All I can say is...................wow

We pick this up on the weekend - I may keep the top part for my secretary - and sell the bottom part.
( mine was missing the top part when I bought it ) I love the wood detail on the glass doors - and the
molding..............

My latest dresser has not sold yet - and I am panicking a little tonight - because space is such an
issue for me..........may have to drop the price tomorrow evening to see if that helps, if not, a
consignment shop may have to be it's next home. which is a shame because then people are paying
double what I am asking for.

Anyways, I am pretty excited about this piece, pretty pretty pretty awesome!
I paid a little more than I usually do, but worth every penny I think,

here is my secretary finished

it fits perfectly in a little niche between the living room and dining room -
can you see the wire from the lamp?  I am so anal -that has to be fixed
immediately, for me that is a complete eyesore!

and upon seeing this pc in a photo I have to distress the drawers, in person
it is kind of pretty with the drawers so " clean " but here in the photo they
look a little too pristine for the body of the pc.

Oh the worries I have, lol

xxx

Pretty!

This one is being picked up today - will have to work on this one right away because I have nowhere to store it!!!

but it's another great find, don't you think?

xxx

For sale

Newest piece for sale................this piece is solid and extremely heavy even with the drawers out,
I love the mirror - but even that is so heavy I could barely lift it on my own.  Not as old as the previous
pieces I have sold - but these pieces were in every house when I was younger ( which was a long time ago lol )

My mother rented a cottage one summer - and the whole extended family ( she had 7 brothers and sisters )
took turns staying up there - and us kids stayed while everyone came and went - my mother would work all
week and come up on the weekends by BUS.............what a different world we live in today.  Anyways for some reason this dresser takes me right back to that summer..................it brings to mind a plain simple room, with a wrought iron bed - a very similar dresser and white net curtains billowing at the window.
I have always been acutely aware of my surroundings and beautiful things have always made an impression on me from the time I could speak, thus this mad insane passion of mine.
But I live in a cluttered world amongst my treasures, though they bring me comfort, and there are stories attached to a lot of them that make me feel even more connected to them - and ( I think ) my chaos is organized, sometimes I long for simplicity - right now I would like to clear out my bedroom and recreate that summer cottage bedroom.

I would start with this dresser....................

xxx

I couldn't leave you if I tried...............

It's a keeper - the big ugly brown elephant in the room has turned into a very graceful swan - I want to
keep this piece...............

The handles were spray painted a metallic silver - they were so hideous before that I was sure
I would have to change them but I love them now,

A few touch ups - and then the dreaded waxing of the whole pc..............I don't like that part at
all




you ugly,you ugly,you mama say you ugly


xxx

Better?

will post a photos when it is complete - but it's almost there -
a little more painting - waxing - and spray painting ( handles )

but I definitely did not cringe as I walked by it this morning............
in fact I smiled one huge smile - I love it!

xxx

Before and After Dinner for deux!!!

I was so caught up in painting a dresser this evening that it irked me a little to stop what I was doing
and trudge into the kitchen...............

I went to the fridge

 I went to the pantry

I went to the cookware

I went to the stove

and somehow I whipped together this

One of the best meals I've made in a long time, lol
and you thought I could only redo furniture?
Isn't the pizza box a nice touch?  Looks pretty authentic I think, a little bit of old white paint - ha ha

xxx

OH, MY. GOD. LINDAUER DESIGNS HAVE DONE IT AGAIN

I have to copy this one - I think this is my favourite remake to date from anywhere!

Can you imagine the appeal for someone that loves that city? ( which I do )

Maybe I will make one with Paris metro signs.................for people that love
that city ( which I do ) or London signs...............( love that city too )
Wow the possiblities are endless - thanks Lauren once again - you are an inspiration.
And I am a shameless copycat.

xxx

 

The elephant in the room

Remember this buffet/hutch I purchased quite a while ago - circa 1970's? lol

It must have been a couple of months ago - and I am thoroughly embarrassed to
admit that it has been sitting in my dining room since then looking exactly like the
above picture - so there has been a lot of cringing going on because you have to pass
through my dining room to get anywhere else in my house - not to mention you
can even see it from my front door.

I have been so busy fixing up furniture to sell - and this just seemed so big and
cumbersome that it kept being put in the " tomorrow " files of my brain.
Well tomorrow arrived yesterday - and I started.  I don't know what I was thinking
when I bought this, really, but it's here now - the big elephant in the room,

I hope it's something I can live with because I can't see anyone wanting this really -
not to mention what a pain in the ass this would be for anyone to pick up -
Also - no one was here - and this is where I really have a problem - after waiting
months to start on the job - I could not wait a couple of hours so that I could get
help lifting the top part off in order to  paint it properly - no, no, I had to start
it immediately - so once again this is my second buffet/hutch which I have painted
in place - so that if the top was removed to move - there would be a big patch of
unpainted area where the hutch part sits!!!!

anyway......................

