How To Line Your Drawers Using Wrapping Paper

I recently picked up a desk for $5.  Yeah, don't go back and read that sentence.  You read it right the first time.  Five bucks!  I was so ecstatic to start this new project and give this ugly desk a new makeover for my daughter's room. I finally finished it ( that will be a future post ), but there was one thing that was really bothering me.  The inside of the drawers.  They were so disgusting and no matter how much I cleaned it, they still remained gross!  They had marks, scratches, and who knows what that weird goo was that was inside the drawers.  All I knew was that it was making me a little ill to think my daughter's stuff would be sitting on top of all this mess.  I know, I know…you're probably thinking "um, why didn't you just paint them?" and the answer is simple, I was lazy.  I had just finished painting a night stand, a desk, and an entire dresser.  I was pretty much exhausted at the idea of painting anything else, waiting for everything to dry, and having to wash out those darn brushes and rollers again.  So I took the easy way out.  I know, I'm so lazy! So I knew I wanted to line the drawers.  So, I went to my BFF Pinterest to look for a few ideas.  What I mostly came across was how I could line my drawers with wall paper! "PERFECT", so I thought.  So I started the search for wallpaper.  And came across the giant price tag attached to it. "NOT PERFECT!" I wanted to do this, but not spend a ton of money, considering I paid almost nothing for the desk.  The idea of doing a really great project, to me at least, is that you get to make something your own, while saving a boat load of money.  So I knew I needed something cheap, and that's when the wrapping paper idea came into play.  I liked the idea, loved that they had so many patterns and colors to choose from, and loved the price of it.

Here's the drawers before:

 I know. Barf-tastic right? (is that even a word?) Well, if it's not then I just made it up just for the sole purpose of trying to explain these drawers.  And honestly, this wasn't even the worse one.
I started out by taking a bowl of hot soapy water mixed with white vinegar and a clean rag and using plenty of elbow grease, and started wiping all of the drawers down.  Most of the "yucky-ness" came off, but they still looked pretty dingy to me.

I found two rolls of wrapping paper in the dollar store (SCORE!) that I thought were pretty and went well with her light colored desk.  It's a soft silver and white striped paper that I thought was really pretty and looked really clean and bright.

I started out by unrolling the wrapping paper and marking it to the size of the bottom of the drawer.

Well this was a bit wrinkly and not very pretty looking at all but I was trying to do this one handed to take this picture.  Work with me here! :)

Then I cut the paper to size, making sure the piece went all the way to the sides.

Then using my hot glue gun, I put some glue in the middle, and a dab of glue in each corner.

 I pressed it down, making sure all the corners were stuck and nothing was lifting.  Then I started on the sides.

I took the roll or wrapping paper and marking each piece, I cut a piece to fit each side, having a little extra to cover the top edges as well.

 Lining up the pattern as best as I could, I put a small line of hot glue on the bottom edge and then a line of glue on the top edge and glued the paper to the sides.

Whatever over hang was left, I just trimmed off.

I repeated this step on both sides and the back of the drawer, but I didn't do the front of the drawer because I actually had painted that white.  

Here it is all finished and so beeeeee-autiful.

And there you have it.  Cute lined drawers for $2.  The paper hasn't ripped or has shown any wear at all.  It actually holds up really well!  And the beauty part of it is, is that when it does become a little worn, or I find another pattern that I think would look a little cuter, I can just simply rip this off and start again.  

And that's a wrap!

Super Simple Baked Ziti

This baked ziti is so delicious and takes minutes to throw together.  I like the fact that baked ziti is something that can be prepared in the morning and popped into the oven right before dinner.  It makes dinner time go so much smoother.  While this isn't my family's original baked ziti recipe, this is a REALLY delicious dish.  When you can't decide between having pasta with alfredo sauce or pasta with marinara, have both!  That's what makes this baked ziti so awesome.  It's the best of both worlds. So I thought I'd share the recipe with you.  Pair it with some garlic bread and a salad and you have a delicious, easy, and cheap meal in little to no time at all :)

Ingredients:

• 1 box (16 oz) ziti
• 1 ( 15 oz) jar alfredo sauce
• 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp. parsley *(OPTIONAL)*
• 1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes *(OPTIONAL)*

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta according to directions on the package.  Drain.

In a large bowl, add marinara and alfredo sauces and mix together.  Add mozzarella cheese and stir.

Then add the pasta and toss to coat.

Pour into a 13x9 baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with shredded parmesan cheese.  Bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Sprinkle with parsley and red pepper flakes (if you're using them).

