dresser makeover

I painted an old wooden dresser turquoise when Cohen was born. I decided to give it another facelift for the new baby. It will be half boy clothes and half girl clothes, so I went with a neutral silver! Don't you love silver? I originally intended just a simple gray but then I went down the Martha Stewart paint aisle and saw metallics. I couldn't go back after that.

I love how girly metallic silver can be but also how industrialized and manly it can look. So, it's perfect for a shared nursery! 

I partnered with 3M for this project and used a few of their products to make the preparation and process easier. 

Materials used:

-Glidden Paint in Pebble Gray 

-Martha Stewart Metallic Paint in Polished Silver 

-3M Advanced Abrasives sandpaper

-3M TEKK Protection refinishing gloves

Sanding the paint between coats was really smart! I used two coats of basic gray and then brushed the metallic on top. In between I sanded scuffs and drips, which left me with a really smooth surface. When I added the brushed texture on top, it looked great because I had prepared the base coats well! I love the 3M Sandpaper because it is really fine and perfect for this task.

Before I started painting, I made sure to prepare with a face mask for safety. I also wore protective gloves to keep my hands and nails nice. I usually get paint all over my hands when I paint, but this time I didn't! It was much nicer to just peel off the gloves than to have to soak in the tub for a while. Safety first!

 In process

 I used a paint roller for the two base coats but a brush for the metallic. I wanted it to have that brushed look, it gave it some texture.

The insides are still blue with my fabric liners! The fabric is from Heather Bailey's Pop Garden line. 

This post is a collaboration with 3M DIY. To learn more about safety and preparation, visit 3MDIY.com

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, 3M DIY.

chalkboard wall prep + painting

We just painted one wall in our kitchen with chalkboard paint and we're so in love! It's really fun to have in a space we all use frequently. I've partnered with 3M to show you how I prepped the wall! Let's go! (Scroll down for video!)


Materials used:
-3M Patch Plus Primer
-3M ScotchBlue painters tape
-3M Advanced Abrasives sandpaper
-chalkboard paint, 1 quart

Tools:
-putty knife
-paint roller
-paint rolling pan
-brushes for touch up and edges

Safety gear:
-3M TEKK Protection face mask

Tips for prepping a wall for paint

1. Spackle cracks. First spackle any cracks or holes in the wall. My kitchen wall had a big crack from the wall settling. I used 3M's spackle and primer combination to fill it in. After 30 minutes I was ready to paint, but first I sanded it down a little just to make sure it was smooth. And now, the crack is nowhere to be seen! Hello smooth wall!

I love the work "Spackle". Is it a verb, too? I'm not sure.

2. Tape it off. If you're just painting one wall and not the entire room, make sure to tape the sides of the wall off. You'll want to do the ceiling and baseboards, too.

3. Lay down plastic or paper. To protect your floors. Secure it with tape so you don't dislodge it during painting.

4. Safety first! Paint makes me lightheaded fast, so make sure to open a window for ventilation and secure your safety mask. (Don't want that baby getting any fumes!)

And now for a short little video about prepping your wall for paint! (I hate speaking into cameras, can you tell??)

Thanks for watching! I'm a really fast painter, huh!

We are really enjoying the chalkboard wall, it's so fun to watch Cohen draw his pictures on it. He pretty much only draws grass(?) and sometimes he draws on the other walls and tables, too. But at least the other walls are white so far. And the chalk is white, too.

Happy chalkboarding!

This post is a collaboration with 3M DIY. To learn more about safety and preparation, visit 3MDIY.com

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, 3M Frameworks.

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, 3M DIY.

color block wedges

I have recently gotten into wearing wedges. They are so much easier to wear than heels! I have had this project in mind for a long time, so I'm so excited that I finally completed it. I've teamed up with ScotchBlue Painter's Tape to bring you a video tutorial! I've never done a video on this blog before and to be honest, I was really nervous to make one but I hope you like it! 

Materials:
*A pair of wedges: the higher the better! The higher the wedge, the more painting canvas you have
*ScotchBlue Painter's Tape
*3 colors of paint, your choice
*foam brushes 

This is such a fun way to customize a pair of shoes! I think making squares or another geometric pattern would be neat, too.

This post is a collaboration with ScotchBlue Painter's Tape.  Visit ScotchBlue Ribbons on Facebook to learn how to win.