FP Drexel in Coral Bells from Sweet Pickins

A sweet friend emailed me about this Craigslist listing.  I was so excited when I saw the price and then realized the price was for TWO Drexel dressers, not just this one.  I couldn't get to my phone quick enough!  It's a good thing, too, because by the time I drove 45 minutes he had already received 15 other calls on it!  Thank you so much, Sandy!!

When I saw what beautiful condition they were in my heart started pumping. Lol,  It's fun when any day can be like Christmas! ;) 

I knew right away what I wanted to do with this one.  I don't do really girly very often and I rarely do any shade of pink, but Sausha from Sweet Pickins recently came out with a new color in her milk paint line. It's called Coral Bells and it was just speaking to me from her page. :)  Love, love, love it. 

I ordered the paint and couldn't wait for it to get here.  A few days later it came and I was still finishing up some other custom work and was chomping at the bit to get started on this cutie. Half way through I realized I wasn't going to have enough paint to do the entire dresser. so I had to put my thinking cap on because I couldn't wait to order more paint.  

I decided I would do just the drawer fronts with the milk paint and do the body in my regular ProClassic and just have it color matched.  When it all dried and I finished up the drawer fronts I put them in the dresser and they looked good except the ProClassic had dried just a tad bit more orange than the Coral Bells.  You couldn't tell on the thin pieces, but the bottom was very obvious.  AND, the drawers chipped beautifully (which is what I was hoping for), but the latex on the skirt (which is right next to the bottom drawers) was smooth as butter.  It just didn't look right. I tried chipping it with the putty knife, but it didn't look as natural as the drawers and I couldn't live with it.  So, I sat on my garage floor until I had an epiphany and I remember I had this cute paper from a project two years ago.  Perfect!

So, it was a happy accident and I couldn't love it more!

BEFORE

Seriously, who doesn't love a great French Provincial piece?!  That's a rhetorical question as I'm sure there's someone out there who hates them, but it's just lovely. 

I did shellac the entire dresser (other than the top which was being sanded down and stained) because it's cherry and I knew the bleed through would be terrible.  I let the shellac dry overnight before painting so the milk paint would still chip.

 AFTER

I know the staging is minimal for me, but I was losing light and I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to post it. Lol

I love the contrast of the dark wood top, the bright white insets of the drawers, and the dark hardware all with the vintage paper and this to-die-for color. Yum!

I painted the white first then was super careful taping off so I would have nice crisp lines.  They look amazing. I also used Maison Blanche's Le Dirt Antiquing Dust on the inside of the lip.  I wiped most of it back but I like how it left it in the corners and gave it just a little definition between the lip and the inset.

Milk paint is so unique in how it chips and it just looks very natural.  I really like that.  I also love the patina of the original hardware and just left it (which I almost never do!).

 I did use General Finishes top coat in Flat over the entire piece. 

 The top was refinished by sanding it down to the bare wood with 150 grit, then stained with GF Java Gel, and finished with their topcoat in flat. 

 This skirt is just the icing on the cake for me.  It's scrapbook paper and I used Modge Podge to adhere it. *tip:  Cut your paper so it's close, but not exact, adhere it, and when it's dried for a few minutes run a piece of sandpaper along the edge until it falls off.  Voila!  Perfect fit every time.

So cute!

Have a great weekend!

Antique Dresser in Terra Cotta Rose

My client found this cabinet outside a local consignment store last summer.  I remember driving by and seeing it out there, considering stopping, driving by, regretting it, and going back only to find it gone.  I was so happy when she called me and told me she had bought it and wanted me to refinish it!  

She already knew what she wanted and so I took it from there. :)

Before

 After

The color is actually from Wal Mart and is called Terra Cotta Rose.  It's a deep coral and I stained over it with Minwax Jacobean to deepen the color a bit more.  The weather was actually really warm here today (finally!) and I found the stain was drying very quickly when I was trying to wipe the sides down.  I just added a bit of mineral spirits to extend the drying time-it was much easier after that (no, it won't take your paint off). ;)

 I loved this detail on the bottom drawer.  We were originally going to do a print in the circle, but I didn't end up liking the way it looked so decided to just detail it in white and antique it. 

 She opted to keep the original pulls and I'm so glad!  I sprayed them with Oil Rubbed Bronze so they would contrast nicely with the color. 

 Another beautiful mahogany veneer on the top.  I sanded it down, stained it with Java Gel from General Finishes, and sealed it with 3 coats of polyacrylic. 

