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Beginner’s Guide to Alkyd Furniture Paint
Hey there, fabulous furniture fanatics! If you’re looking for a furniture finish that combines the rich, smooth look of oil paint with the convenience of modern formulas, alkyd paint is about to become your new best friend. This post will walk you through the nuts and bolts of alkyd paint, what it is, why it…
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Beginners Guide to “Oil-Based” Furniture Paint: From Linseed to Alkyd
Pull up a chair, friend, because we’re about to time-travel through the gloriously messy, brilliant, and sometimes smelly history of oil-based paint. If you’ve ever cracked open a can of oil enamel and wondered how we got from squishing flax seeds to stirring glossy alkyds, this one’s for you. Oil paints weren’t invented in one…
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Beginner’s Guide to Latex Furniture Paint
Picture this: you’ve just rescued a sad little dresser from the curb. It’s got good bones, a few battle scars, and just enough sass to earn a spot in your home… but the finish? Let’s just say it’s seen better decades. You could go with chalk paint (hello, farmhouse), or oil-based (hello, smelly garage exile),…
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How to Repair Chipped Veneer Using Burn-In Wood Filler
Chipped veneer is like a hangnail. It’s just waiting to snag on something and turn into a giant gash that will hurt even worse. There are a lot of resources out there for how to repair chipped veneer for painting, but what if you want to keep the original stained wood look? I’ve used wood…
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Natural Hemp Oil and Faux Rattan Restore an Old Wood Chair
This sad chair lived many years sitting all alone in a dusty corner. No one could sit in it, because its seat had caved in. Then one day it was pulled out of its corner, placed in the backseat of a car, and transported to my studio. And there is where its old life ended,…
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How to Replace Drawer Slides
Having a drawer slide come loose or even split is a pretty common problem. It’s also quite annoying. While it’s not what I’d call an easy fix, it also isn’t terribly complicated. As long as you can remove screws, cut a piece of wood (mostly) straight, and install screws back into the same holes as…
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Beginner’s Guide to Acrylic Furniture Paint
Hey friend! If you’ve ever stared at a tired dresser, a scuffed side table, or a sad little nightstand and thought, “I bet I could make that beautiful!”, then you’re in the right place. Today, we’re diving into acrylic paint as a furniture finish. think of this as me pulling up a stool beside you…
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Beginner’s Guide to Lacquer Furniture Paint
Hey there, fabulous friend! If you’re curious about lacquer paint, what it is, where to find it, and how to use it to get that flawless, showroom-worthy finish, then this post is your new best friend! Whether you’re updating a set of old chairs or dreaming of a glossy modern table, I’ll walk you through…
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What Is Chalk Paint? Beginner’s Guide to an Effortless Matte Furniture Finish
Pull up a stool, grab your favorite cup of tea or coffee, and let’s talk chalk paint. Whether you’re eyeing that tired dresser in the corner or a quirky thrift-shop side table, by the time you finish this, you’ll understand exactly what chalk paint is, why it works, and how to wield it like a…
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Natural Hemp Oil and Faux Rattan Restore an Old Wood Chair
This sad chair lived many years sitting all alone in a dusty corner. No one could sit in it, because its seat had caved in. Then one day it was pulled out of its corner, placed in the backseat of a car, and transported to my studio. And there is where its old life ended,…
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Chalk Painted Wood End Table with Rice Decoupage Paper and Scripture Quotes
Are you looking for an easy way to add some pizzazz to a piece of furniture? Look no futher than beautiful rice decoupage paper! It adds texture, color, and a pop of “wow” that is super easy to apply. This classic end table was hiding in the basement with a smattering of spiderwebs and mildew….
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End Table Makeover with Chalk Paint and Gel Stain
Do you have a sturdy piece of furniture that is so functional that you can’t let it go, but it’s so ugly that you wish you didn’t need it? I bet it’s a piece that’s seen a lot of things in its life. Just like this end table that used to sit in my aunt’s…
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Cabinet Door Upcycle: Apothecary Transfer Wall Organizer
Looking for a way to create a beautiful and functional organizer to catch all the things on your way in and out of the door? Then this project is for you! These cabinet doors were just waiting for the chance to become something amazing! Tools and Materials Tools Materials Cleaning & Prepping The first step…
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How to Make a Donut Wall with a Food-Safe Finish
Donut walls have been circulating around Pinterest and gracing the pages of Etsy for a while now. When my daughter decided she wanted something a little different for her wedding the donut wall immediately came to mind! The only question was, how could we create a beautiful donut wall that was also safe to place…
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DIY Woodburned Name Banner with Torch Paste and Silkscreen Stencils
Do you enjoy woodburned designs, but worry that creating them is too complicated or dangerous? Torch Paste woodburning paste is a fun way to achieve an intricate woodburned look quickly. With one simple tool, a stencil, and a jar of paste, you can easily create a customized name sign for any occasion! This particular sign…
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Reusable Wood Turkey Place Cards for Thanksgiving
I have a confession to make. Even though I try really hard to create functional decor, like these custom monogrammed towels, or this vintage file box and this upcycled wall organizer, sometimes a piece wiggles its way into my house just because it’s so darn cute! When I found this adorable turkey place holder design…
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DIY Custom Acrylic Plant Tags/Charms Using xTool P2
