Re-make of an Old Favorite

Have you ever mistakenly created a work of art?  I did just that when I painted this old table...

 

 

The stain that I used over the CeCe Calwell's paint soaked in so quickly and completely changed the color of the paint and I LOVED it! 

 

However; since that was not the look that I was going for originally, and I created it just by happenstance, I have been wondering weather or not it was possible to create this look again.

 

Unfortunately, that beautiful table has had a rough life and no matter how hard we tried, it is still very crooked and wobbly so was I was unable to sell it.

 

My mom gave me this cute little table to makeover and I thought it would be the perfect test to see if I could recreate my precious table.

 

I am very happy to say it worked! 

 



 

I simply painted one coat of CeCe Calwell's Santa Fe Turquoise the key to get this look is to not be exact with your brush strokes, make strokes in all different directions and don't try to go for too much coverage.  After it dried I lightly sanded a couple areas that I wanted to be more effected by the stain, then I put my dark walnut stain on a cloth and wiped on and then wiped it again with a clean cloth. 

 

Usually, I am very careful about using stain because it is quite hard to correct a mistake.  That makes this project even more fun because you can put as much or as little stain on your rag and just go to town.  Don't over think it or let the perfectionist side of you come out...just go with it and see how amazing your finish project looks!

 

Here's a view of her top...

 

And now her legs...

 

Aren't they beautiful?! 

 

 

My goal for the finished look of this table was a messy, unique and striking piece of furniture. 

 

What do you think?  Does the imperfection make this piece noticeable or just make you nuts?

Ombre Chair

Ombre - Comes from the French word meaning shaded or shading.

I'm sure you've noticed the explosive trend of Ombre hair and fashion filling the streets of Hollywood.

Even if you weren't aware of the term Ombre I'm sure you've spotted the ever popular hairstyle trend, seen by the likes of Drew Barrymore & Klohe Kardashian and all the multitudes in between.

Drew Barrymore

 Klohe Kardashian

As any trend goes, it has spilled over into home decor & furniture and I LOVE it!

I have had this tired old chair sitting in our garage for weeks and I had lost all inspiration for it.  I knew I wanted to do something different from the chairs I've done in the past.  Then yesterday it hit me...Ombre!!

I picked up 3 cans of spray paint and if you've read my paint reviews post then you know spray paint is not my first choice, but for this type of project I knew it would be perfect.

So here she is...

What do you think? Do you love the Ombre style as much as I do?

Linking up here and I will be sharing this project over at Mom's Fun Money.

Identical or Fraternal Twins...

Today's post is a followup to last week's chair post. 

I finally got around to painting the second chair and decided to go a little different route with this one.

I originally planned to paint this chair exactly like the other one, but then decided against it.  I  picked a complimenting fabric and color so that they could be used together or separately.

In case you didn't catch the before here is a refresher...

So what do you think?  Do you prefer identical or fraternal twins? 

If you haven't already done so...don't forget to sign up for the fabulous giveaway that ends on June 2nd!

You get to pick an item of your choice and help a great cause at the same time...



Linking up here :-)

Old Vanity turned Desk

I spotted this old vanity at a garage sale with a price tag of a whopping $15 so I had to grab it!

It was pretty sad and cheap looking with a shiny top and a gold and yellow exterior.

It got a fresh, clean look with a simple coat of paint and a stencil...

Here she is before...isn't she a beauty?

The mirror was horrible and instead of spending hours trying to get the grime off, I decided to change it from a vanity to a desk with a little bit of chalkboard paint. 

Now it is a perfect little desk that would fit nicely in any room. 

What do you think?  Do you like it as a desk, or do you think I should have kept it as a vanity?

Linking up here... and sharing this post over at Mom's Fun Money.

Paint Reviews (Latex, ASCP, CeCe Caldwell's)

I have been experimenting with different paint options for my furniture painting endeavors and have finally completed several paint trials, so I thought I would share my reviews...

