Week-End Finds

I am so excited about my latest find. Pardon my long explanation. My in-laws received this same set for their wedding 40 years ago.  My mother-in-law is sentimentally attached to gifts that are given to her.  Here comes the problem, over 40 years, things accumulate. So my sisters-in-laws are always bugging her to get rid of things. So, over 10 years ago, my mother-in-law is decluttering and sends this lovely set to the Salvation Army.  My hubby (then stranger to me), gets home and gets REALLY mad at her.  Of all the things she could get rid of, she gets rid of this.  Well, she was so overridden with guilt that both her and my father-in-law unbeknown to each other, show up at the Salvation Army the next morning to try and get it back.  No luck. So my mother-in-law has lived in a state of guilt for all these years.  This all occurred before me and just so you know, I would've been able to pick out the set from 20 different ones placed in front of me if I had to (I've heard the story 100 times).    I decided I was going to find the same set as a gift to my husband.  I called my mother-in-law to give me the exact details of it so I could start my searching.  Well, she tells me that my sister-in-laws in-laws have the same exact set she had and that I should call them and see if I could buy it off of them.  We both made the call, and my mother-in-law begged and pleaded.  Well, the next day I got a call to come by and see it.  I was at the mall and flew all the way across town in rush hour traffic just to get the chance to bring it home to my hubby.  Well, much to my surprise, they gifted it to me.  They were so happy that someone actually wanted one of their old things that they wanted us to have it.  I was so moved and grateful.  I wrapped it up and left it for my husband on the dining room table.  He was floored.  I think he laughed for like 20 minutes and to quote my mother-in-law "Oh, I am so glad I don't have to feel guilty anymore."  Here it is, in all its circa 1970 glory.  It is in perfect condition and it's likely that a drink has never been poured into any of the glasses.

Here it is on my kitchen counter.  Our wine fridge is below and you can see our wine opener hanging on the wall.  I guess you could say this is our bar area area. 

I kind of felt like it needed a tray or something to give it a little more oomph and show off all that gold lovliness.  A while back, my friend gifted me some items that belonged to her father-in-law.  Amongst them was this tray/place mat.  I had totally forgotten about it and last night I was trying to organize my "stock" room and I found it. It's a perfect fit.

It's a beautiful vintage set and I am loving it.  My husband is happy and that's always a good thing.  Have you ever been gifted something that makes you smile?

Week-End Finds

Remember what my family room looked like.  Well, here it is today.  I'm in the midst of a million projects.  Mostly, for my sisters apartment.  We've been going over ideas, purchasing furniture and fabric, and hadn't really done much with it.  So, I started painting and working this weekend. 

Here's a sunburst/sculpture that I'm working on...or trying to figure out what I want to do with it.  Hopefully, I can get this finished up this week.

I posted about this table that I found on the side of the road a couple of months ago.  I had given it a coat of white primer and kind of forgot about it. 

A couple of weeks ago, while out thrifting for my sisters apartment, I found a marble top.  I bought it without measuring.  At $10.00, I figured, I'd find something to do with it, if it didn't work.  I spray painted the base yellow. The top is not attached to the base, but I wanted you all to get a look at it. 

I found this ugly tile looking thing at Goodwill on Friday.  I already gave it a coat of turquoise spray paint (you can see it in the first picture).  I'm still figuring out what else to do with it.

This mirror was $1.49 at the Salvation Army.  I'm thinking for my sister's gallery wall.  Those plastic sunflowers will be the first things removed. 

Do you find yourself knee deep in a bunch of projects?

Distressing Furniture: Curbside Find

I found this little table on the side of the road a couple of days ago. I jumped out of car, stuffed it in the trunk, and drove off as fast as I could.  Considering it was a block away, I didn't want anyone to see me. 

It was dirty! I think it was being used as a plant stand. 

 I gave it a good cleaning and a light sanding.

 I spray painted a metallic silver. I'm not the biggest fan of metallic spray paints, they are so unforgiving.

I thought of doing another chevron print, especially after doing my chevron tray, but I figured I'd change it up a bit.  I did a random tape design and taped up the edges to leave the trim in the silver finish.

I spray painted the top white and was left with this.  When I say the silver spray paint is unforgiving, it was not looking very even. 

So I decided to distress it a bit. I've never tried this technique and actually had no idea what I was doing. I sanded the edges a bit stronger and then just randomly sanded the top.  Sanding the silver spray paint was kind of weird.  It was giving a scratched look, not really the look I was going for.  

