My triple play

In my last blog entry I mentioned that I was tackling three projects for the weekend.  I actually finished two on the weekend and the third on Tuesday night.  I had to do a slight modification and buy more paint so that took an extra day or two.

First Project:  Padded top for wire dog crate
We have four dogs.  All very different breeds and very different dog-alities.  (Do dogs have a person-ality? I think not.)  Two of them are crated at night.  They need their own rooms as well as that down time to just be. Fondue has a plastic-type crate and it sits next to the piano.  He is a Jack Russell Terror (no misspelling here, although he is much better since he is on Prozac) so his crate is a small one.  Meshach (no, we don't have a Shadrack or an Abednago, just Meshach) has a large wire crate since he is a Blab (bloodhound lab mix) breed.  His crate is near Fondue's and behind the tall table which serves mainly as Mindy's desk. Oftentimes, Mindy will set shoes, bookbags, papers, and such on Meshach's crate.  Mind you, this is a cage crate with the appealing black metal cage look.  It doesn't happen often, but things have fallen through the wires. I thought an upholstered top would be nice to fasten to his crate. I already had a piece of wood that was a little bigger than the crate.  Then I bought two pieces of foam and some material at Hobby Lobby and headed home.  This was a no brainer.  I simply trimmed the wood to slightly bigger than the crate, glued the foam on top, then wrapped the fabric and stapled it.  Here are a few pictures.

 

I figured it wasn't a piece that will be sat on so I didn't feel I needed thick foam or anything too fancy.  Here are a few pictures of the stapling of the fabric.  Again, nothing fancy in the stapling job or the selection of the material.

   

Here is the final reveal.

So far, so good.  I also hammered in a couple of staples to the underside and attached it with zip ties so the top doesn't float around.

Second Project: Adding a shelf to the linen closet

This one is nothing big so there are no pictures.  My friend gave me a shelf months ago to add to my linen closet.  This weekend I cut two cleats and screwed them to the wall.  Then I measured the existing shelves and cut the new one to the same length and put it in the shelf resting on the cleats.  Nothing exciting but certainly a project that is part of my triple play.  Once I get the linen closet cleaned and organized with the new shelf, I may post a picture.

Third Project: Creating a scarf hanger.

I sort of have a scarf collection.  I have scarves from India, Morocco, England, Kenya, Thailand, as well as from the Bourbonnais and Chicagoland areas.  I think it is a great accessory to have.  I have a few different ways I wear them and have a Youtube video that shows 24 ways to wear a scarf. Some of these are repeated but this is where I get different styles. I would hang my scarves on a hanger folded in half or on some scarf rings that I have accumulated. They take up a lot of room, yet they are colorful and I thought it would be nice to have them out kind of on display.  This was my first inspiration but I didn't like the fact that this was a rusty old wrought iron fence piece that would be displaying my scarves. I don't want them to snag on any rough spots.

So I started to think about a wide ladder and using that as a hanger.  I purchased a piece of wood for the rails and then a couple of dowels.  I measure the space where I would hang it in my bedroom.  Here are some pictures of the construction.

     

And the finished project: a scarf ladder.

These are most of my scarves.  I have one in my closet and two in my laundry room still.

Enjoy!

table saw 101

Last January I bought a used table saw.  There was one posted on a for-sale fb page along with other tools. I actually first bought a rubber mallet from this guy and when we met for the exchange I asked him about the Craftsman Table Saw that he posted.  I told him that I was interested in it and that I had never used one before.  He said it was a good one and that he used it a lot.  It just had to go because he was losing his shop area.  I told him I would email him.  So I went home and talked to my roommate about it.  It was $150 for an item that was about $600 brand new.  I decided this was a deal I couldn't pass up.  I emailed him and arranged for the buy and the delivery.  It was housed in Manteno, I had no truck, nor the amount of muscle needed to go get it. He was nice enough to deliver it to my garage.  He delivered it along with the user's manual and said it needed a new blade.  I was all set.  Remember, this was January so it was cold and I had no desire to learn how to use the saw in the winter.  Anyway, the garage needed a good cleaning so the table saw could have a permanent spot along with our bicycles and cars, among other things.

