Mid Century Dresser turned TV Console

I have been ogling Mid Century dressers for quite some time.  I wanted one to replace our small TV console so that Elise couldn’t pull the TV off.  I also loved the design (which is probably the real reason we replaced our old piece)!  

So the search for a dresser began.  I always had my eyes open at garage and estate sales.  Most of the dressers that I loved were never for sale or already sold.  So one day we decided to go to the Denver Flea Market and low and behold we found a Dixie dresser just the right size and style!

The process of turning the dresser into something that would match our current style was tedious.  We decided to re-stain the wood instead of painting it.  This probably the first and last time I will re-stain anything! 

First we picked up our supplies.  Here is what we needed:

~Lots and Lots of Sand papers (Coarse and Medium grade)

~Electric sander (makes things a lot easier)
~Pre-stain

~Stain           

~Sealer

~New handles

Mike also built a box to hold our receiver box and DVD player.  Here are the materials for that:

~1/4” thickness 2’ x 4’ wood board

~6’ decorative boarder

~Finishing nails

First, we sanded, sanded, and sanded some more.  This was the most tedious part of the project.  We tried doing this by hand at first but then brought out the big guns (Electric Sander) because we were fatiguing fast!

While I was doing the sanding, Mike built the box.  You just have to measure perfectly to get everything to fit together.  Mike did a great job and made it look like it was always supposed to be there. 

After the old stain was completely sanded off we put Minwaxpre-stain wood conditioner on.  This just helps the wood accept stain easier.

We then applied Rust-Oleum stain in weathered gray.  Which was a lot easier than painting anything. I actually really loved how easy and fast it was!

After the stain was dry we applied Rust-Oleum polyurethane and top coat in Satin.  We applied 3 coats.

We had to wait for the sealer to seal for one week.  After that we brought our new piece of furniture upstairs and painted a line in a crevice for some extra oomph and added new hardware.

Project done!

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I love pouring our love into furniture because you value it that much more.  Plus, it's a great conversation piece! 

Thank you, Mike, for making me go to the Flea Market!

DIY Wool Dryer Balls

I have been slowly making our home greener which means less waste, no harsh chemicals, and less energy use.  This in turns makes a healthier and happier home.  The one thing that has been lacking in the green department is our laundry.  I’ve been using Tide and Downy (softener and dryer sheets) for as long as I can remember.  This just wasn’t cutting it anymore for our lifestyle. 

Browsing around the Internet, I found the concept of Wool Dryer Balls.  They are not a new idea but to me they were.  Wool dryer balls replace those chemical ridden dryer sheets that I have been using for so long.  I pinned a couple of reasons to use them on Pinterest (follow me for more green ideas), and I made a mental note to look around for some.  I found out that these sell for a ridiculous amount on Etsy and the ones that you find at stores are still made with lots of chemicals, synthetic perfumes, and some are even made with plastics that emit toxic chemicals when heated up!  So what was I supposed to do? Make my own of course!

Why use wool dryer balls?

~They reduce drying time by up to 25% - They help circulate the warm air in the dryer and the wool also absorbs moisture (double bang)!

~Commercial fabric softeners and sheets are costly! Wool dryer balls can last for years!

~Commercial softeners emit those toxic chemicals and fumes I talked about above. They coat your clothing in chemicals which eventually end up on your skin… because face it; your clothes are in contact with your skin all day!

~Dryer balls are made with a renewable resource (so green!)

~They soften your clothes naturally and even reduce static and increase fluffiness as they tumble away in the dryer.

~They are great for those mamas that use cloth diapering since commercial softeners cannot be used on cloth diapers.  They help keep them soft and fresh!

How do they work?

It is simple!  The dryer balls basically bounce around your dryer separating your clothes, which allows more heat to circulate.  As they tumble, the wools balls soften, reduce wrinkles, and fluff your clothing basically by pummeling your garments.  Plus, they do so much more than dryer sheets; they pull moisture out of your laundry reducing the amount of time your laundry needs to dry.

Enough reasons? Lets get to it!

Wool Dryer Ball Tutorial

Choosing your yarn:

You must use 100% wool yarn.  It also must not say, “super wash” or “machine washable” because these will not felt.  This is the yarn I used.  You can buy it at any fabric store or online.  Heck, you could even unravel an old wool sweater if you really wanted to be thrifty!

What you’ll need:

1. Wool Yarn

2. Scissors

3. Blunt tip crochet hook

4. Pantyhose

5. Cotton or acrylic yarn to secure in pantyhose

Step by Step

1. Begin wrapping yarn around two or three of your fingers about 10 times.

2. Pinch the middle of your bundle and start wrapping the yarn around the middle.

3. Continue wrapping around the entire bundle until a small ball forms

4. Continue wrapping TIGHTLY until you have your desired wool ball size (I made mine tennis ball sized but you can make them as large as a softball)

5. Use crochet hook to secure the end of the yarn under several layers of yarn and cut the end.

6. Repeat steps to obtain 4-6 balls (I made 4 tennis sized balls out of 2 bundles of wool yarn).

7. Put your wool balls in the nylon stocking or pantyhose.

8. Tying tightly between each one with your cotton or acrylic yarn (don’t use wool yarn or it will felt your pantyhose).  Tie of the end and you should have a wool ball caterpillar. 

