Bathroom Cabinet Makeover & Master Bathroom

OMG!  Whose idea was it to paint this cabinet anyway?!?  I posted about the new cabinet that I ordered for our master bathroom makeover here.  Unfortunately, it was not the white white color it appeared on the website so it didn’t go very well with our existing bathroom cabinetry. 

This was the worst. project. ever!  It is a fail and not one I am proud of.  If nothing else, maybe you can learn from my mistakes.  I thought I would use white paint that I already had on hand, but it was just not working out properly on this piece.  I don’t know if it is because it is a laminate surface, MDF, or just not real wood ~ whatever the issue, you could see the paint was not going on well.  This was even after I lightly sanded it.  So it was off to my local store to get some Annie Sloan chalk paint in Pure White.

I have had good luck with the Annie Sloan paint adhering just fine to most surfaces I have painted in the past, so I had high hopes.  Unfortunately, this was not even going on properly!  I was getting frustrated ~ to say the least.

I remembered I had just recently pinned something about a paint by Glidden called Gripper.  I figured this was my last resort and, with fingers crossed, got a can.  This actually adhered and allowed me to get some paint on. 

I finished up with a urethane to protect it, which makes me laugh now, because when I was putting the shelves back in place, they were scraping along the inside sides and took paint right off.  In fact, I think the paint made the cabinet expand and contract (the wet paint?) and it was a bit tight getting the shelves back in place.

I can not tell you how glad I am this gosh darn thing is done!

I decided not to replace the existing knobs but to use some Rub N Buff in silver instead.

My advice, if you are buying a piece that is laminate, buy it in the color you want it in.  If my husband hadn’t put this together when I wasn’t around, I would have returned it. Otherwise, find something that is real wood that can be painted.  If you have good luck with painting laminate, my hat’s off to you!  I will never do it again!

So, making the best of the situation, I accessorized with most of what I’d had on the middle section of the vanity.  I’m trying not to let the cabinet ruin the rest of the bathroom makeover for me.  What a train wreck this was!  I’m glad to see the end of that project!

First Batch of Needle Books

I’ve listed my first batch of needle books in my Etsy and just had to share them, because they are just so darn cute!

These are the first few I finished.  I have more on my sewing table waiting to be put together.  Updated: This one below has SOLD! – Thank you!

These are all one of a kind, as they all have different fabrics and elements added in. They all come as pictured (that means with the straight pins and safety pins you see in the books).  Three of these have elastic and button closures, while the fourth has a seam binding tie.

There are some blank “pages” for you to add in some of your own favorites ~ buttons, fabric swatches, etc.  On the one I kept for myself I sewed in a Daisy Kingdom button that I had bought years and years ago for something I was going to make for my daughter and I never used it.  I found it in my sewing stash drawers and decided to sew it into my own little needle book as an embellishment and a sweet memory.  Just an idea of what you could add to your own needle book.

I even made one with a pocket in the back and tucked in this cute little tag with some lace attached.

I think this one is my favorite.

It’s not too early to think about Mother’s Day!

In other news, Wednesday I applied a urethane to the bathroom cabinet and I hope to have that back together and accessorized over the weekend.  So I’ll share that train wreck with you next week!

 

Sewing Bunny

Things have been “hopping” in my sewing room with the bunnies I’ve been whipping up!  I just had to share my newest, whose idea came to me as I was trying to figure out what to do with some sewing kits my husband has brought home from his business trip hotel stays.

A sewing bunny!  I had the perfect fabric, too.  This bunny is not for the kiddies.

I added a little pocket out of the same fabric as the bunny to the front and tucked in the little kit scissors and thread card.   I thought this was really cute!

The perfect gift for that someone who sews in your life!  It’s never too early to think ahead to Mother’s Day, or even something to display in your own sewing room.

 

While I’m here, I thought I’d share a few of the other new ones that I’ve done and added to my Etsy. 

Thanks for visiting! 

DIY ~ Bathroom Mirror Frame

This is a good DIY project and not too expensive either.  The molding for this project cost about $60.00.  We have one long mirror that goes down the whole side of one wall over the vanity area in the master bath. 

To break up that length, my husband made frames so that it would look like two hung mirrors.  We chose a decorative molding and he mitered the corners.  You could use those wood rosettes/blocks also.  Here they are pre-painting to check for fit.

He glued and stapled them (from the back at the joints) together. 

When the glue dried, I painted them with Old White chalk paint.

And applied clear and dark wax.  I used the dark wax to bring out the detail in the molding.

What a difference it has made!

I love the way the frames turned out and we were able to complete this over a weekend.  This is just a sneak peek right now until I get the bathroom back in order.

I hope to have the full reveal of the bathroom soon!  I just had to paint the cabinet (you can see what it looked like when I got it here) white, which set me back a few days.  And, of course, I have to accessorize!

Pretty Little Needle Book

The other night I finally got to something I’ve been wanting to make for a while.  A needle book. 

I have to admit that for something that is quite small it had me a little intimidated to tackle.  I found a few tutorials online and kind of took a little bit from each.

I started out by printing images off onto iron-on paper of vintage ads that dealt with sewing.  I ironed the one I chose onto Osnaberg fabric.

I used a sewing themed fabric for the back and the inside fabric.

I used some white felt for the “pages” and just added a couple of scrap trim embellishments I had laying around.

Along with a scrap piece of fabric I just cut with my pinking shears.

This little needle book will come in handy because I can never seem to find my sewing needles in my pincushion (amongst the straight pins).  This will make it easier to find what I need.

I didn’t have a hair elastic to use for the closure, so I will probably just add a button and some string or twine to wrap around it for closing.  I have elastic on my list to get because I hope to make a few of these for my Etsy shop.  I have several other images I printed out that I thought would be really cute for needle books.  Each one will be different and one of a kind, so I look forward to sharing those with you.

Painting and My Swap Gifts

At the time you are reading this, I should be finishing up the new cabinet in our bathroom.  Even after sanding, the paint didn’t look like it was adhering very well, so I wound up going out and getting some chalk paint in Pure White. While I’m doing that, I thought I would share with you what my Valentine swap partner, Joyce, sent to me.

Joyce is so very talented!  She made a beautiful heart with a pocket that I hung right up on the French doors into our sunroom.  I was admiring these on Pinterest, too!

She also made me this Cupid ornament, which I promptly put up on the mantel.

Joyce also made this beautiful card.  Love it!  She also sent along some wonderful goodies.  Look at those beautiful gloves!  My 4-year-old granddaughter has already laid claim to them for dress up.

 

The pretty little box sitting on top of the gloves held more goodies ~ some ribbon, lace and a cloth tape measure.

This lovely image held a chocolate bar from Germany.  That was gone within 24 hours!  The packaging was so pretty that I had to keep it.  Next to that, sitting on top of the pretty paper Joyce wrapped everything in, are some vintage looking stickers.

This great little French themed tin basket/container held even more goodies!  Some wonderful tags and papers; some vintage Valentine’s and pink tickets. 

I don’t have a lot of Valentine themed craft supplies so these will be a welcome addition to my stash!  Thanks so much, Joyce! I just love everything!