Catch as Catch Can 75

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Fri, 25 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Your Favorite:

If you were caught, grab a button, and click to tweet.

If you are linking up this week, you must include a link back in your post. You can grab the button below, or do this text link: My Repurposed Life. LinkyTools will not accept your link if you do not have the link back in your post with the correct URL. This party takes a lot of time, I’m happy to send new friends to visit you, and I appreciate you returning the favor.

By linking up, you agree to let me feature your blog (post) on My Repurposed Life and “Pin” it on Pinterest.

Let’s see what you’ve got!

gail

Guest Post—Lifey as a DIY Wifey (Vintage Record Player Repurposed)

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Thu, 24 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Hi everyone! I'm honored to be guest posting today for Gail over here at My Repurposed life! I've been a huge fan of her blog, so it's got me doing a little happy dance! ANYwayssss.... Lately, I've been ITCHING to do some spray painting!

Here's what I WE did!

(WITH ALOT OF my husband's MAN-POWER!)

This is a record player I got at the goodwill. Do you remember it from this post? Well, It doesn't work because of a few reasons. long story. But what a great opportunity to up-cycle it!

DEMOLITION! ...we decided to gut it so that we could make it a DVD storage unit :)

...peek-a-boo!

Here it is just about all gutted out!

Honestly, we just unscrewed, pulled out and yanked out...there's no How-to instructions for this...just...improvise!

I got smart this time: $6.00 spray paint handle from LOWES=totalllly worth every penny. The spray paint I used was from Lowes, It was just a simple Satin Finish... "Valspar Interior white spray paint" (Hindsight, I probably would have chosen a semi-gloss finish. This piece collects dust, and the satin just isn't cutting it.)

I just lightly sanded the edges by hand..taking a fine grit sand paper, and going over the edges until I liked what I saw. It was super easy. It didn't need much at all... I had to stop myself. :)

Having too much fun!

The Lamp was a project I made as well...you can see how I did it by CLICKING THIS POST HERE. :)

...and inside?!?!?! My favorite part is being so organized! (that never happens with us creative gals.) I just bought some baskets on sale at our local Michael's Craft Store.

wah-lah!...

I had debated finishing off the hole...but then all that space would have gone to waste since the front "doors" were fake (they didn't open)...so instead, I just spray painted inside and measured the space so that I could find baskets that fit!

I could have put a piece of MDF (wood) on over the hole to hide it, but the basket was big enough to sit on the hole easily, without falling through. so no worries here!

& wah-lah again!

Seriously one of the best, most fun, and cheapest projects I've done. I have it sitting behind my couch right now, holding some flowers on top..It's such a great storage piece! I love it!

Be Blessed!

The DIY Wifey,

I love a great repurpose! This was a fabulous project, very pretty AND practical! Didn’t Brittany do a great tute? I know you’ll find lots more great stuff when you explore her blog! Go!
gail

Blue-Gray Shelves

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

I was recently given these shelves/cabinets by a neighbor who was cleaning out a storage building. They were musty and moldy. Yuck!

You can see that they definitely needed some cleaning up. I used warm soapy water with a little bleach added. I wiped everything down, inside and out.

Before

After

I discussed the paint color with my personal consultant, Cassie. She suggested a gray with a little turquoise. It just so happened I had both colors laying around. I used those two colors combined with some Plaster of Paris to make some homemade chalk paint.

I did apply two coats. The first batch I made up was enough to do everything once, and the inside of the shelves twice.

I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to get the same shade for the second coat, but actually got it perfect. the drawer on the left is the second batch, the drawer on the right is from the first batch.

It was a challenge to lay everything out and get both sides painted. I use 2x2’s on the saw horses to get the maximum amount of room.

These shelves are so very heavy. The only way I can manage to move them is on furniture dollies.

After two coats inside and out.

I distressed the edges by scraping very lightly with a putty knife.

I used some cheap black spray paint on the hardware. I wasn’t about to change it all out.

Are they blue? Are they gray?

I waxed them with Annie Sloan clear wax. I think that brought out the gray?

There is quite a bit of damage on this one drawer. Perhaps I could have made it a shelf, but my heart wasn’t in it. I plan to sell these on Craig’s List, and let the new owner decide what they want to do with it.

I’m loving the homemade chalk paint! I did have to sand the surfaces lightly before I waxed them. (due to them being a little gritty) But after a a quick, light sanding, they were oh so smooth! Surely someone would love to give these a new home.

Every so often, even I need to take a break from the saw and drill.

gail

find lots of inspiration here:

Pennington Seed $100 AmEX gift card winner

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:45:00 +0000

I want to thank Pennington Seed for giving me lush green grass, and giving one lucky reader some “green” to spend!

Who is the lucky winner of the $100 AmEX gift card?

Congrats to substitutionqueen! I’ll be in touch to give you the details!