9. Throw the entire “caterpillar” in with a load of towels on the hottest water cycle and coldest rinse cycle.  Then dry them with the towels on the highest heat drying cycle.

10. Remove balls and check for felting.  You may need to repeat the last step 3-4 times to obtain the right amount of felting.  (Felting just makes sure the yarn ball won’t unravel in your dryer).

Storing your dryer balls:

You can just leave your dryer balls in your dryer between laundry days or store them in a basket.  Your kids can even play with them (though they may not last as long).

Scenting your dryer balls:

You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to each of your dryer balls before each drying cycles.  My favorite is lavender (especially for sheets)!

Tell me what you think!  Do you already use dryer balls or is this a new concept to you?

I am also happy to make you some! You can contact me here.

Follow me on Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram for more green ideas!

Making a House your own

Growing up in a house that you now live in again as an adult can be a challenging thing at times.  I grew up in the house that I now share with my husband and we will soon have a family of our own here.  We were very blessed to have been given this house by my parents after we got married.  We couldn’t have found a house that would fit our family for the price we obtained it for (although it would have been fun to house hunt, however, with Mike and I being so picky, we probably wouldn’t have found one yet).  I did have my reservations though, and I still do at times.  A ton of memories (good and bad) were formed here from the age of 6 when my family bought this house.  There have been countless renovations, laughs, tears, love, parties, and teenage meltdowns in this house.  I’ve lived here for over 20 years with the exception of a couple of years when Mike and I moved in together.

So how do you make a house that was really always yours (but not really) a house you love and feel like it is your own?  Well we are in the process of it.  The kitchen has been updated to fit our tastes (budget friendly updates) and there are tons of pictures hanging of Mike and I.  Our garden is built (which is totally a Mike and Katie thing) and our backyard is really starting to come together.  But there are still times when, if my parents are here, I still feel like it is their house, and in some ways it will always be.  Maybe when this little one in my belly is born, it will feel different… as I am sure there will be toys and baby gadgets in every nook and cranny for a good part of the next few years.  And I won’t have time to contemplate about this issue.

My bedroom that I grew up in will now be a room that our son/daughter grows up in (at least for the next 5 years).   We have a sort of timing period on how long we stay in this house.  It is more set up to meet the needs of our children.  I’m not too happy with the school district we are in and if it doesn’t seemingly get better by the time our first child is school-aged, we will then discuss moving. 

But until then, we are making this house our own.  I really do love this house and I have made some very happy memories here.  Mike and I have started to make our own memories and I can’t wait to have little ones running around in the backyard with our two dogs, Christmas mornings, camping in the backyard, and giggles from the family room.  I think where I am going here is… Family makes a house a home and the memories that they create.

DIY Outdoor Fountain

I love the soothing sound of water.  I have wanted a fountain for a few years but they are just so expensive… that is unless you make your own.  

I also love Craigslist! You can find so many great things on there. I was looking around on there last weekend and decided to look up large pottery.  To my surprise I found a listing for a new and very nice piece for only $5.  Here it is.

I couldn’t pass it up so I went and picked it up.  When I got home I looked up a few DIY fountains.  I took a little from one design and a little from another and came up with this fountain.

The whole project only cost $40 and took around two hours.  Here are the supplies:

1 – Large pot -$5 if lucky like me

1 – container fountain kit (this comes with the pump, extender pipe, fountain nozzle, Epoxy, and pump filter) $19 at Lowes

1 – Bag of river rocks (I probably would have gone for the nicer looking rocks if so keep that in mind) $4

1 – Plastic Plant container/bowl (the size will be determined by the mouth width of your planter, mine was 18” wide) $9

1 – Spray can of clear acrylic sealer - $3

Plus bowls or additional planter to hold up the fountain pump so that it reaches 2” above the rocks – I had these in my garage

Drill with a large drill bit

I should have taken a picture of all the supplies together but I didn't...

First seal holes (if any) in your planter.  I used the Epoxy that came in the fountain kit and so far it is working great. 

After the sealer dries, spray a couple coats of acrylic sealer (according to package directions) in the planter to protect it from any water damage.  I did this the day before I built the fountain so that it had at least 12 hours to dry.

Drill multiple holes in the bottom of your plastic plant container.  This allows water to fall down and get re-pumped.   Drill a hole large enough for the pump extender pipe to fit through. Also drill a hole in the side of this container to hold the power cord.  I also made a slit with scissors.

I drilled a few more in the outer edge before I assembled the fountain

Play around with the height of your pump and make sure it works before you go any further.  Just make sure the extender pipe reaches ~2” above the rim of the pot.

Wash your river rocks… they are usually pretty sandy and gritty out of the bag

Once you have your pump where you want it.  Place the plastic planter to fit over the pump and sit on the rim of the pot.  Situate the cord in the hole you drilled in the side of the plastic planter.

Fill the plastic container with your river rocks.  I will probably add more rocks just to make it look prettier.  Fill the fountain with water to about 2" below the rim of the pot. Place a nozzle of your choosing over the extender pipe and plug your pump in. 

TA-DAH you have a fountain that sounds and looks awesome!

I spent a few hours on my patio yesterday just enjoying the sounds and reading a book.