Turn a pickle jar into a halloween pumpkin with three easy steps.  I have been recycling for years and finally thought what would happen if I spray painted the inside of a glass jar?   Exactly what I'd hoped - the paint adhered - and with two quick easy steps I was able to create a custom spooky jack-o-lantern!  Consider adding family member's names to the jar, set up your favorite football team "faux" players turning them into pumpkins - simply add your own creativity.  You can spray at least 15 jars per can of spray paint - pretty economical.  Be sure to rinse and clean out your jar - drying fully.  Check out how cute this scarry "Jarred Pumpkin" turned out!

Turn a larger sized soup can into a friendly Jack-O-Lantern Luminary which can line your driveway or walkway for Halloween!  With recycling in mind,  save all of your larger sized cans for this easy project.  Rust-Oleum's Universal spray paint in Gloss Sunset Orange turns these cans into fantastic pumpkins!  With the durability of Universal, I never worried about bringing in the luminaries, they held up great with the weather elements. 

I'm posting the project page for this as well...jump on and you will see how easy you can make these luminaries with two alternatives, one drilling into the can with a cordless drill or if you just want to hang them from your tree or just line your walkway, using a sharpie marker to create great jack-o-lantern faces. 

Painter's Touch has two new colors which compliment each other to no end!  Painter's Touch 2X Eden and Dark Walnut  have the double coverage of the 2X line and I can attest that both of these colors are rich and have a satin sheen.  I purchased this natural wooden table that was raw and need to be sanded, primed and then added a top coat of the 2X line. 

With natural unfinished wood, I lightly sanded this piece with a 220 grit, wiped it off with paint thinner.  I allowed it to totally dry.  I sprayed it with Zinsser Bull's Eye 123.  Then applied two light coats of Eden to the top & drawer - Dark Walnut to the base of the legs.   This was a quick one day project which also falls under the $50 category. 

Transform an old bicycle, bubble gum ball machine, skateboard or guitar with this funky spray paint Rust-Oleum's Specialty Colorshift which literally shifts color from dark black to green for the Gamma Green and dark blue to purple for Galaxy Blue.  As you turn the item you have painted, you can see the color shift right in front of your eyes.   Check out the transformations on this old bicycle which was shown at the Country Living Show. 

These bubble gum ball machines were given an update with Rust-Oleum's Colorshift one each in Gamma Green and Galaxy Blue.

All summer long I'm on the hunt for "That Piece" - one that is unique, eclectic and you makes a statement.  Well, here it is!  I displayed this piece at the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio and everyone inquired about how great it would look in their home, front entry way or bay window - and I agreed.  I also displayed the "before" picture and that seemed to change their tune!  Even though this church pew was not completely damaged, it had an orangish stain on it which had also been pretty worn with scuff marks & all.  I negotiated a pretty great deal at the garage sale - the original price $150.

BEFORE THE TRANSFORMATION

As I struggled with how to go about refinishing this piece, I decided to check in with an Antique Dealer who gave me some great news...not only is this pew worth refinishing, it's worth aprpoximately $2,000.  With this type of value I checked into a professional stripping service who also refinishes pieces with our products.  Griffith Furniture Restorations transformed this pew into a rich, warm seating area - great for any porch, bay window, library or den.  After the stripping and sanding they finished the pew with Varathane Premium Wood Stain in Espresso and topped off the glisten with Varathane Satin Polyurethane.

AFTER:

As I prepare for the Country Living show I always hit the "markdown" area of each craft store, retail homegoods store and even your big box stores for damaged pieces that I may be able to salvage at a good find.  This teapot is one of those 90 percent discounts that I decided to give a chance.  The top was cracked and need a good bit of glueing.  With Quick Dry Gorilla Glue I was able to blast it with glue and hold the lamp together for 4 to 6 minutes ensuring that it would stick!  Magic...it worked!  I saw that the crack was perfect and once I glued it and sprayed it, you could not see the damage. 

I did lightly sand the glued area after 24 hours and then applied Painter's Touch 2X Primer in white and then three light coats of Rust-Oleum's Bright Coat Metallic FInish in Chrome.  The best part of this project is that everyone touches it and asks if it is a real teapot??  The lampshade was included in the $6.90 lamp.  After purchasing the spray paint and glue - my estimate for this project was around $21. 

I must admit that Mondays are our garabage nights and I do drive around picking through other people's trash which I then turn into my Treasure.   This piece my neighbor decided was too beat up and was missing a few handles, I on the other hand saw  classy treasure trunk or even entry way table with great storage. 

When the furniture is solid - anything goes!  The hardest part of this transformation was taping off sections so that I could spray paint it two different colors.  As it turns out I added a bit of texture to the piece as well.  WIth Rust-Oleum's Textured  Spray in Sandstone and Painter's Touch 2X in Cinnamon - check out how I turned this Monday night trash into a Faux Crate and Barrel Piece!

