Today’s post is all about filling in the plank! I love a good play on words…and I love the planked wall look which harkens back to a simple country farmhouse look. Previous to the water leak we had beadboard walls that I had installed shortly after moving into our house. But, I was tired of the beadboard and really wanted a look that was casual, cozy and all about the farmhouse look. I’d fallen in love with The Lettered Cottage’s guest room walls:

Those lucky ducks uncovered the planks under the drywall! I knew we wouldn’t be lucky enough to find anything but termite damage under our drywall. Then I saw the House of Smith’s installed their own gorgeous planked walls using ripped plywood planks and two nickels:

I decided I could do it for cheaper, so I used two pennies. LOL. Get it? Cheaper than two nickels.

The process of installing plank walls is really very simple. And the planks are great for covering a multitude of sins on your wall. (Like previously glued beadboard walls.)

Materials:

• 3/16″ plywood subfloor sheet ripped (cut with the grain) into 5 7/8″ planks
• Edge molding (90 degree angle) for exterior corners
• Sanding block
• Finish nailer and compressor with 1 1/4″ nails (or finish nails and a hammer)
• Construction glue
• Level
• 2 Pennies
• Pencil
• Jigsaw
• Wood putty
• Putty knife
• Primer
• Paint
• Paint roller
• Paint brush
• 5-in-1 Paint tool
• Howe casing molding
• Caulk (paintable latex)
• Caulk gun

Prepping your plywood.

Look for the thin 3/16″ plywood subflooring. Our local Lowe’s sells it for $13.28 a sheet. You can get 8 planks out of each sheet. When you purchase the plywood, ask an employee in the lumber department if they can rip the sheets for you. Because the sheets are thin, they can usually layer 2-3 sheets on the saw at a time. If they rip the planks at 5 7/8″ there will be one row left that is 6″. Keep that row for the bottom on all your walls or your horizontal lines will be off.

After you get home with your planks, put on a movie or DIY Network and hand sand all the edges of the planks to remove any splinters.

Installing the plank wall:

Measure and cut your first plank and set it at the bottom of your wall.

Cut your second plank for any adjoining walls. Make sure to level both planks and line them up with each other.

Add construction adhesive to the back of your planks and secure them to the wall with finish nails. Add nails as needed to keep the planks from waving.

Cut your planks for the next row. Add adhesive to the back of the plank. Insert two pennies between the first and second plank for a spacer and nail your 2nd row to the wall.

At some p0int you’ll need to cut holes in the planks to work around outlets and light switches. You can measure the location of the switches and then cut out the hole with a jigsaw, or use this technique for marking where the outlet is with lipstick.

Note: If you are working with walls that exceed 8 feet in width, you should cut your boards to random lengths and stagger your seams.

Continue working your way up the wall. You could go all the way to the ceiling. I chose to stop about 5′ up and capped off the planks with Howe casing.

This provides a nice visual break in our 8′ tall room.

For outside corners, add corner molding below the Howe casing by nailing it in place and then caulking the seams.

Fill all the nail holes with wood putty and sand when dry. Fill the inside corners, seams and cracks between the door casing and the planks with caulk.

Prime the planks and molding.

After the primer has dried, gently sand any rough spots. To paint the planks, roll the paint on first. Use your paint brush to smooth the paint and maintain the wood grain. Use a 5-in-1 paint tool to scrape any paint out of the grooves.

Use at least two coats, allowing the paint to dry between coats.

(Side note: I used the Benjamin Moore Advance paint on the planks and molding. The paint is a waterborne alkyd, in other words, an oil paint with dryers added. This means you get the durability and smoothness of an oil paint with the drying and clean up of a latex paint. The finish is amazing! I used satin and the paint has great leveling, low VOCs and a strong finish.)

The planked molding treatment looks great in our kitchen.

Unfortunately, I had to run the molding around the circuit breaker box in the kitchen. But, my son’s artwork disguises the ugly box.

