It's finished! I had a few roadblocks with this piece but I'm happy with the finished look. Can you believe this is the same headboard and footboard I found while dumpster diving? Have a look~see.
Sunday, May 29
Saturday, May 14
Smokey Blue Dresser
This was a display piece that had only a few nicks and dents. I lightly sanded it and then used Behr paint and primer in Smokey Blue with an extra shot of white to lighten it a shade.
This was the original finish.
Eh, not terrible just a little boring.
I applied two coats of the paint and primer in one.
I used a foam roller and a smaller brush for the details.
When it was dry I lightly sanded the edges of the drawers and the details on the sides. I used 100 grit sandpaper and a 3m rubber sanding block (makes sanding so much more fun).
I used 2 silver and white circle drawer knobs for the top drawer and 4 brushed silver drawer knobs from Lowes.
I left the top and bottom in the original state since they were in good condition and had a nice stain.
It is protected with a coat of paste wax. This was my first time trying the wax and it was pretty simple. Apply, let dry and wipe off. I used SC Johnson Paste Wax and I tested it by scraping a screw along a hidden side and it didn't even leave the tiniest mark.
This is the finished look:
Oh, I haven't forgotten about the dumpster find headboard and footboard. I'm still working on it. I recently found some antique finials at Victoria's Antique Warehouse. It's a really beautiful shop with a warehouse filled with wonderful architectural pieces. I'm going to Joann's tomorrow to use my 50% off coupon for some fabric because I've decided to upholster the headboard. Once it's completed I'll post pics.
I'm linking with...
I'm linking with...
Saturday, April 16
Dumpster Finds
Another dumpster find! No kidding. Seriously, if you want to find some free furniture that needs a little TLC check at your local apartment complex's dumpster at the first of the month. You'll be surprised what people throw away just because they don't want to lug it up and down stairs, into a moving truck and into their new place.
I found this twin headboard and footboard. They had a few nicks and dents and needed a lot of sanding but after the first coat of paint they are already looking brand spankin' new.
I'm on the hunt for some finials to top off the posts and I'm painting them in Martha Stewart's Aegean Blue.
I will post pictures once they're completed.
What's your best dumpster find?
Thursday, April 7
Online Creative Biz
There's so much to learn about doing something you love and making money from it. I've never been inclined to the matters of business. Also, I've never been inclined to post status updates on the regular. I don't have a twitter account. I just got email on my phone . I don't like advertising myself in general. I don't like the idea of selling to my friends. When my friends try to sell me something it makes me cringe. Needless to say, this world is foreign to me.
Some of you might be feeling the same way I am. So as I'm learning I'm going to share some resources with all of you that hopefully will be helpful to all of us. :)
What I've learned in the last 2 and a half months is there are free resources (thank God!) for newbies and if you ask a lot of questions you will find answers.
- First, if you're not on Etsy.com you need to be. Sign up. It's free. If you want to sale something this is the online place to do it. Low fees, a big community and lots of free resources. They have many virtual labs taught by experienced entrepreneurs for free. Also, I have found people selling similar items on Etsy and I've sent them emails asking for their advice. All of them have been eager to help and share their knowledge.
- Second, apparently social media is the key to free advertisement and to developing a following of faithful customers. I read this ebook a few days ago and it convinced me to get on the social media band wagon. Read it, especially if me telling you to read it makes you cringe. Read it.
- Third, subscribe to blogs that offer free resources like BlacksburgBelle.com or LauraRoeder.com. Blacksburg Belle has a page dedicated to resources that have helped her build her biz and she does weekly blogs with free advice. Laura Roeder does the same and I just read that she is having a free Webinar - End Your Website Shame. I just signed up.
- Last, subscribe to blogs that are doing the same thing you are doing. It will help inspire your creative ideas and keep you in the loop .
That's all for now.
Do you know of any great resources? If so, please share!
Wednesday, March 30
Saturday, March 19
Visions in My Head
The past couple of weeks I've been on a mission to find a buffet. I wanted to use it as our T.V. console, entertainment center or whatever it is that you want to call it. Well, I found one for $50. Bargain!
The hubs and I carried that 70 pounder up two flights of stairs because oh yeah we couldn't live on the first floor. It's $200 more a month for the same apartment that just happens to be on the first floor. The bargain shoppers that we are, we just couldn't justify paying $200 more. So, back to the point. Yes, we carried this 70 pound buffet up 2 flights of stairs.
It was quite comical. The hubs is 6'5" and I'm 5'5" and I'm not necessarily what you would call strong in the physical sense. Up the first flight we tried flipping it over and over again until we reached the second floor landing. Then the second flight of stairs we did a little by little, inch by inch, pick up put down method. Anyways, we made it to the third floor and into our apartment exhausted but no injuries.
I was so excited about this buffet that I couldn't wait to tackle it. I started sanding it the very next day. The second day I put 2 coats of paint on it. The third day a third coat and 2 coats of stain. By the fourth day it was finished and I stood, head cocked sideways, staring and thinking, I'm not sure this is what I envisioned.
Convinced, however, that once we got it inside and the T.V. on it and the decor around it I would see that it was in fact what I had envisioned in my head.
Wrong!
