The thing about not having a dishwasher and limited counter space is figuring out where things go once you hand wash them.
We had been using a standard dry mat on the counter and a plastic tub
dry rack, but the limited space on the counter made getting all of the
dishes dry impossible. My mom, who must have overheard me complaining
about it, came over one day with the perfect gift.
The Proware 2 Layer Dish Drainer, a nice rack that I thought would
help solve the issue I was having with getting my dishes clean and dry.
Set Up:
The rack set up easily, and was very sturdy. Everything you need is included in the box, and was all set up within 5 minutes.
It provided me 2 sections to place dishes on, small hooks to place
mugs and cups on, and a basket to put utensils in. The bottom area holds
a plastic drip pan as well. It's all set up conveniently and nicely,
and looks nice on the counter compared to the old method I was using.
What I loved about this rack in comparison to a plastic one we had
prior was that it actually held the dishes in place. The plastic dish
drying unit we had would not hold them upright due to how flimsy it was.
This Proware 2 Layer Dish Rack held all of our dishes after cleaning
them, and allowed them to drip dry into the convenient plastic pan down
below.
I was literally contemplating buying a dishwasher just to end the
hassle of having to have dishes piled on my counter while waiting for
them to dry.
The Proware rack literally kept things organize, saved me a bunch of
counter space, and I no longer have to pile dishes on the counter. I
like how neat it looks, and how quickly it allows for the dishes to dry
due to the fact that none of them make contact with one another and hold
water.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Review of Behr Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2
It has been my dream since I was a teenager to have a grand walk in
closet. I literally came from a home where my bedroom had no closet, and
my dresser could never fit even a portion of the amount of clothes that
I had.
When I became a homeowner though, my dream came true. I had a bedroom, that had french doors that literally opened up into another bedroom. Well, instead of using that room as a bedroom, I decided to make it the dream walk in closet I always wanted. The room however is so big, that I call it my changing room, as walk in closet status is below me.
Yup, I am a snob!
At any rate, I finally got around to picking paint colors for the room. Pink and black, 2 of my favorite colors combined, and I knew I had to be ever so careful with the color hue of pink I went with, because I could easily mess up and end up with neon pink walls.
I was looking for something softer, more subtle but of course I wanted the pink to pop, in a flat finish with a cotton candy like sweetness to it.
So, off to the Home Depot I went, and began studying paint swatches to try to envision how it would look in a room. Turns out I have a good mind for when it comes to imagining what something will look like before it is executed.
After peering back and forth from one swatch to another, I finally settled on Behr's Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2, in a flat finish. I am not really into semi gloss finishes on walls, as I always use a high gloss paint on trim. I think it looks nicer that way, but this is just my preference.
I was nervous about how it would look on the walls, because from past experience, things tend to look brighter on the walls than on the swatch. Once I got home though, and began painting, I was so excited and pleased with the color.
It was pink alright, but a sort of soft one, which did not scream at you.
The quality is phenomenal, and I only needed one coat of paint. I have been using all sorts of paints since buying this house, and so far Behr has been the highest quality paint I have brought home to use. It goes on quickly and evenly, dries pretty fast, and leaves behind gorgeous color.
All in all, if you have been looking for that dreamy colored candy pink, I think that this particular color will please you through and through. The downside of course is that this paint costs a tad bit more than other brand names, but for good reasons!
When I became a homeowner though, my dream came true. I had a bedroom, that had french doors that literally opened up into another bedroom. Well, instead of using that room as a bedroom, I decided to make it the dream walk in closet I always wanted. The room however is so big, that I call it my changing room, as walk in closet status is below me.
Yup, I am a snob!
At any rate, I finally got around to picking paint colors for the room. Pink and black, 2 of my favorite colors combined, and I knew I had to be ever so careful with the color hue of pink I went with, because I could easily mess up and end up with neon pink walls.
I was looking for something softer, more subtle but of course I wanted the pink to pop, in a flat finish with a cotton candy like sweetness to it.
So, off to the Home Depot I went, and began studying paint swatches to try to envision how it would look in a room. Turns out I have a good mind for when it comes to imagining what something will look like before it is executed.
