Mini make over and a WIP

Bed side table.

I bought this table at an antique store in Evansville a long time ago. It just had a glossy coat of polyurethane on it. I stripped that off so I could paint it.

After!

I just realized that picture is blurry. Well it was late at night when I took it.

Still need to get a knob.

I took some dark blue paint we had and mixed it with some yellow. After it dried, I sanded it down. Then I stained the top and the drawer with some dark stain. I wiped stain on over the paint too, so that the wood parts showing through would match the top and drawer.

I'm knitting until I can't see straight at night. I am so close to having my blanket done. When I'm knitting, I pretend the bedroom doors are painting themselves. Ugh. Maybe tomorrow night.

So close!

I just need to go around two more times. I'm at the top (off white) and need to do each color one more time. I'm not sure what kind of border to do yet. Or what color I am going to use.

Now, random stuff.

Woot! they are back! Best 10 bucks I ever spent (seeds).

Liatris.

Some of the coneflowers are as tall as me. The liatris is much taller than I expected. I think they are 4ft high. Maybe taller. They come up to the top of my chest.

Grow, Plummy, Grow!

Yes, our tree has a name. He's grown like mad this year. Too much really. He'll be getting a trim this fall.

Looking up at the sky.

So much to do! I need to get moving. Ellie took a long nap today (first nap in a couple weeks) so "my" evening won't start until about 9:30pm.

The do-over.

Primed. Again.

The moment I moved Ellie's bed into her room (in December), I didn't like the color. But I had talked up the new bed, new room thing so much that I just had to go with it. When I looked at the paint for the bed next to the paint chip for the wall, the bed color seemed a lot brighter. It was paint I already had, so I was happy not to have to buy more paint. Once I moved the bed in there though, it was almost the same color as the walls. It was not what I had envisioned at all.

This week, John has been gone. I had the perfect opportunity to paint it. Ellie and I have been sleeping in Mary's room with her. I moved Ellie's box springs and mattress in there just on the floor. I moved the frame out into the garage on Monday. And there it sat. The only time I had to work on it was after the girls were asleep. I just didn't have the energy. So when Ellie was with John's Mom this morning, I finally got started.

Pictures of the updated color when I get it back into her room. I hope I like it!

Pink and red

When I was a little girl, my Mom told me that pink and red didn't match. I was crushed. I disagreed, but I was 6 and she was the grown up. I still thought it looked FABULOUS. I wanted to wear pink and red together every day.

When Mary told me she wanted a red bed in her new pink room, I was excited! My dream had come true. Pink and red, together as they should be.

I'm still painting the trim. I'm just not in the mood. Mary moved back in yesterday. What I really, really want to do is move on to the next project, but we can't until this is done. I guess that means I'll paint more tomorrow. I'm still working on the chalkboard doors too.

I hate red and red hates me.

Remember the red candle stick that broke when I tried to spray paint it?

Mary asked that I paint her desk red. I sanded. I repaired. I got two coats of primer on it. I got 2 coats of red paint on it. I was feeling good! Then I told John I just wanted to go downstairs quickly to see if it needed a third coat. I go down there.....oh, what's that in that box? looks like a drawer? but to what? It was the last desk drawer. I'd taken it upstairs one night to glue down some loose veneer. I'd forgotten all about it. So there it was, not primed or painted. I was so mad. I was hoping to have the entire thing done, but instead I needed to apply 2 coats of primer and 2-3 coats of paint to it. Ugh. I got it done and put two coats of poly on EVERYTHING. I counted the drawers about 5 times to make sure I had them all.

Before:


After (impossible to get a good picture of the actual color. It's more red and less bright pink in real life):

Louise doesn't seem happy with flash photography.


Mary got right to work.

I was sitting on the floor putting the hardware back on the drawers when John brought the desk upstairs. The first thing I saw? A place I didn't paint! Argh! Red does hate me! How on earth did I miss the same spot 3 times??? It's on the left side, down at the bottom. Right under the bottom drawer, on the top of the leg. It looks like a glare from the flash, but it is not.

Thank goodness for touch up paint and for a four year old who is just happy to have a desk of her own.

