03/24 DIY

Campaign Style Dresser- IKEA Malm Makeover

IKEA Malm Dresser Makeover- Campaign Style

The infamous Malm dresser… This guy is everywhere, and while I think that’s part of why it gets a bad rap, it’s hard to deny that it provides a great amount of storage, which was a key deciding point for why I chose them to double as dressers and nightstands in our storage-deficient apartment.

I would agree with anyone who would call the dresser boring, but I see it as an opportunity, like a blank slate calling out for customization.  I believe in you, Malm!!

IKEA Malm Dresser

What stuck out to me was how dark the dresser was, which I wouldn’t mind so much if our apartment wasn’t already dark in general.  To remedy this, my mind was made up to lighten up the look of the dresser, and when I came across this early post from the Hunted Interior (LOVE everything Kristin does!), I was sold on going campaign style with it.

I removed all the drawers and taped the back side edges of the front panels, then taped on aluminum foil.

Tape and aluminum foil
This wasn’t about creating clean edges, but more about protecting the insides of the drawer from spray paint over-spray.  I didn’t mind having a little over-spray, and the one layer of foil I applied blocked the majority of it.

Now THIS needs to be mentioned.

Rustoleum Comfort Grip

Guys… this is such a huge game changer that I feel like I’ve got to be the last person on Earth to know about it.  I had already accepted that my spray paint addiction meant that I would forever live with a blistered and swollen index finger resulting from spray paint fatigue, but now I know… life can be better.   Divine intervention helped me cross paths with the Rust-Oleum Spray Comfort Grip (affiliate link).  It attaches to a regular spray paint can and allows you to control the spray via the grip and trigger.  It’s my new best friend.

Using Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy in Biscuit (affiliate link), I spray painted the front and the sides of the drawer panels.  This stuff is amazing.  It doesn’t show your strokes and it dries to a hard, enamel finish.  Even when my ponytail fell onto the wet paint, it morphed back into its smooth, factory finish.  Some of the paint is still on the ends of my hair by the way.

After letting the paint dry overnight, I screwed on the brass corners.  They had a coppery green tinge to them that I didn’t like, so I spray painted them gold (isn’t that the answer to everything?)

Screwing on brackets

The top sides of the Malm dressers are slanted as shown in the photo above, so I had to screw in the screws here at the same angle.  This is so that they wouldn’t poke out through the slanted side (I know this because it happened on the first screw I tried!).  Since all the other edges of the panel are straight, those screws were just screwed in straight down.

For the drawer pulls, they’re meant to be screwed in but I was too lazy to do that.  Instead, I glued them on with E6000.  This would be the appropriate time to say that these pulls are entirely meant for show, and that’s okay.  I do not plan on ever pulling on them, so we should be good to go!

IKEA Malm turned campaign style dresser

DIY Campaign Dresser Makeover- IKEA Malm
I LOVE how the dressers turned out and how they make our bedroom look lighter.  They’re also boyfriend approved, judging from how he described them as “awesome”.  That never happens!  His is on the other side, which you might see in a potential bedroom update later.

Campaign Style Dresser- IKEA Malm MakeoverOne last thing.  I’ve been on a lamp craze lately (did you see my new desk lamp that I shared on Instagram?) and I need to talk about this one.  Please excuse my photo-bomb, unless you like it, then hello!  I recently found it at HomeGoods and am SO excited about how well it goes with my dresser.  It’s a unique version of a nightstand lamp, don’t you think?  Except this one is bright enough to light up most of the room :P.  I thought about moving it to the living room, but I think it’s here to stay in the bedroom.  What do you think about it being here?

Any questions, comments, thoughts about the dresser (or lamp!!) leave them below and let’s chat!

03/19 DIY

Washi Tape Pens- Guest Post at PBteen Blog!

Washi Tape Pens Displayed Hi, guys!  Today I’m guest posting over at the Pottery Barn Teen blog!  The blog launched about a month ago and I’m so excited to be their first DIY contributor.

You may have seen these pens around my blog already and I’ll be sharing how crazy easy they are to “make”.  The goal was to create something simple, easy, affordable, and chic that anyone could re-create.  It’ll take you two seconds to read the how-to and one second to actually do the DIY (time estimates may be slightly exaggerated).  Head on over to the PBteen Blog by clicking here and send the teens in your life as well!  See you there!

