Browsing Category: Projects

Tips for Patching and Sanding – That you probably haven’t heard before!

Hi Amigos!

I’m finally able to share with you some of my knowledge.  After literally spending days of my life sanding The Mother, at least I’m A. Ready to prime the heck outta ‘er, B. Happy to have dust out of my hair, house and nostrils and, C. Can really say that I’ve earned my big girl sanding pants!

Don’t know what The Mother is?  Please read up here, so we can all jump for joy together on my super-duper, long overdue progress!!

With me?

Now let’s talk Sanding….

The hub got this when I had me back turned
The hub got this when I had me back turned

Tip #1 – Make sure that your sander has the right pad

Maxi pad?  No, not quite.  Although, you could use that as an analogy… get the wrong pad and you could have quite a disaster on your hands… er pants…er tmi, sorry.  I’m talking Backing Pad.  I have a Bosch sander and if you do too, you are in luck.  You can chat with them on-line about your product (this goes for any of their tools) and they will give you the product codes that you will need.  (So useful when you’re in a bind!)  In my case, I needed a backing pad for flat sanding or a “hard pad”.  A soft or extra soft pad would be used if you are doing contour sanding, i.e. edges, rounded corners.  Different pads run about $10 bucks each and take about 30 seconds to change out.  Wondering what the pad looks like on your sander?  Well, it’s the black area that you put your sand paper on.  You will also need to change the pad once the paper doesn’t stick anymore.  Who knew, huh?!

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Tip #2 – Before filling any holes, run your hands along all wood seams and apply force.

Did anything move?  Wiggle jiggle?  If your seams/joints are not tightly glued, screwed or nailed together you will have issues later.  What do you think your powerful sander will do to those patched seams?  It will find the weakness and chip out the filler.  No bueno, friends.  You will cry after you spend hours diligently filling all those cracks – Don’t let this be you.  Apply wood glue to seams, and reinforce any areas with screws, where possible, BEFORE you sand.

*After you force glue into the seams make sure that you wipe the residue with a damp cloth.  You don’t need extra work sanding!

Tip #3 – Use caulk to fill larger gaps before filling them with wood filler

Under normal circumstances you would not do this, but if you’re knee deep in a project like this where you are repurposing pieces and trying to make it all fit together, then yes, you’ll have some gaps to deal with.  Pick a latex formulation that’s easy to clean, cut the tip straight (rather than at an angle) and fill those larger gaps!  Wipe up any mess with a damp cloth or sponge.  So much faster and more durable than just using filler!!  While you’re at it, patch up any moulding that needs fixin’ too!

Tip #4 – Expect to fill holes 2 to 3 times

I know, I know… that’s a lot of work and I hate to be the bearer of bad news.  But it’s just a plain ole fact of wood filler.  It contracts when it dries, often cracks and usually doesn’t lay flat on the first application, even on the smallest of holes.  Prepare yourself, you’ve been warned.

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What I started with…see the wood piece added on the left side?
2nd application of filler
2nd application of filler
Finally smooth!
Finally smooth!

Tip #5 – Yes, you can use wood filler like an artist.

No matter how hard I tried, I could not get this moulding on the front to match when I installed it.

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See how the curves are all mismatched?
Yup, this is the kinda thing I had to deal with.
Yup, this is the kinda thing I had to deal with.
After the Dremel and the 1st application of filler
After the Dremel and the 1st application of filler

Now you can hardly tell!  Using the sanding attachment on my Dremel to file down raised areas and then building up dips using wood filler with my finger, you’d have to really look closely to see the seam.  I used an ultra fine sanding sponge for this area since I needed something to go in the grooves – worked great!

Got some dust particles there, but otherwise, smooth as eggs!
Got some dust particles there, but otherwise, smooth as eggs!

Tip #6 – Your eyes can deceive you.

If looks smooth, well maybe it is and maybe it’s not.  There is only one way to really tell.  You MUST run your hands over the wood and filled areas to be sure.  Please don’t get all girlie here and not want to get your hands dirty.  They’re already dirty.  You’re already a freaking mess of dust!  Just listen to muah, and don’t let those rose colored glasses seduce you.

Now I know I don’t have to remind you to wear a mask and protective eye gear, right?  You’re too good for those types of suggestions!  And of course you know that you will end up going through different types of sand paper – starting with a high grit, like 80, then using 120, and finishing up with either a 220 or going one more round with 320.  And of course you know, that you will require 2, possibly 3, different sanders; one for the large expanses of flat areas, one for the corners and details and if you’re lucky, like me, a Dremel might come in handy too.  I’m preaching to the choir?!  Amen, then!

Don’t get discouraged!  Keep with it – ’cause once you start it’s a race to finish.  I was dying over the film of dust covering the house… even though I covered stuff with plastic and vacuumed between sessions, it really gets everywhere.

I can’t wait to show you a finished photo!  It gives me mojo!!

Happy Creating, as always!  Jessica

Hiding My Unsightly Vent

Howdy All!

I’m back with another little project that I hope can help some of you out too.

Do you have (dun dun DUN!) an unsightly vent?  Does it just bug the holy heck out of you??  I have one and it’s right in the middle of the wall behind the sofa in my family room.  You know, where all the pretty stuff should be.

Exhibit A – My first attempt at hiding the vent was to seriously just paint it black like the frames below it.  I know it seems counter-intuitive, but my thinking was that it would just look like part of the grouping.

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And, it kind of does… but it also kind of doesn’t.

Well, I’ve got Summer Palace plans for this wall with a beautiful makeover headed it’s way  and that vent just HAD TO GO AWAY!

