Vintage Coke Crate Shelf

I bought a fantastic vintage Coca Cola Crate on Craigslist for 20 bones. I knew I wanted to use it as a shelf in the kitchen.

I brushed it all out today and put it above the stove!

Do you LOOOOVE it?! I hope you do, but if you don't, that's ok! I dooooo!

Pages...

So, I have this shelf. I have had it for awhile. Probably 4-5 years. I'm trying to decorate my place white/shabby/cottage/airy, and this deep cherry/mahogany didn't really fit. I need to get some more chalk paint, because I can never go back to old timey paint.
I had all of my random books, some old (Like "The Yearling"), some new, like all of my HP series.
So, I thought, the bindings, all new and bright, didn't add to my atmosphere of relaxed and spacious. So, guess what I did?
I looked at the pages. You know how everyone is decorating with old book pages now? Well, I looove the yellowed pages, and even the whiter ones. I had also seen photos of cover-less books on shelves. I did not want to tear the covers off of my books. I like them. Can you imagine having to turn to the title page to figure out if the book you've got in your hand is the one you want to read? Not practical.

Here's how it turned out. I am quite pleased with myself! The lower shelves are empty. I thought blankets/pillows (it's in the living room) would be ok for the lower shelves, as my son is small and troubly. ie: he pulls things off of other things. Also, I'm toying with the idea (AKA petitioning my hubby) of just having my husband put doors on it. Then, I can REALLY antique it! In the mean time:

You probably can't read it, but on the top shelf sits an embroidered bookmark, made by my beautiful sister, Jane, that reads, "Mark My Words". LOL. I LOVE it!

Vintage Travel Fence

While you are waiting, with bated breath, for the iron school desk project reveal, I will give you another hint.
I made this for my little baby man a few months ago, for his room. (He's so so cute.)
My husband got some old fence from his ex-girlfriend, and I didn't even mind. She sent him home with two large sections of it and two vintage windows! That is a good ex to have, huh? : )

I bought a poster on all posters, mod podged it onto the fence. Then, I sanded and glazed it, to make it look dingier.

I got the idea from a link on Miss Mustard Seed's blog. I can't find it anymore. If the author of it happens to be reading this, please let me thank you for the inspiration! I would love to share your name with the readers of this blog.

Anyway:

Your hint is this: My hubby and I will be using old fence wood with the wrought iron antique desk frame.

Soon, I will show you where it will go. Then, all of us must pray for a mutual day off between Michael and myself to put it all together!

I'm so excited to show you what we are making! Wish me luck!

Lookie what I found...

...for $10 on Craigslist!

Guess what it is...

Can't tell yet? Here's a hint. Look under the "2".

The first letter under "2" was "L", the second was "R". One more, that probably won't help, unless you are well-versed in Chicago manufacturing companies.

Ok, ok. It's the wrought iron legs to an old turn-of-the-century school desk! Think "Anne of Green Gables".

I. LOVE. THEM. Can you not wait to see what my husby and I build with them?! I hope it will be done sooooon! We are both too, too busy. But, hang tight. Be right back.

Media Stand Redo

I have been looking for a TV stand that the TV can actually go INTO. Craigslist provided one for 10 smackeroos. Yep. 1,000 cents.

Not bad, eh? The thing is, I wanted it white. You see, we have a very small quilting cottage, of sorts, and I want to make it look more spacious. So, I started painting it. I distressed it heavily and here's what you get:

It is white. And distressed. Haha. I am getting some chicken wire from my MIL's house, and I am going to put it in the doors, instead of glass panes. I am so excited. It kind of cuts off my TV edges, so M might make me move it. In that event, it will go into my bedroom as a linen closet. Stop it. I kind of hope it ends up in there, anyway.

Thanks for looking!

Turquoise Dresser Re-Do

Y'all. What are you going to do with two posts from me? It's like Christmas in July. Speaking of Christmas, for my birthday last year (November 30th), I bought an old dresser from one of my BFF's for 100 bones. It has a gorgeous mirror with it. I haven't refinished the mirror, because my life took over. But, the mirror may or may not match the dresser when it is done.
Also, I finally uploaded all twelve million photos from M's iPhone to the laptop, and have all of the pics in one place....by DATE! I love it!

Before (Taken on my homegirl's cellie):

During:

Sanding and such...

Yep. A trooped. I sprayed the paint on outdoors, so don't you worry about his little breathers. I ended up sick a couple of days later, after spraying Behr paint on this baby, in the wind and snow. You can probably tell from the look of my hubby's hat that we are a hard-core family. : ) (effect ruined instantly by cyber-smileyface.)A

I knew I wanted to have a contrasting wooden top, and I wanted it warm. Actually, this photo was inspiration for me to even choose turquoise.

And, without much ado, or with about 6 photos and three paragraphs of ado...the AFTERS:

This picture ALMOST shows how M hand-distressed the top of the dresser:

It was a lot of work. I need a better after photo, too. But, photos are the really hard part for me!

A Long Overdue Re-do

Sooo, it's been a month since I last posted. My job has been busy and my little boy has been growing so quickly. Life is funny like that.

I refinished my black entry-way table (itself a yard sale find for $20!) with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Old White. I waxed it with clear wax. I'm interested in the dark wax, but I want more chalk paint colors too much to spend the money on the wax instead of, say, Aubusson Blue!

No worries, though. I have good old glaze from RL, and I didn't want to dinge-ify this table anyway. Wanna take a look?

Before:

Um, I thought there was a rule that all before photos have to be messy... Sorry, guys. (All 7 of you, but 7 million tomorrow! Muahahaha!

After:

And, and up-close of the beautiful distressed, waxed finish. I tell you, I'm in love with the wax. It just takes a small amount, dries quickly, but also really hardens over time. I walk by this table and ALWAYS have to run my fingers over the top. It sounds strange, but the finish is so smooth and hard it reminds me of marble or ceramic.

Go visit Annie Sloan here.
Then, follow her link to stockists in the US. I use Robyn Story Designs down in Florida. She has flat-rate shipping, great pricing on the paint and everyone rocks to work with.