Faux Pewter Desk

 Hi Girls! (Guys, Dudes, Peeps, Friends, Ladies, and Gentlemen)

I know I promised I would post about another French desk next..but you know better than to believe me by now, right? I also said I was going to stop saying the F word on occasion, drink less wine, eat less, and work out more. Bwhahahaha!
Although, I did join CrossFit and am going three times a week, and it turns out I love it! Who knew I was such a masochist ? LOL
One of these days I will be posting pictures of me in my bikini showing off my muscles...
Don't worry! Just kidding! (maybe..)

This is yet another desk, and I am using my standard before picture, because, well, they all look like this more or less...
And yes, I totally planned it this way. I did not forget the before picture...

 

I have been drooling over these kinds of pieces at Worldmarket..

So, I decided to combine the two effects and ended up with this:

I had some trouble with getting the wood part exactly like I envisioned, and I settled for this look, which almost looks like rusted metal to me.

I know, the more professional furniture transformers out there would have practised on a small piece until they got it right, but as our own dear Miss Sweet Brown so

 aptly put it : " Ain't Nobody got Time for That!"   LOL.

 For the drawers and top I used the last of the textured wallpaper that bought about 8 years ago at Lowes. What a great buy that was!  I really hope I can find some more somewhere. It has the look of ceiling tile, don't you think?

 Of course it was white when I put it on, and I  primed and sprayed it with Rustoleum Metallic Silver after the glue had dried.

Then I painted on some charcoal tinted glaze, and wiped it off with a dry rag. ( I'm guessing son no 2 won't be wearing his "holy" underpants again..lol)

 

 It really gives the impression of pewter, don't you think?

 

 The knobs are from Hobby Lobby. At less 50% they were almost as cheap as buying a mish mash at Habitat Restore.

For the middle drawer,  I used an old pull I got off another piece and just painted it to match.

 

 

Of course I sealed it all with a couple layers of MinWax Policrylic.

 

I have to admit that I am really pleased with the end result...

Won't mind keeping it for myself...

 

Ok! Let me hear those comments!

Love

Suzanne

xoxo



You've got Mail...(from France)

Hi There!
In Phoenix, Spring has sprung...or should I say "Summer's here! Bummer!"  I actually had to turn the air on yesterday afternoon! It was 83 in my bedroom. Between that and the hormones, I was spending a big portion of the day on my bed, under the ceiling fan, doing "research" . ( checking out Pinterest)

Anywoo...check out my latest desk... I just sold it this morning to the sweetest newly -wed couple.

 

It started out as a regular, brown wood desk, with those "swirly" brass handles.

 

 

Now, if you are one of those "teacher's pet" kind of readers, who always notice little discrepancies, then, yes, I know, the dresser in the before picture's feet are different than the one in the "after" picture.

There is a very good explanation for that. The reason is, that I cheated. This is actually a "before" of another desk I did a couple years ago..

Because I forgot to take a before picture of this one. Because I just can't seem to make myself remember these things. Because I get too excited once I start working on a piece...because I'm pre- menopausal...whatever!

 

I was itching to do a piece with some French postcards, or stamps, or mail. So, I googled some stamp images, and decoupaged them on. I used a dinner plate and salad pate as templates for the round stamps., and I freehanded the written parts.

 

 

The top three drawers were modge podged with fabric I got at Goodwill for a steal probably  two years ago. Yes! Can you believe it? It is coming in handy now with all things French being so popular  these days.

I was going to modge podge the top with the same fabric, but once I sanded it off, it looked so nice, that I just stained it in Ebony.

A word of warning: If you put the stain on the desk to take a picture, remember to remove it again before you lift the side of the desk to paint a leg..Failure to do so might result in the stain being splattered all over the floor..

Just sayin...in case someone is so..uhm "forgetful"

 

 I love how rich it looks.

 

 

 

Of course I changed out the drawer pulls, but I bet you can't guess what these were originally..

They are curtain rod ends (or finials)....bought at a thrift store for a buck a pair!

