Raised Beds using Cedar Boards

Hey, nothing cool is going on inside my house lately. And it kinda stinks (not my house, I do clean)! So while the inside is just getting cleaned were getting a lot done on the outside. First up, are these raised garden beds.

If you don't know about Ana White yet, Where have you been? She is so cool! She posts the most amazing and practical plans on her site, check it out.

So here is how ours turned out. I love them. I love the way they look, I am still trying to figure out some sort of ground cover to go around them, let me know if you have a good idea.




















So the plans for these raised beds are right here.  They were really easy to build.

We had some dirt from another project we've been working on. so we put that in the bottom of each of them and then we put a layer of straw. Then we bought a mixture for raised beds at our local yard and garden store. It was a little more money than we wanted to spend but I already think it was worth it. It was so easy to plant everything.

Then I used this site to plan where everything was going in the garden. It was so helpful.

 Let me know what you think. This is our first year with raised beds and I'm hoping we get lots of veggies and don't have to pull any weeds.



Framed Magnet Chalkboard

Hey! So, a customer asked me to make a magnet chalkboard for her and this is what I came up with. If you want to make your own, it was really easy and it turned out so cute. Plus the possibilities are endless because you can paint your frame however you want!

Supplies:
Sheet Metal
3/8” plywood
Primer
E6000
Wood Glue
Chalkboard paint
3.5” mdf strips for your frame

Tools used:
Kreg Jig
Brad nailer
Drill
Miter saw

To start off you just want to cut a piece of plywood to go under your magnet board. I cut mine so that the metal was about 3” shorter than the plywood all the way around. 
Then use some E6000 and glue it down. I LOVE this stuff!

I let mine sit overnight and then gave it a coat of my favorite (the best) primer. Kilz spray primer. It is better than anything else. I promise!



I didn’t give it a super solid coat but it’s enough that the chalk paint will stick to the metal.



After that is dry, paint it with your chalkboard paint. I use Websters Chalk paint powder. I like it better than the spray paint. It comes in a powder and you can mix it with whatever color you want.



I put 2 coats of the chalkboard paint on and it was just right.



Next up, the frame. I use these mdf strips ALL THE TIME. For several reasons 1. I don’t like to sand. 2. I don’t really like to sift through the crooked 1x4’s at Lowes while the kids in my cart scream 3. They’re primed already 4. I don’t like to sand. wait…did I say that already…I don’t like to sand. Yeah, I think it’s clear.

Oh another reason, they are 17 Feet long!! It’s awesome.
I get them at our local building supply store. Basin Builders. Just ask them to cut them in half for you so they actually fit in your truck. They’re really nice and they don’t mind.



This is what they look like. Except mine are already cut down for the frame were making.
I used my Kreg jig (tool I cannot live without) to drill some pocket holes so I could make the frame. I put 2 pocket holes on each end of my shorter boards.




























Then just put some glue on the end of your board and attach it with pocket hole screws.


Just keep going until you have all 4 corners attached and you end up with a frame.









































Double check for fit and paint it the way you want it. My customer wanted a rustic red chevron. And I think We got it!

Next up, put some wood glue around the outside of your magnet board. Then put your frame on top and clamp it down.



I clamped all 4 corners and then flipped it over and used my nailer to secure it.



Once the glue is dry, it’s good to go. Hang it up or put it on a shelf. Who doesn’t need a chalkboard in every room? I’m a little obsessed. Is anyone else with me?

Old Window Turned Table

Have you ever found something totally trashed at the thrift store but you buy it anyway? I have…I did…and will probably continue to do so. lol



This lovely table may not look so bad from this angle but in reality, the top was trashed. But I didn’t buy it for the top. I bought it for the legs.



There isn’t anything special about them, but I knew I couldn’t go to the home improvement store and buy 4 legs for the price I got this table at the thrift store. Plus these legs were already set up for a table top. No extra work for me!

So to start, just flip your table over.



On this table each leg had 4 pocket hole screws holding it to the tabletop. Wait..can’t see it. Here is a close up.

Can you see them? 1,2,wing nut,3,4. Just leave the wing nut alone and unscrew the 4 screws to detach the leg from the top.

Next up, grab your new table top, in this case an old window. Put the legs where you want them and screw them in. No need to predrill. And you’re done building.


To paint this, I just leaned it against the wall. I used milk paint because I wanted the table to have an old “I’ve been around a while” look. I used Miss Mustard Seed Yellow for one and Kitchen Scale on the other. Here they are all dressed up.

What do you think? Do you buy stuff knowing you’re just going to tear it apart?