Here is the BEFORE:

 CHECK OUT THE "HALF" AFTER!

This wooden heavy duty chair just needed some TLC and with Rust-Oleum's Universal Oil Rubbed Bronze it is now a chair to talk about.  I only  f inished half so that our Country Living attendees can experience both the before & after affects.  The Oil rubbed Bronze finish almost leave a wet look but is bone dry.   Nothing like turning a hunk of possible junk into a keeper piece! 

Rust-Oleum's Hammered Copper Finish is stunning outdoors and in the sunlight.  I left this picture on the large side so that you can see the true "hammered" finish to this planter.  When spraying the Hammered Finish on such a large surface, we recommend that you keep light coats going in between the drying times.  Such a large planter may take a couple or so days to completely finish - and let me tell you, it's worth the wait and work.  I have had this planter for over three years on my front porch and wanted to share how great the finish has held up.  I do put it away for winter.  I also manage to rinse it out every fall once I remove my plants and empty the dirt.  I then store it until spring.  It's rich copper color glistens in the sun on my front porch! 

With it's cast iron enamel top, this table makes waves in every kitchen!  This table is a great asset for baking, simply being able to roll cookie dough right on the table top.  With this type of surface you can roll meatballs and sanitize with a mild bleach & water mixture.  We added the color to the base and legs and stayed with the country colors.   With a quick removal of the hardware, we were able to spray the base and legs with two light coats of Rust-Oleum's 2X in Colonial Red.  Let's consider this table to be versitle and move it into the play room as a craft table...add Rust-Oleum's 2X in Gloss Grape!

This Chimney Cabinet is just about six feet tall and only four feet wide with three shelves, two small drawers and two cabinet doors on the bottom.  I found this at The Antique Mall and found it to be a substantial piece of furniture for your bathroom, dining room, kitchen or den.  With it's simple, clean lines you can fit this cabinet into any room of your home.  With it's basic wood finish - not an expensive piece of wood - I wanted to add just a hint of color keeping the majority of the cabinet one color.  I added Rust-Oleum's Harbor Blue and yes, I did spray paint the interior.  I taped out the entire cabinet on the outside and sprayed the inside along with the shelves.  I then applied Rust-Oleum's SATIN in Black.  Nice clean sheen was added to the exterior the of the cabinet.  I added glass knobs to finish off the clean look!  It's a gem!

This sewing machine base has been in the family for years and now it's time to jazz it up a bit.  Because rust does leave marks on your hardwood floors, I decided it was time to give this entryway table a second chance.  I took steel wool and basically sanded around the legs very well.  I applied Rust-Oleum's Rusty Metal primer - two light coats and an extra around the legs so that I do not get any more rust spots on my wood floors.  I even flipped the stand and sprayed the bottoms as well.  Browns and Earth Tones are very solid colors in all homes, so I chose to go with Rust-Oleum's 2X in Satin Espresso.  Two light coats did the trick - don't forget to flip the base and spray the underside as well at all angles!  Popped back the glass top and added a fall harvest of pumpkins and candy corn for the Fall!

In preparing for the Country Living Show this year, I had been resourcing some props and items that reflect a bit of country and found this old oil burner.  It was a basic black that had been pretty worn and someone had tried to paint the inner area with a light blue paint.  It was peeling and I sanded it down - applied Rust-Oleum's Rusty Metal Primer to the entire burner and then wanted to added texture - I went with Rust-Oleum's Multi-Colored Textured paint in Rustic Umber.  When looking at this piece close up you can see pebble like stone in reds, browns & blacks.  This is going to make one great indoor plant stand!

This is your basic veneer curio cabinet that I grabbed on garbage night in my neightborhood.  I could tell that whoever had it tried to paint over the veneer finish with basic white paint.   You should never apply generic paint over a veneer finish, the paint just simply slides off and whatever does adhere scratches easily.  This is another example of where applying a primer is key.   I noticed a bit of water damage on the inside which penetrated to the outer rightside corner and since this veneer had a sheen/gloss to it, I decided to try Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 Plus Primer.  It is available in gallon & quart sizes.  I went with the quart size for first time purposes.  I lightly sanded the first and then wiped the cabinet dry.  I applied the Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 Plus and virtually watched as the primer penetrated the veneer and the old white paint.  It also sealed in the water stain in the corner quickly.  What I learned is that even though the stain is still showing after you apply your primer, it is completely sealed.  Proof of that is when I applied the Rust-Oleum 2X in London Gray - no water stain appeared.   After applying two coats of London Gray, I wanted to add some "charm" to this curio.  I found a few pieces of wooden scrolls and painted them with Rust-Oleum's Gloss Black.  It gives a nice visual effect and the gloss brings attention to the upper half of the cabinet.  With no glass in the door I went with a piece of silver tin from your local home/hardware centers.  They are available in a sheet, I cut it to size and inserted it with picture frame tags that you wedge in between the sheet of tin and into the cabinet itself.  I'm anxious to have this piece returned to finish the other half.  The Rust-Oleum 2X London Gray is a color that is in between a mild gray and lighter beige/cocoa color.  Pair it up with a couple of chairs in Cinnamon, Canyon Black or Cranberry! 

