CHALK PAINT MAKEOVER: END TABLES (PART 1)

I am a sucker for cheap furniture that can be repainted. If I wasn't completely creeped out by Craigslist, I'd probably be on there looking for free furniture all the time. Plus, I'm sure my husband would love me turning our rental condo into a workshop. 😂    

In fact, this is not my first furniture makeover blog post! So for a detailed description of my entire process and the materials I like to use, check out this post about redoing Charlie's baby dresser. 

Back to the main agenda ---> This is going to be a two part blog post because it was done as two separate projects. Part one was redoing these two end tables, and part two was a coffee table (but more on that later). I started this first project in the last two weeks of packing to move to Illinois. Nothing like adding a little extra fun to the moving to-do list!

BEFORE 

Unfortunately I didn't take a completely before picture. But you can get the idea of what they looked like pictured below, even though some primer and wood putty had already been applied. The end table on the left was my grandmother's (Thanks for passing it to me, Mom!) and the one on the right was a Facebook yardsale page find for $10. Those yellow drawers were the original color of my grandma's end table to give you an idea. 

HOW TO 
There are generally 4 stages to this process that I have found to work really well.  And they are:
1) Sand 
2) Fill holes/dings with wood putty 
3) Prime 
4) Paint
And since this was a chalk paint base, there was a step 5) Seal with a wax.

The exact materials I used for sanding, filling in holes in the wood, and my favorite primer are listed in my first furniture DIY post.  

Supposedly one of the advantages of using chalk paint is that you don't need to use a primer first. That may be true. I didn't really see a reason why I wouldn't just go ahead and prime while I'm working on it anyways, and since I knew I liked this primer that I used last time I went for it. Maybe one day I'll try another chalk paint project to try without priming, but I didn't want to test that on these pieces.

Once the sanding, filling, and priming were complete, I got to painting! I used Rust-Oleum Chalked Paint in Aged Gray that I purchased from Home Depot. I chose to do a can of paint + paint brush, but it also comes in a spray paint. I found that the can of paint would go a lot farther than the spray paint would have. You can probably count on using around 3-4 cans of spray paint vs. just the one can of paint. But if you don't actually enjoy the act of painting with a brush, maybe the spray paint route would be better for you.

This shade of gray was exactly what I was looking for! It's a beautifully light and simple gray color, not too "antique", not too dark, and not too white. If you're looking for a color that gives the impression and brightness of white, but isn't white (so that you don't see EVERY dirt mark) this is the color of your dreams.

WAX
Since I used a chalk paint, I definitely needed to use a wax coating as the final step. Chalk paint naturally dries chalky and very "unfinished" looking. Because of this, chalk paint is very vulnerable to water spots and dirt, so it needs the extra layer of protection from the wax. I used Annie Sloan's Clear Soft Wax with a rag to apply the wax. Much needed final step!

I planned to change the hardware pieces on both of the drawers, but only ended up changing the hardware on the single drawer end table because that's the only one I could find a perfect fit for! I could not find ANY drawer pulls that was the right size for my grandma's end table. (And I did not have time to fill/drill new holes sooo I just kept the originals.) But as it turns out, I actually love the original hardware on my grandma's table with the new paint job. 

Hobby Lobby regularly has 50% off sales on their drawer knobs and pulls. The first time I went in to look for new ones for this project, they were not on sale, but just a few days later when I went back they were! So my advice is to wait for the sale to get the best deal, because chances are you won't have to wait that long. 

AFTER

These end tables are some of my favorite pieces now in our apartment in Wheaton. One is beside the couch and the other one is in Charlie's room. SO pleased with how they turned out!

CHALK PAINT FOREVER? 

Do I love chalk paint? Ehh. Yes, I love how QUICK it dries. I love the color options specific to chalk paint (I'm a fan of the shabby chic look, if you can't tell). I love that Home Depot carries various brands of reliable chalk paint, AKA you don't have to spend an arm and a leg on Annie Sloan. But that's about it.