After peering back and forth from one swatch to another, I finally settled on Behr's Sugar Sweet Paint 680A-2, in a flat finish. I am not really into semi gloss finishes on walls, as I always use a high gloss paint on trim. I think it looks nicer that way, but this is just my preference.
I was nervous about how it would look on the walls, because from past experience, things tend to look brighter on the walls than on the swatch. Once I got home though, and began painting, I was so excited and pleased with the color.
It was pink alright, but a sort of soft one, which did not scream at you.
The quality is phenomenal, and I only needed one coat of paint. I have been using all sorts of paints since buying this house, and so far Behr has been the highest quality paint I have brought home to use. It goes on quickly and evenly, dries pretty fast, and leaves behind gorgeous color.
All in all, if you have been looking for that dreamy colored candy pink, I think that this particular color will please you through and through. The downside of course is that this paint costs a tad bit more than other brand names, but for good reasons!
How to Add Massive Amounts of Shiny Sparkling Rainbow Glitter to Paint
I had been searching the internet for simple and easy ways to add a high
beam glittery shine to paint. You see I wanted a very eye catching
glistening shine, and after trying out a few paints with glitter already
added to them, I was beyond disappointed with just how lack luster the
shimmer of the glitter was once the paint dried.
Martha Stewart's glitter paints in particular were a major waste of money, so I decided to try out my own method to see how it would work.
I added the sparkle and shimmer that I was looking for, and it was a heck of a lot easier than mixing glitter with glaze finishes.
What you will need to get the best glitter paint for walls and other painting projects:
You will need paint of course, any color will due
You will need prismatic holographic glitter. This glitter is a little more expensive, but the shine and shimmer is like no other, as it casts a beautiful glow of rainbow prisms as you move.
A paint brush is of course necessary
A spray can of clear glaze- this is optional
Step 1-
Paint you walls
Step 2-
Paint a second coat on if necessary. If not skip to step 3.
Step 3-
As the paint is still tacky you will now need your glitter. You simply pour some in your hand and blow it at the paint while it is still tacky. The tacky paint will catch the glitter as you slowly blow it off of your hand and onto the walls.
Step 4-
You really do not need to do this step, but if you want to ensure a good bond between your paint and glitter you can spray on a clear glaze which will hold the glitter in place even better.
The results are simply magnificent and more pretty in person than what my photos demonstrate.
I used this method to paint a shelf, and to paint my jewelry cabinet to match the color scheme of my room. The results speak for itself.
This method of adding glitter to paint is probably a little messier than other methods, but this method ensures that you glittery finish is just that, all glitter and all glam! The projects you can master using this technique are endless!
Martha Stewart's glitter paints in particular were a major waste of money, so I decided to try out my own method to see how it would work.
I added the sparkle and shimmer that I was looking for, and it was a heck of a lot easier than mixing glitter with glaze finishes.
What you will need to get the best glitter paint for walls and other painting projects:
You will need paint of course, any color will due
You will need prismatic holographic glitter. This glitter is a little more expensive, but the shine and shimmer is like no other, as it casts a beautiful glow of rainbow prisms as you move.
A paint brush is of course necessary
A spray can of clear glaze- this is optional
Step 1-
Paint you walls
Step 2-
Paint a second coat on if necessary. If not skip to step 3.
Step 3-
As the paint is still tacky you will now need your glitter. You simply pour some in your hand and blow it at the paint while it is still tacky. The tacky paint will catch the glitter as you slowly blow it off of your hand and onto the walls.
Step 4-
You really do not need to do this step, but if you want to ensure a good bond between your paint and glitter you can spray on a clear glaze which will hold the glitter in place even better.
The results are simply magnificent and more pretty in person than what my photos demonstrate.
I used this method to paint a shelf, and to paint my jewelry cabinet to match the color scheme of my room. The results speak for itself.
This method of adding glitter to paint is probably a little messier than other methods, but this method ensures that you glittery finish is just that, all glitter and all glam! The projects you can master using this technique are endless!