The planks look great as they hug the kitchen command center (tutorial to come.)

It’s a cozy spot for me to get organized.

I’m really liking our clean white cottage farmhouse walls. They were super easy!

I know you could do this too because Pretty Handsome Guy easily installed a few walls . Have a great weekend!

Just getting caught up on our kitchen renovation? You can read ALL about how we went from a small water leak to bare studs to a working kitchen!

• Polybutylene Pipe Leak turns into Moldy Mess
• My World Upended, Asbestos Discovery and Removal -All You Ever Wanted to Know About Asbestos
• Planning New Kitchen Layout and more
• Planning Colors and Materials for the New Kitchen
• Let the Demolition Begin
• How to Remove Soffits
• Move Back in the Kitchen Temporarily and Throw a New Year’s Party
• Termite Damage and Kitchen Update
• How and When You Should File for a Permit during a Kitchen Renovation - Your Questions Answered
• Everything You Should Know about Termites and Termite Damage
• How to Survive without a Kitchen During Renovation
• Furing out the Wall, Ceiling Patch, and Clean Air
• Drywall Installation Tips
• How to Finish Drywall Seams
• How to Install Recessed Lighting
• Installing Cork Tile Flooring
• Installing a Hardwired Pendant Light

Around Memorial Day and the Fourth of July I love to make t-shirts for the boys showing our patriotic spirit. Last year the boys and I made these spray dyed star shirts:

This year I decided it would be fun to brand my sons as “Made in USA.”

Materials:

• T-shirt
• Coordinating fabric
• Thread
• Silhouette heat transfer fabric interfacing (sewable)
• Silhouette heat transfer flocking
• Fabric blade
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Optional: Sewing machine

Instructions:

Print “Made in USA” in your font of choice in the Silhouette studio software. Using the menu at the top, go to: “Object > Transform > Mirror Options” and choose flip horizontally from the tool options at the right of your screen.

Set the blade depth to the suggested cut depth number. Feed the flocking into the machine fuzzy side up. Send the file to cut on your Silhouette cutter.

Peel off the background flocking. Set the words aside.

Draw two stars in the Silhouette studio software. One star should be smaller than the other. Cut a piece of scrap fabric large enough to fit the two stars on. Cut a piece of interfacing slightly smaller than your scrap of fabric.

Lay the interfacing, shiny side down onto the backside of the fabric. Flip the fabric over and iron it for about 10 seconds.

Remove the backing from the interfacing. Lay the fabric, interfacing side down onto the Silhouette cutting mat. Feed the mat into the cutter.

Adjust the cutting depth per the suggested setting. (Side note: I found I needed to set it the cutting depth one more number than suggested.) Send the file to the cutter. Peel away the background fabric.

Repeat the steps for cutting the stars on a coordinating piece of fabric. (I cut four stars, 2 small and 2 larger to create two shirts.)

Layout the stars and the Made in USA flocked letters onto the shirt (the flocked letters should be placed with the acetate side up.)

Lay a piece of fabric over the flocked letters and iron for 30-45 seconds until the letters adhere to the shirt.

Peel up the acetate cover.

Quickly run the iron over the star to adhere it to the shirt.

Set coordinating thread onto the sewing machine. Sew stitches around the edges of the stars to secure them and to add a decorative border.

You now own two sweet Made in USA shirts for Memorial Day or Fourth of July!

My boys were excited to wear their new shirts. They couldn’t wait for the holiday.

And now is your chance to win your own Silhouette Portrait!

Entries can be made through the Rafflecopter widget shown below (don’t see the widget? Click here to be taken directly to my website.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A winner will be chosen at midnight on Monday, May 27th. And if you don’t win, no worries, this promotion will last through May 31st, should you wish to purchase your own Silhouette at a discount.

Click HERE to take advantage of the deals on the Silhouette Fabric bundles. And don’t forget to use the promo code: HANDY at checkout.

Good luck!

