Products – Love My DIY Home

Ep24 The Final Finish: Why Application Matters More Than the Paint Itself

Prefer to listen? >>> No paint cans were harmed in the making of this episode. The Final Finish: Why Application Matters More Than the Paint Itself If you’ve ever stood back after finishing a piece of furniture and thought, “This should look better than it does,” you’re not alone. One of the biggest misconceptions in furniture flipping is that a better finish comes from better paint. It doesn’t. More often than not, finish problems aren’t product problems — they’re application problems. Brush strokes. Drag marks. Patchy sheen. A finish that looks rushed instead of refined. Paint doesn’t fix those issues. It reveals them. Craftsmanship Is More Than Product Choice You can use the best paint on the market and still end up disappointed if the surface underneath wasn’t prepared properly or if the application was rushed. A professional-looking finish comes from judgment — knowing: when the surface is … Read more

Ep17: The 5 Types of Primer Every Furniture Artist Should Know

Which Primer Will Work Best for Your Project? The 5 Types of Primer Every Furniture Artist Should Know Primer shouldn’t feel like a trip through a chemistry lab — but sometimes the names alone can twist your tongue! In Episode 17 of Flipping Furniture for Profit, I break down the five primer types every flipper runs into and explain what each one actually does in real-life projects. You’ll finally understand which primer helps with adhesion, which one stops bleed-through, which one blocks stains, and which one is your best friend when nothing else seems to work. And yes… by the end you’ll be able to say “shellac-based stain-blocking primer” with confidence (maybe even twice in a row). I created a free workbook to go with the series — because teaching is my love language. Click the link to request the workbook >>> ValFrania.com/PrimerWorkbook Click below to listen to Episode 17 … Read more

Ep16: The Beginner’s Guide to Primer — When You Need It… and When You Don’t

If you’ve ever stood over a piece of furniture wondering, “Do I really need primer… or is this just one more thing people say I should do?” — this episode is your new best friend. Episode 16 of Flipping Furniture for Profit kicks off the Primer Power Series with a clear, beginner-friendly breakdown of when primer is essential — and when you can skip it without guilt (or fear… or a paint-peeling disaster). You’ll hear real stories from my early projects, simple guidelines you can use today, and a few “learned it the hard way so you don’t have to” moments that might make you laugh… or nod a little too hard. And because I know you don’t want to listen with a pen clenched in your hand, I put together a companion workbook for the whole 5-part series. It lets you relax and enjoy the episodes — then flip … Read more

Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign (PART 4)

Today, I’m going to take you behind the scenes for the last set of drawers in my workshop cabinet. It’s been such a fun project! You know, I’ve been using this cabinet to store all those random tools and furniture parts that used to be scattered all over my workshop. And let me tell you, it’s not just super handy, but it’s also super cute! I’m a firm believer in surrounding myself with beautiful things, especially in my workshop. It just sparks that creative fire, you know? What’s really cool about this project is that each drawer front has a unique design. It’s like a mini canvas where I can express my personality and showcase different furniture redesign techniques. It’s creativity on a teeny tiny scale, and I absolutely love it! In case you’ve missed out on my previous posts, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Here are the links: … Read more

[VIDEO] Master the Art of Antiquing – Retique It Glaze Tutorial

The Art of Glazing Yep. Glazing can be intimidating! I remember the first time I used glaze on a couple of pieces. Oh my, I’d thought I’d ruined it. But then a weird thing happened. I waited a day, took another look and LOVED it. So now I always tell my members to wait a day before deciding that the outcome wasn’t good enough. It’s funny what one day will do to your perspective. Yesterday I glazed the doors on my end table and at first I thought that I wasn’t happy with how it turned out. It didn’t look like picture I had in my head. But then it happened again! Today I LOVE it and I can’t wait to list it. What a transformation! Here’s the BEFORE with another piece I picked up at the same time. It was cleaned, repaired and primed with oil-based paint. My … Read more

[VIDEO] Tool Tip – The Allway Contour Scraper

Sometimes there is a simple solution to a pain in the wazoo situation when it comes to prep. Have you ever had to remove from the bottom of an end table foot those nasty ol’ stick on floor saver thingys? I have and it occurred to me that I had a tool that would make short work of a dirty job – I no longer had to try to pull them off with my fingers. I know, it takes me a while sometimes but I eventually find an easier and painless way to do things…because I hate prep, and it needs to be done. This is a short video showing you how I used a simple tool – the (afflink) Allway Contour Scraper. I use it all the time for so many different things. What’s your fave tool? Let me know in the comments. My workshop is full of great … Read more

[VIDEO] Finding the Time to Flip

I’ve gotten many comments like this, “Val, I have no idea how you get so much done!” or, “You amaze me at all the things you do, how do you do it?” Well, some of my ability to accomplish as much as I do is through planning and patterning. I learned it back in the day when we were raising our 15 kids at the same time we were in the ministry doing 111 different things. The days flew by and the list kept getting longer, so I had to do something to keep on task and accomplish the things that mattered to me. Patterning is developing good daily habits, creating a lifestyle that was productive in a way that I didn’t even have to think about what to do next. It’s eeking out time to do at least a little of what needed to be done, giving myself margin, … Read more

Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign (PART 3)

Today I’m showing you how I designed four more drawer fronts. I’m enjoying using it for my random tools and furniture parts that were scattered all over my workshop and it doesn’t hurt that the cabinet is super cute either. I like having prettying things around me, especially in my workshop because it inspires me. Each drawer is designed differently to not only show my own personality, but to also showcase some different furniture redesign techniques on a teeny tiny scale. Here are the other posts in case you’ve not seen them: Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign (PART 1), and Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign (PART 2). The BEFORE: To prepare a piece for paint, DH and I first needed to clean, sand and prime: Remove the Colonial looking top part. Cleaned with Krud Kutter and scuff sand. Shore up the drawers so they fit well. Spray prime it … Read more

Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign (PART 2)

My last post here on LMDH showed you my latest project for my workshop, and the designs of the first four drawer fronts. Today I’m showing you four more. I’m using it for my random tools and furniture parts that were scattered all over my workshop. Each drawer is designed differently to not only show my own personality, but to also showcase some different furniture redesign techniques on a teeny tiny scale. Here is the first post in case you’ve not seen it: Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign PART 1. The BEFORE: To prepare a piece for paint, DH and I first needed to clean, sand and prime: Remove the Colonial looking top part. Cleaned with Krud Kutter and scuff sand. Shore up the drawers so they fit well. Spray prime it with oil-based primer. The piece is rustic, so I didn’t feel like I had to make it … Read more

Unique Sixteen Drawer Cabinet Redesign

A few years ago, my friend’s mom passed away and I was given her little 16 drawer cabinet by her daughter. She had used it for her sauce packets and tea bags. It took me along time to figure out what I wanted to do with it, how to redesign it and for what purpose. The it hit me. I could use it for my random tools and furniture parts that were scattered all over my workshop. Ah ha! So I got busy and designed each drawer differently to not only show my own personality, but to also showcase some different furniture redesign techniques on a teeny tiny scale. The BEFORE: To prepare a piece for paint, DH and I first needed to clean, sand and prime: Remove the Colonial looking top part. Cleaned with Krud Kutter and scuff sand. Shore up the drawers so they fit well. Spray … Read more