Coffee Table Redone

I'm so excited that I found this coffee table. I had been scouring Craigslist for months to find a coffee table with storage. I found some in my area, but they were $100 or more. I'm cheap (seriously...) and I wasn't willing to pay it.

I got this thing at Goodwill for only $6.99. Though my husband wasn't with me (therefor couldn't haul it) I bought it right away. It was one of those times when you wanted to run to the checkout but knew you'd look like an idiot doing it.

It's really not that bad of a coffee table. I'm just not a big fan of blonde wood.

As you can see, I had already started sanding it when I thought Oh crap, I need a "before" picture! Yes, I was sanding this right in my living room. It was less than 40 degrees out that night, and I was up until 2:30am doing this. I didn't feel like freezing my butt off.

So do you want to see how it turned out?

I love how it turned out. I put a darker stain on it, put 4 coats of lacquer over that. The baskets came from my daughter's room (I will be giving her some other type of storage that will grow with her better). The maroon bows actually came from an old shower curtain that I ripped up. I tossed on some random stuff on top, and look at that....a whole different coffee table.

This is the coffee table that I had before...

My daughter decorated this one. Lets see...we have a few of her books, her wolf purse, new pants and boots....

Okay, the reason I had this table is because my beautiful table with beveled glass inserts broke. They matched the end tables on the sides of the couch (go ahead, scroll up...) So my ma gave me my brother's coffee table to use until I got something better. Thanks John!!

Anyways, with the inset top all the way around, it was impossible to keep clean. Everything would mush up in the corners. Gross! Can you see why I was desperate for a new one? I'm either donating it to Goodwill or putting it up on Craigslist. Sorry John, I promise I will buy you a new one! I just can't see this thing anymore.

Oh! I also finally hung some more pictures today because I finally bought an ink cartridge for my printer.

I've had the print in the middle for a while. I've also had the two frames on the sides for a while, but I finally got to fill them today. I think it looks perfect above my patio door. The middle reads "All because two people fell in love..." The picture on the left is a picture of my kids, and on the right is a picture of me and my husband's wedding bands (both done by me, thank you!)

Okay, the big project is almost done.

Yes, this is a pressed flower. I need to press two more, so until those are dry, I'm not showing the big reveal. Now where's my power sander......?

Clear coat laquer

Did you know that clear coat laquer can dry in 30 minutes in 40 degree weather? I didn't, but now I do.
And to think, I was going to purchase my usual polyurethane..... =D

It's not recommended for floors, and it's fumes are terrible. Found that out the hard way when I put the first coat on indoors. Blech....

Anyways, I figured I would just throw that out there.
Stay tuned later today for my reupholstered ottoman (which is out drying along with my coffee table)

Cookbook Stand

We're kicking back with an easy post today.

I found this picture display easel a couple weeks ago at Walmart for only $7.97. Not too bad, right?

I figured that it's about time I have a cookbook stand, so that's what my display turned out to be. When it's not in active use, it holds a cookbook that my mother-in-law scrap booked for me years ago (maybe for Christmas?)

Isn't that a nice way to display a family treasure?

I think I may add a glaze to it to bring out some more of the bronze tones. It looks too black to me.

Here's another peek at my big project:

Well, that just looks like a bunch of rags...

Up and Coming: reupholstered ottoman, Magic Bullet recipes, more sneak peeks, and a coffee table redone (yes, I did another project).

Vinyl Decal

I'm back!



Did you miss me?

Well, I obviously got my camera charger in. It works wonderfully and I couldn't be more pleased. So I got a bunch of pictures taken today, and I will be sharing with you my endeavors in my absence.



We're going to start off small.


I got this vinyl wall decal from a great seller on Etsy name Freckled Hound.


When I saw it, I knew I had to have it.

My fondest memories are made in the evening around our cozy dining room table.

I had this awkward space from my foyer table being not centered, but yet I didn't want to center the table. I wanted to fill the wall space.

Do you think it looks much better, too?

You're going to notice that in my upcoming projects, I won't have any "before" pictures. Not having a camera was not going to stop me from doing my projects. I will try to describe the "before's" as well as I can for you!

Anyways, remember I showed you that old basement window, and I said that it would be a long time until you saw that again? Well, it may only be a few more weeks. I've been a well-oiled machine lately. Want a sneak peek?

Coming up: Art for the Music Lover, Reupholstered ottoman, some fun Magic Bullet recipes (made more tonight, but we ate it too fast!), and, of course, more sneak peaks of my huge project.

PEACE

I hate how my new project turned out. I'll hopefully be redoing it tonight (and working on a speech that I need to give Monday), so hopefully I will have something for you soon!

So today, I'm going to show you an awesome deal I scored.

Remember the letter P that I got at Bed Bath & Beyond? Well, I went back there today because I was mad that I passed up this awesome "PEACE" sign for only $9.99 on Clearance. I got to the register, and when the sweet girl rang it through, only $4.99! I also picked up another letter. "J" for my son's name.

Don't mind the dust on the bookshelf. I have a tendency to not dust anything that I can't see. I should probably do that...

I'm still not sold on the sconce above the PEACE. Until I find something better, there it will stay. Maybe I'll give it away one of these days. One woman's trash is another woman's treasure!

The Letter of the Day is.....

I've been shopping like a pro lately, so I'm going to show you two awesome deals that I just scored.

I've been wanting something to flank the sides of my patio doors for some time now. I found these at Younkers for only $4.50 a piece! They were originally $50 a piece, so I think I got a good deal ;)

Also at Younkers, dress shirt+tie for $7! And a new kitchen valance for only 75 cents! I love that place =D

I found this puppy at Bed Bath & Beyond for only $1.70! Original price=$19.99. I almost peed in the store! It's very heavy (so it's not one of those cheap Walmart wooden ones). The "P" is for my last name.

Tomorrow: magazine rack redo, then onto a look of my roman shades!