I love the way the original hardware looks against the red paint. The desk looks pretty funky in her blue room, but that is about to change. Weather permitting, I am going to go buy paint for her room on Wednesday. We're replacing all the trim in her room and painting the doors too. I am so unmotivated to work on this project. I'm already a room ahead in my mind, but what's new?

Tomorrow: Mary's fifth birthday party. Seems like we just had her second birthday. I really, really cannot believe my baby will be five this week.

Is it Friday yet?

This week is over! Well, at least school is. There's a teacher work today tomorrow, and the school is closed Monday too. Tomorrow we are heading out to see my side of the family for the weekend.


I got my runner washed and dried. It didn't fall apart! I think maybe I am getting the hang of sewing. The first runner I made last summer had a seam come loose and fray out in the washer the first time I washed it.





This was Mary's second week of full day school. She's adjusting well. I thought she would be a grump in the late afternoons, but she has been fine. I think that 5 is going to be a really good year for her. Her birthday is in 12 days.

Above is her new desk. I got it (I think??) in December. Mom, the girls and I went thrifting together. I thought it was funny how Mom didn't even bat an eye when I bought it. I remembered when she thought I was crazy when she saw the TV stand before I painted it. She's caught the thrifting bug too now. I think it's funny. She thought I was crazy when I bought my brass turned black lamp too. Now she refuses to pay full price for anything. I've taught her well.

When I saw the desk, I thought I'd paint it white. Then I realized a white desk for a child probably isn't a good idea. The night I started working on it, I thought maybe I'd paint it light green. I think we still have some left over paint from painting Mary's walls in her old room. I thought the light green would look great with the existing hardware (and match her rug). I was excited. I came upstairs to get Mary's opinion, and she cried. So much for green. It isn't my desk so I'm painting it the color she wants. I'm really hoping to have it done by her birthday. I think I should unless something goes really wrong.

Elllie's bed and dresser

I took this picture tonight after dark with the drop light turned on down in the basement. The dresser was free from Grandma. I didn't even take a before picture. It was wood with some sad veneer. I tried to fix (glued down and then filled in with wood putty) the veneer the best I could before I painted. What can I say? It was free. It will work. Don't kids destroy furniture anyway? (I loved to sit on my dresser when I was a kid. It had a huge sag in it where I sat. I am sure my parents were mad about it.) I need to touch up the bed and dresser just a bit. Those spindles are impossible to paint. I thought I had it all, but then saw a place I missed so I am sure there are more. Then I will give both pieces a coat of poly to protect them a bit.

I transformed two free (to me) lamps from Grandma Mary. They came out very nice for yard sale lamps. I like them. They have a vintage feel. Pics to come!

I'm working on revamping a GW bookshelf for Ellie's room too. It was white when I bought it. I painted it black back then (maybe 2004? 03?). It had glass doors on it, but I took them off and painted it to match the dresser. I lined the shelves with scrapbook paper. I can't decide if I like it or not. The paper is a bit lumpy. I might take it out and just paint the inside yellow. Or white. I need to sleep on it.

I have the quilt top done for Mom's Christmas table runner. I probably won't work on that again until next week.

I am sure there are other things. And more to come. John's building me a little storage unit for some of the girls' toys. Mom called me tonight from SA to say she'd found a cute headboard for Mary. I was unsure about buying it without seeing it first, but it was FIVE dollars. I told her to buy it. If I hate it, I'll donate it back to the SA here and call it a five dollar donation.

TV stand...after

First, let remind you of the before:

And after:

I paid $40 for the dresser and the mirror (you can sort of see it backwards and upside down behind the dresser in the before pic). We're keeping the mirror. I'll find a use for it some day. So the dresser as I am using it wasn't really the full $40. I used primer and paint we had. We also had the paint brushes, rollers, etc. I bought the glaze. It was $17, but I used maybe 1/5 of it. Probably less. I had the wipe on poly. I bought the spray paint for the handles. It was $6.99. I used less than half of it. I can't believe I'm replacing our huge $700 TV cabinet with something that was under $50 including the supplies to completely revamp it. But the old one is large and takes way too much room in our tiny living room. I am not sure what we are going to do with it though. We pretty much need someone to come and take it out of here. There's no way John and I can get it out of the house ourselves.