Latex Paint~

First there is the regular ol' latex paint that I have used on tons of projects and have always been pleased with the results.

Dresser with Ribbon Pulls

To get the best results with standard paint you will definitely need to spend quality time with your piece of furniture.  It requires patience...sanding, priming, painting and then painting again.  I always recommend using a paint conditioner to mix in with the paint to prevent brush strokes.  Latex paint is your cheapest option, but will also require the most amount of effort.

DIY Chalk Paint~

I used Liz Marie's recipe to make my own chalk paint. 

DIY Chalk Paint

I was very happy with the results of these chairs, but I definitely did not enjoy the grittiness of this paint.  It required quite a bit of sanding to smooth it out.  It did distress beautifully and gave a very unique finish though.  This was a perfect solution for these chairs, but I will not be going this route on a dresser or table - I wouldn't have the patience to get rid of the grittiness.  However, the effort is worthwhile to save a bit of money to come out with a beautiful piece of furniture. 

ASCP~

Now for the real Annie Sloan Chalk Paint...I was actually surprised how difficult it was for me to get the hang of this paint.  Being that I was so used to regular latex paint, it was a real learning curve for me to get used to the thick feel of the chalk paint.  It is definitely great not having to sand and prime, but the actual painting itself took me a bit longer than it would have using regular paint.  I am sure the ASCP experts out there are much quicker at getting their pieces finished.  Overall, I definitely recommend ASCP for the beautiful finish it creates, but I certainly need some practice with it. 

Grandfather Desk

CeCe Caldwell's Paint~

The most recent paint that I have tried is CeCe Caldwell's Paint and I have to say that I am in love!!

Side Table Makeover

This paint compares in cost to ASCP and I thought would be very similar, as the finished product has a similar chalky and unique finish.  This paint requires no sanding or priming, but unlike chalk paint it goes on just like latex paint.  I love that it is thinner and easy to work.  Another great feature is that it has no VOC's and no odor.  I was really shocked at how quickly it dried and it comes out looking completely different than when it was wet. 

All in all, CeCe Caldwell's paint is my paint of choice for the moment.  It makes re-doing a piece of  furniture a cinch and I absolutely love the color choices.  It does cost a bit more than standard latex, but I find that a can seems to go quite a bit further and there is no need for the additional expenses such as primer and paint conditioner. 

Although I would choose CeCe's over ASCP, I definitely would not rule out the use of standard latex.  There is something about pouring blood, sweat and tears into a piece that make the results seem that much sweeter :-)

Hope this was helpful to some of you wondering whether or not to invest your money in one of these other paint choices on the market today.

In the end, it is a completely personal choice and will depend a lot on the look that you are trying to achieve.

Feel free to add your thoughts and comments on your paint of choice. The more input the better :-)

Linking up here.

Side Table - From Trash to Treasure

I am absolutely in love with this little table after it's makeover! 

This was an old and abused table that my dear dad helped put back together for me so that I could make her over.  I almost told him it wasn't worth the effort, but I am so glad I didn't...

I used a little sample jar of CeCe Caldwell's paint in Santa Fe Turquoise and then did a top coat of dark walnut stain.

Sharing this post over at Moms Fun Money and linking up here.

Grey Dresser Makeover w/ CeCe Caldwell's Paints

I used a new paint from CeCe Caldwells  that I purchased from Mindy at Pretty in Paint and I must say I absolutely love this stuff!  A complete review will be coming in a future post. 

For this dresser I used Seattle Mist, Dustin Gulf Green and Spring Hill Green to create a fun look for any room...

I absolutely love the beautiful, light shade of grey of Seattle Mist and the subtle pops of color make it a unique and fun piece for any room.  

This post will be featured at Mom's Fun Money this week.

I will be linking up to these parties.

 

Dining Room Complete

I realized after showing you my table makeover that I haven't shown you my completed dining room...