P.s. These awesome bloggers are also giving away a Silhouette Portrait! Increase your chances by entering their giveaways as well:

 733 | A Pumpkin & A Princess | Crazy Little Projects | Decor Chick | Design, Dining and Diapers | The DIY Showoff | Ginger Snap Crafts | My Blessed Life | Mom 4 Real |Mom Endeavors | Simply Designing | That’s What {Che} Said… | Whipperberry

Do you have a crack in your drywall that keeps coming back?

Today’s post will help you fix this annoying problem in 5 easy steps using 3M’s Patch Plus Primer.

This weekend I was cleaning out the guinea pig cage that sits in our living room (did you know guinea pigs can live from 5 to 8 years, what the!!!) and noticed a crack in our wall under the window.

Apparently the previous homeowners tried to fix it since there was evidence of old joint compound around the crack.

Dealing with old rental homes has taught me a thing or two about drywall and plaster. After reading this post I guarantee you’ll be able to permanently fix any drywall crack in no time.

Materials:

• Fiberglass mesh drywall tape
• 3M Patch Plus Primer
• Putty knife
• 6 inch drywall knife
• Joint compound mud pan
• Sanding sponge
• Towel for your floor
• Your wall paint
• 2 to 3 episodes of Big Bang Theory

That’s not a bad supply list.  My grocery list puts it to shame and is far more expensive (and that’s without buying Dogfish Head IPA beer).

Let’s get started and eliminate your cracked drywall

Instructions:

Step 1: Apply Fiberglass Mesh Tape to Your Drywall Crack

One of the biggest mistakes anyone can make is to just add joint compound or spackling to the drywall crack. Over time the crack will come back because the compound or spackling will never win the fight between it and your house settling. It’s like Pee Wee Herman challenging Mike Tyson.

Adding fiberglass mesh drywall tape to the crack is like giving Pee Wee anabolic steroids.

Center the tape on the crack. Since one side is sticky you can place it on the wall and get your Patch Plus Primer ready.

Step 2: Add a Thin Coat of Patch Plus Primer to the Drywall Tape

3M Patch Plus Primer is great for repairing cracks or holes in drywall because it doesn’t require a primer coat like traditional joint compound.  So you save time and money

Big Tip: when you buy 3M Patch Plus Primer at the hardware store make sure it hasn’t been opened. Otherwise, it might be bad and unusable. The same principle applies to any product that comes in a container (including pre-mixed joint compound).

Apply a thin coat of Patch Plus Primer over your mesh tape. Just enough to fill the voids and make the tape adhere even more to the wall.

If your crack is long (say 2-5 feet) I recommend applying the spackling to the tape with a 6 inch drywall knife. To do this, you’ll have to scoop some of the Patch Plus Primer into a mud pan to use the larger knife.

Add the spackling by starting in the middle of the tape. Spread the spackling on the tape in a downward motion from the center. Then go back and add the rest of the spackling moving upward from the center of the tape.

This stretches the tape along the crack and prevents it from wrinkling.

Allow this coat to dry for 30 minutes and watch 1 episode of Big Bang Theory.

Step 3: Add Your Second Coat of Patch Plus Primer 

The reason for the light coat of 3M Patch Plus Primer in Step 1 is so you don’t have a big hump on your wall where the tape is located.

Use your 6 inch knife to put on a second coat of the Patch Plus Primer.

Make the width of the new coat be two inches to the right and 2 inches left of the center of the tape.

Then smooth out the spackling with your 6 inch drywall knife like you did in Step 2 (always starting in the center and moving toward the ends).

The key tip I have here is to apply slightly more pressure on the side of the knife that touches the drywall. This pressure change will feather the Patch Plus Primer and blend it into the existing drywall.

Depending on your skill and how perfect you want the wall you may have to apply a 3rd coat.

Step 4: Lightly Sand the Patch Plus Primer 

For small drywall repair jobs I like to use a fine grit sanding sponge to feather the edges of spackling or joint compound. Lightly move the sanding sponge in a circular motion over the patched area. Circular motions will help blend the patch into the drywall.