Plants don’t stand a chance with me. I don’t just have a brown thumb. I am the Grim Reaper of all things vegetation. Plant leaves tremble when I walk down the aisles of the gardening section. The clearance plants, barely holding on to their last root? They give up the ghost as soon as I…
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How to Make a Custom Acrylic Dinosaur Cake Topper – xTool P2
As I mentioned in the first post about setting up the P2 laser, being able to create custom art quickly is what this machine is all about! After wrestling with the Air Pump Current error, and uneven cutting and engraving, it was a huge relief to create a finished product! When your grandbaby turns three…
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Cabinet Door Upcycle: Apothecary Transfer Wall Organizer
Looking for a way to create a beautiful and functional organizer to catch all the things on your way in and out of the door? Then this project is for you! These cabinet doors were just waiting for the chance to become something amazing! Tools and Materials Tools Materials Cleaning & Prepping The first step…
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How to Upcycle a Plastic Jar into a Beautiful DIY Coin Bank
This project places heavy emphasis on the word “saving” as we upcycle an old jar into a beautiful and elegant coin bank! Upcycling trash into something useful is so rewarding. Taking literal garbage and transforming it into functional art just gives me all kinds of warm and fuzzies. Before we dive into the nitty gritty,…
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Celebrate a Thankful Thanksgiving with a DIY Gratitude Tree
It feels as if we jump straight from summer to Halloween and into Christmas. If you are with me in camp “Make Time for Thanksgiving” then this post is for you! This is your opportunity to get the Christmas tree in place, while still allowing Thanksgiving its time in the spotlight. Before we jump into…
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Reusable Wood Turkey Place Cards for Thanksgiving
I have a confession to make. Even though I try really hard to create functional decor, like these custom monogrammed towels, or this vintage file box and this upcycled wall organizer, sometimes a piece wiggles its way into my house just because it’s so darn cute! When I found this adorable turkey place holder design…
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DIY Custom Acrylic Plant Tags/Charms Using xTool P2
Plants don’t stand a chance with me. I don’t just have a brown thumb. I am the Grim Reaper of all things vegetation. Plant leaves tremble when I walk down the aisles of the gardening section. The clearance plants, barely holding on to their last root? They give up the ghost as soon as I…
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How to Find the Right P2 Laser Power and Speed Settings
I am an enigma. I will research a topic to death, but I am terrible about testing before jumping headfirst into a project. I don’t typically consider that a problem. I usually pivot and figure out another method (and you have the benefit of enjoying the misadventures!) But there are some instances where it’s best…
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She Shed Update: Faux Brick Accent Wall Tutorial
Do you remember when I said that I wanted to preserve these beautiful slat walls? The walls that were built from shipping crates from my husband’s great aunt’s store? The walls that are considered a piece of his family history? Yeah. Me too. Unfortunately, that piece of amazing family history didn’t photograph so well when…
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How to Update Recessed Can Lights with Stain!
Recessed lighting is a great way to brighten up a room without creating too much visual clutter in the ceiling. However, they can still be a bit of an eyesore if the finish doesn’t quite match the ceiling. I found a super easy way to update metal recessed or “can” lights, and it doesn’t involve…
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She-Shed Take 12: The Big Makeover Reveal
A long, long time ago, (four years, to be precise) when this project first started, I had a vision. It wasn’t of sugarplums. It was a vision of a bright and airy, happy place where I could create without restrictions. I could soak in the sunshine and watch the birds flitter and tweet their way…
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Which Paintbrush is Best for A Smooth Finish on Oil-Based and Water-Based Products?
Have you ever stood in the aisle of your favorite big box store and felt completely baffled by all of the paintbrush options? Here you are, ready to dive into your project, but you’re confronted with so many choices that you aren’t sure which paintbrush is the right one. Do you just grab the first…
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Dixie Belle Chalk Paint Experience
The Chalk Paint Dilemma Have you ever used or wanted to use chalk paint? Although I have been painting furniture for several years, I have always avoided chalk paint. This is mainly because I didn’t want to have to finish the piece with wax. So many of the articles that I read about chalk painting…
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Whimsy Home Wednesday No. 152
Welcome to the Whimsy Home Wednesday Linky Party! Today the hosts and I are getting the party started by sharing a few of our favorite projects followed by our feature picks from last week’s party. Then it’s your turn! Add your craft, decor, DIY, gardening, or recipe post by clicking the inLinkz button at the…
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Whimsy Home Wednesday No. 151
Welcome to the Whimsy Home Wednesday Linky Party! Today, the hosts and I are getting the party started by sharing a few of our favorite projects, followed by our feature picks from last week’s party. Then it’s your turn! Add your craft, decor, DIY, gardening, or recipe post by clicking the inLinkz button at the…
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Whimsy Home Wednesday No. 150
Welcome to the Whimsy Home Wednesday Linky Party! Today, the hosts and I are getting the party started by sharing a few of our favorite projects, followed by our feature picks from last week’s party. Then it’s your turn! Add your craft, decor, DIY, gardening, or recipe post by clicking the inLinkz button at the…
Where Can I Get That?
Wondering what tool or product to use and where to find it? Check out the “Shop the Studio” pages where I have done the research for you! Some of these products I own, and others I would buy or give as a gift. Find out more by clicking the link below…