I love my job!

I've always been jealous of the people who could truly say "I love my job!".  To be very honest, I'm not a very good employee and I get bored really quickly.  So, to be able to be creative, not answer to anyone and make other people happy with my work feels kindof like heaven.  I can truly say "I love my job!".  This week I finished a beautiful buffet for a friend at church.  This piece has been around a while and has been used for many, many things.  When she dropped it off, it looked like this.

She picked out a beautiful bright red and wanted me to add a little something on the two doors.  The red didn't cover as well as I had hoped even after I had converted it to chalk paint.  Four or five coats, some distressing, and a little colored wax later, this is what we got.

I love how this turned out!  I love the shape of the buffet, the color, the hardware, everything!

I projected the tree limbs onto the cabinet doors to trace and then went back and painted them.  They got some distressing too.

I thought about trying to keep this for myself, but I figured Helen might notice if I didn't return it!

Quilt for a baby girl? Yes please!

Having a son for an only child, I don't get to play with pink and fun girly things very often.  So I jump at an excuse to use pink in a project, especially if it involves fabric or paper!!  My sweet neighbor Missy just adopted a baby girl and she needed a quilt!  I probably would have been overwhelmed at the sheer possibilities of girly sweetness when it comes to fabric.  Luckily Missy had already picked out fabric for baby Joon's room.  Agonizing fabric choice already made, I got to just enjoy the creative process.  I usually hand piece my quilts but I wanted to actually finish this quilt before Joon went to college so.....I decided to make a truce with the sewing machine and got after it.

I did hand quilt it as usual.  I LOVE how it turned out and I'm happy to say that my sewing machine and I are getting along great!

I wish I had gotten a picture of the back because it is this beautiful dark pink chenille type fabric with rosette swirls.  So super soft!  I had to get this one out of my house quick before I was tempted to keep it!

A girl never tells her real age.....

I haven't posted in quite a while.  The flu tends to put a screeching halt to fun things like refinishing furniture and quilting.  I've also been very busy with some custom work so I haven't had much time to work on cleaning out the projects from the garage.  I finally finished a work in progress a few days ago and had time to photograph it.  I found this beauty on craigslist along with two other tables.  I have no idea of its age, but a true lady never tells her real age, right??  Let's just say she is mature and was a little, ahem, worldly....

There was some very chipped veneer on the scroll detail and the cross piece at the bottom that presented a slight problem.  There was no way to repair it, so I decided just to peel it all off.  It turns out that was a very ambitious decision.

 

I thought that the veneer would come off very easily since it was already coming off on its own.  Turns out some of it was glued on very well!

But those legs were definitely worth the effort!

After sanding it down and coaxing off the veneer, I painted it black and distressed.

I had to take it completely apart because of loose joints and shifting parts (that happens as we age you know).  But now it has been tightened up and lifted and looks, well, refreshed...

I think she hides her age well, whatever it may be!!

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http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2011/12/welcome-to-inspiration-friday-no-43.html

Furniture invasion

It seems like more and more pieces that I work on are finding their way into my house. And they don't leave. It's like a furniture invasion.  Like this coffee table that planted itself in front of the couch and refuses to budge. Personally, I think someone might have glued it to the floor. What are ya gonna do???

This picture was of course taken before it took root inside........

I love, love, love this table!  I love the lines, the legs, the size....  It's perfect really.  It started life as a typical dark stained affair.  Really boring.  But after the makeover, she's one hot mama!

With all that plain surface it needed something to dress it up.  Something chic...something sexy.....something French!  I used a projector to trace the graphic (free courtesy of graphicsfairy.blogspot.com) and then painted and distressed.  Don't ask me what it says!  Something about fabric, I think!  I hope!  :) 

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Red Bird

This week has been a great week!  I've sold a few pieces, the weather has been gorgeous, and I worked on this secretary desk that came together beautifully.

When I found this desk at a garage sale, it looked like this.

I forgot to snap a "before" picture before I got started so the missing drawer in the picture is actually sitting on the ground covered in red paint.  It was a decent looking desk, but somebody had tried their hand at painting and aging it and hadn't quite pulled it off.  One glance and I just knew it had to be red!

I love the cute little feet!

And look at these super cute knobs I found at Michael's for $1.50 each! 

I knew I wanted to paint something on the door, but what?  When I found the bird stencil at HL I knew it belonged on my little red desk.

I am so in love with this sweet desk!  What do you think?

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My new favorite

If you know me, you know that I change projects frequently.  A little too frequently for my hubby's taste.  This of course means that I always have a new "favorite" whatever.  What can I say, I guess I have a short attention span?  Meet my new favorite.

Sorry for the shadows but my sweet hubby wasn't home to help me move her so I had to wrangle her myself.  This is as far as I got.  :)

She is solid but delicate at the same time.  Wouldn't she be gorgeous in a little girl's room or a romantic bedroom?

I didn't get a very good before picture because I was so excited to start working, but she was kindof beat up and some little munchkin had added their own artistic flaire thanks to Crayola.

The brass pulls were a little gaudy for me but the center of each is ceramic with delicate little flowers.  I thought they were worth salvaging so I just spray painted the brassy parts white.

Annie Sloan chalk paint is just so much fun to work with that I couldn't resist another Paris Grey project.  I did some distressing  and then applied a colored wax.  I just mixed a little wood stain with Annie Sloan clear wax and it worked great.

I love the shape of the top drawer.  It gives the piece so much character.

Isn't the faux keyhole sweet??

I think she turned out so beautiful!  Think she's as pretty as I do?  She's available!  Check out the shop tab for more info!

And here's a bonus for those who have been asking about the progress on the hoosier.  A sneak peek!

Obviously she's naked and missing her bottom but isn't that blue going to be a great surprise when you open the doors?  I can't wait to get her finished and inside.  This is one piece that I'm holding onto!

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The Shabby Creek

I just can't resist blue!

This sweet little table was a pseudo-sister to the little gray beauty I showed you last post.  At least they lived together.  I don't know whether they were actually related or not......

What a sweet little drawer she has!  I decided to use my new Duck Egg blue chalk paint, cause I just can't resist a good blue! 

She's got great legs too!

And sweet little scallops!  Watch out big sister!

Paris Grey Table

Mr. Homebody has put the brakes on my Craigslist shopping so I've had to kick it in gear and show some progress!  The garage is full of goodies just waiting to be all gussied up. 

This weekend I picked up a couple of end tables and a coffee table.  Really great quality furniture, just a little drab and boring.  Not anymore!!

This sweet little end table began her life like this.

Sorry for the poor quality of the pic.  There is just not enough light in my house to take a decent picture.  Very frustrating.  And I just realized I put the drawer pull back on upside down.....

I used Annie Sloan chalk paint in Paris Grey, sanded the edges a bit and gave it 3 coats of wax. 

See Turtle's fuzzy tail hanging out under the table?  She's so nosey!  She has to be involved in everything!

There's the tail again!

I don't like this picture as much but the color of the table is much truer here.  It's a very light grey. And very cute!  Love it?  This sweet pea is for sale!  See my shop button for more info!  I'll even put the drawer pull on the right way for you!  :0

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