Dumpster Divin'

My soon to be sister-in-law did some serious dumpster diving (I was so proud!) and found some great tables that needed a little lovin'.  She wanted something a little shabby chic so here is my quick before and after.  They are still in my garage so this will be her first look at the finished product too!  Hope you like them Sloan!

Before

After

She thinks these were stools but will use them as bedside tables!  Love that idea!  I used Heirloom White spray paint by Rustoleum then distressed them.


Here is her second dumpster dive find. 

And the After

The paint color is Behr Opal Silk (I just got a sample size since I didn't need much)

Since the before was pretty beat up from its time in the dumpter ;) I ended up distressing it too.

I used water based poly on both to give them some extra protection.  The poly aslo makes the distressed parts shiny, pretty and the wood a little darker.

 

You guys, seriously, look at my garage!  It is such a disaster!  Does anyone else get mad dust when they spray paint?  Am I doing something wrong!?!  Perhaps I need to take it outside.  You know you have an issue when all your husband wanted for Father's Day was for me to clean up the garage.  Which did happen and lasted all of 2 days!  He's a Saint!

Cane Chair

Alright, so you know I couldn't go home empty handed while out this weekend, that would be sooooo not me!  Here is what I snagged!  I got it from For the Love of Jesus Thrift on Midlothian Turnpike and you will not believe the price!  It was marked at $25.00 but I asked really nicely and they gave it to me for $20.00!!!!  I've seen a lot of these chair make-overs out in the blogosphere so I could not pass up this steal!  I think my sister is going to buy it from me for her new apartment since she is moving down to Richmond from NYC (YAY!!!)

 

 She is definitely a little beat up but her bones are good!  

Here is some inspiration for my sister's makeover!

http://ohbrooke.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/after.jpg

http://g-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/30831/cane19_rect540.jpg

http://daisyjanie.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83453d93d69e2013485dcd693970c-800wi

http://daisyjanie.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83453d93d69e20133f2b90a27970b-800wi

http://1.bp.blogspot.com

 
Didn't all these ladies do a fabulous job!!  Go check out their projects if you have time!  They have great instructions!

This will be our first real re-upholstery project so  it should be interesting!  We are definitely going to have to consult my mom who has the sewing skills in the fam!  Anyone ever re-done a cane chair like this before?!

Out and About this weekend!

Y'all...I went out shopping this weekend and I actually left some amazing stuff for you guys!!! I know, it took serious restraint but I did it!!!  Here's hoping they are still there for someone to go nab!!!

My heart skipped a beat when I saw not one, not two, but THREE campaign pieces at Habitat Restore in Richmond (on School St.)  The guy guessed they were about $100 for the set.  They were not in perfect condition but there was a desk, nightstand, and small chest of drawers.  You could turn this....

Into THIS!!!!

http://www.henryhappened.com/how-to-campaign-desk-makeover.html

I also found these great tobacco baskets at my fav Class and Trash for $25 each.  I thought that was a fabulous price.  I've seen them for MUCH more.  These were a bit damaged but I thought it gave them even more character.  Kinda mad I didn't pick one up!  The more I think about it the angrier I get at myself!

An idea on how to use these in your home!

http://shoppingcandy.blogspot.com/2010/10/tobacco-basket-is-up.html

http://www.worthpoint.com/

I loved this mod dresser at Class and Trash too for $95.  Remember they might negotiate prices if you smile really pretty and beg and plead ;) 

I pinned this dresser the other day on Pinterest and thought it would work well with the Class and Trash one!

http://www.twenty-six-to-life.com/2010_12_01_archive.html

So what about you guys?  Anyone pick up anything fun this weekend?

Libbie and Winston's Shhhhhh Door Tags

How stinkin' cute are these!!!  My sponsor, friend, and fellow Richmonder Anna at Libbie and Winston just added them to her list of adorable baby and children's items.  I already placed my order and at $8 a pop who wouldn't!!!!  They sure beat my sticky note threatening the UPS man with his life should he ring my doorbell during naptime!

