Making It Homey

A Little Dresser, A lot of Work

2012-03-09T12:21:00.003-08:00

It's been such a long time since I have entered a post and I have missed doing it. You know all of the things that keep you from getting to your projects, like family, work, health of family members and the list goes on. But I'm now back on track and it felt so good today to get this little dresser done.

I thought it was such a cute dresser and got it at Goodwill for a really good price. Well it turned out to be a little more work, no, a lot more work then I thought it would be. I decided to paint her ASCP Old White and stain the top a dark walnut.

When I sanded it down it looked like it would stain up pretty but it had a deep hole in it on the left front corner. So I used the stainable wood filler, which did not stain the same color at all. Does anyone else have problems with that? So finally I ended up painting it because it looked so obvious.

Then I had another problem, I was running really short on Old White paint, infact I didn't have enough. So I decided to paint the front of the drawers in Paris Gray, which turned out to be a better choice anyway. I did the top twice and the drawers twice, no problem.....but how do I get rid of the old smell that this little dresser had? Really, it's the worst I've ever smelt and seemed to be getting stronger. I pulled out some yellow latex paint I already had and gave the inside of the drawers several coats of paint. It helped some but there is still an old wood smell to this little thing.

But it turned out so cute, I love it. When I was distressing it the old white paint color on the drawers showed through before the wood did and I liked how it almost looked like I had white washed it. The knobs had been a dirty gold color so I washed them and spray painted them satin nickel. When you open the drawers they look so clean and bright. The whole things just looks fresh, doesn't it?

She is ready to go home with someone and be useful for many more years. Isn't it fun to be able to do that to old worn out furniture?

Thanks so much for stopping by, I love your comments as well.
Sandi

Look what I am working on next, this buffet that will turn out so beautiful. Boy does it have a story, come back and find out what it is.

Everyone Should have a Secretary

2012-01-30T16:49:00.000-08:00

First I want to start off by thanking everyone for their kind comments on my last project, and yes I love the dresser in my bedroom and she fits right in. Okay onto the secretary/ desk, what are they called anyway? I picked this little gem up on craigslist for twenty bucks, I know, who would sell it for that? The thing about the original owner is that she had this piece in her bedroom since she was a little girl and didn't have a place for it anymore, ohhh. Oh well, I do!

Most of the hardware was broken off and one of the hinges was broken too. The hole drilled in the back was for electrical cords, I'm guessing.

So I took off the hardware and had to scrub her down pretty good. The paint was bubbled in places so I had to sand and then prime her.

I decided to cover the hole up on the back with some old wall paper that I picked up at a second hand store for a dollar. It's a huge roll and will last me forever. I used modge podge to stick it to the back, and it completely changed the look of the desk. I then drilled a hole on the desk front for a hardware pull. It looked kind of naked without it.

I really love the paris grey with the old white color scheme. This is the first time I have used paris grey and like so many of you guys, it's my favorite AS color, anyway until I get another one.

      And there you have it, a fully clothed secretary. I think everyone should have a secretary, don't you?

                                                       Thanks so much for stopping by,
                                            I love your comments and new followers as well.

Cracked but Beautiful

2012-01-21T14:59:00.000-08:00

I've had this dresser for about five months now, I usually don't hold onto a piece of furniture for that long but this one I wanted to keep. This piece had the biggest crack in it but I thought I could easily pull it back together with some clamps, that wasn't the case!

I twisted the clamps so hard that they were bending and I was getting blisters on my hands. I never did get it closed all the way, but close enough. Nothing some wood filler wouldn't fix, right?

After I glued the inside rails back in place I was ready to start priming. I gave her two coats of Kilz oil based primer because the stain on the dresser came through the water based primer. The primer revealed that I needed to sand the wood filler that I put on the crack better.

I stained the top with Min wax dark walnut and then sealed it with rub on poly. I love my ASCP so I pulled out the old white and painted it. She's looking good so far. I sprayed the brassy handles with oil rubbed bronze spray on. For the last step I distressed her and then used a wax that I've never used before but have heard a lot about lately. It's Howard's Feed-N-Wax and I love it. I've finally found the wax that I will be using all the time now. It's in gel form and goes on so easy and wipes down great. I was very impressed with it. Here's the final result...

I love the detailing on it, perfect for distressing.

Can you see why I want this one to stay in my bedroom?

                                         Thanks so much for stopping by, I love your comments
                                                               and followers as well.

From White to Tuscan Russet

2012-01-16T14:41:00.000-08:00

I was browsing through craigslist the other day and came across this little white dresser for $10. I couldn't get them called fast enough and luckily I was the who called first. I have read several blogs lately where bloggers feel just like I do, tired of painting with white. I love white but am ready to change it up a bit. White is the best seller for me so I will always use it 99.9% of the time, but what the hey..... it's 2012, time to shake it up a bit (I'm so wild aren't I?) Here's the before picture, pretty tired and sad isn't she?

I gave it a good washing then lightly sanded and primed it. I sanded the top all the way down to the wood because I was hoping to stain the top. Unfortunately the top had deep marks in it because there was a lot of wood filler on it.

Instead of staining it I decided to paint it with ASCP in graphite so I could keep it dark. I then did the body in Behr's Tuscan Russet. After painting it I glazed it with Valspar's glaze, which I love. It was fun painting with such a dark color, but now we'll see how fast it sells. Doesn't it look so much better?

To finish it off I lined the drawers with fabric, and what a nice surprise for who ever opens the drawers.

Have a great day.

Thanks for stopping by, I love your comments and followers as well!

My Favorites of 2011 & a Gift

2011-12-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

Now It's Your Chance to Win a Gift

Cutting Edge Stencils

http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/

Congratulations Jane, you are the winner!!!!

I will email you with the details.

Thanks to everyone for participating

(I did use the True Random Number system and eight was the first number that came up. I then tried to save it and got another number, sorry, its my first time at using it.)

I have had a fun opportunity to be contacted by a great company,

Cutting Edge Stencils,

and try out one of their stencils of my choice and review it.

My first thought was to stencil a pillow for my

bed. Then I thought about a benchI have and how cute it

would look with some stenciled fabric on it.

Finally it hit me,my bar stools!

Why hadn't I thought about it sooner?

The stencil I picked goes perfectly with these

stools. I love how they turned out, and until I can afford to get me some

beautiful wood one's, well these will do fine. Look at the before

and after picture's and how easy it

was for me to do this.

My Grandkids are usually the only one's who use these stools and their pretty neat kids,

I guess with time and bumps this is what you end up with.

No problem, I have some fun plans for them that includes stenciling.

I picked some gray fabric and since I already had black paint and the stools frames are

black, I knew they'd go well together. As you can see above, I used paint tape to

hold the stencil in place while I used the small brush to apply the paint

I decided to use the stipple brush and not roll it because I was a little nervous

about the paint seeping under the stencil.

I also wanted it to vary in it's shades of paint. First I put some paint on the brush and then I dabbed the end of the brush on the paper to get rid of most of the paint in the brush and then with your brush straight up(this is really important because if you lean your brush it will look stroked on instead of the finish you get from dabbing the material with your brush staight up).

The paint drys pretty fast and when it's completely dry you just over lap the stencil and keep on painting. So much easier

then I thought it would be.

