DIY Framed Chalkboard

I have been wanting a framed chalkboard for MONTHS. My sweet husband finally decided to help me do it for me. I think he did a great job too!! 

See...I helped too!!

This was after the 1st coat...we did a total of 4 coats.

All Done!!

I just LOVE it!!


You will need:
(1) piece of wood of your choice. We went with a 2x4 piece of MDF
(1) can of chalkboard paint. We used Rust-Oleum.
(1) paint roller-smooth finish
decorative moulding
(You will need to cut them to size. We did this at Home Depot. Be sure to leave
about 1-2 inches for the angle cuts)
miter saw
wood glue

Step by Step:

It would probably be best to prime the wood...or buy pre-primed MDF. We did not do either and ours turned out just fine though.

Step 1: Apply first coat of chalkboard paint (wait 4 hours), repeat 3 more times.
Step 2: Measure the length needed for your crown moulding.  Miter the edges at 45-degrees.
Step 3: Use wood glue (or nails) to attach the moulding to the wood.
Step 4: Paint the trim a color of your choice...we decided on white.
Step 5: Use chalk to write something fun and ENJOY!

***This is a pretty heavy piece of wood after the moulding is attached. If I could do it over again...I would probably pick a lighter weight wood. But, I didn't want it to be flimsy either.***

Week 1: Garage/Attic

Well, we completed MOST of the garage this weekend. We still need a shelving unit to store a few bins on and also a tool box/work bench for Daniel. Of course, I wanted to make the garage pretty. It was an uphill battle. Daniel says that garages aren't suppose to be pretty. So, this is what we ended up with....

 

We want to put a shelving unit on this back wall. See the exhaust on the ground...it's for sale and bugging me that it's on the ground.

 

We got a miter saw over the weekend for our DIY Chalkboard that we started over the weekend...pictures soon!

 

This little corner of organized clutter will go on the shelving unit.

 

I really wanted bins to put all this stuff in....

A car detailing bin would have looked fabulous here...I got away with a basket for the rags.

Another perfect place for a bin...Car maintenance stuff

 

And....this is Daniel's wall of art...he wanted to hang every single car part he could find...I had to put my foot down somewhere.

 

Well, there it is. Our "not suppose to be pretty" garage. I got away with 2 baskets so I feel pretty good about that. We still need to get cabinets for over our washer/dryer which is why I'm holding off on pictures of that part of the garage. I'm going to try to get pictures of our attic soon.

Home Organization Schedule

So, this was our inspiration...

A Bowl Full Of Lemons:

Week 1: The Kitchen

Week 2: The Garage

Week 3: The Pantry

Week 4: The Office

Week 5: Laundry Room

Week 6: Master Bedroom

Week 7: Linen Closet

Week 8: The Dining Room

Week 9: Closets

Week 10: The Living Room

Week 11: Playroom/Bonus Room

Week 12: Bathrooms

Week 13: Master Closet

Week 14: Entryway/Mudroom

However, we are pretty darn lucky because we don't have to worry about a playroom or mudroom. Plus, our pantry is more like a cabinet and our laundry room is well...a corner in the garage. 
Here we go...

The Denton's Schedule:

Week 1: Garage/Attic
Week 2: Linen Closet Cabinet/Dog Closet

Week 3: Kitchen/Dining Room/Pantry Cabinet

Week 4: The Living Room/Patio

Week 5: Bathrooms/Laundry Area

Week 6: Master Bedroom/Closet

Week 7: Office Space/Den/Guest Room

I am so excited to get started on this project. I'm sure there will be lots of trips to Home Depot, Target and The Container Store. This stuff excites me!

Preparation to Organization

Exciting stuff happening at the Denton house. The month of May will start our Home Organization 101: a 14 7 week process to a perfectly organized home! I'm determined to finish this process in HALF the time. Our home is smaller, we are only 2 people...and how much stuff could we possibly have, right? We shall see! 

We decided to kind of start this weekend in the garage.  So, we went through some stuff and have everything layed out. We just need to storage solutions now. So, Home Depot will be excited to see us this coming up weekend.

Here are some pictures....

BEFORE:

 

 Stayed tuned for the AFTER pictures!!

Organization 101 starts this weekend....

Who Knew....

So, good [southern] cooking runs in my family. Lets just say...pretty much every single female in my family can cook a delicious meal. I always thought I just didn't get that gene. The truth: I never tried. 

Lately, I have been trying new "food creations" via pinterest along with recipes from family. I'm pretty darn proud of myself. The hubby is pretty happy too! OH, and I LOVE the crockpot. I work 10 hour days so it's my new BFF. 

Tonight, we had crockpot chicken tacos.

I cut the recipe in half since there are only 2 of us. It cooked a little bit longer than 6 hours on low but I think it made it even better. That chicken was so dang tender!! I whipped up some guacamole (nothing fancy...just smash an avocado, squeeze 1/2 lime and sprinkle some salt & pepper...mix together).  Topped with your favorites. YUM!!

This Weeks Menu: 

Monday Night: Steak and Lemon Lover's Asparagus 

Tuesday Night:  Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Wednesday Night: Baked Spaghetti (family recipe)

Thursday Night: Chicken and Rice Casserole (family recipe)

Friday Night: Kitchen is Closed

Saturday Night: We will probably go out to eat. 

Sunday Night: Possibly Breakfast for Dinner

I'm really loving cooking too. WHO KNEW?!?!    

 

#5: Anniversary Trip-Catalina Island

We are heading to Catalina Island this weekend for our 5 year Anniversary. We will take an hour and a half ferry ride over to paradise. This will be our first time visiting the island. I'm excited for a weekend of relaxation with my #1 man! I can't believe we have been married for 5 years tomorrow!! 

We will staying at The Pavilion Hotel that I found through TripAdvisor. It seems pretty amazing. The reviews are great and the grounds look beautiful. The biggest plus: complimentary wine and cheese in the afternoon. =)

This hotel was amazing. The entire staff goes the extra mile to make sure your stay is perfect! It's always the little things that excite me. Like, the different flavor coffee creamers that they give you OR the surprise of Voss H2O on our night stands after an eventful night out. Oh, the wine and cheese hour that we were so excited for....FAR exceeded our expectations. First of all, they don't just give you a little taste...they FILL YOUR GLASS and you can go back for as many refills as you want during that hour. Plus, the cheese was delicious. What an incredible perk! The breakfast was delicious too. The fresh fruit was my favorite:Mango, Pineapple, Oranges, Blueberries-Yum!

The circular building behind us is known as "The Casino." However, it's not really a casino. You can tour it for only 10 bucks a person. What a bargain!! The history is really interesting. It has an incredible theater that my words can't even begin to describe how fascinating the acoustics are in that room. And, the ballroom is so pretty!! 
Everything is still original from the 1930s. 

 This picture was taken from the balcony of the ballroom in The Casino. 

Next, we rented a golf cart to drive around the island...so much fun. The views were breathtaking!!

We spent our last night on the island relaxing by the fire pit. We met some really nice couples too. It was the perfect Anniversary weekend. Catalina has a little piece of my heart!

Home Office/Scrapbook Room Idea

I'm thinking of something like this for the downstairs room. However, I also want to make it an office. PLUS, add a small sectional/sleeper sofa for guests. Ahhh. I love this look! I just don't know how to fit everything in the space. Hmmmm.....

This picture is from a beautiful blog that has inspired me!

This is the couch that I'm thinking about. However, it only comes in this dark brown. Which is too dark for my taste! I'm wondering if I can find a slip cover to fit! Found at Ikea