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Spray Paint Ikea Furniture

May 22, 2013 By Erica Deuel 1 Comment

spraypaint ikea furniture

Did you know you can spray paint Ikea furniture? I figured you could with the right spray paint, but I never had till Reagan’s bedroom makeover.

As we were planning her room, I knew she needed a toddler bed. I loved J’s old bed, but the blue was not going to go with Reagan’s theme. I wanted a rustic, darker color to help tone down the bright colors in her room. I also wanted it to look metallic as I was adding natural type elements in her room for the decor. I stumbled across my new favorite spray paint in this search.

Hammered spraypaint

This is not a sponsored post. I just really fell in love with this product and wanted to share it with you. I have never used a textured type spray paint. It is so forgiving! Usually when you spray paint and you spray it too “thick” is can dry with a dripped or spotted look. With this product, it just added more of a texture, and I loved it! I will show you more of what I mean further down. I used this exact color and finish on Reagan’s bed, and it was perfect!

The first thing I did for this bed transformation was take the bed apart it give it a good cleaning. I simply wiped it down with Clorox wipes to get rid of the dirt and grime from all the years the boys used it.

ikea toddler bed
After the bed was clean. I started spraying some base light coats. I wanted the bed to have a complete covering of all the blue. As I sprayed, with this hammered texture spray from Rustoleum, I started to notice that the really “wet” spots got the best texture look as you can see below.

spray paint light coats

hammed rustoleum spraypaintDoesn’t that look cool!? I love it and have found my new addiction. I also used this spray paint on a tall lamp in Reagan’s room. It’s such a fun quick thrill to spray something and give it a new look and life. Every item in my house better watch out now.

One thing that was hard for me was to not rush this project. This was a big item to spray paint and there were lots of sides and edges to cover and between each coat of spray, I had to wait till it was fully dry, before I could flip it and spray the other side. Once I thought it was almost done, I was out of spray paint and almost just quit because I was ready to put it back together and move on to the next project, but I was patient. I went and bought another can of spray paint. I think this project took 3 1/2 cans of paint. That cost was much less than buying Reagan a new bed.

be patient when spray paintingOnce it was completely dry and all the coats were complete, we moved the pieces to her room. We put the bed back together in her room to keep it easier to maneuver through the house.

putting a room togetherOnce the bed was put back together, the bed transformation was done! I set it up with her cute comforter and pillows and we all fell in love with it!

enjoy your workThe bed has not chipped at all and it is wearing incredibly well. I am so glad to know you can spray paint Ikea furniture! What a good trick to remember! One of my favorite moments was when J first saw the freshly painted bed. I was so afraid he’d be upset about us “ruining” and giving away his bed. He looked at it and said, “Wow mommy! I like Rea-Rea’s new bed!” It didn’t even register that it was his old bed – transformation success!

What about you? Have you spray painted anything lately? Have you tried using texture spray paints?

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iBlog Sneak Peak: Simplicity

May 14, 2013 By Erica Deuel 2 Comments

iBlog_Book_sidebar

The three winners of my iBlog giveaway are: Rachel R., Tara T., and Karen B.

I will be in touch with each of you! But wait, everyone is a winner today… Here is a very short excerpt from my chapter to give you a preview of the kinds of info shared in this e-book.

simplicity blogging

As you know the internet is quite large. There is a lot of content out there and more being produced every single day. The truth is, there is a lot of noise and a lot of content that is competing with yours.

Fortunately for you and for me the majority of content publishers out there don’t get the idea of simplicity. Rather than pulling back and creating something special, most sites just turn up the volume. Tons and tons of sites end up becoming hectic and busy billboards. You know the sites I’m talking about. You don’t know where to start and you just end up moving on because it hurts your eyes to stick around.

Remember we are talking about Curb Appeal. I am all for really fun, unique, and detailed posts. However, is your design simple? Intuitive? Easy to navigate? Is it easy to load?