If you plan to “perk” up your lawn, Pennington seed is what you need. I’m telling you, I’ve got more grass in my “dust” bowl than I ever thought possible.

gail

disclosure: although Pennington supplied me we the funds to get a lush new lawn, all opinions (as always) are my own. You can always count on me to keep it real! PROMISE!

Giveaway from The Rekindled Page

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

I have an awesome giveaway for you today.

Deidra from The Rekindled Page is making nightlights with electrical boxes and vintage book pages. Great repurpose, eh?

They are so cool when they are lit.

While still being very decorative in the daylight.

I love the starburst they give off.

We all know there’s no place like home!

Deidra is giving one lucky MRL reader their very own nightlight. (winner’s choice).

How to enter:

Visit The Rekindled Page on Etsy, and take a look around. In a comment below, tell me which nightlight you like best. (I know it will be hard to choose a favorite!) Giveaway starts today, and ends Tuesday May 29, 2012 @ 9PM EST. (just happens to be my baby girls 30th birthday) Winner will be chosen via random.org from all eligible entries and announced on or before June 1, 2012. Limit one entry per person. Winner must be 18, US only. Void where prohibited by law. I will make every effort to contact the winner, however if after 48 hours I have not been able to reach the winner, an alternate winner will be selected.

good luck!

gail

ps if you’re reading this via your email, or a reader, please hop over to the blog to leave a comment. Email comments are not eligible to win.

Recent Finds May 21, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Mon, 21 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

It was too hot on Saturday to work outside on any projects. However, it was a little cool in the morning, so I hit up some yard sales. I think this might be only my second time yardsaling this year. I like to go to yard sales, but I don’t like driving all over to find them. I saw on Craigs List that there was a neighborhood sale close by. It was VERY crowded. There were lots of “courts” or Cul-de-sacs. I would drive a block, park the car, walk half the block, the cul-de-sac then the other half of block. Over and over and over again. I didn’t get much, but what I did get was a few bargains.

If you are a regular around here, you know I have a $5 limit. It really helps when I have decisions to make. Over $5? It’s a no go.

First up, we have a patio table and two chairs. These are bar height. Cost? FREE. My nephew dropped them off to me late last week. They’re in good shape, but will be getting a new coat of paint.

My first purchase of the morning was this chandelier. It was marked $4.00. As I was trying to make up my mind if I wanted it, the lady said she would take $3.00. SOLD!

I’m thinking it will be a candelabra.

Next find was this chair. It was a bargain at a buck! Yep, that’s it, $1.00. They also had a sewing cabinet (no machine) for $2.00, but it had some bad veneer, and I have one waiting to be worked on, so I passed.

I also bought a Sorry game for .50.

I left that neighborhood sale, and on the way home stopped at one more sale. These chairs were marked $5.00 each, at my limit. But multiplying it by 2 made it seem like it was way over my budget. I asked the lady if she would take $7.50 for both, and she said yes. When I got them home, I removed the top sticker to reveal a price of $10.00 underneath the $5.00 stickers. So I suppose I got $20 worth of chairs for $7.50.

I don’t generally haggle over prices, but I wasn’t positive I wanted them. Do you bargain at yard sales? What’s your best story? Do you have a great way of approaching it? I sort of did it sheepishly. AND I made sure I had $7.50. I didn’t want to hand her a $10 bill, when I was asking her to sell them for less than $10.

I have this thing for chairs… I can rarely pass up a good (or even bad) chair.

gail

Would you like to be a guest blogger?

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Sun, 20 May 2012 12:07:00 +0000

Do you love My Repurposed Life? Are you a DIY maven like me? Would you love to get the word out about your blog to a few thousand people? I am accepting guest posts for the middle of June through the rest of the summer.

What kind of posts am I looking for?

Great DIY projects
Fabulous tutorials
Awesome pictures (of the steps you take to make your project)
New content (If you are a smaller blogger, and you have something you LOVE and it has not been featured elsewhere, I’ll consider your content)

What am I not looking for?

Recipes
Sewing projects (something repurposed may be considered)
Easy crafts

If you are unsure as to whether you have what I’m looking for, just shoot me an email and we’ll talk.

gail

Alternate Winner for NOVICA giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Sun, 20 May 2012 02:09:00 +0000

I announced the winner on the blog on Wednesday May 16, 2012. I sent three emails to the original winner, and never heard back. I drew an alternate winner.

Hopefully this winner will respond. Congrats to robinsnest.

gail

Printrunner Sticker Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:08:00 +0000

Somehow I overlooked choosing a winner for this Printrunner giveaway.

Mimi—you’re the winner. You can thank Toqua for your stickers, and of course the nice people at PrintRunner. Just because you didn’t win, doesn’t mean you can’t buy your own stickers. Check out the permalink on my sidebar.

gail

Catch As Catch Can 74

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Whoa, where did the week go? It’s Thursday already? go figure! Thanks so much for linking up to Catch as Catch Can. I love great tutorials, don’t you?

faux window from a picture frame

home staging tips

backlit canvas art

suitcase wall

great tips-how to drill glass

pretty blue cabinet

beautiful buffet

transfer images easily with Mod Podge

1 minute scarf necklace

Your Favorite:

Table makeover with milk paint.

