A PINKY dresser--and a sneak peek!

When I was pregnant with Emma, I knew deep down that my husband really wanted a boy, although he wouldn't admit it.  I think he had an adjustment to make when we found out she was a girl.  Not in a bad way, he was happy to be having a healthy baby, but in that "man" sense, you know?  Part of that adjustment was his objection to anything pink.  Her nursery was done in beautiful lavendars and shades of green.  It was pretty, really pretty.  But, no pink.  But, when I saw this dresser/hutch combo, it screamed PINK!

Although it was so far out of date, it was in great condition.  Plus, it has a working light right under those three drawers.

The first thing I did was use wood filler to fill in the holes left by the pulls on those top three drawers.  They seemed so small for a pull and I thought they would look better with some glass knobs. 

I mixed some ASCP Pure White with red to come up with a bright pink.  I knew I wanted to do the body in pink and the drawers in white, but after doing so, it just looked odd and blocky.  So, I took some white and traced around where the gold inset had been.  Then, I used the pink to outline those three top drawers. 

I was going to use glass pulls for the drawers as well, but these pulls are a weird size and since the drawers were already painted I wasn't about to start over.  I didn't want them real pink and I didn't want them real white either so I just used kind of a loose mixture of both, then distressed them and I think they turned out really cute!

Here is the dresser part.  I hope you can see some of the white detailing.  Once again, I got out a teeny tiny brush and did it by hand.

And here is this great hutch:

Aren't those pink glass knobs great?  I've had those for a few months, they were just waiting for the right place to be!  Here is a close up of the pretty decorative piece on top, you can also see some more of the white detailing:

As you can see, I did some light distressing on this also.  I thought it toned down the pink a bit and gave a more whimsy appearance.  So, here she is in all her glory:

I couldn't get a good picture with the light in the hutch on, it was too much glare, but it looks even prettier with that light on!

How perfect would a piece like this be in a nursery?  Look at ALL.THAT.STORAGE!  The best thing is, with a little change of knobs and staging, this can really grow with a little girl. 

Onto my sneak peek.......

After months of working out finances and thinking we may move soon, we realize it's just not in the near future for us.  Like many homeowners today, we are upside down in our mortgage.  Now, I'm not going to complain, we are only upside down by a little bit.  I have one neighbor who is upside down by around $125,000.  I would be seriously sick to my stomach.  But, at this time, I just cannot justify shelling out $15,000 or so at settlement to sell a house we've lived in for 8 years, especially a nice one, in a fairly nice neighborhood, in a GREAT location.  So, we are staying put and finally doing things that we've wanted to do around here for a while.  We are starting with our master bath, our contractor grade, plain, ugly (but big!) master bath.  So, here is a peek at my first job that I tackled with my trusty paintbrush:

This....

is now this...

Stay tuned for the rest, along with a new paint I found that I used on these cabinets!

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A tale of two sideboards

I found two, yes two, sideboards within about a week or so of each other.  One was a bit more ornate than the other, but basically same style.  I posted about the first one here.  Because that was a set and more ornate, I chose a stained top and ASCP Old White.  Very simple yet classy.  The other one just needed more, or I needed more.  I've had a real problem lately with being creative.  For this piece I remember something I read on Miss Mustard Seed.  She talked about creativity and realizing that while you redo furniture to sell, being creative instead of being safe, means you'll enjoy it much more and so will your customers.  I've really tried to remember that.  So, I was left with what to do with this:

This piece was also bigger, a real beast.  It needed to be lightened up to be tamed!

I really love the color yellow.  But, kinda like the color gray can be too blue or too green, yellow can be too beige, too bright, or just plain WAY too yellow.  I've really been into mixing my ASCP colors lately.  Thank goodness for the sample pots!  So, this particular sideboard was a mixture of ASCP Old White and Arles.  My husband actually stopped me and said he thought I should play it safe and just do white or off white.  But, I decided to do it with what I thought was pretty and not what would appeal to the masses. 

