Seating For 6 in A Small Kitchen Nook

Not too long ago I turned our Dining Room/ Area into a Music Room/ Office/ Guest Room/ Mud Room so that left no room for a dining table.  What is a family of 6 supposed to do when we want to eat?  I tossed around the idea of tv trays or a folding table, but didn't like that it was too casual. Someone was bound to turn the TV on and there would be no conversation.  I don't like that!

I had already built a tiny table using 1 x 8 boards and Ikea legs for the kids to eat in the kitchen.  I really wanted benches, but my nook has 2 uneven sides since there is a doorway on one side.  I thought about building in a banquette, but one side has a cabinet that I need to get access to.  Well, building my own benches was the answer.  I found this super simple bench on Ana White and decided to go for it, tweaking the dimensions so I could have custom sizes.  

Then I expanded on the existing table by adding 3 more 1 x 8 boards.  Now the trick to this table was that I attached it to the wall using shelf brackets.   It made it much more solid.   I moved around the legs a bit on the original table for better support.

Here's the final product.

 I painted the chairs the same color as the bench using a custom chalk paint I mixed up at the last minute.  I was too cheap and lazy to go to the paint store.  The vinyl on the seats used to be black, but I spray painted them white using plastic spray paint.  (Seems to be holding up well.)

Now I'm able to put the 6 year olds on the small bench, my husband and I on the larger bench, and the teenage boys on the chairs.

If we have a dinner party I just pull out a folding table with and put a bunch of chairs around it in the living room or dining room.  Works like a charm.

mONICa

Kids Art Center for Under $35 Bucks

Last weekend since it was an extended weekend I ventured off into a bunch of projects.  One of the projects was to create an art area for my kids since they love to color.  I had stools that I took out of my kitchen to extend my nook area (post coming in a week or so), so I thought I would make good use of of them.

All I did was basically mount a long shelf.  I had a 1 x 12 cut to size (around 50") and stained it in a dark ebony color to match the other furnishings.  Then I used 3 Ikea Shelf Brackets at $2.00 each.  

I then added a couple of Ikea Rails.  This allowed me to attach a basket to put pencil cup holders in.  

I used laundry twine from the Dollar Tree and nailed 3 rows on top of the desk for the kids to hang their finished art projects.  Some Clothes Pins to secure their art and it was a wrap.

Super easy and fun project and the kids love it!!  If you need stools there are always the ones Target and Walmart sell for around $12.00 each, or you could also mount the desk at chair height.

xoxo,

Monica

21 Day Fix

So by now I'm sure you have all seem the infomercial for the 21 day fix.  I always watch those informercials and never order anything thinking that they are all gimmicks or too good to be true and some are.  Plus, have I told you all I'm allergic to exercise.  Haha!  At least that is what I tell myself.

Well,  a few months ago my good friend of mine tried the 21 day fix and wow!  Her results were awesome.  Totally inspiring!  Ever since I moved back to California I started gaining weight, stress weight and it wouldn't come off.  I tried every diet in the book and nothing worked.  Well,  my friend convinced me to try the 21 day fix.  The way she convinced me was by telling me there was a 30 day money back guarantee.  I thought to myself, if it doesn't work I've got nothing to lose and ordered it.

I am so happy I did.  My results are incredible.  I've done 2 rounds and feel amazing.  I also drink Shakeology daily to get my daily dose of dense nutrition.  Its loaded with super foods.  It can also act as a meal replacement.  In total I lost 8.4 pounds and 10 inches. Read more about my joinery at my Fitness Blog.

Anyway,  I'm so proud of myself I had to show you my results.

This was just in 21 days.  I haven't had the chance to take anymore pics since.  The eating plan is pretty simple, you have these containers and you fill up with a list of approved foods and you are never hungry.  The workouts are only 30 minutes a day.  They have a modifier if you are new to working out, but these exercises are not aggressively hard, they are doable.

Anyway,  I had to share.  If you are interested in getting the 21 day fix Challenge pack which gives you a nice discount on your first month of Shakeology click here.

DIY Piano Stand

Since I went back to work full time its been challenging to get projects done around the house.  I've resorted to buying Ikea stuff as disposable furniture.  This weekend however, was different.  I needed a stand for my keyboard (a newly found hobby of mine).  However, I couldn't find one that fit my keyboard.  Yeah, I could've resorted to one like this that they sell at Amazon and hope it wouldn't fall apart.

But  that one is $89 dollars plus tax and who knows what it is made of or if my keyboard will even fit.  Then I found this online.

It was perfect (well almost).  See my keyboard doesn't have a lip that the side could slip into.  So that meant it would need a top.  He made the above one out of two shelves from Ikea and some added wood, for only $26 dollars.  I thought I could get even cheaper if I did the whole thing DIY.

Here is what I came up with.

I cut 2 matching sides out of 1 x 12 and a 1 x 4 support beam.  Then added the 1 x 12 top, screwed it all together and gave it a quick coat of stain.   Viola!  It was super easy and fits my keyboard perfectly.  

xoxo.

mONICa