Here are a few ideas on simplicity:

  • Navigation: I would encourage you to limit your site to have 4-6 tabs or pages when it comes to the navigation. Once you get beyond 6 tabs you can end up with lots of layers or nested navigation. This can be too much for someone to digest. It ends up looking busy.

navigation

  • Widgets and Gadgets: You can install a number of elements into your site that can assist with simplicity. WordPress calls them Widgets and Blogger calls them Gadgets. To put it simply these are plugins you can install into your site to help its functionality.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: Massive amounts of web content are being viewed on these tablets and smartphones every single day. Yet the majority of websites are not mobile responsive. Mobile Responsive is a design or a plugin that will adapt the layout of your site for a mobile device.
  • Load Times: If you are anything like me, if a page doesn’t load in about 5 seconds, I move on to the next site. I consider something to be wrong with it. I would suggest a Load Time plugin. There are a lot out there, find the one that suits you. The primary idea is that it will prioritize the order in which your content loads. Text first, pictures next, advertising last, etc.
  • Easy to Contact: As your blog grows people will want to contact you. It may simply be through a comment on your blog or the desire to send a personal message. Either way, make sure that your readers can easily contact you.

One of the primary elements of your design can be found in your consistency of creating new content. Think about your blog like a magazine. As you stand at the check out lines the new covers of a magazine draw your eye. Imagine if every week for several months the magazine covers never changed? Eventually you would lose interest because “I’ve seen that before.” But at the end of the day it’s about what is inside your home (aka blog) that makes it truly special. Be smart in your initial design, tweak as you go along and learn more, but keep the consistency of fresh new posts at the forefront of your work and your site will turn out just fine!

I wanted to share a few tips and encourage you that I think this e-book is a great read. If you didn’t win a copy, You can still buy one here.

Thanks so much for all your support!

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Be The Good In The World

April 24, 2013 By Erica Deuel 3 Comments

why get involved in foster care

I have talked a lot recently about our new house and the plans we have for it. I’ve mentioned room renovations and lots about how packing is going. I don’t think I have talked about the heart behind why we are moving since Matt and I wrote The Story of What’s Next.

Today, I want to open up a little more about it with all of you, but first I need to introduce you to someone who will help me do this.

Jill straight on edited

My beautiful friend Jill blogs at Design Dreams. She has been around since the start of Spoonful of Imagination and been one of my biggest cheerleaders and sources of encouragement with all my posts. What began as a simple twitter follow & conversation led to email chains, and now regular text conversations. I love this girl, and I can not wait for the day for us to meet in person. Jill and I had a conversation the other day about foster care, and she encouraged me to share my answers with all of you. I am going to let you in on that part of our conversation. Jill has a huge heart and had lots of amazing questions about our thoughts on foster care. For the sake of time, I am going to share her questions and my answers (but leave out all her sweet comments back to my answers) in an interview form.

I wish we could have had this conversation in person, but through all the miles…a friendship was born and here is one conversation between friends.

erica_jill_coffee

Jill: Do you feel like foster care will take attention away from your kids or that it will enhance their lives?

Me:  I am scared of how I will be able to give my kids the same attention and help prevent them from growing resentful. I’m trying to take comfort in that we can control how many and how often we take kids in. If we need longer stretches between kids, we can do that. BUT I am praying this enhances my kids’ lives and gives them eyes to see how blessed they are, and I want to include them in the process as much as we can. What I want them to know and breath is we are loved, so let’s love others.

Jill: Are you planning to foster small kids or any age?

Me: Ideally, I would love around Reagan’s age. I keep thinking an 18 month to two-year old would be the youngest we would take, but I don’t think I could say no to a baby in need. I definitely wouldn’t want to go older than Caleb (our oldest). So, in between our kids’ ages is ideal.

Jill: What if you fall in love with a foster child?

