French Provincial Chest of Drawers

I found a beautiful French Provincial Chest of Drawers on craiglist. (see the saga here)

I just LOVE the lines and curves and feminine feel of these pieces. I wanted an antique, old world sort of feel to this piece – as if it had been painted and faded, and painted again and aged again – but still keeping the gold in places as if  the paint had come off revealing the gold underneath. So let me know what you think….did I accomplish my goal??

 Here is the before picture:

(not the best picture- I took it from the craigslist ad on my phone)

 

And here are the AFTER:

Ta daaaa!!!

xoxo

Love me some French Provincial!

If you don’t know by now that I am a furniture junkie….this post may clear it up….I have been on the hunt for fabulous pieces and while at thrift the other day saw a French Provincial  nightstand sitting in the back all by it’s lonesome…so with all my Thrift Store charm I asked why it wasn’t on the floor and if I could purchase it…well, it wasn’t meant to be…it had been sold…to someone else…and wasn’t waiting all alone in the back, it had friends that had already gone to their new home but there was no room for the nightstand so they were on their way back to get her….FOOEY!!! (also-if you know me-that is NOT what I said….lol)

So I kept my eyes out for pretty French looking pieces to no avail….UNTIL…I came across a craigslist ad that offered three pieces….chest of drawers, nightstand and dresser….uh….SOLD!!! I roped hubby into going with me in case of axe murder, etc….plus…he has the truck….we went and got the furniture in absolutely beautiful condition but it was the 1960’s look of white and gold….which I like, but we could find something just as wonderful to give the beauties new life.

I decided on colors and did the dresser and nightstand the same, and went a little different on the chest of drawers. (which deserves her own post) Here are the before pictures:

And here are the AFTER:

Ta daaaa!!!

xoxo

Absent from blogging– but busy creating….

Well, it’s been a while since I have last posted – but not because I haven’t been creating like mad, but because I have been too busy to post step by step pics along the way….

I first was working on a great friend’s cabinets – They weren’t bad cabinets…just old…oak…I didn’t take before pictures because, honestly, I was somewhat overwhelmed with the project and thought I’d better get started right away. The cabinets looked something like these:

But…worse…lol.

My task was 3 bathrooms, a credenza-ish sort of thing and a bar….easy enough…shabby chic here we come!! I convinced said good friend to do dark reclaim in the bigger bathrooms to bring some contrast in to which she agreed…although, bad for us….the dark brown didn’t photograph well, so you will just have to take my word that they are fabulous….

In order to paint the cabinets I used a primer, then a primer and paint in one – then distressed – then the water based poly.

Anyhow, here are the AFTER pictures only…and only of the white distressed….I might also add, they were taken on my camera phone...so not the best quality, but I am a proud momma, non the less.....happy painting!!!

gold to white candle holders

Found these in my mother in laws treasure trove:

my first intent was just to clean them up, but when I did...the "gold" started peeling.

So - back to old faithful...vintage white spray paint here we come....

I had to repair some of the hanging gems-but once complete they are a perfect addition to the dining room

Beautiful Blue!!!

I took a chance on these tables - my first time painting with blue....OMG-I may never go back!!!

Here are some before and afters....

I just LOVE the way they turned out!!! If you would like to PURCHASE these...

they are for sale at the Uptown Attic Consignment Boutique

http://www.facebook.com/#!/TheUptownAtticConsignmentBoutique

they have LOTS of great vintage, handmade, awesome treasures there!!

Furniture, frames, linens, wall decor and more...vintage, shabby, elegant and AWESOME!!

go check them out!!!

China Cabinet turned shabby chic

I inherited this beautiful china cabinet from my beautiful mother in law. It was sitting near a window in her home and the side facing the window took a little bit of a beating....but she was beautiful. My sister in laws suggested I spruce her up a bit...and boy was I happy to :)

Here she is before....

I sanded and painted and sanded and painted and here she is now!!

