wine & redesign -

PROJECT: Breakfast Nook Table

I finally did it - I FINALLY refinished this old, oak table. As you can see, it had a ton of water stains that needed to go away. It’s also an easy project if you have a power sander. Just buff the table surface down to the raw wood and polyurethane it. Speaking of power sanders … I think this could be one of the most brilliant inventions ever. They’re fairly cheap and you can even get a decent used one at a local garage sale. I actually inherited mine, (SCORE), because every daughter should inherit their family’s power sander. Anyhoo, time for the pics …

Do you see the lovely water stains?

TA DAAA! My breakfast nook has a very narrow space, so I eliminated the side leaves on the table. My mom lectured me about this, (“You’ll need that extra space someday when you have kids!”), but what’s done is done. I like the table without the leaves because then I can put seating on either side including this bench I refinished. Same method - buff away at it for a few minutes with a power sander and then polyurethane it. I skipped staining both pieces because I liked the color of the natural wood. Also, by painting the legs of the table, I saved a bunch of time as opposed to having it all the same wood color. I think painting the legs adds interest as well.

Here’s a close-up so you can see the wood grain.

Above shows without the bench and the polyurethane.

And of course my cat Atom does not appreciate it when I’m not focusing all my attention on him, so he had to get in on a shot.

CELEBRATORY WINE: Ardeche Chardonnay, $12. This is a French chardonnay, so it packs a different taste than the oak-buttery flavor most people are familiar with from California chards. It’s very dry with a full body and a hint of vanilla. This is a great wine to give to someone who prefers chardonnay - it opens up the possibilities of what a chardonnay can taste like. Just like the table - refinishing it made it into something completely unexpected … no leaves and all.

PROJECT: Custom Clock

After remodeling our kitchen, I had a big empty space above my cooktop. See below:

Since the majority of my kitchen is earth tones, I really wanted to jazz it up with a bright cobalt blue. I had my heart set on a big blue clock. The down side was that all the clocks I found were either too small, too expensive, or too much of a blast from the past, (ie. eighties - and not in a good way). While at Hobby Lobby, I stumbled upon a clock that was half off, ($60 total). I’m mad at myself because I was a bad blogger and I didn’t take a before picture, (ARGH)! I was so excited I just started painting….

The area I’m painting over had some text written on it. Something like, “Old Clock Co. est. 1842.”

I carefully painted within the clock lines.

Here it is on the wall drying. Then I noticed…the hands disappear!!! So, I colored the clock hands with oil-based silver marker.

The blue looks slightly darker in these pictures than in person. Here’s what it looks like in the kitchen:

Now I need to put out various blue plates to tie it all in. I’m also working on my breakfast nook which carries this blue. See pillow pics here.

WINE RECOMMENDATION: Duck Pond Cabernet Sauvignon, about $14.50 per bottle. This is a friendly cab at a great price. My husband and I really liked the 2009, but the 2010 doesn’t disappoint. CHEERS!

PROJECT: Deer Art

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll mention it again … I’m obsessed with deer! I have to really edit myself from decorating EVERYTHING in deer decor. “Simmer, Anne, you don’t want your house to look like Rudolph’s family reunion!”

Anyhoo, I had this great idea for an art piece in my music room. It’s super easy and I did it in about 1-1.5 hours, (while waiting for the moving truck to arrive).

First, you start with two vertical canvases that will fit your space side by side. I purchased my canvases at Michael’s because they were having a half-off sale.

Materials:

2 vertical canvases

Paint for Antlers

Paint for Background

2 pieces of Frisket about the same size as your canvas, (frisket is basically painter’s tape and stencils in one)

Pen

Scissors

Paint Roller

1. Place one piece of frisket on top of your canvas. Trace one of the antlers. I had a faux antler I used as reference. Once you are happy with your traced shape, cut it out and set it aside for later.

2. Paint the entire top of the canvases the color you want your antlers. I wanted mine a very light “griege,” (grey/beige). Set your canvases in a place to dry.

