Pinterest Challege: Button Wall Art + Link Party

Who’s pumped for the Pinterest Challenge reveal today?  This girl.  I can’t wait to see what you all tackled.
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As a refresher, the Pinterest Challenge is a fun blogland motivator to get us to step away from pinning and get to doing.  I stepped away (for a very short period of time) and I did.
I have been working on my craft room and I figured the challenge would be a good excuse to knock out another project.  I have a completed sewing table and a painted buffet.  I needed something for the walls.  And then it came to me during a Pinterest scrolling session.  Buttons!
Button Wall Art Decor and the Dog
These buttons make me happy.  They add a touch of whimsy to the room with only a small dose of cheese.  I mean, they are buttons on the wall which makes them slightly cheesy.  But I think they work perfectly in my craft room.
Button Wall Art for Craft Room
I was originally inspired by this pin. 


My inspiration buttons had some nice edges and a great variety of sizes.  It’s tax season so I knew fancied router edges were out.  I had seen some round pieces of wood at Lowe’s while I waited patiently for Nate to pick out lumber for various past projects (like our farmhouse table or console table). I knew that I would need them for something some day.  I just didn’t know exactly what for. 
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The answer was buttons.
Craft Room Button Wall Art
The buttons were super simple to make.  I was going to complete them all by my little lonesome.  Nate, however, decided that assisting me with the buttons would take less time than taking me to the ER.  I still believe I could have completed them on my own.  With all 10 fingers intact.  Probably.  Maybe.
If you’re interested in making buttons of your own, you will need:
  • Round Wood
    • We cheated and used the Ponderosa Panels that we found in the lumber section of Lowe’s.  Any round wood would do.
  • A drill
  • Various sizes of drill bits
  • A screw to hang the button on the wall
  • Primer and paint
I was just going to guestimate where to drill holes.  Nate reminded me that I was a co-host for the Pinterest Challenge and this project should be done right.  He took this whole co-host thing way more serious than I did.  Probably a good thing. He got out his ruler and right angle. *cough, nerd, cough*
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He marked the center of the circle.  He then measure out equal distance from the center to ensure even spacing of the button holes.
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He clamped the wood to the work table and drilled away.
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We eye balled the drill bits for size and guessed what would look decent.
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I was in charge of the primer and paint.  The holes were hard to paint so I resorted to painting them with my finger.  I’m sure a small brush would have work too but then I’d have to wash another brush.  I told Nate that I was giving the button a rectal exam.  He told me that I shouldn’t write that in a blog post.  He’s probably right.
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I used a base white from Sherwin Williams for the white button. The green button is the same green as the buffet, Sherwin Williams Agate Green. The coral button is Sherwin Williams Dishy Coral. I used spray paint on the gray button (Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch dark gray).  I found it easier to paint the buttons with a brush than to use spray paint.  Lesson learned.
craft room buttons
To hang the buttons, Nate drilled a small hole in the back of the button.  We put a screw in the wall (using a wall anchor) and hung the button from the screw.  We didn’t use a fancy system to decide how to place the buttons on the wall.  We’re all about crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.  And we had an extremely helpful supervisor so we weren’t too concerned.
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He’s a fantastic supervisor.  If we can keep him focused.
Ike and the Wall Buttons
There you have it.  Pinterest Challenge complete!  Happy, whimsical button art. 
Button Wall Art
Be sure to check out the projects completed by my lovely co-hosts:
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Now it’s your turn!  It’s time to share your project!
  1. Click on the blue “Add Your Link” button (you might have to do some scrolling, depending how many projects are added).
  2. Add a link to your specific blog post about your project in the url field (not your home page).
  3. Where it says “name” write a descriptive name for your project (ex: “Button Art”) as opposed to your actual name .
  4. We’d also love if you could quickly link back over to our project posts within your own.  I’ll make it easy, just copy this:  Linking up to the Pinterest Challenge with Megan (The Remodeled Life), Katie (Bower Power), Sherry (Young House Love) and Michelle (Decor and the Dog).
  5. Please also link to your inspiration project on Pinterest as well as to directly link to the original project/site.  Share the Pinterest love.
Did you take the Pinterest challenge?
I’ll be pinning my favorites to the Pinterest Challenge Awesomeness board! I’ll probably share some on facebook as well!
Linking up to: House of Hepworths

Painted Buffet

My craft room is coming along swimmingly!

This green beauty recently joined my new table.

Painted Green Buffet

It almost didn’t make it into my craft room.  I asked Nate if he thought the two of us could carry it upstairs.  He told me he didn’t think so.  It’s pretty heavy.  (Keep in mind that I am scrawny.)  I really wanted to photograph it in the room.  I asked him again.  He told me that we should wait for my brother who is coming this week-end.  I decided that I couldn’t wait and the two of us could totally do it.  Things went great until we got to the top of the stairs.  The buffet needed to be turned vertically, on the stairs, to make it around the corner.  I am a weanie.  Nate was frustrated.  I was pretty sure the buffet was going to fall on top of me and we’d both topple down the stairs. The headline would read “Death by Buffet”.  (Which would be an awesome way to go if it was one of those all you can eat buffets.) Long story long.  We made it.  Where Michelle has a will, there is a way.

