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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Be Still My Heart

I was faced with a ~~ginormously huge~~ small dilemma as the weather started getting cooler this fall. This past spring I moved from my shop to my garage, which was fine when the weather was nice. But, as the temperatures began to drop I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to do (ummm...paint doesn't dry too well when it's 40 degrees).

In steps my hubby. Have I told you how wonderful he is? He really is. (Maybe, in part, because he doesn't want to hear me complain day after day, but that's beside the point!) He said he was leaving last Saturday and when he returned he had a truck full of insulation for our garage! And, he bought me a heater, too! See--he IS wonderful (for many more, and profoundly better, reasons than that!). ;)

I hadn't bought anything in a while because, at the time, I didn't know if I was going to be able to paint this winter. My garage was EmPtY! Can you believe that?? Well, that didn't last long. I was so excited about my new garage that I just had to jump on CL to see what was out there...

And, that's when I saw it.

You know that feeling, right? When you see the perfect piece(s) and you know, in your heart of hearts, that it just has to be yours! This was a whole bedroom set! My heart was pounding until I saw the price... big BOO! So, I moved on.

Lol, did you believe me??

Of course, I couldn't move on! I couldn't think about anything else. I finally emailed the couple and they were kind enough to knock the price down a little. I'm thinking...I'm thinking...I'm thinking....

Tell me you've seen it and know what I'm talking about. :)

("Me want gum gum, dumb dumb!")

AnYwHoO--I went to look at it in person and told the nice gentleman that I just couldn't pay that much for it. He said he would talk to his wife and text me with what she decided. I had to

w.a.l.k. a.w.a.y.!! :'(

He did end up texting and said his wife was willing to accept my offer! So...

I CAME HOME WITH IT! WOO HOO!

**I don't normally feel the need to justify myself, but I will at this time because I know I will be getting comments! Yes, I bought it with the intent of painting it and I did! What's that song??..."It's my perogative..." The top of this particular piece was ruined (water damage right down through the veneer to the sub layer), that wasn't something that could be restored and made my decision a lot easier.

Before

Do you see why I just C.O.U.L.D. N.O.T. pass it up??

My client liked this dresser I recently did, so that was her inspiration.

After

This just makes my heart HaPpY!!

She asked me what I thought of it (she hasn't seen it yet) and it took everything in me to not tell her I didn't want to give it to her! ;) :)

I am absolutely in love with this deep, rich color (I glazed it with a dark stain to deepen the color a little more) on this particular piece. It's bold without taking away from the lines.

Keeping the top and the trim pieces wood defines the curves and make each level pop.

I've never seen a vanity with a curved front like this before. I am still swooning!

I added these amazing knobs (again! you wouldn't believe how many of these I've purchased since the original dresser I did).

Another beautiful mahogany top. Can't get enough of them. I stained it with Espresso and gave it 3 coats of poly.

Ok. I'm going back into the garage to stare at it a while longer before it leaves. ;)

*Stay tuned for the other two pieces. Each piece sold separately--all on the same day I listed them! So grateful!!

This vanity was featured by:

Stacey @ Embracing Change
Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.
Molly @ Just A Little Creativity
Maryann @ Domestically Speaking
Mary @ Boogieboard Cottage
Patti @ Ivy and Elephants
Brooke @ Start at Home
Karen @ Redoux
Holly @ 504 Main
Linda @ Crafts A La Mode
Wendy @ The Shabby Nest
Becca @ DIY Vintage Chic
Rita @ Suburbs Mama
Jen @ PinkWhen
Megin @ VMG206
Clydia @ Three Mango Seeds
Kathryn @ The Dedicated House

Thank you!!

color = Green Bay SW

stain = Espresso (Varathane)

glaze = Espresso + Mineral Spirits

knobs = Hobby Lobby

Linked up here:

Saturday:

PinkWhen

Life on Lakeshore Drive

Designed Decor

VMG206 Sunday Showcase

Sunday:

Silver Pennies

Creative Home Expressions

I Should Be Mopping The Floor

Monday:

A Diamond in the Stuff

Cupcakes and Crinoline

Pinkapotamus

Lolly Jane

Our Home Away From Home

Cedar Hill Ranch

Tuesday:

City Farmhouse

Dorothy Sue and Mille B's Too

Adventures of a DIY Mom

A Bowl Full of Lemons

The Winthrop Chronicles

Domestically Speaking

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Wednesday:

Just a Little Creativity

Handy Man, Craft Woman

Thursday:

Mr. and Mrs. Winslett

Friday:

French Country Cottage

Anything Blue Friday @ The Dedicated House

Saturday, October 12, 2013

My Buffet

We put in new windows this summer and I ended up replacing my dining room windows with a french sliding door (with a deck outside-which I love!).

My old computer desk, which happens to have been 15 years old and from Walmart, looked like cRaP! next to my lovely new door so I decided it was time to do a new (to me) piece of furniture for myself that was more appropriate for my space.

Along came this buffet which I knew would be perfect for my dining room! Yea!

Before

My dear, sweet, hunting crazed hubby stuck my camera card, with the before pic on it, in his hunting camera which hangs on a tree half mile back in the woods. To make it up to me he drew me a before pic. :) It's pretty accurate minus the dead flowers on top and broken legs. ;)

Hats off to the artist!

After

The buffet is solid oak (you know how I feel about oak! Oh, you don't? I hate painting it!!-only because the wood grain is so open that it doesn't leave a nice, smooth surface when finished). On the door fronts there were actually etching in the wood grain that created a pattern. I didn't want that so I ended up filling all three doors with wood filler and dry wall plaster. They actually came out really well!

I distressed it a little heavier so all the pretty wood tones would show through.

The knobs were in the centers of the doors so I wanted something a little bigger and bolder. I love these clock faces!

I am still a sucker for feet and legs, so love these!

For not being an oak lover I thought this to turned out nicely. It was a little warped on the backside, but I knew it would be covered up anyway so didn't worry about it too much.

I love that I finally have a buffet of my own! :)

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Lingerie Chest in Eggplant

Another quick post before our GIVEAWAY tonight! Be sure to stop back and go here to enter!

A friend saw this on CL and asked me what I thought. I love the lines of a tall, think lingerie chest, so I told her I thought she should snatch it up. :) Her daughter is so much fun and loves color! She requested an eggplant color with green knobs.

When I started working on it I noticed it was another particle board and plastic piece, so filling and drilling holes for new hardware was out of the question. I kept the old hardware and sprayed it in oil rubbed bronze and just changed out the top knob. I think it turned out cute (and maybe green knobs all the way down the front would have been a little much?).