I am painting it gray - so it will resemble the color of an elephant ( in the room )

xxx

One thing leads to another -

Life is such a series of connections.............
The girl that came tonight to purchase the dresser fell in love with our home - and asked
if I would be willing to come to her place to help her " fix it up "
My pleasure, literally, I think I am falling into the career that I always wanted to be in.
My heart almost bursts when these customers go on about my " talent " I feel like a fraud
because it comes so easy to me -
My first impulse is to say " this? oh that's nothing " I have to start appreciating the talents
I have, and not constantly poo poo them away -  just because you love doing something
does not mean it does not have value, in fact I now believe the complete opposite to be
true - the more passion you bring to a project the better the end results will always be.

She told me she could feel my energy as soon as she walked into our house - and actually
sat with me for about 1/2 hour - chatting about this and that.

Tonight I feel good -
Really really good about what I am doing.

Hope you all feel this good tomorrow!

xxx

Another piece sold!

Hi I just sent the link to my husband and we think this will be perfect in our daughters bedroom!! Very excited to see it pls consider this sold!!! Thanks Jo ann

Received the above today - music to my ears - sold just by the photo - before even seeing it in person -
I was starting to get nervous because I listed this dresser on Friday - and heard nothing back until today.
Even though it has only been a couple of days I thought I would have sold it right away like the last piece.
The person who originally wanted to take it, did not get back to me so I listed it and voila -

another one bites the dust!
goodbye sweetie, it's been swell

xxx

Annie Sloan ....................and I

I have the photo here of my inspiration for the artwork on one of my dressers - I really have to get my act together here - this is one hell of a confusing blog - I am all over the place!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is Annie Sloans dresser ( Annie Sloan is a british designer who has created her own line of paints -
the most amazing paint on the planet )

and once again - the last time I swear - you must be sick to death of seeing it really

XXX

hmmm..........is this the same?

very very similar - mine has more curves on the upper drawers - but it is the same wood -
anyways the first one is listed on Kijiji as being from 1890 - which sounds about right from
the history I read on Larkin Co. - they are asking.....................drum roll
$1100.00!!!!!!!!!!!
So went searching again - my God some of them are asking 1500 and up - they are apparently
quite valuable -
Of course mine is painted - which diminishes the value of a true antique - but I really had no choice,
it would have had to been restored professionally it was so bad.
But still, there must be great potential here in getting a good price!
I'm thinking between 500 and 600 ( maybe ) have to think about this one.
Did I mention I paid 20.00 for it?
xxx

New Camera!!!

I finally bought a new camera - so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pics are now true colors of the pieces I do -

Here is my latest piece - wow - I am soooo in love with this piece
( I know I know I say this about every piece - but look at the details
on this baby! )
This is the " LARKIN CO " dresser I previously posted about - check
out her curves -
I went out today to buy handles - ( the glass ones never came )  but the
curves on the top 2 drawers and the little door -stop the handles from
sitting flush - and so they appear crooked - won't do at all -
My thinking cap is on as I type - have to find a solution to this - perhaps
itsy bitsy handles on those particular drawers?  Here is the before again:

and here she is all finished ( except handles of course )

now I have to figure out how to find them once I download them - I am so so so
stupid at some things - the phone was much easier for downloading pics -
it took me 20 minutes to find this pic on my computer.

xxx

Finished!

Here she is - ready for sell -
I stole this idea directly from Annie Sloan Paints - I purchased her book - and she had created

one almost identical -  it's really rustic and pretty in person.................

The top was stained in a deep walnut - and there is a high gloss of polyurethane ( 2 coats )
on top - for the shine - and for protection.
The rest of the pc was waxed and hand rubbed - 2 coats -
It has been layered in different colors of paint - and gently distressed.

This pc is so solid ( real maple ) that it will be around for another 100 years..............
Don't you love the curves on the top drawers?

and here's the inspiration photo from Annie's Sloan's book !

XXX
Me

Before and after dresser

Sometimes it's difficult to tell by the pics on Craigs List exactly the shape a dresser is in -
or if it is even worth the gas to go pick up -
And then sometimes you just know it's a winner.

