Antique "Layer" Dresser

This dresser was a great estate stale find from back in Spring of this year.  I wanted to try a more masculine look with this piece and also wanted to experiment with a layering technique, in which I started with a base coat of paint, and then used different finishing products to create a rich, textured finish.

Here a few before pics:

Two interesting characteristics that drew me to the dresser were the double table top:

And the fact that the top layer of wood veneer was peeling back:

I decided to remove the remaining veneer and stain the top of the dresser only, while painting the bottom. Removing the veneer required lots of time and patience, as well as gloves, a hammer and a putty knife. After slowly chiseling away at the top and carefully removing all of the veneer, I filled in any holes with wood filler and sanded everything down.  The top was then stained in a deep espresso stain and left to dry.

I wanted to try my hand at acrylic on this piece and I choose a beautiful color from Paint Couture's line of water-based acrylic paints.  The shade is Amber and it floats somewhere between sandy brown and gold. Two coats did the trick while the color was pretty, I didn't feel I should settle for a clear topcoat and call it a day.  So I decided to try a glaze from Paint Couture's glazing line, cleverly named, you guessed it, Glaze Couture.  Their glazing products are water-based and super simple to use, just paint on and wipe off.  The glaze was pretty but standing back and looking at the piece, I still felt something was missing.

So I left the dresser to sit for a while.

We're talking weeks and weeks.

And the one day, while bumming around my garage and noticing, for the umpteenth time, the dresser sitting there, decided to try some dark wax on top of the glaze.  It was perfect. Kismet.  Exactly what the piece was missing. I used Maison Blanche's Dark Wax and just painted it on with a chip brush, concentrating on small areas.  I let the wax sit for 5 minutes before wiping it off with a lint-free cloth.The result was an aged look to the paint finish, with underlays of shimmer and gold.

I had some old, antique pulls from another dresser project and decided to use them for this piece.  I used silver polish to remove some of the patina and buffed them with a lint free cloth, to bring back some of their shine.  Once the pulls were in place, I used my finger to apply small amounts of an awesome product, again from Paint Couture, called Gilding Wax.  This stuff is basically lip gloss for your furniture.  You can use this wax to add depth, sparkle and texture to furniture, cabinets, hardware, etc.  Awesomeness.  Go ahead, take a look:

So there you have the story of my little antique dresser that could.  I love the rich finish provided by the glaze and wax layers and hope this piece can find a Happy home in the future!

Clothespin Picture Frame

This is a crafty little gift I put together as part of my daughter's end of the year gift to her teacher.  Very simple project here; just a little paint, twine and a staple gun produced a sweetly unique and simple gift for a very special and very much appreciated, first grade teacher!

For those of you interested in how to do something similar, here are some quick directions:

Grab a frame, paint it your favorite color.  Use a fine grit sandpaper to distress the edges if you want a distressed look.  Once your frame dries, use a staple gun to attach twine to the back of the frame, making sure the twine is taught so that it holds up your pictures well.  Add any type of accent you like, in this case I used a paper flower purchased in a scrap-booking package from Joann Fabrics.  Mini-clothespins and some of our favorite school year pics topped off our project and you could use your frame for any type of occasion here; best friend, significant other, memorable event pics, the list goes on and on.

Hope you enjoyed this little project today!  Happy crafting everyone!

Quick Decorative Vase DIY

Today's post involves a quick, DIY project anyone with a little tape and spray paint can accomplish, and in less than an hour too!

As one of the last pieces to my Living Room Redo, this little project adds the perfect amount of shine and shimmer that my Happy little space needed!  If you've been on Pinterest lately, and let's face it, who hasn't spent at least an hour glued to your phone/computer/laptop/etc, Happily pinning away... you may have noticed how much the gold trend is showing up in home decor and accessories.  I LOVE the gold dipped look for accent pieces and I think this look is very fresh and polished and can be used for any decorative item in your home.  Table legs, vases, lamps, frames, the list goes on and on. In this case, I choose a small, circular vase I've had for years that holds beautiful silk roses and dried hydrangea leaves. I used Rustoleum spray paint in Metallic gold for an even and quick application. Here's a pic of the vase before:

Here are the steps:

1.  Choose your vase.  Scuff the surface with a fine grit sandpaper; in this case I used a 120 grit.

2.  Tape off the section that you do not want painted.  I used Frog tape and tried to make as even a line as possible.  Once I had all of my tape in place, I used my finger to firmly seal the tape edge so that no paint could leak through during application.