 Worked like a charm!

One last look, and tell me what you think...



Next week I'll share another desk I did with the same fabric.

Until then..

Happy Thrifting!

 



                                                        

 

Linking to:

Time Travel Thursday
Metamorphosis Monday

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Breakfast at Tiffany's

Hi There!
Well, its about time I share the long promised "Breakfast at Tiffany's" dresser...
I saw the little dresser at Goodwill one day, and fell in love with the shape. I knew exactly what I was going to do with it! There was just one smelly problem....it smelled bad! Really bad. I don't know if it was just smoke, or a combination of dampness and smoke, but that smell would not leave...
I took out all the drawers, sprayed it with bleach water, left it in the sun for more than a month, but no improvement. I tried baking soda, vanilla essence, more bleach, more sun, more spraying with the hose...still stank to high heaven.
So, I decided to just try Kilz primer...painted on, not sprayed. It worked! Not a smell ... yay for Kilz!!!
Ater priming, I painted with a sort of seafoam blue I had, and then used my projector to project an image of Audrey Hepburn onto it. The rest was filled in with small brushes and black and grey paint..

Ta Da!!!!

I love love love this look! But I have a confession to make...

It was not my original idea ...I stole this from Deneen at Dreaming in Color . Only she is a real artist, and did not need a projector.

But ever since I saw her sweet little dresser, I knew I wanted to do something like it.

She is very talented, and her blog is choc full of inspiration. Go stop by her blog and tell her I sent you...     ;-)

Do you want to have another look?

 The rounded corners looked sort of retro to me...

 I lined the drawers with wall paper I had.

Hope you liked it!

Happy Thrifting!

Suzanne

xoxo

Linking up with:
Metamorphosis Monday

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Pop Art Side Table

This is a time for celebrating...whether you are religious or not. Most of us associate the Holidays with seeing loved ones, families getting together, having fun, making memories, etc etc. Why then, is everybody so miserable and impatient and stressed out? Isn't this supposed to be a happy time?

I have a theory about that. What makes us miserable this time of year, is expectations. We are told by the media that this time should be and look a certain way. Happy families smiling in the warm glow of crackling fires, perfect little children with cute outfits playing sweetly together, the smell of good food wafting in from the kitchen, loads of presents under a perfectly decorated tree.....
The truth is that most of our realities are very different from that. And so we start to strive for that picture perfect Christmas .. And if we fail, we strive harder, and become unhappy and stressed out. And what was supposed to be a festive time, becomes the time of year with the highest suicide rate, stress and huge credit card bills.
Maybe we should just relax, and appreciate our own reality for what it is.See the blessings in the little things. Appreciate the people that are with us, instead of being resentful for the one's that are not.
 Maybe we can even reach out and be a blessing to someone else....
Maybe this is my advice to myself, since Christmas started to become such a burden  having to spend it without family since my husband and I moved to the US 10 years ago....
Maybe I will take my own advice and just be happy  this Christmas.

ALRIGHTY THEN!  Enough talking...


Check out this ultra cool little side table I painted a while back. I am sooo stoked about it.  I loved doing it so much, I just want to make more. Even though it's not selling. Go figure. Probably not everyone's cup of tea.

My friend bought me this at a garage sale for $3

I painted the body black, and did this Roy Lichtenstein pop art on the front.

I used my trusted projector to do the drawing.

I googled the image. Funny how I always think I have an original idea, but when I start to google it, I discover that some one else has done it already! I found a lot of cool pop art furniture online.

At first I was thinking of putting something humorous in the thought bubble.

Something like: " I wanted Chick-A_Fillet, but it's Sunday..." 

or any of those First World Problems, but I eventually just went with the original saying, which was:" that's the way it was supposed to happen, but now its hopeless!"

Unfortunately I did not take another pic after I wrote the quote in, before I took the table to the consignment store. 

So, there it is! Hope you love it as much as I do!

Happy Thrifting and (Truly) Happy Christmas !

Joining these parties:

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Summer Projects:

Hi Everyone!

