The Twin Tables

I have been working on these two side table/ nightstands for about a week. I purchased them at a local Goodwill store. I loved the clean lines, dove tailed drawers and sturdy build. I also happened to love they were built in Australia

Twin tables inside drawer

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I was lucky because “love” was very inexpensive at The Goodwill Store this day! So I decided to bring them home. I painted them with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White that I purchased from one of my favorite stores Roost. With help from Kaylee I painted and sanded them. After that, I waxed them with clear and dark wax to a beautiful sheen. I added beautiful glass prism pulls with an antique accent piece from another find.

What do you think?

Before

After

Twin Tables after

Close up

my favorite helper

After Twin Tables

after: tabletop with flowers

After: tabletop with flower

Please leave me comments, what do you think? What else would you like to see?

Tip Junkie handmade projects

Home Stories A2Z

Home Stories A2Z

Furniture Feature Fridays

The Shabby Nest

Martha and Annie work well together

I found this lonely tray at Goodwill  and knew it was meant to be special.

wooden tray before

It was scratched up but it had dove tailed corners and was really solid. Then on a trip to Micheal’s I was looking at all the amazing Martha Stewart Craft Paint, additives and stencils.

Picture from   justsomethingimade.com

Well a nice stencil caught my eye and they used a stucco additive to the stencil paint to make it appear bumpy like stucco.

Martha Stewart Products I used

Then I got out my favorite new Love….. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.I purchased at Roost here in Napa

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Waxes and Brush

I decided to use Tartan Red in the Martha Stewart Craft Paint and Stucco additive for the stenciled part. First I applied 2 coats of ASCP Old Ochre with a sponge brush.

After 1st coat of ASCP

No sanding before painting and after 2 coats I had great coverage. I sanded down edges to distress it a little, applied the stencil and stucco paint with a Martha Stewart Sponge Dobber (love them!)  Lastly applied a coat of clear wax and a few streaks of dark wax for the aged look. I LOVE the way it turned out!!!! What do you think?

corner and side of wooden tray

wooden tray after

I love the bumpy stucco look of the stencil.

So see how fun it can be to combine your two Crafting loves Annie and Martha!




In Love with an Old Window….

I am here with a new before and after. I fell in love with this old chippy wooden window at an estate sale and for $5 even my husband couldn’t say no to this love affair. Here is what he looked like before:

I could see his potential

and you can see my reflection in the window….

After I had my first adventure with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint I knew he would be my next victim subject.

So I applied 2 layers of Old Ochre then just a few swipes with Duck Egg to add to the texture and make him look his age.

Old Window with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

To the left of the picture is 2 coats of Old Ochre with swipes of Duck Egg, on the right side of the picture is after 2 coats of clear wax with a little dark wax over it. I can not express how much I LOVE Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.   Can you see why?

So in Phase 2 I chipped away all the plaster holding in the glass panes and carefully removed them. I had some cork here from another project so I cut it to size and covered it with this lovely Parisian inspired fabric.

cork covered with fabric

I just hot glued the fabric around the cork, making sure there weren’t any wrinkles or creases.

The last phase was the dangerous fun part. Having never worked with chicken wire I learned to next time wear gloves. Yikes its sharp. I stole the chicken wire from my dad, he had it leftover from building his chicken coup, so note to self: next time ask dad for tips on working with chicken wire before you actually do the project. I used my staple gun and stapled one side of the chicken wire to the back of the window frame, cut it to size with needle-nose pliers (next time I will use something that will cut easier) and stapled the rest into place. This is how it looked after 1 side complete

one side with chicken wire

The opposite side I did the same. I bent the wire down with pliers after I stapled it all, to hold the cork in place. I am going to hang it right in my entry, the first thing everyone sees when they walk in the door. I think it will be fun to change out the pictures etc. for each holiday. So watch out mister you are going to be dressed up for Valentine’s day. Every mans dream come true.

window after

His close-up

What do you all think? I’d love to hear your feedback!

I really want to take the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint class at Roost Consignment on the 28th but after not working due to my shoulder for 5 months I can’t really justify spending the money yet. But it sounds like I would learn a lot! You can click here if you are interested in the info on the class.

Take Care,

Amy

PS If you are new to my blog click at the right hand side and follow me on all of my adventures.

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Lovely Crafty Home

Was she singing to me?”

This morning in the car after dropping off Ky at school a song came on the radio. It was a familiar song and I knew the words. Then about halfway through the song I REALLY started to listen to the words and I think Ms. Carrie Underwood was singing to me.

It’s so easy to get lost inside

a problem that seems so big at the time

it’s like a river that’s so wide

it swallows you whole

While you sit around thinking about what you can’t change

and worrying about all the wrong things

time’s flying by

moving so fast

you better make it count ’cause you can’t get it back

"Amy listen to me"

Well even if she wasn’t in the trunk of my car singing it to me (she mighta been busy accepting a Grammy or something) the words sure made me stop and think.  Even though this time off work is so stressful financially, and healing and repairing my self has been physically and emotionally draining, I need to count my blessings. I will look back in a couple years (well maybe 5-10 years) and think it was just a grain of sand not the mountain I am thinking it is now.

Have you ever had a song hit you POW over the head like that?

Also I am soooo excited to share 2 projects I have been working on. One is my first experience with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and I am truly in Lurve. My kids better not stand still too long I might try and paint them. It is so easy to use and looks great. My second project is a creation I am making out of an old window I got at a garage sale for $5. I can’t wait to show you.

So everyone make it a great day!

PS If you see Carrie trying to crawl out of the back of my suburban let me know or just push her back in ;)

Amy