Kitchen Cabinet Transformation!

So I have been wanting to change the color of our kitchen cabinets for some time now, but with other projects we wanted to get done and both of us back in school, this project got put on the back burner. So as soon as school got out for me I decided it was time to get going on this little project. 

I started my cabinet painting project on Pinterst of course. Lots of pins on painting kitchen cabinets, most involved sanding and stripping and ain't nobody got time for that. So through my researching I found this kit made by Rust-Oleum called Cabinet Transformations, which promised me that I wouldn't have to strip or sand and it was under $100...sold!

So I ordered the kit. 

I wanted to do pure white cabinets so that is the kit I ordered. The kit comes with a bottle of de-glosser and some pads to apply it with, two cans of the bond coat, two cans of the decorative glaze and applicator rag (this step is optional and we didn't use it) and a can of top coat.

So the first step of this should be to measure your cabinets to see how much square footage you need for coverage, I of course skipped this step, our kitchen is small and I figured it I needed more I would order another kit, but the one kit was plenty and I have a lot left over.

So next they tell you to make a sketch of your kitchen and assign all your drawers and doors a number so you know where they go. I am no artist so this is what my *official kitchen blueprint* looked like...

I labeled using masking tape. Then I started taking off the doors. I took all the hinges off as well and put each doors into a labeled baggy since some of them where different sizes. 

Once I got all the doors and drawers off my kitchen looked like this...

Of course they tell you to use painters tape and tape off edges and empty the cabinets but ain't nobody got time or space for that. I am pretty good with a paint brush and when I have to do edges I use a piece of paper held or taped up by the edges, works great and saves tons of time.

So the first step was to wash everything down with soap and water, once you do that you can start de-glossing. This step is important because it is what takes the place of the sanding and stripping. You apply the de-glosser with enclosed green pads and you have to really scrub away at everything. Once you de-gloss you wipe with a wet towel and then a dry one. Not gonna lie it takes awhile.

Once I was ready to apply the bond coat I started with the cabinet frames. It took two coats to cover.

Once I had the two coats on I applied the 4th step (remember we skipped step 3) which is the protective top coat. So before I started on the drawers and doors I had completed the cabinet frame.

Then it was time to get started on the door and drawers. They tell you to set up in your garage or basement, but I just through down towels on our table and used various pieces of cardboard to paint on. It looked something like this for a week.

Two coats of the bond again on front and back and then decorative glaze, it took about a week of working on it in between mommy duties and work.

I wanted to pure white look so we didn't do the decorative glaze step. It was a little to country looking for my taste, but this is the difference between using glaze and not.

We also decided to put on some hardware to enhance the transformation. So I headed to Menards and picked out some knobs and pulls to use, which actually cost almost as much as the kit did. If you do this and all ready have the hardware even better. I fell in love with these pulls and for knobs to match.

My wonderful husband put all the hardware on and installed all the doors back on for me. So ready for the before and afters? Here we go

Before:

And AFTER:

Wow, right? I am beyond thrilled with the out come, they turned out great. My kitchen is so much brighter now too. All the work was totally worth it and I would recommend the Rust-Oleum system for sure. We paid about $75 for the kit, so new cabinets for under $100, not to bad.

Next up is the back splash looking at some DIY kits for that as well. Stay tuned!

A Post of Random Stuff I Am Digging Right Now...

So here is a bunch of random things I am totally digging right now...

~First of all, I love this song. How can it not put you in a good mood. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Can't Hold Us Listen to it, love it.

~Next I have a small obsession with statement jewelry, I don't know where it came from but I can't get enough. Bubble necklaces and animal bracelets galore over here.

~So this one is a little embarrassing  I was sitting on the couch one night exhausted from work and mommy duty and I was mindlessly watching QVC. Yes I know. Anyway this makeup segment came on by It Cosmetics about a full coverage foundation that goes on like powder. The lady took her make up off and she had horrible skin, like mine. Then she put some of this foundation on and bam, full coverage in like two seconds. I hate having to wear foundation, but lets face it, if I didn't I would scare people. I have horrible skin. I use Proactive and it keeps it kinda at bay, but I still have to wear make up. So I decided to take a chance and I ordered this pretty expensive foundation which came with a really nice brush with 88,000 hairs, it's way soft. Let me tell you, this stuff is great, I love it. It covers great I can wear it by its self or I can use it more as a powder.  It's called Celebration Foundation by  It Cosmetics.  I went with the light medium. Have problem skin that takes forever to cover up, give it a try you will love it!

~Blueberry coffee. Yes blueberry coffee. First introduced to me by my friend at work has now reached full blown obsession once I found it at the store and bought all of the boxes cause the sign said limited time only. You would think this would be gross, but let me tell you people, it is not. It has a very decadent flavor and it's subtle and awesome. We have a Keurig at work now so I always have a stash in my locker. Love it!

