Vintage Wooden Ice Box Chest Change-up

I was lucky enough to be able to pick from Rustoleum's new palettes of colors in their Furniture Transformation Kits and test it out. This was my first time using one of their Furniture Transformations and I was pleasantly surprised by it! I chose the color Emerald which I absolutely think is gorgeous!! I used it on my late Grandparent's wooden ice box chest and am super happy with my final result:

Items Needed:

• Furniture Transformations Box in desired color (Emerald used)
• Deglosser
• Green Scour Pad
• Bond Coat (Emerald color)
• Decorative Glaze
• Cheesecloth
• Clear Top Coat
• Paint brushes (roller and regular)
• Sandpaper
• Rubber Gloves
• Ketchup and Sponge for Brass Hardware

Original Ice Box Chest

Step 1: Deglosser. The kit came with Deglosser and a green scour pad for application which was super handy. Wear gloves while applying Deglosser since it is a chemical you do not want on your skin! This deglosser seemed a little more soapy than the deglosser I am used to so i ended up wiping more off than usual.

Deglosser, Scour Pad, and Rubber Gloves

I did have to sand the top of the dresser since it was in pretty rough shape. I only used Deglosser on the rest of the ice box chest.

Sanded only the Top of the Ice Box Chest

Step 2: Bond Coat. I had a tinted Emerald Green paint that came in the kit that was so beautiful! It is a thin paint so I used two coats to get full coverage.

Bond Coat Applied

Step 3: Decorative Glaze. I absolutely LOVED the dark brown glaze that came in the kit!! I I generously covered one side at a time with a coarse paint brush and then I used the cheesecloth that came with the kit to wipe off the glaze to my desired look.

Decorative Glaze - Graciously Applied and Wiped Off

Cheesecloth Used to Wipe off Excess Decorative Glaze

Step 4: Protective Top Coat. I applied 2 coats. This was different than the polyacrylic that I am used to using and it applied white-ish and took 48 hours to completely dry to clear.

Protective Top Coat (applies white - dries clear)

Step 5: I used ketchup and a sponge to shine up all the brass hardware. First, I tested that the hardware was pure brass by taking a magnet to it and making sure it was non-magnetic. If brass hardware is magnetic that means the hardware is a different metal with a brass coating. Using ketchup on a brass coating could potentially strip the brass coating so it's especially important to make sure the hardware is pure brass with this method!

Hardware Before Cleaned with Ketchup

Hardware After Cleaned with ketchup

Step 6: Enjoy!

This was my grandparent's and I'm so happy that I get to keep it in the family!

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Succulent Delight

I have never done a mason jar craft and thought it was about time I put my own spin on some mason jars!  I have also been needing some outside decor for my home so I decided to make a wooden wall planter to hold a bunch of cute succulents in mason jars.  I have been so in love with succulents lately and can't seem to stop buying them! I drew up a sketch and this was my final result:

I built the wooden wall frame with cedar so I can hang it outside and used the Varathane Weathered Wood accelerator to give it a distressed look.  Next, I used the Modern Masters Cheerful paint leftover from my front door Cheerful Tudor.  I like that having the same paint colors in several places ties the house design appeal together. 

Items needed:

Hanging Wooden Wall Planter

• 1 - 2x4x8 piece of cedar wood
• 1 - 2x6x8 piece of cedar wood (the shortest my store carries is 8 foot)
• 1 - 1x3x8 piece of cedar wood (the shortest my store carries is 8 foot)
• Kreg Jig & Outdoor Screws
• Miter Saw
• Drill
• Impact
• Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator

Mason Jar Planters

• 12 Mason Jars
• Modern Masters Cheerful Paint
• Sandpaper

Here's a fun little snapchat story of the process of building the planter (bonus: #teddymullens is at the end): 

Step 1: Sketch desired size of hanging planter.

Sketch of planter with dimensions

Step 2: Cut Cedar with miter saw.

• Cut two (2) 2x4s 3' (36") long for sides of planter.
• Cut three (3) 2x6s 1'-9" (21") long for the shelf plants will sit on.
• Cut three (3) 1x3s 1'-9" (21") long for the decorative piece in front of shelf.

Lengths of cedar wood pieces

Cut cedar wood with a miter saw

Step 3: Dry fit pieces for visual reference.

Dry fit pieces to verify planter looks like sketch

Step 4: Use Kreg Jig to drill two (2) holes on each side of the 2x6 shelves and impact pocket screws to 2x4 sides.

