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Entertaining / Home / Shopping / Studio
Brought to you by Pier 1 Imports
This ghoulish holiday season I have partnered with Pier 1 to bring a little Fright and Delight to our home. Halloween is a favorite in our house and since I am the first of my local siblings to have children, we often have family join us for our candy filled escapades with the boys.
I love this tradition and while I love to entertain, it’s so nice to find pieces that blend seamlessly between day and night… or in other words, they look good during the day while they are on display and when night falls and guests roll through, these holiday pieces do double duty and serve their festive purpose!
My boys are obsessed with these spooky LED candles and demand they be left on around the clock. It is lovely to know that I won’t be burning the house down anytime soon.
The skull ice bucket is gorgeous and looks amazing all on its own, but I adore it with flowers for a bit of the macabre that is much more delight than fright.
And when it’s time to gather round for a night filled with fun for those young at heart (and actually young), I dress things up for an evening that caters to the rest of us as well.
With sweets pouring in by the pound, I love to have other options available for those who prefer to keep it light, yet still indulge.
Everything comes together seamlessly and easily with the perfect blend of holiday and everyday party ware. The spooky cloth is the perfect little spooky table runner to add just a bit of that something special.
Mini popcorn balls and a cheese plate are a bit more my speed.
The champagne flutes are stunning, and have me wanting to work black into every party I have, forever more… Not to mention they make a signature drink of the most deadly variety stand out from the crowd.
The skull shot glasses just happen to be perfect for serving up sinful dippers, like pumpkin spice cookie butter, that pairs well with apple slices and bananas. Still sweet and delicious but perhaps a tad bit more sophisticated than standard Halloween treats.
A mix of frightful and delightful along with some amazing everyday party ware turned out to be a perfect balance here. I have a feeling these beauties may even stick around well beyond their traditional season.
Of course no amazing party goes without great music, for your spooky listening pleasure I have rounded up some of my favorite frightful songs with my Ultimate Halloween Bash Mixtape. It will definitely please a diverse audience, with a bit of something for everyone…
DIY / Entertaining / Home / Studio
I imagine that most of you are either in or about to be in the ‘safe zone’ for carving your pumpkins, without worry of them turning to goo before Halloween. Here in California we are testing our luck if we carve them any earlier than about three days before, especially these last few years. So as you prep to get your carving on, I thought I would share my latest project in the ongoing Bernzomatic series (to catch up click here) and show you what I think is hands down the easiest way to carve your pumpkins… ever. Easier than using a jig saw and drill, and far easier than any of the carving kits out there. Whether you are a pumpkin carving champ and you like the detailed work or you like it quick and simple – trust me when I say, you need to run, not walk to your nearest Home Depot and get yourself an ST500T and some Butane. Ready – Go! Then come back here and I will walk you through the rest along with a fab recipe you can let take shape while you carve!
Just like with any carving project, you begin by cutting a hole in the top and cleaning your pumpkin out. Your hole should be large enough to fit your candle when you flip your pumpkin upside down. Set your seeds aside as you clear out the insides and discard the remainder of the pulp. Once you have most of the pulp removed, you will want to thin out your rind in areas where it’s particularly thick and a melon baller if you have one is perfect for this step. If you don’t, a thin metal spoon will work pretty well too.
You are aiming for no more than 3/4 inch thickness all the way around and a melon baller will make this a super simple and fast process. It doesn’t have to look pretty, just want it to be a little less thick.
While you work on the remaining portion of your pumpkin, rinse and prep your seeds!
RECIPE //
1/4 cup Malt Vinegar
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
Once you clean most of the pulp off of the seeds, place them in a bowl or a ziplock bag with 1/4 Cup of Malt Vinegar and a Teaspoon of Sea Salt. Give them a good shake or stir depending on what you just put them in and let them soak while you finish your pumpkin.
MATERIALS //
ST500T 3-in-1 Micro Torch
Butane
Melon Baller
Serrated Knife or Kitchen Knife to Carve the top open.
Now you can ready your fave new tool, that you will never want to put down. You will be using your Micro Torch with the soldering tip in place. You should be outside for this portion of your project in a well ventilated area. For extra precaution, fill your torch in a different area than you plan to work with your torch. I chose to do this out on the lawn with my hose ready to roll in case of emergency. Fill your torch with Butane as directed by the instructions. Let the runoff stabilize for several minutes and move to your designated work area to ignite and carve!
Operating this tool is truly a cake walk. Wear your protective eye wear – always – because you never know. But this micro torch works a bit like using a hot carving knife only much easier because it works faster and with less effort. It is so simple and not scary even a little bit. The most difficult part of this entire operation is filling the tank and cleaning out your pumpkin. So, basically a snap and super fun! You will be wanting to carve all the things from here on out.
