How to frame bathroom mirrors with scrap trim

Making a home look nice when you're on a seriously tight budget can be a real B....!  

Big challenge, that is.  

But sometimes you can make a big improvement without spending any money.  And if it's a temporary fix...that's okay...no cost means there's no loss...just an investment of time.

I was pretty disillusioned with this bathroom.  The unframed mirrors "clipped" to the wall.  The "dressing room" style lights, the flat fronted oak cabinets, the laminate counter top, the bargain basement sinks...and those faucets.  The 90's are calling and they want their bathroom back!

What is a girl to do when there's no money in the budget to redecorate?

It's time to get creative and see what we can do with what we have!

We started with some fresh paint in a soft blue/grey color.  Gone with the beige!

We took some pieces of scrap trim Scott had saved from a prior project and cut them to the lengths we needed to frame the mirror.  We decided not to use mitered corners since we were using several differing sizes and styles of trim.  We used a router to add a little drop edge for the mirror to sit in.  You can see the routered edge on the bottom left corner of this piece of trim (above) and also in the piece of trim that will go on top of the mirror (photo below).

We then screwed the bottom piece of trim into the wall where we had pre-determined we wanted the mirror to be.

Scott carefully placed the mirror in the little channel created by the routered edge.  

Very carefully...we don't need 7 years bad luck around here.

Then I held the mirror in place while Scott screwed in the top piece.

The side trim went up and yikes...those gaps!

No worries though.  Nothing a little caulk can't fix.  My man knows the power of a good caulk job!  ;)  

Caulk always makes a project look better.

All the gaps and cracks were given their share of caulk until there were no more visible gaps.

And no more frame-less mirrors "clipped" to the walls in here!

Now to figure out how to replace those lights, faucets and that green laminate countertop without breaking the bank...

One step at a time, right!?

So much better than before.  

Makes me want to get out the paint and refinish those cabinets NOW...but what to do with those 

counter tops?  Any ideas?

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Hanging Out on the Summer Porch ~ A Painted Icebox Story

This old icebox was passed on to us years ago and it's played many roles in our home...

*tv cabinet

*end table

*bedside table

*and most recently it hung out on our back deck for the summer.

But I switched the big bench from the front porch to the back deck and so this icebox and folding chairs ended up here on the front porch.  The big bench is heavy and so it's a stay put kinda guy and these lightweight chairs are easily moved wherever the shade is.  I like having the option of moving my chair to a better spot if I want to!    

But this poor old icebox really has seen better days, don't you think?  The weather from last summer really did a number on the finish.  And although this piece is cute ~ it's clearly a "fake" icebox and so it's not going to win any restoration awards for me.  So I figured I'd have some fun with it and paint it a happy color to liven up the front porch area.

Ace Hardware had their big Grand Opening Celebration last weekend and I got this sample quart of paint for free there.

I was going to go with a cheerful yellow (by popular vote on facebook) but the hubby voted 'NO' on yellow and well, his vote made all the difference since he also has to live with it.  Sorry to all of you yellow voters out there!!!  Quite honestly I was surprised that he picked this color out of the three choices I showed him.  

I thought for sure he'd choose the green or yellow first.

I sanded the old finish off with a sanding sponge before giving it a new coat of paint.  I didn't use a separate primer just two coats of Clark + Kensington Paint + Primer In One in 'Stepping Out'.  :)

Very nice paint with great coverage, btw.

We love our little front porch with our Family Established Porch Sign

And the gorgeous hanging basket we purchased from the High School Baseball Fundraiser.  Best idea for a fundraiser EVER in my opinion.  I love my hanging flower baskets!!!

Just a few details to make this space feel really welcoming and CHEERFUL.

• Icebox Drink Table in a fresh new color
• Some fun floral pillows
• A sweet Dahlia in a vase (fake)
• Some ferns on tree stump end tables (soon to be painted stumps, I think!)
• A soft apple green rug

It didn't take Sadie long to realize there was a nice soft rug here.

I think she approves of the new porch makeover...

...especially the soft place to lounge.

Sadie says it's perfect for chilling on a lazy summer day.

Oh, what color do you think I should paint those stumps?  White or gold or some combination of both?  I can't promise you Scott won't trump the popular vote but I would still love to hear what you think!

Thanks for stopping by today to see what we've been up to.

