Lingerie Chest Makeover

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I have been wanting to re-finish my daughters old lingerie chest for awhile now. It was showing its wear and tear, and the bright white that it used to be, was a ugly yellow-ish color,  no matter how much you tried to scrub, it always looked dirty.
I'm slowly getting my craft room (some future posts ahead!) put together and this chest is part of my storage. I have been wanting to try the homemade chalk paint, but I think I'm saving that for an old hope chest that needs some serious TLC, but cant have to much sanding done to it! 
This dresser has a smooth laminate top and seemed to be dipped in a thin textured laminate coating,(drawers included) and some of it was chipping off. It looked terrible to me. I also have a dresser and a night stand that matches (and they are both in the same sad shape) but that is for another time, and another color  ツ ....


Things you need

Sander- Palm Sander or a Block Sander
Sand Paper (I used 220)
Primer (I didn't use, but its up to you)
Paintbrush, Foam Roller- I used a 1"inch paint brush to "cut in" under the top (where the roller can't reach)
Paint - your choice of colors
Rags - (2) 1 damp rag t-shirt to wipe down after sanding, and a micro fiber to wipe it down after the damp one.
Furniture Paste Wax - optional

I did sand this with the palm sander, just enough to take the shine off the laminate, it wasn't to bad since its textured. I did leave the top alone, as it wasn't textured and it was still in good shape, but lightly sanded everything else. (Sorry no pictures of the process...just before and after)
One of the back legs laminate and a few layers ripped off from me moving it by myself over the yrs. but my hubby glued it back on and used Spackle on the seam. (picture below) Its good as new...well almost  ツ you can't even see it now, that's all that matters!

I gave everything 3 coats of paint using the sponge roller, and let it dry really well in between coats. I did 1 coat a day, 3 days in a row. I didn't use a primer on this piece, I didn't feel like I needed too. I will report back on how it holds up.  I decided to leave the sides and front a Bright White, and to put some color on the drawers like a paint chip card. I kept the old knobs and painted them the same colors as the drawers but interchanged them. I let it all dry for the full curing time (on label) before I assembled it back together. I think I will use some clear furniture wax on it, (either Minwax, or the Johnson Paste Wax) it will help protect the finish!


BEFORE:

AFTER:

I'm happy how it turned out! && It LOOKS so much better now!  ツ  ツ

Tips & Tricks

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I added another category,  so I switched the name of the post from Craft Tips to Tips & Tricks

Paint/Stencil

**When using a stencil to paint, begin painting on the edges of the stencil, working toward the center, rather than from the center outwards. This helps prevent paint from getting under the edges.

**Apply the lightest color first when stenciling and blend to create multiple color tones.

**Use as little paint as possible when stenciling. Less is more

**When painting on glass be sure to prep the surface first by cleaning it with rubbing alcohol. This will remove any oils on the surface that might keep the paint from sticking to the glass. And after you clean it be sure not to touch the surface as this will transfer oils from your hands.

**After painting, set your brushes in fabric softener for about 10 minutes and then clean as usual. This works for brushes used for all types of paint, even oil based paints. You can also use  hair conditioner after using acrylic paint.


**Recycle large plastic lids by using them for a painter’s palette or cutting them up for stencils. I use a ice cream bucket lids for a palette when I paint.

**5-24-12 
Punch 3 to 4 holes in lip of paint can using a nail. This allows the paint in the lip to drip back into can while allowing the lid to make a better seal keeping the paint fresh.

General

**Keep glue sticks for glue guns in the freezer. It keeps them from getting stringy while gluing.

**Heat from a blow drier causes strings of hot glue to disintegrate immediately.

**Repurpose clear glass jars as containers. Baby food jars are ideal for small items like beads and jewelry-making supplies, medium sized jars can hold buttons and large jars can hold markers and colored pencils.

**Install simple curtain rods or towel bars on one wall of a closet or utility room to hang rolls of wrapping paper.

**Use clear, plastic containers to group similar items - craft supplies are easier to find and use if you can see the contents of the containers that hold them.

**To clean rubber stamps use baby wipes immediately after stamping. Baby wipes are already acid-free and gentle.

**Lubricate craft punches before using them by punching wax paper.

**If your scissors start to go a little blunt, grab some aluminum foil and cut that to sharpen up the scissors, you can also use sand paper for the same effect.

**Shoelaces make perfect drawstrings for small projects, such as bags or children's clothes, and they come in a variety of colors to match any project.

**Store pipe cleaners for kid’s crafts inside of a paper towel tubes

Knitting

**Paperclips make great stitch counters. Just pop one on the stitch you want to mark. Safety pins work great too, and are a little easier to put on and take off.

**If your knitted item tends to curl at the edges, adding a row of single crochet may flatten it out.


Gardening

**To remove the salt deposits that form on clay pots, combine equal parts white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle. Apply the mixture to the pot and scrub with a plastic brush. Let the pot dry before you plant anything in it.

 **To create natural markers, write the names of plants (using a permanent marker) on the flat faces of stones of various sizes and place them at or near the base of your plants

I will be adding more tips as I find them...

If you have some favorite craft tips you'd like to share, send me a message,or leave a comment and I'll add them to the list.

Whitfieldshomeinthecountry(at)gmail(dot)com