Once I had a big enough piece done for both of the tops of the stools I started

to upholster them. I didn't even

remove the old fabric.

Here it is done. I really like how it turned out.

It completely changed the look of the stools.

I really had fun with this project, it's the first time

I have stenciled on fabric and

I loved it. It was fast and very inexpensive. Now it's your turn to get the stencil of your choice for free. Here's how you enter to win a stencil worth up to $50.00, and shipping is free, can't beat that with a stick, can you?

Become a follower of mine (thanks)

"like" them on facebook, here.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Cutting-Edge-Stencils/130488356769

Rerurn to my blog and let me know that you "liked" them.

The contest will end Friday, Jan. 6th

and I will contact the winner.

Most importantly go to their website and check out all

their beautiful stencils. Go to the bottom of this page

and leave your comments, thanks so much.

Good Luck !

I am extending the give away until Monday because of the holidays last weekend

If I had to pick a favorite project....

At this time of the year I enjoy going back over the pictures of the projects I've completed in the past twelve months.

Some times it's hard to choose which one's are my favorites because for one reason or another I end up loving the one I'm working on. This year is

no except to that, I've been fortunate to have found some really

unique and inspiring pieces. So I guess the best I can do is share with you some redo's that brought me a great deal of happiness and one's

that I learned so much from.

I did this settee in the spring and it was one of those that was very hard to part with.

Before

After

This next one was my first ASCP project. I was so stressed out when I used her paint because I didn't want to waste a drop of it. Once I
learned from all of you pros how to use it, I relaxed and enjoyed using it.

Before

After

This next dresser I had to clean bugs off of the top because it rode all the way home from North Dakota, about a thousand miles, on top of my hubby's car. It's an out dated dresser that became very chic looking.

Before

After

This piece was a mess when I found it and after taking a longer look at it

I discovered that I was dealing with a plastic finish, click here for details.

I do love how it turned out and was so happy when a young mother bought it

for her little girl.

After

But my very favorite redo of the year has got to be my bedroom. I still go in there and smile every time because of how beautiful it turned out.

It was my first headboard redo, but not my last. I also made curtians, painted the

wall and refinished the end tables. I reupholstered the chair at a different time but it works well in here.

Before

After

I have done a lot of redo's this year and have learned so much from every one of them. I love what I do and get such great support from my hubby, who even made me a shop to encourage me in my

endeavors. I hope all of you have had a great year and I wish

you the very best this next year. I hope you have fun at what you do and take the

frustrations that you will have with some projects and apply what you have

learned to make the next project even better.

Have A Happy New Year!!!!!

The Most Beautiful Time of the Year

2011-12-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

I sure do love Christmas time. I love the songs and the decorations, the good smelling candles that you seem to only pull out at this time of the year. I love the thoughtfulness that everyone show's to neighbors and friends. I love it all, well almost all of it, I'm not a real fan of

the cold weather, but that will pass all too soon also.

I put out my stockings after adding some blue sweater fabric to them. The stockings are made out of two hand towels that I picked up at the craft store.

Grandma cutting paper dolls with her granddaughter is what Christmas is all about to me.

This is my beautiful ceramic Christmas village that I got years ago. I love it so much, if you look closely the details almost make you feel like your in that small little village on Christmas eve.

On my tree some of my favorite ornaments are the violin's. I picked these up at a craft store that was going out of business for just penny's.

This isn't a good picture of the poinsetta's, but I have them all over the tree and love them.

Christmas wouldn't be complete without a group of carolers.

The light in the lamp even works, so sweet.

In my family room I decorate with the more old fashioned Christmas decorations. Santa, carolers, and a banner in traditional colors.

This buffet is next on my list to redo in January, I can't wait to get my brushes on it.

Happy Holidays to All

I Hit The Jackpot

2011-11-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

I got this end table with another one this fall at a yard sale. I love it when you drive up to a yard sale and you spot a treasure, it.s like you hit the jackpot! I feel like this one is a real treasure, even

though it wobbles really bad.

These before pictures show how nice the craftsmanship is on it.

Isn't it funny how you can look at a piece, and because of the detailing in the wood, you just know

it's going to be beautiful and fun redo.

The top was really damaged with water spots and oil stains. So, with sander in hand, I knew I could restore it to the beauty it once was. I used ASCP in old white on the body because this piece has so much

distressing to do after its painted and Annie makes it so much easier. I then used

spray on poly to seal it.

I put a hug tack in the bottom of one of the legs to level it, and it did the trick, no more wobbling.

Here are the before and after pictures. I wished I had gotten better pictures of the top, I stained in a dark walnut and put on three coats of rub on poly, Min wax. I think it turned out so pretty, I know the new owner

will be really happy with it.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I love your comments and followers as well.

Sandi

Small Server

2011-11-11T13:08:00.000-08:00

I picked this little server up with another piece that I posted about . It was listed on Craigslist, which is one of my best resources for finding furniture.

The woman who sold this to me said her father who had been a military man all his life had bought this in Carmela at least fifty years ago. He loved these pieces and kept them all his life, his daughter got them when he passed. She had them for years in her garage but wanted to let someone buy

them that would use them, that would be ME.

I gave her a coat of Kilz oil based primer because lately all the older furniture I have been buying has been bleeding through the paint so I wasn't going to go ahead without using the oil based primer.

If you have looked at many of my posts I guess you can see that I really love the top being stained and the rest painted. I think it really adds to the character of the furniture to be able to enjoy the beautiful wood grain, and yet enjoy the beauty of the painted detailing.

Ooops, I forgot to take pictures until the furniture was at the sale. Like the end table this piece also sold within the first hour of the sale. I knew it would find a good home, much better then in a garage.

I painted the body in Valspar malt and the accents in Valspar honey milk.

I got the combination over at whitestreetinteriors.blogspot.com. She had this beautiful combination

of colors on a hutch. I knew I would be using it someday, I was just waiting for the

right piece of furniture.

Thanks for stopping by, I love your comments and followers as well.

Sandi

Details, Details...

2011-11-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

This fall I was out yardsaling and not having much luck. At the beginning of the summer it seemed like every yard sale I went to was a good one. Then I had a really long dry run, none of them were any good. At one of the last yard sales of the season I happen to spot this end table

and another end table that was just as old. This one has so much detail on

it, I just knew that it would look beautiful in white.

I started to paint it in ascp but it immediately bled through. I then pulled out the oil based Kilz primer and gave it a good coat of that.

I wanted the top to be stained so I sanded it down really good. It sanded off in a reddish color.

I stained it in Min Wax dark stain and then used rub on poly on the top. I put on about three to four coats of poly. I then distressed the whole piece which took some time because of all the detailing.

I knew it would be beautiful when it was done though, and it was.

This little gem sold within the first hour of the show, I really hated to part with it though. Sometimes I would just like to keep them all.

Thanks for stopping by, I love your comments and followers as well.

Sandi

I feel So Much Lighter

2011-11-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have had a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders! The furniture pieces I showed you in this post are all done and delivered to the open house/furniture sale. normally I enjoy working on such

neat pieces but I was working on five at the same time

and I was ready to be done with all of them. However, they did turn out really nice and are

selling great, and isn't that what matters? So I want to share with you the before's, and the afters. This piece was bought off of Craigslist and was in really good condition.

I love the scrolling around the drawers and handles, won't they be even prettier in white?

