SunflowerHugs: April 2014

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Twisted Leg Tables

This is the what these twisted leg tables originally looked like. Got them at a garage sale last year for $6 for the pair.

I painted them with homemade chalk paint that was a mix of a bunch of colors that turned out to be a blue/grey. I sanded the veneer on the tops and stained them with coconut oil.

The above photo is the first after. I sent them to the consignment store where they sat for two months. Now once a piece is done, even if I am not 100% happy with the results, I am my own worst critic and I know eventually someone out there will like what I did, so I don't repaint anything.

But I just started doing the Mod Podge image transfer technique and wanted to keep practicing it. These two tables had a blank slate for the tops and so I decided to take them back to add a graphic.

I saw on Amy's Casablanca, that she found the site Wikimedia Commons that has tons of images to use and I picked out two old maps of Europe. (And by picking out two old maps, I mean I spent at least two hours searching for the perfect graphics, in the perfect size, that went with the look of the tables and could appeal to a broad customer base)

I reversed them and sized them for my table tops in Power Point. I then emailed the file to Staples and had them print them on 18x24 engineer prints for $1.79 each.

First I painted the tops with two coats of white paint. After it was dry, I brushed Mod Podge all over the image and then applied it to the table top. I smoothed out the air bubbles as best I could and let it sit overnight.

The next day I wet the paper and rubbed the top layer off to reveal the map. You can see it pulled the map off completely in some areas and also pulled up the paint. I was totally okay with this as it is supposed to be distressed and old looking.

Once I was satisfied with how much of the top layer of paper came off I applied Martha Stewart Metallic glaze in Black Coffee right on top of the paper. After it was dry I sanded the whole top concentrating on the edges to distress it even more. I used Minwax Finishing Paste to seal it.

I have to admit I am on the fence with how they came out. I think the paper soaked up too much of the glaze and is a bit dark. It definitely needed the glaze because it looked worse without it, but maybe I should have waxed first and then added the glaze so I could have had more control of how dark it got. I also think I should have not painted the tops white, so where ever the paper completely came off, you could have seen the wood instead of white.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda, they sold within a few weeks so I must have done something right!

Linking to:

Monday, April 21, 2014

Secondhand Scores #28

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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There was another church sale over the weekend. Their prices were crazy cheap and I had to force myself to put some things back as I knew I was wanting them because the prices were so low--not that I would need them. This is what I got:

Two wire shelves $.50 total
Canvas beach bag $.25
Wood tray (for my kids to use in the car) $.50
Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1 $.25
Bag of turquoise color beads $.25
Two Tupperware containers $1 total
Brand new head phones $1
Quilt coverlet and plush blanket from How To Train Your Dragon movie $1.00 total (can never have too many extra blankets)
Pink plastic case (for my daughter) $.25

At the Sunday auction I scored these two pieces. Both the table and trunk were $1 each. So far my son wants the trunk, but if he changes his mind, I plan to add casters to the bottom to make it a coffee table. Of course I will paint both pieces.

Linking to:

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Secondhand Scores #27