I started with the top.  I really do still just L-O-V-E a nice dark stained top.  Instead of stripping, I just got out the orbital sander because I knew the top, although in fab condition, was veneer and wouldn't take too long to sand off the original stain.  And, I was right.  It sanded fairly easily.  I wanted this really rustic looking, so I dragged out the chains, hammer, screwdriver and really dinged the whole top up.  After the stain goes on, it settles in those grooves and crevices and looks SOOOOOO nice!

I then got out my mixture of ASCP and painted the body of it.  I then grabbed my orbital sander again and gave it a quick sanding to really, really, really distress it.  (Did I mention REALLY distressed?)

Once again, my photography skills are seriously lacking, although I'm trying.  You can't really see the yellowishness (I just made up a new word!) of this, but it's not as creamy beige as the picture depicts.  Look at that gorgeous top:

I used Rustleoum Dark Walnut stain and then topped it with the Annie Sloan dark wax.  I then topped the body of it with the clear wax, then went over all the detail in dark wax, so it really popped out and almost looked two-toned in color.

Isn't that detailing great?  It went along the top and the bottom.  And, as a bonus, the drawer pulls and door knobs were perfect, I didn't have to do anything to them except clean 'em up a bit.

Again, I really wish you could see the yellow in this piece, it's just so happy!  What great colors have you all mixed up lately??

Linking to:

Primitive and Proper and Miss Mustard Seed

 

Some new tables

This is just another example that ANYTHING can be painted.  Really. 

I was driving by a yard sale when these tables caught my eye.  From the road, I couldn't quite figure out what was going on with them, specifically the top.  But, they had such a great shape.  So, of course, with Emma in the back and a trunk full of toys, I did a quick U-turn in the middle of the street to check 'em out.

I almost forgot some before pics, but here are the two side tables.  The coffee table was exactly the same.

Like I said, I *almost* forgot my before pictures.  I had already taken the drawers out ready to paint, but you get the idea, right?  So, check out the tops on these.  I was able to discover that these tops are wood, but covered in laminate.  White marbley (is that a word?) laminate.  I literally sat there for about a half of an hour trying to decide if I should rip off the laminate or leave it on.  Then, I had flashbacks to an unfortunate veneer peeling off incident that took me forever and a day.  These tables are not the best in fine craftsmanship, but they certainly are very pretty, so I left the laminate on.  I knew I wanted to paint them in ASCP Old White, but even I doubted it with those tops.  So, I did prime the tops, then painted the whole piece with 2 coats of the Old White. 

So, whaddya think?

They are so pretty!  I mean, look at those sexy legs!

Here is the coffee table:

Long and lean, just like me...NOT!

Look how the distressing brought out all the detail:

Like I said at the beginning, ANYTHING can be painted with the proper priming and prepping!

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A girly bedroom set

First, let me say again, I'll NEVER win any bloggy awards or any such accolades as my photography sucks!  Honestly, it's just one more thing to do on a long list of an already busy person.  So, forgive me.  I hope you can still appreciate the beauty in some of my transformations!

Now, onto the main event...

I happened to be riding by a yard sale, unexpectedly.  It was a Friday after all, very few of those.  I wasn't even looking, but spotted some furniture.  Screeeeech...I stopped and loaded up a bedroom set the poor guy just wanted to unload.  He had NO idea why I wanted it.  Why?  Don't you realize crap like that can be painted!!??

My "before" pics are limited because I got a new phone.  My old phone was wiped clean.  Yeah, refer to first paragraph.  But, it was this kind, you all know what I'm talking about, right?  The beigy 70's style with gold trim, we all knew someone with this set growing up, right?

Now, I'm not quite sure what size bedroom this person had, but I bought matching twin headboard, footboard, rails, 2 dressers, one with a hutch, nightstand AND matching desk.  I realized that nobody could fit all of that in one room so I redid the bed, nightstand, one dresser and desk as a set.  I will do the other dresser with big hutch some other time.

As I painted, I realized this was a set that I didn't want to distress.  I also didn't feel it was a set that would benefit from the ASCP paint.  So, I got my handy dandy Zinsser primer and good old fashioned regular paint and went to town.  I added Floetrol to the paint to reduce the brush strokes:

A bit of this in latex paint will increase the drying time, but in doing so, reduces the brush strokes and gives it a cleaner finish. 

