mindiy.com Blog

behind the couch plant stand

Mindy — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:19:19 +0000

this DIY project brought to you by mindy

Living in a relatively (1300 sq. ft.) small space with no garage, yard or extra storage space can be somewhat limiting when it comes to taking up new hobbies because I dread bringing more “stuff” into the condo and finding someplace to to store it. The Mr. recently decided he wanted to grow some ingredients for cooking our favorite Thai dishes. His Thai basil and chilis are growing fantastically well in our very sunny living room, but spent the first month of their lives on a variety of chairs shoved behind the couch (where the light is the best). I looked for tables that would fit perfectly in that space and couldn’t find anything that was the correct size or if it was it was pretty expensive. I used my best IKEA site sleuthing skills to find the components for the “behind the couch” plant table.

» legs (side 1)
2 x Vika Curry legs in white

» legs (side 2)
1 x Vika Annefors table leg with storage

» top
2 x Broder shelves. I wanted solid wood and this was the perfect size for the table leg (about half an inch wider for a nice overhang) and not too wide to fit behind the couch.

» nonslip grip shelf liner
Love this stuff!

» tools used
hammer
screwdriver
scissors

this is an easy one!
I didn’t take step by step photos because it’s really just so simple! The hardest part was figuring out which products to combine for the desired end result. Once I chose them it was a matter of assembling the white leg/shelf side according to the IKEA instructions (this is a super easy piece too so don’t let that scare you) and then attaching the other 2 legs to the bottom of one of the wooden shelves. I set the rubber non-slip stuff on top of the white “leg” and rested the shelf (with legs now attached) on top of it and it’s all done! I didn’t attach the shelf to the large leg because there really wasn’t a need to and it’s super stable with the non-slip pad.

magazine holder

Mindy — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:53:39 +0000

this DIY project by mindy

After seeing this post on making decorative bowls from magazine pages, I became completely obsessed! I followed the directions carefully, but my results were pitiful. I was determined to make something using magazine pages and soon discovered that rolling the sheets was much much easier than folding them. I’ve been saving my issues of Domino magazine since the beginning and decided to sacrifice one of them for this project. I’m so sad that Domino is gone :(

» magazine holder
There are a variety of options out there and most will work great. I would avoid the lighter weight ones since you’ll want this to last for a while once you’ve spend some time on the project. I used these from the Container Store.

» magazine
Any magazine or catalog will do. Only 5-6 pages are needed for this project per magazine holder.

» glue stick
I used Elmer’s classroom glue stick that goes on purple and dries clear.

» hot glue & glue gun
low temp glue is safer and more than enough for a project like this

» tools used
scissors
sharpie
ruler
wax paper to cover the work surface

tear and prepare
Each “roll” on the finished magazine holder represents 1/4 of a page from the magazine. The width of each page is an inch or so wider than the magazine holder spine, allowing room to trim the edges (step 4). I first tear out the full page and then cut it into quarters. Remember that you will only see about a quarter inch of the page in the end, so make sure you are happy with the content on about the last half inch of each page. If you want a certain area to be visible, trim the page shorter. You can vary the length by an inch or so and the roll will still have the same diameter.

roll and glue
start the roll as tightly as possible (usually 2-3 folds make a good start for the rolling) and then roll it until there is bout half an inch left. This is the only tricky part. While making sure it doesn’t come unrolled, apply glue from the gluestick long the edge (dashed line in above photo)

smooth the edge
Using your fingers, smooth the cut edge onto the roll. The glue dries clear. so don’t worry if it gets a little messy at this stage.

trim the ends
Trim each end of the glued roll to get rid of the torn and uneven edges. I held my first roll up to the spine of the magazine holder and marked it with the sharpie to determine the length I wanted. I used this first roll as a template for the length of the rest of the rolls. Sharp scissors work best for this.

hot glue
Once the glue gun is heated up, apply a thin line of glue along the seam of the roll and quickly apply the roll to the spine of the holder. Hot glue can get a bit messy, but luckily the stray pieces of glue usually have a way of cleaning up once dry and not ruining anything. Hot glue is your friend! If it squeezes out a litte behind the roll you won’t notice it once you add more.

The placement of “domino” wasn’t even intentional when I was cutting this pages, but I like it a lot and once I get around to doing a few more of these for other magazines, I want to do the same thing with the titles.

paper edged mirror

Mindy — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:30:02 +0000

this DIY project by mindy

One of my favorite things to do is to take an old piece of furniture or an accessory and completely change the look of it to match my changing sense of design. I purchased this mirror almost 10 years ago when I first moved to California. I cannot seem to find any “before” photos, but I will keep looking. It was very shabby chic before, a sage green with hand painted flowers and leaves. Sweet, and I loved it for years, but it doesn’t fit in our more modern looking hom, so I decided to switch it up a bit.