It had a pretty good shine left on it from the last redo, so instead of sanding I pulled out my ASCP. I really do love that stuff. I used old white, then distressed her and gave her a good coat of Min Wax rub on poly.

I'm so mad at myself for not taking after pictures where the light was good. I remembered to take them once I was at the show.

Someone had sealed the top with a paste or a wax, I mean a lot of it. I wanted to stain the top so I sanded and sanded but it hardly made a mark in it. So I pulled out the stripper and used it. When the old finish finally started to come off, it was a real thick white, sticky mess. I could hardly get it off of my scraper. I put the stripper on about eight time's

trying to get through the paste. l then sanded some more only to

find out that the top really wasn't very pretty at all. So all that stripping was in vain, I ended up painting the top, and then sealing it about three times with rub on poly.

Every piece is so different, and I learn from each one. I think that's why I enjoy doing this so much. I do love how it turned out. So take another look...

Before and After

Thanks for stopping by,
I love your comments and new followers as well.
Sandi

Dresser and Show Pieces

2011-11-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

For my new bedroom makeover I decided to go all the way, yip, all the way. I took the dresser that we have had for sooo long, removed the mirror and put both in our closet. Don't get me wrong, I love it, and don't want anything to happen to it, but I'm ready for a change in color, like white! I got this dresser at a second hand store which I discovered by the auction house I sometimes go to.

I sanded down the top and then stained it in a very dark Min Wax stain, and gave the rest a coat of Valspar paint. When I sanded this piece down I noticed it had a different finish on it. It came off so easily, and was kind of a red powder. It looked more like

it had a tongue oil finish then a poly finish. Because of the odd finish, it bled right through the paint and the latex primer. I decided to pull out the "hard stuff", oil based Kilz.

I hoped so badly this would do the trick, and it did!

So I gave it another coat of paint.

The top was stained with Min Wax and then sealed with Min Wax rub on poly.

Here are the after pictures, I love it in my bedroom, such a nice change from having dark wood in there for so long.

As you can see the drawers are a shade different from the frame. That happened by accident, but I really like the dimension it gives to the dresser. It's in place in our bedroom and has a t.v.(I know, you're never suppose to have a t.v. in your bedroom, but I love it) and a few decorations on it. So for the picture I tried to leave all that out. Didn't she turn out pretty?

It's Show Time

I haven't posted anything for several weeks because I have been working my head off trying to get ready for a show that's this week. As many of you know getting ready for a

show is a lot of work and takes all of your time. I'll give you a sneak peek at the before pictures

of some of the piece's I will be selling at the show. It's so fun to see how they've turned out, and I'll post that in a week.

This little end table has so much detail to it. It's hard to see all of it, but there is leaf like

carving on the whole thing. It's going to be a beauty.

This Dresser might replace the one in my bedroom (In the above post). I love the size of this and how gorgeous it is.

Another end table with such cool scrolling and detailing on it.

Okayyyyy... So this is my auction piece, isn't it beautiful. What you don't see is the huge crack right down the middle, big enough to break it into. It is definitely a two man job to get it back together, that and a lot of pipe clamps. I'll eventually get it back to new and painted a beautiful color as well.

This will be a really interesting post, let me tell ya.

This little server I picked up off craigslist. It has a history that I'll share with you when I do the after pictures.

I picked this one up with the server. When I saw both of them in her garage I

could hardly contain myself, you know, I didn't want to

seem too eager.

So next week I will be showing some finished pieces and will be so happy that the show will be over.

Thanks for stopping by, I love comments and new followers as well.

Sandi

Small Redo's, So Fun

2011-10-24T02:18:00.000-07:00

We have a pretty office, but we don't use it all that much and since I haven't had any place to take out my scrap booking, sewing, or painting stuff and leave it, well, whats a girl to do? This girl found a wall in the office that wasn't being used that would be a perfect place for a counter top. We had a nice book shelf in there also, but once I evaluated all the space, I came up with a plan. We had plenty of bookshelves in the family room, so I emptied all the books into them. That left me with a whole book shelf for my craft stuff, why hadn't I seen this before. The pictures are horrible but it really is a cool space. I cut dividers for the millions of pieces of paper I have so that I can now see it all. I used an old door (from Restore for 3 bucks)for my counter top until my hubby made me some nicer one's

Here's the nice one's. We got these at Home Depot for fifteen dollars on clearance! What a deal.

Isn't it fun to find things at second hand stores or at yard sales that you know will make such a good redo? I had a lot of luck finding accessories for my craft "counter". These are a few things I found here and there to fix up, and store my stuff in.

I found this really neat metal can wrapped in white and blue rope, just the right color and size for some of my scrap booking punches. Next to it are Dollar Store plastic trays, three for a dollar, again, just the right color.

I saw this really cute idea out in blog land somewhere and I wished I could remember where, so sorry not to give credit where it's due. It was to use old fashioned clothes pins to wrap your ribbon around and store it that way. I got the bottles from the Dollar Store also.

I found this bulletin board at a second hand store. I didn't have to repaint it but did have to replace the fabric and ribbon. It's right above where I sit and craft so I have put some pictures there that make me smile every time I see them.

I wished I had a before picture of this mail holder because it really has been transformed. The sides weren't indented like they are now, I cut it this way. It was all drab brown and straight up and down, very boring. I cut the sides out, painted it black, added the paper with modge podge, then a metal "m" for mail, and a ribbon. It really did turn out fun.

I saved one of the funnest redo's that I have done for last. I love it so much because I use it all the time. This is and old sewing box, it was all brown and in a shambles. I took it apart, and believe me, there are dozens of teeny, tiny, pieces and screws. I painted the wood a fresh white and then found this really refreshing blue paper. I didn't paint the inside because I knew with all the tight fits I would run into problems with it sticking.

Didn't it turn out nice? I have had a lot of fun doing smaller projects for my craft and sewing space that has helped me be more organized. Now when I want to leave my scrapping out, or if I'm in the middle of a sewing project, I can just leave it where it is and close the door.

                                    I usually post about the furniture that I do, which I love doing,
but it's nice to take a break once and awhile. But now it's crunch time because I have a show coming up in two and a half weeks. I have 2 dressers, a server, a huge buffet, a small secretary, and two end tables to get done by then. I have been so lucky in finding some of the neatest pieces for this show, can't wait to get them done and share them with you.

                      Thanks so much for stopping by, I love your comments and followers as well.
                                                                          Sandi

My Very Own Workshop!

2011-10-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

I am so excited!! I am getting my very own work shop. It's not very big or elaborate, but it's all I need. My husband made himself a shed a couple of years ago and I have loved it. It stores all our yard supplies and equipment, camping supplies, building supplies, and my hubby's tools.

He is in the construction field so he has a lot of tools. Well since I have been refinishing furniture

I have learned to appreciate and love many of those tools. My hubby is thrilled

when we go to the Sear's tool department and I'm as excited about being there as he is. Here's a picture of the front of his shed, I added the decoration of course.

Well, he decided that it was time for me to have my own space. I think it was because he felt like I was taking over his space, or because after I cleaned the shed and he came in to get something, he maybe felt like I watched him too closely to make sure he returned it to the right place. Here's a look at the start of my new "work shop".