~Birchbox. After hearing about Birchbox from various peeps, I decided to finally check it out and see what all the hub bub was about. So I checked it out and signed up to start receiving my very own Birchbox full of samples (beauty, lifestyle, etc). Of course you have to sign up and then wait to get your approval email that you must respond to within so many hours or you lose your Birchbox subscription. See, they get you all excited waiting just for an email to be accepted, by the time your Birchbox arrives you are like a kid on Christmas morning. So my Birchbox finally arrives last week and yes it was like Christmas, couldn't wait to see what was in there. They did not disappoint either, they had me at lip plumping gloss. So yea totally addicted and I have only received one so far. Check it out!

~Salad pizza. Yep. It's delish, we get it at work all the time and I am obsessed.  Tastes so refreshing when you have been running your ass off all shift. A patient actually got us all started on this one. It's always a good day when there is salad pizza on the floor.

Time to get ready for work! Hope you enjoyed this addition of random stuff I dig.

Bad Blogger

Well here we are, almost a month since my last post, bad blogger. Hey I was busy finishing up my semester of school, which by the way I ended with a 4.0! I probably will never be able to say that again, so I'm going to brag about it while I can. My last two Bio tests I scored 105%, and 103% respectively  Yea I blew everyone's curve, I am that person.

So I guess I am gong to take math on-line over the summer. I have two math classes to knock out before I can take the one I actually need for the nursing program. I suck at math, it's not going to be fun. So I am enjoying my little break from school while I can.

Work is good, picking up some hours while I can. Kids are good. L is almost done with kindergarten!?! That went fast. He will start 1st grade in July (year round school) so that is ever weirder. 

We started out kitchen cabinet project today, a lot of people are interested in this Rust-Oleum system we are using so I will do a post and review it once we are done. For now here is the before pictures and the doors off picture. 

Also I will throw up a post about some stuff I am digging right now, maybe I'll get to it tonight even!

Sorry crappy cell phone picture couldn't find my camera

Current Obsession: Pinterest

I know I have blogged about my obsession with Pinterest before, well things have never gotten better. I still am obsessed with Pinterest. I have converted some people to the ways of Pinterest as well. I have so many ideas from Pinterest that I want to do, a lot them will have to wait until we are in a different house, but it's fun to plan. Love recipe ideas from Pinterest, love fashion ideas from Pinterest and lots of fun kid stuff to pin as well. Your not on Pinterest? Get over there and get started, once you get the hang of it you will be obsessed.

Some of my fav Pinterest inspired projects...

Super Hero Capes

Made from cheap t-shirts from Michaels

Stacked Flower Pots 

Super easy, just spray painted some pots and put upside down pots inside the bottom two to stack.

Easter Peeps Decor

Had the glass thing laying around just added Peeps

Lost Socks

Love this, its going to be apart of my laundry area redo, if I ever get to it, but this thing is great, we always have lost socks hanging on it.

The Time-Out Chair

Everyone loves this one, well except the kids :)

Ikea chair and timer and that's it!

Lego Table

Have you seen the price of a Lego table, forget it! $7 Ikea table and some Lego square things and done.

Hanging Art Area

Made this for the playroom, Ava also has one in her room (yes I spilled the green paint all over the baseboards and just left it)

Crayon Hearts

Picked up the molds at Target, took all our broken Crayons and chopped them up and then put them in a baked for a bit then let them cool and popped them out.

Mr & Mrs

My newest Pinterest inspired project. In the process of getting our new room together after the great room transition of 2013. So this awhile ago and kept in my to do file. Love it.

Letters from Michaels and some paint.

So there you have it some of my fav Pinterest inspired projects, so many pins so little time. I am sure I'll have more to share, stay tuned!

When It Rains It Floods...

When you live where we do. It's been a few years since we had a bad flood and water in the basement. At least this time the power managed to stay on. Of course my children once again waited until we were in the middle of a basement flooding to catch the stomach flu. Second time people! At least with school being cancelled on Thursday and Friday they didn't miss any school. But there is nothing like standing in water doing puke laundry. 

My awesome grandma took pity on me today and came and got the rest of the laundry and is doing it down at her house (her basement never floods even though she is practically right next to the river). So we are in flood state and the river is going to crest today we got a lovely message from the city saying we were in the zone for that. The river is already pretty close, but usually we are just dealing with rain water and not the river water, so say prayer it doesn't reach us.

Here is the very first McDonald's ever, under water. Yep we are home to the very first McD's, its a museum now and in the summer they have the classic cars out, but right now they are underwater (and WTF are those people walking through the nasty water for!?!). (Photo from Google)

This is on the other side of the track where we live, nice right?

(Photo from Google)

And OMG Genes & Judes is practically under water, anyone from this area knows how horrible that is! (Photo from Google)

So that's the haps over here! Kids seem better today, Ava is drinking and keeping it down so far and Logan is eating toast and drinking and keeping it down. Hopefully they are on the mend, me I go back to work tonight, hopefully the only route for me to get there is still open!

Oh Yea I Have A Blog...

