To paint or not??

I don't know about you, but I love wood. I love antiques and I love paint. 

So often when I redo a piece of antique furniture my heart and mind struggle with either bringing it back to it's natural wood beauty (normally dark) or painting it to bring out a lot of lovely details. 

 See what I started out with? 

Solid, in great shape...but obviously it needed to be redone. 

So what do I do? 

I nab my daughter of course! 

 She was home from college for the weekend..and wanted to spend time with me :) 

Course she would rather you think she looks like this all the time

 Personally I don't see a difference ;) 

Ohhh back to the dresser. 

And my issues with paint/stain, natural or not. 

Well I came up with something that allowed both sides of my brain to win. I just hope the dresser and the person who will eventually bring it home to think the same thing. 

 So what do you think?

 The top and drawers were sanded down, and stained with a dark ebony stain. I tried the dark walnut (as per normal) and just found it way to light on this maple piece.

 The body was sanded down and stained as well, and then I changed my mind. Hauled out my oops paints and tried picturing each colour on it.

 I ended up picking a colour that is called "cabbage patch" Although I think it looks more like a really really light "robins egg" colour to me. 

 I then decided that the original pulls no longer worked..so I switched them out for these. They are just more...more...dainty?

 I really wanted to distress the bejeebies out of this...but something stopped me, and I'm so glad I listened. Its just enough now :)

 I always feel like I scored when something I buy has it's original wood casters on it. It screams to me "survivor" 

 I love when the locking mechanisms are all there...and it's always a bonus when they work...like this one does :)

 So now it's ready for it's new home. 

I'm so pleased. 

:) 
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The sweetness of vintage :)

I love antiques! 

I love vintage! 

I love new stuff..as long as it looks antique or vintage, or can be made to look antique or vintage :) 

On the weekend I shared with you a few small things I picked up at yard sales

I saw this and fell in love. I know, I fall in love all the time, it's a habit of mine. :) 

I took her home and fixed up that nasty crack, then painted it with my home made chalk paint. This is how she turned out.

 Isn't she pretty?

  All dressed up and ready to go! :)

Now I also picked up a bench. One of those old wood ones that was thrown together by someone with a saw and a few nails. 

 I thought it was rather cute.

Some chippy paint :) 

But I wanted to sand it down and stain it. Keep some of that chippy paint...but make it look just a little better so someone could use it in their home. 

I hope I succeeded :) 

What do you think? 

 Ahhh much better. At least now you won't get splinters when you run your hands over it. (I hate splinters)

 See the little bits of paint? No worries, they won't come off, everything is solidly sealed :)

You can't get any more real than this now can you? See what I mean when I say it was thrown together by someone with a saw? LOL 

It's not long...only 27 inches...but those boards are almost 10 inches wide. I love that. 

Off to get some more things done :) 

Enjoy your day :) 

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First real yard sale day of the season, I'm excited :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. 

I know I did. 

We spent the weekend at the cottage with our grown children around us. It doesn't get better than that. :) 

AND they wanted to spend time with ME garage sailing! 

How awesome is that? 

As I've mentioned before our one son is moving out on his own and is in need of some furniture. He was living with our oldest son...but oldest son is getting married...and well having baby brother living there, it just doesn't work when you get married right? 

I didn't take pics of the things he and his girlfriend bought, I probably should have. They picked up a few kitchen things, an awesome set of lamps and what will be there new (to them) Credenza :) 

Sneak peek of Credenza

 Isn't it cool? It will be much cooler once I've finished with it. Actually it's almost done now as I type this.

 Those aren't real holes. We just removed the marble that was in there so the pieces wouldn't get broken.

 The kids went through all my paints and picked a colour that both of them fell in love with. I can't wait to show you the after pics. Seriously it totally and completely changed the look of this piece :) 

I personally scored a couple of piece of furniture that I can't wait to share with you. 

I will share a couple of smaller pieces. 

Check out this awesome Mag rack. 

 Isn't she sweet? 

I know there is a bit of damage on her, but it just means she was well loved and I can take care of the oop's :) 

I'm thinking white? What do you suggest? 

did you see those legs? drooooool..Oh yeah! 

And what about this picture frame?

 This is seriously old..the wood is sooo dry, and I'm just dying to get a layer of paint on it, and distress it TONS! 

 I'm in Luv!!!

Cute and will look great in my booth :) 

And as you can see, I just finished a cute little side table. 

 I've seen a dozen of these redone and loved every one of them...this was my turn to try it out.

 It's solid and has the cutest little brass feet :) 

 I think it turned out great :) 

It's just so crisp and clean and ready now for someones home :)

 LOVE! 
And finally I found this really cool suitcase. 

 Inside and out it is in brand new condition. But it doesn't have any labels or identifying anything on it. Ideas anyone?

That's it for this weekend. Hope you were able to get out there and enjoy this great weather do something special with your own family. 

 I tell you, my kids can come along with me any day there is a yard sale. 

Ok...I take that back, my kids can come and spend time with me any time!! 

Hear that kids? :) 

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Pretty in Purple!

So for those of you who do not follow my facebook...

I came home last weekend to a message on my phone from the place where my booth is. They informed me that my booth was completely empty. One person had come in and bought everything I had!

Can we say "PANIC"!!!

I am constantly trying to play catch up there, actually I am constantly trying to stay on top of things there and have extra things at home so I can sometimes take time to "relax"

Plus I do a lot of custom work, as well as some things I like to do just for me..hahahaha, ok, that last one never happens. But I can dream right??

So I have been crazy busy this week filling up my booth. 

I did take picture of my Blue Art Deco hutch and placed that in there. You can read about it HERE I didn't take picture of the vanity or chairs or other tables and dressers I put in..but I did remember to take pictures of my latest dresser turned bench.

Remember my Teal Bench? Read about it HERE

Well I loved it so much I decided to try it again, but in Purple :) 

  This was kind of a before pic? Work with me here. lol 

Really I thought I had some real before pics sitting on the computer, but I can't seem to locate them:(

This was taken after I had taken it apart and cut the top to fit on top of the bottom drawer. This one only had one drawer. 

Well when I got it, it only had one drawer left out of what I imagine were three. 

 I decided to not add a new backing, but to work with what was there. I thought it would give it a bit of a different look, more original.

However I couldn't stop myself from adding some trim. I don't know, it's just in me to add stuff :) 

Ok ok, enough of the workings...on to the "after" pics. I'm sure you are like me and LOVE the after pics. 

:) 

 So? Do you like?

 I love it!

 Again I made sure the back was done, I used my home made chalk paint and glazed it before sealing it.

 I took some knobs from my stash and sprayed them with a metallic grey paint...I think they compliment this piece perfectly.

 Of course I had to distress it, after all it is well over a hundred years old...right? :)

The sun was shining so wonderfully yesterday when I took these pics, I just had to be out there with my camera and my bench. 

Now I'm at the cottage, and my booth is full. Can't wait to spend some time with family. 

Have a wonderful and blessed Easter! 

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