Enjoy the Summer sunshine and stop to smell the flowers from time to time  :)

I know I will!

Cheers,

Sherry

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22 Clever Cabinet Ideas found on Hometalk

I'm a fan of clever ideas.

Many of my favorite projects involve taking something that is intended for one use and using it for an entirely different purpose.  The really cool thing about being a DIY blogger is we aren't limited by conventional ideas when it comes to our projects.  Everything we come across is seen as a possible makeover, repurpose, or upcycle project.  We are forever looking at the potential behind each and every yard sale, thrift store and roadside find.

I get excited when I see other peoples' ideas for the clever use of furniture.  There are so many great ideas out there.  And just to show an example of the creative ways people are finding to re-use furniture I've compiled 22 Clever Cabinet Ideas from  posts I've found on Hometalk.

Click photo to go to 22 Clever Cabinet Ideas on Hometalk

Cabinets hold special significance for us here at Pondered Primed Perfected because Our Very First Blog Post Ever  was about a freebie garage cabinet that Scott and I cleaned up and painted to use as a craft cabinet INSIDE our home.  It was a fun project to tackle together (we learned so much through the process!) and that cabinet has been an invaluable source of storage and organization ever since:

But we aren't the only ones repurposing cabinets.

Here are just a few Clever Cabinet Ideas I found on Hometalk by doing a quick keyword search:

At the Picket Fence shared this cabinet turned fun game center, with a dart board inside and chalkboard doors for keeping score of all the good-natured competitions that are sure to happen.

You may not like having all your sewing stuff out in plain sight but want it handy when you need it, right?  How about creating a Sewing Armoire like A Southern Belle with Northern Roots shared on Hometalk.

Coffee, anyone?  I totally need a coffee bar in my home like this one, shared by Wit Wisdom and Food on Hometalk.  If only it came with a built in Barista!

And if you need something a little stronger than coffee...Eve of Reduction shared this sewing cabinet turned cool Beverage Cart.  I'm totally feeling thirsty now.  :)  

The above and below cabinets both remind me of the stereo cabinet that Scott and I repurposed into a fun mini bar.  We shared that post on Hometalk too.  See our Hometalk post HERE.

This old stereo cabinet, shared by Practips, makes a perfect bathroom vanity.

And speaking of bathrooms, check out this cabinet:

Recaptured Charm shared this kitty commode she created from an old, discarded cabinet.  

(When it's all closed up you would never guess what's inside!)

Maybe you don't need a cabinet inside your home anymore?  There are many clever ideas for repurposing cabinets for use in your garage, shop or yard too.

How about this metal filing cabinet flipped on it's back and drawers removed.  A little paint and pegboard create an ideal storage spot for all those long handled tools and whatnots hanging about in the garage.  Shared by Brightnest on Hometalk.

Or this mini potting shed made from an old Armoire and shared by Art is Beauty.

WOW!!!  Those were just a few of the cabinets I compiled on my Clever Cabinet Ideas Board on Hometalk.

Click photo to be taken to 22 Clever Cabinet Ideas

You won't want to miss the rest of these Clever Cabinet Ideas.

You can visit my board on Hometalk HERE.

And next time you look at a discarded cabinet, just let your mind ponder the possibilities! 

If you haven't checked out Hometalk yet, you really should.  It's just overflowing with Home Improvement ideas and inspiration all being shared by Professionals, Bloggers, and Homeowners alike.  You can create an account to share your projects and even ask questions when you need help or advice on any home related subject.

Plus you can follow all of your favorite Hometalk peeps to see what amazing projects they are sharing there!

What are you waiting for?

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When that little voice inside your head says "paint the bed"...you paint!

My parents gave us a King Sized Sleep Number adjustable mattress.  They decided they would be better off with another type of mattress and so they generously brought their sleep number up and delivered it to us.  Many thanks to my wonderful parents!  We also got brand new memory foam components from the Sleep Number company.

You have no idea how much we appreciate you and your generosity, Mom and Dad!!!

So here is how our Master bedroom looked on Friday night.  How's that for red and dated? (below)

We were so excited to be getting a dual adjustable bed, especially because Scott likes his bed FIRM and I like my bed SOFT.  Can you believe it?  On another note, it is our 13th wedding anniversary today!  And that's about how long we've had this knotty wooden bedroom set.  Actually, I think we bought it when I was pregnant with Alex so we would have room in our bed for Scott, Myself and my big belly!