It will take a well trained eye to notice where you made your repair.

Step 5: Paint Your Wall

The best part about the 3M Patch Plus Primer is that you don’t have to prime it.

Patch Plus Primer can be painted over after 30 minutes. Use a good quality paint brush or roller. I’ve been using a Purdy 2 inch brush for 2 years now and while the handle is rusted, the bristles look fantastic. I always rinse my brush in warm water then wrap it in Glad Press N Seal. Brittany also has a great tutorial on keeping your paint brushes looking new.

The wall looks pretty darn good, wouldn’t you say?

I’m gonna go out on a limb here but I think even Dr. Evil would be pleased with this job.

Now you know the secret to permanently fixing a drywall crack. This entire project can be done in one afternoon or over the weekend without breaking a sweat.

Brittany also has a great tutorial on how to finish drywall seams.

Do you have any burning drywall questions? Ask away in the comment section below and I’d be happy to help

Make it a great day!

~ Learn more about Jeff ~

We made some serious progress this past week. Not only did we make a big dent in the “to do” list in the kitchen, but we also finished painting and installing the trim in the mudroom. It’s really nice walking past this little paper flower spring wreath and into a finished room!

Our mudroom is looking so nice that I decided to invite you over for a little tour.

When visitors step in the mudroom they immediately notice the inlaid pebble mat that I designed.

It isn’t just for looks, it also traps some of the dirt in between the pebbles as you walk over it.

The stones are actually comprised of six 12″ x 12″ square mats. Once you look closely, you’ll see the delineation lines. The border tiles are also sold in 12″ lengths and are made of mosaic slate. Both tiles are from The Tile Shop. The corner squares are actually cut out of the floor tiles that make up the rest of the mudroom floor. They are actually porcelain tiles inkjet printed to look like slate. We bought them at Lowe’s Home Improvement.

You may recall that before we laid the tiles, I installed Warmly Yours radiant heat mats.

I can honestly say that this is a wonderful bonus source of heat in the winter. We were able to keep the mudroom and laundry room (both devoid of heating registers) toasty warm throughout the season. And now that summer is looming, I just turn off the radiant floors until the cold weather returns.

When you look up, you notice the circle diamond pattern lights I transformed from ugly brass lights.

Guests are invited to hang up their coats and leave their shoes in the bench if they want to get comfortable and stay a while.

You can learn more about how I built the coat rack from a salvage door and garage sale shelves in this tutorial.

It’s really nice having the ledge to decorate or put library books to return on top of it.

Or just some fresh clippings from the yard.

The hooks are antique acorn tip hooks purchased from eBay.

One of the smartest decisions I made while building the shoe storage bench (made from kitchen cabinets), was to leave room for a basket to hold socks. It just makes perfect sense to put your shoes and socks on at the same time. This streamlines our rush to get out the door every morning.

Honestly, this is one of those projects that I built and am so thankful I did. It keeps us organized and looks attractive too.

I call it my sanity saver, because it keeps me from going insane tripping on shoes (ahem, my own shoes don’t count. LOL.)

The little side table is a new addition to the mudroom.

It let me add my little paint chip lamp and a place to drop a pair of sunglasses or mail when I walk in the door.

On the opposite wall is the memo board I made from an old window. We like to leave funny messages on the chalkboard panels.

And some inspirational messages as well.

Our mudroom isn’t very wide, but it is long and it’s the perfect place to come in and drop the weight of the day off your shoulders.

Thanks for visiting our nest.

You can take more of our house tour here.

It’s time to replace your roof. Where do you start? This is the exact predicament I found myself in after the tree fell on our house a few weeks ago. Choosing shingles and roofing material in less than 48 hours had me in a panic. Don’t they know that I need time to thoroughly research shingles, colors, warranties, etc.? Lucky for us, our insurance company turned our claim over to the restoration company who has a roofer they use. So, I was able to fast forward past the process of hiring a roofer.