 Here it is with my DIY mercury glass vase and my sunburst mirror.

I don't think I would actually keep this in my house, but I'm trying to learn some painting techniques before we attack my sisters furniture. 

Total cost of this project $0.00.  What do you think? Have you distressed furniture before? What am I doing wrong with the spray paint?

Another Bench Makeover

My friend asked me to help salvage this bench for her.  It belonged to her father-in-law and she really wanted something of his in her home. Something that her children could use and know that it belonged to their grandfather. Although, it's a piano bench makeover, it really won't be used as one.  I was so excited to be able to help her and knew exactly where I wanted to go with it.  She has 2 girls and a boy all under 4.  I figured I stay neutral with the colors, although it will most likely be for the girls vanity in the bathroom.  Here it is when she dropped it off for me.  It had a horrible wine color vinyl on top and the bench had definitely seen better days.  It was pretty banged up.  I stripped it, repaired the holes, sanded it, and applied three coats of stain, and 2 of polyurethane.  

I found the fabric at Joann's Fabric and with the 40% coupon I paid about $5.00 for it.  I can't wait for her to see the bench (I hope she's reading this post).  I hope the kids will love it and use it for a long time to come.  Let's see how the fabric holds up.







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New/Old End Table

A couple of weeks ago, Camilla from First Lady of the House and I, did a blog swap. Here's what I posted about, my new to me end table.

When I fixed up my family room, I {forgot} to post what was at the end of my couch.  I had this leather bin from Target full of magazines for a while.  I bought this tray to place on the ottoman when guests come over to watch a game, you know, for chips, dip, etc. One day, it found a home on top of the bin and hence, my end table. 

The red you see there are some leftover Christmas presents.  Yes, I realize it's March, I'm working on it.

Here's a peak inside. 

A couple of weeks ago, my friend gifted me some really cool mid century pieces. I fell in love with this table and knew the perfect spot for it. I kept the accessories simple, with this round vase from Goodwill and some magazines.  

I'm loving my new look.  Quite a difference, huh?

Oh, and since my post with Camilla, I actually distributed those Christmas gifts.  Yay!

Week-End Finds

My sister and I went to a couple of garage sales on Saturday on the way to West Elm.  Although on Spring Break last week, I really didn't make it out to the thrift stores.  I spent a lot of time cleaning out closets in my house and figured, if I'm trying to simplify my life, I don't need any more junk.  I couldn't pass up this stool for $2.00 at a garage sale. I know, I know, another stool/bench. I realize that it's a little weird, but it's so not intentional, I promise.  I have to figure out what I'm going to do with this one.

So just to add to the stool mania in my house, I found these in my laundry room.  Does that count as a "found object"?  When I show you pictures of my laundry room, you will understand my question.  These stools were bought as temporary stools for our kitchen when we first did our kitchen.  It took me a while to find the perfect white, modern stools back 5-6 years ago.  Our kitchen island only has room for 2 stools and we keep these around for when guests come over to add around the island for casual pre meal conversation.  They've come in very handy.

 However, they are in horrible shape and do not match my kitchen at all. 

So that's nothing a can of spray paint can't fix.  I gave them a very light sanding, used primer, and white spray paint to finish it off. 

 Major difference.

I have a question for all you spray paint experts out there, the top of the stools ended up looking uneven and rough, what am I doing wrong?

Week-End Finds

I am officially on Spring Break. I am so ready for an entire week of relaxing and laziness. It's been a rough school year and I'm beat.  I found this cute box at Goodwill this week. I think I way overpaid, but there was something about it that I loved.  It was marked for $15, but a piece of it was damaged so I talked to the manager and she gave it to me for $10.  Still high, but whatever, I liked it.  I have to figure out what I'm going to do with it.  Another project in my pile.

My goal this spring is too fix up my backyard patio area. I will be taking pictures this week to show you the before. It's pretty grim right now.  I was driving by my grandmother's house and found the base for a wrought iron table and stuffed it in my car.  I'm thinking of painting it a bright color.  I'm loving the idea of adding navy, yellow, or orange to my backyard. 

I'm not sure what to do about the top.  I am not necessarily a lover of glass tops, but I think this calls for that.  A local lumber store sells round wood tops, would that work outside?  We have no covered porch, so it would have to withstand the elements.  A marble top would be great, but where would I find that? Any ideas?