SunflowerHugs: October 2013

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Mid Century Modern Makeover

I got this table as part of the free furniture haul in August.

I have been seeing so many nice mid century modern makeovers that are white and wood tone and this was going to be perfect for it.

I started by sanding the drawers and stripping the legs. I used Citrisolve for the legs and it did a great job, but I didn't know how to get it off round legs with a flat scraper. I pretty much made a giant mess and used a whole bunch of things I am sure were not meant to remove the stripper, but it worked!

I painted the body of the table and handles with three coats of SW paint in their base white mixed into DIY chalk paint.

I coated the drawers and legs with Annie Sloan dark wax mixed with paint thinner and I love the color they became!

I didn't distress because I knew it wouldn't go with this look.

Although I did line the drawers with this funkadelic penguin fabric I got over the summer. I love this crazy fabric and just thought it would be a fun surprise to find.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Pretty Green Storage Bench

My husband is at it again! First he painted a chest and dresser and then he painted sports theme pieces. This time he painted this Pier One storage bench.

It already had a distressed look, but then it had some damaged areas and needed to be tightened up.

He painted it with two coats of Behr Outback green mixed into homemade chalk paint, lightly distressed and waxed with Minwax Finishing Paste.

It is such a light and happy color green. Didn't he do a great job?

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Secondhand Scores #24

When I was a kid my parents went to garage sales all the time. I admit I was totally embarrassed by it. I never really bothered going regularly until after I had my son. I realized I could get clothes and toys and things for him for pennies on the dollar and that is when my love for secondhand was born.

Garage sales are my favorite but I also go to flea markets, thrift stores and auctions. I am always on the hunt for furniture to paint, stuff for myself, my house, my kids and unique items that I could put to future use. I love the thrill of finding something that was once very expensive for as little money as possible.

In this series, I will share my scores to show you how much you could get for your hard earned money. Some days I hit jackpots, some days I get nothing, but I always have fun.

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The past few weeks there have only been a handful of garage sales.

Small framed art for $.50

To be turned into a chalkboard

Box of rubber gloves for $4

To use when staining and waxing furniture

Twig pumpkin for $.25
Practically brand new LL Bean Boat and Tote bag for $.50

I LOVE these bags and have only found one other in the past in much worse condition

Wood sign for $.10

I will paint over it to make a more updated sign

Two knife blocks and knives for $1
Pfaltzgraff sugar and creamer set for $2

I am using the sugar pot to store salt by my stove

Brayer $.25
Bag of five Rit dyes $1.50
Mounted sword for $3

I got this for my son to hang in his room--he really wants to take it off the mount and use it though!

Poinsettia shower curtain hooks $.25
Alarm clock $1.50
Wood wall art was free

I plan to paint over this to either make a sign or a chalkboard

I have painted a bunch of the artwork, that I have gotten at the garage sales this summer, to make chalkboards. I usually do a few at at time while I have the black paint out.

I added the chalk art (done with the help of my overhead projector) to hopefully help sell them faster. **The Laundry one is the artwork I got at the top of this post.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Black & White Desk

It really is amazing what a little paint can do. This desk looked like it had been completely neglected for years.

But two coats of black on the top and two coats of white on the body (both in homemade chalk paint), lightly distressed, waxed with Minwax Finishing Paste and look at what it became!

Oil rubbed bronze spray paint for the pulls and glass knob for the center drawer completes the makeover.

I just love painted (and painting) furniture!

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Pressboard Dresser

One of my neighbors stopped by when I was painting furniture in my garage. He said he had an old dresser to offer to me. He did mention it was pressboard and I tried to politely decline, but he really wanted to give it to me.

He and his son walked it over a few days later. I was actually surprised it was in French Provincial style. The hardware was really nice! Upon closer inspection though, the top and one side had a lot of the telltale pressboard bubbling.

I didn't want to get rid of the dresser because it was structurally in good condition (it also weighed a ton), but I was stumped as to how to hide the bubbling. I decided to try to distract the eye from the bubbling with some kind of painting technique.

First I painted it with two coats of SW paint in their base white mixed into homemade chalk paint. I then took a small container and poured in a little bit of SW Seaworthy and added a lot of water to it (about a 3 to 1 ratio of water to paint).

I then used a 4" wide chip brush to add the watered down paint across one of the drawers. I wiped left to right, then up and down, then left and right again. Not sure if that was necessary, but I liked the result and repeated it on all drawers and the body of the dresser.

Here's how it came out.

I think it kind of looks like a denim treatment--or maybe linen? Or is more like a white washed look? Either way I really like how it came out. I also switched out the hardware for ones I spray painted a bright white.

There was an extra handle in the middle of the top drawer and since I didn't know I was going to change the hardware before I started painting, I didn't fill the holes. I used little wood appliques I got from Michaels. I painted them white and glued them on with Aleene's Tacky glue to cover the holes.

I distressed the edges and finished it with Minwax Finishing Paste. You can still see the bubbling (although not in the photos I took), but it didn't look too bad--it gave a little character.

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