Hiring a roofer:

If you need to hire a roofer, do your research. Ask for referrals. Check on Angie’s List. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Do your homework on this one! Investing in a new roof is no small expense and quality installation is key to preventing problems down the road. Also, MAKE SURE THE ROOFER IS LICENSED AND INSURED!  Don’t just take “yes” as an answer to this question. Ask to see the policy or get the insurance company name, number and their policy number so you can call and verify. I can’t overstress how important this is because I know someone whose roofer fell of their roof. Luckily he lived and luckily she wasn’t sued. But, this always makes me think twice.

When to replace your roof:

If you start to see torn, damaged, or missing shingles. Or if you discover water leaks, or holes in your roof, it is time to get a new roof ASAP. Delaying the process can only lead to costly repairs to your home (both inside and out.) And repairing an old roof is usually only putting a band-aid on the problem.

Types of roofing material:

There are numerous types of roofing material. Metal (read more about our little copper roof here), slate, composite, clay tile, wood shakes, and asphalt shingles are possible materials. Your decision will likely come down to budget, location, and personal preference. I will focus on asphalt shingles since they are the most popular budget conscious —if spending several thousand dollars can be considered budget conscious—and they are what we chose to use.

Architectural vs. Traditional 3 tab shingles:

Architectural shingles (also referred to as laminated or dimensional shingles) are the latest addition to the shingle line up. Most homeowners who are looking for an upgrade in style and function chose architectural shingles. They cost about 20% more than the traditional three tab shingles. The steeper cost isn’t just paying for good looks. The architectural shingles are thicker because they are made up of several layers of laminated shingles. Therefore they are heavier and much more resistant to wind and storm damage. They are less likely to warp and wear like a three tab shingle. Architectural shingles also typically have a longer warranty. Some architectural shingles come with a 40-50 year warranty (termed lifetime) compared to a 20-30 year warranty for three tab shingles. Plus, architectural shingles are rated up to 110 mile per hour winds compared to 70 mile an hour for three tab shingles.

How to pick colors:

Once you’ve narrowed down your decision to type of shingles and brand. Ask your roofer if they have samples or where you can get sample boards. The sample board will have a few rows of the actual shingles glued to a board. This is a good place to start.

Narrow  your choice down to 3-4 colors you like. Then ask to borrow a sample board of each color. (Local building supply companies usually have several of these on hand. Or ask your roofer to get you some.)

Bring those sample boards home and set them up against your house. Look at them from a distance. Ask your friends, neighbors, and family members to weigh in. Sometimes it takes someone else’s top choice to help you realize that you don’t like that one.

Once you think you have it narrowed down to a few colors, ask your roofer for a list of local jobs using those colors. Then do a drive by and accept that you’ll get strange looks as you snap pictures of random strangers’ homes. Seeing the shingles installed on a roof at full scale is truly the best way to color shop.

(CertainTeed Landmark colors clockwise from top left: Moire Black, Weathered Wood, Georgetown Gray, Charcoal)

Some shingle manufacturers have a feature where you can pay to upload your house picture and they will build a mask so you can visualize the different colors on your home. Certainteed has this feature for a price, but it also takes several days for them to process your request (remember I only had 48 hours!)

Estimating Your Roof size:

Shingles are sold in squares. Each square (or bundle) is 100 sq. feet.  A traditional 2,300 square foot home usually has approximately a 30 square roof, plus an additional 10% for waste. If you have a garage, porch or other structures, you’ll need to account for their coverage as well. And if you have a cape cod or dutch colonial (like we do), you’ll need to allow for more squares to cover the front where the roof extends over the 2nd floor. (For comparison, our home  is 2700 sq. feet with a 2 car garage, screen porch, and laundry room bump out. Our roof was about 50 squares.)