BEFORE

AFTER - ( almost - need to sand the edges a little and put the hardware back on )

The wood tone turned out so deep and beautiful - this pc was a dream to work on -
I have 4 layers of paint on this baby - all different colors - so that when I sand, hints
of all of them should peak through.  Duck egg blue - my own creation of a medium
gray - and 2 coats of old white................
Will finish this pc tonight and post pics of it complete - this one hurts my heart to sell.

xxx

My fabulous find

Remember when I posted this dresser found on craigs list? Well I started working on it tonight 
and I was looking for marks or names on the back ( often there is a stamp with the original makers
name on it ) and I saw a section where a sticker used to be - and I could make out a name which
had transferred from the paper on to the wood - Larkin Co.
What a find!  It is very rare to still have the label on these items - and I am very lucky that in this
case the ink transferred - because apparently Larkin Co. furniture is very collectable - and sought
after.  They have quite a fascinating history as well - started off as a soap company in the 1870's
and ended up selling furniture ( actually I think they sold anything that could go in a home ) By the
30's they were in trouble financially - and finished by the 40's.  I am thinking this pc is at least 75
years old if not more.
Anyways there was no way to salvage it - it was far too beaten up and needed wood filler in lots
of spots - so it had to be painted - but I have printed out the history and it will be given to whoever
purchases it.

Here is a sneak peak - should be finished tomorrow -

Off to bed - sleep tight - don't let the ....................
You know I had that thought - here I am grabbing  up furniture from God knows where - what would I do
if I brought home bedbugs........................
Terrifying really -

xxx

Thinking outside the box - part deux

Here is my crate half finished - still have to distress the top a little more - and paint the inside -
plus add some more stencilling...................

 I am going to put huge block legs ( very low - but very wide and chunky ) on the 4
corners - to give it more height - and have a glass top made maybe 4 inches larger
all around to give it some substance - but I am really loving this piece...........

xxx

Thinking outside the BOX

I know, I know - it's a piece of garbage, right?

That is what most people would probably see -

But I see....................

A gorgeous unique coffee table
A beautiful antique toybox
A fireplace bench - with the additional bonus of storage for the wood
A foyer bench -
Shall I go on - the possibilities are endless -

Filthy?  Yes
Beaten up?  Yes
Ready for the landfill?
Hell no.......

This one is definitely for me - I'm thinking of Paris stencilling right now,

Elizabeth, you are the only person I can think of who would appreciate
this piece, if you are passing by!

xxx

A Little girls room

The client came by tonight to pick up the rocking horse and fell in love with these 2 pcs -
and wants them ( desperately ) so is trying to configure his baby's room to fit them all!

He is the one that bought the previous dresser ( the one I had 5 offers on!!!!! )

I offered to repaint the first one so that he could put it somewhere else - for free,
I know all about customer service don't you know and he is a wonderful customer for
me -

Off to pull out another pc - have a new color of paint being shipped to me and am
very excited - because so far I have been using the same colors over and over -
and as I tend to get obsessed about things - it's time to force myself to shake it up
a little.

xxx

Charming desk

Here is the latest piece for sale -
It is soooo charming - reminiscent of an old school desk - but with far more detail 
Again in Paris Grey and Old White - this combination is really beautiful - and It's
fast becoming my new obsession............

I love desks - for some reason they stir up visuals for me - especially the old antique ones,
I imagine a lady ( never a man ) sitting and writing letters to friends ( pen pals? ) their long
dresses draping on the floor beneath them, using an inkwell - I even have the desks
placed in front of windows in my mind so that they can gaze wistfully out as they
think of what to write.

I have 2 more desks in storage to do and don't think I will ever tire of this.
Maybe physically - but never mentally - too strong an emotional connection
to beautiful things with a history.

Another dresser gets done tomorrow - and then....................

I am going to attempt my Union Jack dressers tomorrow -
This is going to be more of a challenge for me I think!

xxx

mini secretariat.............

One of my customers ( this sounds strange to me still ) had a baby girl - and they decorated her room in an antique style - hence the purchase of one of my dressers - I mentionned that I had a rocking horse if they were interested - they were - and so here it is.  The colors match her dresser.
It is hard to tell in the pictures but this is a very soft gray - gently distressed to show some pink undertones -
with a stenciled pattern on the seat ( where a tiny little bottom will sit )
This was completely sanded down to the original wood - primed - painted soft pink - and then painted soft
gray completely - the pink was only so that when I sanded the gray slightly you could see a little pink peaking through.
It is adorable - and I must must must get a decent camera - because the phone is just not cutting it!

Have finished another piece - pictures tomorrow

xxx

Latest one ready to go..................

My Latest Shabby Dresser

The dresser was first painted Old White - and then Paris Grey was lightly dry brushed over the surface

to give it layered old " worn " look

I love this pc and wish I lived in a bigger house to use this somewhere.............

Such beautiful details - and the colors make the details stand out - I painted the
wooden handles in both of the colors - white - then the gray in the middle - and
then sanded them to expose some of the original wood color.  Hope she
sells as quick as the last one, do not want to have to look at her for too long or
I may never be able to say goodbye ;(

xxx

oops - here is the before shot - minus the drawers because I had already gotten
my greedy hands on the paint before I remembered!!

and this is what the drawers looked like - I was still working on the middle one in this pic - lol