Once you adjust your exhaust direction and ignite your torch (according to the directions) with the easy on / off trigger, you can put it in the continuous lock position because, well why would you want to hold that trigger the whole time, duh.
Now give it just a second to heat the tip and away you go to draw your design. You will hold it and operate it just like a pencil and you will sketch out your design on the face of your pumpkin. You can choose the depth you carve for each portion of your design and this basically makes multi dimensional designs possible and that is super cool.
For creating a confetti pumpkin like I did here, I used various depths throughout so that the type of light each ‘piece’ of confetti would give off was just as organic and varying as confetti truly would be. Just use your tip to gently press a hole into your pumpkin. The longer you hold it there the larger it will get and the deeper you will go. This is what I did for those holes I wanted to go all the way through. Near the opening in my pumpkin (which will be the bottom later) I placed very sporadic and sparse holes. Not very many, and these were mainly either all the way through or about half way.
This tip will press into your pumpkin like a hot knife through butter so each hole takes maybe a second at most and this project goes extremely fast. As you work your way down the pumpkin you will begin placing more dots per section and continue to give them varying depths. Trust me, this will make the whole thing so much more amazing!
As you get far enough down the sides that you are ready to flip, you will probably also be at the point where you will really pick up the number of dots you create so it looks something like what you see above. They should all still have a bit of space, but there is no right or wrong here, just dots and crazy confetti.
Once you are finished, you can let your torch cool completely before putting it away and you can pop those seeds into the oven!
Oil your cookie sheet with olive oil and spread your seeds in a thin layer. You can give your seeds a few dashes of your malt vinegar and a bit more salt to absorbwhile they bake. Put them oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees and flip or move them around a bit at about the 7 minute mark. They will turn a goldeny color when they are done and you can give one a taste test to see if it feels like it has crunch – that is when they are finished. If they look golden but still look wetish, let them sit outside the oven for a couple of minutes and they will crunch right up. They tend to sweat a bit so sometimes it requires this resting minute to firm up completely.
This project is part of an ongoing series, brought to you in partnership between Bernzomatic and The Design Confidential! All opinions are 100% my own and I am grateful for your support of the brands that help bring fresh new content to The Design Confidential, just like this.
Design
The art of being a minimalist is about so much more than a person's style choices. It's a lifestyle and regardless of your preference for decor, a minimalist tendency is truly an art and one I hope to learn to embrace a little more.
If I'm honest, I know that I am most often drawn to spaces that are minimal and heavily leaning toward the complete bare minimum. Yet this is seldom the type of space I design and certainly a very long way from my personal truth and virtual hoarder tendencies.
One of the spaces this voyeurism seems to bubble over is in the bath. There is nothing more beautiful than a streamlined place to bathe and I often wonder if it is even a possibility for me, especially where children are involved.
Are these spaces just as beautiful with giant globs of blue toothpaste? Probably. Will I ever know this first hand? Probably not… but I would love to think there is a way to manage the real life stuff and all of the baggage that comes with it, while still achieving my dream of beautiful minimalism.
How do you balance your dream with your reality? Are they different or are they fairly similar? Inquiring minds want to know…
Showcase
I started out building this table as a birthday present for my wife. I ALMOST had it made in time for her birthday too until I had the idea to create a herringbone pattern on the table top. This is the love of my life were building this for, after all, and I wanted her to LOVE it. I used my biscuit jointer to create the pattern on the table top. This is a combination of pine and maple. Maple in the corners and pine as the slats. The rest of the table, with the exception of the drawer rails are all oak. I really like the way it turned out, and more importantly, so does my wife!
Modifications
Herringbone pattern on the table top
Lumber Used
Frame – oak
Table top – combination of oak, maple, and pine
Finishing Technique
Verathane cognac topped with 2 coats of minwax satin
DIY / Entertaining / Home / Studio
There is nothing I love more than a project that takes me so far out of my comfort zone that I literally stress for weeks, brainstorming and then scrapping most of my ideas. Probably sounds weird, but that process is often crucial for me to arrive at the magical spot that lives smack in the middle between awesome and simple. When my monthly challenge as a Michaels Maker rolled through with the ask being for us to create a costume, I seriously panicked because as many of you know – I don’t do clothing… I can buy clothing with the best of them, but make or even embellish clothing – not my strong suit.
But I think I found that sweet spot because this costume is super easy to create and is equal parts spooky and adorable. It has the feel of the costumes from long ago without the complicated construction of those intricate paper maché masks. Yahoo for that.
The half pumpkins come in a few sizes so you can choose the appropriate size for the person this costume is intended for. You are going to start by lightly drawing a face on your half pumpkin, then carefully carve it out using a sharp craft knife.