Light up Halloween Night by spray painting a few pumpkins with Fluorescent spray paints!  The kids as well as adults will love a glowing trail to your front door for their treats!  Spray paint one light coat of Rust-Oleum's 2X Black Primer.  Apply three light coats of Rust-Oleum's Fluorescent Spray paint in Green.  Highly visible and fun!  Other fabulous colors are Red-Orange, Pink, Yellow and Orange!  Who says standard orange is the only color a pumpkin can be??

This antique rocking chair is more of a conversation piece then anything.  The backrest is made of caining and the scrolled legs have an artistic flair to them.  The seat was missing and I decided to add an updated mild retro cover versus the traditional weaved seat.  This rocking chair already had a coating of paint and needed an update.  This too was a find from an Estate Sale for under $20.  With a light sanding, quick coat of primer and two light coats of Rust-Oleum's 2X in Strawflower - we turned this "antique" looking rocker to a "retro-rocker"!  I only needed a half a yard of material and 2 X 2 foam piece for the seat.  This project is under the $50 mark for everything. 

If you have a great chair that you have no time to sand or have the extra cash to have stripped and refinished - Add a few coats of spray paint to give it new life and not to mention add color to your kitchen!   I wanted to show a simple transformation to this wooden chair using Rust-oleum's 2X in Paprika.   I lightly sanded the right side of the chair, wiped it off with paint thinner.  A quick coat of Zinsser BIN 123 primer completely sealed in the wood.  This is a great time to be adventerous - pick a color that would be a conversation piece or add a new color to your kitchen or dining area as accents pieces!  You can also consider painting each chair in a different color and keep the rest of the dining area a neutral tone! 

Turn this ordinary cream colored round table into a Shabby Chic piece of furniture that can be displayed in a guest room, sitting room or bedroom for your little princess.   This was a discount store purchase - the top had a medium sized scratch/crack  that you can slightly see on the lower righthand side.  I lightly sanded out that area and then applied Rust-Oleum's 2X primer in White.   I wanted to show the color spectrum of 2X in that you can go from a Key Lime all the way to French Lilac....the color pallette fills every venue!   This piece turned out exactly what I had visioned for this table, dainty with a hint of lilac!

I resource many pieces through my local "Advertiser" newspaper which has a tremendous listing of Estate Sales, Rummage Sales & Local Home Garage Sales.  This I grabbed at an Estate Sale just over the border in Wisconsin!  Since resourcing I have become an Estate Sale Guru and have learned when to and not to raise your number!  With this piece starting at $5 I did not hesitate to waive my number quickly and seeing what shape the wooden planter "thingee" was in no one else raised their numbers!  All mine for a mere $5!  Once again I was lucky because this is planter seemed to be custom built for a unique area with wood and was sturdy.  I rinsed it off, sanded a couple of areas and then used Zinsser BULLS EYE 123 to seal in any knots or additional stains from bleeding through.  I turned this piece from a planter type of unit into a Kiddie Kaddie - using it as an organizational unit for the kids - it holds books, paint supplies - craft supplies and WII Games as well!  Take your outside In!

Go from "Is it worth it"? to "Wow" - I'm glad I did!   I found this heavy duty wooden magazine rack at my local Salvation Army for $3 and just loved the bones.   It was sturdy except for the white paint.  Pretty plain.  I started sanding the magazine rack and found layers upon layers of various paints.  I finally got down to wood and applied Zinsser Bin Primer 123 - sealed in any knots as well as any oils or paints from seeping through.  I wanted the kids to have a magazine/book rack in their playroom and decided to go with Rust-Oleum's Universal in Gloss Sunset Orange.  I chose the Universal Brand because it gave me added protection and you can basically apply Universal on any surface all the way from vinyl to glass.  So image the versatility of Universal - Wood, Wicker, Vinyl, Plastic, Fiberglass, Concrete, Metal and Glass.   Again, the picture does not do this magazine rack justice....the gloss finish is just perfect and with two light coats, I still have enough spray paint for a smaller project.

Baskets are a great accessory to this wicker set.  This basket falls under the "Deal of the Day" as well.   For as little as 50 cents from the local thrift shop, you can add a splash of color to your outdoor setting or indoorsl.  Rust-Oleum's 2X Paprika has a rich, deep hue of red with a mild sheen.  Stack granny smith green apples in this basket for the fall or fill with natural brown pinecones in the winter. 

This was my great deal of the day - all for a mere quarter!  This wicker elephant planter I found at a rummage sale in the quarter box!  I had a half of can of 2X Strawflower and thought it would be a great color to match the rest of the wicker I had painted.  I ended up using only a quarter can of the 2X spray paint and was thrilled with the mild hue of yellow on my planter.  I wanted to share this because this planter is now stunning!   The best part is that I still have another quarter can of the 2X Strawflower .... which leads me to resource another piece to add as accessory to the wicker set. 