» mirror
any mirror is makeover worthy, but if you want to add a paper edging as shown here, you’ll want a mirror with a smooth flat edge.

» paper & paint
I used one piece of scrapbooking paper in black and white, but any paper that’s not too absorbant will work well. I used latex interior paint, but you can experiment with other types of paints and finishes.

» glue
Mod Podge works great for a project like this, as would PVA

» tools used
scissors
ruler
pencil

prep and paint the mirror
This particular mirror had a really smooth finish to start, but you will want to sand down any irregularities before painting. I used our wall paint since not only do I have a lot of it on hand, but I wanted the mirror to blend in with the wall when seen from the front view. I taped off the mirror surface and gave it a few coats of the white paint, letting it dry in between coats and overnight before the next step.

decorate!
I cut strips of a scrapbooking paper to match the depth of the mirror. The paper was twelve inches square and was more than enough to cover the entire edge.

glue
I used the mod podge to coat the back of the paper strip and then pressed it down onto the wooden edge of the mirror. I overlapped the next strip a bit, but if you have a more subtle pattern where the overlapping would be noticeable, you might want to align the ends of the paper more carefully. I continued around the mirror until I covered the entire edge with the paper. I didn’t add any glue over the paper when I was done because I wanted the natural paper texture to stay as is.

As you can see, the effect is subtle when viewed head on, but more noticeable from the side views. My once shabby chic mirror is now clean and modern and I was able to keep a sentimental accessory but give it new life. I wonder what I’ll do to this mirror in another 10 years…

framed wrapping paper maps

Mindy — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:12:43 +0000

this DIY project by mindy

One of the easiest, cost effective ways to create instant art is to frame decorative papers. I usually lean towards simple graphic patterns for framing, but decided to frame wrapping paper maps to add to our growing wall of maps in our home office.

» frames
Work with what you already have to keep this project low budget, or invest in some frames you like. I have always been a huge fan of the surprisingly sturdy IKEA Ribba Frame. Sold in a variety of finishes and sizes, the two I used here were $20 each,

» paper
Any type or size of paper can be framed. These papers are made by Cavallini and the paper is a great thickness that stays nice and flat behind the glass. Most art stores or paper craft stores have an interesting supply of large flat decorative papers. Some (like these) are sold as wrapping paper, but are worthy of framing. These cost $3 each. If you are in the Bay Area, my favorite places for paper are Flax, Paper Source, Pearl Art, Gump’s and Maido.

» tools used
scissors
ruler
pencil
hammer & nails/picture hanging hooks

Single Sheet
The Paris map paper was exactly the right height for the square frame, but too long, so I aligned the left edge in order to show the “PARIS” text and cut off the excess on the right side. The easiest way to do this is to remove the glass from the frame and place it over your paper as a cropping guide. Remember that the frame will cover a portion of the paper at the edges, so adjust accordingly. Then just trace on the paper using the glass edge as a guide and trim the paper.

Go Ahead, Cut it Up!
This IKEA Ribba frame came with a pre-cut matte to fit three 5×7 inch images. I placed the openings of the matte over the NYC Subway map to select my cropping areas. Each selection came from a different part of the map, so I made sure to trim carefully each time to leave the rest of the map intact. I trimmed the paper larger than the hole and taped it to the back side of the matte as I looked at the front side to make sure it was aligned correctly. I chose these three croppings to represented areas I remember most while visiting NY and the location where my father spent his childhood (Queens).

Wall of Maps
My two framed wrapping paper maps fit in nicely with the other maps of India and California that we received as a gift a few years ago. I’m not much into decorating with themes, but a huge wall of maps representing places we are from, have been and want to go has enough meaning that I can overlook the themeyness. I plan on adding a San Francisco map (Cavallini just made a nice new one that is all shades of green and very vintage looking) and a Chicago map once I find one I like.

colorful hallway hooks

Mindy — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:55:03 +0000

this DIY project brought to you by mindy

The entryway in our condo is wide enough for a bench and not much else. We needed a place to hang coats and bags, but I didn’t want to buy anything too large and I already had a collection of wall hooks (mostly from Anthropologie) that have been in various apartments in various rooms over the years. I gathered them all from their storage box and decided to give them a cohesive coat of bright yellow paint to make a collection of hooks for my Taupey wall (Benjamin Moore “Shenandoah Taupe”) Another one of those projects I didn’t think to document at the time, but it’s easy and hopefully my tips will help your own project move along as smoothly as possible.