Once your face is carved, you will create the strap with ribbon or elastic bands. I used elastic bands since I am making this for smaller kiddos. You will need to create a small hole about the size of a pea using your craft knife. Place it about 1/2 inch in from the sides and up near the top about even with the top of your eyes.
Cut a 5 inch piece of copper wire and fold it into a figure 8. It helps if you start at what will be the middle and create a small loop, then the opposite loop and continue wrapping into a figure 8 shape until you have about 1/2 inch remaining. With that remaining section, wrap the center and using your needle nose pliers, crimp in the center so that the end is around the backside along with your starting end.
Pull one end of your elastic band through the hole and slide your copper bow tie through the loop with the sharp edges against the pumpkin.
If this costume is for a little one, you can probably use one band like you see here. If your kiddo is bigger, use two straps like you see two images up. Create your second strap hole if you haven’t already and a second copper wire bow tie. Pull the other end of your band, or one end of your second band, through you hole. Use something to help you poke it through if need be.
This is what it will look like when you have it finished if you are using one strap for a smaller kiddo. For a double strap, you can simply tie them together for your big kid or adult.
Super simple and super fast to whip this together. Now finish things off by using a bit of black face paint so it looks hollow inside and drape a bit of spooky cloth over their heads and around their shoulders. This isn’t required of course, but certainly adds to the tattered clothing look. Wear black pants and a black top and grab your horse stick for a wild night of trick or treating. An orange pumpkin basket would be a good accessory for this too!
This project was created in partnership with Michaels as part of my ongoing series of projects as a Michaels Maker! All crazy and opinions are 100% my own.
Still haven’t decided what you’re going to be? Check out the other 49 DIY costumes from the Michaels Makers and you might just find the perfect one for you, your kiddos or your beloved pet this Halloween– they’re to die for! Whether you’re into spooky sights, playful pumpkins or giggling ghouls, the Michaels.com Halloween project page has tons of ideas for DIY Halloween costumes and décor
An InLinkz Link-up
Showcase
Our first project. We decided to put 2×6 end pieces on the table top and we used metal piping for the support between the table legs.
DIY / Home / Studio
You guys!! I am in love with this project because it's pretty, but it also happens to solve a major problem in the setup of my master bathroom – which is that there are no towels racks within easy reach of the shower. Our shower is long and while there is a towel hook inside the shower area, it is too high for me to reach, and not long enough for me to try something fancy. This leaves a towel bar outside of the shower area, but it's outside the shower just enough that I have to fully get out to grab a towel and that is just not my fave.
So today I bring you my easy solution. If you need a similar solution or you need a place to hang blankets, this is a great project for you too! If this is your first time checking in on this series, you can catch up here and here, but essentially I will be bringing you a new project each month using one of the many fabulous Bernzomatic Torches! It is a whole new skill set for me, and maybe for you too so we will learn together along the way! Today our project brings a whole new type of metal joining in brazing which is similar to soldering, only it tends to form a stronger joint. This is important for us here since we don't have a typical joint with metal inside of metal but two independent pieces that we are joining.
Cut your pipes to length and attach your pieces. You can cut your pieces to any length that works for your space or needs, just remember that whatever you use this for will probably need room to hang down a bit. My cut lengths are 4 feet for the tall legs and 3 1/2 feet for the shorter legs – you will need 2 of each of these. My mid sections are 20 inches and 19 inches.
Attach your elbows to the tops of both shorter legs and then attach your shorter mid section. It will make a U-Shape. Do the same for the taller section with your longer mid section.
Once you have both sections formed, you will want to find your best angle. By this I simply mean that whatever your lengths ended up being, they will have their own set of angles they will rest at, without being wobbly. To find my angles, I wrapped the legs together with some string placing the shorter legs on the inside and simply adjusted till they felt sturdy enough. They were roughly 22 inches (my taller leg) and 25 inches (my shorter leg) from where they met to the ground which means they were not making a perfect X-Shape and were instead more horizontal on the shorter leg.
Since this project precludes you from using clamps or a vice grip, you should mark both of you legs with lines that represent the angle of the other leg and then the actual dot point where they will connect. Mark them on the outsides of the legs so you can leave your markings intact when you clean your pieces. This will help you later when you need to re-position them since leaving them tied isn't an option either…
Once you know your angles, you are ready to clean your pipes – yep I said it. Use your sanding cloth and sand until it shines my friends, but try and avoid sanding off your marks. If you want to sand your entire piece now before you braze, go for it, just keep in mind you will have to re-sand a relatively large section afterward to remove the heat marks. At a minimum you will need to sand the area where your legs will meet and the entire area around your joint. This is to ensure a good connection and will help your brazing rods do their job.