As far as the overall look, it wasn't really anything more amazing than when I redid Charlie's dresser with a latex based paint. And you pretty much have to do a wax coating if it's a piece of furniture that will see a lot of traffic like finger prints, cups, babies banging toys on, etc. So that was an additional step that I didn't have to do last time.

What about y'all? Is there something amazing that I'm missing about the chalk paint hype? I am super happy with how it turned out, but I don't think I will be particular about using chalk paint exclusively in the future. Let me know your thoughts!

DIY NO SEW CURTAINS

This is the ultimate DIY post. It was 1) very cheap and 2) very "use what you have." That's the way I like my DIYs.

I had about 3 yards of upholstery fabric leftover from when my grandma's rocking chair was redone. I considered using the leftovers for just about everything - throw pillows, a crib skirt, valence, curtains...and I can't sew a thing, so you see my dilemma.

I finally decided the most long-term use of the fabric would be curtains. Pillows get replaced and crib skirts get outgrown. And Charlie's new room need curtains more than anything.


For this project I used a new (to me) product that required NO sewing! Yus. It's called HeatnBond Ultrahold. It's more like a super strong hot glue, activated by a hot iron. I used 2 packages of this product that I picked up from Michael's Craft Store as a no sew alternative to creating the hems and curtain rod loop. This stuff is only around $3 or less per package. It was literally the EASIEST thing to use because all you have to have is an iron to activate the heat bond. The hardest part was doing the measurements, which I will explain below.




The materials I used were:

• About 3 yards of fabric (for a standard sized, single window)
• 2 packages of HeatnBond Ultrahold 
• Scissors 
• Iron
• Measuring Tape/Ruler
• Pencil
• Curtain rod (as a reference for the loop)

Step 1: Measure and Cut Fabric
I used one of my living room curtains as a guideline, which is pictured below. To me that was the simplest way to make sure what I was making looked like...curtains haha. 

Next, I cut the fabric into two equal pieces. As you can see on this picture, the blue fabric is 3 inches longer than the tan curtain guideline on the top AND the bottom. This extra fabric will be folded over to create the curtain rod loop/bottom hem, so you will need that extra length! For the hem down the sides, it was folded in about an inch. 

Step 2: Pre-Fold Fabric

I found it really helpful to iron the fold line to make a crease in the fabric early on. Mark on your fabric the exact fold lines so that when it comes time to use the HeatnBond, you already have a precise fold line. Once you have the lines of the fold drawn out, fold and iron it. This creates a definite crease where you will be hemming the fabric and helps to make it look more professional, in my opinion. And I didn't want to start going all crazy/zig zag/uphill/downhill as I was applying the bonding so it just saved time for precision later on. 

Step 3: Apply HeatnBond Strip
Once your fabric is cut and pre-folded, you're ready to apply the Heatnbond adhesive. Like you can see in the picture below, there is a crease 3 inches up from the bottom of the fabric. That's where I will fold over and hem. Cut your strip of HeatnBond to the needed length and place it on the outer edge of the material. Then, follow the instructions for the HeatnBond by ironing the side with the paper on top and letting it cool completely.

Once the HeatnBond strip is ironed in place and has cooled, go ahead and peel the backing off. I had a problem removing the paper backing if it was not completely cool yet. It would rip unevenly and then be tricky to remove...so just be patient.

Step 4: Iron Material Together 
With the paper backing removed, it's time to fold the material over along the crease and iron it together. The strip won't be sticky or glue-like yet, so it will be fine to touch. 

*Note: As in typical DIY fashion, I made a mistake and had to cut the material after gluing to make a hole for the curtain rods. Not smart. So, don't forget to make sure the top or bottom 3 inch hems have an opening for the curtain rod. 

I found it easiest to do the 3 inch sections on the top and bottom first, and then do the sides so that you can stop when you get up to the top/bottom hem and just snip off the leftover fabric and the loop won't get glued together on accident. Below is how to set it up so that you don't accidentally glue the loop together like I did. You will still have to cut an inch off the side of the 3 inch hem, but it won't be glued together and will be easy to cut. 

