Mudroom Locker Storage Built-ins – part 3

1 Apr By
Mudroom locker storage- part 3- progress

You all remember the mudroom locker built-ins I'm working on with client, Malisa? No?  It's only been like 6 weeks since I posted so I don't blame you.  LOL  I've decided I'm not sharing my Sawdust Diary projects until they are completely done so it's not such a loooooong wait in between posts.  Who can take the anticipation?  These things take a lot of hard work --and time to build. Well guess what this post means?  Malisa's project is complete and...it...looks...amazing!  But … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Building Stuff, DIY, Malisa's Mudroom, Sawdust Diaries, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Back to square 1: How to remove paint from grout and tile

28 Mar By
Romove paint from tile and grout -before-after

I spent today getting back to square one in the laundry room. Not square 1 really-- just back to where I was before I spilled a half gallon of paint on my floor, spread it out by using the foor as a paint tray, letting it dry and trying to scrap the paint out of the grout.  (Didn't work.)   I had some orange paint stripper in my garage so I thought I'd give that a try.  Spread it all over with my chemically protected gloved hands -- and let it sit for 30 … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: DIY, Tile, Tips and Tricks

‘da broiler

26 Mar By
The Broiler 4

While we're on the subject of kitchen planning... I've gone back and forth on the subject of double ovens.  I had one in my first house and thought I hardly ever used both at the same time.  So in my next house I just did a single.  Then on many occasions in that house -- I wished I had a double.   I tell you what -- anything would be better than this piece of crap! I want a double electric oven in this house.  Gas cooktop.  I like the dual fuel functionality. When … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Family Matters

Decorating: Are You Over Stainless Steel?

25 Mar By
turquoise-appliances.jpg

Dents, scratches, and FINGERPRINTS are common complaints with stainless steel.   So while I  love the look of a kitchen with stainless steel appliances, I am thinking about other options for my upcoming  kitchen renovation.   Source: Tony Giammarino   Brightly colored appliances, especially ones with a retro vibe, are COOL, but I worry that I might tire of the color before the warranties expire. Source:  4men1lady   It’s probably a better idea … [Continue reading...]

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Cabo 2013 (Madison says she is NEVER going in the ocean again!)

24 Mar By
at the pool

Wes, Madison and I went on vacation last week.    We spent a week in Cabo.  It was beautiful, relaxing and fun -- but we're all glad to be home again.  You know your vacation was exactly the right length when you're a tiny bit sad to leave and yet SUPER EXCITED to get home.   The first few days, Wes left at 4 am to go shore fishing.  He actually caught one.  Three days -- one fish!  But sometimes he gets notin' so he was thrilled with this baby!   Maddie and … [Continue reading...]

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Easy Lemon Drop Cookie Recipe

21 Mar By
Easy lemon drop cookie recipe

After working for three months on Beckie's project, I'm ready for a vacation. Well, you might as well know, I AM on vacation. Wes, Madison and I are taking a little break from the homework, jobs, DIY chaos and cold.   So while we enjoy the sunny beaches in Cabo San Lucas, here's a delicious, easy, lemon drop cookie recipe you can try.   Don't they just look sunny? If you aren't taking off for Spring Break, at least you can give your taste buds an adventure of a lifetime! … [Continue reading...]

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Beckie’s Built-in Studio Cabinets

20 Mar By
built-in-storage-cabinets

Beckie and I have completed our project!  In all fairness, SHE completed her project.  I drew up her plans and talked her through the build -- but she did the work.  When people ask about doing a project, I  tell them, "It's a LOT of WORK.  Hard, sweaty, make you want to swear kind of work.   You have to REALLY want to do this because you're going to work hard." Beckie did.  She worked.  She sweated.  I don't know if she swore but I know for a fact that she wanted to  a couple … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Beckie's Studio, Project Portfolio, Sawdust Diaries Tagged With: ,

Decorating: Simple Tips for Big Impact Windows

19 Mar By
where_to_hang_curtains4.png

Where and how you hang your window treatments has a big impact on the look and feel of an entire room. The other day, "Client named X"  sent me an email with pictures of her progress and out of the corner of my eye I spotted her drapery rod. I promptly responded to tell her what an amazing job she is doing on her built-ins, and added the "suggestion" of "possibly" "reconsidering" the placement of her window treatments.   It's what any respectable, PUSHY DIY Coach would do. … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Decorating, Decorating, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