» hooks
Most of mine are from Anthropologie collected over the years, but any variety of hooks in any color finish will do.

» spray primer
Use white primer for lighter top color and grey for deeper colors. I used white for my bright yellow paint.

» spray paint
One can was more than enough for this project.

» screws & anchors
Make sure they fit through the holes in your hooks and choose a style that matches your hooks.

» vinegar

» tools used
hammer
drill
screwdriver (flathead)
level
pencil
measuring tape
mask & goggles (spray paint is great but yucky)

prepare the hooks
If your hooks are new, rinsing them in vinegar will remove any oily residue. This is a neat trick I learned from the helpful folks at my local hardware store. Make sure you rinse them in water afterwards and allow them to completely dry before the next step.

prime the hooks
Following the directions on the can of spray primer, coat the hooks on all sides with one or two thin coats of primer. I allowed mine to dry about 2 minutes between coats and just used 2 coats. I also primed the screws I was going to use to hang the hooks by screwing them into a flat piece of cardboard so the ends would all face up and be easy to paint.

paint the hooks
Again, directions are your friend as they vary for different brands of paint and the local climate. Also paint your screws with the same paint. I used 2 coats spaced a few minutes apart, let them dry overnight and then 2 more coats.

hang the hooks
Once the hooks are FULLY dry, use your best measuring and placement methods to decide where you want your hooks on the wall. I spaced mine about a foot apart and staggered the height to intentionally look irregular. If your hooks are all the same style it might look better to space them out exactly. Totally up to you! Be sure to use wall anchors if you are not drilling into the studs.

touchups
As careful as I thought I was being while screwing the hooks onto the wall, I did end up stripping some of the yellow paint from the screw heads. Spray some of your colored paint into a small plastic cup and (carefully) apply a few thin layers over the screw heads with a brush or cotton swab. Remember, spray paint is really thin and stains almost anything, so be careful not to drip any paint in unwanted places. You can see in the above photo that the paint still doesn’t 100% cover the screw, but you have to be really really close to tell.

Enjoy using your hooks and remember if you change your color scheme next month, new hooks are just a can of spray paint away!

what this site is all about

Mindy — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:34:47 +0000

Welcome to minDIY.com! Launched in the Spring of 2009, minDIY.com was created by Mindy (hence the “min”), to record and showcase her various DIY projects. With no shortage of SUPER creative friends, Mindy invited some of them to share their projects as well and hopes to keep the site growing so you’ll have something new to explore with each visit. Do you have a project you’d like us to consider for this site? Email us at projects@mindiy.com and we’ll go from there.

about Mindy
Some of my fondest childhood memories are of watching This Old House and New Yankee Workshop with my dad on Saturday mornings through the 80s. Loved it! And not just for my father’s hilarious commentary that would put Mystery Science Theater 3000 to shame on his best days. Even as a 9 year old, I found it thrilling and empowering to think that yes, I could Do It Myself! I’ve been building things, taking things apart and using things for other than their intended purposes ever since. When I’m not taking a quick trip over the Bay Bridge to visit IKEA for items to hack, you can find me designing and building websites or playing fetch with my Corgi, Dutch.

all of Mindy’s projects »
Mindy’s Portfolio »

chalkboard paint tips & tricks

Mindy — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:07:29 +0000

this DIY project by mindy

There are hundreds of chalkboard walls making the rounds on blogs lately, but most are (really great) design ideas for incorporating the chalkboard wall into your home and very few actually offer tips on how to work with chalkboard paint. I didn’t think to take photos along the way, but hopefully there will be some useful tips and tricks and you can learn from a few of my mistakes.

» primer
It’s always important to prime under darker paints, and especially important with chalkboard paint. There are magnetic primers available as well, but I’ve heard they take several coats and even then aren’t as magnetic as you might want. I stuck with a grey latex primer shown here.

» chalkboard paint
As far as I know, Rust-oleum is the only brand that makes a tintable base. There are about 15 colors available and you need to have it mixed at the paint counter. I used about 80% of the can for my wall that’s only about 4 feet by 10 feet. I used 4 coats of the coffee color which came out a richer brown than shown on the website and packaging.

» foam paint roller
This is important! You want a very smooth finish and the foam roller is the way to go. Since my wall was only four feet wide, I used a smaller sized roller which made it easier to get close to the edges and blend in with the edging paint strokes. The roller should say something like “very smooth finish” on the packaging. I used one for the primer and a second one for the chalkboard paint.