Pictured below is ironing the side hem, only about an inch wide is necessary. I did not iron a fold into the sides because it was so small. I just folded along as I went.

 It will look like this from the back once you have made all the hems.

Annnnnd time to hang them! I'm super pleased with how they turned out!

BEING TOURISTS - BUT WE LIVE HERE.

Saturday we took our first train ride into Chicago. Yay, adventure! It was quite the learning experience - good and bad. I was nervous about the logistics (like way too nervous for no reason, sorry Honey) and nervous about how Charlie would do. We felt all the "we're from out of town" vibes during the first hour or two of navigating haha. Both of us had been to Chicago before, but it was our first time relying on public transportation and being on our own.  

We caught the Metra at the station in our town and made our way on for the hour long train ride to Chicago. I had my arsenal of board books, toys and gadgets, snacks, bottles, and the baby wrap juuuust incase. Charlie did like the train itself- he liked looking out the window, the crowd, the noise (and making his own), and all of the people nearby he could charm. However, he has never been what you would call a "lap baby." So, having to sit with us for an hour was not the most fun thing for him, but we survived. 

The original plan was to meet up with some friends from KY who were in the town for the weekend, but that would have meant taking the L (Chicago's elevated subway) another 30 minutes north to get to the Lincoln Park Zoo (have I mentioned Chicago is HUGE?). And after riding for an hour already, we just knew Charlie would not be happy about another train ride immediately following. So we had to scrap those plans and make new ones - parents gotta be flexible!

Thankfully he conked out in his stroller after walking around for a little bit, and we were able to make the 25 minute walk over to Millennium Park with him snoozing! The weather could not have been better. We honestly didn't do much more than ride the train, walk, hangout in the park, walk back, and then ride the train home, but it was a lot fun.  

We'll be back for more, Chicago - we're already planning the next trip. :) 

Waiting at the train station. This is his response to almost everything right now - it's ADORABLE.

Millennium Park

Heading home!

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY// 12 MO UPDATE + CURIOUS GEORGE PARTY

Howwwww in the world is our baby already ONE? It's not possible. Time flies when you're having fun....especially when "fun" also means sleeping less and slight exhaustion at times.

One whole year of getting to know this little guy - what a joy it has been. I thank Jesus everyday for his little life and can't wait to watch him grow more. One of my favorite things was finding out just how BIG his personality is. Seriously, almost every time we go out he attracts all the girls. And gets all the compliments. He is a lady killer already. 

Loves:

Food (any and all fruit especially)

Hiding behind things

Books!!

Food

Wrestling with Daddy

Being in the kitchen with Mommy

Throwing a ball back and forth

Taking things off the shelf one at a time

Bath time

Giving his Clifford & Curious George stuffed animals hugs

Being outside/Strolling

Food (...haha)

Screaming

His grandparents

Cooking utensils (bowls, spatulas, Tupperware, all of it!)

Hates:

When the food is gone

DIAPER. CHANGES.

Having his face/nose wiped 

When we tell him he can't play in the toilet/garbage can

Words:

Outside (his favorite right now)

Cheese

Choo Choo

Hi

Eggs

Bye-bye

Dada

Mama (only sparingly lol)

Walking:

Yes! He started walking a couple days before his birthday.

He was super timid at first - if we got excited he would NOT do it again.

But here we are a week later and he's doing more walking than crawling now!

First haircut:

Ugh, not yet. This child's hair though. I'm afraid to cut the top 

with the hopes that eventually the extra weight will help it lay down, 

but the back definitely needs to be shaped up.

Wearing:

Size 12-18 mo & 18 mo clothes

Size 4 diapers

Teeth:

Still 6 (Hasn't cut any since about 7-8 months)

Sleep:

The sleep saga is at a better place for now. He started sleeping through the night just before his birthday and now sleeps from 7:30 pm to 6 am (and exactly 6 am everyday) basically 4 out of 5 days, with a random middle of the night wake-up here and there. I'm so proud of him because he struggggled for so long. 