How to Build Inset Cabinet Doors with Beadlock Mortise and Tenons

18 Mar By
How to build doors with Beadlock mortise and tennons

I recently posted about two different door options; inset and overlay and talked about what hinges I generally use for each door - respectively.  Once you've determined what type of door you want to use on your project, you have to build them.  This is the method that I'm having all my Sawdust Diary clients use.  This is probably the easiest way I've found to build inset cabinet doors (inset panel). Because there are so many factors involved in building and fitting cabinet doors, I'm going … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Building Stuff, Cabinet Making, Plans and Projects, projects and tutorials, Woodworking Tagged With: , ,

Build it: Rolling Storage Cabinet – free plans

17 Mar By
Build a rolling work cart

I was looking through some older posts and noticed "Workshop fav:  Rolling work cart"  .  Mine is metal and I do use it for tools on jobsites (whatever room is under construction) but this would be a great storage cabinet in an office or craft room as well so I whipped up some plans.   *This cart is about 36" tall with 4" casters and 24" deep.  Make adjustments as needed if you want a different size cart. Supplies: 3/4" MDF or Plywood 2 @   24" x 24"  (top and … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Free Plans, Plans and Projects, projects and tutorials Tagged With: , ,

Choosing Cabinet Doors: Inset and Overlay (and what the heck kind of hinges to buy for which)

15 Mar By
Inset doors

I get asked a lot for help with cabinet doors.  How do you determine how big to make them?  How do you build them?  How do you install them?  How to you adjust them when they won't stay closed?  Etc... That's a lot of How's and I won't try to cover all of them in one post. First, let's discuss basic door options. Overlay Doors  sit atop your face-frame (or cabinet if you are building frame-less cabinets).   Overlay doors are the easiest to install because they don't … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Building Stuff, Cabinet Making, DIY, Uncategorized

Laundry Room Cabinet Door Options

14 Mar By
Laundry room cabinet doors

I finally got some cabinet doors built for the laundry room.  It will be nice to have them up so this space will look pretty-er.   I built my doors with a beadboard panel -- like I often do.   But after designing all the different door options for Beckie's studio, I had a hankering to do something different.  So I flipped my doors over and added an X on the back.   But I wasn't certain which I liked better.  I asked on Facebook and got 108 comments which seemed to be … [Continue reading...]

35 Comments

Filed Under: DIY, Laundry Room

Workshop Fav: Kreg Rip-Cut

12 Mar By
Building laundry room cabinets

I've used my Kreg Rip-Cut tool a few times now and it's definitely become a workshop fav.  I've tried other circular saw cutting guides for ripping sheetgoods before with disappointing results.  I was skeptical about this one being any different.   I was dead wrong.   The Rip-Cut gives me accurate cuts, it takes about 15 seconds to adjust for a new cut width, and I don't have to measure and mark and clamp anything to my wood so the whole process of ripping wood is much faster … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Tips and Tricks, Tools, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Indisputably my worst painting blunder ever!

9 Mar By
Painting blunder

It's a two-fer week for me in the blunder department.  First I had to take a cabinet apart and rebuild it, that wasn't too bad. This  one... this one was pretty BAD!   You should know that I mix my paint by holding it up and shaking the heck out of it. Now the story goes like this:  I shook my paint.  I loosened by lid.  I answered a phone call...  20 minutes later I went back to my project and forgot that I'd loosened my lid.  I thought, "It's been a while, I should … [Continue reading...]

47 Comments

Filed Under: All About Me, Uncategorized

Sawdust Throwdown – Link Party

8 Mar By
Sawdust Throwdown button

I don't know about you, but I've been BUSY lately.  Busy is good. I'm sure you have too and I want to see what you've been busy building. So I'm having a party! Link up your most fabulous WOOD related DIY project that you've finished recently.  Something you build, made, framed, cut, joined, fastened... There must have been some SAWDUST involved in the project for it to qualify for a Sawdust Throwdown.   *Make sure you grab the URL for the specific post you are linking … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Link Party, Uncategorized Tagged With:

dining room buffet built-in Style Options and Conundrums

7 Mar By
built-in-buffet-design-style-idea

Sometimes, making design choices, whether decorating your home with accent pillows or building stunning, massive built-ins for your dining room -- is easy as eating ice cream on a hot summer day.  Other times, knowing EXACTLY the right thing to do is ... clear as MUD.       Last week, you all had so many opinions about Beckie's studio door style choices,  I'm really hoping you have just as many ideas today.  Beckie had already chosen her doors but I wanted to share … [Continue reading...]