» chalk
You won’t need this until your paint is fully dry, but I suggest buying a slightly nicer “artsy” chalk to use instead of the more dense Crayola chalkboard chalk. The nicer chalk will feel lighter weight and will make a bit more dust, but it erases a LOT easier than the school-type chalk used on classroom chalkboards.

» general painting supplies
sandpaper and spackle
drop cloth
paint tray
edger or brush for edging

Make sure your wall is clean and fill in any holes or cracks with spackle and allow it to dry fully before priming. If I was starting over with the project I would have taken the time to sand the entire wall down before painting. I thought my wall was really smooth to start with, but even the slightest texture means it will be harder to erase your chalk, so try to start with as smooth of a wall as possible.

Follow the directions on the can of primer. You should only need one coat of primer. Make sure your edges are neat since a messy primer edge will make a clean painted edge more difficult. Allow your primer to fully dry before painting. I waited an extra hour from what the directions suggested just to be sure.

Now here’s the fun part! Chalkboard paint behaves pretty much like regular latex paint, but you’ll notice some differences. Even when well mixed it’s a little gritty and runny at the same time. I didn’t want any roller edges to show on the finished wall, so I was really careful when applying the paint. I let it dry 2 hours between coats and ended up needing 4 coats total to fully cover the primer and achieve a nice, rich, even brown color. I was a bit worried that the finish would be uneven after the first two coats, but the end result is very even and I can’t see any roller edges or uneven distribution of paint. Have patience and make sure you don’t apply the paint too thickly.

Tips for Writing & Erasing
The directions on the chalkboard paint suggest allowing the paint to dry for 72 hours before using chalk on the wall. Again, I waited an extra day since it was a bit damp outside during this project. Here’s the biggest tip I learned after almost making a big mistake…Do NOT “condition” the entire wall by rubbing the chalk sideways over the entire painted surface and then erasing. It made sense that it might help with future erasing and prevent the writing from showing through when erased, but it really doesn’t. I started at the top of the wall and after about 2 inches of “conditioning” I not only had chalk dust everywhere, but I had a cloudy brown wall.

Since this wall is in the hallway dividing the kitchen from the living room I still wanted it to look like a nice rich brown wall. I stopped rubbing the chalk on the paint and decided to try just writing and erasing. It worked just fine. We only use about 20% of the wall for messages/lists/etc. so we let this part look a little cloudy from the erasing history and keep the rest of it cleaner. I realize the point of the wall is to use it (and we do!) but I wanted to maintain some degree of cleanliness to the wall as well. Yes, I’m a Virgo.

If you *really* want the wall to look clean, you can wipe it down with a damp sponge and most of the chalk residue will disappear. It may take a few swipes of the sponge depending on how much you need to erase. I only break out the sponge about every other month since overwashing the wall is not good for the paint finish.

Have fun with your chalkboard wall! We use ours to keep track of upcoming dinners and nights out and although I love my iPhone and Google calendar, this seems to work better on those nights when I’m getting ready to cook dinner and trying to remember if the Mr. is out to dinner or just finishing up at work and on his way home. We’ve yet to teach our dog how to write, but when we do, he’s got his own little spot ready.

colorful collection of frames

Mindy — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:11:39 +0000

this DIY project by mindy

I’ve always believed that anything can be improved with a fresh coat of paint. Last year I purchased a variety of frames to use at my wedding venue and painted them with our wedding colors (red and saffron), added black and white photos of my husband and I as kids and put them out for people to laugh at. After the wedding I realized that the colors didn’t match anything in the house and I put them away in a drawer for nearly a year. While redecorating our guest room I remembered the frames and had the idea to repaint them and use them all together on the wall as a collection. Eventually they will hold artwork, but for now they are hanging out together in all their blank glory.

» frames
Save money and use old frames you already have or try stores like Ross or Marshalls for inexpensive frames. It doesn’t matter what color they are to start with since you’ll be painting them.

» spray primer
I used white since my paint colors were fairly light. I was covering over bright red and yellow paint and the white primer did a great job with just one coat. Be sure to wear a mask and work outdoors in a well-ventilated, drop cloth covered workspace!

» spray paint
I chose a green theme and found five different shades of green paint. Some were gloss finish and some satin, but you really don’t notice the difference once they are all hung together. The Rust-oleum “Painter’s Touch” brand shown here worked really well and comes in a wide range of colors and cost about $4 per color.