If you were caught, grab a button, and click to tweet.

By linking up, you agree to let me feature your blog (post) on My Repurposed Life and “Pin” it on Pinterest.

Let’s see what you’ve got!

gail

ps worked on this while I was working at the shop….had to switch computers to pull it back up, sorry for the delay.

Guest Post—Potholes and Pantyhose (DIY Dining Table)

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Hello! I'm Rebekah from Potholes and Pantyhose where I share and photograph detailed tutorials of my DIY Projects, Recipes, Photography Tips and Remodeling Endeavors. I'm so excited to be guest posting for Gail at My Repurposed Life!

I love to re-invent items that might be tossed away, creating items that are needed around my home. And, I also love to fill up a person’s belly until they are beyond full...and then heap a dessert on top. When we moved into our new home, a large dining room table-with the ability to seat twelve-was a dream of mine. However, I wasn't excited about the price tags on most large dining room tables, or the lack of creativity found at furniture stores. So, I decided to make it a large dining room table a reality-a beautiful, unique and inexpensive reality.

Using recycled barn wood from my husband's century farm, we made this indestructible table for about $50. BUT, if you don’t have access to barn wood, don’t worry. I’ll tell you how to make this with dimensional lumber you can buy from any lumber store.

What you’ll need to make your own dining room table:

Circular Saw
Drill with a 1/2” wood drill bit and a phillips drill bit
(16) 5” carriage bolts-1/2” thick, with matching nuts
A box of 4” wood screws
Belt Sander with 80 & 40 grit sand paper
Tape Measure
Speed Square
(4) Mailbox Post Holders (found at Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc)
Socket Set
Hammer
Primer
High Gloss White Paint
Paint Rollers
Paintbrush

No barn wood? No problem!

Here’s what you’ll need:

(6) vertical table top pieces:1 1/2” thick, 8’ long, 8” wide.
(2) horizontal bottom pieces: 2 1/2” thick, 8” wide and 4 feet in length
(4) 4”x 4”Mailbox Posts (for the legs)

Using a speed square, measure the vertical table top pieces to be 8’ in length. Measure the horizontal bottom pieces to be 4’ in length.

Use the circular saw to cut your wood.

Line up the horizontal 8’ top pieces on the 4’ bottom piece.

With the top side of the table facing up, trace the holes that will attach the mailbox post holder (legs) to the table top on each corner of the table. (Note, you will be attaching the mailbox post holder underneath the wood you are seeing presently.)

Attach a 1/2” drill bit to the drill and get to work, drilling through both the top piece and the bottom piece.

A standard table top height is 30”. The thickness of my vertical table top pieces plus the horizontal bottom pieces was 4 1/2” thick. I cut my four posts to 25 1/2’ tall to make the table at the normal 30” height.

Pound the mailbox posts into the holder like you just don’t care.

Now, pound the 5” bolts into the pre-drilled holes like you just don’t care about that, either.

Screw in the rest of your vertical table top pieces to your bottom horizontal pieces with the 4” wood screws. I used about (6) wood screws per piece on each end. Once all of the top pieces are attached to the bottom pieces, grab a friend, offer them a cold beverage and then con them into helping you flip the table over.

Use a socket set to attach the carriage bolt to the mailbox holder, tightening the nut as far down as you can. Or in my case, as far as you can and then ask your husband to finish the rest of the job.

Using a 40 grit sandpaper and your belt sander, sand the puddin’ out of the table. Upgrade to an 80 grit for a nice smooth finish if you like. I wanted my table to be pretty rustic, so I stopped after the 40 grit.

Next step: paint-ville! Prime and paint the table and let it dry.

You’ll need to bribe approximately 4 strong men to move the table indoors-due to its girthy weight. I bribed my 4 men with cake during my brother’s birthday party. I am very, very sneaky....

With these dimensions, you can seat twelve people around your table, have your entire meal in the middle of it and still have room to dance on top. Not that this scenario has ever happened before in my home. But if it did, the table wouldn’t mind. It’s just that awesome.

Here are some links to a few of my other favorite DIY projects: Broken Mirror Art</ span>-make a sparkling piece of art for your home, cheap! DIY Spinning Composter</ span>-speed up the time it takes to compost from a couple of months to a couple of weeks! DIY Rain Barrel-save up that rain run off and water your garden. Feel free to stop by my site: Potholes and Pantyhose anytime. I love to meet new people like you. And, thanks again Gail for allowing me to guest post here at My Repurposed Life!

LOVE that table! Rebekah sure can handle those power tools! Be sure to check out Rebekah’s blog, I know you’ll love it there!
gail

NOVICA Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Thank you NOVICA for hosting this wonderful giveaway! Just because you may not have won, doesn’t mean you can’t still shop. NOVICA’s prices are so reasonable, and you probably already have something picked out.

