avoid making a trip to the hardware store, use what I've got" kind of endeavors.

And, honestly that's also the way I live my life; making things happen Accidentally on Purpose! And most of the time, whatever it may be (meals, parties, decorating, home renovations, or transforming dumpster diving delights) usually turns out ok!

-Gosh...hope I luck out and my parenting skills end up with the same results....