I have given you the low down on every project in this room, but now you can get the completed look :)

First we have the tea light wall art that I paired with a photo that was taken from our wedding {lemon drop martinis YUM}

On the same wall I have my gate turned herb garden and I am so excited to show you this most recent picture because my herbs are growing!!

Here is the completed look...

A far cry from this!  The black table, green curtains and white walls are GONE!!  Whoo Hoo!!

This post will be featured at Mom's Fun Money this week.

I will be linking up to here...

Desk Makeover Complete!

My desk makeover is finally complete! 

I have this desk that was my grandfather's and I have always loved it.  It is sturdy and has a very large working and storage space and of course for sentimental reasons it is something I love having around. However, it was in desperate need of a makeover...

This desk is the first step of our office makeover.  I wanted it to make a statement in the room and I was thrilled because it was my first shot at Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. 

Painting with the chalk paint was a definite learning curve for me. I painted the entire desk Olive and was completely underwhelmed :-(  It looked dull and boring and I just couldn't get the look I was going for.  I had already painted two coats and after waxing and distressing I was so discouraged. 

I decided to deviate from the original plan and go to my trusted can of Olympic in Creamy White that I have used for several projects, including my hutch made wall decor and my dresser with ribbon pulls.  This was exactly what it needed!

Then I painted the drawers with one more coat of Olive and that did the trick :-)  I think this desk was just especially stubborn.

I am very pleased with how it turned out and LOVE the chalk paint!  I also had some knobs from Anthropology that I got on clearance that I was itching to use.

What do you think? Are you a fan of the 2 tone look or not?

This post will be featured at Mom's Fun Money this week.

I will be linking up to the following parties...

http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/; http://thriftydecorchick.com ; http://abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com/ http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/ ; http://goodbyecityhellosuburbs.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.lilluna.com/ ; http://polkadotsonparade.blogspot.com/ ; http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/ ; http://733blog.blogspot.com/ ; http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/; http://www.somewhatsimple.com/ ; http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.houseofhepworths.com/ ; http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.brandyscrafts.blogspot.com/ ; http://alliemakes.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.thrifty101.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/

; http://whipperberry.com/ ; http://www.missmustardseed.com/ ; http://www.mysimplehomelife.com/ ; http://www.atthepicketfence.com/ ; http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/ ; http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/ ; http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/; http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/ ; http://niftythriftythings.blogspot.com/ ; http://morrowsunshine.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.bystephanielynn.com/ ; http://www.iheartnaptime.net/ ; http://www.flamingotoes.com/ ; http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/

; http://sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.laughloveandcraft.com/ ; http://www.thestuffofsuccess.com/ ; http://www.remodelaholic.com/ ; http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/; http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/ ; http://linesacrossmyface.blogspot.com; http://vanessascraftynest.blogspot.com ; http://kissedbyafrog.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.happyhourprojects.com/ ; http://www.homemakerinheels.com/ ; http://rocaandcompany.blogspot.com/; http://littlebighouseontheprairie1.blogspot.com/; http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/; http://theartsygirlconnection.blogspot.com; http://todayscreativeblog.net/;http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/; http://www.thegunnysack.com; http://caribbeanmissionarywife.blogspot.com; http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/; http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com; http://space46.blogspot.com; http://www.itsoverflowing.com/; http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/ ; http://everything-underthemoon.blogspot.com ; http://www.herecomesthesun-kelly.blogspot.com; http://www.tipjunkie.com; http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/; http://junkintheirtrunk.blogspot.com; http://findingmywayintexas.blogspot.com/; http://www.tipjunkie.com; http://howtonestforless.com; http://www.mom4realky.blogspot.com; http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/

Picking Colors Made Easy

Have you all used My Colortopia yet?

If you haven't, you definitely have to try it out! 

I am so excited because I finally found a local store that carries ASCP!  I got myself some beautiful Olive Chalk Paint to paint my office desk. 

This entire room is going to get a complete makeover, which is desperately needed {if you remember this post}

This is where My Colortopia comes in...

