DIY – Page 21

We’re Nutty for Fall

Published on October 15, 2010October 9, 2012 by Our Humble Abode11 Comments

A few days ago, the weather in Montana changed and we finally got a touch of fall. So I sprang (get it, spring is the opposite of fall, yes, I’m that lame) into action and whipped up three fall inspired table scapes.

Cocktail Hour Centerpiece: This table setting, complete with snacks, is geared toward a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, rather than a sit down meal.

Here we have a few thrift store flower bowls, both white porcelain and patina brass, holding almonds, peanuts and shells. I happened to have almonds and in shell peanuts, but any nuts would work great, or candy, too! See that set of pillar candle holders? Those came from Goodwill for only $0.49 each! The wooden wine holder was a gift that a relative made(!) and it holds a bottle of sparkling apple cider, my fav. I scored the large vase from TJ Maxx for $5.99 and filled it with a pillar candle and free nuts I gathered from my parent’s yard while in Minnesota.

Here’s a tip: If you don’t have a tall pillar candle, give it a boost with an upside down glass.

The wood slice was something I’ve had lying around for a long time, but you can pick up something similar at a craft store or make one for yourself.

Brighter Cocktail Hour: Here we have another cocktail hour table scape, but with a little twist.

We’ve kept the wooden wine holder around, but we’ve added fall flowers for a nice pop of color. A wooden clearance tissue cover is turned upside down to disguise the clear glass vase, adding another natural element. Nuts fill hand stitched felt and tweed leaf bowls (more on those next week). Mustard yellow napkins round out the centerpiece.

Dinner Party: We’ve finally gotten around to dinner and incorporated a bird theme.

This is a simple setting using basic white dinner plates and everyday silverware, so we’ve added a pop of yellow with the napkins. Fancier glasses dress things up a bit. A TJ Maxx bird and nest candle holder serves as a simple, low profile centerpiece filled in with white ceramic bird salt and pepper shakers and a few bowls of nuts.

Here’s a tip: If you have small, rambunctious children (like we do), forgo a tablecloth or runner to prevent a catastrophe. Instead, add color and texture through cloth napkins.

Most items used were already on hand, but the great outdoors are wonderful ways to add natural elements, without costing you a penny! Do you have any tried and true thrifty ways to decorate for fall? Please do share.

Let the {Halloween} Festivities Begin

Published on October 14, 2010October 9, 2012 by Our Humble Abode10 Comments

I know, I’m a little late, but better late than never, right? Usually, I don’t do a lot (if any) Halloween decorating, but Vincent is three this year and he’s pretty excited about pumpkins and Halloween in general. I was inspired by this Pottery Barn image.

Almost anything Pottery Barn is beautiful, but I really liked the color palette, tons of pumpkins and the wreath. I saw a similar black feather wreath at Michael’s for $14.99, but I didn’t want to spend that much on a once a year item. Instead, I went to Dollar Tree and picked up a simple wreath form. Then, I took a trip to Hobby Lobby and picked up two different types of black feathers; one package of large (about 6 inches or so) feathers and another of smaller, filler feathers.

Once I returned home, I spray painted all sides black using paint I had on hand. After the paint dried, I tied a loop of fishing line around the wreath form. Our front door has trim that prohibits the use of a traditional wreath hook, so I have to hang wreaths using ribbon or string. After attaching the fishing line, I used my handy-dandy hot glue gun to attach the feathers.

I started by placing a few of the filler feathers in to cover the wreath form. Then, I cut the larger feathers into the shape I wanted.

Do you see the difference? I shaped the feather on the left by cutting the top into a nice, rounded shape. Then, I glued my cut feathers over the filler feathers, being sure to cover any of the wreath form. I didn’t bother to cover the very back, because that will be against the door, but I did cover the remaining sides. I did this all the way around, placing the feathers in the same direction until I got to the beginning. Then, I made sure to tuck the feather ends under the first row.

I tapped a small pin into the top center of our door and looped the fishing line around and we were in business.

Here’s what my Halloween wreath cost:

Wreath Form: $1.00

Black spray paint: Leftover from another project, but you can get black paint for $1.00 from Wal Mart

Black feathers: $1.98 (with plenty to spare)

Fishing line: Already had on hand

Glue gun and sticks: Already had

Grand Total: $2.98

Granted, my version isn’t as large as the Pottery Barn version, but I think it adds the same touch. Although, I won’t be painting our door orange any time soon. Keep an eye out for more Halloween decorating ideas soon!

