Thursday, July 10, 2014

Painting My Way To Fabulous...



Pinterest is fabulous.  I've learned so much from little tabs stuck on the computer screen over the last three years.  Admittedly, I have also made a lot of messes.  Still, undeterred by the massive amounts of mistakes made, I still try to get out there and do something fabulous I saw!  It took me a good three months...because I procrastinate...to get this project done, but it should only have taken a day and mostly so the paint could dry.  That's how I roll....turning one simple thing into a long drawn out process as I sit and think if this is really the color blue I meant to get?  OH HECK LET'S JUST USE IT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS!!!

Don't do that.

Match your color at the dang store.

For realz, the paint cost me more than the dresser 'cause I kept going back and repainting...re sanding...bah bah bah.

Still, lesson learned and so now I shall proceed to offer some very sage advice!

You need a piece...like this one here --->
that I got off craigslist for 55 dollars.  YES I Know...insane find!!!

1. Pick a color....stick with said color....after you are ABSOLUTELY sure...it is the color you want.

2. Stick with the color.

3. Take all that fabulous hardware off and set it aside for later!  (P.S.  Pick a color for them too..preferably in spray paint form...it makes it so much easier)

4. Wipe all your surfaces down...there was a lot of dust on the dresser.  While I was tempted to cut out the center top drawers to slip in a cable box, I didn't.  I don't have cable, it is the evil that sucks the life and money from my family.  Heh.  'Sides, that's good drawer space there for me to shove things when people come over to visit!

5. Sand.  Lightly...depending on the piece.  I'm going to be honest here....I didn't sand it besides the spots where the hardware was.  It had collected some odd bumps from previous paint.  Technically I spot sanded it and used primer on the rest of the dresser.

6. Let the primer sit...for a whole day.  This is what takes up all the time, if you are a normal person.  For me this is the point I began to doubt my paint color choice....so I let it sit there for three weeks while I pondered it. -sighs- Don't do that....stuff gets on the primer and then you have to rewipe.

7.  Using your small brush (I prefer those sponge ones because the bristles don't fall into my work) to get all the edges, nooks, and crannies.

8.  Grab you a roller...and get to rolling.  I finally settled on a semi-gloss that I matched to my rug....it took me three tries before I got smart and took a pic of the rug and matched it at Home Depot.  Yes...I painted it twice in this dark royal blue chalk paint before I got what I wanted.

Don't be me!

9.  While that dries...get your hardware out and set it all out on some pretty paper you don't want anymore...get to spraying.  WAIT...check the hardware...depending on how it looks, you may need to sand it some.  Luckily, mine had paint all over it already so I just scratched it up some and tada...silver hardware.  I used a silver coat from Michaels!

All in all....I am in love with how it turned out, even if I wasn't happy with it along the way a few times!  I think I might can get into this whole furniture restore/repaint thing!!

Friday, January 3, 2014

An Introduction....and a Few Goals 2014

Hello!

My name is Maria...I am a Christian wife, mother, daughter, aunt...woman.  I am in a constant state of learning, which I love, it keeps my mind young and sharp!  I have two beautiful children, Marcus & Mya who are 13 and 5...they are amazing children.  My husband is The Macster....and in the military.  He is about to ship out for 8 months, so I thought it would be a great time to start a blog, talk about that journey....maybe keep myself busy and share a little something with everyone else!

I picked the name "On The Dixie Line" because...I was born and raised in Baltimore City, MD.  Inner City....but my heart yearned for fields of corn, barn yard dances, and summers at the creek.  I am, at heart, a country girl.  I got out of Baltimore as soon as I graduated and I've been living here in Virginia Beach since....two hours from the Mason Dixon Line....I say that makes me Southern!!  My best friend from Georgia still calls me a northerner....So I will just settle here On The Dixie Line...and she can just fall in line! LOL.

As this is a brand new journal with a brand new year....I am starting off with some GOALS!!!  I plan on using this blog to keep me accountable.  Some of my biggest goals this year have to do with my health, budget, and organization.  I really want to focus on utilizing the Blessings God has given me to the best of my ability!   I am going to start off small....

Let me put down the goals for this year and each month I will set aside small ones that will, hopefully, help me focus on the Big Ones.

Ground Zero: Spend More Personal Time With God.
1. Eat Healthier
2. Exercise More with my Family
3. Organize My Entire Home so everything has a place and clutter is gone.
4. Clear out 80% of our debt.

They are pretty straight forward, but I know a lot goes into each.  I figure I work a little each month....it will all get done!

This Month's Goals

1. 15 Minutes Every Morning....dedicated to reading my bible.
2. Walk at least three times a week with Mya & Marcus
3. Clean out my kitchen cabinets & set up a way to track inventory.
4.  Save aside 50 dollars.

I think I can manage that...they say do something for 30 days and it becomes a habit.