I can't tell you how much I will love this space. The one end, (I know it looks small but it will work) will be for spray painting, there's plenty of ventilation with the two windows we installed. The other end will be for storing all my tools and supplies. This next piece of furniture is one of the best parts to the whole shop. I purchased this really neat old buffet for paint supplies and for the counter top. I was at a furniture bazaar and this pretty thing was there, and it was just what I was looking for.

I didn't want just the every day, ordinary cubboards in there. I wanted one that had some personality, and this one has just that. I can't wait to install this and put all my things in it!!

I also wanted a second cubboard, something smaller that I could move around but that also would have storage space. I found this one at a second hand store and knew I could make it work also. I didn't realize how dirty it was until I got it home. But thats easy to take care of with a little elbow grease.

Maybe a lot of elbow grease.

The butcher block top was filthy, worse then it looks. I got out the Goo Be Gone, and it worked great.

So what I did was clean her all up, sand, and then used ASCP Graphite on the top and the top of the shelves. I then used Cornbeard yellow for the rest. It was too yellow so I went a shade lighter and then glazed it with Min Wax walnut stain. Here it is, and I really like it.

I finished by sealing the top with rub on Min Wax poly.

It will be so much fun to organize my tools and painting stuff and get it all put out where I can leave it. I have it all in totes right now and that can be a real headache. I'm am so excited about my new space!

I will post my work shop when it's all finished (did you notice how I call mine a "work shop", and my hubby's is a "shed")? By either name, I'll take one of those.

Thanks so much for stopping by, I love your comments and new followers as well.

My Favorite Night Stand

2011-10-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

It seems like lately I have been redoing a lot of end tables and night stands. This is the second night stand for my bedroom redo, and then I did a third one just because it was so cute and I couldn't pass it up. I love this night stand because its so sturdy, has drawers, and has a fairly good size top. I painted another night stand and a dresser for my room using white paint, so I decided to keep this one and paint it with ASCP.

I haven't been the biggest fan of chalk paint but since I didn't want to sand this and already had the paint, I decided to try it again. I painted it old white, then sanded the whole thing until it was as smooth as silk. I went into this project knowing that using chalk paint would require a lot of sanding. I think because I was expecting that step it made using chalk paint okay for me. The sanding went really fast and I like that about this paint.

I then distressed it and finished it off with spray on poly. I sprayed the hardware with Rustoleum's Oil Bronze, and feel they match the piece better now, it updated them.

I'm glad that I chose to keep this night stand instead of switching it with one of the

other one's that I had gotten at a yard sale.

I have four dressers that are needing to be painted and because I finally got

the hang of how to use chalk paint,and know what to expect, I can't wait to get started on all of them.

Thanks for stopping by, I love your comments and new follower's as well.

Bringing In Some Fall

2011-10-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this time of year because I live in a farming community. When I drive out to the country I roll my windows down so I can fully enjoy all of the smells of the harvest that is going on all around me.

In this valley we have quite a few mint growers, so from the middle of July until late September

the air is filled with the wonderful smell of freshly cut mint.

We also have hay growers. Along time ago when my husband was a custom hay stacker he taught me how to swath hay. Yip, I ran a swather, scary huh? I did a pretty good job most of the time, my rows were straight, unless.....the hay in front of me started moving.

When I say moving I mean, like, little baby pheasants running straight a head of me because they

were so afraid of the noise but wouldn't leave the cover of the hay.

I couldn't stand the thought of running one through the header, which cut the hay. So I would finally stop the machine, get out and shoo the birds away. One time when I was shooing them, I

discovered baby kittens running up the row instead of pheasants.

They were so sweet, and so were the baby birds. Thats why it took me longer in the

fall to swath a field of hay

then the men took. And when my hubby saw me stopped and outside the swather, he knew

there must be an animal sighting of some kind.

My father was a farmer and I was raised on a farm. Year after year I have watched the farmers till the ground, then plant, then water. And then the earth, water, and sun do the rest.

It has always amazed me how this wonderful earth gives us so much beauty to look at, and food to eat each year. She never lets us down, year after

year, good ol' mother earth gives us so much to be grateful for.

We raised our kids in the country on three acres, not very big, just big enough to keep them busy. We had a garden and I let them plant one of their own if they wanted to as well. I have always planted lots and lots of flowers no matter where I have lived, but because of where I have lived and how I was raised,

I love the harvest season.

So my pictures of fake berries, pumpkins, leaves, flowers, and many more

fall things, is my way of bringing in the joy

that I feel this time of year. I wished you could smell my wonderful spice/pumpkin

candle that is burning, it seems to fit in so well with my fall memories.

I hope all of you have wonderful fall memory's and will share them with me. Have a Great Fall Season!

Sandi

Antique Window Face Lift

2011-09-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be almost done with my bedroom re-do. When I was in the middle of it I didn't think it would ever come together. One reason for that is because I had about five projects going on at once. I painted a wall, made a new upholstered head board, painted and stained the top of two end tables and a dresser, made curtains, and gave my antique windows a face lift. This is part of that insanity.

As you can see I took on a little much all at once. But I wanted my bedroom to get done as soon as possible so I didn't have to live in the mess for long.

Part of my re-do was to incorporate two antique leaded

glass windows that I found about two years ago at a yard sale. I have been waiting for the right place to put them and I finally found it.

They cost me five dollars a piece and I have loved them and protected them from getting broken every since. I decided that I would dry bush them and hang them above the dresser that I was working on. I also wanted to hang a wreath or something in the middle of both of them to pull them together and to bring more color to the room. My colors for the room are aqua and chocolate, which I am loving, but I didn't want to get too matchy, matchy.

Here is one window that has been dry brushed. I had thought about leaving them the way they were but they didn't show up on my wall very good. They didn't show up very well with just the white dry brushing either so I decided to add just a little aqua paint.

I had to calm the color down in a few places but it seemed the more I experimented with the colors, the more I liked them.

I then decided to really clean the windows and hang them up. This took a long time because the glass is so delicate and there are so many tiny pieces, but they came out shining and looking so pretty. I found this sconce like decoration (I can't think of whats it's called to save me) and hung it between them. Still not done though...........

Now she's done, and I love it. I really think things came together well. The contrasting yellow begonias seemed to have added depth to the room. My room is getting so close to being done, I can't wait

Thanks for stopping by, I love your comments and new followers as well.

Sandi

Upholstered Headboard

2011-09-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

So I've had the same headboard and furniture in my bedroom for forever! I love it, but am ready for a change. If you have read some of my other postings you have seen that I am redoing all of my bedroom. Starting with painting the wall with a chocolate color, then making new curtains, two new end tables, and this headboard. My daughter has made head boards for several years and sells them on Craig's list. She is so good at making these, and fast , so she offered her help.

I wanted mine to have a little curve on each end so we hauled the wood from the SUV to the back yard. I cut out one end and flipped the cut out part over to the other side, traced its shape on the board and cut it out too.

I decided how far apart I wanted my buttons and where I wanted them. I then measured 8" down and 10" apart. Next, I marked four rows, alternating the buttons, after which we drilled a hole every place I had marked for a button.

After drilling the holes, we put an old comforter and some really thick batting on the board for the filler, then laid the fabric on the top of the batting. The fabric I picked for the head board was too thick for these buttons, they kept popping back open. Jamie had a quick fix for that. We pulled the string through the drilled hole, batting and fabric and turned the needle and pulled it back through the same hole. Basically we were pulling the fabric tight, like there was a button there, the string was taking all the pressure off of the buttons, which I later just glued to the front. Pretty cleaver, huh...