You may remember that the buffet originally looked like this.

Antique Buffet Before

We could go around and around about how horrible it is or isn’t to paint antique furniture.  My dad is probably cringing as he reads this.  But this piece had  peeling veneer on the sides and it was very scratched up.  And I wanted a green buffet.  So I made it green.  No piece of wood is safe from my messy paint brush.

To achieve this transformation, I sanded this lovely down.  Filled in some of the deeper holes with wood filler.  I then used one coat of a Sherwin Williams primer.  I used two coats of Sherwin Williams Agate Green.  I finished with a layer of Minwax Paste Finishing Wax.

I hadn’t painted furniture in awhile and it felt good.

I kept the original hardware.  One handle was missing so I purchased two knobs to use on the doors.  I’m not completely sold on the oil rubbed bronze.  I’m living with it for a bit before I make a final decision.  Or until it’s warm enough to use spray paint.

Painted antique buffet

This buffet will hold my fabric stash.  The doors open up to a giant storage area.  One of top drawers has dividers and will be great for storing scissors, pins, etc.

It makes me happier than Dikembe Mutombo blocking a shot.

Painted Green Buffet

My Pinterest Challenge project is also for the craft room.  I can’t wait to share it with you all on Wednesday.  Do you have your project done?  If not, there is still time!  (Check it out here!)

What do you think?  Is your dad cringing along with mine?  Thoughts on the hardware? Carried heavy furniture lately? Who’s pumped for Wednesday?

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Craft Room Sewing Table Tutorial

On Monday, I posted the reveal of my new sewing table.  Today I’d like to share with you a tutorial so you can build your very own.

DIY Craft Room Table Sewing Table

Nate wrote the tutorial.  During tax season.  I tried to translate the directions to English.  But I fell asleep.  I wish you luck.  (This tutorial explains why I write and Nate takes photos.  You’ll see.)

(This tutorial is based off a plan from Ana White.)

The dimensions for this table are 20”x72”.  The perfect length for a sewing machine and some room to cut.

You will need to purchase:

*affiliate links included

From your supplies you will need to cut:

  • 2 - 64.5" 1x4
  • 2 - 18" 1x4
  • 4 - 29.25" 2x4
  • 2 - 9.5" 2x4
  • 3 - 16.5" 2x2

Start by drilling 2 pocket holes into the ends of the 64.5" 1x4 boards.  Using a square, attach the long 1x4's (64.5”) into the short 1x4's (18”) using wood glue and 1.25" pocket hole screws.   (The Kreg pocket hole drill will include directions on how to do this.)

Craft Table Bottom Edge

Make sure each corner is as square as possible.  I found that I thought it was not going to turn out square but when the center supports were added, it really squared it up.

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Mark 16.5" on the each side of the long (64.5”) boards. Then mark 16.5" from those points 2 more times for the center supports. (Michelle translation: You will add a total of 3 support boards 16.5” apart.) Drill pocket holes on each side of the center supports and attach the 16.5” boards with wood glue and 1.25" pocket hole screws. 

Craft Table Center Supports
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Place each 29.5” 2x4 boards one by one on the inside corners. Attach with wood glue and 2" screws.  Drill pilot holes with a drill bit slightly smaller than the diameter of the screws.  I found it easier to keep the board where I wanted by using a couple of clamps on the boards.  I used 4 screws in each board for stability.

Craft Table Legs
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Mark 6" up from the bottom of the legs (29.5” boards) and drill 2 pocket holes in each side of the 9.5" 2x4s.  Using clamps to keep the boards in place, use wood glue and 1.5" pocket hole screws to attach.

Craft Table Leg Supports

Fill in all gaps and the pocket holes in the leg supports with wood filler. Sand well and then fill again as some of the gaps and pocket holes will be too big to fill only once.  Sand again when the filler is dry.  Prime or stain the bottom.

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Paint or stain and poly the table top.

Once all of the legs and top are dry, drill pocket holes in the outside edge of the 2x4 legs at the top of the table. 

Place the top of the table upside down on the floor onto cardboard (or something else to protect it).  

You will now need to determine where to place the bottom of the table onto the top.  At each corner on the under side of the table top, mark 3" from short edge and 1" from the long edge.  Place wood glue on the top of the legs and supports that will attach to the table top.  Place onto the table top.  Be sure to match the corners of the bottom up with the marks made on the underneath of the table top. 

Using 1.25" pocket hole screws, attach the 2x4 legs to the top. 

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On each center support, drill 3 holes, on the outsides and the middle, and use 2" (I don't know if my center supports were slightly bigger because I had to use 2.5" screws. I recommend comparing the size of the screw to the support before drilling.) to secure the top to the supports.

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Turn table over, enjoy.

Craft Table
DIY Sewing Table
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Bam. Sewing table.  Amazing.  Feel free to ask questions.  I was involved in part of the building process which helped me translate but I’m still not convinced it makes complete sense. 

Now I need to finish this craft room so I have time to actually sew.

Big plans for the week-end?  What are you working on for The Pinterest Challenge?

Linking up to: Home Stories a to z