Blue and White Desk

Hi Everyone!  I am excited to show you this next project.  This is my first desk.  I have no idea why it took me so long.  I have come across tons of them that were so cheap, but I seemed to always pass them up for an end table or small dresser.  I guess that I get comfortable with what I know.  I found this little Broyhill desk at Goodwill.

I had to do some repairs to this guy.  There was a chunk of wood missing from the side.  It just needed a little wood filler.  I needed  to do four layers to get an even look.

Here is the after.

I learned my lesson from my last table.  When in doubt, PRIME!!!  I primed the whole piece and then mixed together a bunch of whites that I had to make my chalk paint.

My plan was to put a stripe on this desk, but the more I looked at it, the more I wanted it girly.  I put two coats of paint on, and then using dark blue paint, stenciled the drawers. 

 

I have yet to wax it down.  I still have not decided if I should glaze it or not. What do you think?

 

 

XOXO
Wendy

Thrifty Finds #2

Hi thrifty friends!  I wanted to hit up a few yard sales this past weekend, but as always, I got off to a late start, so I spent my free time at some thrift shops. 

 I also went into a new thrift shop that is owned by people who go to storage auctions.  There was nothing there for me, but so much cool stuff.  The furniture is kind of spendy, but super nice.  Wouldn't it be fun to go to one?

Here is my haul from Saturday.

Does anyone know what these are?  I think that they might be salt and pepper shakers sans their tops??

I paid three dollars for the set.  Score!!!

Waiting for me at the Salvation Army was this cute little bowl.  I didn't have one this shape, so I snatched this up right away. It's always exciting to find a new one. With a price tag of 50 cents, you can't go wrong!

The last one that I found, was a little custard dish.  It was 1 dollar.  I have 7 like this one already, but my weakness for milk glass prevailed once again!

Now, this is one of those finds that is not so thrifty.  I bought a table from the Goodwill, but I forgot to bring cash.  They had a minium of 5 dollars, and my table was 4.99.  I grabbed this picture frame for 5 bucks.  Still less than I would pay for it brand new, but more than I would have liked to spend.  Lesson learned!  Always bring cash!!!

Purple is not my color, but with a little spray paint and glaze, I can make it fit into my house.

I was driving by my local Salvation Army today and saw that they are having a 75% off sale. I might just have to sneak in!!!

XOXO
Wendy

The Trouble Maker

Happy Monday! How was every one's weekend?  We had a nice relaxing one here.  I did my normal thrift shopping on Saturday.  It's my 2 hours of getting away each week. Having a couple of hours to myself really re energizes me.

My first stop was Goodwill.  It's a really small, but extremely clean store. Actually, the cleanest Goodwill that I have ever been to.  You know how thrift stores usually have that musty smell?  This store does not!

I came out with a few treasures.  The first thing I found was this adorable Drexel accent table.  My first thought was this is such a sweet simple table.  It should take me no time at all...  I was wrong!

This little monster was a pain in the butt.  It soaked up paint like no tomorrow.  Normally, I don't prime if I am using chalk paint.  This piece really should have been primed.  I noticed right away that the paint was being soaked up, but I kept on painting.  It ended up taking 4 coats, and it still wasn't completely covered... Grrr...

I am working on a desk right now, and I wanted to add a grain sack stripe to it, but I have never done it.  I thought since this is such a small table that it would be my practice test.  I wanted a white stripe, but I accidentally grabbed grey paint.  I did not notice until it was too late.  My fault for doing it when it was getting dark outside.  After all the trouble it gave me, I was not about to redo it.  Yellow and grey go together anyway.

Here is the after.

 

 

 After all my frustration, I am finally happy with it.  They can't all be easy right?  What fun would that be???

XOXO
Wendy

Thrifty flower pots and stands

Hi furniture friends.  I took a break this week from furniture and moved onto flowers.  I am trying to get our back yard ready for the summer.  I have been on the lookout for a yard stuff.  I found this little plant stand at Goodwill.  It was $5.00.  It was cute enough, but I wanted it bright, so out came the spray paint.

Here is what it looked like before.

Here is the after

I gave it two coats of Ocean Breeze by Krylon.  I have to admit that spray painting is not my strong point.  I usually have drips and let's just say,  that I get more on the garage floor than I should.  Anyway, It went pretty well this time.  I took my time with it.  I didn't put the 2nd coat on for a couple of hours.  I am pretty happy with it.

