Tools and Materials!!!

Most of my current DIY Furniture remodeling projects are pieces that made out of wood, so in order to accomplish these projects I had to stock up on some essential materials. To start off I picked up a new and simple to use “5” Random Orbit Sander”. This little device is inexpensive and a great asset. It was ergonomically designed to allow several hand holding positions and it comes with an attachable dust bag. The retail price is around $30. Next I picked up a “6 Amp Reciprocating Saw” which is super handy for remodeling old pieces of furniture and turning them into master pieces…you will soon see what I mean :) This one is a little more expensive but not too bad with a retail price of $45-60.

I also got some retouching and painting materials. Old furniture usually shows some wear and tear such as dents and scratched. In order to fix these issues, I purchased some wood filler and wood glue. These 2 items are also great for filling and re-assembling broken pieces.

After all the dents and scratches are fixed and my handy sander has even out the surfaces, then we move on to priming and painting. I have done extensive research on primers and I have learned that it is best to use an oil based primer. For my projects I picked up Zinsser’s Cover Stain Primer (the brush on kind but it’s also available in spray). This primer dries relatively fast and it is super easy to brush on. And finally I chose the latex color paint for the furniture pieces i am working on. For the female dresser I selected Behr Premium Plus Ultra-Pure White. Latex paints are easy to apply and spread but best of all are super easy to clean off the brushes afterwards. :)

   I hope this quick tool info was handy for you and you DIY projects…have a great day!

Simple Version of Creamy Lentil Dahl

Last Sunday afternoon we were at my mother in law's house spending time with the family when all the sudden hunger struck! ;) Since I got my new cooking books that day, this was a great way to give it a try. I asked my sister's in law Cami to choose a meal from the vegetarian section since she is no longer eating meat. She been doing this for a few years now and i have to applaud her for having the dedication and discipline to stick to it. 

After looking through the 3 & 4 ingredient cookbook, she chose Creamy Red Lentil Dahl. We made the recipe with a twist and served it Pita bread. It is simple and fast to make. you can serve it as an appetizer  bit size or as an individual meal. 

Ingredients you need:

2 cans of Lentils

1 Tbsp of Hot Curry Paste

Coconut Cream

Pita Bread

Cilantro

Lentils:                                                                                                                                                                 

1. Add the 2 cans of lentils in a large pan and add the hot curry paste and bring to boil.
2. After boiling, reduce the heat to simmer for about 15 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. 

3. Season the dahl to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Serve hot and garnish with cilantro and/or coconut cream.

Pita Bread: 

1. Cut the pita bread in slices. 

2. On a small bowl or plate you can mix a tbsp of olive oil with any herb of your choice. (you can use cilantro, basil, oregano etc...this will give it a nice taste)  

3. With a kitchen brush, brush on the oil mixture on one side.

4. Lay all the pita bread slices on an over tray and toast for a few minutes. Serve with the Dahl. 

 

Last Weekend of July

We had a fun relaxing weekend...on Saturday we were invited to dinner party at a friends house...we had an amazing time dancing, chatting and eating of course! The food was a mix of several Spanish dishes that were very appetizing and delicious!!! Thank you Rand & Sarah!!!

Then on Sunday, we decided to jump on the bike and go check out Borders Book Store. The company is closing down, so right now they are having sales on all books. Although most prices are marked down only 20%, I am guessing that the closer they get to their closing date the higher the discounts will be, but keep in mind that the selection will be less too. If you like books like we do, hurry up and go check it out. I got myself 5 new cooking books at great prices. Soon I will be trying out some yummy recipes and i will let you know how it goes...stay tuned. :)

Check out my new books, they were priced between $3-$5 after discount...a great bargain!!!

Remodeling Furniture

I decided to begin a furniture remodeling project....and although its been a few of weeks since i started, here a is how i got hooked on the idea :)

Back in May I had recently finished with school, so one Saturday afternoon I decided to surf the internet and look at blogs...I went from blog to blog until I ran into the most inspiring DIY ideas by Censational Girl. I felt in love. I read through most of her posts nonstop!!! I was addicted. The more I read the more I wanted to go shopping for great bargains. I wanted to buy old, used up furniture and remodel it to look brand new. The inspiration kept haunting me for days! Finally on a sunny Sunday morning, I decided to go to a few yard sales. I had googled some advertised yard sales the night before that were close by, I drew myself a small map as a guide to save time, and first thing Sunday morning I took off on my furniture hunt. 

Luckily, on my first stop there were some great furniture pieces on sale... Here, I found a beautiful dresser that had an antique look to it and with some sanding and painting this piece of furniture was going to turn into a master piece! SO, I jump on this opportunity and gave an offer. Unfortunately, the owner didn't want to sell this piece alone. Instead, she had a set price for all four pieces of furniture. SOOOO I brought them all!!! :) I know...this was bit impulsive but hey!!! ...I thought...why not! More DIY Projects... 

Here are the images of the four furniture pieces I have acquired...

This is the BEAUTIFUL FEMALE DRESSER!!! 

This is the "male" dresser

This is the frame for a full size bed...wait until you read about the idea for this piece!!!

Last, this is an old table for a sink bowl...

So these are the future master pieces...let the sanding begin!

There is always a first :)

Blogging has always appeal to me but I never seemed to know what to write about. So instead of trying to figure a topic for my blog, I decided to simply write about life. So everything and anything can be covered in my posts. From a small artsy time killing project to major life and career changing decisions.

I love my life. I have what I need and deserve and for that I am thankful. I know that tomorrow new things will come and old things will go. But in order to continue climbing life's growth ladder we must adapt.

Life is beautiful and although at times we might be faced with uncertainties, disappointments and sadness, we have to learn how to see the bright positive side and the lesson life is trying to teach us.

With that said... Let my blogging journey begin. Happy blogging. ;)