Open and Shut Case

May 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

A fence is only as good as it’s gate, which made our new fence around the garden pretty lousy -

AKA – it didn’t have a gate.  Not exactly effective at keeping unwanted pests out of the garden (Riley and Juice to name a few).  But that’s past tense because we finally hung our new gate to finish up the project -

Building a gate is pretty simple, but there are some pretty important details to think about, like which way you want it to swing, what latch to use, how you’re going to attach it to the fence, and actually making sure it’s functional.  That last one sounds obvious, but if you’re not careful with your measurements and how it attaches to the fence, you could end up wasting materials, making lots of return trips to the store, and adding lots of time to your project.  With our gate, we wanted it to blend in with the rest of the fence.  We put horizontal beams on the outside of the fence posts and the wire mesh on the inside so we did the same with the gate.  We used 2×4′s for the top two beams, but used a 2×2 for the bottom beam so it would leave more space for the gate to swing over the grass.

 

After we built the frame, we hung it using gate hinges on all three horizontal beams.  Last, we attached the latch.  We bought be the same one we used on the baby gate we made, but this one’s high enough that we don’t have to worry about Juice opening it.

 

And with that the fence is done!

Riley still seems thoroughly confused when she can’t chase birds and squirrels on the power lines all the way across the yard anymore, but at least she’s stopped running into the fence.

Filed Under: DIY, Outdoor Projects

Porta-Iron

May 8, 2013 By 2 Comments

With all the recent room shuffling we’ve been doing to prepare for the arrival of Baby Hawkins #2, one very important issue has emerged.  Where are we going to put the ironing board?  Okay, so not a super serious problem, but something that you have to deal with almost every day.  For the past three years we’ve been spoiled and have just kept the ironing board permanently up in a spare room.  It currently resides in the spare room off the upstairs loft, but that room is under construction too and soon it won’t have enough space to keep the ironing board up all the time.  So what are our wrinkly clothes suppose to do?  Enter the YoungHouseLove Pinterest Challenge!  This go around, I’m tackling the quick, but much needed project of creating a small, portable ironing board.  Here’s my inspiration -

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With a smaller, portable board, it won’t matter how many times we rearrange our house.  We’ll be able to iron anywhere our little hearts desire.  And of all my previous Pinterest Challenge projects (here, here, here, and here), this one proved to be the easiest and the cheapest!  First I gathered my supplies, which included plywood, batting, fabric, and a staple gun.

I was lucky and we had all the items around the house to this project cost me a big fat $0!  I had Brian cut the plywood to 14″x 36″ and I cut the batting and fabric scraps so they would be a bit larger than that.  First I stapled the batting to the board, followed by the fabric -

  

And that was it, our new portable ironing board was done!

 Now we just need to teach Olivia how to iron…

Filed Under: DIY

Keep Out

April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Until recently, this is how we kept unwanted guests out of our garden -

While you’re probably thinking to yourself, “wow, that’s a beautiful fence and it looks completely impenetrable”, you’d be surprised at how easily a dog and an almost 2 year old can get around it.  Tired of Riley jumping in the garden while chasing birds, and having to chase after Juice as she tries to pull out all of the plants, we decided to build a real fence around the garden.  We wanted something functional, but that didn’t totally cut off the garden from the rest of the yard.  We opted to go with a 4ft fence (Riley can really jump) and use wire fencing for the barrier.  We started by intalling 4×4′s for the posts, taking our time to make sure all the posts were level and straight.

Next we attached the wire fencing to the yard side of the posts using a staple gun -

Then we used 2×4′s for the fence railing, covering the top, bottom, and middle seem of the wire mesh.  When we stapled the wire fencing to the posts, we only stapled where the 2×4′s would cover so if you were standing in the yard, you wouldn’t see any staples.

We’re not finished yet (pretty sure a gate is vital to the whole project…), but so far we love it!  I was really nervous that the fence would look homemade or stick out like a sore thumb, but I think it blends pretty well with the rest of the yard.

And Riley’s only run into the fence once so far!

Filed Under: DIY, Garden, Outdoor Projects

Work It, Bench

March 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

As budding DIYers, it seems like there are tons of times when Brian and I have wanted to tackle a project but just don’t have the tools and/or space to do it.  This Christmas, Santa helped the cause with a new dremmel saw, jig saw, and ratchet set, but the one thing that seems to keep coming up is the fact that we don’t have a workbench.  We don’t have a garage and even with a large shed, there just didn’t seem to be space for one.  We also have a freezer in our shed so I’ve been adamant about no saw dust flying around the space.  But the straw that broke the camels back was my desire to use a kreg jig.  We needed a surface to clamp it to and nothing we had could safely serve as a makeshift work surface.  At first we considered buying a collapsible workbench, but there weren’t many good, and affordable, options out there.  Then we thought about buying or making a work bench that would be permanently stored outside.  We have a space behind our shed that would be perfect, but figured the weather would quickly take it’s toll.  So after some brainstorming and searching online, we came across a workbench on wheels.  BAM!  That was it!  We could build a workbench with wheels that could be stored in the shed, but then easily be brought out into the yard when we needed it.  When not in use, it could serve as extra storage space in the shed.  So we drew up some plans -