On with our winner . . .

Congrats Karen! I’ll be in touch to put you in contact with NOVICA.

DIY Kids Table

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Earlier in the week I showed you how I made the cute red banquette (bench) . Once I made the bench, I thought it needed a table. I didn’t have a table, so I built one from scratch. Today, I’m going to show you how I put this table together.

I measured the empty space on the bench to determine the size my table should be. I cut some 1x6’s to length, then drilled some pocket holes with my Kreg Jig. I then attached all the pieces together with pocket hole screws. I set that aside.

I had originally thought I would do a table with 4 4x4 posts for legs. However, thinking things through, I realized that the kiddos would “knock their knees” on the legs as they scooted into the bench. Therefore I went with a pedestal type table. I used a 1x6 and a 1x4 for the base of the legs.

I just guessed at how big they should be, cut them to length and then used my router on the edges.

After I did that I sort of laid them on the back side of the table to get an idea of where I wanted to place them.

I used Gorilla Wood Glue to attach the top board to the bottom board of the base.

I marked the placement of the 4x4 post on the bottom of the base, then drilled pilot holes.

I used 2 1/2 inch drywall screws and Gorilla Wood glue to attach the 4x4’s to the base that I routed.

To attach the 4x4 post to the top of the table, I drilled pocket hole screws with my Kreg Jig Jr.

The pocket holes didn’t make the table top sturdy enough, so I added some 1x4’s to the bottom of the table. I mitered the corners to get a nice look/fit.

I drilled pilot holes and attached the 1x4’s with Gorilla Wood glue and drywall screws.

The 1x4 pine is soft, so it was easy to countersink the screw heads. Doing this “frame” around the table really added stability to the table.

Testing it out!

Primed it with some gray oops paint and primer in one.

I of course used my CommandMax to apply primer . . .

. . . and paint. I chose to paint the top of this table with a brush to get a really nice thick, protective top coat.

Cassie @ Primitive & Proper was my coach on this color. I sent her an “after” picture to ask her opinion of the color choice. She suggested red. (thanks Cassie!)

I have to say I LOVE it! No one will “knock their knees” on this. The only bad thing about this bench is it’s size. It’s nearly impossible for me to move alone. I must use a furniture dolly, and lay the bench down on its back.
As I said in the bench post, this would be great for a dining room, think homework and snacks. It would also be fabulous in a large bedroom or playroom. I hope it finds a new home soon!
gail

Find some great ideas here:

$100.00 AmEx gift card from Pennington Seed

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

This giveaway has ended. You can see the winner announcement here.

I used this seed on my lawn, LOVE it!

Have you seen the Pennington Seed Commercials on tv, or heard them on the radio? Honestly, I had never heard of Pennington Seed before I was invited to visit them in Portland OR. They are so dedicated to what they do, and some of the nicest people you could ever want to meet. As we toured the facilities, I took the opportunity to “pick the brains” of the experts. I asked more questions than you can imagine. Pennington Seed is also very generous! They are giving one reader a $100.00 AmEX gift card!
How to enter:
Leave a comment below telling me the best and worst thing about your lawn. What would you really like to change?
Giveaway starts today and ends Tuesday May 22, 2012 at 9:00 PM EST. One winner will be selected via random.org from all eligible entries, and announced on this blog by May 24, 2012. Limit one comment (entry) per person. US residents, 18 or older. Void where prohibited by law.
Good Luck!
gail

Pennington 1Step Complete and Smart Seed

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Did you know that I went to Portland in March to spend the day with some awesome bloggers and some very dedicated employees of Pennington Seed? You can see the post Pennington Seed Summit if you want to read about my trip.
One of the things we did in our day long summit was to plant some seed. The following pictures show some Pennington Smart Seed that I planted.
I took this photo of my two “plots”. The one on the left got Pennington Smart Seed, the one on the right got One Step Complete. This series of pictures is of the Smart Seed. (Pennington took pictures of my plots and sent them to me.)

Day 1 (note that the ground is very hard and firm, not raked)

Day 14

Day 28

Day 35

Day 49

This series is of the One Step Complete:

Day 6

Day 10

Day 14

Day 21

Day 28

The plot planted with Pennington 1-Step Complete™ is already beautiful and thick. Over time, the grass will continue to grow thick and lush, as well as establish a deep root system. A deep, thick root system is critical to long-term plant health—contributing to drought resilience, nutrient uptake and disease tolerance.
It’s also worth noting that specialized variety mixes of Pennington 1-Step Complete™ are available. Since the mixes are customized to specific climates, Pennington has taken the guesswork out of mix selection. Varieties include: Tall Fescue, Sun & Shade and Dense Shade.

I took what I learned at the seed summit and applied it to my own lawn.

Before

I needed some lime because my area is very shady.

Along with the lime I purchased 1Step Complete

and a bag of Smart Seed (for dense shade)

April 3, day 1

I sowed both the 1Step Complete and the Smart Seed . note the silly little fence to keep this guy off the grass:

Louie with a piece of bread a squirrel carried into the yard.