As I stared at the plain white furniture I became a little discouraged.  I mean, anyone can slap a coat of white paint on some furniture, right?  Where was my creativity?  What would make it stand out a bit?  So, I mixed some of the white paint with some green paint I had and came up with a fab minty, sagey, light accent color that I carefully (with a teeny tiny brush) handpainted through all the spots where the gold trim was.  Then, I used the same green to paint the drawer pulls to pull it together.  I thought painting the pulls the same green would be kinda "kitchy" if you know what I mean.  I wasn't too sure, but it turned out so much prettier than I ever thought it would.  It's still your basic white set, but with just a small pop of interest.  SOOOOOOO perfect for a sweet little girl!

Here is an inside pic, but a close up so you can see the subtle green accents:

And, the whole set together:

This sold within hours of posting.  My husband delivered it and he told me the little girls room he helped carry it to was painted almost the exact color green as my accents, like it was meant to be there!  Am I a total dork that the thought of that makes me happy? 

Now, I think I'm going to totally glam up the other dresser....maybe some HOT pink?

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and:

Elizabeth & Co.

A great set!

Do you ever have one of those Craigslist finds that really just seem to be too good to be true?  Well, this was mine. 

I had just gotten to work and while I was checking messages and returning calls I decided to browse Craigslist.  Then, I saw them.  The ad simply was titled "china hutch and buffet" but the price was low enough so I opened up the ad.  I immediately sent an email to the seller inquiring about them 100% certain that he would tell me, so sorry, already sold.  But, he answered right away.  They were still available.  He had someone coming at 3:00 that afternoon to look, but if I wanted and could come before then, I could!  So, like any furniture addict who is at her full time job and dressed in a suit and heels, I took an early lunch hour and RAN.  Now, before everyone yells at me about safety issues, the guy told me they were already sitting outside in his driveway.  I figured I could do a "drive by" to asses the situation.  They were outside and he lived in a busy neighborhood, so out of the truck I hopped!  I made my quick purchase, he loaded my pick up truck and back to work I went. 

This is what I looked like parked in the parking deck.  I seriously just prayed nobody would steal them in the few hours I had left!

I'm pretty sure most people have given up on me!

Here is what I got:

AND!

First, don't get excited about the wheels, they didn't go with the pieces.  The original wooden ones had broken and the man just replaced them with up to date ones that totally didn't match, so I took them off. 

My biggest regret is that my pictures of this whole redo suck!  They sold so lightening fast that I didn't get good ones.  Boo.

I stripped and sanded the top of the sideboard and restained it a lovely dark walnut.  I painted the rest Old White, distressed heavily, then topped with clear wax.  Seriously, I loved this.  I should have kept it.  But, I didn't and now I'll have to pine away for her the rest of my life.  Or, maybe not.  Can you believe after looking for one of these for over a year, the same day this sold I found another one for a steal! 

Then, I took the doors off the china cabinet, painted the inside Louis Blue, the outside Old White, again heavily distressed it, topped with clear wax.  I cleaned the glass real good reattached the door.  Sigh, I will be pining for her.  Pine.  Pine.  Pine. 

And, the sideboard:

Okay, maybe I will still pine away.  Sigh.  I love this. 

If you are anything like me and were never able to form a meaningful relationship with poly, dark wax on top of a stained wood top is pure heaven.  Smmmmoooootttttthhhhhhhhh!  It just adds an additional richness to the color and I'll probably never use poly again.

The good news in all my pining is that the same lady bought both pieces and they will go in her dining room.  She lives in an old farmhouse that is in the middle of a renovation and she is trying hard to keep the reno as true to the style of the house as she can.  They will be so happy there!

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A few small projects

I recently had an unexpected day when Enma woke up with a gloopy, sloppy case of pink eye.  I knew she wasn't feeling too hot, so this was the perfect excuse to not push ourselves.  It was especially awesome because it was pouring all day, which was another perfect excuse to not have to do anything.  Not do anything?  Hmmmmm.  I used to be able to do nothing.  What happened to me?