And decided the bench would be approximately 48″L x 24″W x 32″H.  We already had two sheets of 24″x48″ plywood that we could use for the shelves, so we based all of our dimensions off that.   For the frame of the bench, we decided to use 2×4′s since we had some of those as well.  If you were starting from scratch, this is the supply list you would need -

(5) 8’ 2×4’s
1 sheet ½” plywood
3” exterior wood screws
1-5/8” exterior wood screws
(4) wheels

After making cuts, you need the following pieces -

(4) 45″ boards
(4) 32″ boards
(4) 24″ boards
(2) 24″x48″ plywood sheets

To create the frame, we started by putting together the long sides of the bench using the 45″ boards (sides) and the 32″ boards (legs), attaching them with the 3″ screws -

 

Once both long sides were made, we joined those two pieces together using the 24″ boards -

And we had our frame -

Then we took one of the plywood sheets and attached it to the top using the 1-5/8″ screws.

For the bottom shelf, we used our jigsaw to cut out the corners of the other piece of plywood so it would fit around the frame.  The last thing we did was add center supports under each shelf since we planned on using the bench for storage as well -

 

I don’t think you would need these if you were just using it as a workbench, but if you go with the two support beams you need to add two more 45″ boards to your supply list.  After that, we had our bench!

In the end, we’ve decided not to add the wheels.  We bought wheels that don’t lock, but thought it would be a good idea to use locking wheels for a bit more stability.  We can easily add those at a later date.  For now, the bench resides in our shed, neatly tucked under some shelves just waiting for it’s first project.

Filed Under: DIY

Latch Board Leave Behind

March 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

For the past week, we’ve been in the Internet challenged mountains of West Virginia on a ski trip with Brian’s family.   It was torture and heaven at the same time (no Internet that is, not the vacation part…).   But no Internet meant a lot of QT with the fam…and a lot of time to pass in a little condo with the nugget.   To help keep her amused, we decided to make her a latch board to take with us.  I picked up a board from a craft store and Brian gave it a couple quick coats of polyurethane to make the board a little more smooth and prevent splinters.  Then we picked up a bunch of latches from the hardware store and screwed them on the board.

And note to anyone making a latch board – make sure you’re screws aren’t longer than the board is thick.  We weren’t paying attention and a couple went through the board so we had to use the dremel saw to grind them down.  Juice seems to like the board so far, even though at 20 months she still has a little work to do in the dexterity department.

Oh, and our big plan for using the board to keep Olivia occupied on our trip?  Yeah, we completely forgot to bring it.  Fail.

Filed Under: DIY, Kids

Stairway to Heaven

February 27, 2013 By 13 Comments

It’s Pinterest Challenge time again over at Young House Love and oh was I excited about this one!  I FINALLY pulled the trigger on one of the first things I ever pinned, a chevron stair case -

Ahh…love this more every time I look at it.  Not to mention the wainscoting and decor in the picture are perfect.  But alas, carpet just isn’t in the budget right now so I figured I had two choices, paint or wallpaper.  Wallpaper seemed like way too much effort for such a small space so paint it was.  I started by giving the stairs a good cleaning (projects seem to be the only time something get’s a good cleaning in our house lately…) and a fresh coat of cream paint.  To make the chevron pattern, I created a template using some cardboard.  Then I traced the pattern onto the steps before using my beloved Frog Tape to tape the lines.  Along the way, I ended up creating a couple other template pieces to fit into the smaller spaces around the edge of each step.

This was seriously one of the most tedious, time consuming processes I ever used and ranks right up there on the fun scale with painting the ceiling on our sun porch.  Ugg.  But after the pattern was traced and taped off, I gave the steps two coats of a dark gray paint and I was done!

I haven’t had much time to take it in, but so far I’m pretty happy.  If I could do it over I’d use a slightly darker gray, but it’s soooo not worth taping and painting again.  I also like that our staircase isn’t the focal point in our house, so the pattern doesn’t overwhelm you.  It’s a nice little surprise that you catch on accident.

Some day I’m hoping we can upgrade to a carpet runner, especially when kiddos start running up and down the stairs, but for now I’m diggin’ our new steps.

To check out more of my pins, visit me on Pinterest.  Any suggestions on what I should do for the next Pinterest Challenge?

Filed Under: Decor, DIY, House, Paint

DIY Spice Jars

January 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

So…some of you may have noticed the not so glamorous way we currently organize our spice jars when I wrote about the new shelves we installed in our kitchen -

Yup, they currently reside in an old clementine box.  I kinda like it, but thought I’d take a shot at spicing things up a bit – pun intended.  After doing a little online shopping, I came across this guy from World Market -

Yup, sold.  I loved that there was two different sizes, 3 oz. and 7 oz., there’s just certain spices you need more of (I’m talkin’ to you cumin and oregano).  For the labels, I decided to try my hand at stenciling (no, this doesn’t count as the stenciling project for my 13 in 13 list).  I couldn’t find anything after visiting a couple craft stores, so I ordered Martha Stewart adhesive stencils from Amazon.com.  After cleaning the jars and sticking on the letters, I gave them a good coating of glass etching cream -

I let the cream sit for about 10 minutes and then washed it off.  Done!  Super, super easy.