April 15, day 12

April 18, day 15

April 24, day 21

April 29, day 26

April 29, day 26 (close-up)

May 1, day 29 before mowing

May 1, day 29 (after mowing)

May 8, day 36

I am so pleased with the way my Pennington Seed has filled in this area of my lawn. I’ve been here for over 36 years and I’ve never seen this much grass growing in this area of the yard. Because it never has grass, it is terrible to mow because it is so dusty. I’m loving the new look of my lawn and it’s getting better every day! Look for more updates. I threw some seed on the other side of the sidewalk-I was going to wait so I could use the little picket fence, but I got impatient! So as I was saying, I did throw some seed out, we got a big ole rain so I was afraid that it all washed away, but it didn’t. It germinated 3 days later! (Smart Seed) It’s doing really well.
I plan to do some more sowing in the fall. If you are planning to buy some seed, I highly recommend Pennington Seed.
Thank you Pennington Seed for teaching me so much about growing grass and for supplying me with some great grass seed! (by the way, those people must be soooo patient. growing grass is worse than watching paint dry!)
Do YOU need some grass seed? How about $100 gift card to get you going on a summer project? Pennington Seed is giving one reader an American express gift card.
gail
Disclosure: Although Pennington Seed supplied me with products for my lawn, all opinions are MY own.

Winners! CameraBag2 giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:47:00 +0000

Five winners get the CameraBag2 software!! Congrats!

Even if you didn’t win, you can download a trial version and play around with it. After you do that, be sure to enter to win a Canon 5D MK III. I have entered, you should too!

gail

DIY Kids Corner Bench (banquette)

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

I had a headboard and foot board in my storage shed for quite a while now. Maybe even a couple of years. It wasn’t real sturdy, and I knew I couldn’t make a regular bench with the pieces. I saw a great bench at Running With Scissors and it inspired me to make this cute little corner bench/banquette.

Do you remember all that lumber I got recently? This board was 12 feet long. I had no place to store it, so I got busy making this bench and cut this monster down to size.

I cut it on a 45 degree angle and worked on making some pieces to skirt it out.

Because I knew I was going to be using 4x4 posts, I cut a small block to use as a guide.

I connected the two pieces of board with pocket hole screws.

The bed pieces had some pegs sticking out of them, so I rested the boards on them to get a “dry fit”.

That allowed me to measure and cut the legs to size. I marked the placement of the legs on the bottom of the seat.

I attached the 4x4 posts with pocket hole screws and Gorilla Wood Glue.

It’s looking good, but if you look closely you can see a gap between the seat and the bed. I filled it in with a 1x4 that I cut to size and screwed into place. (not shown)

Here you can see the 1x4’s in place.

In this picture I have attached the front skirt on each side. I used 1x4’s and attached them with pocket hole screws. You can see the two end pieces laying on the seat, with pocket holes drilled, ready to attach.

After all of that, it was ready for some primer.

You can see that I used my red oops paint to paint the bench and a table.

I think it’s perfect for a large dining room for the “kids” table. Great for meals and/or homework. It would also work great in a play room for arts and crafts!

I made the table from scratch, you can see it in the post DIY Kids Table.

I am guest posting today at On the V Side, Emily is busy taking care of her new wee one. When she asked me to help her out, of course I jumped at the chance. I’ve been reading On the V Side for a long, long time, love Emily’s blog!

gail

Giveaway-CameraBag2

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

this giveaway has ended See the winners here.
Hey there! I’ve got a quick and easy giveaway for FIVE lucky winners!
I was contacted by the nice folks at Nevercenter about their CameraBag2 software, a photo app for Mac and PC with a whole new approach to editing. It has great photographic tools with high quality filters and vintage simulations.
I have to tell ya, I downloaded it immediately, and couldn’t stop playing around with it.

I shared this picture of my Clematis on facebook recently. I love how beautiful it is this year. This is the original picture.

Clematis 1

Clematis 2

Clematis 3

Clematis 4

Clematis 5

Clematis 6

Clematis 7

This is “quicklooks”. You can quickly see how your image will look in several styles. I’m not very knowledgeable about filters and such. I have embedded two videos below so that you can get a better feel for this software. (if you are reading this in your email or reader and can’t view the videos, click over to the blog)

Pretty cool eh? Nevercenter is having a contest where they are giving away a Canon 5D Mk III !!

From their site:

Try the new CameraBag 2 for Mac and PC free, and enter to win an amazing camera! We're giving away one pro-level Canon 5D MK III digital SLR (body only, MSRP $3499), and 30 licenses of CameraBag 2. To enter, just edit a photo in the free trial (or full version) of CameraBag 2, post it to your favorite social media or photo-sharing site, and send us the link. Submission deadline is May 22nd, 2012.

Complete rules and details on the site.

