I’m back with more changes to our kitchen. The last time we shared an update it was our painted cabinets. (Read more about that here.) Last weekend we decided to take the plunge and try painting our laminate countertops.

Initially, we thought we wanted to try to do something that looked like granite. There are a lot of DIY versions of painted counters on the internet and if for some reason it didn’t work out, our plan was to just buy new ones.

My hubby, Chris, started by removing the caulk around the edges of the counters and wiping everything down with a TSP Substitute to get off any extra grime or gunk.

Next, he taped around everything that we didn’t want to get paint on. We’ve found that if you take a damp paper towel and go over the tape (Blue Painter’s Tape or Frog Tape) that it kind of seals it so the paint will not leak through.

Then, he applied one coat of Zinsser Cover Stain Primer with a brush.

We let that dry for 2 hours and then, starting on opposite counters, we painted one coat of Rust-Oleum Black Oil Based Paint in Gloss. This stuff is super thick and we only needed one layer to get ample coverage. We let it dry for 24 hours before doing anything else.

The next part of the plan was to apply acrylic paint with a sponge to give the counters a granite type look. After a few attempts at applying the paint, we decided to completely nix that idea because it just wasn’t turning out the way we had hoped. Luckily, the acrylic paint had not dried completely and we were able to get it off fairly easily with a wet sponge. Thank goodness!

Since the counters were looking pretty good in their glossy state, we decided just to go with it and applied a protective top layer. We used three coats of Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover in Clear Gloss, as recommend by our local hardware store paint guy. I kind of gave this idea the side eye because we had planned on using an oil based polyurethane. However, it seems to be working out OK so far.

The clear gloss paint looked blue-ish going on, but it dried completely clear. I’m thinking I will go back and add a few more layers just to give it some extra durability.

We really love how our kitchen looks now! The dark counters add the perfect contrast to our bright white cabinets. Every thing is so smooth and easy to clean off. There are visible brush strokes, but it honestly doesn’t bother us one bit.

Because we’ve only had our “new” countertops done for a week, there has not been a lot of wear and tear on them. However, they seem to be holding up just fine with normal use and cleaning.

I will definitely share an update if we notice any problems, but so far, so good. Here’s hoping for the best!

(Update: Our countertops started to peel/flake over time. Please consider using an oil based polyurethane in addition the the oil based paint. You can read more about our countertop update by clicking here.)

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I love a fun and simple paper craft. There is something about just being able to whip out a bunch of items in a short amount of time that is very gratifying. A couple of years ago, I came across a super awesome blog called Kate’s Creative Space. Kate has so many amazing projects and fun ideas that she has shared. One of my favorite, yet easy, projects is her 3D paper stars, so I’m sharing my version of these Festive Six Point Paper Stars and how I did them.

Paper stars can be used for so many occasions as wall decor, garlands, package tags and even inexpensive ornaments for a tree. Here are the supplies that I used to make mine:

I actually used a pen here, just so it would show up a little better.

Start by measuring the diameter of the round object and dividing that in 2. Keep that number in mind. (My bowl measured 5 inches across on the side that I would be tracing around, so my measurement to remember was 2.5 inches. Geometry fact: that’s the radius!)

Trace around the bowl and mark a starting point along the line. Measure with the ruler around the rim from the starting point and mark six equidistant points around the circle using the predetermined radius measurement.

Next, connect all alternating points with a line. This will look like two triangles overlapping.

Then, cut out the star with super awesome gold scissors!

To make the star 3 dimensional, fold the star in half, with the right sides facing, along each of the INNER points. Do this 3 times total.

After that, fold the star in half, with the wrong sides facing, along each of the OUTER points. Again, make 3 folds.

The star should now be 3D. Refold and score again to make the angles pop!

These adorable stars are so fun and you can make a bunch of them in a short time, assuming you are not documenting the process with a camera in crappy lighting. *wink*

So, grab some fun paper and get to work making your holidays FESTIVE!

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