Me: We are going to start with doing Respite Care. This is where we get the child(ren) immediately after they are removed from their home. Usually, this is short-term and they are then transported to another family member or a longer term foster family after a few days. I know this process can be messy though, and those short-term stays can easily turn into longer term stays. We are open to that, and we would love to adopt at some point. I told Matt I am scared we will fall in love with the first child, adopt him and then be maxed out so we can’t help anyone else. Matt encouraged and challenged me though with his response. He said if we change the life of one child, and are only in this for that one child, that is huge. He is right. So, although we have our own vague expectations, we are open to where ever God wants to take us.

Jill: What if (someone considering this) thinks I can’t possibly feed another mouth, even if it is temporary? Are there income requirements?

Me: I am not sure if there are income requirements. I am a little nervous about the expense. I know the state gives you a little money, although that should never be a reason to get into this. Since we thought we were done having kids, I have given away most of my baby items (including the clothes). I have thought a few times about what if we got a baby that needed formula or clothes smaller than my daughter’s girl 3T wardrobe? I’m not sure how we will do it, but I am also not worried. We are not going in this on our own. God is leading us down this path, and he has always been faithful to provide. I know he will continue to do so. I know there are foster organizations that you can get things from. We have a ton to still learn, but it doesn’t make me fearful, it more makes me think it’s just something we will figure out as we come to it.

Jill: Are there requirements on having separate bedrooms for the children?

Me: I think there are requirements based on their age. I do know young babies can stay in the same room with you. This room situation is the main reason why we are moving. Our bedrooms were so small there was not enough space for another bed in any of them. We are blessed to have a room in our new house that will have beds just for kids in need. I want to put a day bed in there or maybe a bunk bed and Reagan’s crib. I can’t wait to decorate it and make it feel warm and inviting.

Jill: How will you explain to your kids when the foster child has to leave (provided you don’t adopt)?

Me: I hope it will be along the lines that we loved and did what we could for that child(ren), but it is time to trust Jesus with them. Their family or a new family is ready to love on them, but we can continue to pray for them.

erica deuel

That is the extent of the questions Jill had for me. In some ways, I feel inadequate to be venturing in selling our house and moving into a new house to head down a road we know so little about. What I have to trust is the desire that God has placed in hearts is all we need in this moment. The house stuff has been such a whirlwind and was so draining that it consumed most of us. We have put off getting “trained” until we are settled in our new house. I do know part of getting trained and becoming certified foster care parents is a home inspection, so it makes sense to go through the process at the house we will be at long-term.

I am trusting that as we need to know something or go through something, what we need for that moment will be given to us. We are not perfect. Anyone in my life could attest that I have hard, bad days. I get down. I get overwhelmed. I lose it and have to humbly apologize. I am not perfect, and I still have moments where I question if I can handle this. Will I be able to answer my phone and return calls? Two things that I detest. I don’t know. I am challenged and know this will continue to be a year of change for our family.

I am open though, and I think that is what being obedient is about. I don’t have all the answers and don’t even know how we will be able to do it, but we are ok with that. We don’t have to see the end destination or series of stops along the way, we just have to take the very next step in front of us.

I saw this quote “Be The Good in the World” and knew I had to create a painting of it for our house. The message is so relevant and really the heart behind our desire to foster care. We are not perfect, but we can be some good in a child’s life.

Be the Good in the world signThank you to Jill for inspiring me to be open with my heart and such a daily encourager. Thank you to so many of you for being a huge encouragement and cheerleader behind my family. We are not alone, and that is one reason why I think we do not have fear about opening our lives and family up to doing foster care. We live in community and have some really incredible people that not only cheer us on but are there for us to lean on. Thank you for being on this path with us.

