HOW TO PAINT MELAMINE CABINETS - A SMALL BATHROOM MAKEOVER DIY

BATHROOM MAKEOVER DIY - PAINTING MELAMINE CABINETS

So I was at my mom’s house the other day and she asked if I could help her with her powder room. Essentially the powder room in her basement is so out of date it’s practically screaming for help. It has had the same melamine counter top and vanity since the house was built over 30 years ago. To make it worse, it also has a super gross drop-in sink and old acrylic faucet knobs that need to go!

In order to update this bathroom I decided to upgrade the counter top and faucet with something nice but keep the melamine vanity as is and just give it a fresh coat of paint.

For the counter top I went with white quarts with an under-mount sink already installed from a local fabricator. The counter top and sink cost me under $400. The faucet I got at Canadian Tire was simple and in chrome. It was on sale and was under $100 so I was really happy about that. I also got my paint brush, a small foam roller, a painter tray, and some painters tape while at Canadian Tire, which was another $30-ish.

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Can You Paint Melamine?

When it comes to the melamine vanity, I had plans to paint it. Painting melamine cabinets is actually super easy it just takes awhile because you have to let the paint dry in between coats. Before you paint any melamine surfaces it is important to roughen up the surface before applying a primer though so that the colour paint adheres properly to the melamine.

Bathroom Vanity Makeover - Before Photos

When you are starting a project like this the first thing to do is prep your space. I like to put some cardboard down to protect the floor and remove any hardware. In this case both the hinges and doors needed to be removed. I tried to remove the fake drawers as well but the sink was in the way and I was unable to get in there to remove the screws, so I just left them attached.

MELAMINE CABINET MAKEOVER

Next I sanded the melamine vanity down using 120 grit sandpaper and my sanding mouse.

NOTE: You want to roughen up the surface so that the primer paint adheres well to it but you don’t want to over sand it to the point you start to dull corners or ruin the surface.

In places that I couldn’t get into with my sanding mouse I went in by hand with some sanding paper.

After you are done sanding take a damp cloth and wipe the whole vanity down.

While the vanity dries, repeat those three steps with the doors making sure to sand down and wipe the sides of the vanity doors.

PAINTING CABINETS

Once everything is dry you can start painting the melamine cabinets with your first coat of primer. I like to paint one side and 3 of the 4 edges of each door first then let it dry for 12 hours before returning and doing the opposite side and final edge.

I used a small foam roller on the doors and a mix of roller and brush on the vanity.

I purchased 1 quart of Benjamin Moore Stix® Waterborne Bonding Primer for this project and it was more than enough.

After both sides have been primed and given time to dry, I then did two coats of Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Interior Paint- Semi Gloss in ‘October Mist’ which is this beautiful sage green colour that is so popular right now and one of my favourites.

I used the Benjamin Moore colour ‘October Mist’ for this bathroom vanity makover

As for the doors I used the same technique of painting one side and 3 of the 4 edges before leaving that to dry for 12 hours and returning to do the other side and last edge.

Once you get two colour coats on both the vanity and doors, and everything has fully dried, you can go ahead and reinstall your doors.

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After I finished painting the vanity, the new quarts countertop with an undermount sink went in along with my new faucet from Canadian Tire and voila, my bathroom makeover is complete!

My Small Bathroom Makeover DIY After Painting Melamine Cabinets

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Thank you for joining me today as I shared this bathroom vanity makeover with you. I hope enjoyed this bathroom makeover DIY and found painting melamine cabinets to be easy too. If you have any questions about this bathroom makeover on a budget or have any questions regarding home DIY projects or painting a vanity, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Until next time!

-S

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DIY WREATH FOR SPRING!

My floral wreath for spring!

DIY WREATH FOR SPRING

After a cold winter, spring is a time of revival. A time to reinvigorate your life and for new beginnings. A time where evidence of dormant plants begins to appear and hibernating animals awake from their slumber. Much like the outside world, I too awaken in the spring with a new sense of energy to create, decorate and prepare for warmer days, but this year things felt different. More purposeful. More rewarding.