If you’d like to see what others are doing with this great software you can check out the entries on pinterest. (I’ll be entering for sure!)

How to enter to win one of five licenses for the CameraBag2 software:

Leave a comment below telling me which Clematis image you like the best and why. That’s it! This giveaway starts today and ends Monday, May 14, 2012 @ 9pm EST. Five winners will be selected via random.org from all eligible entries to win a license to the CameraBag2 software. Void where prohibited by law.

You can download a free trial of the CameraBag2 and play around with it, maybe you’ll be lucky enough to win a license for it.
good luck!
gail
disclosure: although Nevercenter gave me the software, as always all opinions are my own.

Catch as Catch Can 73

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I caught some really great tutorials for you this week! Thank you all for adding my button or text link to your post!

Painted Orbs clear wax + shoe polish = dark wax genius!

Click over to see if you were caught or to link up YOUR post.

Cinnamon rolls in your waffle maker

DIY Beadboard Cupboard

DIY Bias tape using a craft cutting knife

DIY Rope pulls.

Faux barn wood mirror.

Your favorite:

Keep bunnies out of your garden

If you were caught, grab a button, and click to tweet.

By linking up, you agree to let me feature your blog (post) on My Repurposed Life and “Pin” it on Pinterest.

let’s see what you’ve been up to!

gail

Guest Post–Midwest Cottage and Finds (DIY Closet Doors Makeover)

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:46:00 +0000

Hi-I'm Chris from Midwest Cottage and Finds....I'm a bit of a new DIY-er and am so inspired by Gail and all of her projects --I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be guest posting over here at My Repurposed Life!! I decided to share one of my favorite projects that I have completed so far..... Here is the breakdown on how my bedroom closet doors went from this.

To this.....

I fell in love with these doors when I saw them in Kevin and Layla's blog-

The Lettered Cottage. I knew they would be perfect for my master bedroom...a smaller room - so in addition to looking great the mirrors would make the room appear larger..........

We purchased 4 new 24" interior doors from Lowes @$20.00 a piece, hinge hardware and window handles (to use as the door handles) from Home Depot--all total $40.00.....You might be lucky enough to already have closet doors that could be transformed... unlike me who was still sporting the bi-fold 60's doors!

The hardware I purchased even came in oil rubbed bronze--SCORE.... no painting!!

I lined up the doors and started painting--several coats...pulled out my ol' faithful Purdy......

When I completed the painting the hardware was added

after careful measurements were taken.....I am always so nervous drilling that first hole!

Before we went to the next step we made sure they our hardware was lined up, measurements looked good and the doors fit well...once the mirrors are added they become VERY heavy, easier to double check yourself at this stage....and things were looking good!!

Next up ......penciling in the outline for the mirrors...this is a little tricky..TIP**It is helpful to mark the top and bottom of the doors to be certain your measurements are correct for each..I wanted the mirror to be a little higher on the top of the door--so there would be a few more inches of actual door showing on the bottom of each door...which sounds simple until you have 4 doors laying in front of you and you are wondering ummm..which end is up???

I called local mirror and glass companies and had 4 quotes on the price of cutting the custom mirrors....They ranged from $150.00 to $293.00..

TIP**call around it is worth the time..you will be surprised how many local places handle custom mirrors....

BIG TIP**---you will be covering the mirror edges with trim so you will not need the sides beveled...

that a lot saves $$$!

Next I prepped the doors to secure the mirrors.....Make sure you use mirror adhesive...VERY important...The mirrors are very heavy...Read the directions on the adhesive very carefully--the doors have to sit for a few days for the adhesive to set...So have them in an area that they will not have to be moved for a few days.....

I added a bit more adhesive after being creative!

I painted the trim to match the doors and added the trim around the mirror edges....and after a few days of sitting undisturbed ..........

I LOVE them...it completely changed the look of the room...along with new bedding, paint and a new bed that was purchased in the ugliest color I have EVER seen until we painted it--but that is for another DIY post!! Thanks again Gail for letting me share this will your faithful readers! If you are interested in any of my other projects and my furniture painting tips- (LOVE ANNIE SLOAN CHALK PAINT) Hop over to Midwest Cottage & Finds Enjoy and hope to share more soon! Chris

Oh my! Don’t you LOVE Chris’ bedroom? The closet door makeover is just the icing on the cake! Be sure to check out Chris’ blog and her other fabulous links!
gail

DIY Homemade Chalk Paint (kids table and chairs)

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

I’ve made my own chalk paint before, along with my own chalkboard paint. For the chalkboard paint I used unsanded grout. So many people are making chalk paint with plaster of paris so that’s what I’ve been using. I made my own chalk paint for the paneless cupboard door shelf.

To start, I poured some water onto the plaster of paris and stirred it up.

This red paint has lasted a LONG time. I also used it on the Toddler Bed, and the Door Bookshelf.

Then I added some red paint, and stirred some more. I mix paint just like I cook—I don’t measure anything. There are lots of recipes online for this if you need it.