Once you are ready to roll, lay out your flame protector and position your legs according to your marks. You don't have to leave your sections connected for this part, and in fact you would be doing yourself a favor by removing the elbows and mid sections for each unit while you braze these babies together.
// You will want to have a bucket of water nearby – just in case – or if you are outside, you can use your hose. If you are working near flammable materials – move them or move your work area – and if you have plants, trees, or mulch that might catch fire, you should give your surrounding area a good hosing before you get started.
You will want to flux the heck out of your pipes and you may even want to dip your brazing rod into the flux because heat and oxygen equal oxidation which is the enemy of brazing effectively. Trust. Brush it on and ready your torch because you won't want this to sit too long before you get to work. It makes a difference.
For a snippet about using your torch, follow the instructions on the package, and also read here – It took me a second to figure out the trigger (because duh, I didn't look at the diagram, and only read the directions…)
The main difference between our last project and this one is that brazing produces a stronger joint, but it also has a higher melting point so it will require more heat to melt your brazing rod. Just as we did with soldering, we will heat the joint and when it's hot enough, the joint will melt the rod. We won't heat the rod directly. So light this baby up and start to move your flame over the section of your pipes where you have your flux. You will want to heat your joint until you see it glow, which is far longer than necessary with solder and for me this part took a couple of minutes at least.
Once you see your pieces glow, move the heat to another part of your pipe so it continues to heat but isn't heating where you will be working. Then touch your brazing rod between the pipes and see if it is hot enough to flow. It took a few tries for me to get to this point where my pipes were hot enough to actually melt my brazing rod so if you see that it isn't happening, move your rod aside and heat a bit more, then try again.
If you notice that your pipes have oxidized before you manage to melt your rod, let them cool so you can clean them and flux them again then apply your heat in the same manner you previously did. This will help you get to where you need to be since the oxidation keeps the brazing rods from working their magic.
Once your joint has been created for both leg units and your pipes look thoroughly charred, let your pieces cool completely and use your files to remove any clumpy sections of your brazing material. If you don't have any clumpy or messy spots, then simply use your sanding cloth to remove your heat marks and you are ready to piece things back together!
If you want to spray your towel rack with a waterproofing sealer, go for it. The oxidation and patina of copper is quite beautiful, but I hardly thing you want rusty towels. Enjoy!
This awesome-sauce project was created in partnership with Bernzomatic and is part of an ongoing series between that fabulous company and The Design Confidential! Yahoo. All crazy talk and opinions are 100% my own… you know – as per the usual.
DIY / Home / Studio
Every now and then I get a fabulous idea in my head about something I want to create, and I can literally imagine how it will play out every step of the way. When the folks from Casper wanted to see what I might make from their gorgeous mattress boxes, that is exactly how the planning process went down. It will be so simple, and look amazing, and I will skip, and dance, and root myself on along the way. And then… I actually dove into it and gave it a go, and that sucker went terribly, horribly awry. Like off the charts, accidentally demolished your chandelier that hangs 30 feet in the air, on another planet – awry. Ya, that would pretty much sum up this project the first five times I tried it. It just seemed so simple in my mind – and ultimately on attempt number six that you see here today – it was! But oh em gee you guys… those first five times I not only completely failed at making it work, but I managed to utterly destroy a major fixture in my home along the way, eek. So… yay for that. So it goes for life in the DIY lane. There is always collateral damage – always – it’s just usually a little more painful and a lot less costly for me, but it’s totally a thing in this line of biz.
You have to be able to laugh at yourself when you are experimenting and things don’t go as planned, don’t you think? I mean… things rarely go as planned anyhow so what’s a little failure along the way but a great tool for solidifying your plans and working out the kinks before I pass it on to you guys, am I right? And naturally by laugh I often mean cry, but this time it was truly so insane that there was nothing but laughter and occasional hair pulling. It just seemed so simple?!? Today, I bring you the truly and completely simple version of this project that doesn’t involve trying to work over an existing fixture and is instead a completely independent fixture that stands on its own looking fabulous and made from one of the most gorgeous boxes of all time and housing one of the most amazing mattresses of all time. Let’s get into it, shall we?
MATERIALS //
Cardboard – I used the boxes that these came in.
String
Glue
Exacto Knife or Craft Blade
Keyless Socket
Swag Kit
Bulb – This should be a bulb that is cool to the touch when on so there is no fire hazard.
Start by cutting out 8 of the same shape. You will be gluing these into pairs for a total of four arms. Mine is approximately 18” high by 12” wide at the widest point and 2” wide at the shortest point. You can do this with a long triangle shape or a shape along the lines of mine, this is entirely up to you but just be sure that the inside edge of your shape is vertical and straight and it will save you a lot of time in the end.