To layer or to strip:

Building codes usually allow you to add another layer of shingles onto a previous layer. If you already have two layers you will need to strip your roof down to the plywood sub-layer. But, before you consider layering, be aware that adding a second roof layer will add weight and stress to your rafters. Another reason NOT to layer is that wood rot and damage may be hidden.  I highly recommend starting fresh with your roofing layer. If we hadn’t started from scratch, the roofer would never have noticed the underlying wood rot.

Proper prep-work:

After the old shingles and tar paper are removed down to the wood, your roofer should assess and repair any damaged wood. After repairs are complete, new tar paper (or felt paper) is laid on top of the plywood. Then the roofer will mark horizontal lines on the roof to use as a guide for keeping the shingle rows even and parallel.

Flashing:

My goodness, we’ve gone from stripping to flashing. I thought this was a G-rated blog! Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Flashing is required anywhere where two different surfaces on the roof meet (i.e. chimney, dormer windows, different roof lines, etc.) I can’t stress how important it is for your roofing professional (or you) to use proper flashing on your home. The best flashing around dormer windows, chimneys, and other changes in roof surface is step flashing.

Strip flashing can be used on vertical locations, but the angled rooflines of our house was not the place to use them.

Strip flashing on the dormer window was not enough to prevent water from working its way under the shingles. Over time the water was running under the flashing and rotting out the plywood underneath. After it had rotted through the plywood, it got busy rotting the rafters that hold up the roof! Do you see why flashing is important?

Instead, the dormer windows should have been step flashed. Here is a little example of the layering process of step flashing.

It starts from the bottom with one piece of step flashing. Then one row of shingles is set on top of the flashing. Next another piece of step flashing and the next course of shingles. And so on until you reach the top of the window, chimney, or wall you are roofing against.

Educate yourself on proper installation:

Okay, I get it, you’re not a roofing pro. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t be aware of proper shingle installation techniques. You wouldn’t buy a car without learning some of the important technical specs would you? Well, you should take time to learn a little bit about roofing specs too.

Most manufacturers make this education easy for you (and your installer.) They’ve put the instructions on the back of the packaging. If you’ve read the instructions, don’t be afraid to ask your roofer if you see something that doesn’t look like the instructions.

Warranties:

After your roof has been installed, make sure you receive the appropriate receipts and warranty paperwork.

Enjoy your new roof and the piece of mind that comes with knowing you are leak-free.

Soooo, are you curious which color we chose? The winner with a unanimous vote (by our four family members) was…

Moire Black! Which ironically is actually a tad lighter than the Charcoal color.

Here’s a little before and after picture:

The previous green shingles really dictated potential house paint colors. I really like that the new roof color will coordinate with any house color we may choose in the future.  Plus, if we ever sell, it is a nice neutral color.

What do you think? Do you like the new roof? I’ll tell you what I like, no holes in the roof!

Disclosure: No disclosure necessary. This is not a sponsored post, nor was I compensated. We chose CertainTeed under the recommendations of the roofer and several local builders…and my Father-in-law , who is my go to research assistant.

Yes you can make those wood bar stools fit your counter.  Here’s an easy DIY fix to make bar stools into counter stools (and a quick makeover too!).

Bar stools typically sit at 30″ high, this is fine and dandy if you have a proper bar where the countertop is elevated higher than the working countertop space.  Kitchen designs are trending now away from the proper bar towards one even countertop surface.  No worries, you can still use those bar stools for your counter by easily cutting off the bottom 4″ to reduce the stools to a counter height of 26″:

(The white stools above are counter height and in the picture for comparison purposes.)

In addition to fixing the height of your stools give them a fresh look with a quick paint job and a new design:

How to modify bar stools to counter height (and refinish with star detail):

Materials:

• wood bar stool(s)
• scrap 1×4@20″and 1×2@4″ or similar, wood glue, wood screw
• circular saw or hand saw
• sandpaper
• paint (for legs & stars) & paintbrushes
• stain (for seat) + cloth & cotton swabs
• ballpoint pen
• clear polyurethane & foam brush
• clear paste wax & brush or cloth

Instructions:

Step 1: Make a guide for measuring the 4″ cut from each stool leg.  Having a guide ensures each leg will be cut exactly the same length.  Pieces needed for the guide:

Step 2: Attach the 1x2x4″ piece flush to one side and near one end of the 1×4 with a wood screw and glue.

