Perpetual Calendar Tutorial

I like to-do lists.  Mostly, I like checking things off of a to-do list.  I have been known to write something I've already done on my to-do list just so I can check it off.  It makes me feel productive.

Checking things off a a to-do list:  fun.  Writing the same things on the to-do list every day:  not fun.  So I decided to make myself a perpetual calendar, with my daily things already written on it.  I made this with materials I gathered up things from around my house, so this project was free!  (My favorite kind of project!)

I started off with a 11x14 picture frame I already had that wasn't being used.  (I picked that size so I would have plenty of space for writing, but you can use whatever size you like.)  I like the clean look of a glossy white frame, so I spray painted the frame with paint I bought for another project, but haven't used yet.

(Oops!  My cardboard didn't catch all the overspray!)

Next, I drew out a calendar grid on some scrapbook paper from a pack of paper that will eventually become a scrapbook for Boo (I'm not really a scrapbooker...) and wrote in all my to-do's.  Man, this took forever!  I don't think I'll write it out by hand next time.

So I made a couple of calendar blanks for you to use (and me, when my calendar needs to be updated).  I made them up in two sizes, regular printer paper size and legal paper size, if your printer can print at that size.  Or you could have it printed at Kinkos, or some such place.  (Just right click and save your chosen calendar to your computer.)

Next, I cut my 12x12 scrapbook paper down to 11" tall, and I cut a couple of strips of a different scrapbook paper to add to the sides to make my calendar 11x14.

I used the cardboard back for the picture frame as a guide for how large my calendar needed to be.

And there it is!  I have all my regular to-do's, plus weekly events like Scouts on Wednesdays and Date Nights on Friday.  (Hurray for that!)  And since the calendar is behind glass, I can use a dry erase marker to write in the month and dates and unusual things like doctor's appointments, birthdays, and the like.  Now I just need to hang it up.  Maybe I should write that on my to-do list calendar...

Refinishing a New Dresser for Boo

Mr. MadeIt was browsing Goodwill one day and he found this:

Cute, right?  We'd been saying for a while that we needed to get Boo a dresser, so this was a great chance.  It needed a little TLC...

But the price was right!  It was marked $19.99, but Goodwill was having a half-off furniture sale (Goodwill has sales?  Who knew?) so we got it for ten dollars.  Sweet.  Let the refinishing begin!

First, deconstruction.  Mr. MadeIt didn't like the carved decorativeness of the handles and corners, so they came off.  (I thought they were cute for a little girl, but hubby was right that the dresser would be more timeless without them.  Maybe I'll make a matching picture frame out of them...)  And the rails (is that what you would call them?) had to come off the top (but just temporarily).  Drawers, too.

Then sanding.  For a project like this, it was time to break out the power tools!  We used a random orbit hand sander, so it would be harder to gouge out a section if we sanded in one area for too long.

Poor thing needed a lot of sanding.  It had bubbled up where moisture had soaked in, so that had to be sanded down, to say nothing of the gunk that was stuck to the surface...

Next was painting.  The paint guy at Lowe's recommended a satin finish enamel paint.  He told us it would be nice and durable--very important for children's furniture!  And the paint was still soap and water clean-up (no paint thinners or anything).  I even got some paint on my jacket, and the paint washed out!  (I don't recommend experimenting with that, though.)

I don't have any more in-process pictures, but I bet you can image it:  paint, new hardware, and put everything back together.  It took forever to get the finish even--maybe we should have primed it first?--but eventually, we got it all done.

And the moment we've all been waiting for..The After Picture.

(Yes, Boo chooses her own clothes.  She's not even two, but she sure has opinions on everything!)

Boo wasn't much interested in the dresser when it was sitting mostly completed in the living room, but the instant we set the finished dresser down in Boo's room, she picked up some of her toys and piled them on the top of the dresser.  "Oh, this is mine," she seemed to say.  Yep, little one.  Mommy and Daddy made it just for you.