3. Once the canvases are dry, peel of the backing from the antler-stenciled frisket and place it on one of the canvases. I started from the bottom of the canvas and slowly stuck/peeled my way up. Think, “cell phone screen protector.” You don’t want any bubbles - especially on the edges.

4. Now that the design is stuck to one of the canvases, use the leftover antler-stenciled frisket backing paper to trace the same antler reversed. I added a couple more branches to differentiate it from the other one. Here’s an image of the antler-stenciled frisket backings once I cut and peeled each sticky piece to the canvas. I will most likely save these non-sticky backing pieces for reference for future projects.

5. With both antlers stuck to the canvas, you can now paint the entire canvas, including the sides, with your background paint. I chose a brownish gunmetal metallic paint. I used a roller with a lot of nap on it to create texture.

6. Once the paint is dry to semi-dry, you can peel off the antler stencil. My edges were a little hairy, so I touched them up a bit.

Here’s the finished product in my music room:

This project is fast, easy, and, of course, cheap!

CELEBRATORY WINE: La Crema Chardonnay, $10-15. This is your typical California chardonnay with its popular oak/butter taste. Chardonnay and deer may be in abundance, but I’m not complaining. CHEERS!

PROJECT: Mirror Makeover

Recently I purchased a Groupon for this great used furniture store in Colorado Springs called Platte Furniture. They had a ton of interesting things, but I fell in love with this old, gigantic mirror:

The mirror was priced at $150; however, with my Groupon it ended up costing me $40 - not bad for a HUGE, intricate mirror. I always think a good mirror can make a room. Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of intricate mirrors like this with white frames:

Below is an example from One Kings Lane. This mirror is actually much smaller than the one I purchased: but, as you can see from the price, it’s quite a bit more expensive.

No worries - this is an EASY fix. The first step is to clean the mirror.

After you are done cleaning the frame, grab some painter’s tape and newspaper to mask off your mirror. I also put a large board on top just for added protection, but thick layers of newspaper should work as long as you tape off ALL gaps. In an open area that’s exposed to outside air, go ahead and spray paint the frame with a primer spray paint.

Allow the primer to dry and then apply your first coat of the final spray paint color. Spray paint is really perfect for this job because the frame is so detailed.

Also, don’t feel you have to go with white. I’ve seen some cool rooms where the majority of the room is neutral and then they add pizazz with a cool pop of color. Something like this (click on picture to go to source):

And here’s the finished product …

I’m still working on my dining room. I want to add drapes and some candle sconces on the wall. One project at a time, though! If you want to see how I made-over the dresser below, click here.

CELEBRATORY WINE: Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, $9.00. This is a light and airy wine at a great cost, (just like my mirror)! It’s also a great summer wine. CHEERS!

PROJECT: Dresser Makeover

I made a bargain with my brother that he could have my cool American flag by Tommy Hilfiger in exchange for his beat-up bedroom dresser. I think I got the better end of the deal, (after the makeover of course), but I’ll let you all be the judge of that! Here’s the before, (complete with nasty brother stains on the inside like shaving cream and gum).

So, I went to work …

First on the list was to remove the handles.

After all the handles and knobs were removed I got out my power sander and began to sand.

After sanding, I cleaned the piece off with some all-purpose cleaner. This removed the dust from the sanding as well as brother germs.

The next step was to start painting and staining. For this piece, I was inspired by the furniture that was both stained and painted. Something like these:

After sanding the top, drawers, and all sides, I stained the top of the dresser. I wanted a really dark stain, so I had to apply three coats. The below picture shows two coats.

While I waited for the coats of stain to dry, I started painting the drawers with a small hand-held roller. I found that there was no need to prime these if you sanded them well.

Possibly the most fun about making-over a furniture piece is picking new knobs. I fell in love with some contemporary knobs by Martha Stewart featured at Home Depot.

You can also see my mirror that I madeover above it. Click here to see how I made the mirror.

CELEBRATORY WINE: A to Z Wineworks Pinot Gris, $13. I LOVE Oregon wine, especially their whites … I also like taking something that’s free and making it look expensive. Here’s to bargaining with brothers and making their stuff beautiful again! CHEERS!