Review of Disney All that Glitters Specialty Finish Paint- Glidden 7800D Speck-Tacular
Since buying my new home I have been on a real kick when it comes to
adding a sparkling shimmer to some of the bedroom walls. I have been
painting, and trying out new techniques, as well as trying to figure out
what the best on the market method of painting your walls with glitter
is.
I have hit a few road bumps, but discovered that the easiest way to do it is by simply blowing glitter onto the walls and finishing it up with a clear sealer.
However when I discovered that Glidden had come out with a new line of interesting specialty finishes, I was one of the first on line to picking up a can. I came across Disney All That Glitters Specialty Finishing Paint at Walmart for about $10 for a half gallon. Which in my opinion is more than enough to finish a decent sized bedroom.
I was planning on trying it out over black for a quick and eye catching glitter effect that I knew would be recognizable.
I was pretty baffled when I popped open the top though to reveal nothing but a big old bucket of what appeared to be white milky colored glue. Apparently though it would dry clear, and the glitter would be revealed. I could only hope that it worked as promised, and that the finishing results would be a nice glittery shimmery effect.
Results:
Well, yes Disney All That Glitters Paint did in fact work fine over paint. However I did not know firsthand that the glitter that would be revealed once the paint dried would be one flustered with rainbow colored thicker round flecks of glitter.
For me it was sort of tacky, and I would have loved to have seen smaller flecks of glitter used, instead of thick cuts of it.
Now I cannot bash the specialty finish too much because there is surely a lot of glitter throughout the paint, which was a plus, but the glitter quality itself could have been a heck of a lot better. Finer glitter and instead of a rainbow array of colors, silver would have been nicer, and it would have allowed me to use this specialty finish on more walls.
I wanted a classy elegant touch of glitter, but instead ended up with a more confetti like finish which I did not really care for all that much.
Overall:
Although Disney All That Glitters Paint was not necessarily for me, it still worked very well. It was cleaner than blowing glitter onto the walls, it worked better than the small containers of expensive glitter finishes from Martha Stewart, it did not change the color of the paint I used it on top of, and it dried quickly. In my opinion these are all major pluses when it comes to this particular finish.
For young girls with a princess bedroom theme this finish would be perfect and add an adorable touch to the walls that kids would love. However for larger more open rooms like your living room, this would not be the specialty finish you would want to use.
I am pretty sure that there are other finishes that may not contain such large confetti like glitter flecks, but I was not able to find it in the store.
I have hit a few road bumps, but discovered that the easiest way to do it is by simply blowing glitter onto the walls and finishing it up with a clear sealer.
However when I discovered that Glidden had come out with a new line of interesting specialty finishes, I was one of the first on line to picking up a can. I came across Disney All That Glitters Specialty Finishing Paint at Walmart for about $10 for a half gallon. Which in my opinion is more than enough to finish a decent sized bedroom.
I was planning on trying it out over black for a quick and eye catching glitter effect that I knew would be recognizable.
I was pretty baffled when I popped open the top though to reveal nothing but a big old bucket of what appeared to be white milky colored glue. Apparently though it would dry clear, and the glitter would be revealed. I could only hope that it worked as promised, and that the finishing results would be a nice glittery shimmery effect.
Results:
Well, yes Disney All That Glitters Paint did in fact work fine over paint. However I did not know firsthand that the glitter that would be revealed once the paint dried would be one flustered with rainbow colored thicker round flecks of glitter.
For me it was sort of tacky, and I would have loved to have seen smaller flecks of glitter used, instead of thick cuts of it.
Now I cannot bash the specialty finish too much because there is surely a lot of glitter throughout the paint, which was a plus, but the glitter quality itself could have been a heck of a lot better. Finer glitter and instead of a rainbow array of colors, silver would have been nicer, and it would have allowed me to use this specialty finish on more walls.
I wanted a classy elegant touch of glitter, but instead ended up with a more confetti like finish which I did not really care for all that much.
Overall:
Although Disney All That Glitters Paint was not necessarily for me, it still worked very well. It was cleaner than blowing glitter onto the walls, it worked better than the small containers of expensive glitter finishes from Martha Stewart, it did not change the color of the paint I used it on top of, and it dried quickly. In my opinion these are all major pluses when it comes to this particular finish.
