WRAL@Home: Include the kids in this DIY furniture painting project

I love DIY projects! My latest has been restoring an old buffet table with some chalk paint.

I used Dixie Belle paint in two colors -- Lemonade and Blueberry. Now it has a soft, bright look that just makes me happy!

I ran into a bit of a challenge while re-installing the cabinet doors -- I missed a hole and accidentally stripped some of the holes. So now I have to repair those with dowels (drill a hole into the stripped hole, tightly fit a dowel in and saw off so it is even, glue with wood glue and then sand down). Once it dries I'll make new screw holes)

A bit of a curveball there, but I learn something new on all of my DIY projects, and love the learning process!

I recently upcycled one of my daughters' cribs into a back porch swing. I learned a lot through that project -- most importantly, that measuring is really important! "Measure twice, cut once" became a saying I grew intimately familiar with!

I added 2x4s to reinforce the bottom, along with a sheet of heavy-duty plywood. I used the crib mattress and covered it with an old duvet cover that had frayed on the edges -- I love how it turned out, though.

I considered re-painting the sides since the girls had left bite marks on it from their teething years, but I actually kind of love those marks. When I sit there, I always remember sweet baby times and it makes me smile.

I also recently re-painted an old dresser in Dixie Belle paint (Mermaid Tail) and re-purposed some old knobs I had laying around from a previous project to jazz it up a little. It is a fun pop of color and completely changes the look of the furniture and the room.

I love these types of projects, and I love letting my kids help out here and there. Personally, I think it adds a bit of character and a lot of meaning, and it makes the pieces much more special to me.

My next project -- tackling an antique radio I found at an estate sale. I haven't figured out exactly what I want to do with it, but I think I can make it into something really cool. Any ideas? Let me know!

I'd love to see your projects too! Be sure to share them with me on my Facebook page, @WRAL Kathryn Brown.