I decided on this shape when I was trying to work over my existing chandelier and wanted to disguise the arms and shades of the fixture. I reduced the size in my final attempt at this as well as the number of arms overall. I glued the arms into pairs with the natural sides glued together and the white and blue striped sides showing. If you are working with natural colored cardboard, you will still want to glue to pieces together so you have a very sturdy arm when you are ready to string.
Once your pairs are glued together trim away any areas that are uneven so the sides are perfectly paired. You will cut a 1 inch slot near the top and bottom of your flat inside edge, preferably around 4 inches or so from the top edge and bottom edge. You don’t want to be too close to the ends or this won’t stay put as you are stringing your fixture. // You will want your slots to be in the same place on each of your arms so I created the slots in one arm and then used that to mark out the slot location in my other arms.
At this point you can also cut out your circles. You will need two, exactly the same size with a 10 inch diameter on the outside and an inside diameter of around 8 inches. You can see these two images up if you need an example.
You will cut smalls slits along the outside edges. These can be about 3/8 of an inch apart and need to go all the way through your arm, front to back. Avoid placing slits at the very top and very bottom since this is where things get a bit crazy. I skipped the top altogether as you can see and my slits around about 1/4 of an inch in length. This seems to be the sweet spot so your string doesn’t slip out and your slits don’t get shaggy. Just like for your slots, you will want the same number of slits on each arm and you will want them in about the same spot, so create your slits on one arm then use that to create the slits on your other arms.
Once you have your slits and your slots, you will piece this together a bit like a puzzle. You will want to glue these in place to keep them from moving and you should have an arm at each of the four corners of your circle, which has no corners… but I think you know what I mean. North, south, east and west, yes?
After your glue has set up you are ready for the fun part – the stringing! I started at the top slit of one arm and tied off the end of my string (you can this two images down). Then just like when you were young and at summer camp or art class and you made awesome string art, you will head down to the bottom slit on the next arm and slip it through. Keep your string nice and tight throughout, without pulling too hard that you tear your cardboard or pull it through your previous arms.
And then you go back up to the top slit of the arm next to that one, and so on and so forth around and around your fixture.
This is probably obvious to any of you who have done this before, but for those that haven’t, once you make it full circle through your slits at the very top and very bottom, you will move to the next slit down and continue on around.
Eventually your strings will begin to cross in the middle as you begin to make your way down the arms where you started at the top and up the arms that were on the down swing and they will flip. This is when you really see the magic happen.
Yay, if you are finished with the stringing you can string together your light kit. You are going to want to weave your cord through your chain to give it some extra strength. I strung the cord in and out of the chain through every other link and skipping a link in the middle of those each time. You will wire your cord to your socket according to the directions on the package but you will need to have the nipple and the ring cap threaded onto your cord prior to actually wiring your socket. Your cord will slide down into the center of the ring cap and nipple, then you will wire it and secure the socket back together.
It will look like this when you are finished. Hang your chain from a sturdy hook in your ceiling. You will want it to sit about midway in the center of your pendant so hang the chain and cord on the hook leaving it to dangle about 30 inches or so from your ceiling. Then you will use some of your string and secure the pendant to the hook by looping your string around the top circle. Your light kit will sit down inside of it at about the halfway point. You can secure the light kit to the pendant if you wish, but it’s not entirely necessary.
Yahoo… that is it, so totally easy right? A fabulous upcycle project and just a fun way to add a bit of light to your life!
A huge over the moon and back thank you to Casper for partnering with me on this project. It took much longer than anticipated and I couldn't have done it without them – literally – and getting a good night sleep after working my fingers to the bone was much needed. Btw, their mattresses are out of this world amazing and I will share all about my experience and my good night's sleep research in the next few weeks so stay tuned. And a big thank you to all of you who help support the brands that challenge me to create new content like this for The Design Confidential. I love to use my brain and my skill set in completely new and exciting ways, it makes my world go round and I couldn't do it without your support. You rock my world friends! Heart you guys…
Casper is an award winning sleep startup that launched with an outrageously comfortable mattress sold directly to consumers — eliminating commission driven, inflated prices. The critically acclaimed sleep surface was developed in-house by a team of product engineers with experience from IDEO, has a sleek design, and is delivered right to your door in a small, “how did they do that?” sized box
Home / Shopping / Studio
They say building a better bed begins with a good mattress, and that is certainly true… and here at TDC, many of us know that long before that, building a better bed begins with actually building a better bed. What makes a bed better depends entirely on who will be sleeping in the bed and how much time will be spent in that bed each day. Will you watch movies, work, or snuggle with your kiddos in your bed? Do your kiddos still crawl in bed with you in the wee hours of the night and put their feet in your face? Let's just say that a great many things will be considered as you lay the foundation for your best night sleep. But how do you build a better bed once you have already built a better bed? Because there is nothing worse than having an amazing bed and a fabulous mattress that live in chaos. It will hang like a dark cloud above your head, nagging and reminding you that you never got around to making your bed that day. Let's be real, making the bed is a pain in the neck and no one wants to do it. Yet it's this one little task that sets the tone for your day and is the difference between your space feeling calm and uncluttered or chaotic and stressful.
