TIP! How to find a replacement screw for your knobs & pulls!

I don't think I have ever bought a piece of furniture to paint that has all the screws for the knobs.

MIA - one missing!

I know not to stress over a missing screw, because: 

#1:  Most are standard size, 8-32, and if it's not it's O.K., I will show you why in a minute, so keep reading.   The length can be different and no problem there either! 

# 2: Lowe's (and other stores) have this handy little gadget thingamabobber on their wall.  So you can take in a screw,

Find what size it is

This one is a standard size, but what about the length?

They also have a measuring gadget

You measure it.  Then go to the wall right by this great gadget and find what you need! or ask a sales associate to help, I do ALL the time. So Thank you Sales Associates - you rock!

There you go - It cost .97 cents for a pack of 4.  Hopefully the next time I am missing one, this one will fit.  If not, I take another trip to Lowe's! (I shop at Lowe's because it is closest to my house)

I have a shower drain that is missing a screw, so I took the one I had in and Voila - it's fixed!

Just curious - Did you know  about this gadget thingamabobber to help you find the size of screw you needed?

(P.S. As I was taking pictures, I gathered a crowd.  I was nervous taking pictures. Then I started talking about what I was doing and the nerves went out the door.  Also, one the sales associates is my son-in-laws Aunt Jill. And the other one was his baseball coach. I also made some new friends, who wanted to paint furniture and didn't dare.  I gave them the pep talk and they are going to try!  I love this world!!!)

Oh how I LOVE thee, let me count the ways! Before and After: Armoire

I am the proud of owner of 5 Armoires now!

Heaven Help me!

This one was $20.00

Here is # 1

We had a great time getting this heavy armoire down some skinny stairs in a condo.  We had to disassemble it a bit to get it down.

Lots of muscles were needed and lots of laughter happened.

better than swearing!

It seems lots of people are dumping their Armoires for cheap.  Don't they know something wonderful can happen with a little bit of imagination and paint? should we tell them?  Or not?

Much better with a new coat of paint!

but the best is yet to come!

STORAGE!

My overnight bags, for a fact get away. Instead of getting a ladder and reaching to the top shelf in the storage room!

A basket for my scarfs. If I can see them, I might actually wear them.

A place to put my current read.

A thrifted treasure for my change. There isn't any change, because I used it to go to the pop machine to buy my diet Pepsi!

A shelf for my purses. 

How you liking it so far? I am loving loving it!

This is what it looked like before I started organizing.

A drawer for my sunglasses. I never new were to keep them, where to you keep yours?

My Nook

My flip flops

It slides out for easy access. Impressed yet?

O.K. this is subject to change, but the possiblilies are exciting!

did you hear me squeal?

Paint colors and a tip!

I used Krylon KHAKI spray paint for outside and

Rust-oleum STRAWFLOWER spray paint for the inside.

The tip:

I have a quart of paint made up to match the spray paint.

I use the spray paint to get the hard to reach nooks and crannies, and then for the big stuff, like the sides, I use a High-Density Foam roller.

It saves money.  Let's  face it spray paint can get pricey.

Also,it is hard to spray a very large side or top and have it look good!

The DIY showoff

Between Naps on the Porch

Perfectly Imperfect

Coastal Charm

Amaze Me Monday

Keep it Simple

Home Stories from A to Z

Tip Junkie

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Primitive and Proper

Miss Mustard Seed

Before and After and a few tips!

BEFORE!

    Poor dilapidated desk!

Was broken and useless,

so I gave it a new life.

The very first thing I do, when I redo a piece of furniture is decide if I am going to use the original hardware or if i am going to replace it.  On this piece, I knew I was going to replace a couple of them.

The new hardware I was going to use, was a different size than the original!

No Problem!

                                                  

                                                                 
                     I used Elmer's natural wood filler to fill the original holes,

    and I let it dry really good!

   I also used the wood filler to

fill the big gouges on the dresser.

I then used a 150 grit sand paper to lightly go over the whole thing!

If I am painting the furniture, I never take it back to the original wood.

If I am going to stain it, and take it back to the original state, I sand it completely.

with me. . .

Old pieces usually have some sticky spots, from stickers to finger nail polish etc.

I make sure these are cleaned off good!

with Goo Gone!

It works GREAT!

I usually start from the bottom of  the furniture,  I turn it upside down and make sure the bottom of the furniture is taken care of first.

I don't mean the underneath of the furniture,

I mean the bottom legs and trim, etc.

Now, as soon as I said that, I am showing you that instead of turning it upside down, I put it up high on a table,

so I could see and reach all the bottom of the desk.

Then when I turn it over to do the top, I don't ruin anything and the bottom looks as good as the top!

Understand. . . .

A few more tips - I finished this with minwax clear satin Polyurethane that is oil base.
Use water base Polyurethane on white or lighter paint, it won't yellow!

AFTER!!!!

Todays Linked to
:Todays Creative Blog