PROJECT: Master Bedroom “House” & Bookshelves

This past week I had the pleasure of having my handy father-in-law stay with me at my new house. We decided that we would spend his visit working away. Here’s a picture of Daddy Klein helping me conquer my fear of, (drum roll) - THE TABLE SAW.

Let me back up and explain why TABLE SAW came into play. Here’s a before pic with the previous owner’s set-up.

I had no idea what to do with the turquoise “house” inlet in the wall as well as the glass shelving to the left of it. I knew I wanted to replace the light fixtures within the “house,” but that was about it. It wasn’t until a talented family friend and interior designer, Dee, gave me some great tips. First, she told me to turn the “house” inlet into a regular rectangle or arch. Then, replace the glass shelving with wooden shelves, (in comes TABLE SAW). I still was not sure how this would look so she sent me to this fabulous interior design website, SuzanneKasler.com. There, Dee referenced one of the bookshelves shown on Suzanne’s site:

Pretty dreamy, right? I showed Daddy Klein the picture and he was up for the challenge, (he’s kind of like a fairy godmother, but in a rugged way with tools). So, we set to work!

We measured out the size of the inlet and then sketched out a rough spec of it. After purchasing the wood, I painted each piece with a white paint/primer combo, (while Daddy Klein was using the infamous TABLE SAW)!

My cat, Atom, is not amused here. He’s mad because I disciplined him about jumping up on the freshly painted wood pieces. Here’s my evidence of his mischief:

After all the pieces were cut and painted, we started to assemble the bookshelf. Then, we placed it into the inlet, (while holding our breath and hoping our measurements were accurate). SIGH! - IT FIT!

We added trim on the exterior. I picked something that reminded me of columns and accented it with another base trim piece to take it even further. Presto chango, here’s what it looks like now:

Daddy Klein also got rid of the “house” inlet. I think it makes the room look larger. I replaced the sconces with some that I found on clearance at Restoration Hardware. The mirrored furniture piece I found at Marshall’s for $170, (pieces like this are priced at $400 and up)! I’m still working on dressing up the room, but I think we made big steps!

Normally, I’d celebrate with wine, but Daddy Klein prefers Iced Tea. This was his daily fuel:

CHEERS!

PROJECT: Mason Jar & Chalk

I saw on Pinterest this great idea to create chalkboard labels on Mason jar glass. The problem was, I knew it would take time taping off all those perfectly centered rectangles - I’m just not that patient. So, I created a quick and easy alternative.

What you need:

- Mason jar(s)

- Spray Paint Primer

- Chalkboard spray paint

- Chalk

I started by removing the center lid circles and laying them out on a piece of cardboard like this:

I’ll be honest, I spray painted the chalkboard paint directly on top of these circles, but I think it would be better to go with a thin coat of primer first. After the primer dries, apply two coats of the Chalkboard Spray Paint. I used Krylon’s Chalkboard Spray Paint.

Once you’ve applied two coats of the chalkboard paint, allow it to dry 24 hours. Since I’m not patient I tried to push this, but alas, 24 hours IS really what the paint needs.

Now reassemble the jar and grab some chalk and go. I like to put the name of the food along with the expiration date.

I also found that I like labeling the jars on the top because you’re less likely to scuff out your writing, (from grabbing the jar).

CHEERS!

PROJECT: Tacky Brassy

I remember hearing HGTV’s Genevieve Gorder refer to a homeowner’s brass bathroom fixtures as “tacky brassy.” This made me think - where did it go wrong? It used to be the coolest thing because it looked like expensive gold, right? Despite my curiosity of how this beloved fixture color became so loathed, I decided that Genevieve was right - it was time for a change!

So, I hijacked all the brass bathroom fixtures in my house and set them down on a piece of cardboard after thoroughly cleaning them. I remember seeing a blog where someone spray-painted their brass fixtures silver and it looked amazing, (not to mention a much cheaper alternative than buying all new fixtures). Here’s the spray paint I purchased:

I applied about 2 coats to all angles of the fixtures with Rust-oleum’s Paint & Primer In One, (around $6). You have to be patient and let the fixtures dry in between coats. It’s best if they dry 24 hours, but you can get away with 2-3.

