Can't seem to get out of my pj's

To be completely honest, I have had gloomy day.. It's raining and I can't pull out the big guns and start new projects just yet. We lost a really close family friend yesterday and I am feeling sad. It doesn't help that I am still in my pajamas in the middle of the afternoon.... Do you ever have one of those days where you just can't get going? I wish I could call my BFF over(who is 600 miles away)sit feet to feet and talk. OK OK... I will move on from this pity party I am having for myself... Let's get to know this new little gem I got a few weeks ago. She was rescued from a little town outside of Lynchburg called Altavista. She had no problems, just was lacking something. She was just down right plain. Not that there is anything wrong with plain... Some days I prefer a turkey sandwich- plain. Do I dare say a doughnut? (I do love doughnuts)but I like them plain. I could go on and on about this (and doughnuts) but I'm pretty sure you get it.

I used my trusty Milk Paint and layered her in two coats of "Linen". I let her dry overnight and then the next morning after a good examination I decided she needed texture. I then dry brushed ASCP's "French Linen" all over.. Once the caulk paint was dry I applied a clear wax in sections. Sanded away the "thickness" and was very pleased with the results. I had mentioned on my Facebook page that I was kind of bummed about the weather and had no choice but to hold a photo shoot on the porch... I had originally pictured a "Beachy" scene... but it's November in Virginia!! So fall arrangement had to do.

Hope you liked it, I am off to finally get dressed and determined to have a better afternoon!

Occasional Table

Let me tell you that this table had issues. It was an outcast, disregarded and forgotten...

To some it seemed doomed. The top is warped, the legs are wobbly.. But to me its pretty special.

This how she looked after a good cleaning and some tightening of the legs. While it was flipped upside I found a carving on the bottom that I had never seen before. After searching the Internet for the inscription I came up empty. So I am assuming this was a handmade table, not by an actual company.

This is after 2 coats of Annie Sloan's French Linen. I wanted the top to be spotty for the final effect... trust me, I meant to do that.

Here she is up close so you can see how wonderfully the dark wax brought out all the grain lines.. or mistreatment.. It made it even more "layered" than I originally thought. LOVE IT! Hope you do too!

I am currently working on an antique dresser.. so I have to get cracking! Friday is going to be a crazy day.. and I want to get a little head start! My daughter will be 5 on Monday.. so trying to prepare myself (and my house) for possibly a dozen preschoolers to ransack our space for her birthday party on Saturday!

Happy Early Birthday

Maggie Malloy!!!!

Oh Coffee Table.. you tease me...

This table entered my life by chance last week. I walked by it once, then twice.. returned the third time and put it in my car. The carving on the legs were sweet and I am a sucker for anything on wheels- Yes! It has wheels!

This is the "before" of the coffee table.. oh I added the cat for effect... but it didnt work. Even with a sweet calico in the shot, it doesnt improve the look of this poor thing.

The carving gets lost in the dark stain. Someone worked hard on this.. I want to show it off. I used Annie Sloan's French Linen and then put a dark wax on it.

This was the begining of the distressing process. I put alot of wax on it, so I knew I was going to be doing some heavy sanding.

I am soooooo in love. .... I'm gonna need a minute.

I will definatly be doing this combo again soon... very soon.

OK, Until then.. Off to do mommy stuff!

Floating Table- On the other side

The other half of the former dining table was transformed into a lovely emerald table which still hovered in the traditional zone. I wanted something more vibrant for the remaining piece. I still had some teal/aqua left over from a dresser I did a few weeks ago, and thought it would be perfect to perk up the look. Picked up some "Pitch Black" glaze from General Finishes purchased at the The Wooden Chair. I asked those poor ladies at least 25 questions regarding colors and such.. I swear they must think I'm crazy. The other glaze I use all the time is so fantastic to work with that I wanted to venture out and see what the black would do for the blue. 

I had envisioned this to be very textured. I adore the look of a dry brushed piece that looks as though its rough and textured. It creates this effect by toning down a color and adding depth. I crossed my fingers and said a little prayer before gently pulling the brush across for the first stoke. Less is more when you are trying to recreate this technique. Barely touch the paint with the tip of the brush. Tap it on a cloth to make sure it's "dry" doesn't hurt. Start on the back of the table or on the back leg to get acquainted with the motions. 

This picture above is the inside corner of the back leg. These floating table have three legs in a triangular form.  It really doesn't stand out too much when the table was still together, but once you take them apart it sticks out dramatically.

This is going to look just dynamite up against a wall! I've had lots of compliments thus far on it. I have a feeling I'll be doing this color combo again. Come to think of it... I have a hutch I've been pondering on...(wheels turning).