Hutch Refinish

                  When we built my old craft room, my neighbor gave me this hutch.

 

                                  

 

I never did get around to refinishing it then and I had thought that it would be refinished to go in my daughter's room, since I bought pink knobs for it.

                                      

 

However, I started to notice how much pink stuff had made its way into my craft room in the new house. And my daughter ended up with the yellow cabinet that was in my old craft room, since her new room got a new comforter with yellow. So I decided that the hutch fit perfectly in my new craft room/ studio/ scrapbooking room.

                              

 

In its new life, the hutch is a color called Grecian Ivory, which happens to be our trim color. The builder left an almost full five gallon bucket when we moved in which my husband used to spray it while I painted the hard parts. I'm all about using what I have. Some of the glass shelves were broken in the move, so we went to Lowe's and had them cut new ones or a total of six bucks! I got the knobs at Ross for $7, so all in all I spent $13 on this piece. Not too shabby. 

 

                                                                       

(A word about sprayers: At HD, they have paint sprayers in two different areas. The first one you will probably see is a yellow brand. Pass that one up. They don't work well for painting furniture.)

  

 

 

 

        I love this refinished hutch in here. It's girly and frilly and perfect. Room Reveal may come soon, but for now you can see that I now have a place to store all of my fabric scraps, ribbons, and trim in plain view. My candlestick holders have a new life as well. I've used them as Halloween and Easter décor in the past. Today, they store more trim and ribbons.

 

 

                          

Remember this brass basket from my trip to the flea market in Canton? When I bought it, I had no idea what I was going to do with it.

 

                                   

 

It has a purpose now. It holds random objects that I can't bear to part with, because as soon as I do, I will surely need a triple cardboard ribbon holder. I hide all of that junk with all of the Matilda Jane baggies that the cutest clothes ever come in. Which I also can't bear to part with.

              

Smashbook has a spot now as well. Wrapped a scrap of pretty velvet ribbon around an old fashioned clothes pin. Stuck a pink bird pin in it. Staging. Done. (Why do I want to sing "If you like it, then you shoulda put a bird on it??"

 

What are you repainting today?

 

 

 

 

 

Linked up at Missmustardseed.com and classyclutter.net.

 

http://www.lilmrstori.com

http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2014/03/06/thrifty-thursday-week-50/thrifty-thursday-square/

Blue Cabinet

As soon as I saw this piece of furniture I knew what I wanted to do with it. Even though it had mismatched hinges, I thought they could be easily replaced.

Browsing through Pinterest, I remembered seeing this blue and white rug from Shades of Light and it inspired me.

I knew I had a gallon of blue oops paint that my husband got from Home Depot. (Not sure what he thought I would do with it or the "Blogger Orange" gallon, but it was only $5.) 

This was not an easy paint job, but there is something therapeutic about painting with a brush. Not that I would try it again. I like how it brings in more of the blue from the chandelier to my studio.

And no, it is not easy to find hinges. I am willing to swap out all four, but all I can find are shiny brass or hinges for inside. Where do you find hinges???

The former wet bar is now my stamping station. I guess it was a wet bar. It has real keyholes (you know-to keep rowdy teenagers from drinking all of your Kahlua or Courvoisier or Crown or...OK you get the point) and the top "drawer" actually folds down and is covered in a hideous laminate. The top flips up and there are various sized holes which I can only assume hold liquor. Anyway, it hides my ribbon and extra paper cutters and mats, not my stash of scotch or aforementioned beverages.

Have I mentioned how much I love my new studio/ craft room/ scrap room?? I love having an air conditioned place to refurbish furniture like this piece!

These are the paint brushes I purchased and use. Yes, they are expensive. Yes, they are worth it. I don't get paid to say that. I do get paid a small amount if you click the link and purchase them. Thanks for keeping my blog alive!