Enjoy!

Bedroom Furniture Makeover Part 2

If you saw my post about how I stained my nightstands black, I said that I would be bringing you an update on my dresser.  I pretty much duplicated the exact way I did my nightstands except the only difference was that I had a broken corner I had to fix.  Here's how the total project turned out:

I was super happy with the way it turned out.  So lets get right into the makeover shall we?

Here's the dresser before in all it's ugly glory:

This was horrendous, not going to lie.  Again, it had tape on it where I had taped the drawers closed when we moved into our house.  It had scratches, knicks, and broken corners all over the place.  I don't know how I lived with this for as long as I did.  I guess it's because every time I wanted to do a new project or fix up a room in my house this was the last place that was shown any love.  Obviously!

If you want to see step by step how to stain your furniture black, click HERE.  This post is going to stay pretty basic and I didn't really take step by step pictures because it was basically the same steps as my previous furniture re-do.

But I started out removing all the drawers and sanding everything down.

I used my hand sander for the large surfaces, and had to sand by hand all the narrow parts and details on the dresser.  It took me about an hour or so.  I didn't have to sand down to the bare wood.  Just sand it enough to take the finish off and have something for the stain to stick to.

I sanded all the drawers down and had to fix that broken corner.  Luckily, I found the chunk that had broken off in one of my other drawers so all I had to do was apply some wood glue, stick it on, and fill in the cracks with wood filler.  I clamped it down and let it all set and dry overnight.

When it was dry, I sanded it all down so it was smooth to the touch.  Remember the rule:  If you can feel it, you'll see it when you paint or stain.  So I made sure it was as smooth as I could get it.

I filled in all holes where the hardware was previously, because I knew I would be moving the hardware around.  21 knobs on one dresser?!  That's just absurd!  So I knew I would be cutting that by at least half!

I applied the stain with foam brushes, letting it dry overnight between coats.

I dipped the hardware, had hubby drill the new holes, and I was finished!

I think I've found my new hobby with re-doing furniture and DIY projects.  Maybe it would fall under the category of slightly obsessed? What do you think?

Keep checking back for my future post which I'll be showing you how I made my headboard.  Well, I guess that answers my above question!

Grocery Shopping Printable To Keep The Little Ones Busy

The dreaded task that we all have to do.  Grocery shopping.  Just the words are like nails on a chalkboard to me.  I don't mind when I only have to get a few things.  But when I have a list as long as the River Nile now it's a problem.  So I made this simple list for my kids.  It's pretty much things we buy on a regular basis.  Whatever I don't need to buy that week that is on the list, I just check it off before we go and they know that's something we don't need this time.  If you'd like to download the free printable, click HERE

The list is easy enough to read for the older kids, yet simple enough for my littlest one to just look at the pictures.  They had such a good time finding all the things they needed on their list and it kept them busy enough where I didn't have to repeat "get in back of me when I walk, please" or "hey, get over here and let that lady pass".

Just print it out, stick it in a laminate sleeve, give your kiddos a dry erase maker and let them check off what they found.  Plus, putting it in a laminate sleeve lets you use it over and over again without printing new paper every time you need to go shopping.  Just wipe it clean.  I keep them in my car and they'll be ready for the next time we go grocery shopping.

It's a simple thing that makes things a little more enjoyable when whatever I'm doing isn't exactly an exciting process.  Yes, grocery shopping is boring,  Yes, it's annoying.  And yes, it isn't something I enjoy that much but when I can get my kids involved in the little things and make something a little more fun, we all have a better time.  Plus, this little list could have kept my kids out of YOUR way.  You're welcome :)

Yummy Blueberry Muffins With A Sugar Crumb Topping

Muffins.  The perfect quick breakfast on the go.  But what's a muffin without blueberries?  It's like having a pizza with no cheese.  A burger without the bun (sorry Atkin's lovers).  A PB&J sandwich without the peanut butter.  A….okay I think you get the point.

If you're looking for a delicious, fluffy, sweet, low calorie blueberry muffin….well, you've come to the wrong place, my dear!  While it is all those things, it is far from low calorie.  This little muffin packs away some sugar, not going to lie.  But when you taste it, it's completely worth it.  Each muffin isn't going to put you over your sugar intake for the day, as long as you only eat one.  But I have found from experience, that can't happen.

This recipe makes 12-14 muffins.  I usually make 12 large ones and discard a little extra batter at the end because frankly, who the heck wants to wait around for 20 minutes while two muffins bake in the oven?  I for one have better things to do with my time.  (that's a lie).

