DIY Small Desk for Small Spaces!

Materials Needed:

·         stain-grade plywood

·         stair posts

·         table saw

·         chop saw

·         tape measure

·         pencil and notepad

·         caulk and caulk gun

·         wood filler and putty knife

·         orbital sander

·         medium-grit sanding pads

·         primer

·         semi-gloss paint

·         paint sprayer

·         extension cord

·         plastic sheeting

·         drill

·         wood screws

·         spirit level

·         1x3 MDF trim

·         nail gun

·         damp cloth

·         high-gloss floor sealer

Determine Dimensions

Using tape measure, determine proper height, width and depth for desk in relation to wall, child's size and the room's traffic flow. Mark desk's desired height on wall with pencil. Jot dimensions down on notepad with pencil. Tip: Keep in mind needed clearance for doors and windows.

Cut Plywood and Trim

Referring to dimensions on notepad, measure, then mark plywood and trim pieces with pencil and spirit level. Use table saw to cut plywood to size. Cut trim to size using chop saw and miter corners.

Cut Posts

Referring to dimensions on notepad, measure post, then mark with pencil. Cut posts to size using chop saw.

Attach Plywood to Posts

With help from a friend, firmly hold plywood still and in place perpendicular to post. Using drill, attach posts to plywood with wood screws directly through plywood and into top of post.

Add Trim

Using nail gun, attach mitered pieces of 1x3 MDF to front of plywood.

Prep for Paint

Fill gaps, nail holes and screw holes with wood filler using putty knife. Caulk spaces between trim and plywood with caulk gun. Once wood filler and caulk have fully dried, sand all surfaces using orbital sander and medium-grit sanding pads. Wipe dust from surfaces with damp cloth.

Prime, Paint and Seal

Load primer into paint sprayer, then spray in a steady, controlled manner keeping sprayer eight inches from surface of desk. Once primer is dry to the touch, clean out sprayer, load finish color, then spray two even coats in a steady, controlled manner, keeping sprayer eight inches from surface of desk. Once finish coat is dry, repeat painting steps using floor sealer. Tip: Allow at least 24 hours' drying time before placing objects on sealed surface.

Create and Install Cleat

Create cleat by cutting one piece of 1x3 MDF approximately two inches shorter than width of plywood top. Place cleat below marked line on wall, attaching it to the wall with drill and wood screws.

Attach Desk to Cleat

Finally, place desk directly on top of cleat. Fasten plywood top to cleat with wood screws driven through cleat into the underside of plywood and that’s it!

By Brian Patrick Flynn, Decor Demon

Back to School - The Made in Canada Way!

Elementary school children need oodles of things for school, in fact the list can be daunting in both cost and patience, especially when teachers request a certain brand and colour of an item. Childhood is an adventure of fun and learning. Small responsibilities in a world of imagination, playtime and laughter.

• Send a homemade tasty lunch in this gorgeous Cotton Lunch Bag from Buy Canadian First member Eco-Handbags 
• The Sharpest Pencil Earrings by the Tiny Fig of Vancouver 
• Reuseable Sandwich Bags by Nana Brown of Red Deer
• New storytime books that are more age appropriate like these ones, written by famed children's book authors, available through Indigo's website. 

The high schooler is an independent beast that is neither child nor adult but a little of both. Image is key as they invent and re-invent themselves. Looking great at school is just as important as getting the grades (even though you may not agree with their style) so finding the right mix between the current styles and individual preference sounds tough but if you know the kid, it's as easy as slamming a door.

• Owl Messenger Bag in Blue by Mehran of Vancouver  
• Super cute and eco-friendly Workbooks from Buy Canadian First member EcoJot 
• Keep teen acne at bay with Green Beaver's Blemish Mousse, available from our member Well.ca 
• Dixon Pink Pearl Erasers at Wallack's of Ottawa
• Book by Ann Douglas and her daughter Julie on body image and self-confidence entitled Body Talk: The Straight Facts (a must for any young girl)

The college student is forging forward with their aspirations and dreams, spending more time studying, working and partying, than sleeping. Besides a mattress filled with cold hard cash, our college student could use some great essentials as well as some wonderful functional luxuries. 

• Long Twilight Mittens in Charcoal Grey by Arly of Montreal
• Keep organized and connected with a Blackberry Smart phone by Buy Canadian First member Research in Motion 
• A great bag is a must! Check out the NY Messenger in Jasper Leather from out member Roots Canada
• Keep thoughts and more in this gorgeous Zebra Rebound Journal by Prairie Peasant of Winnipeg 

  

Happy shopping everyone and remember to Buy Canadian Firstwhen shopping for your back to school supplies.

DIY Desk Organizer

Who could thought that such cool desk and bathroom organizers can be made of PVC pipes. These organizers can be used in many other places too but where else is so much small stuff. The cool thing is that desk or bathroom organizer can save you a lot of money in shelves, cabinets, drawers or boxes.

The idea is to cut enough pieces of PVC tubes and glue them together. In order to make the organizer looks better you can use pipes of different size. Thanks to that it not only will look cool and unique but also will be more useful. As the final touch you can paint the organizer to make it even more cool and fun.