ALL IN THE FAMILY ( a tale of 2 changing tables )

A long - long time ago ( when the earth was green ) 

There was the prettiest bedroom set that you've ever seen....................

But that really was a long time ago - ( I'm trying to remember back to the exact year but I'm thinking maybe 43 years ago - this bedroom set belonged to my nephew John and then his sister - my niece, Joie.

This is the only pic I have of the before - that my daughter sent me from her Dad's.

Lindsay says - Do you think this set would work for Evan, Mom?

Mom says - No - not at all - it's far too feminine Lindsay 

Lindsay says - Well Dad's going to put it on the curbside - why don't you take it - fix it up and sell it?

Mom says - I have too many things - I'm drowning - I can't take it.

But you know - this piece has memories of the sweetest little girl - and I couldn't - I just couldn't let it be put out in the trash.

and so I told them I'd take it ......................

It's a high end piece - the company is no longer in business because people have just stopped spending that type of money on furniture - so not only is it sturdy and still in incredible shape - it's now irreplaceable as well.

In the meantime I found this on line that I would redo for Evan.

Fast forward a little and the bedroom set arrived at my door - in perfect condition EXCEPT it had been left outside in the pouring rain - one on top of the other and the tops had become very damaged.

 John sanded the tops down and in no time at all THEY CAME OUT LIKE THIS !!!

That's what quality furniture will get you :)

I've never had such an effortless ( well this was completely effortless for me because John did the sanding )

result from sanding down the top of a dresser !

And a thought was born....................if I stained the top dark

And painted it grey - using ANNIE SLOAN CHALK PAINT ™ - Graphite and Pure White mixed to make a custom color - which is just a little deeper than Paris Grey actually ) and spray painted the gold handles in pewter -  then maybe - just maybe it wouldn't look too feminine at all !

And that's how Evan - before he's even made his entry into the world - ended up with 2 changing tables.

We ( in our infinite wisdom ) have decided that this one will go upstairs in his room - and the second one I found will stay downstairs so that Ashley doesn't have to run up and down all day.

( I changed my kids diaper's on my bed - their crib - the couch - the floor - the bathroom counter - wherever there was a flat surface - I never even thought to have a special designated place to do such a thing - but that was then and this is now I suppose - oh the hardships I endured LOL !!! )

Sadly there's no room for the desk in his room .....................but at the end of the day the dresser has stayed in the family - and that kind of makes it priceless in my eyes :)

Have a wonderful day everyone !

Hugs,

Me - Lolli - AKA

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KEEPING IT SIMPLE

COUNTRY DRESSER AND END TABLE MAKEOVER !

I'm tired !
Too tired to write up a proper post even - so I'll just bombard you with photos ( that's easier than actually thinking

I've had a paint brush in my hand every day now for 3 weeks..................

The knobs look like different colors
They're not ( just lighting ) !

2 dressers
2 mirrors
2 end tables
1 armoire
1 mantel

Done and delivered

That's NOT including a headboard and sewing table I redid for my daughter somewhere in the middle of those 3 weeks :)

Now on to the 5 pieces that are sitting in the porch waiting to be done :)

Have a wonderful day everyone
HAPPY CANADA DAY TO MY FELLOW CANUCKS !

And CONGRATS to the American Ladies Soccer Team - Go Go Go !

Hugs,
( not very tight ones because of all the waxing and buffing I've been doing - but hugs none the less ! )
Me



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A cheap way to add some flair to a dresser

Good morning everyone !

I'm working on transforming a dresser right now - but didn't want to spend a fortune on knobs ( as in glass knobs which can easily add up to over a hundred dollars if there's a lot of them like on this one - 12 of them !!! ) so thought I'd show ( again - because I know I blogged about these a long time ago ) a frugal alternative.

These back plates are only a 1.29 from Home Depot

I LOVE them because they can easily be spray painted any color and can add such fun detail to any piece !

I spray painted them silver - and then dry brushed a little white on them and then sprayed the black handles as well -
and for 1.29 each  I have these

I've painted them pink in the past for a little girls dresser - gold a few times - and once in a coral color - it's a great way to add a little something - something to a dresser ( in a cost effective way )

For this dresser silver really seemed to be the way to go

Guess you know what I'll be working on today !

If I have to work on something white today - I'd rather it be furniture than the stuff that's hanging around outside lol

Have a great one everybody !
Hugs,
Me

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Do that to me one more time...............................

That's what my furniture says to me -

I can never get enough of a girl like you ♪♫
Paint me, like you just did, oh baby  ♪♪
Do that to me once again   ♪♫♪

I don't usually post on the weekends and here I am posting on both days - there's just so much going on with that little guest room !

Last week I asked if I should keep the armoire in the little room - or a dresser - most of you voted for the armoire - so I decided to go with the dresser LMHO - but I did give it a quick makeover anyway - and I do mean quick - as in 20 minutes or so.
Paris Grey - the white was already on it ( when it was duck egg blue )

This thing is heavy - as in if this thing fell back it would have killed me instantly.  With just my legs sticking out like the wicked witch that I am..................
So heavy that I should have worn depends when we lifted the top piece off to move the bottom piece ( too much information I know )
So heavy - as in I may have popped a blood vessel or two and I can lift heavy things believe me.

