Monday Made it~ Filing Cabinet Jazz!

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I got lucky to grab this little cabinet on a local swap site.
It’s been chillin’ in my garage since about March.
I was cringing at the thought of making it all jazzed up.
My OCD-ness can push over to any project I do.
I want it all to look “perfect.”
But perfect just isn’t something that happens in life very often.
Thankfully!
I’m trying to learn this in all stages of my life!
Materials I used:


I did not use primer before hand.
I had read on blog that it wasn’t necessary.
And to be honest, if I can get away with skippin’ one step of painting,
I’m all for it!

Base:

Step 1:

Take off the drawers.

I did not tape anything! {lazy}

Step 2:

Paint first coat!

I used a smaller roller from Walmart and a brush for the bottom.

I  re-did each side a few times on this “first coat” plan.

I have a problem with leaving paint alone once its on.

I always think I did it wrong.

Tip:  I found the paint pretty thick and would drip really easily.  

Watch out for those drips!

I should have had better light.

Step 3:  

Add another coat!

I did about three coats total, 

although each coat had a few more brush strokes than necessary probably.

Again, paintin’ is not my best skill.

Step 4:

Spray with Enamel Spray {listed above}.

This gives it a little “shine.”


Drawers:

Before I started my drawers, I had to take on the task of getting magnets

 that were pretty much “stuck” onto the cabinet off.

I used WD40.  That baby works like a charm for anything sticky.

Including those awful stickers stuck onto pictures, etc.

I was tired of painting, yet wanted my drawers to be as easy as possible!

With no measuring required!

{I don’t care to use rulers!}

I decided to experiment with Scotch Expressions Masking Tape purchased at Walmart.

{Both mint/tealish big rolls are Scotch purchased at Walmart}

And accented with a little roll of washi tape I had from Michael’s.

Step 9:

I took of the handles and sprayed the top of one drawer with Spray Adhesive.

I’ve used washi tape here and there and knew the sides can peel up pretty easily.

Even though I sprayed the drawers first, 

it was still easy to pull off the tape and reuse it.

 

  

Step 10:

Add tape!

I covered up the silver label section.

I had no idea how to take it off.

Step 11:
Cut out the silver accent piece.
If I had an Exacto knife, it would have been smooth.
But I didn’t….
I used regular scissors, and a little bit of the tape tore just a tad.
To solve that, I added the accent piece around the silver!
Solved my problem with no need to go the store!

Step 12:

I did the other drawer with stripes the opposite way.

Then added modge podge over both drawers.

This will help “seal” it even better!

If you use washi tape to decorate anything,

 I highly suggest adding modge podge to it!

When you are adding the tape, make sure to smooth it down as you go to get out bubbles!

You can also continue to smooth down the areas as you are adding the modge podge!

This will help the different strips of tape to look like they are one!

Step 14:
I was so excited to put the drawers into the base and start fillin’ it up.

Then BAM.

Huge blonde moment happened.

I forgot to paint the middle!

Step 15: 
Fixed my silly moment.
Fill the baby up!

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25 Comments

  4. Your filing cabinet looks awesome! I have the same problem while painting…my first coat ends up being at least three in some sections. I would never have the patience to do the stripes with tape because I have issues with making things perfectly straight.
    The Traveling Teacher

  12. Just beautiful!! I get that obsession with perfect, I have to work really hard at letting that go too. Maybe we can start a support group for each other 😉

  13. What a great idea. I didn't think about using the tape on the front of the filing cabinets. I used scrapbook paper for mine and you are right, the edges did come up over the school year. I had to fix that. Thanks for sharing how you did your project. It looks great! 🙂
    Tammy

    Mrs. Flickinger's Butterfly Oasis

  25. Adorable! So funny – I just bought chalkboard paint to do my cabinet (before seeing this!). I bought the spray paint kind, I hope it still works! Question – is it still an effective chalkboard surface once you spray the shiny topcoat? Just curious!!!
    Keep being awesome!!!

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