Anthropologie Inspired Hutch

This is my "hutch of many colors".  A little out of my comfort zone, but I love it.

This is the not-so-beautiful before.  I found this one sitting out in the rain, all lonely, just like my farm table .

That's dirty white paint peeling off a bright yellow underneath.  I sanded off the white, but the yellow didn't budge.  While I was sanding, I discovered the back of the hutch had painted over wallpaper.  Ugh!

As I removed the wallpaper, I discovered a blue painted underneath.
That makes three colors. For some reason, I got the feeling this piece should be painted with a bright color.  I could not decide between turquoise and green.  While shopping over the weekend, I saw a cabinet in Anthropologie that was painted with the green and turquoise together, and I knew that it would be perfect.

While I was sanding and distressing, there came that yellow again.  It was actually a great accent.  I'm so glad I picked colors that looked good with yellow.  My white primer also made an appearance, making this a very colorful hutch.

I hope someone falls in love with it at the antique mall.

Janet

Feathered Nest Friday
Home Sweet Home
Furniture Feature Friday

Show and Tell Friday

Friday Nite Special

Foot Board Turned Coat Rack

This was just a really fun project.   I found this twin foot board at an estate sale.

This is the only before picture I have.  See it leaning against the wall?  It was the typical yellow cream most of these pieces have.

I painted it French Gray and  left the gold details, added hooks from Hobby Lobby that were painted white and antiqued, and then made the "DREAM" banner.

To make the banner, I used wooden letters from Jo Ann's.  I spray painted the edges gold to match the detailing on the foot board.  Next I traced around the letters on antique sheet music, cut out and applied with decoupage medium.  Finally the letters were hot glued on a piece of twine.

For some reason, nothing I had looked good hanging on the hooks.  So I decided to show some of the frames I had just painted.  Decorator's block? Maybe.

Anyway, I really love how this turned out and it has already been taken to the Antique Mall.

Janet

I Rocked It at The Ivy Cottage
The Power Of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking
Restored It Wednesday
Wow Us Wednesdays
Saturday Nite Special

Book Page Table

I found this wonderful little table at an estate sale.

It was very dirty and the veneer was peeling off, but you gotta love those legs.

 

The veneer came off very easily.  I painted the table a creamy white and covered all the veneer areas with the pages from an old hymnal.

I used some of the torn pages, and I love the way it turned out.

The staining of these pages was so deep, that I didn't use any dark wax over the white paint, I liked the contrast.

As usual, I tried to find a spot for it in my house, but no luck.  So it went to the antique mall today.

Linking to these parties:

Frugal Friday

Furniture Feature Friday

Flaunt It Friday

Saturday Nite Special

A Sanding Surprise and Questions

I brought home this practically free table from an estate sale.  It looked very unloved sitting in the front yard in the rain.

I wasn't quite sure where to start.  Strip? Paint? Sand?  A lot of the paint was peeling, so I decided to just start sanding.  Under all this ugly brown, was a hint of bright red .  I loved it. So I kept sanding.

Before...

After...

Now that's a patina you just can't reproduce.

I did have to use some paint stripper on the top.  Then I just followed with clear wax.  Beautiful.  So much character.  Can't you just see this on a farm porch?  Wish I had one.

So this leads me to the "questions" part of the post.  When is something beyond saving?  Or when is it just too much time to invest in saving it?  Is it that I love giving new life to these pieces or am I just too anxious to find a bargain?  This table definitely seems to have been worth saving, but what about the time I put into it?  I just can't seem to pass up a sad, neglected, often beyond saving, piece of furniture.  And sometimes there is a smell that just does not go away, and no one wants that in their home.

While I'm trying to answer these questions, please go enjoy the parties I will be joining.  You can find all the links on my sidebar.

Furniture Feature Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Saturday Nite Special
Farmhouse Friday

Completed Projects For My Booth

A couple of posts ago I showed you my "pile o' stuff" that needed a little something before they were ready for my booth.  I finally completed a few of those.  I'll show you my favorite project first, an old basket that I painted with "belle fleurs 25 c." .