When we had the string on the back of the head board we tied it off with a nut. Jamie uses flat washers all the time, I only had these on hand and knew the batting that I turned over the edges was so thick that they (the nuts) wouldn't be touching the wall.

This is my room in the middle of the big change. The before picture...

And the AFTER, didn't it turn out pretty? Thanks Jamie, I love it.

I really love the dark paint with this head board color against it. The curtains look so good against it too.

Thanks for stopping by, I love comments and new followers as well.

New Curtains

2011-09-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

As you can see I am in the middle of redoing my bedroom. The bed is pulled away from the wall that I am painting a chocolate color, and the throw pillows aren't on the bed. The dresser isn't where it usually is and the night stand that you can see is one that I have redone for the new look, click here to see it. I've been wanting a new look for some time now and so I finally just jumped in.

I picked out my curtain fabric that is really upholstery fabric, but I loved the color and print so I decided to go with it. I decided since it was so heavy that I didn't need to line the back of the curtains.

I folded the fabric over 1/4" and ironed it all around the panel. I then turned the sides over 1 1/2" and hemmed them before I hemmed the top or bottom. I folded the top and bottom over 4" and then sewed them in place.

On the top after sewing a 4" casing I divided the 4" in half and sewed a straight seam, leaving the 4" casing in two 2" casings. One for the ruffle and a 2" casing for the rod.

I sewed the side seam first so that the bottom and top hems would be on top, I think it looks more professional and finished.

I had some cream colored panels up there before, which I liked, but I was ready for some color. I love the color that these add to my bedroom, I also put color on the wall, the upholsterd chair, and the new headboard that I upholstered. Check out the whole thing.

The room has come together finally, it was a lot of work and time but I am really loving the change.

Thanks for stopping in, I love comments and new followers too.

End Table for New Bedroom

2011-09-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy lately, a good kind of busy, I'm redoing my bedroom. I can blame all this hard work on the color of fabric I bought for the upholstered headboard that I'm doing. I got a pretty cream color that I knew would be good and neutral, you know, one that would go with any bed spread. Well when I held it against the bedroom wall, well it just blended in too much. So it started, the painting of the wall, new curtains, hopefully new pictures, when I find the right one's, etc. My hubby and I have had our bedroom set for most of our married life, nope, never a change. So I'm going to put my old furniture (which is still in excellent condition) in the spare room. Then I've been checking yard sales and Craigs list really close and found an older dresser that I really like and am in the process of painting it right now. I will be posting all of the pictures when it all comes together because it really is a huge change, and I'm loving it so far. For now I wanted to show you the cute end table that I found and refinished and will be putting it beside the sitting chair that I redid earlier this year (click here to see it.) I really like this little table and knew it would fit in with the idea that I have for my bedroom.

I had to glue the top in a couple of places that were starting to separate. Then I sanded the top down really good because I wanted to stain it. I didn't bother sanding the rest of it because I knew I would be using ASCP on it.

I wanted the top to be a really dark stain, almost black. I used Minwax dark walnut, and applied two coats of it, and I'm really happy with the color.

I then spray painted the pull with Rustoleum bronzed metal spray. I then used two coats of ASCP in old white on the rest of the end table. I then sanded it down to get that really smooth finish. It seems that when I use this paint no matter how good my brush is I always have brush strokes that need sanded down. Thank goodness it sands so easily. I love the look and feel of it after I sanded and distressed it a bit.

Won't it look pretty beside my chair in my newly refinished bedroom? I can't wait until it all comes together. Saturday should be the big day when I'm done with all the projects, here's hoping!

                                                    Doesn't it look pretty in it's new place?
                                          I love it with my new curtains and reupholstered chair.

                  Thank you for your comments and your invited to become a follower as well, thanks.

Dresser/Media Center

2011-08-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I was yard saling and not having any luck. It was one of those days that turns out to be very disappointing because so many of the yard sale adds said they had all kinds of furniture, and they didn't. In fact the old microwave cart that they called "lots of furniture", didn't even look good to me. Anyway I was about to head home when my daughter called and asked me if I could go look at a chair she had seen on Craigslist. She gave me the address and it was only a couple of streets from where I was at. The chair turned out to be not exactly like it looked on Craigslist and I knew she wouldn't be happy with it. But this little beauty was in the corner of this garage with a couple other pieces of furniture and the lady was selling all of it. I got this at an unexpected stop...

Thank you sweet daughter! I grabbed her up for a really good price and was happy the rest of the day. Funny how a good deal can make your whole day better. About three weeks later I started working on it. I knew I wanted to do it either in black or white. I could see this being a dresser or a media center, so the black was really pulling me it's way. But a white dresser would really be pretty too. White won out! I first sanded it which was really easy because it was just stained, not sealed.

After sanding and priming I gave it two coats of Glidden Swiss Coffee. I discovered when I did my last project that Glidden's satin paint isn't completely satin. They make their paint in between an eggshell and satin. On the can of paint it says, eggshell/satin. It's a really nice finish but doesn't have as much gloss as even a satin does. Just a heads up to you if you're looking for a little more shine. I put new hardware on her and along with the paint and she looks completely different.

I have found the plastic lined table cloths that you get at the dollar store work so good to protect the floor. They are thicker then the plastic paint covers you buy at the paint stores. What do you think, didn't it turn out nice?

                        I love your comments, and feel free to become a follower, I love that too.
                                                                Thanks So Much.
                                                                        Sandi

Do It Right the First Time

2011-08-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

My hubby really supports me in what I enjoy doing, which is refinishing furniture. He also know's that sometimes it's hard to find furniture that I can fix up. Well a couple of weeks ago he was out of town and came across this dresser and a desk, (I'll show you the desk in a later postiing). It was really sweet of him, especially since he was in his small car and to get the dresser home he had to put a blanket down and attach it to the roof of his car. Let me tell you, he got horrible gas milage, and I really had to scrub to get the bugs off the top of that dresser! I wouldn't have bought this dresser to fix up because of the laminant on the top and the condition the drawers were in. They didn't have glides on them and I know how hard it is to find the right one's some times. Take a look at her.

I decided to jump in and see if I could finish it in couple of hours, I knew what I was going to do with it after staring at it for a long time. The drawers are wood but the top had laminate on it, I knew I needed to sand every thing...or did I? My thought process went something like this. "You know you need to sand the top or else it won't stick", "no, they make primer and paint so good that you won't need to". "You'll be sorry if you don't sand", "no, it'll work". And so it went until I talked myself out of sanding, which, I knew better the whole time I was doing it. Here's the headache I had to clean up just for trying to skip a step.

After it dried really good I ran my finger nail over it and it peeled right off. Yep, I knew that would happen, why did I do it? Hubby suggestd that I just lay a wet cloth on it since it is latex paint and that I would be able to scrape it right off. Look how good that worked, I almost didn't need the scrapper. So I was back to square one except for the rest of it was painted white and looked really nice. I did discover that I really like the top in a dark color rather then white like the rest of it. So I decided to use AS Graphite paint, (I know, I know, no sanding needed). It went on great and I finished it off with just the right shade of color to match the distressing

On the drawers I decided to lightly paint over the scrolling that was on them so they would show through really good. I replaced the little knobs, which were really understated, with these that make a statement. The top, handles, and distressed area match really good in color, I was really pleased that it turned out like that. I also painted the kick board in the graphite as well.