This piece was actually in great shape and we wanted to turn the ottoman from a plain jane white into a warm rich hue of nutmeg - Rust-Oleum's 2X in Nutmeg was just perfect.  Since this was a smaller piece one can of 2X was plenty!   I did scrub it down with a mild detergent and then allowed it to fully dry.  Keep in mind that even though a piece is in great shape, you should still apply a primer...the primer helps the paint adhere well and last longer.   

We have been anxiously awaiting to show you some new COLORS from Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch 2X line. One of my favorite - Gloss Fern which adds a retro flair to any piece of furniture.  This wicker bench has seen better days and I did spend a little extra time re-caining the legs because the rest of the piece just needed a good scrubbing.  I thought that if I went with a generic color such as white or a beige, it would not make such a statement.  Come on out to the Country Living Fair in Columbus, OH and check out the Rust-Oleum Booth - this is a must see color - the picture just does not do it justice! 

What a great way to bring out the ghosts, goblins & monster and recycling at the same time!  We spray painted soda pop cans with Rust-Oleum's 2X White Satin and turned a can into a ghost!  The kids and I have been saving cans for a while and this was a project where they learned how to spray paint - even if we had a few flaws, no biggie.  I went over the basic spraying rules, shaking the can during the project and keeping the can 6 or so inches from the can.  Keeping your hand moving in a steady motion around the can was the hardest part for them.  But, by the 10th or so can, they got it!  Once the cans were sprayed they turned to their artistic abilities and gave each ghosty goblin a unique expression!  We simply draped a smaller piece of cheesecloth over the tab to give the can dimension and looks just perfect hanging like spider webbing.  You can use white pipecleaner or clear fishing line as an attachment!  Makes a fun Halloween project for your home, classroom indoors or out!  Pair up the Goblin Ghost can with our Gone Batty Black Bat and decorate the entire neighborhood.  Happy Halloween to All!

Come and join us at the Fifth Annual Country Living Fair and watch as the pages of the Country Living magazine unfold right in front of your eyes in Columbus, Ohio at The Ohio Village - September 24th - 26th!  Enjoy a weekend full of festivities including live music, craft & food demonstrations, a full roster of informational seminars.   This three-day event is family friendly with fun for all!   Rust-Oleum's extensive booth will have many craft ideas, furniture makeovers, specialty countertop transformations as well as many unique projects for your home and garden.  You can be a part of many  free seminars, demonstrations as well as enjoy unique shopping experiences such as  antiques, home decor, jewelry and delicious food featured in Country Living.  For further information you can contact www.stellashows.com or 866-500-FAIR or visit www.CountryLiving.com

Worn out old wood can be upgraded to a fabulous finish with Rust-Oleum's 2X - we went Grape to give the front yard a huge splash of color and vibrance!   We lightly sanded this fold up bench, wiped it down with paint thinner and allowed it to fully dry.  Once dry, I applied the 2X  black primer.   With only ONE can of 2x in Grape we completed this bench for way under $20!  Keep color in mind as well.... Add that splash and give your yard the "WOW" factor! 

These freebees from garbage night sure paid off!   Fold up metal chairs with white vinyl seats can fit basically anywhere...in a shed or garage for winter storage!  I lightly wiped them down with a degreaser, allowed them to dry.  Decided on Painter's Touch 2X French Lilac!   I covered the vinyl seats - later to discover that I was going to freshen them up with Rust-Oleum's Vinyl Spray in White.  Two light coats of the French Lilac gave these rusted old chairs new life!  I removed the seats and layed them on cardboard - sprayed them with the white vinyl and gave them a bright new look.  Rust-Oleum's Vinyl spray is made with actual vinyl paint resins making it as flexible as the vinyl being painted.  The seats look brand new.   One can of each paint was plenty. For added protection I added the Stops Rust Crystal Clear finish.   For under $30 I have two new colorful chairs to deck out my patio, dining room or family room!  Enjoy!

For years I have been reading about vinegar as a natural cleaning solution but have always hesitated.  My hesitation was that it will not be strong enough to cut through any grease or grime.  I picked up this tip from my Aunt who is well into her 80's and has never purchased a cleaning solution her whole life.  She has always used natural and organic solutions.  The trick with cleaning a microwave....you mix 2 cups of water and 1 cup of vinegar into a microwave safe bowl, uncovered  and turn on the microwave on for 4 minutes.  What happens is the solution steams the micovwave clean and leaves and unbelieveable shine.  After years of basic use, microwaves generally get a greasey film or a build up of sorts.  Once the microwave buzzed she waited another minute or so then opened the door - let me tell you the steam that came out of the microwave was very apparent !!  She then took a clean cloth and simply wiped out the entire microwave - what a shine and then I gently ran my fingers on the interior and no greasey film.  She further took the boiling solution and poured it down the bathroom sink - she let me know that it helps break up hair and build up in your plumbing pipes.  There is something to be said about age and wisdom!  Great Reduce, Reuse & Recycle cleaning solution! 

