Magazine table, take.... 4?

Another lucky find at a local ReSale store. I just can't turn away from these types of tables. They're too cute! This one has plenty of life left in it and it just wants a bit of color...

After a quick cleaning, Glen here got a nice coat of Cobblestone from Maison Blanche. This is starting to be a favorite of mine because it's so nicely neutral. A few turquoise or white knick-knacks would look cute on this table. 

The little jewelry box doesn't come with the table but is available. :) 

What to do with a pair of chairs?

A dear friend of ours was having a yard sale recently and, like good friends do, let me know about a few items of interest. :) A couple of things will simply get new life here with the kiddos but these chairs will be looking for new homes soonish. 

These chairs are in good shape, if a little sad looking. They've seen some use and the back of one had to be re-glued. I love this style, tho. Small enough to not be always in the way but big enough that they don't look like kid chairs. 

I sanded them down a bit, brushed off the loosened finish on the leg and back turnings and broke out the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. 

I wish I had a little breakfast or nook table that matched them but this little wine table makes a decent stand-in. For picture taking, anyway! :) 

Adventures in PaintLand...

Some weeks ago, I painted two hefty end-tables. 

I love this color and I use it on just about everything. It distresses prettily, contrasts with just about any color you can set your heart on, and a coat of wax makes it just perfect. 

BUT! these are end tables. So they needed something a bit more durable, right? Something that could withstand a bit of use and the occasional toy car race. 

Or, you know, invasion. *teehee*

Unfortunately, my trusty water-based polycrylic turned on me and I ended up with a table that looked like it had been the sole repository for a chain smoker's exhalation for about 20 years. Yikes! It was awful. Terrible. It was a terrible, no-good, very bad result. 

Yup. I had to drag the table outside and sand the daylights out of it to get all that yellow, nasty funk off. At least the girls had a good time running around in the driveway, playing 'go to sleep, kitten!'

Re-finished table finale coming soon. Once I get the wax out...

Dresser in French Enamel

Ignore the messy kitchen and the *ahem* beer kit in the background. This dresser came from my husband's grandmother via his mother. It looks so melancholy, does it not? 

Nothing a nice coat of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in French Enamel can't fix! I originally thought I would paint the whole top surface as well but... I do like a stain/paint contrast. So I'm going to haul it back outside tomorrow and sand the dickens out of it, making it ready for some red mahogany stain. I <3 that color so much.

Now, here's the only thing I don't care for when it comes to milk paint. When you sand it to give it that baby-bottom finish, it smells like soured milk. I don't know anyone who's a fan of that. But at least it doesn't retain it for long and it's definitely worth putting up with for the end result. 

Update:

It needs new hardware on the top drawers. I'm thinking something funky from Anthropologie would be a good touch. 

Patina Desk

You may remember that this was actually one of the first pieces I picked up when I started all this slapping-on of paint. I probably spent more on it than I should have but I thought it was a great deal at the time. Anywhoo. It is finished!

I'm not entirely convinced that this 'patina look' process is as simple as it sounds on some blogs but it was certainly fun and I like the finished product for sure. You?

Sharing over at: French Country Cottage

My house smells delicious!

Thanks to Country Cottage Primitives, one lovely bunch of dried lavender is making my whole house smell calm and peaceful. I should have taken pictures as I unpacked the goods because they really did a great job of ensuring that everything got here in great shape. And cute! Anyway. If you need lavender sachets, dried lavender bunches for display, or anything of the sort, I highly recommend you check 'em out.

I may need some of these:

Cute, aren't they?

Disclaimer: I wasn't asked to do any kind of review for this site. I'm just super pleased with my purchase and thought someone else might like to know about this little cottage business.

In other news, L'Shana Tovah! Happy New Year and may it be a sweet one.

Feeling bold and feisty

There are days when I feel as if I can do no (painting) wrong. Apparently, I had a couple of those days this week. Which probably means that the rest of the month is going to be crazy. ha ha

While I LOVE the look of white/grey/muted greens/blues, I have also been experimenting a bit with the other end of the palette. The end that lives near the sea somewhere on the Mediterranean and says 'Come on, live a little!'

You've already seen this charming fellow (I'm calling him Phillip) mid-process but now you can see him with his wax buffed and his hardware freshly painted.

Milk paint self-distresses and looks fantastic, I think. After reading on a few blogs about how you have to be willing to just let it do its 'thing', I figured it was time to have a little faith. All I did on this piece was sand it lightly with 150 grit and hope for the best. It chipped in places I wouldn't have anticipated but I think it looks so much more natural than I would have accomplished on my own. 

This little table came to me in a very 'blah' condition. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't ugly. It was just a table. But now, he is Maurice! He is bold! He is exciting! He is waiting for a good time with YOU, non? Please do not disappoint him. ;)

Linking up over at