I know I have been MIA for a while now, but I have a good reason. I visited my home country and family in South Africa. For ten whole weeks! That's right, 10! But just in case you thought I just sat on my behind and sipped wine, you are wrong...
Some days I sat on my behind and sipped wine, and other days I transformed furniture and sipped wine.... so there!
Yep! My sisters made me earn my keep... (but you know I did not complain about saving old, neglected furniture from the dump!)

Look at this piece for instance: was once a built in kitchen cabinet, then stuck in the laundry, and eventually in the garage, where, as you can see, it had been used as a handyman table.

Old Built in Transformed to house a Stereo

My sister needed a place for one of her twin 16 year old sons' stereo, so we went to work on it. I liked the look of the sanded wood on top, so we just sanded it thoroughly (with NO palm sander available, I might add), and waxed it. We painted the body with homemade black chalk paint, and wiped a little brown stain over it, to give some depth to the mat black color.  After distressing the edges, and  adding wheels and funky hardware, this piece was transformed into a very cool, industrial look entertainment center any teenage boy can be proud of.

Don't you agree? And yes, I know the handles are different sizes. And no, it was not on purpose, OK? After we had drilled the holes and attached them, we stood back proudly to view our handy work, and  broke out in hysterical giggles when we realized our  mistake....
Then we decided to just pretend it was meant to be that way.

Old Bathroom Cabinet transformed

This little cabinet was brought home from the farm, and was stuck in storage for forever.

We had specific  plans for it, but it knew better....

When we started to sand it down, all these lovely layers, added through the years, were uncovered.

Then we realized that the door was not real wood, but supa wood...and, soon after, while I was sanding my heart out, the door fell open, slammed on the ground, and the mirror broke. This is when we decided to just go ahead and take the door off.

The lovely blue color on the inside, was left just as is...

..and just check out all the wonderful old layers...blue, green, yellow and white.

We did not bring a paintbrush near it..this look was achieved just by sanding!

It is going up as a shelf in her powder room.

Love it!

See ya soon with more Summer projects!

I am joining these parties


Metamorphasis Monday

From Armoire to Craft/sewing/work Station

Hello Again!

Remember me? Won't blame you if you don't.

Things have been C.R.A.Z.Y. here, to say the least! I have one son getting married, another going to senior prom and graduating, and a 38 hour flight to South Africa, for a long overdue vacation with my sisters, all taking place the last two weeks of May! Oi ! In between trying to get organized for the above mentioned events, I have also tried to get a few projects done. All of which have resulted in Yours Truly being very behind in all things domestic!

 Suffice to say that I am just a teeeensy bit stressed out right about now. Not to mention the fact that I am about to be  " Mother of the Groom"! O my goodness, that even sounds wrong! Wasn't it yesterday that I was the bride? What do I wear, by the way? All the "Mother of the Groom-ish" outfits reminds me of the Queen-mother, for some reason. I am not ready to look like the Queen-mother!

Anywoo...enough of that.

This is my latest project:

BEFORE...                                                                   AFTER                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                           

Armoire bought on Craigslist

Transformed into Craft Station

The front doors were Modge Podged with fabric I had , and two small chalk boards

above serve to write inspiring words, messages, etc. on.

The side ...is the result of many, many attempts,  "colorful language",and time spent coloring .

This was one of the less successful attempts....

Yes, I ran out of painter's tape, and used red duct tape...

The inside is what I am the most proud of:

I replaced the back with peg board, that I painted black,

and put hooks, a rod for gift wrap or ribbon, and baskets up.

An empty coffee container and tuna can, decoupaged in the same pattern, serve as fun "hold alls".

The inside of one door was painted in chalk board paint, for messages and reminders, and the inside of the other door has a cork board for pictures, etc.

The outside is home made black chalk paint.

Did you notice the knobs? I modged podged the two bottom ones with the same fabric, and replaced the top ones with the black squirlies..

Do you think this will make some woman happy?

 I hope so!

I'm selling it on Craigslist.

I am joining these parties....