I'm not sure you can tell, but I really like how that looked. I used Glidden paint in satin, the color is a soft white called Swiss Coffee. It looks kind of bright here but it's actually a soft, warm, white. To finish the project I used Min Wax rub on poly on the top and the kick board. It doesn't look anything like the dresser he brought home, does it?

My Hubby did really good by choosing this one, it has turned out to be one of my favorites.

Not Mellow Yellow

2011-08-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I was at an estate sale. It was a really good one except the good stuff was already sold. I'd walk by a dresser that I really wanted only to see the "sold", sign on it. You get your hopes up and then they're smashed. There were two stories to the house so I had fun looking around, but, I went to get something! Do you ever feel that way, like you're really missing out if you don't get something? Well I did see something that I liked the legs on it, in fact thats all I really liked. So I bought it, yeahhhh I got something. Then I got in the car and looked at it again and asked myself, "what are you going to do with that"? You'll see what I mean.

That door laying in it, well it belongs to some other piece of furniture, not this one. I don't really even think the legs are that great.... okay I got caught up in the moment. Since that door doesn't go with it I guess I will have to fill the two groove's on the bottom with wood glue, where a door should go to slide back and forth.

As you can see I decided to paint it yellow. I have always loved the color yellow but have never had the opportunity to use that color on furniture for my house, it wouldn't fit in too good. But I threw caution to the wind and decided to go for it. I started to really like my little night stand/old fashioned record holder/box with legs. What ever you call it, I like it, and I found a use for it

In my craft room I had these things and more (I didn't want to clutter it up for the picture) just sitting on the floor. So I decided that that room needed this bright, happy, stand. It did turn out good and goes well with the colors that are already in that room as you can see. I don't feel the five dollars spent on it was wasted at all.

I painted it inside and out with Valspar satin latex in the sample size at Lowe's, my favorite store ever. Good thing I got the sample size because I got two other one's before I got the one I used. I will make good use of the other samples eventually. I was going to glaze it but decided to leave it fresh and bright. It turned out to be a fun little project.

My Girly Dresser

2011-08-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

I went to pick a dresser up the other day that I had seen on Craigslist, and you know how pictures just don't tell the whole story about the piece, right? The lady took me out in the garage to show me the dresser, which was hard to see because of all the other "stuff" in the garage. When I finally spotted the dresser I first noticed the little flowers that were around the "missing knobs". The whole dresser was painted a really awful brown, but I kept going back to the little flowers, and thinking to myself how cute they would look on a little girls dresser. Sorry I don't have a before picture of the drawers, but you get the idea.

It wasn't until I had paid for the dresser and was loading it in the car that I realized that the top wasn't real wood. The fake looking wood grain on it is like what you see on a lot of interior doors. I was really bummed because I didn't think that I could sand it down, like what I was wanted to do. So it sat around longer then a project usually does while I decided what to do with it.

I decided to go a head with making it into a girls dresser like I had envisioned it. So I primed it with Valspar primer and then lightly sanded it. Years ago I was given a handy tip, if you have a brown paper sack you can use that for your sand paper on the coats of paint that you just want knocked down a bit.

So that's what I used, and it worked great. I then went to Walmart and got a can of Krylon spray paint for the drawer fronts, and of course the paint was pink.

I sprayed, probably five times to get this color. I think I had to do it so many times because of the finish on the fronts (not sure what it was), I'm thinking that it might have been some kind of plastic because the flowers were also a part of the drawer front. My hubby helped me fix a broken slide on one of the drawers, which was a headache to fix. I bought the little white knobs over at the Restore, three for a dollar. I really love that place and try to use them as often as I can, it saves me money and also the money they make goes to a great cause.

It turned out just like I wanted it to. It was fun doing a project that was a girly, girl, one. Now I can't wait to find something that inspires me to do it specifically for a boy.

This is after adding poka dot shelf liner in pastel pinks and a rag quilt I made for my grandkids. And of course a favorite buddy of theirs.

My Gossip Buddy

2011-07-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

So this "gossip bench", as it has been called, or phone bench, came to live with me. It's kinda funny because at the time I had another one that I didn't know what to do with. Then I got this one and knew just what I wanted to do with it. I wanted to try out my Annie Sloan dark wax. Like I said in an earlier post, I'm not sold on waxes yet but am keeping an open mind. So this was the project that would either convert me to wax, or not.

I decided to paint it Louis Blue and then use the dark wax to age it. I really liked the chalk paint once I added a little water to it. It's really thick and hard to get it to go on smoothly unless I do that. Have any of you had to do the same thing? I loved the paint color and hated to darken it but I really wanted to try the dark wax out. First I had to tighten all the legs up. I had to completely take them off and then add a washer to the screw because they never would tighten all the way.

I finally got to the waxing and it seemed the more I did, the more I liked it. I kind of thought that might happen to me because most of you love it. I put more on the further along I got, because I discovered it was a lot darker at the end of the project then where I started. I just went back and darkened it a bit. I'm not a pro at this, but I'm happy to report that I did like doing it and would have no problem using the dark wax on other projects to age them.

It's really growing on me the more I look at it. The brown pillow looks great with the color of the dark wax and I felt they belonged together. It was a fun, and fast project to do, which is nice to do once and a while.

A Vanity of Many Colors

2011-07-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

And so there I was, yes, at a yard sale, when I saw the home owner taking money and using this vanity for her desk. It didn't have the mirror attached, in fact, I didn't know it came with a mirror. I quickly asked her if it was for sale, not only was it for sale for a great price but it also had the original mirror that came with it. The owner of the vanity told me she got this from her mother thirty years back and that her mother had had it for at least fifty years that she knew of. It had been in their family for a long time but she had so much stuff that she needed to part with some of it. The shape is really pretty on this piece, and I loved the knobs.

I didn't care for the stenciling that was done on it originally. It almost looked like a marker was used to out line the stencil work, it had to go. So finally it was my turn to use the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Just like everyone else, I was so excited I couldn't wait. The person who wanted this vanity asked that it be painted in just a slight, slight hue of blue, almost unseen. So when I got my Louis Blue and Old White Chalk Paint I knew I'd have to mix them to get the right color. Since this paint costs so much I didn't want to mix too much and waste any, so guess what? Your right, you've done it too, right. I didn't have enough of the same color, and I never could match the colors again. I probably had three different hue's of light blue on it. It really kind of looked cool, but I needed it the same color. Here it is with different colors.

I had to really sand the top to get below the stains and dings in the wood. I used my favorite stain, Rustoleum, in Early American color. Then I sealed the top with Min Wax brush on satin poly. I finally bit the bullet and mixed up enough paint to make sure I had enough to paint the whole vanity twice if I needed to. I got it all painted and then used the poly satin rub on, on all of it. I like the control I have with the rub on poly verses the paint brush application when it's not a flat surface.. I then glazed it with Modern Modern Masters glaze (in dark). The paint specialist highly recommended it to me because she liked it so much and had used it repeatedly. She demonstrated it for me in the store on a white cupboard and I was sold. I really liked the consistency of it, and the color is great.