Refinished Bookshelf: Reveal

Published on October 6, 2010October 9, 2012 by Our Humble AbodeLeave a comment

Last week I shared how I refinished an old wooden bookshelf for our boys’ room. It wasn’t quite done then, but it is now and we love it. Ben was skeptical when I started sanding, but he does admit that it’s pretty now. I really love that we’ve brought new life into an old, seen-better-days piece of furniture, without paint. Well, there is some paint. The back panel had a little damage.

I knew I couldn’t fix the back and keep it stained, so I filled the damaged area with putty, let it dry, sanded, primed and painted everything. After three coats of plain white paint, hours of drying, and a vacation in Minnesota, I was ready to finish what I had started. Using a pin nailer, I carefully attached the 1/4 inch plywood back to the bookshelf. I chose the pin nailer because it shoots nails that are literally the size of pins, without a head. It’s great for small pieces that might split if larger nails were used.

Once the back was secured, all that was left was to bring the shelf back inside.

Have you refinished a piece of furniture to give it a new lease on life? Do you have any tricks or tips to share?

How To: Refinish a Bookshelf

Published on September 28, 2010October 9, 2012 by Our Humble Abode1 Comment

We have this little bookshelf in the boys’ room. My mom gave it to us, but it was originally her grandparent’s shelf. It’s functional and cute, right?

Well, it’s not so cute when the books have been removed; the finish has seen better days.

The top was even worse, too!

We have had this bookshelf for three years (or more) and have never done a thing to it. Until now, that is. I finally got an itch to refinish this sad little guy.

It all began with a random orbital sander. I started by sanding the top with 220 grit paper to completely strip the stain finish. Then, I worked my way down the sides, sanding with the grain of the wood.

Once I had the top and outsides sanded, Ben removed the back and I worked on sanding the fixed shelves (both the top and under sides) as well as the inside walls.

After completing all the smooth flat surface areas, I began the tedious, time-consuming task of hand sanding the detailed areas of fluted half round and the finials. This involved 100 grit sandpaper, folded in half to get into the crevices of the fluting. It took a good two hours to get the detailed areas sanded smooth, but I knew the end result would be worth it.

I wanted to keep the dark wood tone, so I bought a quart of Minwax Dark Walnut stain.

Using a synthetic bristle brush, I began applying the stain in small areas to the shelves. Working quickly, I wiped the area with an old, cut up T shirt to remove excess stain. I kept a ‘wet edge’ of stain to prevent any overlapping that might make the color uneven. I continued this process until the entire bookshelf had a coat of stain.

I let the stain dry overnight. Once Everett went down for his morning nap, Vincent and I went back to the garage to give the shelf one more coat of stain. The second coat gave the rich, luxurious walnut tone I had in mind.

Now that I had the color I wanted, I needed to protect my hard work. I applied two coats of Varathane Diamond Water Based Polyurathane satin finish to seal the wood and prevent scratches and future damage.

Just a little note: This was my first attempt to completely refinish a piece of furniture. By no means am I an expert, but I think the bookshelf turned out pretty great. It was time consuming, but not very difficult or expensive. Speaking of expenses, I here’s a budget breakdown.

Sander and paper: $0.00 (already owned)

1 Quart Minwax Stain: $7.78

Varathane Polyurathane: $0.00 (already owned)

Total Spent: $7.78

Time:

Sanding: 4 hours

Staining: 2 1/2 hours

Polyurathane Application: 2 hours

Total Time Spent: 8 1/2 hours

Not too shabby, huh?

Simple Solution: Crown Moulding

Published on September 23, 2010September 12, 2012 by Our Humble Abode8 Comments

Do you love the look of crown moulding but can’t afford it? Maybe it’s just a little too difficult for you to install on your own? Well, we have a solution for you.

Rather than using actual crown moulding, use decorative casement trim. Choose a trim with one 90 degree angle and a flat back, similar to these:

Place the square edge along the ceiling and secure with nails.

This trim is very easy to install and is more affordable than actual crown moulding. Of course, the ‘crown’ moulding won’t have a 45 degree angle from the wall to the ceiling.