Custom Roll Top Desk

Last post of 2014!! 

I can't believe this year is coming to a close already. It's crazy how fast the year flew by. I am definitely looking forward to what 2015 will bring...hopefully lots of happy memories and changes for the good. So Happy New Year to all of you!!!

Here is my last custom piece of the 2014, a cute little roll top desk. I have to say I was a little scared and apprehensive when we picked it up. The adorable little lady who hired me wanted it stripped down and stained a lighter color. Looking at it I knew right away that most of it was particle board and not real wood uh oh!! So I showed here a few painted and stained pieces I had previously done in the hopes she liked them...SCORE...she loved the matching coffee and end tables I did. This made life a little easier BUT still brought on the anxiety attacks that always come with doing custom pieces. You just never know if they will love the end result and well that pressure can get to a girl lol. 

When we got home and I started to strip her down I realized the ONLY real wood was on the legs...of course...the hardest part because of all the details, no chance in an easy sander project here!! So hand sanding it was! Once it was finished and I started to prep and paint the remaining areas I realized there just wasn't enough "stained" wood like she wanted. The top shelf had water damage and bubbling, with my OCD I knew I couldn't leave it be so I found some scrap wood and replaced it, along with a piece for the drawer to make it look even.  I replaced all the hardware for a little updating. Finished painting, distressing, aging, staining and protecting and this desk was ready! 

We delivered it on Christmas Eve and she was sooooo excited!! She gave me a huge hug and it made my day :) Once we set it up inside for her she gave me several more pieces to re-do to match it YAY!!! Custom furniture and all the anxiety attacks they bring on make it all worth it when they love it. How can I not love my job!! I am so looking forward to 2015!!!

Here are all the 'before" pics

And the "afters"

Can't wait to get started on the matching pieces!!!!

Deer Antler Nighstand & Tutorial

Our "His" & "Her" Nightstands are Finally Complete!!

Changing things up a little this post. 

Decided it was time for a little tutorial on  

"How To Use Vinyl Decals"

Hope you like it :)

Now there was no way the hubby was going to allow me to put birds or something girly on his nightstand. I really did try but he fought a good fight LOL. So what better way to add a little nature then deer antlers?! In my last post I shared my complete nightstand and so I knew I had to try and "match" the style.

Here is the finished piece:

And here is what we started with:

Blah right??!!!

So first things first. 

Step #1:  Always prep!! 

Sometimes I think I over do it but hey why not? 

My first step is always to wipe down with acetone, just to get any dirt and grime off.

Step #2 Sanding

I am a big fan of sanding, usually starting with an 80 grit and finishing with a 220 grit. 

Step #3 Stain

Once the wood is nice and smooth add your stain.

With this project I used Minwax Early American.

Staining is very simple. 

Use an old rag and wipe on, then wipe off excess and let dry. 

If you want a darker color just add another coat until you get the desired color.

Step #4 Line the drawers up

This is very important to make sure the decals line up perfectly.

Step #5  Apply the vinyl decal

 Just peel and stick. 

My biggest advice here is to make sure it is even. Don't worry if you don't succeed on your first try, that is what makes vinyl so great, you can peel up and adjust.

Step #6  Cut the edges

As you can see I did not do this!! 

 (I plan to re-use the antlers)

What you will need to do is use a razor blade and cut the vinyl in between each drawer and smooth down the edges. 

Step #7  Poly the edges

This is a little trick I learned over the years to avoid "bleeding" under the decal. Just wipe Polycrylic around the edges and let dry. This acts as a barrier. 

 Step #8  Paint

 Use the paint of your choice. Most times 2 coats of paint will do.

Step #9  Peel off the Vinyl

Now don't worry!!! 

This is what will happen if you don't cut the edges in between the drawers. I knew I would have bleeding to contend with since I wanted to keep the vinyl whole.

But if for some reason you do have any areas like this just dip a q-tip in some acetone and simply wipe of the excess paint. 

Step #10  Distress

This step is optional. 

I used a medium grit sanding block (about a 150) starting distressing. There is no right or way to do this. It is all in how you want it to look. Have fun with it :) 

Step #11  Apply Polyurethane

 I prefer Minwax but you can use any brand you like.

 My advice use a foam brush to apply. To me paint brushes tend to leave lines. 

Step #12  Add Hardware

I decided to use a smaller knob than what was originally on this nightstand. They were to big and bulky and took away from the antlers. All I did was paint, distress and poly them.

And here is the Final Project Again:

FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS!!

