Table is compete!

I have decided my new hobby is redoing furniture.  So I'm going to start with a post on the newest thing I completed.

We start with this lovely little table...

Isn't it lovely?  But hey, it's solid wood, and was cheap.  Couldn't ask for much more.  One of the legs was a little wonky but hubby helped me fix that.

So sanded everything down.  This is where a power sander came in handy.  But I did have to use a sanding block on the legs and some of the other angles to make sure I got it all.

 

Then I took the top off and gave everything a nice coat of primer.  I did use Zinnser Cover stain.  And yes that is an oil base.  But everything I had read said it would be the best to use.  And I really did want to cover everthing up and give it a nice finish.  You do need to sand before you start painting with your next coat though

 

This picture is of course the table top upside down.  I wasn't too careful about painting here because I knew I was going to stain the top and keep it nice and dark.  Therefore i just sanded the edges once it was painted.  My color coat of paint was Valspar Paint and Primer in one, in a matte finish in the color Peaceful.

 

 

Isn't it pretty?? I love it.  A great combination of blue with a gray undertone.

 

Here's the base painted.  I ended up with 4 coats.  In this order

Primer-Sand-Paint- Sand- Paint - Sand with 220- Paint - Sand with 380 - Paint- Sand with 380 then 600

 

Lots of sanding...

 

Then I started on the top.  I knew I wanted it to be gray too.  But sadly, the color I wanted couldn't be tinted in the smallest size.  And I didn't really want a quart of stain I may or may not use again.  So I changed to the color Ebony and hoped that maybe not putting as many coats on would not make it seem so black and more of a wash.

 

 

 

I tried to take some closer up pictures but the flash, since it's dark outside and all I could do was these in the garage.  But you can see how some of the wood is coming though, but it's mostly black.  I really like it.  Three coats of spray on Poly and it's glossy and sealed!

 

And here's a nice picture of it all finished!!  Again, not the best pic but I was too excited for it to be done.  I will take some outside pictures tomorrow so that you can see it in a more natural light.

 

If anyone is interested, this table is for sale.

 

So now that I have some better pictures. Here is a before and after shot

 

Change takes time

I'm going to start out with a few pictures.  Please keep in mind these pictures span a 3ish year time frame.  But it's just to prove a point that while we all like change in our lives sometime, unless your my husband and prefer all white walls and would be happy with just plain starkness, it doesn't have to be a sudden change.

So let me begin.  And we will start from the beginning.  We moved to our current location fresh out of college.  Hubby announced his acceptance of a job literally on our wedding day.  Two weeks later we moved.  Then fast forward a few years.  Decided that even though we loved our landlords, it was time to start putting the money we were paying towards something of our own.

And so, almost 4 years ago, we purchased our cute little house, on the not so smancy side of a pretty nice neighborhood in town.  Not the ideal location for the two of us farm raised kids, but it would do for now.  Hubby wanted to just move in as soon as we closed.  In the picture that follows, you will see why I DID NOT.  Ignore the fact that these are screen shots from my tablet.  I was being lazy tonight and not wanting to find my other memory stick

Don't you love the wallpaper??  That was directly on the drywall!?!

 

 

 

So that was immediately stripped.  It took, a scoring tool thingy, spray bottles, a steamer, and LOTS and LOTS of time.  But then we painted it a lovely sage green color.  I liked it because our kitchen joins directly to the living room and we had a sage green microfiber couch and loveseat at the time

 

See, isn't that better?

 

 

However, now you will notice everything is a shade of white.  The cabinets were off white, the countertop was a shade of white, the fridge IS white, the stove and vent hood are off white.  The floor is even off white!  But I lived with that for a couple years.  The two baths had wallpaper too so that took my next bit if painting time.   So jump forward to this fall.  I was finally tired of the white cabinets.  Even my nephew (8 at the time mind you) said they were "So ooooollllldddd".  So we had looked at the Rustoleum Cabinet Transformation paint.  I really liked the idea.  I did not however like the price.  But this is when it pays off to check out the clearance section of paint at Lowe's.  Someone had gotten the dark kit, tinted to the color I wanted.  But then decided it wasn't the right color for them.  HALF OFF!!!!

 

Now that stuff was a lot of work.  You have to scrub it wil SOS pads and deglosser.  We sanded down some of the spots, got off all the bits of oil and grease from a few years, and then you paint with the dark color.  Two coats.  Front and back.  Once that is dry you put the glaze on and wipe off with cheesecloth.  Then once that dries you can clearcoat it.  Oh yeah, you have to paint with a brush cause that's what the glaze uses to make the woodgrain appearance.  Then new hardware and we have....

 

Isn't it WONDERFUL? 

Oh yeah, and we got a new fridge cause ours died one night and we had too. 

 Scratch and dent is our friend.

 

I realize we don't have all the doors back on in this pic but again, didn't feel like finding the memory stick, and the other one I had on my tablet didn't show the color and faux woodgrain as well.

 

 

And now, that's been 6 months ago (I know cause I had to get it all back together by Thanksgiving) and we are looking a new floors.  Just another linoleum on here.  Maybe a nice tile look in a neautral tan color.  And I'm getting ready to paint the walls.  It's a little dark now with the darker cabinets.  So we, read I, and painting the wall Honey Butter from Olympic. 

 

 

I plan on painting this weekend while the hubby is at a car show.  So I'm sure I will post pics once it's done.

 

Alright, need to go get some food.  Blogging is hard work.  Hope you enjoy my first post!  And if you have any questions about the Cabinet Transformation system, let me know and I will do my best to answer them.

 



 







The beginning

Well, here it is.  My crafty blog where I can share my crafty items. I love doing crafty stuff, and making things. Four years ago we bought our house. And for some reason (probably my pinterest addiction) I have felt the need to either update, up cycle, or create things that lend a more....grownup feeling to our home.

So I will try to catch up with at least posting some things I've made. Or some before and afters. At least until I get better about taking pictures of the process and can start doing some tutorial type post.  I know there are a lot of those blogs already out there, cause I read them, and I learn from them.

So it is in that hope that I start my blog so that you can learn too.

-A :-)