Project Update

Remember that ugly dresser I was painting and updating? And that mirror I said I was going to paint - they're finally done!

What do you think?

BEFORE:


















AFTER:




























































AND remember this mirror?




























































I still have to repair the glass mirror part, but the frame is pretty well finished! It matches the green polka dot knobs on my dresser!

Project Update

I have to apologize for the lack of recent posts. I don't want to get into complaining about my day job, but am sorry that when things get sressful for me, I tend to lose sight of things I enjoy (like blogging). Whining about it gets old and I was reminded today of just what usually perks me up. A project. I love to create things and put my own personal touch on, well... anything really. After a stressful day, focusing my attention on sprucing up an old dresser was just what I needed to get my mind off the negative.

We aquired this dresser from the in-laws and usually I turn down the hand me downs, but this one had potential.



















First I removed those boring old wood knobs and started sanding. Some by hand, but mostly with an electric sander. I used to wonder in college if my wood scultping and welding classes would ever come in handy later in my life... turns out they have! Once I had most of the stain and varnish removed from the dresser, I started painting. I used a white "pickling" stain. Its sort of mix between a paint and a stain. It has more of a traslucent finish than opaque paint. Its taken about 3-4 coats to get a good covering though. I applied the stain with sponge brush in long streaks - I like that look. You could use a roller for a smoother finish. I have a few more coats to apply and some final sanding. The addition of some cutsie knobs from Hobby Lobby and a cute sheet or two of contact paper to line the drawers and I'll call it complete. Here's where we're at so far!

Project Restoration

Anyone else getting fired up for garage sales!? This warmer weather has the smell and feel of bargain hunting season. Growing up, garage saling with my mother, aunts and sisters was something I never really looked forward to doing. Why would you want some one else's old stinky crap? Spending most of a beautiful summer Saturday rummaging through mostly junk for one or two good treasures was never my idea of fun. But as they say the apple never falls far from the tree and my sister and I now thouroughly enjoy an early hot summer morning on the road. Always keeping an eye out for just the right signage signaling us to what we hope is a land mine of treasures, right in my neighbor's garage. Last year Alaina (my sister) and I made a trip out of one fabulously long sale known as America's longest yard sale or Corridor 127 sale. It's literally in our own back yard! This sale runs an amazing 654 miles starting from West Unity, Ohio to Gadsden, Alabama, along Route 127. I first heard about this event on Rachel Ray's talk show. I know a lot of the cute stuff on her set was found and refurbished from garage and thrift store items. You'll find anything from country bumpkins on the side of the road, traditional houses with a garage full of crap (I mean that in the nicest way) to tents with antiques.


Alaina and I headed due west to Eaton, Ohio, hopped on Route 127 and went south. We of course had to round out the trip with a stop by Ikea on our way home. Let me assure you, we did not make it past Cincinnati. It could have taken DAYS! Equipped with my husbands truck, cash and an eager spirit, we did find find a few good things. Like an N'Sync CD circa 2004 and yes 'God Must have spent a little more time on you' got set on repeat. It made a great sound track for the trip. There's just something so nostalgic about all of it for me. Someday I'll drag my own children, nieces and nephews on trips just like this one.

ANY HOO! A hobby I've always had, but never really consistently stuck to (shocker I know, I stick to nothing - like an old post it note) is refurbishing things. Particularly furniture. I've got a shelf hanging in my kitchen that I picked up from a garage sale a few summers ago. Just an ordinary wood shelf - very 80's country home interiors feel to it when purchased. Jacob (hubby) sanded it for me and I added a few layers of white stain and some cute knobs from Hobby Lobby. I don't have a before pic, but I think it turned out great. I get so many compliments on it. I think all in all the shelf was $7, paint $3 and knobs $1 each...? So $15 total!




I found this mirror at the thrift store. I wasn't going to get it, but when I went back to the same thrift store a few weeks later. It was still there. I couldn't say no twice! I love the swirly details at the top of it.





I'm thinking of staining this one white again, but black or a fun pop of color could be great too. I'd like to add knobs or hooks to this one as well. I'll be sure to post new pics when its complete. I'm hoping to find a cool chair at a sale this summer. I've always wanted to refurbish one. Start planning a day with some gal pals or a loved one for a garage sale trip. Who knows what you'll find!

Crafty Creatures

For those of us who don't have homo sapien children, our cats, dogs and other furry friends can be quite easy to obsess over. Even folks with animals and kids know that there's nothing quite like a kid and his dog. There's just something special about having a pet as part of the family. One of my favorite things about Martha Stewart (besides her fab recipes, organizational skills and cute crafts) is her love for her own poochies, french bulldogs, Francesca and Sharkey. They even have their own blog - The Daily Wag! The blog includes things like photo galleries, pets that are up for adoption, favorite things and other miscallaneous items that would be included in a dogs life! haha! I don't about yours, but my puppies sleep all day, eat, poop, play and then sleep some more!
Josie and Ruben Burlingame


I'd like to specifically highlight a couple of pet projects from Martha, that I'm planning to try. I won't go into all the details since she's got them posted on her site, but here's the skinny. First is a pet travel cushion made from towels and quilt batting. This is much easier to cart around than blankets and its machine washable. This project couldn't be simpler! My dogs already have their own towels, so I know just the ones I would use.

The other project is a little more time consuming but I think well worth the out come. Its ADORABLE! Who wouldn't love a tote with the silohette of their favorite furry loved one on it!? Could be cute on other things too, like on scraps of fabric and framed, for some funky, fun, mod wall art.

Get creative out there and don't leave your pets out of the loop! They love craftiness too!!
Pictures from Marth Stewart.com

Photoshop!

I'm SO excited! I've finally got photoshop! I've done a couple of projects now and can't wait to incorporate more imagery into my blog with it. I've been reading online tutorials on how to use it and am pretty proud of myself. The pictures below are shots I took of some old sleds that my in-laws had. Don't they bring back memories of sledding as a kid!? They do for me. I've been looking for the perfect photo to try out vintage photoshop effects on.
I love how this one turned out.