Birds on a Nightstand

So excited to finally refinish my nightstand. The hubby and I have somewhat matching dressers that we decided to use as nightstands. They have sat next to our bed unfinished for about 3 years. Sometimes I am so busy re-doing furniture for others that I neglect my own. Well this weekend I decided it was time. 

Here is how it turned out:

And this is what sat next to my bed for 3 years!!!

Very embarrassing 

A Sweet Vintage Window

"They really do like each other"

I hear parents say all the time "oh my kids are the best of friends...they never fight..." Sorry but I just don't buy it. I grew up with siblings and we fought like crazy. It wasn't until I became an adult that I became friends with my siblings. So when it came to my own children and there endless bickering, especially during the teen years I knew things would eventually change. Most days I prayed it would come sooner than later!! 

Well this month it came. My oldest went off to college. I kept telling my kids all summer that things would change once he was in college and they no longer saw each other every day. Both looked at me like I was a mad woman and rolled their eyes and gave me the famous "whatever MOM" line! 

Well guess what...I was right!! He has been away for about a month now and they are closer than ever. They text each other daily, are genuinely nice to one another and look forward to visits. They actually miss their annoying sibling!! YAY!! 

So enter this picture. 

Both kids had an extremely busy summer and so we shipped them off to California for a vacation together. Kinda thought this might be the last opportunity to do so. I am so grateful we did. On one of the last days my cousin Sherri snapped this picture of them. It literally brought tears to my eyes. A moment in time that signifies so much to me as a parent. Just a sweet moment between siblings. They really do love each other. 

After the tears cleared up (LOL) I knew I had to enlarge it and frame it. I changed it to black and white and sent it off to Walgreens. I had them print it in the poster size. 

Last year I had purchased this old window frame at an auction. It literally hung on my wall blank for months. I prayed this picture would fit once it was blown up. Well it did and it was a perfect fit.

Here was the orginal picture taken:

Change to black and white:

And add old window frame:

(all I had to do was cut about an inch off each side and I used the staple gun to secure it to the back)

Forgive the lighting, it's bad. We are remodeling the living room now and a ceiling fan with light is a must!! We have not a single light in there now.

Hopefully we will be done in the next few weeks and I will post all the little projects and decorating, including the DIY Driftwood mirror!!!

****Thank you Sherri for the most A-mazing picture ever!!!

Country Farmhouse Coffee and End Tables

Country Farmhouse Style

MY FAVORITE of the year!!!

This set turned out exactly how I envisioned, a rich country farmhouse style.

These babies were another treasure from my Mom's house in Florida. When we got them the coffee table leg was broken, the insert that it screws into was gone. Mom had been using it by just setting the leg under it and never walking close enough to knock it!! I am so glad she lives near us now!!

They are solid wood and very heavy, just an all around great set, they just needed some help. 

I knew I wanted to make them look beat up and worn. I knew I wanted to bring out the scroll design on the top. I knew I did not want the stained areas to be uniform and perfect.

I wish I had the room to keep them!!

Here is a sneek peek of the coffee table:

Here is what I started with:

And all the "Afters":

What do you think???

Simple Dresser

Clean and Simple

Came across an "oops" paint at Home Depot and loved the green, it's almost a hunter green with a slight hint of blue. Had a dresser sitting to the side until I could figure out what to do with it. So I decided they were a perfect match. Since I was dealing with a dark color and it would quite possibly be for a boy/teenagers room I decided to stain the drawers for a little more of a "grown up" look. The original hardware was more feminine so I changed them out to a set I found at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I think they add a little more masculinity. So this one to me is just clean and simple, nothing fancy.

Here is how it turned out:

And the BEFORE'S:

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Another Paris Themed Desk

Shabby Chic Paris Desk

Found this desk at a garage sale and had to have it. It had a ton of damage but for $20 and a little elbow grease I knew she could be a beauty. The side and back pieces I knew needed to be replaced, no problem a sheet of MDF can't handle. So with those areas replaced I started to look for a chair, because no desk can go without a matching chair. This one came from my Mom's dining room table set I recently refinished. You can see that one here: http://thatsnotjunk.blogspot.com/2014/06/moms-dining-room-table.html

We had five good chairs, so I sold four with the table and kept one. Yay! I then looked through my fabric bin. I found just enough Paris themed fabric to recover the seat and a little extra so I decided to cover the sides of the desk to match. Once I had the fabric secured on the sides I realized I needed something to tie in the stained drawers so I found some trim I had laying around, stained them to match and put them on. I cleaned up the original hardware and added two new old ones since it was missing a few.http://thatsnotjunk.blogspot.com/2014/06/moms-dining-room-table.html

Here is how she turned out:

Here is what I started with:

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