Remodelaholic!

Just stopping in to say the sweet Cassity from Remodelaholic is featuring my chevron dresser today! Head over to take a peek at the post :) Thanks Cassity...I'm honored!

While you're over there, be sure to spend some time looking at all the other fab projects Remodelaholic has to offer! You'll love it.

Have a great evening :)
xo

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A DIY for a Rainy Day

This past week I found the cutest umbrella paper at Meadow Boutique! I can't pass up a darling printed craft paper, so of course it came home with me. I knew I could put it to good use on a rainy day...what with the umbrellas and all :) Lately I have been dreaming of a small tray to place on my dresser. I just love the way a tray can make a couple of things on a dresser turn into the perfect vignette.  I knew this umbrella paper would be the icing on the cake to the new small white tray I picked up at West Elm. Just the right amount of color and pattern!
Here's how I did it...


SUPPLIES:
Tray, paper, scissors, tape, tape measure.

Step 1: Measure the tray, then measure the paper out.

Step 2: Cut out the paper!

 

Step 3: I used rolled pieces of tape to adhere the paper to the tray.  Just in case I want to change the paper out at a later date {you know, when I don't live in the city where it rains 9 months out of the year!}, this was a good and very easy way to preserve the tray.


Final Product:

I also framed a piece of the paper and used a white board marker to write some of my favorite lyrics! On the tray is a Anthropologie bowl, frame and ice cream sundae cup adorned with some jewelry.


This was such a simple and quick little DIY!
  Have you done any DIY projects lately? Do share in the comments!


**My amazing photographer friend Tori of Victoria Carlson Photography took all these beautiful photos for me...aren't they lovely?! Tori and I will be teaming up to bring you lots more loveliness. Be sure to check out her awesome photo blog. If you're looking for a photographer in the Seattle area...she's your girl**


I'm sharing this post with Amanda from Serenity Now and Jen from Tatertots & Jello.
Happy Tuesday :)
Love,

PS. Head on over to Creative Index for a special little discount from me to you for my e-design services :)

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DIY Dresser Makeover: Love Me Some Chevron

Hi loves! I'm finally sharing one of the major projects I've recently completed for my new room!  It took me a week, but I did find a dresser! A little antique white dresser was calling my name at the local consignment shop.  When I bought it, it looked like this:

Straight out of a little kid's bedroom, I'm sure.  I consulted my girl Michelle {Ten June} about what to do with the plain white dresser, and at first I was just going to get some new knobs and call it a day, BUT Michelle is a genius! She suggested I paint a chevron pattern on my dresser like the one she showed me from Pinterest, so I took the challenge. I didn't know how it would turn out, considering measuring and taking my time were all ingredients to this recipe coming out to perfection {I'm not really good at either sometimes!}  

Guess what?! It came out well. I am still in shock the measurements worked out! I have to say, 2 hours of measuring, taping and carefully painting that little thing was so worth it.

 Here's how I did it:

1. Taped off the pattern.

I started by measuring the dresser drawers and dividing the length of the drawer into 3 {allowing for 3 tips of the chevron per drawer}.

2. Next I measured the height of each separate drawer and divided that into 2, so I would have a starting point for my first diagonal line.  Each diagonal tape when from the drawer mid-point to the top, then back down to the mid-point, then back up...creating the even zigzag pattern.  

3. Then after taping the whole top row of zigzags, I measured down 3.5 inches from the tip of the chevron.  3.5 inches directly underneath would be where the next row of chevrons would meet.

After repeating this same formula all the way down the dresser, I realized a miracle had occurred and the chevron pattern had perfectly fit on all 3 drawers. Praise the Lord!


4.  Make sure your tape has nice and clean lines and edges.

5. Using an artists brush, I painted the edges closest to the tape first, ensuring I was careful in not getting any paint up under the tape. {I had no white paint to fix mistakes so this was important!}

6. Paint two coats of the chevron pattern color {I choose gray to go with my walls}. Immediately remove the tape after the second coat.  This helps get a clean tape line, and if there are mistakes, a small damp paint brush will clean it right up.

