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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Going French

I mentioned last week that my mom was coming to visit me. Well, she's gone already and I can't believe how quickly time goes by when I spend time with her.

I just want to say that I have the best mommy!

A tradition of ours is to go flower shopping when she's here. Last year she wasn't able to come and I had to do it by myself and it was no fun at all! I'm so thankful we could go together this year! Check out part of our haul!

This just makes me happy. :)

She helped me plant and my yard looks 1000 x's better. Thank you mom!! Just wish I could go home with her and return the favor! :(

When we were done I asked her if she wanted to run into Goodwill with me and, of course, she said "Sure." cuz that's how good she is to me. ;) We were in there for about 3 minutes and I found this cute little table with Queen Anne legs (you know how I love legs!). I scooped that baby up and off we went.

Before

After

I'm normally not a fan of "the fan" :), but I think it's such a great little detail on this table.

Seriously, there is just nothing like a pretty leg and she's got them (and cute little feet to boot!). I made my mom rub them (lol!) and she said, "They do feel nice!" Shhhh....don't tell! :)

I had originally wanted to leave the top natural and just stain it dark (it actually had a pretty pattern in the veneer), but there were icky little spots after I had sanded and stained it. I decided that leaving it natural was not an option so I decided to use my favorite stencil on it from Maison De Stencils. I'm actually glad my original idea didn't work out! I love how this looks.

I did one thin coat of cream over the parts I wanted to highlight and then sanded them back. My son walked into the room before I had distressed it and said, "Is that just the first coat of the white stuff?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Oh, that's good, cuz it's ugly!" lol

Moral of the story? If you hate it when you start. Keep going. If you hate it in the middle. Keep going. If you hate it when it's done. Repaint. :) It is very typical for me not to love a piece until it's distressed and the hardware is on. I don't really like the look of new paint, but I recognize this about me, so I've stopped freaking out when it's painted and I hate it still. I just tell myself it's like deep cleaning--things always look a mess before they look better. :)

She's soft and sweet!

color = mix between Intellectual Gray (SW) and Weimaraner (BM)

Linked up here:

Saturday:

Life on Lakeshore Drive

Sunday:

Monday:

Cupcakes and Crinoline

Pinkapotamus

Lolly Jane

Our Home Away From Home

Tuesday:

Domestically Speaking

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wednesday:

Savvy Southern Style

Ginger Snap Crafts

Green Willow Pond

Handy Man, Craft Woman

Thursday:

Friday:

InLinkz.com

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Bar Makeover in Black

Quick little post this afternoon to start my weekend (my mom is coming to visit me for a week! yea!).

My friend said that this has been in her husband's family for a while. She said her hubby doesn't like change (I can relate), but she was ready to see this little bar get a redo. I love when I get to update a family piece and hopefully hubby will be on board with the new look. :)

She said she wanted a Pottery Barn finish (I have to sadly admit that a year ago I didn't even know what that meant! lol). Just love it in black!

Before

After

Happy upcoming weekend!! See you next week!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

French Chic Desk

Sometimes I know exactly what I want to do with a piece as soon as I see it. Sometimes I have a thousand thoughts about it and it takes me forever to make up my mind.

When I saw this one I just knew. I've done two other pieces this style in the last few weeks and it just seems this is the time of the year for them to start popping up at garage sales. This one was in the back of the garage and it was a fat mess.

I brought it home and the more I worked on it the bigger the mess I realized it was. The top had almost completely come off, the bottom was detached, the paint was peeling, yah-you get the picture. It's a good thing I got her for a steal, although a few times I thought, "I'm not out much if I just chuck it in the garbage!"

So glad I didn't! It just makes me smile to see her now! What a change!

Before

*this isn't the actual pic cuz I had it apart almost immediately when I got home, but it looked exactly like this only way worse! :)

After

Ok, I didn't know what color right away (I was debating between pink and aqua for a little girl and I decided I didn't want to do pink), but I knew how I wanted it to look. I am loving this soft aqua (I just mixed a few other colors I had to get rid of some of them!).

Just adore these crystal knobs against the stripes and black edging!

This skirt is just particle board, and it was all bubbly. So, I sanded it gently, primed twice, and painted two coats. It's still bumpy, but at least I know she's covered and protected.