With school right around the corner and summer coming to it's bitter end - parents are getting organized for the upcoming school year.  Not only are we organizing school supplies into bins but we are preparing our kids for "time awareness" looking at a schedule/calendar and preparing for your day.  One easy way to graph out the hectic life of a ****aager is with a basic calendar be it weekly, monthly or bi-monthly.   With Rust-Oleum's Chalkboard Paint you can create your very own calendar on basically any surface!  We have our back entry door painted with chalkboard paint - with the Chalkboard Paint available in over 10 tintable colors, you can not only create a visible calendar but you can do it with a decorative flair - the colors vary from raspberry, garnet, coffee, peapod to school house green.  Various colors allow this product to be decorating tool instead of just a functioning one!  If you use your garage as your entry/exit to your home, consider a quarter of the wall in the garage as your new calendar wall - hang organizational bins, shoe racks and sports bags as well.  Helping keep your kid organized and stayed organized is one way to ensure a successful school year! 

As I was invited to many parties, picnics and celebrations over the summer I discovered one fancy fish tank at a friend's house - who is an avid fish maniac!  He collects varioius types of fish and thus found that fish tanks can be pretty hum drum and decided to spray the back outside of the fish tank with Rust-Oleum's American Accents Stone Finish.  This particular tank he sprayed with Black Granite which when illuminated with the lights looks like sparkling crystals in the water.  Chris cleaned off the glass surface with alcohol allowed it to fully dry.  Taped off the remainder of the tank with blue painter's tape and newspaper.  Closed off the top of the tank as well.  He did spray the American Accents Stone Finish in very light coats allowing each coat to fully cure 48 hours.  The process is long but beyond well worth it!  He estimates two cans per average sized table top tank.  Be sure to spray the tank on a level surface so that the Stone Finish does not slide down on the glass surface.  As I coasted through his garage, I found two more tanks he was working on...these he sprayed with Rust-Oleum's Stone Finish in Pebble.  He co-ordinates the stone finishes with the types of fish in each tank.  Who knew...color co-ordination in fish tanks?  Great way to add color and texture to jazz up any surface!  Fantasy Fish Tanks with American Accents Stone Finishes!

Color can change any piece of furniture from pretty plain jane to Wow! These two pieces I found through the "Free" Ad section in our local paper and all I had to do was pick them up!  Initially the wrought iron chair was questionable...but with a bit of sandpaper, Rust-Oleum's Stops Rust Rusty Metal Primer and two light coats of Painter's Touch 2X in Colonial Red - the chair was not only salvaged but restored to wonderful and colorful seat!  I customized the foam padding by purchasing thick 3 inch padding through JoAnn's Fabrics and on 1 inch for the back.  Stapled the foam to a piece of MDF board which I did cut with my scroll saw.  Picked out fabric to co-ordinate both pieces and then pulled and stapled on the fabric to the MDF board.  Sounds complicated, but was easy and took under 20 minutes to re-upholster the chair!  You can place these pieces into a country kitchen nook or your daughter's room for her own customized desk!  The desk was lightly sanded and then sprayed with Painter's Touch 2X in Wildflower Blue.  Color is the craze! 

Here is a great example of customizing any type of furniture piece into your home.  This chair was purchased through an auction recently for $8.  I simply loved the bones of the chair but it needed a bit of glueing, sanding and basic TLC.  The seat bottom was rattan so I removed that first.  I cut mdf board to fit the exact seat, screwed it in and now I had a sturdy seat!  With a bit of Gorilla Glue I fastened all of the legs.  Since the dark cherry was going to be hard to cover, I applied Zinsser BIN Sealer to the entire chair.  The chair was in good shape and did not even require much sanding prior.  With Zinsser BIN Sealer, no sanding is necessary after application.  My friend Lori saw the unfinished chair and convinced me to refinish it for her home.  She lives in an old victorian - rounded porch in our local downtown.  She needed hints of pink so I added Rust-Oleum's Ultra Cover 2X in Heirloom White - two solid coats and sprayed out the Sweet Pea into a coffee can and brushed the middle scroll.  Added a new seat cover in pink paisley print and came up with around $48 for the total project.  Not bad for an eye catching Parlor Piece - Welcome's guest right as they walk in!  My initial thought for this chair was to turn it retro by spryaing it with Ultra 2X in Espresso and a large funky polka dot pattern for the fabric - This is where you can take any basic piece and customize it to fit into your style. 

