Filing Cabinet Redo

Do you know about Freecycle??  It’s a group kinda like Craig’s list that can be specific for your area.  You get emails from legitimate people in your town asking for items or trying to get rid of items. 

I received one Thursday night– someone was GIVING away this lovely cabinet

It had some areas that needed sanding.  After sanding, I cleaned it and primed it and left it outside overnight.

This morning, I went outside to start painting it with spray paint, but it looked awful.  So I resorted to painting it with these acrylic paints that you can buy from Hobby Lobby.

The only bad thing about acrylics is they can scratch off easily, but you can put a clear sealant on top.

I planned on using scrapbook paper on the drawers, so I didn’t  paint the whole drawer blue.  I painted the edges because the paper is not as big as the drawer, so I knew I needed a color on the edge.  I also removed all the removable hardware before painting and put in into a plastic bag.

Then it was time to put on the paper, but first I needed a template.  To do the whole paper part, I used the items below

The red piece of paper is card stock (I really used a scrap of blue card stock ) which is what I used to make my template.  I put the blue paper on the drawer front with some removable tape, and with my exacto blade, I carefully cut around the sliding opener, the label holder, and the 3 holes for the screws to go through.

The tough part was seeing the holes, but I had a “light bulb” moment…. literally 🙂  I placed a flashlight in the drawer, so I could see the light of where the hole was….(I felt pretty smart until it fell off the paper towels, and my husband just held it… wish I had asked him in the first place…);)

So then after I had traced all that, I cut everything I needed out of my template, and I placed it on top of the back side of my scrap book paper and attached the two with paper clips —-best invention EVER!

Then I cut it all out and placed the paper on my drawer front.  I did have to slightly tweak a few areas… but nothing major.

I attached it with my loving nemesis….Tacky glue

I did that to 4 sheets alternating patterns.   It looked like this… I promise the pics are ending soon! 🙂

Then it was time for labels.  I used yellow card stock, a few scrapbook letters, and a paint pen to finish my lettering.

Please pardon my GINORMOUS mess that is over taking the rest of the room.  Here is the finished product… drum roooooooooooooooooooll please……………..

Now to find fun folders to organize the mess that is sure to go into it…. Hopefully everything on that desk! 🙂