Since moving into our new Toronto Victorian home last August, each season has been a completely new experience and opportunity to decorate. In the fall, I used pumpkins to dress up my front step. In the winter, I added festive garlands, planters and ribbons to add holiday cheer. Now with spring upon us I have the urge to add decorations once again, but this time I thought an outdoor spring wreath for the front door would be a perfect accessory. Outdoor spring wreaths are a great way to add a pop of colour to any entrance way and a great way to excite those who see it of warm days ahead.

Having never made a wreath for spring before I wasn’t sure how this project was going to turn out but after a quick trip Michael’s to pick up a grapevine wreath base and a few additional supplies, I was excited to begin creating.

As it turns out, creating an outdoor spring wreath isn’t hard at all! It’s actually super fun, easy to do and took me maybe 40 minutes max. I think the most difficult part of the whole experience was deciding what colour palette I wanted to use and which artificial flowers I was going to buy.

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HOW TO MAKE A WREATH FOR SPRING

To help me get inspired, I went over to Michael’s spring crafting section which had a bunch of pre-made spring outdoor wreaths ready to go. I paid attention at the colours used, the flowers chosen, and how they were constructed before cross referencing with a photo of my front door. Doing this allowed me to confidently pick a colour palette that would not only suit my home but help me determine the size of wreath I wanted and how I would hang it.

Once I decided on the colour palette, I returned to the artificial flower section to make my selection. Since lavender is one of my favourite colours and a popular Easter colour, I knew I wanted to stick to a cool tone palette, so I picked a variety of stems that added a variation of size, texture and colour with this in mind. To help me narrow down the options, I would lay them down on the wreath visualizing how they would go together and their placement. In the end I bought a total of 8 stems which ended up being the perfect amount.

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Upon returning home, I laid all my flowers out on my crafting table along with a sharp pair of scissors and some floral wire I had also purchased. Using my hands, I started to manipulate one of the stems around the grapevine wreath, tying it into place by wrapping wire generously around both it and the grapevine. Once secure, I cut off the unsightly bottom of the stem and repeated the process with my largest flower, a faux hydrangea. After the first stem (my base) and largest flowers (my anchor) were securely tied to the grapevine, I was then able to start using my scissors to cut off the other flowers from their stem and just push them into the small crevices within the grapevine wreath to secure them. Between the tightness of the wire and the density of the grapevine, all additional flowers stand in place without requiring additional wire or glue to secure them which ended up making the rest of my DIY outdoor spring wreath progress very fast. It also made placement of the flowers forgiving as I was able to try different positions easily.

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HOW TO MAKE A BOW FOR A WREATH

In addition to flowers, adding a bow to your wreath is another great way to add variety and dimension to your design. Making a bow can easily be done at home and doesn’t take much time at all. If you are unsure of how to make one yourself or have a hard time remembering, here are two easy tutorials that demonstrate how to make a bow for a wreath.

HANGING YOUR OUTDOOR FLORAL SPRING WREATH

Once I finished placing all my flowers onto the wreath, I now needed to figure out a way to attach it to the door. Using my floral wire I created a small loop around my fingers and fastened it to the grapevine by twisting it around both the loop and grapevine. Doing so allowed me to create a small hanging loop for my now completed wreath that fit perfectly over a small nail already protruding from my front door.

In the end, my DIY wreath for spring turned out amazing and I am so happy with the results. If you are thinking about creating an outdoor spring wreath for your home and have any further questions about how to make a wreath that I did not answer in this blog post, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Happy crafting!

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DIY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS: PAPER SNOWFLAKES!

DIY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS: PAPER SNOWFLAKES!

There is nothing like a little Christmas crafting to get you and your space into the holiday spirit! Am I right?!

Since moving into our new Toronto Victorian home a few months ago, I have been so focused on getting our first floor renovations started that I didn’t expect to be able to celebrate Christmas in our new home. Perhaps overly ambitious on my part, I expected to be in the throws of renovations, unable to host festive soirees this year with friends and family but instead, I was given the gift of time. Time to slow down, settle in and savour the season.

So yesterday, I popped out to the store to grab some crafty materials to create these super cute paper snowflake to jazz up my space for the holiday season. I love how each paper snowflake has its own unique shape and look, and how impactful this inexpensive Christmas decor DIY can have on your space!

