DIY Wrapping Paper Mod Podge Plastic Drawers

I have these plastic drawers next to my desk that store everything from papers to be shred, craft supplies, and scarves.  I usually keep the drawers pretty organized, but the drawers inevitably get messy and I don't want people to see the mess!  So I decided to mod podge wrapping paper to the outside to help hide messy drawers =)  I will warn you - this can be a pretty time consuming project....I do not like cutting and measuring paper....I think this is why I am not a scrapbooker.  However, it is a fun project and if you have a few hours, strong coffee, and a friend to do it with it can be really awesome! 


Tools:  Spray paint for plastic, wrapping paper with a cool design, mod podge, paint brush, scissors, strong coffee, lots of chocolate. 


STEP ONE:  PAINT THE PLASTIC FRAMES


1.  I went to Walmart and bought black gloss spray paint for plastic - it must be for plastic or it will NOT work!!!  I did this project on a pretty windy day so I used the entire can - and I only painted the front and sides of the frame because you can't see the back of them =)  You might want to get 2 cans of spray paint....or do this project on a non-windy day =) 

I spray painted my frames glossy black.  This is the frame that is dry.  I allowed the frame to dry overnight but it only took about an hour for it to feel dry to the touch. 

STEP TWO:  MOD PODGE WRAPPING PAPER TO THE DRAWERS

1.  Cut wrapping paper to fit the front and sides of the drawer.

2.  I used a foam brush to shmear mod podge onto the drawer.  Then I put the wrapping paper on the drawer.  

3.  After I had all of the drawers covered with wrapping paper I let the mod podge dry overnight.  

4.  The next day I sealed the wrapping paper by applying mod podge all over the wrapping paper.  I made sure to seal down the edges really well by globing on the mod podge and then using my fingers to push the wrapping paper tight to the drawer.  This was an important step because sometimes I had a little extra paper on the drawer so I globed on the mod podge and then pushed the paper down over the corner - like this:  

I love the mark on my knuckle...that is what you get when you don't wear gloves when doing DIY projects with barn wood....see post on Barn Wood Signs =) 

5.  Let the mod podge dry  - I let it dry for about 3 hours.  

6.  Then you can put all of your stuff into the drawers and put the drawers into the frame.  

I used paper that I bought from Michael's.  It was hot pink with white flowers on it....the pic was not taken in the best lighting - but you get the gist!  You could also use scrap book paper if you cannot find wrapping paper with a design that suits your needs =) 

DIY Barn Wood Signs

My Sweet Husband makes the most beautiful barn wood tables....

This is the top of the table, the barn wood is over 100 years old.  He is getting ready to add the legs which are made out of black cast iron.  He is so handsome...and handy...and those are two of the MANY reasons I love him!  

I took the barn wood that he did not use and made some barn wood signs to hang in our home!  


I just used regular paint for the signs.  I used a permanent marker to draw the letters and then painted them.  I let the paint dry and then sealed the entire board with clear coat.  Here is a pic of the clear coat I used and the finished signs! 

The EAT sign is 3 separate pieces of wood.   I have it up on the top of our cabinets in the kitchen!

We hung this in our bathroom  =) 

DIY Ladder Card Holder

My Sweet Husband and I found this ladder outside a trashcan on moving day in the apartment complex we used to live in.  I was going to turn it into a pot rack for our kitchen but decided to make it into a card holder instead.  Here is how you do it!  


Things you need : A ladder, Glidden Gripper, Paint of any color, Twine/Ribbon, Wood Close Pins, Cards or pictures from your nearest and dearest!

Another project that is perfect for gripper!!!!

STEP ONE:  PREP LADDER FOR PAINTING

1.  Paint the entire ladder with Gripper

I painted it with one coat and then did a second coat in areas where it needed it.  I used a sponge to apply the gripper but you could use a paint brush if you wanted!  I did not sand the ladder at all before applying gripper. The ladder had lacquer on it but the gripper does the trick!

STEP TWO:  PAINT THE LADDER

1.  I used a paint brush for this step....not sure why I used a sponge and then a paint brush but I did - it really doesn't matter =)   I applied one coat of paint and then did a second coat in areas that needed it.  

STEP THREE:  TRANSFORM THE LADDER INTO A CARD HOLDER

1.  I used a thick twine for this step.  All you do is loop a string of twine from the bottom rung to the top rung and then knot it off with a bow.  Then use close pins to attach cards, pictures, etc to the twine!

DIY Chalkboard

My Sweet Husband and I live in a darling home that we rent - I would LOVE to own it because it is about 86 years old and has all the original wood work (floors, doors, etc). However, we are both still in school and not sure where we are going to be living after we finish grad school.  Since we rent, we cannot paint the walls - which means we cannot paint a chalkboard wall in the kitchen - sad face.  So I made a chalkboard out of an ugly painting that I picked up at Goodwill.....here is how you make it!!

1. Go to your local Goodwill and pick up an old, ugly picture - you want it to be pretty large and try to find something with a cool frame that you can paint.  You also want to get something that has glass (not plastic) covering the picture.  My picture was super ugly, but it was cherished by the previous owner because it was professionally framed - it was nailed in the back so I could not take the glass out without a lot of unnecessary work.  My steps show you how to do this if you can't get the glass out easily.  If you can take the glass out of the frame this will be so much easier!  

2.  If you don't have these paint supplies you need to buy them:  

This is GRIPPER by Glidden.  This stuff is a lifesaver!!!  You paint this on over any type of lacquered surface and you will not have to sand or strip off the paint/lacquer!!  This is the greatest stuff ever!!!  I got a small can and I have done multiple projects with it and still have a lot more to use!!  