So how can we make this easier, less of a chore, and something that doesn't require a PhD to reconstruct each morning with 8,000 pillows and crazy sheets tangled up everywhere?
In honor of National Make Your Bed Week, I thought I would fill you in on a few of the recent changes I have made that absolutely make this process easier for me and way more likely to happen – because this little mama loves a nicely made bed, but never has the patience to fuss with it. Who's with me?
First and foremost, I got rid of the top sheet. I actually like sleeping with a top sheet since I tend to sleep hot yet still need to be covered, so that top sheet comes in handy. But, I love not fussing with that top sheet so much more than I love having it, so this is a change I will gladly keep forever! Crane & Canopy sells 'No Top Sheet' Sheet Sets which is rather genius.
Then I switched my comforter for a Duvet and Nova Duvet Cover which has an easy insert zipper (instead of those buttons) and a two-tone design that mimics the designer look of a beautifully folded over top sheet – minus the actual top sheet and any of the work that comes along with that. Yahoo, right?
I also eliminated all of the excessive throw pillows and opted for a simply body pillow to sit against my headboard and two medium sized throw pillows in front. This gives us the most comfortable setup for sitting upright, which we do constantly since we spend a lot of time working or relaxing in this space. It turns out this setup is not only easier for me but Mike too since he doesn't have to worry about putting the pillows on the bed 'just the way I like them' which makes him so much more likely to actually make the bed on occasion. That my dear friends is true love! Anything that is so easy that I am not the only one who can do it is amazing in my book.
So while this doesn't have the over the top styled out look of a catalog perfect bed, it does have the look of clean and tidy with the added bonus of being easy to recreate each morning. That is the most beautiful thing ever, to me…
SOURCES //
The Hayes Nova Duvet Set – Gray
Porcelain Green 400 Thread Count Sheet Set
Striped Pillows
Lavender Almond Linen Spray
Lavender Vanilla Linen Spray
You can see this process in action below. If the hardest part of making the bed is getting the Duvet into the Duvet cover, then this couldn't be any easier because that is not hard at all. Not to mention you only do that once after you wash your bedding and you don't have to do it again for a bit!
All I have to do is sit my pillows upright, pull the duvet up, give it a little fluff, and away I can go on my day.
I happen to be a bit obsessed with smells which means I really dislike anything that doesn't smell fresh and clean. There are a lot of things that get washed in this house that don't normally get washed by most people because of this little tidbit. Obviously washing my bedding every single day isn't an option so I love the idea of a linen spray. I ordered this one and this one and every time I walk in my room I'm greeted with the most wonderful smell.
Are you sensitive to smells? How about making your bed… is it crucial, frustrating, or not high on your list? I would love to know how other feel about this hot topic – do tell.
A big huge thank you to Crane & Canopy for partnering with us on this post and an enormous thank you to all of you for supporting the companies that help bring fresh new content like this to The Design Confidential! I heart you guys…
Plans
Back to school and homework blues? Ya, me too. Maybe a cute new desk and bench combo for your cute kiddos is just what you need to make homework a little more tolerable.
As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!
Two of these back to back make a fabulous work table or play table, and four of these would be out of this world!
- Half Sheet 3/4″ Plywood or MDF – 4′ x 4′
- 7 – 2×2 at 8′
- 7 – 2×2 at 32″ – Desk + Bench Rails
- 2 – 2×2 at 29 1/4″ – Desk Legs
- 10 – 2×2 at 10″ – Bench Frame + Supports
- 4 – 2×2 at 16 3/4″ – Bench Legs
- 2 – 2×2 at 18 1/2″ – Connectors
- 2 – 2×2 at 26 1/2″ – Desk Legs
- 4 – 2×2 at 15 1/2″ – Desk Frame
- 2 – 3/4″ Plywood or MDF at 35″ x 13″ – Bench
- 1 – 3/4″ Plywood or MDF at 35″ x 18 1/2″ – Desk
Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the
GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the
BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my
Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.