If you are looking for a fun and craft way to get into the holiday spirit, you are going to love this simple DIY Christmas decoration and new paper snowflake hack!

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ITEMS YOU WILL NEED FOR THIS SIMPLE CHRISTMAS DECOR TUTORIAL

Makes 1 Snowflake

MATERIALS:
8-10 Paper Lunch Bags - I purchased a variety of colours and sizes from the store
A Hot Glue Gun
1 Glue Sticks - this is plenty and more then enough for making one paper snowflake
Scissors
Tape or String to use for hanging/fastening the snowflake to the wall

Additional Optional Fun Materials:
Spray Paint - I spray painted some of mine silver and it looked really cute
Glitter
Adhesive Pearl Stickers

SIMPLE CHRISTMAS DECOR THAT MAKE A BIG IMPACT!

In the shape of a ‘T’, add hot glue to the backside of a paper bag before sticking another paper bag on top.

Repeat until you have done this for all 8-10 bags.

Using your scissors, cut a unique shape into the bag - it doesn’t have to be even or symmetrical.

Open and glue ends together to reveal your unique snowflake which is now ready to be taped to the wall, or added to your space!

Check out this video below for further clarification!

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I hope you enjoyed making these super cute DIY Christmas decorations as much a did. If you have any questions about this simple, paper snowflakes Christmas decor hack, feel free to share them in the comment sections below.

Happy crafting!

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GIFT IDEAS FOR MOTHER'S DAY 2021!

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

GIFT IDEAS FOR MOTHER’S DAY 2021

I remember last year while researching and writing my ‘Mother’s Day Gift Guide - COVID Edition’ thinking, “What a strange time to live in.” Little did I suspect then that one trip around the sun later, we would still be battling through this pandemic, sacrificing precious time with family and friends.

This year, celebrating the people we love most like our mothers, mothers-in-law, wives, and moms-to-be on Mothers Day is going to mean even more! Not only because we lost out on celebrating their birthday or the pregnancy and birth of a friends or sibling new baby, or numerous Sunday dinners with family and BBQ’s with friends, but because this pandemic has made us treasure meaningful relationships like the ones we share with them so much more. This Mother’s Day, we are not only making up for lost time but we are showing up with a new sense of appreciation and gratitude for all that they do (including forwarding those silly chain emails I used to find annoying but now realize are thoughtful and meant to cheer me up).

- WHEN IS MOTHER’S DAY? -

I know, it’s hard to keep track of because the exact date switches every year but, Mother’s Day always falls on the second Sunday in the month of May, which means ‘Mothers Day 2021’ falls on Sunday, May 9th!

To help inspire you, I have assembled a list of thoughtful gifts you can give that special woman in your life to shows them how special they are.

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One thing I learned from the research I did for last years for Mother’s Day (I sat down with two mothers with two very different age ranges of kids, to see what they want and like), was that YES they wanted to feel appreciated and adored, but REALLY they also wanted ‘TIME OFF!’ The number of times this sentiment was repeated was comical! Yes, they would love to be celebrated by their family but they would also appreciate ‘act of service’ as much as ‘quality time’ and ‘receiving gifts’. So if you really want to make an impact on the woman in your life, try and do all three! Take some chores/responsibilities off their plate, do an activity with them, and leave them with something to remember you by.

- GIFTS FOR YOUR MOM -

Photography credit: Sash Doerksen

One way to make Mother’s Day memorable is to really make it an occasion. Organize an intimate get-together and treat them to a nice meal or service!

If you live in Toronto, The Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is offering luxury gift baskets with flowers, handmade chocolates, spa treats, and a bottle of champagne, as well as takeaway meals like an Afternoon Tea Tower with house-made sweet treats and a selection of tea. Additionally, if you want to go even BIGGER, you can order a family feast dreamed up by Chef de Cuisine Nicholas Trosien of Café Boulud which includes options like a roast beef prime rib, a garlic and black pepper roast leg of lamb, and a salt-crusted red snapper dinner! YUM!

Since leisurewear will continue to be the universal uniform for the foreseeable future, one thing you can do this Mother’s Day is treat your mom to some luxurious leisurewear.

