Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Merry Christmas!

One week until my due date....oh, and Christmas!  We have been extremely busy getting our house ready for this new addition....I have lots to share with you, but I can pretty much guarantee it won't be until the end of January!  Don't give up on me, I have craft room progress to share, as well as two new kids' bedrooms complete with decor.  I WILL be back!!!
In the meantime, have a wonderful holiday!
Software: Adobe Photoshop 10, Template: Aimee Harrison, Papers and Elements: Stampin' Up! Christmas Cocoa II

Friday, October 12, 2012

DIY Wedding M&M: Embellished Picture Frames

This is one of my favorite projects from the wedding.  To make these embellished frames, you need:
an unfinished wood frame, $1.00 at Michael's
Modge Podge
a 1 inch foam brush
Patterned paper
Fabric strips
Felt
Hot glue
White cardstock

I just discovered I have literally no photos of this process!  So I'll describe it as best I can.
First, find or create your patterned paper.  I made mine in Photoshop.  I used a linen look digital paper, then put the lyrics of ten of my favorite love songs over the top in a typewriter font to look vintage.
Next, trace the outline of your frame onto the back side of the patterned paper.  Cut an X in the center hole, but be careful not to cut over the lines you traced.
Then using the foam brush, coat the front of your frame with Modge Podge and then place the frame face down on the backside of the paper, making sure to line it up with the lines you traced.
Next, brush some Modge Podge over the back side of the frame, and carefully fold the paper over the edges, kind of like you are wrapping a present.  Make sure the paper is taut, you don't want any creases.  Trim off excess paper as necessary.  The Modge Podge may cause the paper to look wavy, but don't worry, it will dry nice and smooth.
This is optional, but I didn't like how messy the backside looked, so using the white cardstock, I again traced the outlines of the frame and then cut out around the lines and then Modge Podged it onto the back of the frame.
Let it dry, and in the meantime, make your embellishments!  I used fabric strips, felt and a hot glue gun to make rosettes.  Once whatever embellishments you choose are ready, hot glue them on!
And there you have it!  A very inexpensive but very cute frame.

All the posts on this wedding found here.

Linking up here:
{M} Twigg Studios-Skip to My Lou-The DIY Showoff-Mad in Crafts-Marvelously Messy-Pinkopotamus-The Girl Creative-Sumo's Sweet Stuff-Making the World Cuter-Sew Can DoC.R.A.F.T.- Keeping It Simple-Creating My Way to Success-All Things Fee-Craft-o-Maniac-Boogieboard Cottage-Be Colorful-Between Naps on the Porch-I Should Be Mopping the Floor {T} Today's Creative Blog-Tip Junkie-Cherished Bliss-A Diamond in the Stuff-Sugar Bee Crafts-Vintage Wanna Bee-Reasons to Skip the Housework-The Kurtz Corner-Me and My Boys-Funky Polkadot Giraffe-Hope Studios-Creative Itch-Not Just a Housewife-At Home with K-My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Home Stories A2Z-DIY by Design-Primitive and Proper {furniture only}-Elizabeth & Co.-Project Queen-Coastal Charm-Ladybug Blessings-Homework-Topsy Turvy (third Tuesdays)-New Nostalgia {W} Tea Rose Home-Someday Crafts-Lil' Luna-Creations by Kara-Sew Woodsy -Blue Cricket Design-Sew Much Ado-My Girlish Whims-Very Merry Vintage Style-Savvy Southern Style-Seven Thirty Three-Sugar and Dots-The Trendy Treehouse-Southern Lovely -Polkadots on Parade-Restore Interiors-Ginger Snap Crafts-Fireflies and Jellybeans-Organize and Decorate Everything-Rae Gun Ramblings {Th} The Shabby Creek Cottage-House of Hepworths-The Brambleberry Cottage-The 36th Avenue-Yesterday on Tuesday-Momnivore's Dilemma-Beyond the Picket Fence-Somewhat Simple-Gluesticks-A Glimpse Inside-Domestically Speaking {paint only}-A Creative Princess-Christina's Adventures {$20}-Tales from Bloggeritaville-A Little Knick Knack-Crafty, Scrappy, Happy-Two Yellow Birds Decor {F} Thirty Handmade Days-Romantic Home-Remodelaholic-Shabby Nest-Lovely Crafty Home-WhipperBerry-At the Picket Fence-Finding Fabulous-delicate CONSTRUCTION-My Repurposed Life-Naptime Crafters-Chic on a Shoestring Budget Decorating-Fingerprints on the Fridge-504 Main-French Country Cottage-See Vanessa Craft-It's a Hodgepodge Life-Truly Lovely-Simply Designing-Miss Mustard Seed {furniture only}-Simply Sweet Home-Joyful Stamper-Craftionary-Release Me Create-Simple Home Life-Family Ever After-Addicted to Decorating-One Artsy Mama {S} Funky Junk Interior-Ladybird Lane-Tatertots and Jello-Craft Envy