03/17 DIY

Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree

I carried this tree in through the door and the first thing my boyfriend said was, “Why’d you buy a cabbage tree?”  I insisted that the tree is beautiful, was priced excellently ($22!), and that I couldn’t live without it.  He then told me that he thought it was “uncool,” but I don’t care.  I love my cabbage tree.

Fiddle leaf fig trees are being talked about everywhere in the blogosphere right now.  Even as I carted it to the checkout at Home Depot, two people came up to me and asked what kind of plant I was purchasing.  The fiddle leaf is charming us all!

Fiddle Leaf FigIt’s currently sitting in this corner of my living room and I always knew it would be going there.  That keyboard set up next to it is my boyfriend’s, which he hasn’t played ONCE since we moved in and he refuses to let me replace it with a bar cart (C’mon!  Everyone needs one of those!)  I’ll keep trying to make that happen… we’ll see.

I planted the tree in a copper pot which is so perfect in size that I’m thinking I should probably go with one bigger… That’s with the assumption that I’ll keep the tree alive long enough to where it will outgrow the pot.  Apparently the number one killer of fiddle leaf fig trees is over-watering, which is how I’ve killed many other plants.  I’m going to be extra EXTRA careful about that with this one, but I’m glad to see that there already seems to be a new leaf coming out!

Budding

That is what’s happening here, right?  Whatever it is, it’s making me hopeful for the future.

If you’ve got any care tips, cautionary tales, or general thoughts on the fiddle leaf, I’d LOVE to hear it in the comments below!  Anything you can tell me to help mine survive or prove that my boyfriend was wrong about the tree being uncool would be greatly appreciated <3.

03/13 DIY

DIY No Sew Tote Bag

DIY No Sew Canvas Tote

Guys, I have to say I’m really proud of this one, though it was both simple and a bit difficult.  Difficult because it required a lot of steps and because I’m going to have a hard time explaining them (I apologize in advance), but simple because there is NO SEWING required!  Hallelujah!

When I first set out to make this tote bag, I did some research to see what kind of no sew tutorials were out there, and to my surprise there weren’t many at all that I came across.  So if you’re in the I-don’t-have-a-sewing-machine camp like I am or have a general interest in not using a sewing machine, then hopefully this DIY will help you out!

Materials:
-canvas
-ruler
-iron
Unique Stitch Adhesive (affiliate link)
Rivet Kit (affiliate link)
-awl
-faux leather handles with holes (I got mine with pre-made holes at the ends so that I wouldn’t have to get a leather punch)
-Martha Stewart Satin Paint in Beetle Black (I recommend this particular paint because it does not require fabric medium. You can just paint and go!)
-pouncer
-1/8″ tape

I started with two canvas pieces that I measured and cut to 18″ x 21″.  The rest of the steps detailed from here on out will be done to each of these pieces.

First Three Steps

On the edge that’s 21″ long, I folded over about a half inch and ironed it down.  Under this fold, I applied Unique Stitch, the one thing that made this entire DIY possible.  This stuff HOLDS.  The key, at least that I’ve found,  is to use a generous amount, not to the point where it’s globbing out the edges of the fabric, but enough to soak through the layers of fabric that are being melded together.  Make sure to protect your surface like I did in the photo above with an old towel.

The next steps are for painting the stripes.  I protected my surface with a towel again since the paint will seep through the back.

I flipped the canvas over to the front side, which is the side that does not show the folded over edge that was just glued down.  The top of the bag will be this folded edge, which I had to keep in mind to make sure I painted my design on the right way.

Painting StripesIt would take three years to smooth out the bubbling in the tape shown in the top photo above, and ain’t nobody got time for that, so I rolled with it.  Since this meant that I wouldn’t be achieving clean and crisp lines, I tried to stay consistent with this “organic” look and didn’t pounce on the paint completely opaque everywhere.  You can see there are some parts of the stripes that look like not enough paint was applied (I did that on purpose, I swear!).  I didn’t paint stripes on the bottom three inches of the fabric since it would become the bottom of the bag, which you’ll see how later.

Next I measured where to attach the leather handles.

Leather marking

Placing the end of the handle 6 inches from the left side of the canvas and lining up the top hole near the top of the bag, I used a pen to mark where the holes were.  I repeated this 6 inches from the right side of the canvas as well.  Using an awl, I punctured through these pen marks to create holes just big enough for the rivets to go through.

Now for the rivets.  I had the most fun with this because it was my first time working with them and now I want to rivet all the things.