Free People has been killing the loungewear game this past year and they have so many cute (and affordable!) sets including this Picnic Sweater Set that comes in multiple colours! Not only is their stuff super comfy and loose but I would totally wear these cropped pants out of the house once things start to open up again!

With summer on its way, perhaps a new, straw braided wide brim hat from Love and Lore could make the perfect gift for mom. Made exclusively available at Indigo, this beautiful hat offers optimal sun protection while also being versatile and elegant. She can wear it while on the patio catching up on her morning emails, or while gardening. Not to mention it goes with everything from gardening attire to her favourite sundress!

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- GIFTS FOR MOM TO BE & NEW MOMS -

Made by a mom for moms, this Canadian-owned, steroid-free, fragrance-free, organic, plant-based skincare brand called Satya makes products to soothe all kinds of skin irritations and inflammation like eczema, psoriasis, sunburns, bug bites, rashes, chaffing, chapping, etc. Every mom-to-be or new mom should have a bottle of their balm on hand in case their little one experiences diaper rash, itchiness, or dryness. The number of uses you can get out of a single bottle is endless and is great for not just baby but mom too! It is even safe to use on animal paws when they crack from the winter salt!

With salons and spas still closed, it’s hard to give the gift of ‘time off for pampering’ this year but what if you could give that special lady the ultimate experience right at home?

Enter this premium Organic bamboo extendable bathtub caddy that features a spot to hold a glass of wine, a candle, and some soap or your phone, and an adjustable book/tablet propping bar! All you have to do is run a nice bubble bath, set the mood with a couple of nice smelling candles, roll up some towels as they do at the spa, play some relaxing music on the iPad or cue up her favourite show, and there you go! Plus, this organic bamboo caddy is totally waterproof and features non-slip gips so you can expect it to last a really long time and feel very sturdy.

If I had $100 I would bet that every morning the new mom you have in mind, pours herself a cup of coffee or tea and has to reheat it about 2-3 times before she is actually able to finish it.

New moms are so busy not to mention get distracted easily, and rightfully so! Wouldn’t it be great though if you could help make their lives a little bit easier by ensuring their coffee stays hot long enough for them to finish it?

If you have never heard of Yeti Tumbler’s they are a superior thermal tumbler with a vacuum sealed stainless steel design. They are completely BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and have a No Sweat, double-wall insulated design to make sure your hands stay dry and unaffected by the temperature of your drink. It also has a magnets lid flap that keeps your water, beer, or favorite drink on lock should it slip out of her hands, while also making it easy to access! It’s also not just for hot beverages but is great for keeping drinks cold as well!

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- GIFT IDEAS FOR MOTHER IN LAW -

Falling asleep will never feel more luxurious than when it is done with a silk pillowcases pressed against your skin. Not only are they amazing at minimizing friction which dries out your hair, making it appear dull and causes serious bedhead frizz over time, but it doesn’t soak up all your expensive anti-aging creams while you sleep or cause creases on your face. Plus, silk is a natural fabric that is known for its cooling effects and breathable nature ensuring you have a more restful night’s sleep.

When it comes to purchasing the perfect silk pillowcase online there are a few things to keep in mind: 1) instead of thread count, silk uses momme - aim for something above 22 to ensure it’s very smooth to the touch, and 2) Mulberry silk is the highest quality of silk you can find (the Egyptian cotton of silk) so look for a pillowcase made of Mulberry silk to ensure high quality!

Two brands I would recommend are SLIP (uses Mulbury Pure Silk 22 momme) and Fishers Finery (uses Mulbury Pure Silk 25 momme)

Does your mother-in-law love to cook? Does she have a green thumb? Perhaps it’s time for you to introduce her to a Click and Grow Indoor Garden that allows her to grow fresh organic herbs all year round!

This Click and Grow Smart Garden 9 piece indoor gardening kit features Click and Grow Smart Soil plant pods with embedded non-GMO seeds that do not have or require any herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides! With the use of the Click and Grow energy efficient LED grow lights this indoor gardening kit can grow her favorite culinary herbs, salad greens, and/or favorite flowers all year round. All you need to do to start growing is put the plant pods into their cavities, plug in the power adaptor, fill the water reservoir, and that's it! She will be on her way to your first harvest in no time!