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

DIY Wedding M&M: Candle Jars

Since I wasn't sure about the flammability of Modge Podge, and I didn't want it to be overkill, I opted to merely trim the candle jars.  I used quart jars for the tinted flower jars, and pint jars for the candles to give variety in height.  I trimmed them with lace, raw edged fabric, ribbon, jute twine and leftover patterned paper from the picture frames.  And I googled how long tea lights burn for, and I am happy to say they burn for an average of four hours.  That was helpful, since tea lights are so much cheaper than votives!  (You can get 100 for $3.99 at IKEA or 50 for $2.25 at Walmart.)  Our open house was two hours, and we had not a single tea light burn out.

Next up: picture frames!
See all posts from the wedding here.

Friday, October 5, 2012

DIY Wedding M&M: Tinted Mason Jars

I pinned a number of tutorials for tinting mason jars, and I ended up kind of combining all the techniques I saw, as well as trying a few of my own ideas.  As I experimented, some jars turned out better than others.  I'm sharing the method that worked the best for me.

You need:
Matte Modge Podge
Food coloring
Tin foil
a styrofoam bowl
an inch wide foam brush
a popsicle stick or something like it
a wet rag

Okay, so first things first, make sure your jars are clean and dry.
Next, pour some Modge Podge into the stryofoam bowl.  Add a tiny bit of water, like 2 tsp max.  Then add five drops of blue and a drop of yellow (if you're going for the antique aqua look).  Stir it all together with the popsicle stick (I would recommend not stirring with the foam brush, as when you try to get the excess out of the brush, it creates bubbles which then end up in your jar...and they don't bake out!).  In all likelihood, the color will not be dark enough, so you may have to repeat the food coloring a few times.  If there isn't enough green in the tint for you, add some more yellow, or even some green.

Now dump it into your jar, and roll it all around to coat everything.  Use the foam brush as needed to smear it into any spots that haven't gotten covered.  Try really hard to get an even consistent coat everywhere.
Dump out the excess, and wipe the outer rim of the jar with your wet rag.  Then leave it sitting upside down on the foil (you might want two layers of foil to protect your work surface). 
I personally left my jars to drain out the excess for around 45 minutes, to try to eliminate any runny stuff.
Then preheat your oven to 200 degrees.  If you plan on having water in these jars, you must bake them, otherwise the Modge Podge will come right off.  Baking also makes the Modge Podge translucent, whereas just letting it dry makes it more opaque.
  Take out any extra racks from your oven and line the bottom with tin foil.  Then carefully put tin foil over the wires of the rack still in the oven, as shown below.
Then wipe the outer rims of your jars one more time, and put your jars in, still upside down, and bake for about 45 minutes.  Beware, the scent of baking Modge Podge is awful, try not to breathe it in.
Pull them out and let them cool overnight before putting anything in them.
It's very probable that your jars will not be perfect.  I dealt with that by trimming them and turning any ugly spots to the center of the tables where they wouldn't be seen!

We then trimmed our jars with satin ribbon and burlap, and I made some cute monograms and date circles in Photoshop to add a little extra something.  Then my husband's cousin, who is a florist at Flowers for All Events, did a BEAUTIFUL job filling all the jars with flowers.
If you want to reuse these jars for another event, dump out the water as soon as possible and let them dry out.   You may even want to rebake them (you can just stick them in the oven right side up) for 15 minutes or so if you plan to use them with water again.

Next up: candle jars!
See all posts from the wedding here.