My new plan of attack is to try to blend it into the wall and (later) into the pattern going on the walls.

So, how bouts it?!  Let’s make a new vent!

*I must preface this by saying that you only want to do this on a vent where airflow is not a major priority.  Because this vent we’re designing just shoots air all over the place.  Fine with me!!

Gather your supplies….

2″ thick wood piece (or pieces depending on size) for the frame; I purchased two pieces in the lumber section at Lowes and cut them to size

Measuring tape and pencil to draw yourself a little mock up

A vent – these can be found in the building supply section in the bfe part of the store; Waaayy in the back

A hand saw with miter box or a miter saw for cutting the wood to size

A staple gun

Wood glue

Drill

Sandpaper

And if you’re super cool, you’ll reward yourself with a strap clamp… and maybe a frappuccino.

Ready?

Okay, measure that fugly vent on the outside and subtract half an inch from all sides – that way you’ll have a little bit of the frame inside the vent.

Mark the measurement on your wood pieces with the 90 degree angle going out from your measurement – meaning, that your measurement will be on the smaller side of the angle and then the other side of the wood will be longer.

Put some glue in the joints and grab that strap clamp!  I just like saying strap clamp.  Strap Clamp.  Strap C-l-a-m-p.

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Gently, but firmly, place a staple in each corner.

Enjoy that coffee while the glue dries… If you’re like me that means for a week.  Whoops!  We all get busy, right?!

Or forgetful, but whateves.  Time to attach the metal vent to the back of your frame.

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I did this with a few more staples.

And you can see here that I actually had to trim the vent a little to fit.  Used my handy-dandy Dremel for that.

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Now, drill some holes in the sides and as a bonus, use a countersink bit at the base of the hole so your screw lays flush with the wood.  Not necessary, but you are a G, right?  Oh and please, please make sure your holes are level.  No wonky holes, please.  Weird how you can take that in soooo many ways….

My mind is all over the place today, huh?!

A-n-yhoooo, grab that sandpaper and smooth out your corners.

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Hard work it done!  Now paint it or stain it to match your wall.  Then just screw it in back in place. Voila!

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As soon as the weather warms up, I think I’ll paint the inside of the vent to match the walls too… then it won’t look so dark.

And because you’re so perceptive, yes, I did paint the walls!  They are now Gardenia by Benjamin Moore.  It is very white.  And it’s the first time I have ever, ever painted a wall white.  It’s a nice change for now, but color is coming!  Thank goodness!  I needed the base for the designs to come, so here’s living with blank walls for awhile!

What do you think about the vent?  It’s a lot less noticeable now I think and it’s not bugging me as much.  Of course I still want to strangle the people that picked that wall for a vent, but now I just kinda want to hurt them, not end them.

See?  Little changes can really make us happier (and nicer) people.

Let me know if you attempt this project!  I’d love to share your success!

Happy Creating!  Jessica

Bow Ties for Little Boys

Hola Amigos y Amigas!!

Countdown to the final days of the year… and how are you feeling about it?  I’m actually excited for the festivities to begin.  The boys can’t wait for Santa to come and they ask about presents and cookies every hour on the hour – seriously cute stuff, if ya ask me!

I know all this hurrah comes with a price – the stress of visiting 3 grocery stores (that’s my to-do today) and wrapping a holy-heck lot of boxes, but eh, what’s the alternative?!  Be a Grinch?!  No thank you!  I’ll take the serving of pumpkin pie with my paper cuts any day!

Hopefully, you are all done with holiday stuff and are looking for a small project today?  Get cozy in your jammies, put the pot on and grab a scrap of fabric from the heap.

We’re making bow ties for the little men in our lives!

Here’s what you need:

1.  3 fabric pieces cut to

-7.5 x 10.5 inches

-2 x 18 inches

-2 x 3.5 inches

2.  Scissiors

3.  Thread and needle

4.  Sew-in Velcro

5.  A sewing machine and iron are helpful, but not necessary

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Take all your fabric pieces and fold them longways with the back of the fabric showing, so that the pretty side is hidden.  Sew the edge.

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Then turn them all right side out.  This can be a bit tricky on the long, skinny piece that’ll be used for the necktie part.  For this I used my tweezers to help me pull it through, and that worked great on all the fabrics except a thick wool one.  That wool required extra patience and time!!  The bow still looked sharp, but yeah, pulling that piece through was a pain in the pa-tootie!

On the 7.5 x 10.5″ piece that is now right side out, use your hands to flatten it with the seam along the center.  Then fold it in half again, with the seam showing, and stitch along the side again.

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Now, turn the piece inside-out again and put the new seam in the middle.

Turn the iron on and iron the pieces so the seams lay flat and the corners are sharp.

Using a needle and thread, fold the bow-tie piece the way you like it and hand stitch it in place.  Stitch the necktie piece to the bow-tie, so it doesn’t slide, and then wrap the two pieces with the 3.5″ piece and stitch it together in the back.  I recommend not only stitching the last part to itself, but also to the actual bow-tie so that it doesn’t twist with all the jumping around your little guy is sure to be doing!

Bow-tie is almost done!!

Let’s finish up the ends, shall we?!

Tuck the unfinished ends back into itself.  Lay the velcro over the ends and either use your machine or hand stitch the velcro so that it lays flat and covers the end piece.

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You are done!!  I ended up making a few of these, and it was simple project that I could do 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there.

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What do you think about my little handsome devils?!  The one on daddy’s lap has got a new bow-tie on.  Very sophisticated =)

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Happy Holidays to you all!

I hope you enjoy a lazy day crafting up a storm!

Jessica