Crib Spring Bulletin Board

I have been wanting to do this, but I can't always get into my attic, because my husband's boat is in the way.  But I finally got him to move it and convinced him that it would be a good idea to hang a big, rusty, metal spring on the new walls of my studio.  (Not easy.)

This look is not for everyone, I am sure.  Some of the springs are rusty.  It takes up a lot of space.  But those are things that I like about it.

I like having a place to put all of those little tags and such that I think are too cute to throw away.  Sometimes, they inspire me to make my own tags. 

But, it can also hold a whole catalog if I want it to.  Love that!  See that Anthropologie catalog?  That was our (my sisters and mom) inspiration for the vintage circus themed baby shower for my sister. Coming Soon!!  Wait until you see the invitations!  Sooooo cute!

I used Tim Holtz mini hinge clips.  I had a hard time finding hinge clips.  I found big ugly plastic ones.  I found expensive ones with magnets on the back.  Didn't need that.  I thought Tim made some, but couldn't find them at Hobby Lobby or Michael's.  I finally thought to check Amazon, and there they were.  Perfect!  I love the color, love the size, love the price. Not a bad deal at all. 

Ballard Knockoff Chalkboard

              The enormous chalkboard is finally finished!  I even hung it on the wall.  Well, not really me.  My husband hung it.  Not because I couldn't, but because he does not trust me to keep the walls of my new studio intact, evidently. 

I am very good at keeping things intact, actually.  But, I let him win this one.  Plus, I don't really enjoy the hanging of items.

I painted right on the plexiglass with Rustoleum chalkboard paint.  It took three, maybe four coats.  I lost count.  I used green Frog Tape to tape off the frame and it worked GREAT.  Love that stuff.

My plan was to write some really trendy quote that maybe I found on Pinterest on the board.  (Maybe then I would fit in with the cool kids.)  But, then my handwriting looked all crooked and I got tired of erasing.  Nobody really talks about how not fun that part is.  Maybe it's cause I have antique chalk.  I don't know, but the words do not want to come off.  And dealing with all of the chalkdust.  Not fun, either.  But it looks really good, right?  Hard to tell, but just trust me.  Or, maybe I should paint the frame...

The Mirror

One project down, 2800 to go.  Remember this mirror from my to-do list?

This is the mirror I found at my neighbor's garage sale for five dollars.  It's even beveled.

I finally finished painting the mirror for the bathroom in my studio.  Well, actually Jordan painted it.

I chose this color because I wanted to bring in a touch of the blue from the chandelier.  You can see it here.  Also, because I found a gallon of OOPs paint for five dollars at Home Depot.  Anybody need some blue paint??  I still have pretty much a whole gallon left.

Then, we decided to use a "dry brush" to white-wash it.

My husband says it looks "like something from Greece."  What does he know?  I am calling it Italian, cause the chandy is Italian. 

To-Do List

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile.  You can pretty much expect this every year at this time.  Because I am a teacher and it is BACK TO SCHOOL time if you haven't noticed all the school supplies available for you to purchase in stores.  (Although I did notice that Hobby Lobby got a jump on CHRISTMAS ALREADY  for Pete's sake.  I meany really, who buys wrapping paper in August.) 

So here are a few projects I have been working on.  Or at least thinking about starting on.

Not sure how I want to paint this FREE hutch that I recently acquired from my neighbor.  The knobs will have to be changed.  I already bought pink crystal knobs, but I was sort of thinking of trying out Antibes Green Chalk Paint from Annie Sloan. 

This is the mirror for the bathroom sink in my new studio.  It will probably be painted the same blue as on the chandelier since I got a gallon of OOPS paint for five bucks. 

My grandpa got a new table so I got this one.  I am almost certain this was the table we had when I was little.  My parents must have swapped out a long time ago and I never really noticed that we got a much bigger table and large hutch.  Huh.  I may leave this one alone for awhile. 