Linking up here:
{M} Twigg Studios-Skip to My Lou-The DIY Showoff-Mad in Crafts-Marvelously Messy-Pinkopotamus-The Girl Creative-Sumo's Sweet Stuff-Making the World Cuter-Sew Can DoC.R.A.F.T.- Keeping It Simple-Creating My Way to Success-All Things Fee-Craft-o-Maniac-Singing Three Little Birds-Boogieboard Cottage-Be Colorful-Between Naps on the Porch-I Should Be Mopping the Floor {T} Today's Creative Blog-Tip Junkie-Cherished Bliss-A Diamond in the Stuff-Sugar Bee Crafts-Vintage Wanna Bee-Reasons to Skip the Housework-The Kurtz Corner-Me and My Boys-Funky Polkadot Giraffe-Hope Studios-Creative Itch-Not Just a Housewife-At Home with K-My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Home Stories A2Z-DIY by Design-Primitive and Proper {furniture only}-Elizabeth & Co.-Project Queen-Coastal Charm-Ladybug Blessings-Homework-Topsy Turvy (third Tuesdays)-New Nostalgia {W} Tea Rose Home-Someday Crafts-Lil' Luna-Creations by Kara-Sew Woodsy -Blue Cricket Design-Sew Much Ado-My Girlish Whims-Very Merry Vintage Style-Savvy Southern Style-Seven Thirty Three-Sugar and Dots-The Trendy Treehouse-Southern Lovely -Polkadots on Parade-Restore Interiors-Ginger Snap Crafts-Fireflies and Jellybeans-Organize and Decorate Everything-Rae Gun Ramblings {Th} The Shabby Creek Cottage-House of Hepworths-The Brambleberry Cottage-The 36th Avenue-Yesterday on Tuesday-Momnivore's Dilemma-Beyond the Picket Fence-Somewhat Simple-Gluesticks-A Glimpse Inside-Domestically Speaking {paint only}-A Creative Princess-Christina's Adventures {$20}-What Allie's Making Now-Tales from Bloggeritaville-A Little Knick Knack-Crafty, Scrappy, Happy-Two Yellow Birds Decor {F} Thirty Handmade Days-Romantic Home-Remodelaholic-Shabby Nest-Lovely Crafty Home-WhipperBerry-At the Picket Fence-Finding Fabulous-delicate CONSTRUCTION-My Repurposed Life-Naptime Crafters-Chic on a Shoestring Budget Decorating-Fingerprints on the Fridge-504 Main-French Country Cottage-See Vanessa Craft-It's a Hodgepodge Life-Truly Lovely-Simply Designing-Miss Mustard Seed {furniture only}-Simply Sweet Home-Joyful Stamper-Craftionary-Release Me Create-Simple Home Life-Family Ever After-Addicted to Decorating-One Artsy Mama {S} Funky Junk Interior-Ladybird Lane-Tatertots and Jello-Craft Envy

Thursday, September 27, 2012

DIY Wedding Open House: M&M

Unfortunately for me, the photos I got do not properly reflect how beautiful it was....or what a labor of love it was!  But let's take a look nonetheless.
Vintage was the theme of the wedding, so we carried it over in a shabby chic vintage kind of way for the open house.  In all those months of my pregnancy that I was so sick, all I could do was lay there and feel sorry for myself, I dreamed this up....
So let's go over the details...I'll just share what we did, and then in later posts will come the how-to instructions for my DIY projects.

First and foremost, lighting.  We strung white lights (the large bulb outdoor Christmas kind...don't use LED, they look bluish-neon and ugly) from the deck to one of the trees.  We were going to do another two or three strands off the other end of the deck to a couple other trees on the other side of the yard....but we may or may not have blown those strands by overloading the circuit.  Whoops.  In addition, we had a floodlight on the food, and one off the corner of the deck to replace the light that we would have gotten from the strands we blew.  We hung purple and silver paper lanterns from the light strands, trees and deck to add some color.  
And we had candles EVERYWHERE!