Summer came and it was time to clean out that garage.  Things sure accumulate quickly in the garage over the winter.  Then with July being as hot as it was, this project was delayed.  I ended up cleaning half of the garage, then waited about a month to do the other half.  Since I don't have a large garage, I needed a moveable base for the table saw to live on.  I bought one at Sears and assembled it regardless of the instructions.  Then I got three people to lift the saw so I could maneuver it to receive the legs in the right spots.  Success!  The base was perfect.  It has two levers that raise it to roll it out for use.  Then it is lowered for secured use.

Now it was time to ask a friend to come over and teach me how to use the saw.  I have a couple of friends that offered to show me the ropes.  Duane used to work at Olivet years ago.  He brings in his little woodworking jobs to show the ladies in the office.  He makes trivets, boxes, lanterns, as well as larger items like a dining room table, dressers, and nightstands.  He brings in pictures of the larger items.  He is proud of his work.  He does a great job.  When he brings in pieces to show them off, I look at them closely and guess the wood that he used, look at the joints and talk about how he made the item.  It is a fun little game :)

Duane came over last Thursday night.  The first order of business was to change the blade.  Then we went through squaring the blade, angling the blade, and then making cuts.  Basic cross cuts and ripping are what we covered.  Really, just the basics.  I showed him the plans for my first big project, a queen sized headboard.  He looked through the plans and recommended poplar as the wood.  He agreed that it is a basic plan that is good to start with.  Oh, I almost forgot...we also talked about safety with the table saw.  I have safety goggles and ear plugs.  I am never to be in a rush when I am using the table saw.  I will always wait for the blade to stop all the way before I reach for the wood.  If I ever get in a hurry, I just need to stop, count my fingers and be thankful for each one of them.  Duane lost half of his pinky finger back in 2008.  You just can't get them back so there is no need to hurry...no matter what!

Here is a picture of my table saw.  I hope to bring you regular blogs of my DIY projects.  This
weekend I made a cushioned top for a dog crate, I added a shelf to my linen closet, and I made a scarf hanger.  My next blog will be the detail of those as well as the before and after pictures.  

Enjoy!  

Switched

Since I am a single mother of two kids, I am frugal when it comes to home repair.  Projects that I have done in my house include but are not limited to the following:

1.   Change the kitchen faucet to a cool one that pulls out and sprays.

2.    Paint (a lot).

3.    Pull up carpet, pad, and tack strip (saving $300).

4.    Strip wallpaper.

5.    Cut and install wood base.

6.    Lay 18” ceramic tile, grout too.

7.    Install bead board and chair rail.

8.    Hang drywall.

9.    Help a friend install a toilet (and ejector pump) and a pedestal sink in basement.

10.  Assemble various pieces of furniture.

11.  Install replacement ceiling light fixtures.

12.  Change outlets and switches.

13.  Install ceiling fans.

14.  Install mini blinds.

When something needs to be fixed, installed, or updated, I am usually the one to do it.  I will look at some DIY blogs, YouTube videos, ask friends, and even ask employees of Lowes.  As my blog title states, I pretty much do whatever I can do to save paying someone else. 

This weekend I installed a timer switch for my bathroom exhaust fan.  Maybe someone else needs to know how to do this.  One would think the instructions in the box would suffice, but they really don’t.

1.  Turn off the power to the switch at the breaker box.  This is usually done by trial and error because I have never seen an electrical panel that is properly marked.  Why don’t they color code them or number them somehow in both locations?

2.   Remove the switch plate.  Mine happens to have an outlet next to it because when we bought this house there was no exhaust fan in this bathroom.  So I had the installer add an outlet too.

3.   Remove the two screws holding the switch in.  Gently pull out the switch.

 

4.   Unscrew each screw that is holding in the wire.  There should be one on the top and one on the bottom.  If it is an older switch, the wires could be hooked around the screw.  Remove and straighten the wire.  Set switch aside.

5.   On the timer switch, unscrew the two screws so the spaces are open to receive the wires.   Then insert the top wire into the top space and tighten the screw.  Do the same for the bottom wire.

  

6.   Gently press the timer switch into the electrical box and insert top and bottom screw.

7.   Check your face plate and be sure it is in the right place horizontally.  If not, unscrew, press it to the center, and tighten the screws.

 

8.   Reinstall the face plate over the timer switch.

9.   Place the timer guide on post then the thumb switch.

10. Turn the dial, then flip the circuit breaker on.

11. The fan should turn on.

I always feel better when I can do something to improve myself and my home.

