Tuesday, June 24, 2014

The Good, the Bad, and a Vanity!

As I'm writing this I'm watching my too little ones do Yoga, they're watching a kids Yoga video. It is about the cutest thing I've seen all day and it brings me so much joy! That being said only 5 minutes ago I was attempting to take pictures of a vanity I just finished. I was trying to take pictures of it with my camera in manual mode (something I've never attempted before) I had NO IDEA what I was doing and my kiddos were being crazy and arguing with one another. It was chaotic and not at all the peaceful creative moment I had hoped for, so I just pointed and clicked and went on with my day. Here are the shots I got...




































The pictures leave much to be desired but it's a starting point. This post will be my "before" in my photography journey :) I've got to start somewhere! But I love how the vanity turned out! It's is a piece I did for a client and it goes with this dresser.

I've been taking this course I learned about at http://missmustardseed.com! It's amazing! I've been so inspired! And it is so good! I feel as though I'm going to burst with all sorts of new ideas for my blog/business! The bad thing is I want it to happen now! I want to create a logo for my business, start taking amazing pictures, and open an Etsy shop; and I want it all to happen instantly! But I guess it doesn't work like that!

There are only so many hours in a day and my priority is to be a wife and a mother first, this little venture of mine has to be put on the back burner quite often and that is okay. I'm learning to be content in the moment and just enjoy the journey! It's not always easy but I'm a work in progress just like my photography skills. Well I'm off to do some yoga with my kiddos! I hope you have a lovely day!

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Blue and White End Tables (part 2)

I finished the blue and white end tables that I posted about last week! I love how they turned out! Here they are in my room with their new hardware...


They match my room perfectly! And I will be sad to let them go to their new home, but I've been inspired by these end tables to make some changes in our master bedroom! It's amazing how a small thing like new end tables can really change the whole look of a room! 

I wanted to share a new technique I used on these end tables to get a more even finish while using chalk paint. I love chalk paint and I've used it on several projects in the past. Sometimes, however, the texture the chalk paint creates can be uneven and it can make a piece look sloppy (at least to me). I tried using one of these tools, instead of my usual angled paint brush, to apply my chalk paint. I got mine at Walmart…


It worked great, created a more smooth even texture. The finish is not completely smooth, I recommend using a latex paint if your after a really smooth finish, but the texture is more uniform. I did use the same tool to paint the blue on the drawers with latex paint. It worked really well with latex paint, the paint went on smooth and the finish was virtually free of any brush strokes! 


Here are some more pictures of the finished product! Since my post last week, I've antiqued these using  a custom stain like I did with this piece. I just rubbed the stain on with a rag and quickly wiped it off. I used the stain very sparingly on these since my client wanted a more true white, but I like how just a little antiquing can add such warmth to a piece...



I also had to replace the hardware since one of the drawer pulls was broken when I bought them. I replaced them all since I couldn't find just one drawer pull that matched perfectly. I ordered the new pulls on eBay! I love eBay for hardware! eBay and Hobby Lobby are the two places I order most of my hardware! When I ordered the new hardware I actually bought 10 drawer pulls, 4 of them I used on these, and 6 others. I figured it's always nice to have beautiful french provencial style drawer pulls in my stash. But I think I may have found a home for 2 of them! Check out this awesome dresser I found at a thrift store the other day...



I'm in love! Yes with a dresser! I love the lines of this piece and the drawers work perfectly! The best part is someone else prepped this entire piece for me! They must have spent hours stripping it down, and while it needs a little sanding just to smooth it out, it's pretty much totally prepped and ready for paint! I've never had a piece of furniture already prepped for me! It will have to wait awhile but I can't wait to paint it! That's it for now. Have a lovely day!

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Blue and White End Tables (part 1)

Today I'm excited to share with you a sweet little end table I've been working on  for a friend...



My client was wanting a pair of white end tables with blue drawers and while I was painting I was inspired by a old Readers Digest book I found recently at a thrift store...


I just love the sweet blue and white floral and geometric print on the cover! I have a problem when it comes to Readers Digest books with covers like this, they are just so beautiful! I can't help but scope out the book section of thrift stores looking for these beauties! I have a little collection started...



I made a stencil for these similar to the pattern on my Readers Digest cover using my Silhouette Cameo and went to work stenciling the inset of the drawers. Next I distressed the end tables, using sandpaper, including the area I stenciled.


This project is not completely finished. I still need to wax them and I'm waiting for new hardware that I ordered on Ebay since one of the handles on the end tables was broken when I bought them. I tried another new painting technique on these, what can I say I love experimenting! I'm excited to share my new technique and my finished product shortly! Have a lovely day!


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Thursday, June 5, 2014

My "Rustic" Coffee Table

Summer is quickly approaching and I find myself busier than I expected to be with custom jobs! My garage is full of furniture I'm working on! One piece in particular has been giving me a tough time though. It happens from time to time, I have a whole plan in mind of what I'm going to do to a piece and it just doesn't cooperate! I started sanding the top of the piece only to discover that the thin wood veneer had some substantial water damage so my orginal idea to stain the top will not work. While I was working on this piece, it reminded me of another project that I did that just didn't go as I planned. My coffee table...


Here is the before...


It wasn't in terrible shape but the finish on the top just wasn't holding up well in our house, with two toddlers and three dogs! So one day, sort of spur of the moment, I decided I would sand down and restain the top and paint the base white. I went to work with my sander only to discover that what I thought was a solid wood coffee table was only partially wood and mostly laminate! At this point I was sure I had ruined my coffee table forever! I love painted furniture but I really wanted to stain the top of this piece! I decided to just stain the top to see what would happen, thinking I would most likely end up painting over it and this is what happened...




I used my favorite stain for the moment (a custom mix of grey and walnut). I've learned to like my coffee table I think the stain on the laminate gives it a rustic feel. Almost like I found old barn wood, with some parts of the wood bleached from the sun, and built a coffee table with it! I love that painting furniture doesn't always work out like you plan it to, just like life some of the best things aren't planned! Have you ever had a piece of furniture not work out like you planned?