The hubs and I lugged it into our living room and he put the T.V. on top of it. Again, I stood, head cocked sideways, staring and thinking, No, this is definitely NOT what I envisioned! Darn it!
It was all wrong. All wrong! Ugh! I just spent 3 days making it into what I thought I wanted and it was not at all what I wanted.
First, lets start with the paint choice. I chose white because I recently added some white decor to the living room and I thought it would tie in nicely with that. Also, I thought it would brighten up the space. Next, I chose a mahogany stain. What you need to know about me is that I've never stained before. This was my first go at it. I don't know a lot about staining except what I read on the back of the can. However, it was relatively very easy and it seems like it would be difficult to really mess up. My only problem with this particular stain was that it was way more red than brown. I was looking for brown. Even though on the can it had a picture of the color it was and it looked like a dark brown with a hint of red which is what my coffee table and end tables are. Needless to say, this red wood was not matching with my space at all.
Still determined to try to make it work I decorated it. Put all our DVDs and games in it. And, as the hubs told me to do, I let it marinade for the night.
As I was watching T.V. I knew that it was just wrong for our living room. It didn't fit. It didn't work and I could try to force it but I was not going to be happy with it.
So, the next day, the hubs and I AGAIN moved it and brought our old entertainment center back to its spot.
I was disappointed. I really thought it would be awesome but it wasn't.
Here's where this story takes a turn. I decided to put it in my Etsy Shop. Within the first hour it already had 21 views. Which, for me, is a lot. Some items can take days to get 21 views. Anyways, within 2 hours someone was emailing me telling me it was exactly what they were looking for and really wanted to buy it. I was ecstatic! This would be the first time I sold a piece of furniture on Etsy. Yes, I've sold a few things on Craigslist but not furniture that I put a lot of time and love into like this one.
Now, time to ship this 70 pounder! Uh oh...
Here are before and after shots and a link to my inspiration which was by Perfectly Imperfect (Awesome!). Have a look~see!
The hubs and I carried that 70 pounder up two flights of stairs because oh yeah we couldn't live on the first floor. It's $200 more a month for the same apartment that just happens to be on the first floor. The bargain shoppers that we are, we just couldn't justify paying $200 more. So, back to the point. Yes, we carried this 70 pound buffet up 2 flights of stairs.
It was quite comical. The hubs is 6'5" and I'm 5'5" and I'm not necessarily what you would call strong in the physical sense. Up the first flight we tried flipping it over and over again until we reached the second floor landing. Then the second flight of stairs we did a little by little, inch by inch, pick up put down method. Anyways, we made it to the third floor and into our apartment exhausted but no injuries.
I was so excited about this buffet that I couldn't wait to tackle it. I started sanding it the very next day. The second day I put 2 coats of paint on it. The third day a third coat and 2 coats of stain. By the fourth day it was finished and I stood, head cocked sideways, staring and thinking, I'm not sure this is what I envisioned.
Convinced, however, that once we got it inside and the T.V. on it and the decor around it I would see that it was in fact what I had envisioned in my head.
Wrong!
The hubs and I lugged it into our living room and he put the T.V. on top of it. Again, I stood, head cocked sideways, staring and thinking, No, this is definitely NOT what I envisioned! Darn it!
It was all wrong. All wrong! Ugh! I just spent 3 days making it into what I thought I wanted and it was not at all what I wanted.
First, lets start with the paint choice. I chose white because I recently added some white decor to the living room and I thought it would tie in nicely with that. Also, I thought it would brighten up the space. Next, I chose a mahogany stain. What you need to know about me is that I've never stained before. This was my first go at it. I don't know a lot about staining except what I read on the back of the can. However, it was relatively very easy and it seems like it would be difficult to really mess up. My only problem with this particular stain was that it was way more red than brown. I was looking for brown. Even though on the can it had a picture of the color it was and it looked like a dark brown with a hint of red which is what my coffee table and end tables are. Needless to say, this red wood was not matching with my space at all.
Still determined to try to make it work I decorated it. Put all our DVDs and games in it. And, as the hubs told me to do, I let it marinade for the night.
As I was watching T.V. I knew that it was just wrong for our living room. It didn't fit. It didn't work and I could try to force it but I was not going to be happy with it.
So, the next day, the hubs and I AGAIN moved it and brought our old entertainment center back to its spot.
I was disappointed. I really thought it would be awesome but it wasn't.
Here's where this story takes a turn. I decided to put it in my Etsy Shop. Within the first hour it already had 21 views. Which, for me, is a lot. Some items can take days to get 21 views. Anyways, within 2 hours someone was emailing me telling me it was exactly what they were looking for and really wanted to buy it. I was ecstatic! This would be the first time I sold a piece of furniture on Etsy. Yes, I've sold a few things on Craigslist but not furniture that I put a lot of time and love into like this one.
Now, time to ship this 70 pounder! Uh oh...
Here are before and after shots and a link to my inspiration which was by Perfectly Imperfect (Awesome!). Have a look~see!
Before... Bleh!
After
Saturday, March 12
Paint It This Not That Results
And the winner is... drum roll, please... Turquoise!Ayyo! (exclamation courtesy of Andy Bernard from The Office)
Which makes me very happy since it's always my favorite. I'll be working on sanding the headboard this weekend and I will get pictures up as soon as it's painted.
Happy Weekend!
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