7. Add new fun knobs! The top two are from Anthropologie and the bottom 6 are from Meadow Boutique.

I'm really happy with the end result. Just shows that a fun pattern, little bit of paint and a whole afternoon of tedious measuring can totally change the look of a plain white dresser!

Here she is:

 

 

The best part? If I ever forget what my blog looks like, I just look at my dresser. They're twins! Guess you could say I love me some chevron (:


Have you painted any furniture recently?
Happy Tuesday!
Love,


PS.


I'm sharing this post with the lovely Beth from Home Stories A 2 Z &

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The Pretty Dresser Found a Home

I'm home!  You know what that means? The dresser has a new home, too. My newly finished dresser is finally in my room and I'm lovin' it.  This all started back in March when I found this at Goodwill:

I updated by painting it white and adding fun sparkly knobs.  Much more my style! If you missed the step by step process on how I refinished it, you can find it here.


I wanted to update my room by switching out my little girl/teenage furniture with something more modern and more me, and since this is my first week back from school, I finally had the chance to do so. Don't be mad, but I was a bad blogger and totally forgot to take a picture of my old dresser that sat in my room for 8 or 10 years...but here is its matching desk set, so you can imagine what the dresser looked like. 

It was big, had a laminated wood top with mirror attached, and had some floral designs on the top.  It was cute for being younger, but out it goes!


 In with the newly refinished dresser:

Fresh flowers in pretty jars and vases are a must!

I lined each drawer with a coordinating paper: 

A cake plate is a fun way to display my favorite flowers for my hair: 

Still loving my Anthro knobs: 

Hi (: 

....and, end picture overload! (:
Crisp, white, chic dresser all for around $80 {including the dresser, paint and finishing products}


Have you refinished any furniture lately??
Love,


PS. I'm sharing this post with Amanda at Serenity Now, Primitive & Proper, Remodelaholic,  Between Naps on the Porch &  

 

AND

I'm guest posting over at Simplified Bee, sharing my tips on how to maximize a small space

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It's the Little Things

A month ago I found an ugly dresser at Goodwill and refinished it. Sanding, painting, sealing, new knobs and a little elbow grease, and my dresser was nearly finished.  This weekend I came home to visit my family and got the chance to add some cute paper to the dresser drawers.

Before:

After:

I don't know about you, but shoes and jackets with a fun print as a surprise on the inside are really what sell me on the item.  It really is the little things that make me smile.  I couldn't let my poor dresser sit in my room {actually, it has been in the garage for the last month. oops...} without the inside dressed up a little!  After all, my clothes need a little print to sit on in there (:

Here's how I did it:

1. Clean out the dresser drawers

2. Get materials: paper, level (or straightedge), exacto knife, something to make your cuts on.

3. Measure your drawer space then measure out the length on your paper.  Hold the straight edge down tight and make your cuts using the exacto knife. I got really clean cuts using this method.

4. Cover the bottom of the drawer in Modge Podge:

5. Carefully lay your paper down. Once it is down and bubbles are smoothed out, cover the top of the edges with Modge Podge in order to seal the paper down.

I just love how they turned out!

{note: if you get paint, glue or anything really on your fresh manicure, it comes off with glue-gone. Works like a charm!}

And yes...the dresser is still sitting in my garage.  I really want to get it in my room, but this weekend went by so quickly I just didn't have time! {And when I finally asked my dad and brother for help moving it last night at 9pm, they said they were too tired. Clearly it's their fault(: }  It will be in my room and ready for it's photo shoot in 5 weeks...promise.

I also got a cheap-o mirror for above the dresser at TJ Maxx over the weekend. It was bronze:

And now it's a crisp white:

In other news, yesterday I went to the beach and it was 75 degrees. Amazing! My Washington skin wasn't ready for the California sun, as I came home with the worst sunburn I've ever had. It's so bad it's almost funny. 

Ha.

Have a lovely Monday! Are you working on any projects right now?

I'm sharing this post with Amanda at Serenity Now and Remodelaholic! (:

Love and A Surprise Inside,

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