Of course getting a new mattress fueled the fire to change our bedroom.  It was long overdue.  I've had the paint for months...many months.  Sometimes I get all 'painted out' for awhile.  But it was time for that decade old, dated red TO GO!  It sucked all the light out of our room.  Great for sleeping but not so good for anything else.  We needed calm and peaceful, BUT we also wanted light and cheerful.  And so I pulled out all the painting supplies and got busy Friday night after work painting the walls with my helper, Alex.  Best to get the walls painted while the old mattresses were off the bed and it would be easier to move, right?  So I pulled the bed out from the wall and got to painting.  But that little inner voice in my head just kept at me, saying "You know you want to paint the bed...you've wanted to for a long time."  And I knew it was true but darn, painting the entire room:  the walls, the trim, PLUS the bed, was a lot of work in one busy weekend!  And I really did not want to take that bed frame apart and carry it downstairs by myself while Scott was away at tennis championships.  NO WAY!  And the thought of not finishing and being left without a bed for any number of nights...NOT GOOD.  It is our anniversary today...did I mention that!?  ;)

But late Friday night while Alex was sleeping and Scott was away, that inner voice started whispering to me again..."Now's your chance!  There's no mattress in the way, you've cleared the room and you've already got all of the painting supplies up here."  And so I grabbed a little roller and started painting the bed with some white paint...right there in the middle of the night...in the middle of the room...

Turns out a bed CAN be painted right where it sits.  Some cardboard under each leg so I could paint all the way down without getting paint on the floor was all it took.  Being extra careful not to paint the carpet or anything else in the room was important.  I just went with white because that's what I had and I'm very happy with the decision.  Even Alex and Scott like the white.  Yes, those men that are forever teasing me that I paint EVERYTHING white, said they really like it.  And so do I.  It is a nice, subtle contrast with the soft blue/grey of the walls.  And I like that the wall color makes it feel like we are floating on a cloud.

And the bed can be set to the perfect firmness for Scott AND me.  We feel like we are in heaven!  Thanks again Mom & Dad.

There's still much left to be done in this room, but for now we are loving the changes and taking our time deciding what color to paint the other furniture in the room.  If we decide to paint it.  Although the changes feel pretty good.

We still have an end table...

A big dresser with a mirror...

And the secretary desk (that came from my sweet grandma) I use as a side table to possibly paint....

A few more details and we might have an entire room makeover to share.  I think I just wore myself out thinking about all the things that still need to be finished...shwew...it may be awhile now!  Haha.  Let's hope not.  :)

Thanks for stopping by today to see what we've been up to!

We love that you are here!  Please take the time to click on your favorite method to follow (on the sidebar or that little purple bar conveniently located at the bottom of the page).  THANKS!

Sherry

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Dangly Earring Storage & Display DIY

I sent my big jewelry box off to be photographed by Somerset Home awhile back in the hopes that I'll see one of my projects on the pages of a magazine someday.  That would be a dream come true for me!  Ever since then all my jewelry has been thrown together in a basket.  Not a convenient way to store jewelry, let me tell ya.

Whenever I tried to find earrings I couldn't seem to locate a matching pair.  So, not much earring wearing happening around here lately.   Something needed to be done and quick...

Then I remembered this little wooden house I had found at a thrift store eons ago.  I think it cost .50 cents.   It's a simple little shadow box made out of wood.  I've seen these at Michael's and Joann's for a few dollars, I think.  When I bought it I intended to put fun family photos in each section.  Wouldn't that be cute?  But now my wheels were turning about using it to display some of those dangly earrings that were getting all tangled together in a basket.

(FYI ~ Dangly isn't really a word but it's what I like to call my long dangling earrings like the ones below.)

So I painted my little shadow box house with white gloss spray paint.  I added some little metal loops that screwed into the wood pretty easily.  I screwed these in with my hands because the wood is fairly soft.  You could use small pliers for this step too.

Then I added some scrapbook/crafting decals to give this little house some personality.  Apparently some 80's personality since one of the stickers says "gonna dress you up in MY LOVE".

I did love that song waaaaaay back when!  :)

Just a couple of nails attach it to the wall next to where I get ready.  I might wear earrings every day now!

My dangly earrings have a new home and they are loving it.

Now what to do with all those post earrings...

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