3.  Prime the vase.  I made sure to prime the vase using a Rustoleum primer in Flat White.  I've found that using a primer allows for a more even finish and allows the metallic spray to adhere perfectly to the surface. Once the primer dried, I applied to coats of the metallic paint.  Again, used Rustoleum Metallic Spray Paint here and I have to say, this is my favorite metallic paint ever.  In the history of metallic paint.

4.  Seal your vase.  After 2 hours of drying time I applied one coat of a spray gloss sealant to provide a durable, protective finish.  Once the paint and gloss had completely dried, I removed the tape slowly and carefully so as to not disrupt the paint edge.

The result was a unique, updated accessory for my living room and it did not cost a penny!  Can't beat a Happy little vase for a Happy little living room now, can we?

Let me know what you think of the new gold accent trend in the comments below!  

And, as always, have a Happy day!!!

Repainted Front Door

A quick and simple way to update the exterior of your home is a repainted front door.  And that is just what I did this week, AND it took less than 24 hours!  Our front door had seen better days; it was worn and weathered and it really made the front of our house look drab.

I decided to go with a rich, dark color that would easily hide the door's imperfections.  The color is Sherwin Williams' Cyberspace and I'd say the hue borderlines somewhere between deep blue and dark gray.  Very elegant and very pretty!

When painting a door, there are certainly methods to master.  Make sure you are using a high quality paint and good brushes.  As in this case, the door is exterior and the paint will need to stand up against the elements.  I selected Sherwin Williams' "Resilience" line which was recommended to me by a paint expert.  I always use Purdy brushes as well as a foam roller for a nice, even appearance with less brush strokes.

Make sure you tape off areas that will not be painted, including door edges and door hardware.  You can remove the hardware all together, but make sure you know how to re-assemble and make sure your drying time does not go into the evening, as you'll want to be able to close and lock your door over night!

Found this lovely spider's nest underneath the old door knocker.  Yuck!

Be sure to prime your surface area with a good sanding and if needed, primer.  Because the paint I selected includes primer, I did not do any additional primer before painting.  Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe away any dirt or dust and once the door is completely dry, you can begin to paint.

Using an angled brush and starting at the top of your door, paint all of your panels first.  Use the brush to get into the corners of the panels and make sure all the edges, whether recessed or raised, are covered evenly with paint.

Once all of your panels are completed, use your foam roller and cover each vertical wood strip, starting with the strip on the left side of the door and moving to the right. Then move on to the horizontal strips, starting at the top strip and moving down to the bottom.  Let the first coat of paint dry and then do another coat, allowing at least 4 hours of drying time in between.  Once you've done 2 coats, depending on the door type and material, you may need to add a third or even fourth coat.  The key is to see absolutely no underlying door color or wood and absolutely no brush strokes.

First coat

Second coat.

Third coat.

Remove your tape and look closely at the entire door, making sure there are no missed spots or splashes of paint on the hardware or surrounding area.  For this project, I did not paint the door edges or the interior part of the door, and this is only because we may be replacing the door all together next year and I did not feel the need to do the entire piece.  If your project involves a more permanent door, I'd recommend painting the entire door for a more even and finished appearance.

Overall, I am so very Happy with the outcome of this project.  The fresh coat of paint breathes new life into the front of our house and as our spring flowers begin to bloom, the dark paint color offers a bright contrast that I must say, is quite pretty!

Happy Spring Everyone!

Spring Wreath!

Just some quick pics today of my latest Spring wreath!  This was made using a grapevine wreath, faux hydrangeas and faux dogwood bush flowers from Joann.  Super simple and super Spring!  Take a look and let me know what you think!  And stay tuned for a front door makeover!