I have been diligently sanding down this antique chair I was lucky to grab at a yard sale for $5.  Yes, $5 big bucks!  It needed a bit of work but thought that I would be able to refinish the entire chair for under $30.  I used various grades of sandpaper and everytime I thought I had the perfect smooth finish - I found another spot that needed just a bit more sanding.  My Dad was a bit of a handyman and he gave me this tip - he asked me if I had done the pantyhose test?  Wrap a long piece of pantyhose around the palm of your hand and rub it over the wood.  If the pantyhose snags onto any spots, sand them until you're able to freely move the nylon over the surface without any catches.  It saves the palm of your hand will give you an ultra smooth finish!  He further shared that he applies stain into wood cervices with pantyhose as well.  At times paint brushes just do not fit into those small crevices or give them an even coating.  Just cut a strip of pantyhose from an old pair, fold it over a few times, use a rubber band to wrap it to the tip of a wooden popsicle stick or any type of long stick - dip your clever applicator into the stain or varnish - dab away and you'll have no trouble getting into those hard-to-reach areas!

In this project we got around paying for custom built in shelves around the fireplace wall.  We went searching for two cabinets that would almost fit right into each side of the fireplace and hit the jackpot at Ikea.  The only short term problem with the cabinet is that it was the wrong color.  I immediately put my friend at ease and told her we will paint them.  As you know cabinets from Ikea come in a box - perfect for spray painting small pieces of wood.  We layed out the pieces primed them with Painter's Touch 2X and then sprayed them with two coats of Painter's Touch 2X in Ivory.  Once we were done I advised that we allow them to fully cure for 24 hours before be put them together - the harder the paint cures the better - just in case we scratch it while putting it together.  Each cabinet came with two clear glass doors which she did not want and wanted to remove the glass and cut custom pieces of mdf board and spray those as well...good idea but then I asked her if she liked the frosted glass appearance - and yes, we sprayed one for her to check out....she loved it - Applied three light coats of Rust-Oleum Frosted Glass.  This truly  finished off the cabinets.  Estimates for custom built in cabinets ranged from $800 to $1,000.  We came in just under $300. The cabinets were $120 each and the spray paint came in under $50. 

I've blogged a few times about repurposing those plastic planter pots - once you've planted your flowers in the spring I encouraged you to keep a few of those mid sized pots and recycle the use.  Tomatoes are just starting the harvest season and you can grab those plastic pots and use them as a veggie/fruit strainer while harvesting.  You can also simply leave them in the garden, harvest and rinse - place them right back for the next week's harvest as well.  A few additional uses for those plastic pots- organize cables & cords - wrap & bundle them - when cords are in use, pull the needed length through the bottom hole - you can cut the hole to size.  If you are painting a flat item like a cabinet drawer - place four pots underneath to allow you to paint the lip of the surface.  In the winter - throw one in your ice melt and it will evenly distribute while you shake.   When the season is over, you can recycle them or keep for next year. 

The before and after pictures tell it all in this project.  The original finish on this fence was finally on it's last leg and was clearly time for the overhaul!  We started by power washing the entire fence with a power washer and Wolman's Deck & Fence Brightener.  Deck & Fence Brightener is a universal cleaner and can be used on all types of wood, removes old finishes well and leaves the wood prepped for the new coating.

Here is a picture of the "before" fence which has been weathered well and the original finish faded off.  Once dried I was determined to have the fence look basically new and applied Wolman's DuraStain - which does come in a semi-transparent stain but I needed a solid stain that would give the fence an even look.  DuraStain Solid Color Stain in Chestnut Brown worked like magic-application was smooth  and had a puddling like consistency which made the application quite easy.   Check out my results!

Grab any old wooden chair- be it from your shed or an in expensive one from a thrift store and show your patriotism by painting them RED, WHITE & BLUE!  You can display them in your front yard with pride along with your American Flag hung at bay!   With Rust-Oleum's 2X Ultra you can spray two coats per can -  Here I used Satin Paprika, Satin Blossom White and Gloss Brillian Blue!  Flourish your chairs with flowers and grab a seat to soak in your 4TH of July fireworks!  Happy Fourth to All!

One savvy friend turned an out-dated bike into a trendy peg bike with two simple cans of spray paint!  Kids today are determined and once they put their minds to anything, they go full force and accomplish great things! Our pal Danny had a bike with great bones but out grew the bright orange finish and decided to rip apart the bike and give it a makeover!  He started by removing the wheels, brakes then cleaned off the bike with a mild degreaser.  He fully dried off the bike with a cloth and applied Rust-Oleum's Stops Rust Primer in Smoke Gray on the entire cage.  The wheels were in great shape but the bike required new tires.  He found these funky blue tires and decided that he wanted to spray with two colors - the funky blue of the tires and a muted gray - He went with Rust-Oleum's Engine Enamel in Ford Blue to match the rubber wheel color - check out his new bike for under his Mom's budget of $50! 

