Farmhouse Dresser: Before and After

Just a quick before and after today. My heart is still so heavy and my mind is with the families from Sandy Hook. I am still trying to figure out how I, as an individual, can help. I don't ever remember feeling this helpless.

I found this dresser at the new Goodwill down the road. I had been eyeing it for 2 weeks, but $70 was too much for me. But when I headed there risked my life driving to Goodwill in a nasty snow storm 2 weeks later, it was marked down to $20! Score!

A dresser like this should NEVER have hardware like this people. Bright gold pulls. They are blinding.

The wood was in great condition and very pretty, so I just waxed it with dark wax, painted and waxed the frame and added new hardware.

Can I NOT learn to take a level picture? Goodness.

Sorry about the lack of staging...my heart just isn't totally in it right now. Hug your babies and enjoy the season. Thanks for being with me this year.

~Allison

Antique Table with Hidden Leaves and a Bonus Redo

Shayne is hoping to use this table in her basement for games, puzzles and/or crafting. She saw true potential in this table as it has hidden leaves (is it leaves or leafs in this situation?) to make it multi-purpose!

It came to me like this:

The finish was already starting to come off the top, which made it easy to sand away! After sanding, I used the steel wool/vinegar treatment that I used here. It's a fantastic way to get an aged wood look...and fast! After the vinegar treatment, there was still some spots of orangey finish showing through, so 2 coats of white wash took care of that problem. Here is the finished product!

And here is a bonus redo...I didn't quite get a before picture. This is a gorgeous Hammary table that someone took permanent marker to on the top.

That's all for today...but stay tuned. I'm ramping up again..I've got a garage full!

~Allison

Country Blue Cabinet

My excitement got the best of me and I have no before photo again...but the after should make up for it.

I mixed up my own color of dark turquoise in a DIY chalk paint concoction. I have to admit, this saves me a ton of time because I don't have to sand and usually only need 2 coats. I love chalk paint if I'm going for a distressed finish!! Plus, the recipe I use here makes SO much, that I really could cut the recipe in half and have plenty left over.

This sweet cabinet has a plank top that I sanded down to the wood and used Minwax water based stain in Walnut. I then waxed the top to seal it.

Here's an exhibit of my recent craft fail..the JOY sign. My 7 year old can do better bubble letters than I can and my mistletoe looks like a green reindeer with red testicles. Sorry if that's TMI....but if you look closely, it's true. ;)

But the cabinet turned out cute! This will also be at the Carver Junk Company this weekend!

~Allison

Antique Wash Stand and Some Exciting News!

I'm kicking myself because I didn't take a before picture of this one...but it was a dark mahogany and an animal, likely a dog, had taken it's mouth to one of the corners. So it was priced right in my wheel house! 

Here's how it turned out after using DIY chalk paint (the recipe with Plaster of Paris)and a light brown wax.

Here's where the dog chewed...but epoxy fixed it right up!

I love the lines of this piece!

Are you ready for the exciting news? This piece, and a few others, will be at the Carver Junk Company in Carver, Minnesota this weekend!! This is a newer occasional shop in Carver and they have amazing inventory! The owners are super nice and I'm going to be consigning pieces at their shop! So, if you are in the area, please stop in. If you aren't in the area, you can still follow them on Facebook
here.

I'll be back later this week with another piece....2 pieces in one week! Gasp! I love it!

~Allison