For young girls with a princess bedroom theme this finish would be perfect and add an adorable touch to the walls that kids would love. However for larger more open rooms like your living room, this would not be the specialty finish you would want to use.
I am pretty sure that there are other finishes that may not contain such large confetti like glitter flecks, but I was not able to find it in the store.
How to Stain Wood Floors Black
I bought my first house back in October, and ever since moving in and
discovering old rickety looking wood floors underneath the old cat pee
stained carpet, it became my personal mission to sand the floors myself,
and then stain them.
Black!
Now I am an absolute beginner when it comes to home improvement projects, but I must say, I learn fast and go about things in my own manner. I basically hope for the best as I go about home projects, and you know what? I do a pretty darn good job when it comes to a task at hand.
When I told everyone my plans for a black as night wood floor, I got a few raised eyebrows, and a lot of others whom claimed I shouldn't do it because it would show every hair, bubble or bit of dust. The funny thing about all of their testimony was that none of them ever had black wood floors done in their home, so I ignored all negativity and perused my mission for black wood floors.
Step 1-
You will need to sand your floors. Some will tell you to sand the heck out of them until they are their original pale yellow raw color. We however are using black stain, so just make sure you sand off any surface layers of old polyurethane.
You can go about sanding the floors in 2 ways. If you are crazy like me, you can take a few weeks to hand sand them using an orbital sander. This was the method I used. It takes a lot of time and patience, but I got through it, and it was no tiny room either!
The second way you can do this would be to rent a drum sander, however you can really mess your floors up if you do not know how to use one.
Hence being the girl I am, and the fact that I was afraid to ruin my floors, I did it all with a 5 inch orbital. Yeah, crazy. I know!
Step 2-
Once your floors are completely sanded, you now must go about the daunting task of cleaning, mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, and repeating these steps until the floors are literally spotless. For me, this was actually harder than the sanding, because even after thinking every fleck of dirt or hair is gone, you'd be surprised to find how wrong you are.
Step 3-
Stain! Now there is this really neat stuff out there that is literally a polyurethane and stain in one. We used this in a color called ebony. However we discovered that this stuff was really low quality, and the finish was not quite what we wanted.
When working with the stain go with the grain of the wood. I used a regular paint brush to stain each individual strip of wood. I worked slowly, and carefully.
Step 4-
Allow it to dry for at least 6 hours before using/walking on the floors.
We did not really like the low quality flat finish that this 2 in 1 product left behind, and turned it into a high quality finish by simply adding Minwax clear gloss finish on top of this. I did this by easily working in the same manner as I did when applying the stain.
This literally allowed the floors to shine brightly and look a lot nicer than when it was a flat color.
Step 5-
Once the clear coat is dried, you can use your floors. We allowed it to dry for 3 hours before it was fully dry and safe to walk on.
Tips-
Do not drag furniture across floors, it can and likely will scratch it.
Black!
Now I am an absolute beginner when it comes to home improvement projects, but I must say, I learn fast and go about things in my own manner. I basically hope for the best as I go about home projects, and you know what? I do a pretty darn good job when it comes to a task at hand.
When I told everyone my plans for a black as night wood floor, I got a few raised eyebrows, and a lot of others whom claimed I shouldn't do it because it would show every hair, bubble or bit of dust. The funny thing about all of their testimony was that none of them ever had black wood floors done in their home, so I ignored all negativity and perused my mission for black wood floors.
Step 1-
You will need to sand your floors. Some will tell you to sand the heck out of them until they are their original pale yellow raw color. We however are using black stain, so just make sure you sand off any surface layers of old polyurethane.
You can go about sanding the floors in 2 ways. If you are crazy like me, you can take a few weeks to hand sand them using an orbital sander. This was the method I used. It takes a lot of time and patience, but I got through it, and it was no tiny room either!
The second way you can do this would be to rent a drum sander, however you can really mess your floors up if you do not know how to use one.
Hence being the girl I am, and the fact that I was afraid to ruin my floors, I did it all with a 5 inch orbital. Yeah, crazy. I know!