So it's been a minute or two since I last blogged, back in January of 2012. Yep. Life got incredibly crazy that month and it hasn't let up since then. So now to catch you all up.

~Went back to work as a NCT at the hospital I always wanted to work at in September of 2012 after 6 years as a stay at home mom. Just as we were all adjusting to me back at work, the s&%t hit the fan...

~ January 2012 my Dad got sick and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, which is when they found the lung nodules.

~In February 2012 my Dad was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma stage 4B after a month waiting on results, a very unusual case compounded by his extensive medical history (diabetes, kidney transplants, etc).

~In August 2012 my Dad kicked cancers sorry ass, but the Chemo did a number on him causing him to swell and develop sores on this legs and feet, made worse by the fact that he is a diabetic, they wouldn't heal.

~In August 2012 my dad underwent an amputation of the worse leg, through the knee amputation. Surgery proved to be the last straw and caused his donor kidney to finally shut down. He ended up in ICU on a ventilator after retaining so much fluid, things were not good.

~In August 2012 he started back on dialysis.

~From August 2012 until March 2013 he was in and out of hospitals and rehabs facilities, with mystery infections, dialysis complications, and the sort. He has been home for one month and of course as of today is back in the hospital with pneumonia.

So as you can see most of our time and attention has been with my Dad. Things are not good, but we are just taking it one day at a time right now and we keep fighting. We are all adjusting to our new normal. 

So what else has been going on since I last blogged.

~When I left you all I had finally finished my masters degree in I/O Psychology and was waiting for the actual degree and wouldn't you know those fools at the college lost my degree. It's safely in my hands now, but there was much rage at the time. No I am not doing anything with this degree, don't even ask.

~My wonderful husband is back in school working on his masters degree in a library science, he will be done in a year, and we both will happy when he is done.

~Logan started Kindergarten, he got into the year round school in the district, so my baby will be starting 1st grade in July (so weird). We love the school and the format and are excited that Ava will automatically get in since she has a sibling in the school, no more lottery woes for this family. He is thriving and doing wonderful!

~Ava is still at Mothers Day Out, and also doing wonderfully. She starts preschool in the fall, she will go three days a week and go to Mother's Day Out one day.  So get ready for this people, I will have Logan in school all day, five days a week and Ava in school part of the day four days a week next school year!!! But what will I do with my free time you ask? That brings me to my next wavy line...

~I went back to school this spring, working on my pre-req's for nursing school. Yep third degree is the charm people. 

~Work has been great I do love what I do. Yea, we have bad shifts and deal with some crazy stuff, but I love it. My work family is made up of incredible people that have brought me through this horrible year. Their support, laughter and general craziness has helped me keep my sanity. Someone knew I needed these exact people in my life. Love them. We work hard and play hard :)

~I was doing an adult gymnastics class for awhile at the gym my kids go to (and one that I trained at occasionally when I was on the YMCA team out here) it was a lot of fun and boy was a sore after class, you know that good sore. I was throwing round-off flip-flop layouts again (on the tumble track of course) and it felt incredible. But the girl that taught the class moved to another gym and thus the end of my gymnastics come back hahaha.

~Skating you ask? (hangs head in shame) I've been off the ice for um, almost a year. With everything going on and going back to work, skating with my coach was becoming increasingly harder given the drive out to Dundee and my group class on Saturday mornings was to hard with my over nights and needing to work every other weekend. I miss it and I know I am a happier person when I am skating, I just need to get my behind back in gear and at least get back into group lessons. I was so close to landing my Axel. Maybe this summer I'll get back on the ice. The problem is just skating is never enough, I have to have a goal and then I want to compete again or do ice show again and I just don't have the time for it right now. So sad. I need to just be happy with getting some exercise I guess. 

~We got a dog last July. His name is Adobe, he's almost 3 now. We rescued him, he is a terrier mix and has fit into our crazy family just perfectly.

~Logan and Ava both continue to do gymnastics. Logan played Baseball last spring and will resume next month, he is doing the spring training right now, he is excited. Ava also started doing ballet, I am not into the dance thing, but I was forced to do it as a gymnast. She loves it of course so that's good and it helps her gymnastics so I am happy.

~But wait you say, you use to blog about babies and VBAC and all that fun stuff. Whats going on there? Well nothing at the moment. As you can see life got crazy and we decided to wait. I am still a huge supporter of VBAC and VBA2C and I am sure if I have another baby this blog will blow up with those posts again and trust me I have never stopped researching and keeping up on happenings in the birthing world. I still would love to go into that specialty in nursing. All I can say is stay tuned...

So that is the very abridged version of whats been going on here. Hopefully I can keep this up again :) If not see you in another year...I kid, kinda.

St Jude Trike-A-Thon!

It's that time of year again! Logan is participating in the St. Jude Trike-A-Thon at preschool on February 6th! He is hoping to make his fundraising goal again this year and needs your help! You can donate by clicking on the link below or directly to us. Let's give thanks for the healthy kids in our lives and give to those that are not!

Thank you!
Matt, Brandi and Logan