We just battled a bathroom makeover and found that new appliances and vanities will basically run you a small fortune.  I try to help the environment by recycling just about everything, as well as making wise purchases such as restored appliances or scratch and dent purchases.  My Handy Man Dean tipped me off on ReStore - which is an architectural recycling warehouse where you can pick up anything from appliances to bathtubs to window for 50 to 75 percent off.   He managed to score us a basic white tub with a tiny scratch on the underside (which will not even been seen!) for way under budget - saved us over $120!  Once you jump on the website, you just enter in your preferred state and click on the facility which suits you best.  After discovering this great find - I did some more investigation and found that The Habitat for Humanity also runs restore facility that you can purchase from at a discounted price - the basic outlet is habitat.org and the other great find - redo.org.  Also great unique pieces at bargain prices!   For all of you DIYer's be sure to click around before you shop ..I also managed to grab an ultra quiet Whirpool dishwasher with a side scratch - which butted up against the kitchen cabinets for under $400.  Great steal!

I like to check and double check color trends for your home which include wall colors all the way to accessories.  I hit many home and hardward centers to check on color samples and swatches and found that Gray is the new White.  Gray is clearly very regal and takes on a soothing tone when combined with soft colors or pale wood tones.  When adding doses of modern, consider a touch of grass green,  bold almost electric blue or a vibrant yellow.  Since many of us to tend to have some type of beige as a base - which is still a warm neutral but they are now simply incorporating that beige as an accent with the grays.  With the gray family you can add your classic beiges, nautical colors, and so called "blast from the past" earth tones.  Gray helps keep the room in balance and will take over a cool, relaxing atmosphere!  If you can't decided, try one room with the classic gray base and accessorize with trend colors in turquoise, yellows and deep reds!  Go Gray!

I came across this old beat  up dresser which had great elongated mirrors on the side. I removed the mirrors and did away with the dresser!  I must admint that the mirrors sat around for awhile until it came to me - I was turning these old mirrors into a horizontal mirror with new antiqued hooks.  After investigating the wood, I realized that it had been stained with a black stain.  Since stain does bleed through I knew I needed to seal in the wood from bleeding through my final finish.  I grabbed a can of Zinsser BIN Primer - covered the mirror with tape and newspaper and simply sprayed away.  Zinsser BIN sealed in the old stain and avoided any type of knot bleeding.  I love the spray can - no fuss or mess nececssary.   The recoat time is fabulous as well - 45 quick minutes!  I next sprayed two light coats of Rust-Oleum's Satin in Shell White Satin.  The satin finish was perfect for that antiquefaux  finish!  I pre-drilled holes for the two antique bow hooks I found at a local craft store.   From almost trash to terrific with a couple of cans of spray paint!

It's been about a month since I planted my sweet basil and have been clipping off small sections.  I did notice that the plant was struggling a bit after I clipped a few leaves.  After a little on line research and a very helpful "Annie" at my local Lowes - I was basically mis-clipping the plant - Rule of Thumb - You should cut a third to a half of the volume leaving at least three pairs of leaves on the lower portion of each major stem and then water your basil.  I have done so this morning and I'll give it a few days and check to see if the clipping magic worked!  The basil is terrific and sweet this time of the year and I do manage to freeze chopped basil in ice cube trays for use all winter long!  Chop the basil and gently push it into each ice cube tray - once frozen, pop it out and toss into a freezer bag! Exicted for those tomatoes to come to life!  Enjoy Summer!

Customize any tool caddy for Father's Day and you'll be sure to please your Pop!  The best part of a generic tool caddy is that you can turn it into any "special" type of caddy.  If your Dad is a golfer, you have an instant golf caddy - add golf balls, tees and fresh new pair of golfing gloves - even a day at his favorite course! If he loves to tinker on his car, add oil, a car wash gift certificate and car fresheners.  The BBQ King will be thrilled with new grill tools, mesquite coals and a few bottles of BBQ sauce!  For the wood working Dad - add pencils, wood glue and spray paints and varnishes!  We made a special "Can Organizer" out of soup cans and then glued them together with Gorilla Glue which we then added in as a special gift!  For our Tool Caddy we used Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch 2 X in Gloss Deep Blue, the soup can organizer in GlossMeadow Green and the handle in Aluminum.  The high end decorations on the front are simple nuts and washers from your local home/hardware center.  They were about 30 cents a piece!  We glued them together first with the Gorilla Glue and then once the tool caddy was fully cured, we glued them directly onto the front!  What a great impact and it looks sharp!   Happy Father's Day - sit back, enjoy and relax!

I just wanted to share a bit of detail - the washers and bolts look rough and the organizer caddy was decorated with electrical cover jacks which range from 8 to 10 cents each!  Fill your organizer with paintbrushes, pencils and glue! 

Show Dad exactly how "Nuts" you are about him!   The kids actually put thought into what their Dad truly enjoys and that was pretty simple, golf, trailmix and of course a cold brew!  I grabbed an empty pickle jar from the recycle bin (so this project is RRR friendly!) cleaned and dried it out.  Purchased a bag of roasted peanuts and had the kids hot glue them to the lid of the jar.  Once fully dried, we spray painted the lid with Rust-Oleum's Specialty Metallic in Gold.  Two light coats turned our RRR jar into a dust of Gold!  Fill with your favorite treat for Dad, we filled ours with trailmix, trimmed the rim with co-ordinating ribbon and tied on a special note "Nuts About You Dad"!  If your fab Dad loves coffee, glue on coffee beans,  candy lover -fill with M&M's or gum balls.  