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking power
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk ( you can make a substitute if you don't have it.  Add 1 Tbsp. white vinegar to a measuring cup, then add milk to make 1 cup.  Let sit for 5 minutes)
• 7 Tbsp. oil
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. sour cream
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries (can use frozen)

Sugar Topping:

• 1/3 cup flour
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cold butter, diced
• 1/2 tsp. water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Prepare your crumb topping by placing flour, sugar, brown sugar, cold butter, and water in a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are mixed well.  It should only take a few seconds.  Don't over mix because the mixture can become dense.  The mixture should be fluffy with a few big "chunks".  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together buttermilk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla.  Add liquid mixture into the dry flour mixture and whisk together carefully.  The batter should be lumpy.  Do not over mix.  Fold in blueberries with a spatula.

Line a muffin tin with liners.  Divide batter equally to make 12-14 muffins.  Each muffin cup should be filled 3/4 of the way.  (If you're making 12 muffins, discard the remaining batter.)  Let sit for 10 minutes.

After the muffins have "rested", fluff up crumb mixture and sprinkle each muffin cup with the topping until each muffin is covered.  

Bake muffins in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool several minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy!

My $40 Nightstands Makeover Using Black Stain

I'm so excited to finally say that my bedroom furniture re-do is finally finished!  It's my first big project that I did and I was so happy to see that it turned out pretty good!  

I wanted to update my bedroom ( which is still, and probably always will be, under construction).  But I didn't want to get rid of my furniture because I had bought it when I first got married and the quality of the wood, according to my husband, was very good.  And frankly, I didn't want to spend all this money to replace my furniture.  Especially when I can use that money for new decor and other projects!  (wink, wink Mr. Husband!)

I knew the color scheme I wanted in my bedroom, and I knew I wanted my furniture to be black.  But I didn't want to paint it because I wanted some of the natural wood grain to show.  So I decided to stain it.

So now, the only problem I have is not wanting to refinish, stain, or paint everything in my house.  Lord, help my husband!  He's going to go insane!

Be prepared:  this post is pic heavy!  :)

So this was one of my nightstands before:

This picture makes me cringe a little, not gonna lie.  It was scratched, had some little dents, and had residue from tape all over it from when we moved into our house.  By the way, I tried everything to get that off and NOTHING worked!  So I knew this furniture had to go!

Here's the main supplies I used:

• Classic Black Satin stain by Minwax -$12
• Pre-Stain wood conditioner by Minwax- $16
• Elmer's Stainable Wood Filler -$4
• Foam brushes- $2
• 100 & 150 grit sandpaper- $6
• Palm sander (already had)
• Steel wool (already had)
• Two nightstands ( um, really?)

The Pre-Stain conditioner by Minwax was a super important step when staining my nightstands.  Apparently the wood is pine and stain doesn't take very well to pine.  (Of course it doesn't!  Because that would have made my life a bit easier.)  So this conditioner actually helped the stain stick to the wood.   The stain I used is Polyshades by Minwax in the color Classic Black Satin.  I wanted to use PolyShades because I was pretty much killing two birds with one stone.  Stain and Polyurethane in one step.  I probably wouldn't use this stain again because it was more of a paint like consistency than an actual stain. I also needed wood filler to fill in a few dents, deep scratches, and I was getting rid of these deep lines on the sides of the drawers.  ( Look at the picture, you'll see what I'm talking about. )

First things first.  I removed all the drawers and hardware and started to sand the nightstands using 100 grit sandpaper and a hand sander.  This step was a little time consuming because I had to get the finish off the dressers, so it took some time and a whole lot of sand paper.  After all the finish was off, I went back in with 150 grit sandpaper to smooth it all out.

 All clean and sanded!

 Next step for me was filling in those lines that were on the side of the drawer.  I wanted a nice clean look to the drawers and I just didn't like that particular "detail" on the drawer so I filled it in with Wood Filler. I also wanted one knob in the middle of the drawer instead of two on each drawer.  So I filled in the holes where the knobs were by placing some painters tape inside the drawer over the hole and filling it in with the filler.  To fill in the lines, I just put some filler on my finger and filled it in.  Isn't that what the professionals do?

I let it dry over night and then sanded the whole drawer down with 100 grit sandpaper.  Making sure that the wood filler was nice and smooth.  Then again with 150 grit.  

 Making sure my nightstands were clear of any dust or dirt, I wiped everything down with a damp clean cloth.   Now came the scary part for me.  It was time to stain them!