Simple yet a step up from a classic stud or hoop, these 14k Gold Dipped Toni Knocker Earrings from Jenny Bird are about to become your mother-in-law’s new favorite piece of jewelry!

No occasion is needed, these high polished earrings have a versatile classic design that is great to wear every day no matter what your style.

I have purchased a few Jenny Bird pieces myself and can attest to the quality and longevity of her products! I have never experienced any skin irritations or manufacturing issues, and considering the simple and effortless style of the Toni Knockers, she’ll definitely get a lot of use out of them!

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- DIY MOTHER’S DAY CARD & IDEAS -

Although a repeat offender from last year’s Mother’s Day gift guide, this DIY Mother’s Day gift card idea is so sweet and easy to make, it is worthy of repeating. I ended up making a pressed flower DIY Mother’s Day card for my mother last year with an orchid flower that fell off my plant and a sheet of thick watercolor paper, and she just loved it! It’s also a great way to upcycle a beautiful flower and create something thoughtful and unique. In case you missed it last year, here is the youtube tutorial on how to do it!

If you don’t have flowers in your house or aren’t into the pressed flower idea, here are some easy handmade pop-up card tutorials you can try using paper that is also really nice!

Since you can’t take your mom out to do something fun this year or treat her to a spa day, you may also want to consider creating a few I.O.Us or a coupon book to throw in with your card. I created this template below for my mother after she requested ‘acts of service’ coupons for her birthday and just switched up the image so I could repurpose it for this Mother’s Day blog post! Feel free to print it off and use it!

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I hope you enjoyed this Mother’s Day 2021 Gift Guide and found good gift ideas for your mother, mother in law or mother-to-be! If you have any comments or questions please feel free to leave them in the comment section below.

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UPCYCLED DIY FAUX CERAMIC VASES

Oops I did it again! I’m back with another awesome DIY tutorial that has been trending on Tik Tok - DIY painted vases using upcycled old wine and alcohol bottles! I love the look of these DIY ceramic vases and the way they dress up a space. Doing this DIY honestly made me so excited to decorate my new place (whenever we find it) and when topped off with some dried flowers, a tapered candle or fresh flowers, they bring a whole new level of cuteness to home decor. Creating the DIY ceramic coating is so easy and only requires one ingredient other than your paint to achieve. Not to mention it adheres so well to glass so you really only need two coats to get the full effect. If you want to create a beautiful but cheap vase centerpiece for your home I highly recommend giving this little DIY of mine a go!

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

MATERIALS:

Makes 1 Vase

A Up-Cycled Bottle - I used a Don Julio and Cointreau bottle
Air Dry Clay
Wax Paper
Acrylic Paint - mix to colour of choice
Baking Powder
Paint Brushes
A Mixing Utensil - I used the end of a plastic fork

Extras:
Goo Gone
A Takeout Container - to be used as base that you can easily rotate

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Remove labels from bottle and any additional stickers. If you have trouble I recommend using Goo Gone. Allow to air dry until completely dry.

Next, we will create the clay rings for the neck of the bottle. Roll out clay until you reach a uniform width and cut desired amount of pieces into equal lengths making sure that they are long enough to go around the neck of the bottle.

Grab one piece of clay at a time and wrap it around the neck of the bottle sealing the ends together with a little water. Continue this process the whole way up the neck. Once finished, set aside to dry for minimum 1 hour.

Once the clay has dried, place it on a pedestal (I used a takeout container). This will make it easier to rotate when painting so you dont have to touch the bottle.

On a palette (I used a paper plate), mix your acrylic paint to desired colour using a mixing utensil (I used a fork). Make sure you have enough for the entire bottle (better to have more than not enough as it will be difficult to get the same colour). Add in baking powder, 1/2 a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I used 2 tablespoons of paint to 1 Teaspoon of baking powder. Mix until baking powder is well incorporated.

Using a brush, paint the bottles with your paint mixture. Paint as many coats as necessary until necessary until the bottle is fully coated. Set aside to dry for 24 hours before use.

Happy Crafting!

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I hope you enjoyed this DIY as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy crafting!!!

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