You can upload an image of your choice and then it will assist you in picking a color palette from there, or you can use one of their images as I did.

There are so many options - it is fabulous!

Can't wait to show you my progress soon :)

Impossible is No Longer Impossible!

I did it!  I finally finished my project for the challenge, just in time!  I have to be honest with you...when I first took the challenge of re-doing my kitchen table I really didn't think it would be all that impossible...I just needed a kick in the pants to get it done.  Boy was I wrong!  It wasn't impossible, but there were moments right up until  the very end that I thought it was going to be an ultimate FAIL!!

I knew I wanted something unique for this table that would be the center piece for the dining room, but I wasn't quite sure which direction I wanted to go in.  That was until I spied me some bold Tangerine!

I have to admit as excited as I was, I was also frightened that I might be making a HUGE mistake!  I started with the chairs in a more subtle, but very distressed look...

This was also my first attempt at making my own chalk paint {to learn more about this process click here}. 

I decided that I wanted to do the table with tangerine legs and a white top.  Well, this is where I almost gave up :(  I finished the table after so much hard work and brought it inside.  WOW was it blinding!  It just did not look right!!  My sweet husband walked in and very politely said, "Ummm so do you like it?" while secretly praying I would say "No" ha ha!  Lucky for him I did :)

Sorry I have no photos ~ I was way too eager to get that thing out of the house! 

I was back at the drawing board and really didn't want to start this project all over again.  In my head I knew that the table would work if I painting the white part of the chairs the same blue as my hutch, but I just did not have the energy to re-paint all of those chairs!  So I decided to re-paint the top of the table blue and guess what?  It was the perfect solution!! Get ready for picture overload...

I only wanted to very lightly distress the table so it had a much cleaner feel - for this reason I chose not use the Chalk Paint Recipe I just used regular old primer and paint for the table and I am very happy with that decision.

So what do you think?

How about you all?  Are you taking the challenge?  If so let me know so I can take a peak at your projects :)

I will be linking up to the following parties...

http://www.thriftydecorchick.com; http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/ ; http://abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com/ http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/ ; http://goodbyecityhellosuburbs.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.lilluna.com/ ; http://polkadotsonparade.blogspot.com/ ; http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/ ; http://733blog.blogspot.com/ ; http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/; http://www.somewhatsimple.com/ ; http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.houseofhepworths.com/ ; http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.brandyscrafts.blogspot.com/ ; http://alliemakes.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.thrifty101.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/
; http://whipperberry.com/ ; http://www.missmustardseed.com/ ; http://www.mysimplehomelife.com/ ; http://www.atthepicketfence.com/ ; http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/ ; http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/ ; http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/; http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/ ; http://niftythriftythings.blogspot.com/ ; http://morrowsunshine.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.bystephanielynn.com/ ; http://www.iheartnaptime.net/ ; http://www.flamingotoes.com/ ; http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/
; http://sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.laughloveandcraft.com/ ; http://www.thestuffofsuccess.com/ ; http://www.remodelaholic.com/ ; http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/; http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/ ; http://linesacrossmyface.blogspot.com; http://vanessascraftynest.blogspot.com ; http://kissedbyafrog.blogspot.com/ ; http://www.happyhourprojects.com/ ; http://www.homemakerinheels.com/ ; http://rocaandcompany.blogspot.com/; http://littlebighouseontheprairie1.blogspot.com/; http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/; http://theartsygirlconnection.blogspot.com; http://todayscreativeblog.net/;http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/; http://www.thegunnysack.com; http://caribbeanmissionarywife.blogspot.com; http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/; http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com; http://space46.blogspot.com; http://www.itsoverflowing.com/; http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com/ ; http://everything-underthemoon.blogspot.com ; http://www.herecomesthesun-kelly.blogspot.com; http://www.tipjunkie.com; http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/; http://junkintheirtrunk.blogspot.com; http://findingmywayintexas.blogspot.com/; http://www.tipjunkie.com; http://howtonestforless.com