To further set the mood, music is ALWAYS a must.  This was an open house, not a reception, so we weren't doing dancing, but that didn't lessen the importance of a good playlist.  To match the feel we were going for, I used mostly older tunes with a few of my favorite modern songs thrown in.  My playlist was as follows:

L-O-V-E, Nat King Cole
The Best is Yet to Come, Michael Buble
La Vie En Rose, Edith Piaf (I prefer the French version, though she does do it in English too)
Fools Rush In, Elvis Presley
Over the Rainbow, Harry Nilsson
Come Away With Me, Norah Jones
You and I, Michael Buble
At Last, Etta James
Return to Me, Joey Gian
Dream a Little Dream of Me, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Moonlight, Sting
Anchor, Mindy Gledhill
For Once in My Life, Michael Buble
As Time Goes By, Billie Holiday
Unforgettable, Nat King Cole
All the Way, Frank Sinatra
The Nearness of You, Norah Jones
Sway, Dean Martin

Guests entered through the side gate.  We had balloons at the corners of the chain link fence, and little baby jar lanterns hanging along the fence.
The sign-in table was at the immediate left after the gate.
I used a puzzle composed of photos of the bride and groom as the guest book.
Hanging above the sign-in table were mason jars that I stenciled their names out on.  Inside each jar was some tulle in the wedding colors (coral, lavender and splashes of aqua) and a battery-powered votive...so we wouldn't burn the deck down!  I hung them, staggered, from the underside of the deck with my trusty staple gun and some jute twine.
 
 The gift table ran at a right angle from the sign-in table,
and over that I hung baby jars with 'gifts & cards' stenciled on them, with battery powered tea lights.  Also hung with jute twine.

Tables, chairs and white linens we borrowed from our church.  For the centerpieces, I cut about 6 yards of tulle and folded it into a multi-layer square, then on top placed two tinted jars full of flowers, three jars of candles and framed photo of the bride and groom from their wedding day at the Portland temple the week previous.  These decor items were also spread out on the sign-in and gift tables, as you may have noticed.
 


The food....I took no photos of, since it wasn't my deal.  We decided to do a dessert bar, and I did bake a lot, but the table, while attractive, wasn't my work of art, so I just didn't even think about taking pictures of it!

And last but not least, the bride and groom.  The only photo I really got of them the whole night!
Mandy was wearing her paternal grandmother's 1940's wedding gown and her maternal grandmother's sparkly vintage brooch as a hair accessory.  She looked stunning.  And Matt looked alright, I guess.  :)  They opted not to rent tuxedos, so instead he bought a new grey suit.  Looked pretty snazzy.

So there you have it!  The event that absorbed me for months!
More posts to follow on all the DIY projects I did for this.  To see the rest of the posts on this wedding, click here.



Linking up here:
{M} Twigg Studios-Ask Anna-Skip to My Lou-The DIY Showoff-Mad in Crafts-Marvelously Messy-Pinkopotamus-The Girl Creative-Sumo's Sweet Stuff-Making the World Cuter-Sew Can DoC.R.A.F.T.- Keeping It Simple-Creating My Way to Success-All Things Fee-Etcetorize -Craft-o-Maniac-My Junk Drawer-Homemaker in Heels-Singing Three Little Birds-The House in the Roses-Boogieboard Cottage-Be Colorful-Between Naps on the Porch-I Should Be Mopping the Floor-Embellishing Life {T} Today's Creative Blog-Tip Junkie-Cherished Bliss-A Diamond in the Stuff-Sugar Bee Crafts-Vintage Wanna Bee-Reasons to Skip the Housework-The Kurtz Corner-Me and My Boys-Funky Polkadot Giraffe-Hope Studios-Creative Itch-Not Just a Housewife-Rook No. 17-At Home with K-My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia-Home Stories A2Z-Type A Decorating-DIY by Design-Primitive and Proper {furniture only}-Elizabeth & Co.-Project Queen-Coastal Charm-Ladybug Blessings-Homework-Topsy Turvy-New Nostalgia-Measured by the Heart {W} Tea Rose Home-Someday Crafts-Lil' Luna-Creations by Kara-Sew Woodsy -Goodbye City Hello Suburbs-Blue Cricket Design-Sew Much Ado-My Girlish Whims-Very Merry Vintage Style-Savvy Southern Style-Seven Thirty Three-Night Owl Crafting-Sugar and Dots-The Trendy Treehouse-Southern Lovely -Polkadots on Parade-Restore Interiors-Chatty Chicks-Ginger Snap Crafts-The Sasse Life-Fireflies and Jellybeans-Organize and Decorate Everything-Rae Gun Ramblings {Th} The Shabby Creek Cottage-House of Hepworths-The Brambleberry Cottage-The 36th Avenue-Yesterday on Tuesday-Saved by Love Creations-Momnivore's Dilemma-Beyond the Picket Fence-Somewhat Simple-Gluesticks-A Glimpse Inside-Domestically Speaking {paint only}-A Creative Princess-Christina's Adventures {$20}-What Allie's Making Now-Tales from Bloggeritaville-A Little Knick Knack-Crafty, Scrappy, Happy-Two Yellow Birds Decor-These Peas Taste Funny {F} Thirty Handmade Days-Just a Girl-Romantic Home-Remodelaholic-Shabby Nest-Lovely Crafty Home-WhipperBerry-At the Picket Fence-Finding Fabulous-delicate CONSTRUCTION-My Repurposed Life-Naptime Crafters-Chic on a Shoestring Budget Decorating-Fingerprints on the Fridge-504 Main-Cookie Nut Creations-Making Lemonade-French Country Cottage-See Vanessa Craft-Sassy Sites-Kojo Designs-It's a Hodgepodge Life-Tidy Mom-Truly Lovely-Simply Designing-Bubbly Nature Creations-Home is Where My Story Begins-Miss Mustard Seed {furniture only}-Simply Sweet Home-Creation Corner-Joyful Stamper-Craftionary-Release Me Create-Simple Home Life-Family Ever After-Addicted to Decorating-One Artsy Mama {S} Funky Junk Interior-Ladybird Lane-Tatertots and Jello-Craft Envy