Step 3: Place the guide (the flat portion of the 1×4) up against the bottom of the stool legs lining up the 1×2 with one leg, mark the 4″ cut line.  Repeat this process for each leg.

Step 4: Cut legs using a circular saw (or hand saw), try to keep your cut parallel to the rungs.

Step 5: Sand.

Step 6: Paint. (I used one coat Annie Sloan paris grey.)

Step 7: Sand to distress edges.

Step 8: Stain seat portion using Minwax Provincial.  Be sure to tape off legs where they meet the seat.

Step 9: Use a cotton swab to apply stain to distressed areas of legs.

Step 10: Print out star pattern.  (Download the free pattern here.)  Center pattern on seat and trace stars using ballpoint pen with enough pressure to create slight indent in wood.

Step 11: The indent is visible.

Step 12: Paint the stars on and inside the indents.

Step 13: Distress stars with sandpaper.

Step 14: Seal seat with clear satin poly, two coats.

Step 15: Seal legs with clear wax.

Your stools are ready!  And don’t forget to add some felts to the feet for easy sliding on your floors.

Now when you see those wood bar stools at garage sales this Spring grab them! You can easily modify the legs to fit your counter height eating area.

They’re solid wood, easily portable, user friendly and you can paint them any color to match your decor.

~ Learn more about Jaime ~

Creating a meaningful home isn’t an overnight process. I think many people are discouraged with their dwelling if it isn’t the home of their dreams. I look at creating a meaningful home in three stages. Each stage is important to loving the home that you have now, even with its faults or shortcomings. Read how I love my home’s imperfections along the path to creating my own meaningful home at SAS Interiors Meaningful Home series:

I’ll be looking for you over there .

I love finding unused space for storage. Nothing bothers me more than a wall that obviously hides a large void behind it.  Or a built-in bench that could have been perfect for extra storage.

While on the hunt for creative ways to store more, I found 20 brilliant ways to add built-in beauty AND storage to your home. You can see some above, but there’s plenty more in this curated collection of storage ideas that I put together for you. Enjoy.

Mother’s Day is this weekend! Have you decided how to show her your appreciation and love?! I did! My mother is a professional artist. She creates amazing paintings that inspire others and brighten their homes. For Mother’s Day I wanted to brighten her studio with these art utensil holders. I call them “Creative Blocks.” (Or maybe they should be Creative Unblocks. LOL.)

They were easy and fun to make and certainly a project that you can customize to meet your needs. And best of all, the kiddies can help with the painting step!

Materials:

• 2 – 2×4″ scrap blocks of wood
• Wood glue
• Wood screws
• Drill
• 3/8″ Drill bit
• Wood putty
• Putty knife
• Sanding block
• Paint brushes
• Clamp
• 2″ ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape
• Cutting mat
• X-acto knife
• Acrylic Paint
• Palette knife

Instructions:

1. Block assembly: Select two 2×4″ scraps that are the same length. Spread glue on one board and sandwich them together.

Clamp the wood together and drill two small holes to countersink the heads of the screws. Drive two screws into the bottom of the wood to hold the pieces together.

Use a band saw, jig saw or table saw to trim off the rounded edges of the wood so you have a square block of wood with straight corners.

Putty any cracks or holes. Sand until smooth.

2. Creating the mask: Use the computer to print out your words. Lay the print out on top of a strip of ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape. Use a few pieces of tape to secure the corners.

Trace around the words with the Xacto knife (be sure to have a few fresh blades on hand.) Transfer the resulting cut out tape onto the block of wood. Press the edges of the tape mask to secure the tape.