 The doors originally opened with a key, but it was missing and all that was left was a hole in the door. We opted to fill it and do knobs on the doors so it would function well. 

 Cute little legs!! :)

 I'm loving the sheen the polyacrylic gives!  It's Minwax in satin. 

I finished it off by doing the drawer fronts on the inside antique white and she's good to go!

Antique Dresser in Coral

I love all kinds of furniture but definitely have a soft spot for a petite dresser.   This cutie was in good shape and had all the original hardware. 

After seeing a gorgeous coral dresser Sharon from Elizabeth & Co. did I was feeling inspired and couldn't wait to try my own!  Thanks so much Sharon!! :)  

(Btw--I just love her.  She is a talented and kind hearted woman.  Stop by and pay her a visit!!)

I'm wrapping up painting for my show so this will be one of my last pieces before Saturday. 

 LoViNg the color!

Before

 After

This color is very chameleon like and hard to photograph.  It's a beautiful melon color.  Not too orange, not too pink. 

 I sanded the bejeebers out of this thing too.  I actually love sanding.  Is that weird?  

Don't answer that. ;)

 I sanded the top down and it was absolutely gorgeous.  I restocked my shelves with Java Gel, so I gave her a coat and 3 coats of a polyacrylic.  So pretty, and perfect with this color!

 I loved the gold hardware Elizabeth had on her dresser and did try painting the originals gold for this one, but I didn't like them.  I also had white rosette knobs and didn't like those either.  I was a little bit panicky about what I was going to do for the hardware!  I finally decided to paint the originals with Oil Rubbed Bronze and really like how the tie the top in.  Phew!!

I found the sweetest fabric to line the drawers.  It just makes me happy-what a great color combo!

I'm so glad the weather is warmer this week, but I hear it's supposed to be 45 and windy on Saturday.  Bundle up and come on out to my show!! :)

Linked up here:

Miss Mustard Seed

Antique Oak Dresser

While shopping around at a consignment shop I spotted this dresser and passed it right by.  After picking up my other things and going out the door I stopped again.  I. Just. Could. Not. Leave. It. There.  It was pitiful and crying out to me, "Please. Please take me home and rescue me!" :)

Ok, seriously.  It was hideously ugly with the worst paint job I have ever seen.  It was full of rat poop and spider webs.  The top was rotten through on the front corner and it was putrescently (yes, I made that word up.  I like doing that. ;) ) dirty.

Craig told me straight out it was a piece of crap, but I knew she had potential to be great again.  I figured with a little (ha!!) TLC I could resuscitate it.  Umm...yah.

After my sweet hubby sanded the top down with the belt sander I ended up just taking all the veneer off because of the rotten spot.  Someone had painted the original top, then stripped it, and then (without removing all the stripper gunk) put another piece of veneer over it.  Gah!  I had wanted a wood top but that was NOT happening!  

Then I sanded the whole thing down to the bare wood to get rid of two horrible layers of paint.  Funny story, the first color it was painted happened to be the color I wanted! :)

Then I went to paint it with MMS Apricot Strings and realized after doing the drawers (they sucked up the paint like a sponge) that I wouldn't have enough to do the entire thing without ordering more paint (which I was not going to do).  So, change of plans. 

 Anyhoo...the whole thing was a nightmare, but it's done now and I love it!!

 Before

After sanding it down I primed the body with Kilz to prevent bleed through and to give a smoother coat because the grain was so heavy. Then three coats of latex, sanding in between coats.

Milk paint (MMS Apron Strings) is meant to go over bare wood, so I didn't prime them, just painted it on.  It took about 4 coats until it wasn't transparent, but my paint was pretty thin.  Then I used hemp oil to seal it.  

After

I'm glad it turned out the way it did.  I think it looks fresh and ready for spring!

I love knobs!  I knew I wanted to use these on the bottom, but I wasn't sure what to use on the top.  I love the creamy white against this vibrant color. 

 The drawers needed H.E.L.P.!!

I painted them inside and out and then lined them with this pretty gray and white fabric. 

 I've used this poem on a couple of other pieces (it's a Royal Design stencil) and when I was trying to decide what I wanted to do for the drawer fronts (cuz they just needed something) it popped into my head.  Paired with these knobs, I love the french chic feel it gives. 

SO MUCH BETTER!  She's like a breath of fresh air! 

Welcome Spring!

 (which is actually kind of a joke here in WI)

Linked up here:

Miss Mustard Seed