A pallet’s tale…

 

As you may or may not be aware (you are if you follow me on Pinterest), I’ve been skulking around dumpsters in my neighbourhood lately. On the hunt. For these.

I’ve amassed quite a collection. This doesn’t show off what’s lurking in the garage. Greg figures when we are ready for a “hillbilly campfire”, we are good! But there is a method to this madness. As discussed in previous posts, Greg and I are spending the WAD of Gubment $$$ back in taxes this year on a wharf to sit alongside this monster…

So of course this leaves very little money, a huge requirement of inspiration and mucho perspiration on Greg’s part to come up with some cheap outdoor furniture for the GAH-zebo (say that slowly)

Here is my inspiration shot.

I also got as ton of ideas from Sunny at Life in Rehab over here!

I tried out a few configurations for a low coffee table, but the general weight of these pallets is deceiving. Suckas is heavy!!

I bought the necessary wood screws and castors. 2 stationary castors for the back and 2 swivel castors for the front. In doing so I can almost guarantee the boys won’t use this for a skateboard and none of my Magarita-Madness beotches best girlfriends will push it over when they fall down.
Please refer to the following pics as my attempts to outshine the Pioneer Woman’s ass shots of her rancher husband

Let’s get this going already!

To make the depth and strength of the pallet enough for the castors we had to add a little oooomph, as in beefing the corners with scrap wood. But here is the finished product. My thinking (OK, OK Greg’s thinking) is that the top section is good for drinks, candles etc. but I surmised the bottom section (as it is very big) would be nice for putting your feet up.

Staining to follow. I like it!

Good boy Greg! Kisses!!! Pudge, kiss Daddy for me.

A match made in....

....you decide. What if HE met SHE:

...they took their skirts off and came to live together in my livingroom? THOUGHTS? Bheuller?

What is she thinking?

Well, I'll tell you what she is thinking. She is thinking about building a platform of the side of the seasonal bathtub in the backyard to stop people from falling out, off and into one another on the ladder stairs now present. She is thinking of something like this:

Source: brodneypool.com via Dharma on Pinterest

So, when one does one's taxes and comes up with exactly the same tax return $$ amount from *da Gubment* that her contractor HandyTom has given for a quote to build said leaping surface....she starts to see all of her dreams of planned new rustic patio furniture going down the drain. What is a girl to do? She starts "pinning" and dumpster diving and asking at her local Staples if they are gonna use that pallet sitting in the back? Cause she is on a mission to create HER OWN PATIO SET. Daybed, coffee tables, da works YO! My gazebo will make people gasp this year. GASP dammit. Here are some of my inspiration. Now to get up the motivation (and decent weather).

Source: blogs.babble.com via Dharma on Pinterest

Source: emilypaigeoslie.blogspot.com via Dharma on Pinterest

What are you doing with any of your Gubment $$? Are you good and pay off debt? Or do you address safety issues like me?

FFA Challenge #1

So, Mandi over at Vintage Revivals has started a club. The FFA is "Fearlessly Finding Awesome". This is not a "clubby" club, we won't be raving into the wee hours, sucking on pacifiers and dancing to trance music...or will we? Nope, this is about being fearless in your home. Fearless in decor, challenging you to make your space more "your space" and less like everything we see online or in magazines. First challenge is to Catch a Dream or to define your style "FEELING". Not with the traditional decor words but how you want your home to FEEL. What makes you, you? You know?

So in answering that, I think we all want our homes to feel and look like US. As in, your new friend walks into your home for the first time and says "OMG, this is exactly what I thought your house would look like. It's sooooo you!" To say I am outgoing is a bit of an understatement. I'm totally THAT girl. I've been described as too loud, too funny, too much my whole life. Now, translating that personality into a home could possibly make my place feel like Ringling Brothers had decorated it but there are other things about my personality that I do want to bring into my house. I am very maternal. I love being a mother and I love that my house is that house. The one where the boys' friends come and hang and feel comfortable. I like worn, comfy looking things that I don't have to shriek over. I have never yelled "Do not put your feet on that!". I am funny. Irreverant actually and I say exactly what's on my mind about 99% of the time. In my design style, I'd like more whimsy, humour and things that make you stop, look and laugh. You may have figured out that I love water. Duh. I'd like people to walk into my home and be reminded of beach days or a summer cottage trip. Not that I'm into stringing fishing nets from the ceiling (that makes us mermaids nervous) but I want that vibe. I love, love, love to entertain. I'd like for my guests and family to feel welcome. WELCOME. Open spaces, fun decor, colour and a beachy vibe. Comfortable, hey you - put your feet up....or help me make the margaritas kinda thing. What can I getcha?