Build the leg unit for the desk portion of this project. Cut the legs and rails to length and drill your pocket hole in the rails (horizontal pieces) with your Pocket Hole Jig set for 1 1/2″ material. Join using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
Build 2 Bench Leg Units. Cut your legs and rails to length and place your pocket holes in the rails (horizontal pieces) with your Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ material. Join your pieces using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
Secure all leg units together by attaching the connector pieces to them. Place your pocket holes to the insides so they aren’t as obvious. Create pocket holes in the connectors using your pocket hole jig set for 1 1/2″ material. Join using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
Build the Frame. Create pocket holes on the 10 inch supports to connect to the rails and on the inside of the rails to connect to the leg units, with your pocket hole jig set for 1 1/2″ material. Secure the supports to the rails using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws. Once your glue has set, secure the rails to the leg units using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
Create the Bench Shelf and Attach the Front Desk Legs. To create the shelf, cut your plywood or MDF down to size, then cut a 1 1/2″ square from each corner using a jig saw, router or table saw. Secure the shelf using glue and 1 1/4″ Finish or Brad Nails.
Create pocket holes on the top and bottom of one edge of the Front Desk Legs using your Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ material. Secure in place using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
Place pocket holes for 1 1/2″ material on both ends of the Desk Frame Pieces. Attach the Desk Frame Pieces using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws in the pocket holes you added to the Front Desk Legs in the previous step and the pocket holes on one end of the Desk Frame Piece that you create in this step. Create pocket holes on the Bench Rails using your Kreg Jig set for 1 1/2″ material. Secure in place using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
Place pocket holes for 1 1/2″ material on both ends of the 10″ Bench Supports and 15 1/2″ Desk Supports. Secure the Desk Rail to the Desk Frame Pieces using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws in the pocket holes you created in the previous step. Then secure the Bench and Desk Supports using glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
Create the Bench and Desk Tops and secure in place using glue and 1 1/4″ Finish or Brad Nails. If you are plan to finish the edges of your shelf and tops, apply edge banding once you have secured these pieces.
Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School
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DIY / Home / Studio
I mentioned a while back I would be partnering with Bernzomatic to bring you guys a new project each month and would be working to develop my metal working skill-set… I am pretty excited to share today’s project because I really put those skills to the test and learned so very much in the process. The result is a fabulous shiny new solution for the mess that is our entryway… especially during the colder months, which we are about to enter (4 months from now).
Let’s get real for a minute – I was terrified about using this torch, and I have actually used a torch many times before. You see, I took a metalsmithing class in college and I loved it so very much, but everything was set up in a space that was used exclusively for working with fire and acid and all of those crazy things that sound terrifying to use in my own home and those torches used a manual striker to light so much harder and a lot more scary. I mean, eek, right? But I set up a work space that felt safe and took a few extra precautions that in hindsight were probably a tad much, but you can never be too safe when you are playing with fire so I am glad I did. Turns out there was nothing to worry about and jumping back on that bike was a cake walk. They say most things come back to you, just like riding a bike, and this was true for soldering… though I am fairly certain I have actually forgotten how to ride a bike, so who knows. Also, the new and improved torches have an easy on / off trigger so you don’t have to start the gas and then spark it with a striker, so that alone makes this sooooo much better.
So I will walk you through the steps for this project and a few of my tips for getting started with soldering and torch work because… that is the part you are likely to be nervous about at first. Promise it’s so much easier than it seems!
Safety is extremely important when you are playing with fire… so be sure to wear gloves, goggles and glasses to shield yourself from debris and burns. You will also need at least 2 drill bits – one small bit like 5/64″ and one 1/2″ larger bit that are appropriate for metal. A center punch is also extremely helpful when you are drilling metal, so your bit doesn’t slip or twirl, but if you don’t have one, any screw with a nice tap from a hammer in the center of where you plan to drill your hole will also help.
Let’s get to work! Start by laying out where your pegs will go on your 1 inch pipe. I chose to put two holes per side and 4 approximate sides for a total of 8 holes. I varied the locations on each side for an organic look. Use a small piece of your 1/2″ pipe to trace a hole in each of these 8 locations on your 1 inch pipe.
You can cut your 1/2 inch pegs to length using your pipe cutter. You will need //
3 – at 7 inches
3 – at 5 inches
2 – at 3 inches
I gave each future hole a tap with a screw and then used the smallest bit in my assortment to drill a tiny pilot hole. You probably won’t drill all the way through, so watch the pressure you apply as you are drilling or you will go all the way through whether you want to or not.
Once I had my pilot hole drilled, I switched to my large 1/2″ bit and opened the hole up quite a bit.
Then use your rounded metal file to give it more room and to smooth it out so your pegs will fit nicely. You can do a dry fit to make sure you are on the right path.
Once you are finished cutting your pegs and drilling / filing your holes, you will want to prep your surfaces for soldering. This means you need to clean the area where the joint will be and you need to clean both your pegs as well as the large 1″ pipe, in and around all of your holes.
