French country armoire...recipe for glazing

For the longest time now I have suffered in a family room that I have not been happy with. I never really fully decorated it because we always had the intention of gutting and remodeling it. The house was built for weekenders originally so the insulation and windows are terrible. But, naturally we have not gotten around to it, and I know now it will be the last project on the list.

For Christmas Randy and I decided couches would be our gift to each other. They are coming on February 8th. So, I have decided to redecorate and finally feel comfortable in this room. For budget reasons, I won't be going to crazy. I'll just re-do things I can for a low cost. I have started with my TV stand. I originally painted it over 10 years ago. This awful color must have been in style then??? I hate it....Here it is:

The new couches are going to be a black leather, so I wanted the new color to compliment them. I painted them this bright blue.

Once it was completely dry, I wanted to give it a black glazed treatment. Did I mention a FREE black glazed treatment. I watered down some black paint for a simple, easy, and free glaze. When doing this treatment, work in sections. First I brushed "my glaze" on.

Then I would wipe the majority with a paper towel:

It was still a little to dark, so I took a damp paper towel and continued to wipe more giving it a look I was pleased with.

The final result came out just the way I wanted it to. The blue is a little darker than my pictures are showing.

Again, the before:

And the after:

Throughout the week, I will share my changed projects. I will have the room reveal February 8th or 9th once I have my new couches.



I'll be linking up to THESE fabulous parties....

We have a giveaway winner!

This week Jane from Plain Jane Designs was giving away this gorgeous bracelet:

The lucky winner is Tonja from Woods~Olde Homestead....Congrats Tonja!

If you didn't win, Jane is offering 10% off to my followers. Her prices are amazing. To get the discount, type the code WELCOMETOMYSHOP in at checkout.

Be sure to return tomorrow for my 3rd Etsy seller giveaway. You are going to love this one!

Great sign idea for shop owners

I really have to apologize for my lack of sharing exciting projects this week. If you are in the New England area, you know that we have been hit with record amounts of snow this January. I shared a few weeks ago the snow Randy and I have had to contend with. You can see that HERE. Since that post, the snow is higher, the roads are icier and the plow has taken our mailbox out. Getting furniture down our dirt road and into our driveway has been a little tough and last on the list. So in the meantime, thanks for taking the time to view my "little projects".....

A few months back a salon owner saw my signs at the flea market I was vending at. She loved them and wanted some for her shop, but the town she worked in had strict guidelines that she couldn't have a sign near the road. Apparently her shop is set back on the road and this would be her only hope of pulling in any business. So, we came up with this idea:

The two signs were attached with a vertical board on the back. The base of the post is stuck into the planter. The planter is on a cart that wheels. Each morning and night, she pushes the planter to and from her shop out to the street. This is her way of getting around the "permanent fixture" she is not allowed to have.

My GIVEAWAY ends tonight at midnight....Last chance to enter.....



Linking to THESE fabulous parties...

Could this dresser be haunted?

I know that most of you have seen this dresser in the post about my bedroom makeover. But what I didn't mention was how much I payed for it. I walked into the Salvation Army and spotted it from 100 miles away. It was a dark wood and gorgeous, but I knew it would need a paint job. I was afraid to even look at the price because our SA prices things really high sometimes. I walked up to it and the tag said $11.99. Now I am telling myself there must be something wrong with it...I pulled out the drawers, made sure the back was intact, looking for cracks in the mirror, missing pulls....surely there must be something wrong for this price??? I was even thinking there must be a dead body in one of the drawers. I swear I continued to try to figure out the issue for another 5 minutes. I finally decided I couldn't find anything wrong and was going to buy it. Worse case, if there does end up being an issue, I'll just use it for parts....

Got it home, primed it and painted it a "eucalyptus"....Here it is still issue free???? Who knows, maybe it's haunted or something? How do you find a piece like this for $11.99?

My Etsy seller #2 giveaway ends tomorrow...Enter HERE



Linking HERE to these fabulous parties....

Just a reminder....only one day left to enter my Etsy seller #2 giveaway with Plain Jane Jewelry. Her items are GORGEOUS and even better, her prices are amazing!! Click HERE to enter.

4th recycled project from wardrobe

You can read about the wardrobe I am using for recycling pieces and project #1 HERE

Project #2

Project #3

And for project #4 I used the top board that held the wardrobe stable.

Yet again, a sign it is...... I found some great cardboard letters at TJ Maxx used for scrap booking. They were only $1.99 and will be used for hundreds of future projects. The board was long, so I needed a long word. I chose Martha's Vineyard. I lined them up first to make sure they'd fit.

I painted it a funky green. Next I painted the letters on....Once dry, I distressed the sign....It's fun whimsical, and unique.......

Only two days left to enter my Etsy seller #2 GIVEAWAY.



I'll be linking to these PARTIES

Vintage dish cake plates.....

The kids had a snow day AGAIN today. This is the most shoveling I remember doing in years. So like yesterday, I only have a small project to share today.....

You have probably seen the dessert and jewelry dishes around blogland that people are making from vintage dishes. Today I am going to share two that I put together.

I purchase the dishes and vases from thrift stores. I pay anywhere from 50 cents to $1 a piece. Here are the items for the two I will be sharing today.

To attach the pieces I use an epoxy that adheres ceramic and glass to each other.

The finished products are great for desserts, cakes, fruits, soap, jewelry, etc....

Be sure to stop by and enter my Etsy seller giveaway.



Check out the great parties I am linking this project up to HERE

QUICK~easy~inexpensive gift idea~ViNtAgE aPpEaL

In addition to the 5,000 snow days and late arrivals the kids have already had, I found out this morning they would be having an early dismissal today because of another snow storm! Needless to say, I did not jump into any major projects.

I thought I'd share a great easy gift idea with you today. Mine is just one of many ideas you can use. I found this reasonably good sized galvanized bucket at Goodwill for 50 cents. It was brand new.

I brushed latex primer on....

Next I chose my color. I went with a vibrant orange. This is the paint we used in Reece's room. I painted on two coats. My picture only shows what it looked like after the first coat.

I distressed it with a sanding block.....

I found a print online that I printed out. I decopodged it on. You can read my modpodge recipe HERE.

Once dry, I I sealed the entire outside of the piece with Krylon polyurethane spray.

Here is the final piece....

Use this idea for so many different gifts. Put a flower print on it and fill it with flowers, use a tea print and fill with tea bags, use a toy print and fill with legos, etc.....Great for teacher gifts, party favors, mother's day, grab bags, etc.

Did you get the chance to check out my most recent Etsy sellerGIVEAWAY? Check it out and meet Jane and her vintage inspired jewelry.

Take care,
Lisa

I'll be linking HERE to these parties....