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

DIY Wedding M&M: Little Boy Ties

I know, it's been a ridiculously long time since I posted anything.  Let's just say recovering from this wedding and regaining any desire to do anything has taken some time!!!
But let's talk about the wedding!  Today, I wanted to show you the ties I made for the little guys.  All the grown up men got the same awesome lavender paisley tie (I love paisley...but I didn't pick it out, yet another reason I love my new sister-in-law: she likes paisley), and I thought it would be nice for the little guys (i.e. the three nephews) to match, so I offered to make them matching ties out of grown-up ties.
So I bought two little guy tie patterns from the Little Gentleman's Closet, her bow tie and her regular tie patterns.  Michelle, the owner of this shop, is an old friend.  We met in our 7th grade music class, and I assure you, our friendship was definitely the only good thing that came out of that class!   These days she has two little boys, which inspired her to start this shop to begin with.  (You've got to check out her Halloween ties....I love them.)
Anyway, the patterns are great.  Very clear step-by-step instructions with lots of photos.  But since I was making the ties from grown-up ties, there is a couple extra steps I had to take.
One, take the ties completely apart.  Make sure you remove all threads. 
Two, iron out all the creases.
Three, I had to lay out the pattern pieces a little differently, so this is how I did it:
Other than that, I followed the instructions and they came out great.  I made two regular ties for the 4 and 5 year old nephews (my son is the 5 year old) and a bow tie for the 9 month old little guy, out of the scraps from the two other ties.
My son just finished pulling his all out of shape, so ignore his!
I was also supposed to make dresses for me and my daughter....I bought coral chiffon and white lining to make them.  I'd never sewn with chiffon previously.  It was awful.  I ended up scrapping the pattern for my dress and just making in essence a halter-style tent, which I then added white satin ribbon for the neck tie and to act as a belt over my pregnant belly, and wore a white shrug.  It actually looked pretty cute, and I wish I had a good photo to show you, but that's what you get when you're the one walking around with the camera. This is the best I have...shows my cute family, but not really my dress!
My daughter, I gave up and just made her a little bolero jacket to go over a white dress she already had.  Oh, and a cute clip using this basic method.  Of course, I have plenty of photos of her!
More wedding stuff to come, folks!

Friday, August 17, 2012

DIY Wedding M&M: Invitations

My brother-in-law Matt is getting married in two weeks.  TWO WEEKS!!!  He is getting married up in Oregon, in the Portland Temple, as his bride, Mandy, is from Eugene...where we lived when my husband was in law school, and where Matt now goes to law school as well.  Which means there will be an open house here in Utah, where he is from, a week later.  So needless to say, I have been all kinds of busy with preparations, both for the wedding in Oregon and the open house here.  I'll have LOTS to share with you after the blessed event is over, but until then, I thought I'd share their wedding announcement.
I designed it based on this invitation that Mandy really liked.  
I used the ever faithful Photoshop, and a digital stamp by Stampin' Up!  The fonts are the King and Queen for their names, and Tangerine for the rest of the invitation.
We got them printed with Catprint, for a fraction of what our inspiration would have cost!  Mandy paid $158.55 for 300 invitations plus white envelopes, 30 insert cards for those invited to the temple ceremony, and 60 insert cards for those invited to the wedding dinner.  Just 300 invitations alone of our inspiration would have cost $306.00, plus whatever for S&H.  Yet another reason to love DIY!
Mandy then took this lovely photo of the two of them, 
taken in my in-laws backyard before church when they were visiting (and that I prettied up a bit in Photoshop) and got 300 printed at Costco with a coupon for $0.09 a piece, $27.00 total.
So 300 beautiful custom invitations cost them a grand total of $185.55!  Now if only stamps were free.....