Countertops and Dust Rhinos

 

After a week of 80 degree days all week, we got a yuk weekend of drizzle, clouds and cold temperatures. Sounds like a drag, right? No way! How do you create your own fun at home with the DH? You paint your kitchen counters. You KNOW he was excited. 

You may remember the green countertops bane of my existence that are on every vanity and kitchen surface in my home. Well, I’ve been here for almost 7 years and it is time to banish the Leprechaun from Casa Dharma. Don’t you just love the scroll design on the green? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.

I also had been drooling over the tutorial from Jenna at SAS Interiors. Her tips came in mighty handy!! Her product kit and mine differ because we have a different option up here in Canada but the tips and tricks were priceless. Here is my kit, the Countertop Refinishing Kit. The one Jenna used was a Countertop Transformations Kit. That kit costs $249 CAD.So when I saw a deal on at my local Home Hardware from $199 to $149 CAD, I said “Self, get thee to HH.” This kit is enough to cover 50 sq ft. My kitchen counters measured 43 sq ft. Here is where you hope the manufacturer
is not pulling your chain!

I chose to use the black finish to match the almost-stainless appliances and my new greige hoodfan. Here is
where we started on Saturday at 9 a.m.

No one could have prepared me for the ICK-Factor during the removal of my appliances. Um, note to self. Do that more than once every couple years, yo! Bunnies, meet dust-rhinos.

There is a major investment of time and inconvenience involved in this project. I don’t suggest this one for anyone with little patience or little kids. Kidding….but not about the patience part. Oy vey. There are a lot of steps, mucho drying time stops and starts and it is picky-picky. However, that being said, if I can do it. You can do it.

First up, clean, tape, protect cabinets and sinks etc.  Then onto scuff/sand your surface area.

Then it is on to the base coat. Dry. Second base coat. Dry. Now 3pm.

Then it is time to put on your stonecoat finish. This is messy and does not look so hot. Hang in there.

Second coat on at 7pm. That’s looking better, right?

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnddddddddddddddd…………………….now we dry. Overnight.

Wake up at 8:10 a.m. and stumble downstairs. Thank all that is holy for a man who makes coffee in the morning. Get yourself together, Dharma and start sanding the surface of your new stonecoated countertops, cause that sounds fun on a Sunday before noon, right? Right? This was my idea. Sand.

The stone flecks in the paint are exposed and they range in colour and size. The effect is pretty realistic really. I was a bit surprised how good it looked.

Now the fun part. Clear coat, dry, clear coat and leave it alone for 24 hours. Order Chinese food

We decided to put the appliances back before the end of the day. Here is a bit of a sneak peek. We have paint touchups and silicone to complete tomorrow. Then back to reloading my kitchen with crap.

A reminder of our Before and After:

And I’m dust rhino free to boot, I won’t have to clean under the appliances for another 4 years.

It’s Saturday night…..what are you doing?

This chic is knee deep in stonecoat covering the bane of my existence. We all know that it’s not easy being green.

Be back soon. Back in Black

Break out the SPF! What?

It is the first day of Spring today and it is over 75 degrees up here in the wilds of the Canadian north....

What. the. H.E. double-hockey-sticks?

I started my spring cleaning last night. I have 4 levels in my house and I am committed to doing one level a night and then doing my groceries on Friday after work. Peeps, we don't get weather like this often and I am not letting a potential weekend of it go by unused :)

So....should the weather hold, my house will be clean, my laundry is caught up and my home will be stocked with food & drink.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

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