Saturday, June 18, 2011

A Catch Up Of Many Projects!

Yeah!  I actually remembered a ‘before’ picture!  Here is a ‘before’ picture of our plain and boring mantle.  It has been like this for years. Why?  Lack of inspiration, I guess.

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Well, I got inspired!  Here it is now!  The black mirror was a $3 ugly brass garage sale find that I spray painted glossy black.  The tray on the left was a Goodwill find for $2 that had ugly tiles glued to the bottom.  I removed them and had my boys cut me a piece of thin wood that I sprayed with chalkboard paint.  Love it!

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The books are antique books I already had.  The super sweet birds nest was compliments of my step dad, eggs and all.  The black and white ‘Blessings’ sign was a $2 garage sale treasure.  The white and green tin was originally an ugly brass that I picked up for 50 cents.  I sprayed it Heirloom White and dry brushed it with my favorite green, stuffed in some hydrangeas I had and, viola!

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Another wonderful idea I discovered was this under-the-sink stroke of brilliance!  I have been nosing around a website called “Pinterest” and getting all kinds of ideas. I have always been bugged by the spray bottles falling down under the sink.  Someone recommended a tension rod to hang them from.  I just so happened to have a rod that was the perfect size.  It cracks me up how the simplest things make me happy.

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This is another project I have been working on.  My quiet time table.  Sorry, no ‘before’ picture, just an ‘in the middle of’ picture.Winking smile It was a nice enough table, but I wanted something more fun.

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So, I sanded it.  Painted it with my favorite green.  The same color I used for my headboard.  Then I ‘crackled’ it and applied a top coat of creamy white.  I then sanded it in spots to remove chunks of paint here and there.  The more I took off, the more I loved it.  Next step was wiping it with a glaze mixed with some brown paint and wiping it off.  I finished with several coats of a spray clear coat.  I love it!

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Some people don’t ‘love’ the antiqued and distressed look, but I do.  I wouldn’t want every piece of furniture like this, but this is perfect.

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Here it is in its rightful place, next to my quiet time chair.

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Sneak peak!  I got this table at Goodwill for $15.  It was love at first sight.  I called Brian for permission to buy it, anything over $10 I like to check with him.  I can get carried away with this passion. Winking smile  Being a furniture lover, he said yes!  Wait until you see what I have planned for this!

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Hope you enjoyed this lengthy post on what I have been working on lately.

9 comments:

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I love to see projects that people are working on! It is inspirational! I am painting my son's bedroom today - a beautiful blue called Pacific Starfish!

Oh, and I love the idea of the tension rod under the sink!

Deanna

Lora said...

love it all! you're so creative! esp love that blessings sign - :)

Carrie said...

Love the green/cream devotional table! Do you learn how to do this from others or from a book/website? Any recommendations on where to learn how? I'm new to it all but you have inspired me and make it look easy!

Carrie

Michelle (She Looketh Well) said...

Thanks, Ladies. First, let me just let you know up front that I am a 'copy-cat' creative person. I have few 'original' ideas ;-) And I am okay with that.

Carrie, yes, I just learn these things from other blogs. Once you stumble on a blog that is pretty popular on the subject you want to learn about you just search around their site, check out their blogroll. If it is decorating, or refinishing furniture, or cooking, or whatever you are interested in, there is a blog out there! My favorite right now is Pinterest, Miss Mustard Seed,Just a Girl . . .but there are many more. So much easier than looking at magazines! Hope that helps.

the⋆silver⋆of⋆His⋆fining said...

Your post is great! I love the bird nest with eggs and the quiet time table. Thanks for sharing. Joyce

cooperkelly4 said...

I Love that quiet time table. It has been so inspiring to see your home decorating and I love that it isn't costing a ton. A wise woman indeed and I am sure Brian appreciates that! I'm gonna have to take a peek at pintrest soon!

Anonymous said...

Just beautiful!

busymomof10 said...

Love your Quiet Time table . . . and all of your creative projects!!! You impress me with all of your creative energy!

elaine said...

I sure wish you would come re-do my entire house! We're all copycats in one form or another you just have such a gift to see the potential in something. I love seeing pics of all your projects - thanks for sharing!