Copyright 2007

This book is available only by purchase. It may not be given away except by the author or by the publisher. It may not be sold on eBay or anywhere else, except by the author. This book is for educational and informational purposes only. The author and publisher are not responsible for any decisions you make with regard to the information in this book.

HOW TO DO AN EXTREME MAKEOVER ON YOUR UGLY KITCHEN CABINETS

Hi! My name is Kelly and I want to thank you for your purchase of my very first how-to instructional ebook with photos!

I would like to begin by telling you how I came to learn this low cost “shabby chic” technique that you can use to makeover your kitchen.

Have you ever seen the remodeling and “house flipping” shows on HGTV and other TV stations? Well, that is my passion. I flip houses in my spare time (spare time….what’s that?)….

My husband and I have purchased, remodeled and sold over a dozen houses, one by one, in the past 3 years. We use our gut instincts to choose the right properties to purchase. We then tap into our creative talents to give these sad homes a face lift, preparing the homes for their new owners. When we’re finished, our Realtor sells the house for us while we begin searching for the next redo project.

Remodeling homes on a budget isn’t easy, if you do the job with integrity. Through trial and error, we’ve learned all sorts of secrets to updating homes. This project is just one of them – updating kitchen cabinets.

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This method will also work for bathroom cabinets, furniture, wood floors, wherever your imagination takes you! I’ll bet by the time you finish reading, you’ll be thinking of all sorts of creative things you can do with this information.

By the way, there could possibly be some very profitable opportunities that come your way after you do your own project. Here’s what has happened to me: Visitors who came to my home immediately noticed my cabinets and wanted to know how I did them. Even though I explained the simplicity to them, still many of them have offered to hire me to do this project for them. These are usually people who have looked into buying new cabinetry for their homes (ouch!). Have you ever received an estimate on having cabinet doors refaced? (double ouch!) That’s why people are willing to pay a pretty penny for me to work my magic on their cabinets.

I have never run an ad, but you could do that once you learn to do this project. I’ll bet your phone would ring off the wall with potential customers!

Here’s another way to make money with this technique. Go out and collect items that others have discarded. Repurpose those items and sell them on eBay, or craft fairs. Put a classified ad in your local newspaper and say that you have wonderful “French country” or “shabby chic” items for sale. Use someone else’s junk and turn it into profit! You will be making money from thin air.

The largest monetary gain you could realize from updating your kitchen cabinets could be that of your home equity position. If you have outdated cabinets that are darkening your home like a dungeon, using this idea could raise the value of your home significantly. If you are planning to sell your home, your house will be easier to market and could sell much faster. Your home will be so much more appealing to a potential buyer with this quick and easy update.

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When I redid my cabinets, it made me feel better about being in the kitchen. It energized me to accomplish other things I had been dreading, such as getting rid of clutter in my home.

Just a side note - When I decided it was time to organize my home, I didn’t know where to begin. It seemed very overwhelming to me! I was recommended an ebook, which was filled with wonderful ideas for some FAST decluttering. This ebook was THE answer to my mess! I still refer to it over and over again. Check it out at www.declutter4u.info and see what I mean! You'll be clutter free in no time!

My decluttering project left me with some extra stuff I didn’t know what to do with. That’s when my dear cousin suggested I sell it on eBay. I am continuously amazed at all the extra money I make as an eBay seller. It’s so easy to sign up and get started. Click here to sign up for a FREE eBay seller account!

I have other ideas and projects, which have all been tested and perfected over time. They are all me personal ideas, specially designed to look expensive, yet save a ton of money! Example: I made my ceilings and walls look like leather. Really, they look just like leather! I did NO faux painting, and it cost me very little money. None of my friends can believe the materials I use to achieve this rich, gorgeous texture! I have more, too, and they will be available soon. Keep checking www.kellyseverythingstore.info for more!

Now, I know you’re ready to begin the FUN! You’re cabinets are going to look so good! Here goes…..

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Begin by gathering the following supplies:

Mild cleaner and SpongeWater based Latex Paint in the color of your choice. I prefer an eggshell finish, which is not shiny. This is personal preference, so just choose what you like bestPaint Brush(es) – these do not have to be the best you can buy. Use any small – medium size brushes that you already have Paper plate(s) and Disposable Bowl(s) Stir Stick and/or Spoon for dipping and stirringCup of Water

• Decide what color you would like to paint your cabinets. Some good choices are off white, black, country blue, or brick red. In this demonstration, (my own cabinets), I use an off white color from

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Sherwin Williams called “Urban Putty”. I photographed the label (if you can read it), in case you want this exact color.