Step 2-
Once your floors are completely sanded, you now must go about the daunting task of cleaning, mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, and repeating these steps until the floors are literally spotless. For me, this was actually harder than the sanding, because even after thinking every fleck of dirt or hair is gone, you'd be surprised to find how wrong you are.
Step 3-
Stain! Now there is this really neat stuff out there that is literally a polyurethane and stain in one. We used this in a color called ebony. However we discovered that this stuff was really low quality, and the finish was not quite what we wanted.
When working with the stain go with the grain of the wood. I used a regular paint brush to stain each individual strip of wood. I worked slowly, and carefully.
Step 4-
Allow it to dry for at least 6 hours before using/walking on the floors.
We did not really like the low quality flat finish that this 2 in 1 product left behind, and turned it into a high quality finish by simply adding Minwax clear gloss finish on top of this. I did this by easily working in the same manner as I did when applying the stain.
This literally allowed the floors to shine brightly and look a lot nicer than when it was a flat color.
Step 5-
Once the clear coat is dried, you can use your floors. We allowed it to dry for 3 hours before it was fully dry and safe to walk on.
Tips-
Do not drag furniture across floors, it can and likely will scratch it.
How to White Wash Wood Floors
This past week while on vacation, I decided to tackle one of the
bedrooms in our new home, and turn it into a relaxing beach themed room.
Heck, we even hung a hammock in the room!
While emptying the room, and painting the walls, I decided that I wanted the wood floors to match with this theme by white washing the floors.
Taking on a task I had never done before, I must say that they came out pretty spectacular, as did the entire room for that matter!
I had white interior paint already, so I was set!
What You Will Need:
-Sanded wood floors
-White paint
-Paint brush
-Water based polyurethane. I used Minwax.
Step 1-
Make sure floors are sanded. I did this using a handheld 5 inch orbital sander. You can also rent a drum sander, but unless you know what you are doing, I would skip out on that, especially if you are like me, a beginner to do it yourself home improvement projects!
Step 2-
After sanding clean the heck out of the floors to remove any dirt, dust or sanding debris.
Step 3-
Mix white paint with water in a container. I used half paint, and half water in a standard household container and mixed it together. Solution was very runny.
Step 4-
Paint your floors going with the grain of the wood. It is OK if things look milky, they are supposed to!
Step 5-
Allow paint to dry for up to 3 hours.
Step 6-
Use a water based polyurethane gloss over the paint to seal it in. I used Minwax, and it dried in 3 hours.
Work your way around the room until all floor boards are sealed with a thin coat of the Minwax clear gloss.
Step 7-
Allow everything to dry, and enjoy your new floors. This white wash finish looks beautiful and is so easy to do.
While emptying the room, and painting the walls, I decided that I wanted the wood floors to match with this theme by white washing the floors.
Taking on a task I had never done before, I must say that they came out pretty spectacular, as did the entire room for that matter!
I had white interior paint already, so I was set!
What You Will Need:
-Sanded wood floors
-White paint
-Paint brush
-Water based polyurethane. I used Minwax.
Step 1-
Make sure floors are sanded. I did this using a handheld 5 inch orbital sander. You can also rent a drum sander, but unless you know what you are doing, I would skip out on that, especially if you are like me, a beginner to do it yourself home improvement projects!
Step 2-
After sanding clean the heck out of the floors to remove any dirt, dust or sanding debris.
Step 3-
Mix white paint with water in a container. I used half paint, and half water in a standard household container and mixed it together. Solution was very runny.
Step 4-
Paint your floors going with the grain of the wood. It is OK if things look milky, they are supposed to!
Step 5-
Allow paint to dry for up to 3 hours.
Step 6-
Use a water based polyurethane gloss over the paint to seal it in. I used Minwax, and it dried in 3 hours.
Work your way around the room until all floor boards are sealed with a thin coat of the Minwax clear gloss.
Step 7-
Allow everything to dry, and enjoy your new floors. This white wash finish looks beautiful and is so easy to do.
How to Create a Beach Theme in Any Room in Your Home
Putting together a beach themed room in my new home has been one of the funnest and most rewarding projects I have ever done.
