3/31/2012

Etsy { . . . }

Didn't know what to call this, so I thought an ellipses was appropriate.  I don't usually post on Saturdays, but today I wanted to.   It's raining, which makes for great internet shopping.  Here are a few things I pulled from my favorites.  Some items may have already sold. :(

tinygiraffeshop
leahduncan


lesalikes

bookhouathome
eloiserenouf

dahlhouse
thewheatfield

etco
1canoe2
moxieandoliver

leahduncan

oohlookitsarabbit
duringquiettime
benoitdesigns


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3/30/2012

{Vintage Finds Fat Quarter Bundle}

Vintage Finds fat quarter bundle for Pink Castle Fabrics.



1. Snow White
2. Maria
3. Wildflowers
4. Dots
5. Eva
6. Laundry
7. Dots
8. Wildflowers
9. Manana
10. Thumbelina
11. Wildflowers
12. Cream Punctuation


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{Carolina Skies Fat Quarter Bundle}

North Carolina is known for its Carolina blue. Clear blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and a bright, warm sun.

Carolina Skies fat quarter bundle for Pink Castle.




1. Egg Blue
2. Pilgrim
3. Dots
4. Yard Dash
5. Pilgrim
6. White Solid
7. Circle Stripes
8. Chevron
9. Chevron
10. Empire Weave
11. Dots
12. Yellow Solid

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{Proud To Be Preppy Fat Quarter Bundle}

Proud To Be Preppy fat quarter bundle for Pink Castle.



1. Timeless Treasures
2.Spot dots
3. Pilgrim
4.Chevron
5.Outfoxed Jewels 
6. Mod Beads
7. Peonies
8. Outfoxed Jewels
9. Chevron
10. Leaf Stripe
11. Dots
12. Moda


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{Sherbet #2 Fat Quarter Bundle}

This includes orange, strawberry, and lime.

Sherbet fat quarter bundle for Pink Castle.



1. Chevron
2. Big Dot
3. Mono Pez
4. Moda Orange
5. Chevron
6. Maritza Dot
7. Leaf Stripe
8. Moda
9. Chevron
10. Spots Dots
11. Pilgrim
12. Moda Lime



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Fabric Friday {Sherbet Fat Quarter Bundle}

This Sherbert fat quarter bundle includes lime, strawberry, and lemon.

Sherbet bundle for Pink Castle Fabrics.





1. Chevron
2. Mod Beads
3. Mona Pez
4. Moda
5. Leaf Stripe
6. Chevron
7. Hello Pilgrim
8. Yard Fizz
9. Free Spirit
10. Spots Dots
11. Chevron
12. Outfoxed Confetti


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3/29/2012

Repost || No reply-comment user. Let's fix this ASAP ||Tutorial

I figure if I post this enough (this only being the second time so far) then eventually I can reach out to a lot of people who don't realize they are no reply commenters.

If you don't want to change that, no big deal, it's just over time, it will be harder for me to respond to your comments, especially if life is busy.  I just want you to think I am punk for not responding.

(Also, blogger is upgrading soon (have no clue to what to expect), so this tutorial may change.  But for now this is how you do it.

************************************************************

This is soooo easy to fix.




I'm only typing this because I have not trained my eyes yet to see the noreply-comment in the to: line when I respond to your comment.  I just start typing away and a paragraph later . . . well, let's just say I'm bummed.

It's super easy, and super fast.  Just watch.

Go to your dashboard and click on edit profile



Click on show my email address and type in your email address.

Click on save at the bottom.
YOU'RE DONE!
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I also posted today about some free printable artwork, so check it out!

Free Printable Art Work

Free? It's on like Donkey Kong. Jenna from Q.A. Designs is offering up all of her country and state artwork to the public for free.  All you have to do is download the prints you want. I couldn't have lucked out more. NC and USA are both in orange.  There are more prints on her site.




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3/28/2012

Gratitude

There's so much to be thankful for that I could dedicate an entire blog to it.  Here are just few things I am thankful for right now.

My little family.

Owen's independence.

My sister and I don't fight anymore, and motherhood has brought us closer.

