Not Your Grandma's Hutch

Time to share my favorite "Before and After"

I found this hutch at our local Salvation Army and I knew I could not pass it up!  It was the perfect size for our dining room.  It was sturdy and I loved the curves.  I didn't love the wood. 

How to Paint Furniture | Decor and the Dog

Nothing a litle paint can't fix.  Is there anything that paint can't fix??....

How to Paint Furniture | Decor and the Dog
How to Paint Furniture | Decor and the Dog
How to Paint Furniture | Decor and the Dog
How to Paint Furniture | Decor and the Dog

I never thought I'd own china (a wedding gift), let alone a hutch to put it in.  Every day I realize something else in life that keeps adding to my oldness factor....

I used Valspar's Lincoln Cottage Black on the outside and Glidden's Granite Grey on the inside.  I used the grey on the inside for contrast.  I didn't want the hutch to turn into a giant black hole.

I didn't take any step-by-step photos (I'm working on it)....but here are the basic steps that I use to paint furniture...there are about 100 different ways but this is what I find works best for me.

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Step 1:

Clean the piece and remove any hardware.  I buy junk furniture which is usually full of cob webs and dust and grossness.  I take some damp papertowels or an old rag and clean it REALLY well.

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Step 2:

  I usually go from stained wood to paint so I usually do a light sanding with whatever sand paper I can find laying around.  Don't sand too hard or you can possibly scratch the wood.  For this hutch, I borrowed a hand sander.

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Step 3:

Clean off all of the sanding grit.  Again, I just use papertowels for this.  Some people use tacky cloths but papertowels have worked well for me.

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Step 4:

Prime.  I use Zinnser Fast Prime 2 and I apply it with small roller brushes.  The primer usually dries within in an hour.  This step doesn't have to look pretty....just get a nice thin, even coat. 

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Step 5:

After the primer has dried, you are ready to paint.  I have used a variety of paints and finishes.  I also usually do 2 coats just to make sure the piece is covered well.  I use a smaller roller brush for this step as well.

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Step 6:

Replace the hardware.  You can also give it a coat of poly but I find this takes the piece FOREVER to dry and I'm too anxious to put it to use. :P  I do generally wait about a week before I set anything on a newly painted piece.

There you have it! Piece of Cake!

Be sure to check out our DIY projects on our "DIY/Decorate It" page!

How to Paint Furniture | Decor and the Dog

Headboard for Cheap!

Friday's post (seen here) continues:

It is official.  This headboard is in the works!!

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Window Headboard, Twin, White
West Elm Window Headboard
The materials have been purchased and the lumber has been cut!
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West Elm wants $299.00 (plus $60 shipping because we live in the land of no West Elm...aka, middle of nowhere).

Our cost: $57.06. Here's the break down:
  • Lumber: $18.40
  • Paint: $10.97
  • Pocket hole screws: $3.98
  • Pocket hole jig: $19.98
  • We already have the primer and the saw to cut the materials.
Plans and how-to will be posted as we go!

Duvet is a Funny Word

After looking at every available duvet cover on-line (I wish I was joking), I think I have narrowed it down to these 2 (but I am still going to do a quick check at Target, TJMaxx, and Marshall's before I click the "order" button).

I want to get both and swap them out as my mood changes but since I still owe the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy thousands of dollars, I need to pick one. :P  Which do you prefer?

Option 1: West Elm Organic Pintuck Duvet in Sea Spray or White


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West Elm Pintuck Sea Spray (reviews say it is a light/blue grayish)
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Room View
West Elm Pintuck White

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Option #2:  West Elm Parachute Duvet in Feather Gray or White

Room View

Room View

Things to consider:
  • I am NOT going to repaint...because I like the color and more importantly, I would have to paint it myself.
  • Ike does sleep in the bed.... A LOT.
  • Reviews on both are good.  Some pintuck reviews do say that the pintucks may rip but it doesn't change the appearance. 
  • What are your thoughts on white?  The dog isn't too messy but occassionally in the summer there may be a few paw prints on my white sheets but white is easy to oxi-clean or bleach. 
  • I think we are leaning towards the parachute in gray but those pintucks are so pretty.....

Bring on the opinions!!!

Too Crazy or Too Cute

Here's our master bedroom currently:



I like it but........

I currently have my eye on this comforter...

Woodland Organic Duvet Cover Twin
Pottery Barn Woodland Organic Duvet

I usually play it safe with color but I REALLY like this but just can't decide if it's just a little too crazy.  Nate HATES it!

I also like these....

MadisonYlwBdgNSheetsS10
Crate and Barrel Marimekko
Organic Cotton Pintuck Duvet Cover + Shams
West Elm Organ Cotton Pintuck Duvet
Organic Winter Pine Duvet + Shams
West Elm Organic Winter Pine Duvet



Organic Pleated Voile Duvet Cover + Shams
West Elm Organic Pleated Voile Duvet

This last one is the best deal but is it too plain?  Nate and I may be attempting to make this headboard (if I can get him on board). Stay tuned!
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What do you think?  Is the Pottery Barn Duvet too crazy?  Headboard not worth making?  Not that I'll listen but opinions are always good! :P

2010 in Review

Here are some photo hightlights of our 2010!

Ike turned 3!


Cruise to the Carribean




Our niece turned 1!

Our nephew turned 2!

Our yard got some landscaping!

A trip to Colorado with my brother!

Cubs game in Chicago!

Cubs win!

Family photo shoot in Sept.

Nate turned 29 in October
Somehow there are no pictures of me turning 28..but it happened.

Men hunting trip to South Dakota

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Family photo in November

Pretty excited to see what 2011 will bring!
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Noodle Tradition

Growing up, my grandparents taught my brother and I how to make homemade noodles. They have both passed away but my brother and I now make them on Christmas Eve to share with my mom's side of the family.  Everyone acts like it's a complex, secret family recipe when in reality it involves ~5 ingredients:

egg yolks
flour
salt
pepper
chicken

First you start with your egg yolks (you can use the whites too but our tradition says "load on the cholesterol" please!). (I use a dozen yolks and my brother uses a dozen) Mix the yolks in with the flour.  It will look like this mess.....


Then you whine because you aren't strong enough and you try to sucker your brother into helping you.  He does jerky brother things and you give up and decide to just knead in the flour by hand.  Once your dough is pretty stiff you roll it out pretty thin.  Then you roll the dough into a roll like this.  Only an Iowan would own a pig cutting board...



From here you slice off noodles to your desired thickness...while being VERY careful with a large knife.  Please excuse the lack of shower and/or make-up....
 

You then throw the noodles into some boiling chicken broth.  My mom always makes ours by boiling a whole chicken and maybe throwing in some bouillon cubes.  Boil until cooked.  (A good blogger would have taken a final picture....maybe someday I'll get there. :P)

Homemade noodles sound scarier than they are!  Grandpa and Grandma would be proud........minus the sibling bickering. :P