3. Painting the block: Paint a base color onto the block. Then using a brush and/or palette knife dab thick paint over the block (minus the base.) Use the X-acto knife to gently peel off the tape mask. Let the paint dry thoroughly overnight.

4. Drilling Holes:  After the paint has dried completely, mark the location of the utensil holes with a pencil. Put a piece of painter’s tape on the drill bit to mark the depth of your holes. Drill holes at each pencil mark.

Wrap up the blocks in gift wrap and enjoy the look of joy as she opens her Creative Block Mother’s Day gift!

You know, as an artist myself, I almost loved these too much to give them away. But, my Mom is worth it. (And I can make another set if I want .)

For more last minute Mother’s Day gift ideas and many other creative projects, visit ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Brand website .

Follow ScotchBlue™ on these social media channels to keep up with the newest ideas:

Visit ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Brand on Facebook!
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Disclosure: This post is a collaboration with ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape, but all words and opinions are my own. I was compensated for my time, but I was not told what to write or what project to create. As always I will always let you know if you are reading a sponsored post.

Last month Matt showed you all how to build a decorative shelf with crown molding for our half bath. The shelf is perfect for the space and I love it. Unfortunately something felt like it was missing from the shelf. After some thought I decided that our shelf needed picture frames! Beadboard picture frames to be exact.

Today I am going to show you how to DIY your own beadboard picture frames!

Materials:

1.  Beadboard
2.  Plastic Photo Frames (these are from the dollar store)
3.  Metal Screws with rounded heads (2 for each frame)
4.  Speed Nuts (#8 Flat – 2 for each frame)
5.  Luan
Not shown:
6.  Paint
7.  Rope
8.  Liquid Nails
9. Circular Saw

Instructions:

Decide the overall size of your picture frame.
My sizes are as follows: 
For a 3.5 x 5″ photo: Beadboard – 6.5 x 9″, Luan – 4.5 x 6″ 
For a 4 x 6″ photo:  Beadboard – 8.5 x 12″, Luan – 6 x 8″

Transfer the dimensions to your beadboard/luan and cut your pieces with the circular saw or jig saw (learn how to use these power tools and more in the Tool Tutorial section.)

Paint your luan and beadboard. (I chose a brown for the luan and a complimentary color for the beadboard: AnnieSloanChalkPaint – Duck Egg & Arles.)

When the paint is dry, dry fit the pieces and glue the luan to the beadboard using liquid nails or other type of heavy duty adhesive.  (Do not glue the plastic picture frames to the luan.) 

Give the adhesive ample time to dry and then lay the plastic picture frames onto the luan.  Take one of the speed nuts, center it on the frame, and mark the speed nut location with pencil.

Pre-drill a hole for the screws at the pencil mark. (Use a drill bit slightly smaller than the screws.)

Use a larger drill bit and drill two holes at the top of each board for the rope hanger.

Center the picture frame onto the luan. Take a screw and begin to thread it through the hole in the center of the speed nut.  Line the screw tip up with the pre-drilled hole and tighten it down using a screwdriver.

Once all of the speed nuts have been added to the picture frames, the rope can be added.  The length of the rope is up to your discretion.  Slip the rope through the holes and knot each end.  (If you are having trouble getting the rope through the hole try adding scotch tape to the ends and remove the tape once the rope has been pulled through).  With the rope securely attached to the picture frames they are ready to be hung up!

Not only are the beadboard picture frames perfect for Matt’s shelf, but I think they would be a wonderful gift for someone (think Mother’s Day or a Wedding.) I have to admit, I have been pining over frames like this for a few years now.  I’m glad I took the plunge to learn how to make them. But, I’m also slightly kicking myself for not doing this sooner because these were much easier to make than I could have ever imagined!  Now if I can just convince Matt to let me turn our woodland dresser into a vanity for the half bath we will be in business!  Baby steps right?

~ Learn more about Jacque ~