2x6 boards receive 2 drilled holes on each end of board

Use impact to pocket screw the 2x6 to the 2x4

Three (3) 2x6 boards screwed to one (1) 2x4

Three (3) 2x6 boards screwed to both 2x4s

Step 5: Use Kreg Jig to drill three (3) holes on the front of the 2x6 shelves and impact pocket screws to 1x3 front. Repeat for each shelf.

Three (3) pocket holes on front of 2x6 shelves to attach 1x3 front

Step 6: Stain newly built wooden wall planter with Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator. Apply coats until desired darkness is achieved.

Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator about to be applied

Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator visual when wet

Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator visual after it dried with 1 coat

Varathane Weathered Wood Accelerator visual after it dried with 2 coats

Step 7: Paint 12 Mason Jars with Modern Masters Cheerful Paint.

12 Mason Jars painted with Modern Masters Cheerful Paint

Step 8: Distress mason jars with sandpaper once dried. 

Distressed look on mason jars

Step 9: Plant Succulents in mason jars.

Final result with planted succulents in mason jars

Step 10: Enjoy!

Final wooden wall planter with mason jars and succulents!

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Cheerful Tudor

Our Cheerful Tudor!

The front door to our house was looking awfully sad. It was faded, wood rotted, and our door handle would constantly get stuck with the 1930’s hardware. The Front Door is the most important element on the exterior of a home. It should stand out and say "welcome". Changing the front door’s color is the easiest way to make an inexpensive mark on our home’s personality. And it was time for our change.

I was introduced to Modern Masters Front Door Paint and I can tell you first hand that this paint is hands down the best outdoor paint I have ever used. This paint is non-fading, water based, and quick to dry – what more can I ask for from a front door paint!? I painted and closed my door on the same day!

Modern Masters has a GORGEOUS collection of Front Door Paints. I was skeptical of the Never-Fade technology as anyone would be but listen to these fun facts:

Modern Masters paints are used on most Disney theme park rides, The Hollywood Bowl, Dolby theater in Hollywood, the giant Oscar statues on the red carpet (not the actual Oscars!), and Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle – how cool is that!? That is all the proof I need that this paint will last on my front door.

There are two parts to transform our front door from Before to After:

1.     Installing new hardware & repairing the door

2.     Painting the Door

Before & After - Front Door Transformation

Items Needed:

Door Repair & New Hardware Items

• Kwikset Front Door Handle (Arlington Handle Set with Tustin Lever in Venetian Bronze)
• Gorilla Glue & Rubber Gloves
• Plywood
• Wood Filler 
• Putty Knife
• Sandpaper
• Hand Wood Planer
• Trigger clamps
• Oscillating tool

Paint the Door Items

• Kilz Premium Primer
• Modern Masters Front Door Paint - Cheerful Color
• Paint Tray & Roller
• Paint Brush
• Blue Painter's Tape

Part 1 – Installing new hardware & repairing the door

Step 1: Remove all door hardware

Old door hardware to be removed

Step 2: Cut block to cover old hardware hole and trace

Block insert to be installed

Step 3: Cut out hole for block

Cut new hole with oscillating tool

Hole cut for block insert

Step 4: Cut block to insert into old hardware slot

Block insert for hardware slot

Dry fit block insert for hardware slot

Step 5: Glue all blocks in place

This took several hours as each piece needed to be clamped into place while the gorilla glue dried.

Gorilla glue used for block inserts

Use rubber gloves with gorilla glue on block inserts

Clamp block inserts while glue dries

Final decorative insert to cover old hardware slot

Step 6: Wood plane and scrape door

Use a putty knife and a hand wood planer to get a smooth surface where needed.

Hand planer used to smooth surface of door

Step 7: Install wood filler

Wood filler applied with putty knife

Old door rot

Wood filler along bottom of door to repair door

Wood filler applied where needed on door

Step 8: Sand door as needed

Step 9: Cut new holes for new door hardware

Use Blue Painter's Tape to prevent splintering of wood.

Hole saw with jig used to cut new hardware holes

Blue Painter's Tape used to prevent splintering of wood

New latch hole cut out

Part 2 – Painting the Door

Step 1: Clean door

Wipe down door

Step 2: Tape windows

Blue Painter's Tape on window for clean paint lines

Step 3: Prime door

Kilz Primer base

Complete Kilz Primer base

Step 4: Paint door - 2 coats

Cheerful Modern Masters paint

Modern Masters door paint

Step 5: Install new hardware

New Kwikset door hardware

Final Step: Enjoy!!

Final door with new Kwikset hardware and paint color

...read more “Cheerful Tudor”