Sew Awesome!

 

Since we moved into our house a little over a year ago, we have been busy changing out our floor, staining cabinets, painting, etc. . My poor little window in our laundry room has been covered using a temporary paper curtain. I had a hard time finding a curtain that would fit let alone look good for that window. Then I decided I would venture out into the fabric store and pick some fabric that would really complement the room. It was time to dust off the sewing machine and DIY the curtains myself.

 

                                                       Before: Just looks so dark an gloomy

 

 

I started by measuring out my window and added an 1nch to each side to account for the fabric that would be sewn. I pinned it all up then ironed it get a nice seam to sew.

 

 

 

They have these pretty cool grommets you can add to your curtains at the fabric store. It comes with a stencil to keep everything uniform. Once you mark out where you want them, you just cut the hole out and the grommets just snap into place. 

 

Not to bad for a beginner at the sewing machine. I think they turned out exactly the way I wanted.

 Looks so bright and Happy!

 

A pretty simple DIY project but adds a lot of style and light.  Actually makes me want to do laundry......well maybe WANT is a strong word.

 

 







Java Gel-ous!

Finally!!!! I have been dreaming of gel staining all my builder grade oak for a year. So happy to finally get on the gel stain bandwagon. With helpful thanks to Monica wants it blog and Erin over at Magenta and Lime I have been fully equipped with the knowledge to get the job done! so without further adieu.......

First off the supplies I used. A lot of DIYers recommend using an old mans sock to apply the stain, well I had a heck of a time with that method. So I stuck with using a foam brush to apply. With that being said I got picky with my brushes and found the "Wooster" foam brush from Lowes to be the best.

-a drop cloth (I'm going to replace my ugly 90s vinyl floor so I didn't care if it got messed up)

-Painters tape I love Frog Tape the Yellow works the best

-paper towels or old rags (for clean up)

-Sanding sponge ( I used fine grit)

-Foam bushes and old socks if that method works for you

-General Finishes Java gel stain (I know it is not sold locally for many people but fortunate for me I have a wood craft store near me that carries General Finishes)

-General Finishes High Performance Poly in satin

 

                                             General Finishes Java the holy grail of stain

 

Here is the before

So long builder grade oak

You want to give the wood a light sanding, not too much just enough to rough up the sheen on the finish.

 

So messy!! 

 

Now the fun part! You should apply your stain in light even coats. It is way easier to apply if you use those little paint pyramids. Saved me so much time because you can stain both sides of the doors at the same time.

 

First coat it looks so streaky and ugly! Don't worry after the 3rd coat you will be in LOVE!

I gave the first coat about a day to dry, then gave the second coat about 2 days and the 3rd 4 days to dry. I did 3 coats of poly and let each coat dry about 3 hours in between.

 

 

Sock method not the easiest

 

2nd Coat looking better

 

and now for the moment we all have waited for......

 

 

 

There you have it, outdated to modern in no time at all!

 

Before:

 

After:

 

I can't believe this is the same bathroom!

We still have the floor to do and paint the walls but for now I am just basking in the awe of my beautiful vanity!

 



Hello!!

Hi,

My name is Melissa, I am a twenty-something newlywed and newly-homeowner, a vet tech extraordinaire, and now a DIYer!  I wanted to start this blog to keep track of all my home projects and to share my experiences in doing so! 

 

Our First House

 



Our Wedding Day