The pictures don't show the glaze very well, but it really looks great in contrast to the light blue. I'm not fond of waxes yet, I still prefer the rub on poly, you know, "the old tried and true". Also, once the poly is on then you can glaze with ease, then reseal it.

I really love how the satin finish on the top looks, she turned out so pretty, it will look great in any room. I didn't clean up the knob's because they have so much character with the aging on them. I might change my mind, but for now she'll stay this way.

My 1st Curbside Find!

2011-07-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

I've been so jealous reading all the great before and afters that all of you have done from a great find that was thrown to the curb. I haven't ever seen anything that was worth fixing up, in fact rarely do I ever see furniture of any kind. So the other day I was yard saleing (it is a real word to me, I do it all the time) and not having very good luck at all. I thought I saw another yard sale and went to check it out and it was a house where someone had moved and left several things in the yard with a sign that said "FREE". I was so excited when I saw this desk, (pretty sad that such a pathetic looking thing can make me so happy) I was determined to make it look great, no matter the cost, okay,not really.

The leg was broken off and the top drawer was missing. The top had really deep scratches in it, in fact I finally had to use wood filler on them because I didn't want to go any deeper with the sander. I did sand the top though and it wasn't a pretty wood grain finish so I opted to paint it. I had to wood fill just about every where though. I love my Elmer's wood filler, it has just the right consistency so you can work with it for awhile and yet it also drys pretty fast too

After sanding all the places that I filled and knew it would paint up really nice, it was time to paint. I had decided on a two tone grey pallet. So I headed to Lowe's to get two of the sample size can's, just the right size for my project. I knew I wanted different knobs on it, some that were a little less decorative. I didn't want to spend much on them though, because after all this is my "1st Curbside Find". So I went to the restore and found these three, for fifty cents each. They were a shiny brass color but I sanded them and sprayed them with Rustoleum bronzed spray. This is the first time I used it (the bronzed spray) and I love it.

This has become my favorite piece that I've done so far. And I'm sure it's because no one wanted it and I saved it and turned it into something that I'm sure I will be able to find a good home for. What do you think?

Simple but elegant handles, they fit the piece so well.

I sure had fun with this one and hope I find more curb side finds. For some reason it's so gratifying to restore something that has been given up on.

Very Unique Buffet

2011-07-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

I know I start most of my blogs off by saying, "I was at this yard sale", but really that's where I find most of my great buys and in this case a "unique find". Inside of drawer there is a metal button like thing that has the trademark of the maker of this buffet. It was made in England by a furniture company called, Harris Lebus. As far as I could tell the value on a piece like this isn't great money wise, but boy is it a great conversation piece. My hubby and I liked it one moment and then didn't the next. I think one of the reasons we didn't care for it was the running board on the bottom.

I really like the scrolling on the front and the old handles. The lacquer on the top was crackled so I decided that was where I would start. I wanted to use my new chalk paint and this was the perfect test for it. I sanded and stripped the top. I came across a new wood stripper that I really like, Motsenbocker's Lift Off. There wasn't any odor and it cleaned off so well. The best part is that it didn't leave a sticky residue afterwards. I recently did a project that I thought I had cleaned all the stripper off but I had missed some. I went ahead and painted it and to this day, a month later, it is still tacky. I am going to have to start all over again with that project. So I really appreciate a stripper that will wash off easily. To make sure it was all off I rubbed the freshly stripped top with a product that I also love called Citristrip Paint Stripper Afer Wash. It completely takes any of the left over stripper off, and does it so easily.

I was ready to stain the top and the running board and legs. I also found a new stain that I really love. I used it on another piece that I will be showing in a few days. The stain is Rustoleum walnut. I have been using the "other guys", stuff for along time now but I needed a new color and Rustoleum had it. This project really doesn't do the color justice (oak doesn't stain very pretty in my opinion).

I'm so excited to get this part out of the way so I can try my new chalk paint. So far I'm loving it. I did some distressing and it sanded so easy, love that. I finished it off by putting a satin poly on the top and Annie Sloan's clear wax on the rest.

The "unique buffet table", is still unique, but I really love it now. The chalk paint is great to work with and wonderful to sand. I still have to buff the wax tomorrow and that will be the finishing touch to a very interesting piece. Didn't She turn out pretty?

Dresser Face Lift

2011-06-30T21:26:00.000-07:00

I went to the ultimate yard sale the other day, it was so much fun. I love hitting good one's like this once and a while. Everything was priced so good. I got a really funky buffet table for fifteen dollars, brand new curtian rods (enough for five windows), for only a dollar a piece. And I got this dresser for five dollars, Big score! It was more beat up then it looks in the picture. Several doors had fallen off and the drawers were coming apart. The bottom drawer wouldn't close because the middle support board had come undone. As if all thats not bad enough, there were stickers every where.

The drawer front was in one of the other drawers so I assumed that the missing handles were too. I was wrong, There were three of them missing. I went on a search to find the exact handles so I could save myself some money by not having to buy all new one's. I couldn't find anything like these so I bit the bullet and bought some new one's. Darn. I wanted to update it though, and the new handles did just that.I found some knobs that I liked but of course they didn't fit the exsisting holes so out came the wood filler. What I used was Elmers wood filler that I've used a lot and really like it because it dries fast and is easy to sand off. It also paints really well.

While I was waiting for this to dry I started to glue the fronts on the drawers and clamping them together. Then I painted the body of the dresser a high gloss white. I like it for dressers because it washes so well. I already had some paint on hand and just used that. Love it when I don't have to go out and spend any money on a cheap project.

I finished sanding the dry wood filler off the fronts and painted them as well. It was really starting to look nice. My hubby drilled new holes for the knobs that I had picked up, while I finished the last coat of paint. Yeahh, time to put the new knobs on. And here it is. The stickers are all gone and it has a new coat of paint as well as sporting new knobs. It turned out really good, and what I like best is the way the knobs gave it an updated look. Doesn't she look pretty, nice and clean. and so sturdy.

Beautiful Settee

2011-06-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago my hubby and I went yard saling, and I spotted this little jewel. My hubby looked at me with the, "are you sure you can help this one", look. I hit the jack pot that day at most of the yard sales we went to. I got two plastic adirondack chairs that I knew with a little spray paint they would sit beautifully next to this little couch. I have to admitt though, it took a lot longer then what I had thought it would, but now that they are done I'm feeling like it was time well spent.

So I started taking her apart. The bottom came out easy but the top was another issue. I had to pull, twist, get pilars out and use some leverage to get the back off. I fiinally just started sanding her down with the back fabric still on because I knew I wasn't going to use the fabric again. It sanded so easy, the whole thing only took about a half hour.

Yip I finally got her off (the back that is), and started painting it. I wanted to paint it white and not distress or age it, because I wanted it to look fresh and bright.

Remember the adirondack chairs I got at the yard sale, well I am priming one here so that it will be ready for some Rustoleum Green Apple spray paint about the same time I'm done with the couch. The primer I used on the chair specifically said it was primer for plastic. I'm still a little nervous about how well it will work, I'll let you know later after we've used it for awhile.

Isn't the fabric pretty? The original couch had buttons on the back and I liked the look so I wanted to keep it. The problem is, as you can see, some of the heads pop off the buttons. No matter how careful or how hard I hit the little do-hicky that joins the back to the front of the botton, some always come apart. Does anyone have any advice here, or a good brand of buttons that don't come apart?