Naps:

Usually 2 one-hour naps a day (morning and afternoon)

On the weekend of his birthday, we drove back home to Louisville, Kentucky to have a big ole birthday party for Charlie. It was a Curious George themed cook out and almost 40 family and friends showed up to celebrate with us. So special and sweet. 

As much as this boy loves to eat, he wasn't really into the cake smash at first. I don't know if he was intimidated by everyone watching or if he just didn't know he was supposed to make a mess. But once he finally took a bite, he started to dig in!

Happy first birthday, Charlie! We love you so. 

FAVORITE BOOKS: 1 YEAR OLD EDITION

I'm going to have a one year old come August 4th. What?! Not possible.

This post is allll about our favorite books throughout Charlie's first year. The books that I basically have memorized now. The books that I know exactly which page he will crack up at. The books that he never pushes away (he can totally communicate which books he does not want to read, let me tell you). The books that have sweet stories and beautiful illustrations.

Charlie loves reading right now. He loves to read before naps and at bedtime. He loves to wander into his room and sit next to his book box, throwing books out, flipping through a couple, and then tossing some back in. He loves to "read" in the rocking chair and in the car. And he can be kinda picky!

But I need to share this picture before we get into the book titles because 1) THAT HAIR. At what point do I know if I'm emotionally ready for his first hair cut or not?? 2) He's reading one of MY favorite books as a child that I distinctly remember my parents reading to me over and over, Go, Dog. Go! And 3) look at those perfect page-flipping thumbs. I was super impressed he mastered this at only 11 months old. Maybe he has books in his genes. After all, his daddy works in books. Books just might be his job one day. ;)

Okay, let's get into it. These are our top 5 favorite books from year one:

1. The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen 

Without a doubt, this is Charlie's number one favorite book! He L O V E S this board book. I think it's a combination of the colorful underwater pictures and the repetition of the words that he just eats up. He never says no to this one and always greets it with a happy sound when we pick it up! There's one page in here where the fish is really big and has a very happy/friendly face (I won't ruin the ending for you haha) and that is his favorite page. This has been one of our go-to before bed books.










2. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Eric Carle 

I found a giant board book copy of this classic at Halfprice Books when Charlie was a few months old and in the last 3 months it's been one of his favorites. We kept this one in the car for him to flip through as we drove for a while and he really enjoyed that. It's GIANT and I think that's one of the biggest reasons he loves this one. Pictured to the left is his favorite page. He forms his little mouth into a perfect circle and says, "oooooh" everytime. I started taking his pointer finger and counting the children and now he gets it ready for me as soon as we arrive at this page! The illustrations and vibrant colors in this book are perfect for little babies. And it's a perfect book to teach your baby some animal names and colors!






3. Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton 

This is a repetitive song-type book that's easy make really fun. Think square-dancing! Bounce them on your knee, or make it into your own little tune, and your kiddo will go crazy for this one. An older woman from church recommended this one at our first baby shower so I knew I had to pick it up when I found it at Halfprice Books (are you sensing a theme in where I have had a lot of luck finding good books?). It never disappoints for a fun read! 











4. Charlie Goes Camping by Carrie Weston

I have a sweet friend from college who, the last 2 or 3 times I've seen her, has given me several "Charlie" books she's found. She's a teacher, so she's always hitting up Goodwill and thrift stores for books and she has found some gems! This is one of them and it is PERFECT because, as some of you may know, I grew up camping with my family. And we actually call him "Charlie Bear" as a nickname! The pictures are gorgeous and bright. The story is sweet and encourages being a helpful friend. It's a keeper.










5. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Storybook Rhymes

This was one of Charlie's first Christmas presents from Mommy and Daddy and he has so enjoyed it! It sings the rhyme when you flip to the next page and when you press the buttons, they point out letters, shapes, and count items on each of the pages. It's clever, I find myself singing these songs almost daily, and it's a great beginner book for teaching babies the techniques of handling books/flipping pages. Ours has been well loved. 











I would love to know some of your favorite books! What books have your babies and toddlers loved reading over and over? Which ones give you all the feels or make you giggle? I'm always in the market for new children's books. Please share your favorites and suggestions in the comments! :)