Believe there is good in the world

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The Way I Thrift

January 31, 2013 By Erica Deuel 13 Comments

5 and 5

Do you frequent thrift stores and look for treasures?  I do!  I know it can seem dirty and a way to bring germs into your home, but there is nothing a little sanitizer, Clorox wipes, bleach bath, or hot run in the washer can’t fix!  I have two short lists for you that can help you break into this world of thrifting.

thrift store shopping list

5 on my Thrift List

1.  Frames

I am always using a frame for something.  I bought a ton of frames for my wall of art.  I have found that you can find great wood frames with character for cheap!  Most frames I buy are just a $1.00 or $2.00.  I add a little paint and a light sanding job and voila!  You have a vintage frame.

wood frames

This past weekend I went thrifting with Erin, and I found this 3D type frame.

thrift store picture frames

I have been wanting one just like this to spruce up and make a tray like this one that The Lemon Tree Creations made.  For a full tutorial go see the great post Patrice wrote up on her coffee table tray!

tray

2.  Pillows

I love making pillows and you can’t beat the feather inserts being only a couple of bucks at a thrift store.  I always check to see if there are nice pillows for their inserts, but every once in a while I run across a pillow I don’t want to do anything to (except wash it).  Thus was the case when I found this rug/velour flower type pillow (in the center) for only $2.92!?!

colorful bed with pillows

3.  Toys

Toys can be so expensive, and I have found you can really find some nice inexpensive ones at a thrift store.  I have found some of the best monster trucks and action figure guys for my boys at a fraction of their normal cost.  This past weekend, I found a baby stroller for my little Reagan and I was so excited.  I had been wanting one ever since she freaked out over the one we gave her just a few weeks ago for her birthday, but it was plastic and cheap and broke quickly.

little girl stroller

This new one looked brand new and was only $2.92!  Plus, check out the double seating, canopy, and basket below.  She was giddy and thanked me all afternoon, after I gave it to her.

baby doll stroller

4.  Linens

I love looking at the sheets, table clothes, place mats section.  I usually buy these for their fabric.  Cheap sheets make incredible “liner” fabric for pillows or other sewing projects.  Just place mats can be great to change the scene on your table or transformed into small throw pillows.  I recently bought this vintage flower sheet for $1.00 and have been using it as a tablecloth.

vintage table with flowers

5.  Baskets

We are always needing more creative ways to keep us organized and baskets can be so cheap!  Check out this huge basket Erin got for $5 on our thrifting adventure.  To see all of her recent thrifting finds click over to the plans for her boys’ room makeover.

thrift store basket

**I also browse the furniture section and drool over fun pieces like these chairs (pictured below) I found last week.  Currently, I don’t have any room for more furniture, so I passed on a set of these chairs at $6 each!  I was happy a sweet reader was able to snatch them up from this instagram picture.  You can get such a great deal on furniture that is old and rich in character-that just needs a little lovin’.

old chair

5 tips to Thrift

1.  Have an ongoing list

My list is always changing of things I want/need.  It helps me to write the things down, so I have a game plan before walking in and my imagination running wild.  It is easy for me to see an item that I wasn’t looking for and wasn’t on the list and buy it.  Without my list, I will get home with a new treasure (that requires more items for “the list” since it needs a little lovin’), but my original items, I totally forgot to look for.

2.  Know the days for special discounts or find the coupons

Most thrift stores have color codes.  For example, the tags on all the items through out the store might be written on a piece of color card stock or have a letter written below the price that represents what color tag that item would be.  Some days the red (or any other color) tags might be 50% off the price listed.  So, look for items with that color tag to get the best deal.

One of my favorite thrift stores sends out coupons in the mail, and I always cut them out and try to go on the day listed.

thrift store coupons

3.  Have a prepared car

You don’t want to find the perfect dresser and have a carload of kids or stuff that makes you have to pass the item by.  I go thrifting a couple of times a week.  Most of the time I have my kids, but there is usually one day where I can swing in by myself and get a look for anything that is calling out to me! Some stores will allow you to purchase your item and come back for it but I have also found some want the merchandise taken with you.

4.  Know the days they restock

So, Erin is more gutsy than me and figured out the restocking day for one of our favorite thrift stores.  Wednesdays and Fridays would be the best days to shop for the new items before they get really picked over.  Don’t be afraid to ask for these details!

5.  Use your imagination!

Something make look old, dirty or weird but with a little imagination an old junky item can become your new treasure!!  All this talk of thrifting has me excited to go again in the morning!  What is on your thrift list?

 

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