Visit her facebook page or email her at  aagivens@gmail.com to get your own!
She will even modify the saying to fit your need.  For mine she wrote "The kids have had a whale of a day!"  Can you even stand the cuteness! 

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Through the Garden Gate Update

This is kind of a "I'm not sure if you care or not" post but I'm beyond excited and wanted to tell you guys how my Through the Garden Gate space is going.  I've sold a few more things and could not be more thrilled!  If anyone reading has bought anything I'm sending you a HUGE hug and GIANT thank you!!!

This has been so fun and I'm so glad that things are selling and I can continue to buy new stuff and fix them up and send them into someone else's home at an affordable price.

So here is a picture of the space and the items with the yellow smiley faces are things that have sold!!!

A couple of other nic nacky things also sold like frames and coasters and such.  So hopefully people will keep visiting and shopping and I can continue living this dream of mine! 

I'm enjoying every second (especially the shopping part, not so much the sweating my fanny off while painting part!)

Reader Find!

So you guys know I'm totally crushing on the elephant side table/garden stool lately!  I just think they are so fun and add a little somethin somethin to a room!  Just a teensy bit  funkier then your average garden stools that are so popular these days.

So I was pleasantly surprised when Leanne from http://www.motherhoodinspirednow.blogspot.com/ emailed me to tell me she saw one at Burlington Coat Factory...because you know, they are more than just coats!!!

Here it is!

Burlington Coat Factory

I think she was emailing me to pat me on the back for finding such a deal on my Goodwill friend .  But I couldn't get the thought of the comparable Ele's price tag out of my head.  The Burlington Coat one looks sooooooo much like the fancy shmancy one that I think $99.99 isn't awful.

Here is the $725 version

source

So while $99 might seem a little steep I think if you are looking for a statement table/garden stool this is a chic and fun way to go.  Thanks Leanne for sending the picture and allowing me to share!  So do you guys think $99 is too much for this guy?  Is anyone packing up the kiddos and running to Burlington Coat factory today?

Playroom Decor!

So sorry these pictures are horrible!  It might have something to do with the fact that I completely smashed my IPhone to smithereens this afternoon while trying to juggle my whining 21 month old all the while trying to talk to my neighbors and hide the fact that she was being a  complete brat challenge!  My poor phone took a header right onto the driveway!  Better then my daughter I suppose!

Moving on!  So I wanted to share a quick playroom decor idea.  I can take NO credit for this and I wish I could remember where I saw if first to give credit where credit is due but its been a while! 

Basically what I did was print out the first initial of each of my kiddos.  I cut it out and traced it the backing of a shadow box frame (from Michael's).  Then I broke crayons in the size necessary to fill the letter and hot glued them on.   I think it would be cute in a little ones bedroom too!

I also made a little drawing area by painting a square of wall with chalkboard paint and hanging an empty frame around it. 

Like most things around our house my son loved it for about a day and now doesn't touch it but it still looks cute even if it's not being used.  Instead of drawing with chalk he follows me around the house like a lost puppy all day long.  I have a feeling it's going to be a looooooong summer!  Does anyone else have to force their children to go play by themselves or is it just mine?!?

(All this being said, I know I'm going to miss my lost little pups when they are teenagers and embarrassed to be seen with me!) 

It's Getting Ridiculous!

Yall, this is just getting silly.  Look what my mom found at her Goodwill in Connecticut the other day.  A Campaign desk!  I think we have some weird genetic thing going on that steers us to these campaign finds?!?!  Either that or we have way too much time on our hands and frequent way too many thrift stores and should really get a life!

Remember my sister and I found Campaign dressers the same day a few months back, and I've happened upon a nightstand and desk/hutch recently. 