You will do this using your sanding cloth and you can simply wrap it around the ends of your pipe and sand (clean) until it shines. For your 1 inch pipe, sand inside your holes and the entire area around each hole. Try not to touch or dirty these prior to soldering. If it’s helpful to do each peg as you go along then that works as well – I found it easiest to set up for soldering both pegs along one side at the same time. Which reminds me, it might be helpful to decide how you want to arrange your various sizes of pegs around your pipe. I never put two of the same size on the same side and tried to think about what we might be hanging up (hats, scarves, jackets) so that I could figure out my arrangement. Obviously having a sweater hanging above a hat is tricky so put that shorter hat peg on top, or on a different side from your longer pegs.
// You will also need to set up your work space. I found it easiest to work on concrete and set my pipe on two pavers that were standing up on end. You will want to have a bucket of water nearby – just in case – or if you are outside, you can use your hose. If you are working near flammable materials – move them or your work area – and if you have plants, trees, or mulch that might catch fire, you should give your surrounding area a good hosing before you get started.
After you clean with your sanding cloth, you will apply your paste flux to the end of the peg that will sit down into your hole and the area around the hole as well as the edges of your hole. Use the silver brush that comes with your flux do this and then move your flux and brush away from the area where you plan to work.
Your Torch Head will screw onto your Map-Pro or Propane tank easily and there are directions for setting things up in the torch head package. Follow those directions and you should have no problem! Basically, you will begin with your torch head and tank separated, make sure your trigger on your torch head is set to the off position, then turn your valve clockwise all the way so that it is shut off. Then attach your torch head to your tank and tighten by hand. I will note that I didn’t quite understand where the trigger was – not sure why this little fact was over my head – but just in case you are blonde like I am… the trigger is the same button you turn in the on and off position (the only one so you can’t miss it). Once your tank is attached, you will simply open your valve all the way, then turn your trigger to the on position and when you are ready, press your trigger to ignite. It all works so smoothly and easily that you will absolutely love it once you realize it really isn’t scary at all and the process is a cake walk. No guessing or difficult steps.
With your flux applied and your flame lit – you will now actually begin to solder. You want to hold your torch in one hand and your solder in the other for the easiest manner of handling things. You should have a decent portion of your solder unrolled and extending away from the remainder so you can easily let it do it’s thing without burning your hand.
Start by heating your joint. You will want to heat the area evenly all around your joint rather than heating your solder directly. Since your peg will sit down into your hole, you will heat your peg and the 1 inch pipe in the immediate vicinity. Keep your flame moving and you will start to see the flux begin to bubble a bit, this takes a few seconds or more and you can then see if your solder will run.
To do this, remove your flame from the area and let go of the trigger so it stops. Then touch the end of your solder to the joint and you will know you have heated the area enough if when you touch your solder to the joint, it runs easily into the joint and looks a bit like liquid. If you touch your solder to the area and nothing happens, you will need to heat it a tiny bit more so you will remove your solder, then ignite your flame again by pressing the trigger and heat your joint by keeping that flame moving evenly over the area you are working. When you are ready to try again, let go of your trigger and remove your torch while you touch your solder to the joint with your other hand. It should flow beautifully right down into your hole and will run around the edges. It’s so utterly gratifying. Promise!
// It may not make it all the way around so you will likely need to let it cool, and once it does apply another round of flux, then heat the joint and finish it off with your solder. Just try to avoid directly heating the area you have already soldered or it may run or overheat and ball up a bit, leaving you with yet another area that isn’t soldered.
It will take a bit of practice with how much heat you need and in controlling your solder, but not to worry because those colorful heated areas and messy solder can all be fixed!
If you have an area that has a large clump of solder, you can give it just a little bit of heat and it will run just enough to flatten out a bit. It will likely run down onto your pipe, but that is far easier to deal with than a huge clump that needs to be filed down.
For everything else, use your rounded file to smooth out the solder around your joints. You can see above one that I filed to fix a big run and clump versus one that hasn’t been filed yet.
Finish off your piece by sanding the entire thing with your sanding cloth. This will remove the colorful sections and any crazy marks from filing your solder. Try to work it in a uniform way so that it looks more perfect ultimately. I chose to sand in an up and down manner and as you can see above it turned out beautifully!
Clean everything off with soapy water or a water and vinegar mix and then add your caps to the ends of your pegs. Drill your holes at the top for hanging, using a medium sized drill bit (maybe a bit smaller than 1/4″) and for this one you can drill all the way through. Now you simply need to string it up and hang from your ceiling hook! Yahoo
This awesome-sauce project was created in partnership with Bernzomatic and is part of an ongoing series between that fabulous company and The Design Confidential! Yahoo. All crazy talk and opinions are 100% my own… you know – as per the usual.
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