Indoor/Outdoor Krylon paint - I used Cherry Red Gloss.  This works great for painting your frame!!  I suggest spray paint because it dries really fast =) 

Krylon Chalkboard Spray Paint. This paint is perfect for glass.  I used this to spray paint the bottom/foot of wine glasses.  It is the best for glass.  I use Martha Stewart's Chalkboard Paint for other items such as plastic/metal etc. 

STEP ONE:  PREP YOUR FRAME TO BE PAINTED 

(Tools:  your ugly picture, blue tape, notebook paper, gripper, paint brush)

1.  You need to use blue paint tape on the edges and then I covered the rest of the glass with 2 layers of notebook paper.  

My ugly picture of cows.  Blue tape on the edges of the glass

2.  This pic shows the notebook paper I put down over the blue tape and then I held it all down and in place with more blue tape.  Then I painted the frame with gripper =)  Let your gripper dry - this may take awhile  - especially in the corners!  I let it dry for about 3 hours...you might want to let it dry overnight just to be safe =) 

STEP TWO:  PAINT YOUR FRAME

(Tools:  Spray paint, face mask, good ventilation) 

1.  Once gripper is dry you can spray paint your frame.  I put 3 coats of paint on my frame, allowing it to dry completely between each coat.  

2.  When the paint is dry gently pull off the notebook paper and blue tape. 

STEP THREE:  PREPARE GLASS TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO A CHALKBOARD

1.  Place blue tape on your frame - I allowed a little portion of the frame to be painted black - this helped form a nice smooth line between the red frame and black chalkboard so I didn't have to worry about touch ups afterward.  

You can see the little red line - that is my frame and this red part will be painted with the chalkboard paint.  I suggest you do this to keep from having to touch up your frame after you paint the glass =) 

2.  Next, I put blue tape along the edge of the frame.  I did not push the tape onto the frames edge, instead I let it stay sticking out so it would "catch" any over spray.  

You can kind of see what I mean in this picture - the tape is not pressed onto the edge it is extending out from it.  I hope this makes sense =) 

3.  Now you can spray paint your glass with the chalkboard paint!  I put 3 coats of paint on, allowing it to dry completely between each coat.  

STEP FOUR:  REMOVE TAPE AND HANG YOUR CHALKBOARD

1.  Gently remove blue tape.  

2.  If your tape pulls off some of the paint on the frame do not fret!  You can fix it!  Simply spray a little of the spray paint into a bowl and use a small paint brush to dab paint onto the frame.  You want to let it get on there pretty thick and then let it dry.  I only had a few spots where the paint came off of the frame with the blue tape.  A few coats of touch up fixed it!  

3.  If your frame does not have hooks you can go to a hardware store and buy some hooks to attach to the back of the frame.  Sweet Husband took care of this step for me!  

4.  Then you can hang up your chalkboard!  You will need to prep the chalkboard by rubbing a piece of chalk all over the board (put the chalk on it's side).  Then erase it and you are good to go!

I found the EAT letters at Michael's.  A little black spray paint turned them from bronze to black!  The frame was pretty wide so we were able to just set them on the top  =) 

Oh My....

It has been TOO long since I last posted!!!  Ah, grad school, you keep me too buys  =(  However, over Christmas break I accomplished a LOT of DIY projects!!!  I should have all the projects finished and dry by this weekend!  I will post up pics and tutorials then!!!!!

Yummy. Easy. Jambalaya.

I made Chicken Andouille Jambalaya tonight.  It was delicious and easy.  You should make it.  This recipe is so easy and yummy there is nothing more to say - so make it  =)  

I made it with Kielbasa - not Andouille  =)  Just to let you know  =) 

Amazing Herb Roasted Chicken!!!

Herb Roasted Whole Chicken

Last night's dinner was deemed "Deloycious" by Sweet Husband.  He is a man of few words, and displays excitement subtlety.  Saying dinner was "Delyocious" was the greatest compliment ever! I made the Herb Roasted Whole Chicken compliments of The Pioneer Woman  =) This is an easy - let me say that again - EASY recipe!!  You can prep in about 5 min, pop that lil chick in the oven and then be on your merry way to do as you please for the next hour and fifteen minutes.  Here is how my lil bird turned out: 

 You need to put this recipe in your Toolbox so you are locked, loaded, and ready to go on a night when things get crazy busy.  

Creamy Lemon Pasta

The herb roasted chicken was served on a bed of pasta with mushrooms.  I love the phrase "served on a bed of pasta."  However, I do not like mushrooms - I choked on one as a kid and ever since mushrooms make me skittish. I wanted to make linguine with a cream sauce so I found another pasta recipe on The Pioneer Woman and used the section for the sauce.  The recipe is under Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta.  I did not add chicken or basil - I just made the sauce.  I changed a few things in the recipe becuase my asthma goes nuts when I have too much dairy.  You can make her sauce just like the recipe - I just substituted some non-dairy products and the sauce was delish! Here is what I did:  

1.  Heat 1/2 stick of butter 

2. Add 3-4 Lemons (I only used 3, the sauce was very strong so a 4th would have been too much but you can always add more at the end if needed)

3.  She calls for 1/2 cup half and half and 1/2 cup cream.  I used 1/2 cup cream and a 1/2 cup Soy Milk (Silk Very Vanilla).  

4. I added a cup of Rice Cheese. This is the greatest non-dairy cheese ever.  It melts like, tastes like and has the texture of real cheese.  Here is a picture of what I buy - usually only Dierbergs carries it.  It is a little pricey but you can get coupons on line by registering online.   I LOVE this cheese. 

 5.  Then you just whisk the sauce, add salt and pepper.