 Now normally when you stain, you pretty much slop it on and wipe it off.  That's not the case with PolyShades.  It doesn't wipe off.  (  I learned THAT the hard way.)  So I had to make sure to get the stain on with even and long strokes, and to do really thin coats instead of one thick heavy coat.  Here it is with the first coat on...

YIKES! At this point I wanted to either cry, throw up, or just haul these things to the curb.  I wasn't sure which one I wanted to do.  But despite the regret and thinking I made a huge mistake and this was not going as planned, I let them dry over night and started on the next coat.  

In order for the next coat of stain to stick, I wiped down the drawers and nightstands with steel wool just to smooth everything out and rough up the surface a little bit.  

 It took three thin coats to cover everything completely.

Now it was time to work on the hardware.  Trying to get away with spending as little money as possible on this project, I decided to use the same hardware it came with.  ( I'll replace them eventually.)

I removed the silver middle piece from the knob, leaving only this ugly wood "shell".

 Now, a normal person probably would have sanded and hand stained this knob.  But lucky for you, I'm not considered "normal" so I did things a little different.  I inserted a long screw driver into the bottom and actually dipped the knobs into the stain.  I dipped them about half way, leaving the bottom unfinished.  I let the excess drip off and then I placed them on some wax paper to dry ( on the unfinished side).  When they were dry I turned them over and dipped the unfinished part into the stain and placed it back on some wax paper to let that side dry.  This process could mean one of two things.  I'm either pretty smart or pretty lazy.  Not sure.

 I think this worked perfectly because there was no brush marks, and it was perfectly smooth.

I let everything dry completely, had my handy hubby drill some new holes for the hardware, and it was finally done!  For around $40 I had "new" furniture.  The nightstand made me uber happy.  (And the price made the hubby happy!)

Now to get some new decor for these fabulous little nightstands and phase one of *bedroom re-model* will be finished!

Keep checking back for my dresser makeover.  I 'm hoping it won't be that long of a post, but I can't make any promises.

A Classic Favorite…Spaghetti & Mini Meatballs

Pasta night.  A night I actually dreaded when I was little because we had TWO, count them, TWO pasta nights a week in our house.  We attended church so much and my mother needed something quick for those nights.  So there I was, with my small face and large hair, staring into a bowl of spaghetti.  I just stared thinking, good Lord NOT again.  As I grew up, those pasta nights only came down to once a week. Sundays.  That was the day.  And I hated them.  When I got married I swore off pasta.  I would NOT make it.  I didn't care it was the "Italian thing to do".  I just wanted macaroni gone from my life.  And it was. (for a while).

Then my kids came.  And they grew.  And my family got bigger.  And so did our food bill.  Now here I was thinking, "what can I make that isn't too expensive and it's quick and fairly easy to make?"  Yup.  You guessed it.  Pasta!  I made a pasta night once a week.  Okay, so you're probably thinking "Tina, if you hated pasta night so much as a kid, why would you do it with your kids?"  And the answer is simple.  My kids aren't big annoying pains like I was.  They actually LOVE it.  So Tuesday became THE night.  And honestly, I guess because I didn't make it for so long, I am enjoying it!  See?  It's always good to try new things or retry old things.  *cue Mr. Rogers music*

What more classic dish can you get than spaghetti and meatballs?  It's inexpensive, easy, and fun for the kiddos to eat.  So here's my recipe for it.  Hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 1 box of spaghetti
• Marinara Sauce { For a recipe click HERE }

Meatballs:

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground pork, beef, and veal mix ( most grocery stores sell it as a "meatloaf mixture") *can also use regular ground beef*
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 cup romano or parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• oil for frying

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat enough oil to go half way up your meatballs.

For meatballs, mix all ingredients in a large bowl by hand.  Using your hands and depending on the size meatball you would like to make, take the amount of meat mixture and roll between your hands to form a ball.

Place meatballs in the oil and fry on all sides until brown.  The sides and middle will not be cooked.  When they're brown on all sides, place on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.

In the meantime, bring your marinara sauce to a slow slimmer, on medium heat.  When your meatballs are finished browning, add them into the sauce.  Place a wooden spoon on the top of the pot and rest the cover halfway on the pot.  Simmer for 30-40 minutes, being careful when you stir  so you won't break the meatballs.  

Keep warm until ready to serve.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add I Tbsp. of salt to the water.  Cook spaghetti according to the package.  Drain.  

Toss spaghetti with sauce and serve with meatballs.  Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve.

Enjoy!

Serves: 4-5

Makes: 25 large meatballs or 40 small meatballs