Matt's commitement to this family. I don't know how he works so hard to provide and please our family, even at times when I am a rock in his shoe.

Heavenly Father.  He listens to me, and He knows me.

Sunday cookies.

Matt's constant support in my crafty adventures.

Matt could care less what I do with the house, which says a lot.

My dad's example as a loving father, loyal husband, and great friend.

The moments when Owen talks to me, and we look each other in the eyes.  I love our little "conversations."

My health.

All my senses work.  I can't imagine this life without being able to hear, see, smell, taste, or feel all the wondrous creations on this Earth.

My freedom.

My talents.

Heat and AC.

Death Cab for Cutie.

Matt shaved his beard.

The proximity of my two sisters and our family gatherings.

How happy Owen is.  He is teaching me to be happy.

Hot chocolate with whip cream.

60 degree weather.

New opportunities and the lack of fear to take them on.  Sometimes. :)

Our home.  We are so fortunate and blessed. 

The GI Bill.  It has allowed me to stay at home and raise my son. 

Good neighbors.

Education, libraries, and access to free information.

Repentance.  Without it, I would be lost.

My friends.

My blogging friends.

The people who come here to support me during this blogging adventure.  Thank you.

Good people.  Good, honest, hard working, humble people.  They remind me to be the person I want to be.


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3/27/2012

How I Painted My Dresser || Tutorial



I had two options for my dresser that I am using as a kitchen island. I could either stain it or paint it. Originally, I was going to stain the dresser a dark brown/black-ish color to match my tall library cabinet and antique buffet, which happens to be a dresser too. :)  But I ran into two problems.

1.  The grain showed heavily through dark stain on the new birch plywood I purchased to rebuild the back of the dresser.
2.  I currently eat on a card table.  How is this even a problem when deciding paint color?  Well, my floor plan is pretty open, so when you come into my home and depending where you are standing, you can either see A. the living room and dining area OR B. the dining area and kitchen.

I know you might need a picture to understand this arrangement, but basically my dark library cabinet is near the card table, which is right next to the dark buffet.   The dark buffet is only feet away from my future kitchen island.  See a pattern, or should I say, a problem?  I'm just afraid there was going to be too many dark pieces within a small space.  Painting the dresser white made it cohesive with my kitchen, though I do love an island that stands out.  This dresser will be topped with my green apple Silestone countertop.

I think everyone has their own technique for painting furniture. You have to find what works best for you. In this tutorial, I will show you how I painted this dresser.  Painting furniture is time consuming, messy, and requires patience for a job well done.   Do I like to paint furniture? Sometimes yes and sometimes no.  It really depends on the piece.  But painting a piece of furniture can really be the cheapest way to revamp a space.  Know what I mean?

SUPPLIES:

Paint -  You have two options.  Latex and oil-based.  I highly recommend oil-based, if you can handle the clean up.  I hate using mineral spirits and going through the extra work of clean up, so I use Benjamin Moore's Advance paint. BM describes this paint as "A premium-quality waterborne alkyd enamel that delivers the desired flow and leveling characteristics of a conventional alkyd paint. It provides a tough satin finish that stands up to repeated washing. It is easy to apply, resists spattering, has excellent open time, and cleans up with soap and water."  So in a way it's like an oil-based paint with the cleaning up properties of latex.  A.w.e.s.o.m.e.

Primer -  I
I use Zinsser's Cover Stain.  Zinsser claims that it will attach to anything, so no sanding is required.  Though I believe this to be partly true, I still believe that furniture needs to be prepped before priming, so I still lightly sanded my dresser.

Tools -
 Electric sander with sandpaper discs (I used 150 grit) OR sandpaper sheets/blocks anywhere from 40-120 grit
NIOSH mask  (This makes a WORLD of a difference.  I use to paint without a mask, and now I won't.)
Spray gun OR paint brushes of choice
Paint roller

Accessories -
150 grit or finer loose sanding paper or blocks
Wood filler  (I highly recommend Durham's because it doesn't dry out in its container like other wood fillers.  It comes in a powder and you add water to it.  It will not take stain, but you can paint it.  You can purchase it at Lowe's.)