So, I spent the day finishing a few small projects.  And, when Scooby Doo was no longer entertaining (yes, don't ask me why, but my 4 year old has an uncanny obsession with Scooby Doo) Emma joined in the craft making!  She was very intent on her work:

I had some extra slabs of wood leftover from a name sign I did and from some pallets, so we just started painting.  Emma made this all by herself.  The ONLY thing I did was outline the flower in pencil because I had originally planned on using this.  But, she filled it in on her own.  Oh, I did tell her how to spell Mommy, but she knows all her letters and wrote it on her own.  This sign is now proudly hanging on my office wall and I know it's one of those things I will own FOREVER.

And, for anyone familiar with ASCP, yes this is that.  That beautiful pink is Emperor's Silk mixed with Pure White and the minty light green is Antibes Green mixed with Pure White.  I'm not sure what Emma enjoyed most, making the colors or actually painting!

Next, I finished up a chair that I had painted a few weeks ago, then it just sat because I just didn't know what to do with it.  A friend of mine had given me this kids chair a while ago.  It came from her grandparent's home.  They were sadly clearing out thier house and before the yard sale, she snatched up this chair.  She gave it to me thinking I could do whatever I wanted with it.  So, after reading Winnie the Pooh's 'Giving is the Best Gift' about 50 nights in a row, I decided to practice what I preach.  I knew this had been a hard time for my friend, and having lost my Grandmother last year, I know how nice it is to have some sentimental things.  My friend has a 6 year old daughter, so this was perfect for her.  I knew the color was right, she loves this color! 

 I have to say, I had SO much fun doing this.  This was the relaxing, fun, creative part of painting furniture that I had kind of lost.  It has become more and more of a job to me and it was nice to do something creative, that nobody was expecting or waiting for and there was no pressure at all.  I've never been an artist and you don't have to be to paint furniture, just have some sort of vision.  But, as I was doing this chair, I felt more artistic and became very brave and daring when I added the flowers...all free hand!  Here it is:

The best part of sanding and distressing something after you paint is that it doesn't have to be perfect and precise.  The flowers aren't measured or perfectly placed, I just eyed it.  My friend was very happy (and suprised!) to have such a cute chair that will remind her of her grandparents when she looks at it.  And, best of all, Abbie loves it!

I don't have any before pictures, but it was just your basic, run of the mill, plain wood chair.

We had such a nice day, I was kind of hoping the pink eye would stick around or perhaps travel to me, but alas, no such luck.  Back to work the next day...



Another use for pallets!

Through Pinterest, I've developed a fascination with pallets.  The best thing is, you can find them a lot of places, plus it's reusing old wood that would probably be sent to the dump or burnpile.  My first project was this pallet turned shelf/wall hanging:

This filled a space in my kitchen by my table that I have racked my brain trying to fill.  I love it because it's so unique and houses all my pictures in a great way.  Every person that walks into my house remarks how cool it is.

Then, we made this outside pallet table for our patio redo:

It's perfect because it's on wheels and we can just roll it everywhere!  Plus, it matches our great Adirondak chairs.

This weekend I was making a pallet shelf for someone who just loved mine and we had to do some fancy cutting to make it work.  I saw the beginnings of another great project!  All I had to do was attach a board across the front to hold in the bottles and voila (!) a pallet wine shelf to hang on the wall.

I really liked the color of this wood and didn't really want to stain it.  But, it needed something.  So, I grabbed my Paris Blue ASCP and watered it down.  I then lightly painted around it to give it that perfect beachy look.  I was going to paint the whole thing but as I was painting decided to leave the back part the original wood.  It just looks so beachy rustic.  Is that a design style?

So, here it is:

I didn't hang it.  I actually have no wall space for this, but couldn't resist making it!  Surely, I will find someone who loves it!

It's pretty large, could probably handle about 8 bottles of wine.  This is so cool...I need to go find some wall space, NOW!

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