I browse through tons and tons of magazines, decorating, self motiviating, food and do it yourself types!  I found this dresser and thought that these colors were pretty limiting when it comes to spray paints....but I was wrong -Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch Ulta 2x not only has the double coverage factor but the color palette is simply incredible.  From your basic Flat Black all the way to Key Lime Gloss.  This is where a bit of color inspiration can push you to purchase that piece of wicker furniture from a garage sale for less then $10 - hose it down very well, allow it to fully dry - if necessary spray with a basic primer such as ZInsser BIN Primer - since wicker is wood - this primer will seal and not allow the wood spots to bleed through.  Once fully cured, you can replicate this wonderful, colorful "Island" like dresser by spraying with Ultra Cover 2X in Key Lime Gloss, Satin Blossom White, Gloss Brilliant Blue and Gloss Spa Blue or even Satin Aqua.  Grab a Comfort Grip and spray away with ease! 

This was a must share recipe which turns a rainy summer day into a cast of sunshine!   I simply used a "boxed" chocolate cake mix - added this creamy, rich filling and tantalized my family's tastebuds like never before!  Follow the cake mix directions -Bake cupcakes as directed.  In another bowl mix 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter - softened works best - 1 1/2 cup of confectioner's sugar (a/k/a powder sugar)  and 3 to 4 tablespoons of milk. Mix for a good minute until fluffy.  Spoon the peanut butter filling into a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip.  Take your completely cooled cupcake and insert the tip into the top of each cupcake; squeeze as much filling as possible until you see the top of the cupcake bulge slightly!  Frost with chocolate frosting or even skim a bit of the peanut butter filling on top and sprinkle with crushed nuts or crushed oreo peanut butter cookies - yes, they finally make peanut butter Oreos!!  Enjoy!

You can recycle your trash by taking it out into your backyard and creating your very own compost pile.  You can build your own compost bin with 2 X 2's or 2 X 4's and chicken wire.  Customize your size to fit behind a shed or by the corner of your home.  Better yet, call your local Waste Management and ask them how much are the recylceable compost bins - generally just around $20.  Start by using a pail inside that you can put your "Green" materials in such as coffee grinds, fruit and veggie s****s, eggshells as well as plant clippings.  You can "heap" layers about 4 to 6 inches deep of the green materials - alternating with the "Brown" materials such as newspaper, dry leaves, straw,  chopped wood, and untreated sawdust.   Now you need to let both of these materials just sit and they will naturally create nitrogen and certain brown materials will create carbon.   Add water directly into the compost - dampen only do not saturate.  This creates heat which the compost requires in order to break down.  About once a week turn the pile with a shovel or fork - just about when the compost reaches 140' F.  Then allow the compost to sit- flipping, stirring and turning every week until the pile no longer radiates heat and turns dry and crumbly -this takes about 3 months.  The compost "dirt" will then be a very dark brown - you can start to shovel out the compost and turn into your vegetable or flower garden which is a natural fertilizer.  Sounds like a lot, but it's an easy process which just takes a weekly commitment!  Sit back and watch your tomatos, peppers and herb garden jump into full bloom!

Spray painting your planters and tomato cages with vibrant colors is like adding art to your yard!  After spray painting last years planters - basically upcycling them, I have decided to spray paint those old $3 tomato cages which are just not that attractive!  Take a look on how great the colors are and how they dress up the small, but bountiful garden!  Go from generic cages to WOW!

I had a few cans of  Rust-Oleum's Painter's Touch 2X laying around so I used basically what I had in color.  Pretty happy about that because the Marigold looks great against the green leaves and the Berry Pink out shines the brown fence!  If the cages are in real bad shapes, you can spray Rust-Oleum's Rusty Metal Primer on first - in my case, I did not - they looked pretty good and decided not to spend too much time - I would have to say that I made a huge color impact in my garden with minimal time & money!  Spray Paint Away!

Here it is - a plain white planter that has great bones but I wanted to jazz up the color and with Rust-Oleum's Universal in Gloss Sunset Orange - I chose the Universal brand because you can just spray anyway - literally at a 360 degree angle!  Basically spray upside down and you lose no pressure - just like spraying right side up!   Universal is great for grated iron pieces that are not solid - you can attain better coverage if you continue to spray one coat at a time.  This planter took two coats - I still have almost a full can left! 

 You can add color to your garden by simply spray painting your planters, bird feeders, bird baths as well as quickly update your mailbox with with a fresh new color.        I may even add color to my metal, rusty tomato cages! Go from plain Jane to Sassy in just minutes!