» tools used
hammer
picture hanging hooks & nails
tape measure
paper for artwork placeholders
step stool

Follow the directions on the can of primer and make sure you remove the glass from the frames before painting. Rotate the frame around to make sure you cover all surfaces with the primer.

Paint the Frames
The sky’s the limit here! I was going for a “shades of green” theme, but you could use any color paint and any number of colors of paint. All white frames on a painted wall would look great or a mix of metallics all hung together. Check out your local hardware store to see what kinds of spray paint they have. If you’re in the Bay Area, the best selection I’ve found is at the Home Depot in San Carlos. A huge variety of really nice colors AND they aren’t locked up so you can actually look at everything without being guarded by an employee.

Plan Your Layout
To avoid putting too many extra holes in the wall, test your layout of frames on the floor first. Arrange and rearrange as much as you want and take quick photos (as I did above with my iPhone) both to have another perspective on the layout and to help you remember once you start hanging them.

Layout & Hanging Tips
The options are endless, but here are a few guidelines I use when planning a collection of frames on a wall.

Decide on a “gutter” width that will be consistent between frames. Mine are all spaced 2 inches apart here
Try to make each frame align with at least one edge of an adjacent frame. If you are going for the “random but organized look” this helps keep some order to the collection.
Once you are ready to hang the frames, measure the width of your layout and decide where the entire set will be placed on the wall. I wanted my collection centered, so I made sure there was equal wall space on the left and right sides by carefully measuring a few times and marking the edges lightly with pencil.
Start with one frame towards the center of the collection. I started with the open square one (with the hook hung in the center) since I could measure the gutter of 7 of the other frames from this one.
This is one instance where your eyes can play tricks on you, so measure carefully to find the correct distances and don’t count on your eye, no matter how spot on you think you can be. I ended up hanging all 10 frames with only one extra hole in the wall.
Use painters’ tape to mark edges of where you want your frames as another method. I prefer the great carpet layout plan, but do whatever works for you!

I plan on adding more frames in the future going up a bit higher on the wall. I also prefer having odd numbers in these situations, so I’ll at least add number eleven soon.

framed magentic recipe holder

Mindy — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:10:29 +0000

this DIY project by mindy

Now that I’ve finally started to enjoy cooking dinner (most nights), I’ve made a few changes in the kitchen to make it a more efficient working space. Since I’m still a cooking novice, I rely on recipes and refer to them oh about 20 times while cooking each meal. Our kitchen is small and there isn’t much room for a standing recipe holder, so I came up with this idea to keep the recipes away from the mess and at a convenient viewing location.

frame »
Any frame will do. I had these red IKEA frames already in the kitchen leaning against the window to block out the direct sunlight so I went with what I had. You can go in so many different directions with your frame and artwork choice. I slid cork contact paper into the frames with the intention of adding something more interesting later, but still haven’t gotten around to changing the cork.

magnets »
You’ll need one “super strong” magnet to glue to the frame and then a second magnet that you’ll use to hold the recipe to the first magnet. I used a second strong magnet for the “top” magnet since I had them leftover from another project (making glass domed magnets). You may need to test out a variety of top magnets to make sure they are strong enough to hold a sheet of paper.

glue »
I’ve tried several different glues while working with magnets over the years and found that silicone sealer works the best. It’s a big stinky so use in a well ventilated area, but it dries clear, works on just about any surface, has a strong hold and is easy to find at your hardware store.

gluing the “bottom” magnet
Before you glue the super strong magnet to your frame, make sure that the non-glued end that will face up is attracted to your “top” magnet and not repelled by it.

Then add a dab of glue to the magnet and position it on the frame (with the frame on a flat surface). Let it dry overnight before you place the frame in an upright position or add the top magnet. If it’s not completely dry, the top magnet will rip the bottom magnet from the frame.

When the glue is fully dry, you can sandwich a recipe between the magnets and you’re good to go. I like using 2 of the super strong magnets since my recipes are in plastic protectors and therefore a little heavier than just a sheet of paper.

My frame leans on the window ledge in my kitchen above where I do most of my prep work so it’s always easy for me to look up and refer to the recipe when needed. You can put your frame almost anywhere that works for you. When not in use, I sometimes flip the frame around 180 degrees to hide the magnets from view.

This fast 5 minute project comes in handy nearly every night when I’m trying to make something edible for dinner. And if you’re looking for a good Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce recipe, the one above is delicious and everyone seems to love it.

upcoming projects

Mindy — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:47:51 +0000

mirrored jewelry organizer
cork & canvas bulletin board
polka dot dresser
kitchen table makeover
nursery closet organizer