While she was out

Those of you who know me, know that Madi, my daughter, recently went on a mission trip to Kenya and Tanzania for 18 days. She went with a group through college. She had a fabulous time, wanted to bring all the kids back with her, and she wants to go back again soon! She moved back home from school on May 4th and then left for her mission trip on May 6th. Close your eyes and visualize a 19 year old female’s bedroom on say, May 5th. Imagine her car as well. Exactly! The day she left, Mindy and I decided that we would do a major While You Were Out to her bedroom and car.

Phase one: Emptying her room. Really there is one word for this phase…WOW! I should also point out here that in January of 2012 she went to England on a literary tour and there were still many remnants from THAT trip. She returned two days before starting the spring semester at college and never truly unpacked. When we were halfway through this phase, we realized we had not taken before pictures. Oh well, we couldn’t go back and do that at this point. This empty phase was not a cleaning phase so we pretty much picked up things and stacked them elsewhere…Mindy’s room, my room, even Madi’s bathroom held her stuff. During phase one we went to Lowe’s to select carpeting and installation. We soon found out that the carpet we selected would take 10-14 business days for delivery to Lowe’s, then several days after that for installation; as Asteroid from the Jetson’s would say: Rut ro. We had to move to plan B: select carpet that is in stock at Lowe’s. There isn’t a wide selection, maybe 15 to 20 rolls in all. And of those there were really just a few that were options for Madi’s room. So, we selected one and placed our order. We realized that the selection was perfect when we brought home the 3”x3” sample: the right color tan and enough flecks to hide future spills and messes. We now had several days to get the room all the way empty and remove the old, nasty, stained, gross carpet. Luckily I mentioned that the tack strip around the perimeter is always a pain because Adam (Lowe’s flooring dept. worker) said they can be reused and to leave it! Praise God! A couple of days later, the room was empty. Phase one was complete.

Phase two: Paint the ceiling and have the carpeting installed. When Madi was a tween, she had a loft bed with a desk underneath to maximize her space. During that time she got those glow-in-the-dark stars that you stick on the ceiling. Well, she must have arranged them in a million different patterns on her ceiling because there was sticky stuff and dirty fingerprints all over the area just above where her loft bed used to be. After all, it was the only part she could reach. I had to scrape off some sticky residue that remained and spackle some areas around her room to prepare for the paint. The next night was paint night and the day after that was carpet installation day! Her ceiling fan blades were removed for painting and therefore washed while they were down. They get so dusty! During these days I also got mini blinds for her window. She had a pull shade that never quite worked. Finally, the ceiling was painted, the mini blinds were installed, and the carpet was installed. The Lowe’s carpet installers even vacuumed! Phase two was complete.

Phase three: Moving back the furniture we wanted to keep (bed, chest of drawers, under-bed drawer, and nightstand). Part of our goal was to prepare her room for a 20 year old and remove those items that were teenagery. So that meant the stripy mirror and fuchsia hooks had to go as well as the lime green and hot pink IKEA tables. Luckily we know a certain 12 year old girl who took them off our hands =) We purchased a white shelf unit along with purple and tan bins to replace the tables. She still had stuff that needed a home that everyone else didn’t have to look at. We thought the bins were a great way to pull in some color and make it look grown up. In essence, Phase three was complete.

Phase four: This phase was all me. Mindy thought it best to step out of this one. I would organize her stuff on her nightstand, shelving unit, chest, closet, and under-bed drawer. The under-bed drawer was never one to stay together before. The bottom would fall out from the weight of the stuff that Madi shoved in it. While her room was empty, I repaired the drawer with fabulous Gorilla Glue and clamps. That bottom will NEVER fall out again =) So night after night I would bring in bins, boxes, and baskets from other areas of the house and clean them out, stacking, organizing, throwing away items they contained. That gum wrapper may have come from that cute guy at that concert but it went in the trash when I found it! This took a while, maybe four evenings in all. It was coming together very nicely. During this entire time, we didn’t once post on fb that we were doing this. We told a few people but that is it. We didn’t want Madi catching a whiff of this on fb or from any of her friends. I believe all in all I did five loads of laundry and threw away about 50 individual socks that had no match. Everything finally had a home. I was proud to say that phase four was complete.