This is the before picture of my "stuff".

I love this wood box with the rope handles.  It got a grain sack inspired label.

The old step stool got white paint and numbers.

I made three more coat racks out of old molding.  These have proven to be good sellers in the past.

I painted one of the buckets with a little white paint and "fleurs".  Everything that I have painted with "fleurs"  has sold, including the basket and bucket I'm showing today.

And here is just a quick look at my booth after I added the new items.

I still have more projects in my pile to finish.  I hope you'll come back to see them.

Janet

Links to these parties on my sidebar:

Transformation Thursday
French Inspiration Thursday
Share Your Awesomeness
20 Below Thursday
Show and Tell Friday
Home Sweet Home
Saturday Nite Special
Flaunt It Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Amaze Me Monday
Power of Paint
Restore it Wednesday

French Gray Coffee Table

I finally got to use my French Gray paint!

I found this frenchy style coffee table at Goodwill.  I haven't really painted any furniture since the chalkpaint-clear wax- dark wax craze started.  Since I don't paint that many pieces, I decided to use what I had to get a similar effect.

I used Behr Light French Gray paint, minwax clear wax, and Briwax dark brown wax.  I applied the clear wax with a cloth and the brown wax with a very large stencil brush I purchased at Hobby Lobby.  I've heard negative comments about using  Briwax, but I just rubbed most of the wax off the brush before applying.  It gave a very light finish.

The hardware got some Rustoleum American Heirloom White spray paint and a little brown wax.

And I'm very happy with the results, all done on a budget.

Sadly, this is going to my booth. It really is hard to part some of these pieces.

Janet

Transformation Thursday
Time Travel Thursday
Share Your Awesomeness
Furniture Feature Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Home Sweet Home

Chateau De Fleurs Sign

I found a pair of old glass cabinet doors and I decided to turn them into signs.

I made two of these.  One to sell at the antique mall and one for myself.  The one I took to the mall looked like this.  I left the back clear.

I decided to experiment with mine a little bit.

I aged some brown packing paper.  You can see the technique I used here. After I aged the paper, I coated it with decoupage medium and just stapled it on the back.  I like it both ways.  The paper gives it a lot of interest.

I wanted to stage it for the picture, but time just didn't allow it.  Instead, I took a picture of the sign surrounded by my pile-o-stuff waiting for paint, letters, and numbers.  I'm planning on repainting my kitchen and putting it in there, so I'll show you when (if) it gets done.

So which do you prefer?

Plain?

Or Paper?

I'll be attending the fabulous parties listed on my sidebar.  Won't you join me?

Janet

Roses On My Table

I had more fun at the Saturday night auction.

I bought this old wicker table.  I really thought it needed something to brighten it up.

That same night at the auction I bought three boxes of books, unseen, for a dollar.  A couple of days later, I opened one of the boxes and it had a set of old gardening encyclopedias.  One book was titled "Roses".  Yeah! My favorite.

It was meant to be.  A little decoupage, and the table was dull no more.

I love the vintage feel of it.

I think this would be adorable on a porch or in a sunroom.  And if you get bored, you can learn all about roses.

I'll be joining all the link parties on my sidebar.  I hope you will, too.

Janet

French Folding Chair

I got this wonderful weathered folding chair at the auction.  Since I'm planning on keeping this for myself, I'll tell you that I only paid $1.00.  It is perfectly sturdy, too.

Here it is in the before stage.  I liked it just as is was, but I'm glad I decided to go "French".

I did a simple aging technique with the paint.  I used red craft paint and an old paint brush. Then with a fairly dry brush, I gradually added layer on layer until I got the right look.  I scrubbed on a dark brown wax with steel wool for more aging.

But the best part of the project is the stenciling.  I like to imagine that this chair is from a French beach resort.  

Or that I just came home from the French market.  Maybe someday.

Now go visit the parties on the sidebar and see what everyone else is up to.



Janet