Here’s a round up of supplies for the project -

  • Jars – large $3.99, small $1.99
  • Martha Stewart Adhesive Stencil – $8.89
  • Glass Etching Cream – $8.99
  • Paint Brush – already had

I’m not willing to part with my beloved clementine box yet, maybe I can re-purpose it for something else.  I’m calling it right now, clementine boxes will be the new pallet in the DIY world!

Filed Under: DIY, Organization

The Great Wall of Hawkins

January 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Ladies and gentlemen, our new wall!

 

Ok, so maybe “great wall” is a little dramatic, but we put some serious work into this little sucker.  And all for an additional 4-ish square feet of wall so we can install a baby gate….yup, totally worth it.  After stage one (demolition and framing) went smooth, and stage two (applying the stucco finish) went not so smoothly, we were on to the final stage – finishing touches!  We had a couple re-do’s this go around too, including a some split baseboards and mismatched stains -

 

But after painting the wall, installing caps to the top and the end, and adding the baseboards, our mini wall was done!  Check out the before and after -

 

Yeah, not so different, but the smidge on the top and the side will help make the upstairs a safe place for Juice to play.

All we have left to do is install a baby gate.  We were hoping to DIY it, like the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs, but the logistics just didn’t work out.  Plus, Olivia is starting to figure out the latch at the bottom of the stairs, so a gate that requires a little more dexterity to open was a must.  You win some, you lose some.

Filed Under: DIY

Oops, Let’s Do It Again

January 15, 2013 By 1 Comment

I don’t know what’s worse, wasting time or wasting money.  Unfortunately Brian and I nailed both this weekend with our little wall expansion project (so we can install a baby gate at the top of stairs).  With the help of Brian’s dad, framing the wall was smooth sailing.  But when it came to finishing the wall to match the texture of the existing wall, we hit a snag.  Off we went to our trusted home improvement store and asked for advice on what product to use to create the textured finish.  They kindly pointed us to an all purpose stucco patch…and boy was that wrong.  Attempt number one turned out like this -

It was grainy and had cracks everywhere.  And the texture obviously didn’t match the existing wall -

Fail.  For a second we considered saying screw it and just painting it to match the color of the existing wall then calling it good.  But we just couldn’t go through with it.  We have a little philosophy that when we make repairs/improvements, we do it like we would be living in the house forever – if we would be mad to move into a house where it was done that way, then we shouldn’t do it either.  So out came the sheet rock and we started over.  This go around we took the time to do a little research and found that you should mix joint compound with water until the mixture is the consistency of pancake batter.  Even better, we found a pre-mixed joint compound which was perfect since we were only doing a small area.

This go around I got to try my hand at finishing the wall and I’m not gonna lie, it was kinda fun.

First I slapped on the mixture -

Then, using the trowel I lightly tapped the wall to create the texture -

It’s a super quick  and easy process.  We still need to paint the extension to match the existing wall, and in the process hopefully reduce the “spikiness” of the wall so it matches the old wall even better.  After that all we have left to do is add caps to the top and side of the wall and put the baseboards back on.

So what lesson did we learn today kids?  Do your homework before you start a project!

Filed Under: DIY, House

Hangin’ In There

January 11, 2013 By 1 Comment

The plague has descended on our house.  After recovering from the flu, I turned 5 years old and got strep throat.  Liv joined the fun with an ear infection and some respiratory issues.  After nursing us back to health, Brian is now bed ridden.  So as we recover, disinfect our house, and generally catch up on life, DIYing will be on the back-burner.  Until we get back on our feet, here’s a quick project I completed a few months back.

A few years back, I bought a cute little key hook rack from Anthropologie, which is pretty similar to one they still sell.

It gracefully adorned the walls of our old townhouse, but ever since we moved into our new house it’s been banished to my ”I need to do something with this” box.  I love the key rack, but I didn’t know how to hang it since I have a phobia of nailing or screwing things into our plaster walls (Command Strips or bust!).  After indecisively taking the key hook in and out of our garage sale pile the last few years, I finally came up with a solution - all I needed to do was attach it to something else and use Command Strips on that.  Duh!  With a few lonely pallets sitting in our shed just waiting for project, I had Brian rip a board off and cut it down for me.  First, we stained the board but it ended up a little too dark and monotone.  Then I tried my hand at whitewashing, mixing a little white paint with a little water and applying the mix to the board using a rag.

Then I used tack nails to attach the key rack to the board (I used these because they blended in with the metal the best), threw my beloved Command Strips on the back and we were in business!

 So there you have it, my quick scared-to-destroy-walls-pallet-key-hook!

Filed Under: Decor, DIY
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