I'll be back in a couple weeks with all kinds of wedding ideas and tutorials to share with you!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Painting Cabinets (or Furniture) Without Sanding

Boy, do I have a lot going on right now.  A LOT.  I'm starting to feel a little better....still nauseous, but it's nausea I can push through and function still.  At least during the day....evenings are a whole 'nother story.
Anyway, a friend of mine has some furniture she wants to update with a little paint, and I told her I'd give her my shortcuts to doing it....and I thought I should just write a blog post and share it with all of you too!

So back in February, I woke up in the middle of the night and decided I hated my kitchen cabinets and I was going to paint them.  For long time readers, you'll remember I spent a few months when we first bought our house sanding down and restaining those very kitchen cabinets.  Truth is, I was never happy with how they turned out, but after all the blood, sweat and tears (literally), I couldn't bring myself to admit it until months later!

These steps are specifically tailored to kitchen cabinets, but they can be applied to furniture as well.
So let's get started.  First things first, remove all the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, remove the hardware and take down all hinges.  Tape around the cabinet bases.  Then put down some plastic in your garage and lay out all those cabinet doors and drawer fronts.

This is our replacement sanding step.  With painting, all you need to do is dull the finish enough for the paint to stick, whereas with traditional restaining, you have to remove not only the protective top coat, but the original stain as well.  Hence the agonizing hours of sanding.
You need a deglosser.
Wear rubber gloves!  Pour some deglosser into a styrofoam bowl and use a cheap bristle paint brush to apply it to each of your doors, drawer fronts and cabinet bases in batches.  Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then come back with those gloves on and a good old fashioned Brillo pad in hand.
Using the Brillo pad, scrub all the surfaces you coated in deglosser thoroughly.  By using the Brillo pad along with the deglosser, you are smoothing things out a bit as well as deglossing the surface.  Flip the cabinet doors and drawer fronts over and repeat.
The deglosser will dry leaving a bit of a white residue.  That's okay, don't worry about it.

Next step: Primer!

I used an awesome water-based product by Zinsser, their Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer, designed to stick to any surface.  It's similar to their Cover Stain Primer, which I used when I painted my laminate bookshelves...but it's SO much better since it's water-based instead of oil-based.  Get a good quality angled paint brush and get the primer into the crevices.  Then pour around half a cup of primer onto a styrofoam plate and roll a high density foam roller into it, making sure to get an even amount of primer on your roller.  Then roll away.  Repeat as needed.  I only did one full coat of primer, but I made sure it was a good one!

And onto the Paint!
I used Valspar Signature Colors Paint and Primer in One, satin finish in Dove White.  I opted for paint plus primer because I was painting fairly dark cabinets with gnarly dark grain WHITE.  Even if your situation is different, I would still recommend the paint plus primer.  Just to be thorough.
Use the same angled brush then styrofoam plate and high density foam method.  This ensures you get light even coats with no globbies.  'Cause who wants globbies.
ALSO!  If you have oak with gnarly grain like I do, make sure you get the paint into all the grain!  Use the end of your foam roller to really scrub it in there...


Otherwise it will look like a cheap, poorly done paint job (like one of the houses we looked at during the hunting process...one of those houses that you can't believe anyone would EVER buy....)
Repeat the process as needed, making sure it dries thoroughly between coats.

Last but not least, top coat.
I used Valspar Clear Protector.  This stuff is awesome.  Apply it the same way as you did the primer and paint.  I did two coats overall, then three to four coats on the backside of the bar (where my children stick their grimy feet) and on the cabinet bases/door underneath the sink.  Just something to keep in mind, higher wear areas would benefit from an extra coat or two.

Once the top coat is thoroughly dry, you can reassemble your kitchen (or furniture!).

And for kicks, here is my kitchen in its many stages in the past year.