You see me and my other half go on tropical vacations 2-3 times a year, however after recently becoming homeowners, vacations had to take a pause. I decided however to take vacation home with me by going about the task of turning one of our spare rooms into the beach/vacation/relaxation room.
I started by tearing up the old carpets on the floors and white washing the wood floors. This gave the room a really nice and beach like look.
Next I decided on room colors. I wanted the ocean to mix with the beach, so I went with Behr's blue Pool Party paint, and a nice sandy colored tan.
I however decided to go an extra mile with my beach theme by adding a textured sand grain into the sandy colored paint. This gave my walls a gritted texture that looks and feels like petrified sand. It really gave the room that extra bit of flair that I was looking for.
I painted the wood panels in this sand gritted paint, and the other 2 walls I used the blue pool party paint. Basically the room has 2 colors going on, and they mesh perfectly.
After painting my walls and the trim, the fun part was the furniture and the decor for the room.
I found some really beautiful old wood pieces of furniture at a local thrift store. I got extremely lucky when I found an old wood captain's chair as well. I decided to paint all of the furniture using the blue and tan colored paint I had left over from the walls. Low and behold, it came out wonderfully.
Next was decor, I used netting on one window, and added starfish and shells to the nets. On the other window I used beach themed lights around the other window. My lights are palms and flamingos.
To up it a notch I also nailed a fishing pole to a top wall, and allowed a lure to freely flow down the side of the walls. I have anchors that hold frames in place, and seagull figures on the walls. I also hooked some starfish to the walls for that extra bit of something.
Other extras included framed money that I got while abroad in the tropics, a hammock that we can relax in was hung from the walls, and other extras like snorkels, masks, surfboard themed items, and seashells displayed around the room just add to the flair.
Other things we still need to acquire include tin signs from crab shacks, no swimming due to sharks signs, surf lesson signs, antique lifeguard rings, and so on.
The beach themed room has been so fun, and it one of my favorite rooms in the house thus far.
Getting started is the hard part really, but once the walls are painted, furniture has been decided on, and floor colors chosen, everything from there comes together easily.
You see me and my other half go on tropical vacations 2-3 times a year, however after recently becoming homeowners, vacations had to take a pause. I decided however to take vacation home with me by going about the task of turning one of our spare rooms into the beach/vacation/relaxation room.
I started by tearing up the old carpets on the floors and white washing the wood floors. This gave the room a really nice and beach like look.
Next I decided on room colors. I wanted the ocean to mix with the beach, so I went with Behr's blue Pool Party paint, and a nice sandy colored tan.
I however decided to go an extra mile with my beach theme by adding a textured sand grain into the sandy colored paint. This gave my walls a gritted texture that looks and feels like petrified sand. It really gave the room that extra bit of flair that I was looking for.
I painted the wood panels in this sand gritted paint, and the other 2 walls I used the blue pool party paint. Basically the room has 2 colors going on, and they mesh perfectly.
After painting my walls and the trim, the fun part was the furniture and the decor for the room.
I found some really beautiful old wood pieces of furniture at a local thrift store. I got extremely lucky when I found an old wood captain's chair as well. I decided to paint all of the furniture using the blue and tan colored paint I had left over from the walls. Low and behold, it came out wonderfully.
Next was decor, I used netting on one window, and added starfish and shells to the nets. On the other window I used beach themed lights around the other window. My lights are palms and flamingos.
To up it a notch I also nailed a fishing pole to a top wall, and allowed a lure to freely flow down the side of the walls. I have anchors that hold frames in place, and seagull figures on the walls. I also hooked some starfish to the walls for that extra bit of something.
Other extras included framed money that I got while abroad in the tropics, a hammock that we can relax in was hung from the walls, and other extras like snorkels, masks, surfboard themed items, and seashells displayed around the room just add to the flair.
Other things we still need to acquire include tin signs from crab shacks, no swimming due to sharks signs, surf lesson signs, antique lifeguard rings, and so on.
The beach themed room has been so fun, and it one of my favorite rooms in the house thus far.
Getting started is the hard part really, but once the walls are painted, furniture has been decided on, and floor colors chosen, everything from there comes together easily.
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