The best reason to use this paint is there is very little prep to do.

I bought some little red chairs at our Habitat for Humanity ReStore last year. They were a little rough.

The one on the left is after a quick coat of the homemade chalk paint.

After both chairs got their little makeover, I broke out the Annie Sloan dark wax. The one on the left is after the wax.

This is a table I got from jamie. She bought it at a thrift store several years ago, and painted it. She used it for quite awhile, but then passed it on to me.

I did a quick coat of the chalk paint on it, not working hard to cover up the undercoat.

I used Rustoleum Chalkboard paint on the top of the table. I general do at least 3 coats. Going east to west on the first coat, north to south on the next coat, then sort of both ways on the last coat. I use a foam brush when I paint chalkboard paint on. Then I store it in a baggie. It lasts a LONG time that way.

Not shown—after the chalkboard paint dried on the table, I put a light coat of the dark wax on the table (the red part of course, not the top).

AFTER

I’m really pleased how the chairs got a facelift, but didn’t really change them much.

I also love the red and the black together.

Aren’t the chairs sweet? They do have some bad places in them, but I figure they might be as old as me, so the imperfections add to their charm!

Ohhh to be a kid again!

gail

check out some awesome projects:

Giveaway-$100 gift code to NOVICA.com

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

This giveaway has ended See winning post announcement here.
Have you heard of NOVICA? Look at how they came up with their name—from the site:
Origin of the Name NOVICA
The NOVICA global team comes from different cultures, countries and language sets. We knew we needed a name with no language barriers. A name with no cultural barriers. A new name that could be incorporated into the local language of all of our international offices. We couldn't have a name like Globeshop, which can't be pronounced in Spanish and many other languages. We couldn't have any "sh" sounds. We couldn't have "l"s, or "r"s, or "z"s. We needed a name that each of our artists could claim as their own, just as each of our clients would know it was theirs. We also needed a name that meant "new" - because we were creating a new system for the world. So, looking at the Latin root of "novus" as a base, the name NOVICA was born.

We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow.
At the deepest essence of our philosophy, we want to create a bridge between you and the many talented artisans across the globe.
We want you to know about who you're buying from. We want you to feel that attachment to the product and to the hands that created it.
In the spirit of the Internet, let us bring you together.
NOVICA. The World is Your Market.

I surfed NOVICA for a long time searching for the perfect item for me! Yep, I actually am getting some jewelry. I have allergies, and can only wear gold and sterling silver jewelry. This is what I chose:

Onyx flower necklace, 'Midnight Garden'

Onyx flower earrings, 'Midnight Garden'

The artisan:

Buana

Like most people who were born and live in Gianyar Regency, Buana has been surrounded by handicrafts since he was a child. Gianyar is a part of Bali known throughout the world for its beautiful landscapes and exceptional artistic legacy. Handicrafts like shadow puppets made of cowhide, woodcarving and silver jewelry are created there in towns like Tegalalang, Ubud, Sukawati and Celuk.
In 1990, Buana decided to learn to craft silver jewelry from a friend in Celuk. He learned it all, from the very basic skills like sanding, polishing and making plates to very advanced techniques. Supported by his family, Buana has continued his profession as silversmith. "I am thankful to God for giving me such a great gift so I can make a living for my family. Not much, perhaps, but enough for our simple way of life," he says. "Hopefully through Novica I can offer a better future to my wife and two children."

A message from NOVICA:
About NOVICA LIVE, our home party division-- For our consultants, getting in early is a big opportunity in direct sales. They'll be able to make some good money and support artisans worldwide. We're expanding across the country right now and signing up new consultants every week.
The starter kits are only $199 and have over $400 worth of samples and $150 in business materials. We have a lot of promotions going on for our early consultants, including anyone that becomes a Director this year will go to Bali next year.
For more information about NOVICA LIVE, please visit the FAQ page.

Now for the giveaway!

Great gifts under $100.00

How to enter:
Visit NOVICA’s great gifts under $100.00 and look around. Leave a comment below of what you might choose should you be the lucky winner. (I won’t hold you to it) Please mention the artisan’s name, and why you would be particularly happy to have that specific item.
This giveaway is for (1) $100.00 electronic gift code to NOVICA. Giveaway starts today and ends Tuesday May 15, 2012 at 9:00 PM EST. One winner will be selected using random.org from all eligible entries, and announced on My Repurposed Life by May 17, 2012. Void where prohibited by law. NOVICA ships to these countries. Limit one entry per person.
Good luck!
When you get a moment, please check out these links from NOVICA:

gail
disclosure: Although NOVICA supplied me with an electronic gift code, as always, all opinions are my own.

Recent Finds (cabinets/lumber)

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Did ya know that once family/friends/neighbors learn your dirty little secret (that you LOVE junk) they tend to be eager to feed that little obsession. A neighbor was cleaning out a shed and offered me some stuff. Well, of course I couldn’t say NO.