Have you seen these monsters in the Ballard Design catalogs?  Love them.  But not the price.  The big one (the one I would want) is $400.  So when I saw this at Goodwill I pushed and shoved it in my car.

It has plexiglass inside.  Must have been used to frame a poster.  I am going to paint right on the plexi glass with chalkboard paint and make a ginormous chalkboard. 

Here it is with a bucket (not a miniature bucket) so that you get an idea of how large this thing is. There was an even bigger one, but I did not think it would fit and I was right.  I could barely get this one in without whopping my kid's head off.

 I may even leave the frame gold.  I LOVE this thing!!  And the best part is it was only fourteen buckeroos!!! 

Get R' Done

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  I've been trying really hard to finish this:

I have been working on this for way too long.  I mean, we went to Disney last year!  When it is finally finished,
I promise to show you the inside.  And it is cute. 

And then, unexpectedly, MY NEW STUDIO/ scrapbook room/craft room was completed!!  Well, almost.  Still needs vent covers and a toilet installed.  But as far as I am concerned it is ready to move in.

I decided to use the blue and white chandelier in this room.  I wasn't sure about it, but I really liked it and hated to sell it or see it sit unused.  Plus, have you priced a chandy lately?  Hmmm, $200 or $5.  $200 or $5.  I think I like the $5 price tag better.  You can read more about this light fixture here (but don't try to vote for me.  Alas, I did not win.  But I have made peace with that.  Sort of.)

I am off to go move in to my NEW STUDIO!! I just love saying that...

Bookshelf Refinish

Remember this?

After lots and lots and lots of scrubbing, I finally got it clean.  If it wasn't black and I could actually see the yuck, it probably would have stayed in the store.  But now it's painted.  Still not sure I like it.

I originally wanted to find a chartreuse damask wallpaper for the back.  I could not find any, so I decided to paint the shelf chartreuse and use this grey and white Allen + Roth wallpaper from Lowe's.

Couple of problems with that idea.  Am I crazy or does this look like a big yellow shelf to you?  This is not the color I was hoping for.  At all.  Everyone said maybe it was because it was only one coat and two would make it look right.  Nope, two coats didn't help much. 

Also, I used hardboard for the back.  I did not prime it.  When the wallpaper dried it caused the board to shrink and warp and it was peeling alot.  It would not stay stapled into the back causing many many headaches. 

Anyone know if a dark wax would help the color and/or the fact that the finish is staying tacky and it has been days?  Would luan work better for the back?

 
    

Vintage Italian Chandelier

OK, you know I don't ask for much, but I really need you to go vote for me at Vintage Revivals. I have entered a room makeover contest and I promise to bug you until you vote for me cause I am driving myself (and everyone else) crazy trying to decide how to design this room.  I am number 53 "Brand Spanking New Studio". 

I found this vintage Italian porcelain chandelier at a garage sale this weekend.  (Daniel is hounding me about picking out lighting for "the shop".)  I just about fell out on the ground when the lady selling it told me it was five dollars.  She went on to say "I don't know if it matters, but it was made in Italy."  I thought, um...you had me at 5 bucks!

The problem is I have no idea how to work this into my room, especially since I am not the biggest fan of blue.  My intention was to find a cheap chandelier that could be spray painted and I wouldn't feel bad about it.  But, I think I might feel bad about painting this one. 

So, now you see why I need the help of Mandi Who Loves Our Guts.  She, if anyone, could find a way to make this work.  So thanks in advance for your vote.  Cause you know I would totally vote for you. 

BRRRRRR!!!

Daniel asked me to come to "the shop" aka my "studio" when I got home from a friends shower (pics on that coming soon).  When I walked in I thought, "it's so cold in here."  Wait...IT'S COLD IN HERE!!! That means the air conditioning is hooked up!  Yay! One step closer to being finished so I can win the EPIC Giveaway at Vintage REvivals.  If you haven't "met" Mandi, she loves your guts, so you should visit her sometimes.