You can email me at kelly2u@cox.net if you need clarification, or have any questions

• Protect your work area as you see fit. I personally do not use a drop cloth or tape since this technique is not very messy

• No need to remove the cabinet doors! YEAH!!!

• Remove cabinet door handles and drawer pulls (unless you want them painted). Sometimes I tape these to the inside of each cabinet door so I won’t lose them. Leave the hinges attached if you want them to be painted

It is not necessary to remove the contents of your cabinets and drawers! YEAH AGAIN!!!

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• Use a sponge and mild cleaner to wipe off the surface to be painted. Let dry before beginning to paint. Do not sand any varnish/finish off. Just clean off the dirt and gunk

• Open paint can (don’t forget to shake and/or stir paint first) and dip some paint into a disposable bowl. Notice my paint is a little thick, since I’ve had it around a while!

• Add some water to the paint and stir. You want it to be the consistency of creamy soup. Try not to mix it too thin. You can add more water later, if needed. Newer paint needs less water

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• Now, dip your brush into the paint/water mixture, and wipe off excess onto the paper plate. This step is to give your painting more of a “dry brush” effect. The idea is to see the wood underneath the paint. Too much paint covers up the wood and completely changes the effect

• Begin painting, always painting in the direction of the wood grain. You don’t have to be too tedious, but going with the grain helps the brush strokes to look better. Remember, you don’t want to completely cover up the wood. Let it show through! That’s what makes this treatment so cool!

• Each time you dip your brush in the paint, wipe off the excess on the paper plate. Too much paint on your brush ruins the effect!

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• Do not paint the insides of your cabinets, unless you just want to. Because this particular treatment allows you to see the wood coming through, the inside will match and look great! Open the doors and check every now and then, to make sure paint didn’t end up there!

• If you get paint where you don’t want it, use warm water and it will wipe right off

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• You’ll need to open the doors and drawers to paint the little strip of area where the doors and drawers close. Let it try a couple of minutes before closing

• Get a clean paper plate when needed

• Paint directly over the hinges, brushing lightly, again going with the wood grain

• After you have painted the cabinet door (or drawer, or whichever part you have painted first), it is time to do the accents. This is what really makes your project look the best. Do not omit this step. To begin, make a “sock puppet” – placing a clean, dry sock on your hand

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• Lightly dip the end of you pointer finger into water – you only want the tip of the sock to be damp, not dripping wet

• Now run the tip of the damp sock along any trim or edges that you want to accent, removing the paint. The idea is to remove a tiny bit of paint, only on

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certain places. Usually a cabinet door has some sort of raised area, or groove, or something to give it interest. These are the areas to remove paint from. If you mess up, no problem, just grab the brush and go over it again, then use the sock again, until you like what you see. If the paint has dried too much, use warm water on the sock. You’ll quickly get the hang of it and fly through the rest of the job!

• Paint one cabinet door at a time, stepping back and looking at your work, correcting any areas that need it. If you want more paint, paint on another thin coat, but wipe off the paint with your sock puppet. This technique is very forgiving, and you can play with the technique until you like how it looks

• If you happen to become frustrated, leave your project and come back to it later. Just remember to cover your paint and brushes with plastic wrap so they won’t dry out

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• When everything is dry, put the door pulls and handles back on and admire your work!!

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• If you want to, you can use “floor finish” over top of your cabinets to protect them. I do not do this because I like the character of slightly worn places on my cabinets and drawers. But if you want them to stay exactly like you have painted them, you should put a finish on them. Go to the floor mopping/cleaning aisle at a store like Lowe’s, and pick some Johnson’s Floor Finish. It’s very easy to use: You just paint on a couple of coats of the clear liquid, allowing it to dry 20 minutes between coats, giving your cabinets a protective finish. I know that there are other finishing products available, but I’m not familiar with those. I just wouldn’t do this step anyway – just skip it altogether! :o)

• I used black paint on the same kind of oak cabinets, and you wouldn’t believe how awesome they look! You should definitely try black. You’ll love it!

Please feel free to contact me at kelly2u@cox.net. I usually get to my email fairly quickly, so when you are in the middle of your project, if you have a question, email me! I answer all my own email, and would love to chat with you about your project. I would also be so excited to see your photographs when you are finished!

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I will have other projects along the way, so please keep checking back with me! My eBay store is www.kellyseverythingstore.info .

Good luck, and happy painting!!

Easy Access to my eBay store: www.kellyseverythingstore.info

Got Clutter? Fast Easy Ways to Organize: www.declutter4u.info

Wanna make some money? Click for a FREE eBay seller account!

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