Change is Good!

"Help"....I'm so UGLY!

Most of you know that when we bought our house the previous owners had left a few unwanted items behind.  Lucky me since most of the pieces are furniture, and I love, love, love transforming furniture into something new!  So when I noticed an abandoned, neglected and truly ugly coffee table, I decided to try to turn it into something pretty.  Hmmm....an idea struck and I knew it's new life had to be a bench.  Now it was time for some brainstorming; indoor or outdoor, what to do with the glass insets, paint or stain, etc.  

Originally, I had figured I would use it somewhere inside, maybe at the foot of the bed and I knew I had to replace the glass with some pieces of plywood.  I also had every intention on painting it since it seemed to have some wood damage from years of neglect.  Then one day while I was checking out the new events on  The Foundry I noticed they were featuring outdoor cushions and I checked the sale out.  Those of you unfamiliar with this website, I urge you to take a look!  They run daily events of some great products at very reasonable prices.  I purchased stole a hammock earlier in the season and it is absolutely beautiful!  Anywho....I found a bench cushion and had to have it, it was perfect for my bench project.  Needless to say, the bench project transformed into a piece of outdoor furniture.  

As I mentioned earlier, I planned on painting it and brought the cushion with me for a color match. Once I got home and started sanding it, my plans changed yet again.  My very good friend Darla and my Beloved sat there watching me and together they thought that it looked great with some of the finish left in the grooves.  "Don't paint it!", they shouted, over the buzzing of the palm sander, as they shared their thoughts with me.  Ok...so now I'm standing there covered in dust thinking, "Crap! I already bought the freaking paint"....yet again, another change in the plans.  The next day I went back to the store to pick up some outdoor protective sealant and I swear those people that work there must think I'm nuts!  The end was near, it was sealed and a piece of plywood was screwed on to replace the glass and then topped with the fabulous cushion.  What a sight!  Finally, after all the plan changes, it was completed and I absolutely love it!

How SEXY...Come Sit!

I love wine

I love wine but what do you do with all of the corks?  Several years ago I started saving them after seeing a really cool wine cork wreath...so I picked up a wreath base at a local craft store and started gluing away.  As the corks build up, I add them to the wreath.  I like placing the really unusual ones in the front. This is a fun project and so many of my friends have commented on my wreath.  Remember to explain that the corks have been saved over time....they might start to think you have a problem.  Another great idea is to use the corks as a base for a bulletin board....going to try this soon!

Starting Lineup

I would like to share my starting lineup of what's to come.  This summer I have made a few really great finds at the Salvation Army and other thrift stores.  These are projects I will be taking on very soon (no particular order) and I promise I will get my act together and be more consistent with my posts.

It's Been A While....

Time has completely gotten away from me and I know it's been quite some time since my last post.  I have been working on some things and haven't been slacking...promise.  My time has been taken up by not only by my job and everyday life but with some projects around our home.  I have painted the trim and doors in the hallway and my goodness what an improvement!  It gives an "up to date" and fresh look and inspires me to get this house painted....unfortunately, I'm awaiting the beloved to get the walls prepped so that I can get started.  In the meantime, I will share with you one of my most recent projects, the nightstand for my honey.  An estate sale score to say the least...I mean I freakin stole this piece of furniture....$5, how could one resist.  So how on earth could I resist, I know a great deal when I see one!

Charming, right?  They sure don't make things the way they used to...real wood!  So I decided to stain it to match the nightstand I had refinished a few months ago, but the drawers had such beautiful wood grained veneer I couldn't see not showing them off.  I lightly sanded them and then oiled them to bring out the grain of the wood and WOW did they pop!  Usually I spray paint existing hardware with a hammered nickel finish but I liked the aged look of the sweet little drawer pulls and decided to keep them "as is".  The finished product is amazing and beloved is very happy with the end result!  Hope you like it as much as we do!

Crazy for Chevron

Chevron has become my latest obsession and I decided I needed to create something with this popular design.  I had become tired of staining furniture and desperately wanted to try something a bit more exciting.  Fortunately, the previous owners left yet another piece of furniture, a precious little desk/vanity table.

Boring

After finishing my bedroom pieces, I decided to paint, yes paint, not stain, this adorable table. My plan was to use this in my entryway and I needed something bold, then a light clicked....why not paint a chevron striping on the table top?!  Ok...sounds easy enough...hee...hee...little did I know what a PIA this would be. I planned it out on graph paper, marking how many stripes and length of each zig and zag and it seemed simple enough.  Boy oh boy was I wrong....so my darling man was called into action.  "Hun could you please help me put this design on this table?"  Of course he came to the rescue and after 3 1/2 hours he had it perfectly taped and ready to be painted.  I think he became somewhat addicted to the project as well and we couldn't be happier with the result. 

Beautiful

Renewing an old dresser

The previous owners left this small dresser and since I'm on a budget, I decided to refinish it to make it a beautiful addition to our master bedroom.  Boy oh boy does it need serious help....

Before

I'm loving the espresso colored furniture, so I picked up some stain in a color called Kona.  I originally used it to refinish a nightstand...a matching piece to the dresser that was also left behind.  Once again, I never took a "before" picture but this is how the nightstand turned out.

I am very pleased with the dresser and the nightstand and they look great in my master bedroom.  Once the rest of the bedroom is finished (new trim, new carpeting and new doors), I'm certain these pieces will all make the room.

After

Learn to Love Leftovers!

Embrace the items left behind by the previous owners no matter how hideous they may seem.  Try to look past imperfections and outdated style to see their potential.  I have on several occasions transformed an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.  I saved an old dresser from being tossed in the trash simply because I desperately needed a dresser and could not afford to go and buy new.  This dresser's previous life was ivory and gold....YUCK!  I had some leftover paint from when I refinished my console table and used a hammered nicked spray paint for the hardware.  I finished the look by painting the carved areas with silver paint and a steady hand and a new dresser was born.  Please excuse the awful carpeting and the painter's tape...our home is a work-in-progress.