My Son dropped in for a visit and I asked if he could help John take the top piece off ( again ) because it wasn't level
He did it himself !!!
Oh my God - I don't know how he did it

Mom says - Did you pee a little when you did that?
Gordie says - Ugghhh Mom - why would I pee?
Mom says - From the weight ?
Gordie says - That's gross - you're my MOTHER - don't talk like that
Mom says - Like what?  Sheesh - it's just pee
Gordie says - You should have worn Depends
Mom says - I know that.........................

But I digress - you didn't come by to hear about my bladder after all.

It's a very light coat of grey actually - some duck egg blue is peaking through here and there but I kind of like that
And I left the white parts as chippy as they were - cutting the painting time in half I'm sure

 It's in the hall landing - and it's ridiculously too big for the space but that's where it's staying until I get the office done - ( and God knows when that'll be - it's the last room to do upstairs and I'm not in the hurry that I should be )  I DO have the perfect spot for it in the reading room downstairs - but JOHN'S t.v. is in the way.

But it suits the space better then the duck egg would have

It can always go back to it sometime in the future - no big deal-ee-o - right?

I DO love the color - it just didn't fit

( I'm writing that because now that I'm looking at it - I'm afraid you're all going to say I shouldn't have touched it ) 

You can see the original 2 part posts on the first makeover HERE and HERE

I dry brushed a little gray on the 2 interior drawers as well - very little actually.

Paint me - like you just did  ♪

Oh baby................... 

Do that to me one more time  ♪♫♪

Now I officially have clothes in my bedroom - in both guest rooms and the upstairs landing

John says - Are you sure you have enough drawers

Suzan says - I could probably use just one more 

John says - I think there's a corner in the shed outside we could probably squeeze one more in 

John says - It's too much - there's dressers all over the bloody place 

John says - It's like living in a shop

Yaddy yaddy yadda

I'm thinking of secretly taping him - so you get the audio

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone - 

Hugs,

Me

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Scroll work and a bed frame

Good morning everyone

Last week I mentioned that I had changed my mind about making the second little room into a dressing room - and had decided instead to go with a second guest room. I showed you some options for bed frames I had found online - none of which I was able to get for one reason or another.................but I did find this one.

It's nothing at all of what I had imagined - but it'll do - and I DO happen to like the curves and  scroll work which will tie in ( kind of, sort of, maybe ? )  with this small dresser I'll be using as a night table

The scrolls were transferred on using a transfer from the The Graphics Fairy and later darkened with a sharpie.....................

It served as my end table in our last place and I was thinking of freshening it up and selling it - now it'll be staying with me a little longer since it's the perfect size for a lamp and a few books.

This is how it looked before

You can see the tutorial for the transfer  HERE

Meanwhile I haven't stopped painting in that room for 3 days - and it's only going white
( with one deep grey accent wall which you can't see in this photo )
The first 2 coats barely covered - I'm on the 3rd and it's looking a little cleaner now
And as much as I love the little windows I can't tell you what a pain they are to paint !!!
( much scraping involved - I'll just say that - there's paint on the glass panes that I swear to you has to be 50 years old )

This room's the brighter of the 2 guest rooms because it has a small sash window on the other side of as well.................( where the deep grey will go ) and the bed will be placed in a sort of nook on that side ( made to measure almost )

And that's what I've been working on non stop now.....................before moving on to the offce ( and final upstairs room )

I'm determined that it'll be finished before we hit our first year " anniversary " in this place.

The first guest room was done with particular little princesses in mind

You can see it HERE - but this one's going to be all grown up - not fluffy at all
All white - with black accents ( much like my room now that I think of it )

Before and after my room is HERE

Okay - gotta run before the paint dries on the roller ( AND I change my mind about the whole thing again )

Come, let's scroll  ♪
Scroll across the floor
Come, let's scro oh oh ll  ♪♫
Scroll across the floor
Now turn around baby.......................

Let's scroll once more   ♪♫♪

Have a wonderful day everyone -
Much love
Me

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I can't get rid of it

Sometimes that happens - I buy a piece to do over and sell and then I
Just.  Can't.  Get.  Rid.  Of.  It.....................

This is probably the first time I've bought a piece that had the perfect wood top......................
I did nothing to it - not even wax - because it's that perfect - beautifully aged maple.

and it compliments the pure white ( Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - Pure White )

I love that it's an understated piece - not fussy at all -
I only lightly distressed the drawers - I left the frame pristine

I didn't really have the space for it - at all - but once the slip covers arrived, I knew I had to find a place - so I tried different configurations - she ended up tucked into a corner - sorry dresser - this is NOT a time-out - I just have nowhere else to put you.

John says - well that's ridiculous - just sell it - what's the point of it being in the corner hidden away?

WHAT'S THE POINT???

The point IS that I like her ( her name's Mrs. Jones )
And we have a thing going on.....................we both know that it's wrong
but it's much too strong to let it go.................
And I need to keep her
And if the only place I can find for her is tucked into a corner - well - I know ( I know I know I know she'll be there )
And sometimes that's all that matters.

Until the next one comes around that I absolutely HAVE to keep - and then Mrs. Jones is out the door
I'm not very loyal to furniture
Just selfish.

And that's why she's staying exactly where she is ( for now )

Here she was before - seller's photo

She lived with one family since 1945 - so she isn't ready to be flying all over the place anyway - this was a huge adjustment for her as it is

I may not be loyal to furniture - but I certainly have a heart !!!

Have a wonderful day everyone !
Big hugs,
Me.

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