Riveting

The rivet kit I used came with an anvil, setter, and rivets of several sizes.  I used the smallest (~8mm) rivets.  I pushed the rivet backings through the back side of the holes I previously punctured, lined them up with the holes in the leather handle, then snapped on the cap of the rivet.  I placed each rivet sandwich one at a time on top of the anvil and hammered down to secure the rivet permanently.  Do this on a hard surface!  Not on an ironing board, like I initially tried to do.

Now with the the leather handles attached, I glued both canvas pieces together, front sides facing each other.

Corner Folding

I applied the glue on all three edges (not the top edge where the opening of the bag is) and let it dry.  At the bottom corners, I pinched each side of the fabric (you can see the diagonal fold on one side in the photo above and it’s also on the opposite side as well) and pulled them apart to create a triangle.

Folding triangle

Measuring 5 inches at the base of this triangle, I folded it over to the bottom of the bag and glued it down only under the point of the triangle just to keep it in place.  After doing this to both corners, I flipped the bag inside out while the glue was still fresh, then reinforced the triangle folds by pressing them down.  What this does is create a flat base for the tote bag.  This is where I DIDN’T paint the stripes, which I mentioned before.

Corner glued inside

Once here, I lifted up each triangle (glue at the point is still wet) and applied glue all underneath it before pressing it down again to the bottom of the bag.  I held it down a little bit to let it dry a little, then let it dry completely after letting go.

Glue outside fold

On the outside of the bag, you’ll see that the base of the triangle is unattached from the bottom of the bag.  So, I applied glue in between here, pressed it down, and let the glue dry.  This was done on both sides.

No Sew Canvas Tote

That. Is. It.  Was that enough steps?

No Sew Canvas Tote Bag

The idea for this tote bag came about when my friend suggested I make one since California now charges for paper bags.  So while this tote makes an excellent, casual weekender bag, it can absolutely be a cute grocery tote as well!  I take it with me to Trader Joe’s and it makes me ridiculously giddy watching the cashier load up my groceries into it because in my head I’m shouting “Yes, it works!!!”  Hoping I don’t continually forget to bring it like I do with every other grocery tote.

03/10 Life

New Blog Design + Giveaway!

Hi guys!  I’m SO excited to announce that I have finally redesigned my blog!!!!!  This has been in the works for a couple months now and I’ve been anxiously looking forward to the design going live.  What do you guys think of it??

I wanted a simple, black and white design that would reflect my style and put focus on my content, which I think it does beautifully.  My blog is also now mobile responsive, which is a goal I set out to achieve this year!  The mobile site still needs a bit of tweaking, but your overall mobile experience on my site should be improved now :).

I have big dreams for this blog, and a redesign felt like the appropriate next step for me to start taking bigger strides forward.  With this sentiment, I have to express my sincerest gratitude for your support.  For every view, comment, like, share, re-post, re-pin, everything, you all have made this blogging journey more fulfilling than I ever could have imagined.

As a thank you, I’m hosting a giveaway for a $75 West Elm gift card!  Purchased with my own money, so no sponsorship here.  Just me wanting to give a gift to my cherished readers <3.

West Elm Giveaway

This giveaway will end at midnight on Tuesday March  25, 2014.  One winner will be randomly selected and contacted via email.  The winner must respond within 48 hours or else another winner will be selected.  Enter below in the Rafflecopter widget and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

03/06 DIY / Inspiring Spaces

Copper: To DIY, Inspire, and Shop

Copper is a very close second to gold in my world of metallic colors. I’ve even come close to thinking maybe I like it better than gold, though that will never truly happen.  Still, I’ve been really into copper lately and that’s due in part to seeing it trending everywhere these days!  I’ve grouped 5 DIYs, 5 inspiring spaces, and 5 decor items to shop for that made me fall in love with copper even more, and maybe will do the same for you :).

5 Copper DIYs

Copper DIYs

1//Copper Salad Servers  2//Copper Laptop Table  3//Copper Wire Pendant Lights  4//Copper Pipe Pencil Holder  5//Copper Furniture Trim

 

5 Copper Inspirations

Copper Inspiration

1//Copper and green  2//Copper planters and containers  3//Copper side table  4//Copper ball light pendant  5//Copper, gold, and marble

 

5 Copper Items to Shop

Copper to Shop

1//Hanging planter  2//Moscow Mule mug  3//Copper cord  4)//Tealight holder  5//Paperclip box

Feeling inspired??  How do you feel about copper?