Phase five: The final touches. Madi took several hundred pictures when she was in England in January and never really posted them on fb. Mindy was in charge of this phase. She selected six pictures that Madi took and touched up using Lightroom. She played with the color and the composition, cropping them just so. She ordered them from a website to have a metallic finish and be mounted on styrene for frameless hanging. I brought a couple other posters that Madi had to The Learning Tree for Skip to laminate and also purchased some 3M poster hangers since duct tape never worked well. We hung her mirror, new hooks, various pictures/posters, as well as the England collage. Her room was looking very nice. Phase five complete.

Phase six: We decided that we needed to clean out her car too since most of that stuff either belonged in her room at home, or would go back to campus in the fall. We emptied her car and I carefully went through her things organizing them as I had the contents of her bedroom. The campus items went into the basement for safekeeping until late August, trash and recycling went to its appropriate location. As I sorted through her things Mindy armed herself with a roll of paper towels and cleaning sprays. She did call on me to use my putty knife to scrape the gunk out of the cup holders. We still have no clue what it was. It was white and waxy. No clue. We washed her car, vacuumed it out, and filled the gas tank.

A small prize will be awarded to the first reader who correctly guesses how many water bottles I found in her car =)

Welcome home Mads! She absolutely loves her room and her clean car. This type of project will not be happening again.

DIY Laundry Room

This is my first major DIY Project.  One I did from floor to ceiling.  I thought it was only appropriate to showcase it as my first blog post. Project dates: 9.29.11 to 10.3.11

It was not a desirable room to be in for anything, especially laundry, ironing, folding clothes, hanging clothes.  That is about to change!

First order of business was to empty the room.  Remove cabinets that were being relocated, remove doors that were being painted, and remove the laundry sink.  The old washer and dryer went to the curb.  There was grime, dust, and dog hair caked on the floor underneath the old washer and dryer.  We lived here for seven years and had never cleaned nor seen under these machines.  That hideous wallpaper, yes those were squares of contact paper that were maybe 12″ x 12″.  Such a pain in the butt to remove.

The next step was putting down the backer board.  It was screwed right to the floor.  The mortar would adhere the tiles to the backer board.  One person at Lowe’s had me convinced to go with the ready to use mortar (no mixing necessary).  The next day I was back at Lowe’s and the two guys there that day convinced me otherwise so I bought the powdered mortar and the large mixing drill bit among many other items.  So my neighbor and friend Andre’ helped get me started with putting down the tiles.  He had done flooring before so I found that extremely helpful.  He showed me the right consistency of the mortar and then he was in charge of cutting the edge tiles since I wasn't very good at that part.

After the tile was down and set, it was my chance to get the walls completed.  I cleaned up the tiles and readied the walls for paint.  Needed to mud some areas as you can see how the lovely wallpaper came off and took some wallboard with it.  Once that was done, I painted, nailed the base trim, attached the bead board, nailed the chair rail.  Also painted the cabinets and the removed doors white.

I was very pleased with how this turned out and the new washer and dryer hadn't even been delivered yet.

The next part was my favorite part I think.  Grouting.  I watched professional and non-professional YouTube videos.  They were so helpful.  While I watched the pros do it, I realized that was best case on what I wanted.  As I watched the DIYer, I imagined this was how it was going to go for me.  I liked this part, did I mention that?  Right.  Then that night I cleaned the grout haze and installed a new ceiling light.  Nothing fancy, just didn't want to have the circa 1968 light still in this bright new laundry room.

Frank’s Appliance Center delivered the Whirlpool Duet Washer and Dryer on Monday morning as planned.  I re installed the laundry sink when I got home from work at 4:45 that day.  Put down a rug, rehung the doors back on the cabinets.  It was coming together very nicely.

Mindy saw this ladder idea from someone’s blog.  I just loved the idea.  I hang a lot of clothes to dry and this was perfect.  I didn't want to see the plastic coated wire shelving in my beautiful new laundry room.  I got an old wooden ladder from a friend but as I was stripping that I realized that this laundry room has nothing rustic or old in it.  I decided to make my own ladder.  Off to Lowe’s again for some dowel rods, 1×3′s, screws, and yellow paint.  A couple of nights later I hung the pictures, the ladder, and the ironing board hanger.

It is so nice bright, fresh, and new...I just love my laundry room.  After the washer and dryer (purchased from Frank's Appliance Center) were delivered, my roommate and I sat against the wall and just watched the first load wash for about 30 minutes. It is so nice, bright, fresh, and new…I just love my laundry room.  After the washer and dryer were delivered, my roommate and I sat against the wall and just watched the first load wash for about 30 minutes.