I looked around for pots, but was unable to find any.  So, off to Home Depot I went.  I bought cheap terracotta pots.  The small ones were $1.24, and the bigger ones were $2.98.  I painted them in light grey and then traced on the words.  Then I dry brushed them with a dark grey.  The pictures do not do them justice.  I love them.  I have seen similar ones sell for a lot more.

The next stand I found was from the Salvation Army.  It was 7 dollars.  I don't have a proper before picture cause one of my little ones deleted it off of my phone.  I do have a in between picture.

This thing was a hot mess!  It must have been used in a wedding or something.  It was poorly spray painted yellow.  Drips everywhere. They glued these Styrofoam  things inside to hold over 100 fake yellow roses.  Yucky!  Then they glued a bunch of ribbons made out of tule to the base.  I could see the potential that it had though.  That box on top was perfect for real flowers.  

Here is the after.

Most of the work on this bad boy was sanding the drips of paint off.  It's still not perfect, but I rarely like things that are!

 

I am gonna head out this weekend to find more stuff for the backyard.  I still need a table and chairs.  I also have a really cute umbrella project planned.  My bestie comes up with the best ideas sometimes.  Her yard is really inspiring.  So pretty!

XOXO

Wendy

Thrifty Finds!

I have a major obsession with milk glass.  I mean MAJOR!  I tried collecting vintage Pyrex, but the second I came upon my first milk glass bowl, it was all over with.  I buy almost every piece that I find.  I might have 10 of the same one, but I still need it!  I found all of these little guys while I was out this weekend.

I found five small bowls, two chili bowls, and I also snagged a little glass cloche.  The cloche was $1.99, and the bowls were all 50 cents or less.  I will just add them to my little collection.

 

This is where some of my collection lives.  I bought this cabinet many years ago at Kmart.  It is from the Martha Stewart Collection.  I loved it so much, that I bought even though I had nowhere to put it.  It stayed in my garage for 3 years before we had a dining room big enough to house it.  100% of what's inside is 2nd hand.

Have I mentioned before that I have a major crush on old Ball Jars??  Well, I do!  My collection started when my mother in law gave me a couple that she had.  I collected the rest from antique stores.  I think the blue ones make the cutest vases for flowers.

The glass jars that are on top are a mix of old and new. I bought the tile at HomeGoods many years ago.  It was another one of those impulse buys that stayed in the closet for quite some time before I used it. Don't they say that patience is a virtue?

I think with all of the milk glass that I collect, I might need another hutch.  I have two more boxes in the garage full. I only wanted to unpack enough to make my hutch look complete.

XOXO
Wendy

Large Green End Table

Hi furniture friends!  So apparently, I have been very spoiled by my thrift shops in Portland. A couple of weekends ago, I got into my car and headed for the local thrift shops next to my house.  I walked in so excited, but my smile soon faded... $199.00 for a dresser that wasn't even solid wood... OUCH!

  I wondered around aimlessly at the shop for the next 15 minutes completely sticker shocked.  I wish that I would have taken pictures.  $85.00 for a very ugly lamp... AHHH!!!  I went home completely defeated that day.  I thought my days of furniture painting were no longer. It took my sweet hubby to remind me that I still had yard sales.  He always knows what to say to me...

As we were driving to a yard sale, he noticed a Goodwill.  I made a quick trip in and came out with a few treasures!

Here is a huge end table that I scored.

We also stopped at Home Depot, so I got to check out their "oops" paint.  I found a few colors that I love.  I found a really pretty grey, and you know how I love my greys!  I also found a green that was really pretty.  I went with green!

It didn't have a real wood top.  It was one of those really shiny tops, so I sanded and primed it to make sure that my homemade chalk paint stuck.  I wanted a little pop of something, so I decided to give it some white accents and then I stenciled the whole top in a floral design.

Again this is not the true color of this table.  It is more green that what shows up on the pictures.

 

I don't know why I can never seem to capture the true color of my furniture.    I have a really nice camera.  I have signed up for a online course to help my photography skills.  What are some of your tips that you have to capture the true color of your subject?

I was able to capture the color more truthfully through my iPhone.  Go figure!.

I hope that you guys have a great weekend!

XOXO
Wendy