Still waiting on the TV fairy too. But I think he is waiting to figure out what to do with the old TV and cabinet. I think if the TV fairy just had to drive to the store and get his new TV, he would have already done it.

I'm dumb....

I put the drawers back in without the handles. Now there's no way to easily get them back out.


I've got my helper with me today:).


Detail shot of the drawers


I think I am done glazing. I need to look at it tonight when Ellie's not down there with me. I also need to figure out what to do with the exposed area of the inside. Paint it? Cover it with cool wallpaper or scrapbook paper? Nothing? Paint color--blue to match or black? Hmmm. I can't visualize it with the DVD player and the DVR inside. I'll have to think about it.

Pictures!

I started glazing the dresser last night. I would have done the entire thing, but I had to go watch Lost with John. I should be able to finish the dresser itself tonight, and maybe work on the drawers a bit. I think it's going to take two coats of glaze in some areas.

These pics aren't the best. I took them down in the basement and it is overcast today. You can see where I have done and where I haven't between where the drawers go.

Here's the side:

Here's one of the top drawers that won't be going back in. I used it to practice as I had never glazed before. Oh, and I put the hardware back on to see how it looked. I love it!

I am so excited about this project! Like I said, I've never glazed anything before. I was nervous about it. I liked how the dresser looked just painted and considered leaving it. I am so glad I didn't. I can't wait to finish it and see it with the drawers in.

Us.

Here we are on Easter. We'd been at church for a good hour and a half. The girls were hungry and tired. I still think the picture came out really well. (and could John be any better looking?) Hmm, I just realized that not only did I dress the girls in matching outfits, but John and I match too. That was not on purpose!

I'm making progress on my dresser. I got the final coat of paint on it tonight. Hopefully I'll be able to start glazing it Wednesday night. I am not sure how many coats of glaze it will take or how many evenings that will take. I'll be practicing on the three drawers that won't be going back in. After I'm done glazing, I'll have to wait a week to use some poly on it. That will take 2 or 3 coats, with 24 hours between coats. Of course we don't even have the new TV yet or a plan to get rid of the old one. But I'm still plugging away. Hoping to have some new pictures soon.

Dresser/TV stand before

Mom saw the dresser. I believe she said "oh." That's fine though. I know will be awesome when it's done.


I love the lines and the shape. I got the hardware off and sanded it down this morning. It smelled like an old lady, but in a really good way. There's some vintage contact paper in the drawers. I'll be leaving it. It reminds me of my Great Grandmother Ethel. As I sanded, I wondered who had owned it, which drawer held what, and what happened to the owner. You can tell from the picture that the drawers have been opened and closed a million times. I think it was well loved in its former life. I'm glad I rescued it.

This afternoon, I primed:


And it looks a thousand times better already.

John took the rails and stoppers for the top drawers out. Those drawers won't be going back in. That's where the DVR and DVD player will sit.


So I primed into those areas where the actual wood is and it will be painted. In the middle drawer area, I think I'll stick a basket or something that can hold the remotes or other junk. The bottom 6 drawers will go back in and will hold our DVD collection.

I have no idea what color to paint it. We cannot get new living room furniture right now. So, do I paint it some random color and wait to get furniture, or try to match it to what we have? Hmmm. I'm thinking a light color since the room is so small. I'd also like to use paint we already have. I'd love to mix up a light blue gray. Or maybe a bit brighter....towards turquoise? OR maybe a really light olive green on the gray-ish side. Gray with a hint of green? That would match. I'm leaning towards the blue though (Ethel's favorite color was blue. She also loved to paint things. Oh my, the layers of paint on everything in her house!). The hardware will be spray painted oil rubbed bronze. It will be next weekend before I can paint again I think.

John is over at his Mom's with the girls. I should be cleaning. The house is a mess. But instead I'm sitting here enjoying the peace and quiet while blogging and Nascar. Life is feeling pretty darn good right now.