New "hardwood" kitchen floors

When I moved into my house I inherited ugly laminate floors that didn't match anything else in the kitchen.  A couple years after I moved in, I did a mini makeover to my kitchen with paint.  I painted my countertops, I painted the walls, and I painted the ugly laminate floors!  It all worked quite well but with 4 children the floors got scratched and dinged and I needed to find another inexpensive solution for the floors until we can afford our dream kitchen.  

Well, contact paper has been one of my best buds for ages so I thought I'd give it a try on the floors.  I actually test drove it in the kids bathroom first.  I figured if it could stand it in there, that it would work in the kitchen as well.

3 rolls is all my kitchen takes.  It's a very small, like a bowling alley! So for about $15 every year or two, I recover my kitchen floor with contact paper.  It's very easy to use and very forgiving.  You can't really tell where seams are unless you look for them. 

Here's how to do it.

 Start with a nasty floor.  I contact papered this a year or two ago...honestly can't remember.  There's adhesive, drywall mud, paint splatters and scuffs that couldn't be cleaned.

 At a glance it doesn't look so bad,

 but close-up you can see scuffs and scratches.

 It had peeled in some of the corners so I took an x-acto knife and cut back far enough to where it was still adhered well.

 Like this.  You can just cover right over it.

 Cut a basic shape of the space you need to fit, then after you peel the paper backing off and smooth it down, go in with the x-acto knife for precision cuts.

My #2 son who is 6 wanted to take pictures of me for blog.  Then he said, "What about the reporting part, Mom? Can I do that?"  I figured out he wanted to film and talk about what we were doing so here it is!  Don't mind the shaky camera.  I love his little voice!  I can't believe how he knew what I was doing and everything.  Too cute!  

My little man would love some comments!

 Cutting around the toe kicks and oven.

 All done!  All new and nice and clean...no drywall mud and other nonsense!

I love a new "wood" floor! ;o)

Now that's my kind of makeover!

What random things have you done lately?

Lots o' love,

Megan

Bathroom Vanity Spruce Up

When I told my friend that I started this blog, she told me about her sisters' blog.  I looked at every posting of hers and saw this one where she made her guest bathroom ready for company.  I kind of forgot about wanting to do this to my own guest bathroom, until a little while ago.  I searched all the blogs where I thought it would be to no avail.  Then I googled it and in google images, there it was!  I clicked on the picture and to my surprise it was my awesome friend's sisters' blog!  Ha!!!  So Melanie, if you ever see this...THANKS FOR THE INSPIRATION!

Here's what I had to start with:

The nasty factor had to go, but I didn't want to break out drywall, mud, sand, paint, etc.

Enter CONTACT PAPER!

I have done amazing things with Contact Paper people.  This stuff is RAD!

 Yeah, there are a few bubbles but don't judge...no one is really going to see it, and I was working with year-old crumpled scraps I found from a while back.  Besides, it looks a TON better than what I started with!  No more hole!!! (just don't push on it 'cause your hand'll go right through!)

 Okay, so here's the milkbox and capri sun box organizer I hinted at in this post.  Were you able to guess it?

 See!  It really is a Capri Sun box!  I had to trim it down a little to make it fit in the Costco milk box and then I covered the rough edges with masking tape to smooth it a little.  I covered it with a heavy duty white wrapping paper.  You could use white contact paper, or another funky paper and just cover with clear contact paper, which would help waterproof it too.  I didn't just because I only wanted to use what I already had on hand.

 To identify what's inside the drawers for guests, I wanted to make labels.  I printed the words: LATHER, for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash; SMOOTH, for razors, lotions, and deodorants; and POLISH, for toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss.  I'm glad I finally have a place to put all those little travel size bottles.

 I had my old Stampin' Up! Hodgepodge Hardware kit so I pulled out 3 oval frames and 6 brads. I traced around it and cut it out just inside the line so it wouldn't show when it was all together.

 I put mini glue dots on the back.

 And put the paper label into the oval frame, being sure to match up the holes.

 I put more glue dots on the back and adhered it to the drawer front.

 I used a piercing tool to poke holes for the brads to go in.

 Here is what it looks like all together.

And here it is in the bathroom vanity.

I have some extra towels and washcloths, bathroom cleaner, and a bucket full of things woman may need occasionally, if  you get my point. ;o)

What kind of stuff do you come up with from things you have on hand?

Lots o' love,

Megan