I also inherited the beautiful red and white toile china in the cabinet...it's JUST gorgeous....

The inside of the cabinet is red, to match the red chairs seen here

here is how it all flows together!!!

Dining Room Table

This dining room table was my moms...it started out a very dark color - I refinished it about - geez - 14 years ago??? to a lighter color like this...

It's a really cool table....folds down as shown in the picture above and then can be full size as well.

This table has been with me (in the folded down position) in my apartment, to our first home, and now to our current home. But it needed a face lift as we all do...lol....so in order to match all the other furniture and the China cabinet I inherited from my mother in law I chose to paint her an antique white...with distressing :)

Here she is...my old friend...in all her updated glory....

ta daaaaaa

Before and Afters of Dining Room!!

I am soooooooooooo excited about these!!! Check it out!!!

ta daaaaa!!!

my mommy's cameo project

Today, I did a little project...one with meaning to me...so, in a sense, it wasn't little..but in size terms....it's little.
I have many of my mom's little treasures, they remind me of her and of my childhood as most of the items I wanted to have and display were things I had grown up with and remembered. Ever since I can remember, my mom had this little cameo hanging in her room or bathroom.

 

I don't know where it came from, if it was a gift from someone, or just something she found and loved but it reminds me of being in my mommy's room, laying on her bed, smelling her smell and it brings back such great memories....but it is also gold...."gold"...It has been hanging in my bathroom and sticking out like a sore thumb so I thought I would give it a little update....

First...I took it all apart  

I then spray painted all the "paintable" pieces heirloom white

I cut out a scrap piece of burlap for the background and mod podged it on

I then added some robin's egg blue paint into the mix

Put her all back together....and

taaaa daaaaa!!!

red chairs!! RED chairs!!!

I've had a thing for red lately....I've never really been a RED kinda girl....but as most things do....I have changed!!! It started with a red wall....seen here....and it really opened me up to exploring options...I have had the pretty formal living room with red rose accents, pictures of roses, pillows with red roses...WHY have I never made the color really pop before???
Let me start by saying I have a few more projects before the red chairs will make their true impact - but it's a start....I need to paint a table and a china cabinet (yes...another one) and my plan will be complete!

Here is my current - eh - er - dining area???

Sad isn't it?? The table is currently dark brown, the chairs are a blond ugly fake wood looking color and they are all shrouded in horrible cover ups to hide the fact that they don't match...oh ya...and there is china covering the table...(waiting to be put into the cabinet I still need to paint...but I digress)

SOOOOOOOOOOO-Red Chairs I shall have! and I shall show you how!!!

*~~*~~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~~*~~*~*~*~*~~*~~*~~*~*~*~

First....I spray painted the chairs a solid red....then brushed them a similar red. I thought I'd be done..

But if you know me, or have seen any of the other posts....you know...oh you KNOW I cant have solid color anything...especially not red chairs!!!! Sooo - out comes my trusty partner in crime....

yes...the sander...oh how I love her petite size and distressing power....so we did our best to distress...and were left with chairs that had distressed accents like this:

now....this is nice...but I REALLY don't like that "blond" color wood...so...I grabbed a new BFF

Annie Sloan is the fabulous inventor of chalk paint, and also makes a fabulous wax to go over it...could it work with my non chalk paint? Only one way to find out....

I dipped a brush into the soft wax (PS use a throw away brush...clean up is no fun)

I put the wax thickly on the distressed parts and let it sit for about 30 seconds

then brushed it upward and downward to blend it in (not a good pic...but i was taking the picture of my hand with my other hand...) and I had a "helper" wanting attention....

Yes...Cappy...thinks it's all about him.sheesh.anyway...here is a chair with wax(R) and one without(L)

I just like the depth of distressing and waxing better than a plain ol' chair...don't you??

You'll have to wait until all pieces are done to get the full effect but for now........

ta daaaaaaaaaa!!