The next part of this project was the most challenging: getting the stupid towel rods back on the wall. I had so much difficulty I posted my struggle on Facebook to see if I was “missing something.” Nope…my towel rods were just a bratty brand of some sort that did not want to get back on the wall.

After spending about 1 HOUR just reattaching the dumb towel rods, I finally finished! This is why I pair re-design with wine…sometimes you REALLY need that glass of wine at the end.

CELEBRATORY WINE: The Climber Sauvignon Blanc, $12.99-$14. OK, I post a lot of Sauvignon Blancs on my website, but I’ll be honest - it’s one of my favorite wines. This particular bottle was a gift for Christmas and I LOVED it! It’s now officially one of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs and definitely my favorite California Sauvignon Blanc. After all the sass from the towel rods, I needed to retreat to my comfort wine varietal. CHEERS!

PROJECT: Wine Bottle Centerpiece

This is a cute project by my friend Jessica Strobel. Here’s her post on how to do it yourself:

I love buying inexpensive things and making them into something wonderful. I’ve just recently had the desire to recreate. Being a mother of two young boys limits my time so I love projects that are easy. Here’s how to do it:

1) Collect three empty wine bottles. Spray them with a white spray primer - I didn’t bother peeling the bottles..busy mom remember :-)

2) After the bottles are dry, add spray adhesive from the neck down and roll them in Epsom salts.

3) Place the bottles on a tray. I used a silver serving tray because I like how the light reflects against it.

4) Pour a box of wicker potpourri on to the tray - I used a version that I bought at Michael’s that was painted silver.

5) Pour the remaining Epsom salts over the potpourri.

6) For the branches, I clipped some aspen tree twigs outside. You can also purchase something like this at a hobby/craft store. I then spray painted them silver.

7) After the bottles are dry, carefully squeeze the twigs into the bottles, (careful because the paint on the bottles can chip).

8) I’m a messy gal, so I had an unexpected paint drip mark on one of the bottle necks. I used the ribbon from the box of potpourri to cover it. Oh, the tricks we learn as mothers to cover up messes ;-)

9) Place a few tea lights around the tray for a warm glow. I only had them lit for the picture because my two year old likes to blow candles out and “make wishes.”

I love the finished look! I hope you all enjoy it as well. Thanks for sharing your blog, Anne.

JESSICA’S CELEBRATORY WINE: Rascal Pinot Gris, $9.99. This is a great wine, (and actually one of the bottles that I used). CHEERS FROM JESS!

PROJECT: Gift Card Wrapping

I LOVE GIFT CARDS!…but I’m not such a fan of their wrapping, (or lack thereof). So, I came up with a cool way to wrap some Home Depot gift cards I’m planning on giving this holiday season. I think it’s fun when the packaging hints at the gift card. In this case, since it was a Home Depot card, I purchased these cute boxes that looked like toolboxes at Michaels for $1.99 each:

Here is the step by step process:

1. Remove the hardware on the box.

2. Spray paint the entire box using chalkboard paint. In this case I used Krylon Chalkboard black paint. Give each box two coats of paint.

3. After the boxes are dry, you can apply some cording or ribbon to the handle with a low temperature glue gun. I actually recycled some shopping bag handles, and I’m pleased with how it turned out:

4. Cut up strips of newspaper for the filler inside the box. I created strips that were about 3” long by 1/3” wide.

5. Wait for the paint on the box to dry 24 hours before writing on it, (I attempted it earlier and the chalk didn’t go on as nicely). I put the gift card amount on the inside of the box in order to avoid the guessing game at the register.

6. After placing the newspaper and card inside, I closed the box, wrote my message, and then attached a string with a piece of chalk, (again, the string came from a shopping bag handle). Office Max sells packs of chalk for $0.99.

Project done - time to celebrate!

CELEBRATORY WINE: Las Rocas Garnacha, $9.99-10.99. Highly rated by several wine reviews, this rich red was the perfect choice on a wintery night wrapping presents. CHEERS!