Sealer -
Polyurethane for oil-based paints and Polycrylic for latex paint
**If you are painting furniture white, DO NOT use polyurethane.  It will yellow over time.  


1.  The first thing I did is remove the shine off the dresser.  The person who owned this dresser before me applied a stain.   I used my sander to remove some of the stain.  I didn't need to sand all the way down to the original wood, but I did want to remove the gloss or shine.


2.  I prepped the wood by filling in any holes or imperfections with wood filler.  I followed the directions on my can of wood filler.  I covered my locks with tape so paint would not get on them.  I used my sander to smooth out my wood filler, and I wiped the dresser down.

3. I primed my dresser using Zinsser primer and a rolling brush.  This allowed a smooth application of primer without having to use mineral spirits to clean it up because I can toss the brush in the trash can.  I allowed this to dry for about 2 hours, and then I took a piece of sandpaper and lightly sanded the dresser.  This removes any bubbles, bumps, or foreign things that have collected while drying.





4.  I painted my dresser using a spray gun, but if you don't have one, you will use a paint brush or roller.   I let the paint dry for at least 16 hours, and I did this three times.  I sanded lightly between each painting. 

5.  I applied Polycrylic in Clear Gloss to the dresser using my sprayer.  I waited for two hours before applying my second layer.  I did this three times, and I sanded lightly between each layer.  I let the sealer completely dry for 24 hours before I attached my hardware.   Useful Tip - I let my Polycrylic sit in my sprayer between coats by wrapping a wet cloth and plastic wrap around the bottle.  This helps keep the air out, and I didn't have to clean it every time I use it.




SUM UP






What's funny is I can hear some people saying the dresser looked just fine, which it did in the front.


But now that I glossed it up, added different hardware (for only $2!!!!), and added a counter edge and board to the back, it looks a little better.  She's all ready for the kitchen and toy trucks crashing into it.



The back of the dresser will not remain as a white rectangle in my kitchen.  Since this island will not serve as a eating area, chairs will not sit in front of it, which means this is the side everyone will see in the kitchen, unless you are cooking.  :)   I have a few ideas for the back of the dresser, but I want to really think about it before I dive right in.




This hardware is possibly temporary.  It's a little more traditional, and I am trying to break away from traditional these days.  But for less than $2 for a bag containing around 20 knobs, I would say I can deal with traditional for awhile.



xx nancy


My quilting book released Sept. 24, 2015 and is on Amazon.  Check it out!


3/23/2012

Fabric Friday {My Fat Quarter Bundle ~ Coastal Waters}

Here's my bundle for Pink Castle that I'm calling Coastal Waters.


1.  Robert Kaufman Gray Linen   2. Empire Weave  3. Circle Stripes  4. Modern Meadow Napsack
5.  Waves in Seafoam   6. Fish Tales in Seafoam  7.  Blue Love Bird Blue  8.  Moda Bella White Solid
9. Waves in Ocean  10. Circle Stripes  11.  Blue Baby Talk  12. Waves Mist

You guys have a great weekend.  I started to refinish my dresser, but out of all the weeks I chose, it was the one Mother Nature decided to drop her nasty deposits e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.  I swear, even our dog is yellow right now.  And our deck?  I'm sneezing just thinking about it.  So I'm wishing for a gentle rain to wash the pollen away, and a bright sunny day to work on the dresser!

later gators.



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3/22/2012

Orla Kiely in the Kitchen

I just noticed a few pictures of Orla Kiely on a blog I read, which is why this post is at night, and I clicked over to the Orla Kiely website.  Orla Kiely is not new to me, but I have not browsed the site in awhile.  Since I have kitchen on the brain, I browsed through the kitchen collection.  Oh my!  Talk about eye candy for a design lover.  I can already picture these items in my home.  I'm constantly joking with Matt that one day when he is earning a real income . . . but I always get an eye roll in return.   Does this sound familiar in your home?

Well, if Matt were earning a non student income, these lovelies would definitely be sitting pretty on my countertop.  I would probably go as far as overcrowding my countertop just so I can stare at these while cooking my eggs.











And oh my word would I jam out while burning my eggs!

Do you think I am right?  Would you overcrowd your countertop if you could have these?



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