And here she is, didn't she turn out pretty. I love that fabric, I got it at JoAnn's. It's kind of spendy but I used a 50% off coupon and that helped a lot. I put trim around the back and slid the bottom back in. Now lets see her with her good friend, the adirondack chair.

A perfect match, can't wait to get the other adirondack chair spray painted and on the other side of her. I really love the color of this green, it matchs my material perfect.

I lent out my sewing machine or there would be some throw pillows on them already, can't wait to do them.

Happy Father's Day (to me)

2011-06-12T19:17:00.000-07:00

So last summer my husband was in Alaska for awhile and wasn't here for Father's Day. I was doing all the yard work and decided since I couldn't start our old mower ever......... (I had to ask our neighbor to start it every time). Well, I just knew my hubby would love a new lawn mower for Father's Day! What a great idea!! I did some research and this baby was the one for me/him. Once I assembled it I took these pictures and email my guy. He's a great sport and laughed. I have loved it so much, he has too.

The yard really did look great when he got back. Okay their flowers, but their close to the grass.

Hmmmm, I wonder what he wants this year???

So Many Stains...

2011-06-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

I saw this end table at a yard sale for $2. Yip, 2 dollars!!! I grabbed it, well I really didn't need to grab it, no one else wanted it. I could see the top restained and the rest in a cream. Of course I would fix it all up and then age it. I was at my Mom's the other day and she had bought an end table almost exactly like this one except her's was all cream. She told me she thought it was new until she looked closer at it. What she was noticing was the sanding and the aging that the painter had done. When I told her that the seller had done that on purpose to give it a "older, used look", and that I loved that look also. She looked at me like I was crazy. She asked me more then once, "now why do you do that"? But she loves her table and I love mine.

Here she is with some sanding. My favorite part in discovering what is underneath all the ugly stuff. The wood is so pretty, I think it's maple, not sure though.

So here goes the first coat of stain, looking good!

I've stained it once here and then added some poly.

Here she is, I really like how it turned out. I always hate the distressing part, but it seemed like the more I did it, the more I wanted to do it. I sanded some and then used the same stain, Minwax Special Walnut, to distress it.

Love That Blue

2011-06-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

I have been working on my spare bathroom trying to lighten it up a bit. I had a burgundy, yellow, and cream striped shower curtain in there, which I really liked when I put it in but it was time for a change. I found this little hand towel hanger in a shop in Salt Lake at that time. I really liked it and it fit the color scheme perfectly. Well time marchs on and I have been wanting to put some aqua blue, green, and tan in there. I found "Thee" shower curtain at Kolh's that I love! Later I found the rug that matches the shower curtains color, yeahhh! So I decided to give this little towel hanger an update as well. I bought one of those sample sized cans of paint (which I love, that Lowe's offers, because usually that's the paint I need).

I primed it to cover up the dark burgundy and then tried a cream color on it. It was too light for my walls so I then went for blue but, Oops, wrong color of blue. It really looked bad. Back to Lowe's for the right color.

I love the new color, it's just what I wanted. Since the bathroom is used mostly by my grand kids I decided to make it a little whimsical. The saying says "Just when a caterpillar thinks the world is over, he turns into a butterfly". They love it, so I have received the highest stamp of approval as possible.

Sugar & Coffee to Beautiful Vase

2011-05-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

I saw these canister's in Goodwill and grabbed them right up. I had already bought some really fresh looking flowers at Micheal's and was looking for just the right vase, and these were the right one's, with a little work. Sorry about the dark picture's.

I washed them really good and then primed them. that was all the prep I had to do, (no sanding, yeah)

I chose to use Valspar black and cream spray paint. I sprayed them twice to get a really good, even coat. Then I went down to our local craft store and bought three decals. I put the two together and........TAAADAAA.

As you can see they aren't exactly on my fire place mantle (but they could be), but they're on a more important mantle, the back ot the toilet!!! You know when I walk in the bathroom and see them with that beautiful green flower in them, well I just smile.

Old Fashioned to Modern

2011-05-22T17:19:00.000-07:00

I found this beauty on Craigslist and snatched it up. I was needing a chair for one of the corners of our bedroom. I have had a table chair there for a long time waiting for just the right chair. It looks kinda cute but close up it is really dirty and a bit out dated.

I took off the tack strip but didn't need to take off the fabric, yeahhh! I added some batting because there were two low spots on it and I also wanted to give it a crisper look. I already had the fabric and the batting so this project was fun and cheap from the start. I started out using an electric staple gun and it was a, "piece of crap", (my husbands words) and I agreed. So I switched over to my great staple gun and the compressor, so, so, much better.

I got some trim at JoAnn's and glued it in place. It matched the material so well. I am very pleased at how it turned out, and the best part is that it was such a fast project. I did want to add a finishing touch with a pillow. It was also fast. I just wrapped the pillow form with the fabric that I had left from the bed skirt. I finished it off with a trim that I already had and then made a flower for it. I left the finish on the wood, (even though I was tempted to paint it), because it goes with my bedroom furniture. It looks so beautifl in my bedroom.

It Just Makes Me Smile

2011-05-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

I picked up this little bench at the Youth Ranch and knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I get some great deals at the Youth Ranch, it's my favorite thrift store. If you look really close at the fabric you'll be able to see that it's really old. My grandmother had a couch out of the same fabric and it was the same color. You'd think I'd want to keep it as is, right..... wrong.

So I took it apart and sanded the frame. Then I wiped it off with a tac cloth to make sure it was really clean. I gave it a coat of Kilz primer, which I really love. I then spray painted it white and let it dry really good. I upholstered the top and this is how it turned out. Pretty huh?

It really did turn out nice, but it's just a little too white for me. I decided to distress it a bit, so I sanded it in a few places and then used some dark maple stain on it to define the lines. Much, much better. It just puts a big smile on my face, maybe it's the pretty blue upholstery, or it could be that I got a project done so quickly.

Welcome to my blog

2011-05-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

I have enjoyed reading your blogs for the past year now and want to thank all of you in blogland for all of the creative idea's that you have given me. I enjoy reading so many more then are listed on my side bar but I had to stop some where. I hope you will enjoy viewing my blog as well, I am very new at this so bare with me until I get my "blogger legs" under me.

One of my favorite centerpieces

2011-05-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite centerpieces.

The dove's were brass so I spray painted them white

and they turned out great. The vase was just a metal can so I

spray painted it cream, aged it, then added a vinyl decal. The green

vase I got at the store, I think Kohl's.

The tray was a cream color

with flowers painted on it. I gave it a good coat of

Behr, primer and paint in one, and it turned out great.

And what a beautiful ending, much better, right?

I love it, I bought everything at the second hand store except the green vase.

That's my kind of decorating.

I have had this rooster on my planter self way too long.

It's time to redue the planter shelves. But I really do love it.

So whatever takes it's place will have to be really good!

I've Been Featured On

2011-05-13T23:34:00.000-07:00

LINK PARTIES

2011-05-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

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CONTACT ME

2011-05-10T23:58:00.000-07:00

Thank you for taking the time to visit me today!
I always love hearing from my readers...
Feel free to drop me a line at:

makingithomey@yahoo.com