Jumping from one to another

As most of you know,  I can't sit still.  I can't just do one project at a time either.  There is nothing worse than having time to work, but not doing anything because you are waiting for paint to dry.   Here are the two I am working on right now.  

I have this dresser that is going to look like a vintage soda machine.  It's for my Mother in Law's back covered deck.  When it's all done it will hold her picnic supplies and BBQ tools.  

I am using silver gilders paste to turn the gray paint into more of a chrome shiny look.  Here is what I am doing on these Coke knobs to turn them from brass to silver. 

I have also been finishing up the table and chair set I have been working on. 

Here is the table right now.  Today it will be getting an additional coat of the cherry stain to make it a shade darker and redder.  I think it is looking awesome! 

You can see how rich and dark even the first coat looks from the bare, sanded wood. 

I am hoping that this week I can have the soda machine and the table and chairs all done.  They shared primer and they share a final step as well and that is a nice solid clear coat to protect them.  The soda machine will be outside (but in a very protective spot) and I want it to hold up under wind and dust.  The table and chairs is for a family with kids and kitchen chairs and tables take a lot of friction and spills.  I want the finish to last well for many years!  I will have more of a step by step tutorial for both projects coming up.  

My husband also followed my ottoman tray tutorial and made one for his moms birthday.  Great Job Geoff!  

Have a happy and productive day!

Love, Lori

Friendly Finds

I am posting today some decorations my friend Brenda Durrant has made.  She has a beautiful style and creative vision.  

Look at this wreath with vintage ice skates and pretty little details.  

Brenda is a photographer by day and a secretly talented decorator at night.  

Here is a wreath she made and isn't it full and gorgeous!  I like how she paired it with this rustic window pane. 

This little pink sled is sweet and charming, so many fun projects.  Also check out her photography at "Captured by Brenda" of Facebook,  she has some crazy mad skills with a camera!  

Odds and ends

I spent a good amount of my weekend working on projects.  I have a headboard bench I will be finishing up and showing everyone soon,  and hopefully making more progress on some inside decorating as well.  There is a cold front coming in and I am listening to the wind blow and realizing my days of enjoying the fall weather while working outside are coming to an end.  I went to wash my brushes out in the back hose and several feet of ice came out.  

I am so not ready for freezing temperatures but ready or not,  here it comes!   It is November after all so I have been very lucky to enjoy the warmth this long.  

We broke in the new finish nailer my sweet husband got me a few days ago.  I must admit,  I am intimidated by using air tools.  The noise of the air compressor and the pellet shot like noises of the nailer kind of startle me everytime.  I am much more comfortable with the sounds of electric power tools but with how nice the air nailer worked and the tiny holes it makes,  I will learn to tune out the noise!

Around 9 o'clock last night I finally came to bed after filling some holes,  trying to decide the next steps on the bench, and just enjoying how things are turning out. 

I am looking forward to showing everyone what the bench is looking like and I am hoping for a few more warm days so I can get it painted!  

   

Thanks for sharing my furniture journey.

Love,  Lori

Refinishing Buffet Table

This piece has come and gone but I until now have neglected doing a blog post about it.  I wish I would have taken a before photo,  the whole thing was painted a boring flat black.  I started painting it Old Ocre (an off white) when it occurred to me that I wanted the top stripped and dark stained.  

I began the process of stripping the top and preparing the wood for stain.  It was a bit of a long process but underneath was a beautiful piece of wood. 

This was after the first coat of stain,  still not dark enough for what I wanted.

I got it a much deeper color and then finished the light color of paint.  

I painted the hardware and then antiqued it with German Silver guilders paste but I wasn't happy with the light knobs with the dark top.  So I took them off and did a top coat in black and then quickly wiped the black off to have it only remain in the creases. 

After they dried I re-added new guilders paste on top to add depth.  I LOVE the way this turned out! 

After I put the knobs back on,  it was time to do the insides.  I wanted to go for a pop of color,  I went with a light turquoise. 

When it was all done I sealed the whole piece and antiqued the doors a little bit.  

So here it is all finished before it sold.  It was a real work of love.  It was a great piece,  one of my absolute favorites!