57 Comments

Filed Under: Building Stuff, DIY, Sawdust Diaries, Val's Dining Room Tagged With: ,

Laundry Room Cabinet Marathon

6 Mar By
Building laundry room cabinets

My sink arrived yesterday and I've been so excited to get it and finish this laundry room that I tried to get everything done in one big building marathon day. I had a bunch of plywood leftover from my Library that was still stacked up in the entrance hall, right by the front door.  Yep, it's been there that long.  I set up my Kreg RipCut and trimmed 8 of those down to 34 1/2" tall.  They were already cut 24" wide. (I love this tool for ripping cuts less than 24".  It's so much … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Building Stuff, DIY, Laundry Room, Uncategorized Tagged With:

How to Replace a Tile

4 Mar By
How to replace a broken tile

6 steps that makes replacing a broken or chipped tile easy.     1.  Remove the old grout. You can use a number of tools to remove the old grout: carbide tipped knife, small chisel, grout rasp, 5 in one, etc. My favorite is usually just an old flat head screwdriver and a small hammer. The important thing is to remove all of the old grout that surrounds the tile(s) you are replacing, while being careful not to chip or damage any of the surrounding tile. If the tile has a … [Continue reading...]

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How to use Molding to Solve Architectural Challenges

1 Mar By
wainscoting.png

I love molding, and for the most part, the more the better! If it doesn’t move, I will trim it out (see my library). But molding can do a lot more than just be pretty ornamentation, you can use molding to add height, bring balance, create flow, and solve/fix/hide or fool the eye for a number of architectural challenges.   In the photo below, notice how the windows look low on the walls. Also, how the crown molding looks smaller and less substantial than the baseboard. Combine that … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Decorating, Uncategorized Tagged With:

When things don’t work out …make a new plan

28 Feb By
Not Available

So I showed you  my laundry room plans yesterday and told you that I had ordered my sink and faucet and was just waiting for them to arrive.  Well my faucet arrived yesterday evening and it is beautiful.  The nozzle pulls out so I can easily bathe Brody.  Yeah! It's a Kraus faucet in chome. I bought mine from Amazon but found it cheaper on Overstock last night when looking for ... I'm getting ahead of myself.   So, I'm waiting on my SINK to get started building this entire … [Continue reading...]

8 Comments

Filed Under: Decorating, Laundry Room

Ideas and Planning for my Laundry Room

27 Feb By
laundry room design ideas

I'm planning the rest of my laundry room and want to share my plan and ideas with you BEFORE I get started.   Then, as I go, I'll share the specific "build plans" with you along with pictures of my progress and tutorials of each feature. Yesterday I asked, "What features would you put in your dream laundry room?" on facebook.  There were a LOT of great ideas and links to awesome ideas.  I've got quite a few "functional features" planned.  I've thought about how I want my laundry room to … [Continue reading...]

5 Comments

Filed Under: Building Stuff, Cabinet Making, Laundry Room Tagged With: , , ,

Studio Cabinet Door Ideas

26 Feb By
Studio cabinet door ideas

I talked to Beckie last night about door options for her studio cabinets and drew up a few different ideas for her to choose from. I sketched up this rough drawing for her to visualize the completed built-ins when we first started this studio project.  We talked about doors.   I knew she wanted them but knew doors were a LONG way off and I didn't draw them into the sketch.   This is what I thought she wanted.  I kept talking about decorative baskets and cool containers.  … [Continue reading...]

21 Comments

Filed Under: Beckie's Studio, Cabinet Making, Decorating, Sawdust Diaries Tagged With: , , ,

How to Bend Moulding

25 Feb By
how to bend moulding

  Occasionally, you need to get molding to bend around a fairly sharp curve. Unfortunately the molding profile that you need to match doesn't always come in flex molding and sometimes the wood version is 1/4 inch shorter than the MDF version, and it's really expensive to special order custom flex moulding. Not to worry,  with a couple of hours and a table saw, you can create perfectly (well, perfect enough) bendy molding.   This is a client bathroom I'm consulting on and … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: DIY, Moulding/Trim, projects and tutorials, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Beckie’s AMAZING Craft Room-Studio Built-ins (part 3)

22 Feb By
studio-cabinets-painted

Beckie's studio-craft room built-ins are complete and painted!  I don't mind saying it -- THEY LOOK AWESOME!     I'm so excited for her.  This was a BIG project and she (and Tim) has done an amazing job.  For the most part, Beckie has been great at following instructions and  "suggestions" (haha -- I AM a bossy coach) and she's had a good attitude about working her buns off to get this project finished!  ;-)   Just dropping in?  Read Part 1 and Part 2 to see … [Continue reading...]