There is a little issue of some mold/mildew and mustiness.

I used a bucket of warm soapy water and a little bleach to wipe it all down. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with these two pieces, maybe I’ll just slap some paint on ‘em?

Here’s the other haul I got recently. Some friends cleaned out their shed too! Love it when people do their spring cleaning!

Look at this baby! I’ve already put it to good use on a fantastic repurpose. Something different than I’ve done before. Stay tuned for that!

Look at all of those lovely trim pieces! Crown, fluting, casing, and shelving pieces.

I love getting presents in the mail …

My friend Becky at Beyond The Picket Fence uses belt pieces as handles. When I talked to her about how I was wanting to add a handle on my trunk, she generously offered to send me some pieces.

Love them!

I opted for one long handle that I can reach from either side.

I’ve also put wheels on my trunk. It’s working out perfectly. So much better than what I had been using! If you missed it, check out my post Repurposed Door Into a Trunk.

Tomorrow I have a very unique giveaway! You’re going to love it!

gail

Dasani launches Photosynthesis (new FB app)

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Last week I told you how DASANI is now served in PlantBottle® packaging. Today I have an awesome DASANI FaceBook APP to share with you. It’s a great way to get a new cover image for your timeline.

This is brand new, be the first of your friends to sport this great new “montage” of your photos for your timeline.

Before I get to the FB app, let’s refresh your memory about PlantBottle® packaging. It is the award-winning (Global DuPont Award & Edison Awards) bottle made from up to 30% plants, sourced from sugarcane by-products from Brazil. Brazilian sugarcane is considered an “Advanced Renewable Fuel” by the EPA & is the only first generation biofuel widely recognized by thought leaders globally for its unique & social performance.

Since the introduction of DASANI, the company reduced the amount of plastic in the 500ml bottle by more than 40% and the weight of our 20 oz bottle has been reduced by 22%. DASANI is continuously exploring ways to lighten their footprint including further reducing of the amount of plastic used in the bottle and accelerating their goal of creating a commercially-viable 100% plant-based bottle.

Get ready to have fun with your timeline cover image!

Photosynthesis

Get creative with Facebook’s new timeline feature and support a good cause by recycling or as I like to refer to it—repurposing your Facebook photos into an eye-catching image to top off your profile. For each photomontage created through the app, DASANI® will make a donation to the national non-profit organization, Keep America Beautiful in support of recycling initiatives on college campuses throughout the U.S. I think that if we can get college kids to get in the habit of recycling, it will become a lifelong habit.

Fans who have ‘liked’ the DASANI® Facebook page can access the application on the Photosynthesis tab of the Facebook page. First, fans will select a photo from either their Facebook albums or a design from DASANI®, to create into a photo-mosaic. The Photosynthesis app will ‘recycle’ all of the fan’s existing Facebook photos into a stunning mosaic that fits perfectly as a cover image on their profile. Each time a fan participates, DASANI® will donate $1 to the nationally recognized nonprofit, Keep American Beautiful, in support of their Bin Grant Program on college campuses.

In addition, the fan’s profile photo will be added to the DASANI® mosaic of supporters, which will be featured on the Photosynthesis tab.

Confused? Let me show you how it works:

Select a photo from your album or a design from DASANI® .

The Photosynthesis app will ‘recycle’ all of your existing Facebook photos into a stunning mosaic that fits perfectly as a cover image on your profile. Wow! that’s amazing!

I don’t know about you, but I really struggled to find the perfect cover image to use for my timeline. I am really excited to see how my mosaic turns out. As soon as I do mine, I’ll let you know, and show it to you. Remember: your profile photo will be featured on the Photosynthesis tab.

So, go now to do your own mosaic. Think of it as encouraging college students to recycle, helping out Mother Earth and My Repurposed Life all at the same time.

Just so you understand, this is BRAND new, (in fact it may not be launched at THIS moment, but very, very soon) Be FIRST!

Here is my cover image…. I had a lot of fun making a few. It’s funny, on my personal page I don’t have very many photos. I wasn’t able to make a mosaic with My Repurposed Life page. There are some photos that really jump out at me. If you have tons of photos on your fb page, I think your image will be really cool. It’s really easy to do, and FUN!

gail

disclosure: This post is sponsored by DASANI® , but the opinions (and excitement) as always are my own.

Catch as Catch Can 72

noreply@blogger.com (gail wilson) — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to another great week of Catch as Catch Can! There were some really fun repurposes and tutorials last week. Thank you all for linking up!

Repurposed FILING cabinet

Love the contrast of these colors

Subway art the hard way-with cardboard stencils.

Fun DIY googly eyes

great tips for adding height to a piece

have you heard of Trading Posts on Facebook?

ohh so sweet DIY play kitchen

Your favorite:

ugly chair makeover

If you were caught, grab a button, and click to tweet.

By linking up, you agree to let me feature your blog (post) on My Repurposed Life and “Pin” it on Pinterest.

let’s see what you’ve been up to!

gail