22 Comments

Filed Under: Beckie's Studio, Sawdust Diaries Tagged With:

Tips and Ideas for Styling Beautiful Bookshelves

20 Feb By
Styling bookshelves

  Recently a friend called me with an EMERGENCY, “You’ve got to come help me right now!”  She and her husband had just finished a major remodel and were having their first post renovation dinner party that evening. They were trying to get all of the finishing touches done to show off their new space. The focal point of the room was a new wall to wall, floor to ceiling bookcase. When I walked in I started laughing, I wish that I had taken a picture. The bookcase looked like a … [Continue reading...]

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Filed Under: Decorating, Decorating, Uncategorized Tagged With:

How to Install a New Shower Head

19 Feb By
How to install a shower head

  There are no complicated plumbing skills required to change out an old shower head with a new one.  Just a little teflon tape, some muscles or an adjustable wrench and an old rag.   I'm changing out our guest bathroom shower head with a more luxurious Moen Halo (available at Home Depot for $59).  I changed Madison's a few months ago and she LOVES it.  The center part has massage settings and the outer ring is the "rain shower".  She says it keeps her whole body warm … [Continue reading...]

7 Comments

Filed Under: DIY, projects and tutorials, Uncategorized

DIY Office with T- shaped Countertop and Built-in Cabinets

18 Feb By
DIY Office with T-shaped countertop and Built-in cabinets

This office was built by reader, Seth Dokter. Does it look slightly familiar?  :-)   When he says  he built his office "exactly" like my IL office, he wasn't kidding --  it turned out fabulous!  He sent me this funny email with his photos and I laughed so hard reading it that I begged him to let me share with you.  He agreed.   Enjoy!         Well... I guess I "Built Like a Girl!"   Here are finally some pictures of my office … [Continue reading...]

12 Comments

Filed Under: DIY, Reader Submissions, Reader's Projects, Sawdust Diaries Tagged With: ,

DIY Lazy Susan Art Caddy – Free Plans

15 Feb By
how to make a lazy susan art caddy

My studio is BAD.  I need to get organized and I thought a DIY lazy susan art caddy (or five)would help.  (You should see it.  It's embarrassing!)  So I whipped some plans and thought I'd share them with you -- in case you're studio or office is in as bad of shape as mine.   Materials needed: Quarter sheet of 1/4" MDF or Plywood 5" diameter circle of 3/16" hardboard Six loose 1/4"  ball bearing balls Wood glue One 1/2" #6 screw One decorative finial … [Continue reading...]

6 Comments

Filed Under: DIY, Free Plans, projects and tutorials, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

Mudroom Locker Storage Project – part 2

15 Feb By
Mudroom -built-in-bench

Malisa is making great progress on her mudroom locker storage project..  If you remember, in Part 1 of Malisa's "Sawdust Diary", she spent most of her first two weeks installing a pocket door and demoing the existing bench.  Now she's doing the fun part.  The part where the vision starts taking shape!     2/6-7-8   Built the bench.  It did not go as smoothly as hoped, but at least I have something to show!     Finally, I … [Continue reading...]

4 Comments

Filed Under: DIY, Malisa's Mudroom, Sawdust Diaries, Uncategorized Tagged With:

How to Remove Carpet – without breaking your back

14 Feb By
How to remove Carpet

Just look at that carpet! It's covered in drywall dust and probably makes you think I've been secretly busy on some mysterious project that I didn't tell you about and about to reveal some AWESOME room...but I'm haven't -- and I didn't -- and I'm not. I've actually had some time ON my hands the last few days because a STINKIN' sneeze herniated a disk and I've been living on ice, Biofreeze, a portable TENS unit and chiropractic visits. Well, I don't know if herniated is actually what happened … [Continue reading...]

9 Comments

Filed Under: Demolition, Tips and Tricks, Uncategorized
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