And guess how much my mom paid for this bad boy!?  $15....can you even stand it!!!!  It was the color of the week so it was originally $30 but she got it half price.  I was so proud ;)

It looks just like this one I found at Salvation Army last weekend, except mine came with the top hutch part (and mine cost significantly more!):

So I rounded up some inspiration for my mom.  She is going to be using it as a make-up table.  It looks like it is in good shape in the photo but she says it's pretty beat up and needs to be repainted and needs some repair work on the bottom where a chunk is missing.  Anyone have any tips for repairing missing chunks of furniture?  I told her wood puddy but it might need more than that.

Back to the inspiration!

Copy Cat Chic

http://www.designsponge.com/2010/07/before-after-jill-and-ashleys-desk-makeovers.html

http://home23duncanboys.blogspot.com/2010/12/taking-spin-through-2010.html


http://westfurniturerevival.blogspot.com/2010/11/i-got-this-desk-at-thrift-store-for-11.html

So what about you guys!?!  Are you liking this campaign furniture extraveganza we have going on in our family or do you hate this style and wish I would stop blogging about it ;)





N-A-S-T-Y table Re-Done!

Do you all remember this N-A-S-T-Y table I found but did not buy at Diversity Thrift a while back?  Well I was there the other day and the poor thing was tucked under an equally N-A-S-T-Y dining table just begging for me to take it home!  So...I did!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I removed the hardware and buffed it up as best I could with Brasso.  The I applied a coat of Zinsser Oil Based Primer and a White Lacquer spray paint.  It's definitely not perfect, I'm beginning to realize that white paint might not be the very best color to use on very damaged furniture.  It's kind of like white jeans...not the most flattering on the dents and dimples.  But black, now that might be the best bet for beautifying beat up furniture and this mother of two's thighs!

What I'm not loving is the tinted glass top.  It reminds me of the eye glasses people wear that turn into sunglasses when they are hit by the light.  My husband rocked a pair of those until I informed him he was actually under the age of 30 and has no business sporting that kind of eyewear (this was a few years ago)! 

Anyway...I hope to replace it with clear glass and trying to find the thriftiest place to get this.  I was going to check out the ReStore and see if they had any scrap glass that would work.  Anyone have any other ideas?

Fill-er Up

Hey guys!  So a friend of mine called me out last night on slacking on the blog!  She is totally right!  I think the Summer might be blog-light as I am struggling to get through the day with 2 children home ALL day.

But....I wanted to show you guys my updated space at Through the Garden Gate.  I dropped a few things off today and saw that people actually bought some stuff!!!  I literally high fived the lady that runs the place on my way out I was so excited...totally nerdy right! 

So here's what the space looks like now, although the two black nightstands on the front right that are mostly cut out of the picture sold but have yet to be picked up.  Can you see the little SOLD sign! 

See that brown table in between the shutters and the black nightstands?!  That is a Ballard Designs table that retails for $289 that I found at Goodwill!! It just needed some Old English to touch up a bunch of scratches and it literally looks brand new!!! 

Found this little bamboo glass top table at Salvation Army and gave it a fresh gold spray paint.

And against my better judgement I put the campaign dresser in there.  Not sure what I was smoking when I made that decision but never the less it's there :(  I hope I find another one to keep for myself soon!  I actually just found this at Salvation Army the same day I got the bamboo table. 

Still not sure what I'm going to do with it but for now it sits in the garage...it's making friends with all the other furniture in there waiting to be fancied up!

Design Dilemma-Huntington, WV

My husbands good friend from growing up, Jim, emailed me with a design dilemma.  They HATE their kitchen as it is today and want to make a change.

  Here's a picture of the current condition...

View from the kitchen into the eating area

He mentioned white cabinets with navy walls so here is some inspiration for him.  I think this color combo is so fantastic!  Love the pop of color against the white cabinets.  My friend Kristen recently redid her kitchen in a VERY similar color and she thinks it was called Cayman Bay by Behr.

And I love the idea of a gallery wall on the eat-in panelled wall.

I sent him this tutorial from Not Just a Housewife I recently found on a link party.  I've never painted kitchen cabinets (although I'm DYING to paint my own!) so I can't vouch for how this method works.  It does seem on the simpler side when comparing it to other kitchen cabinet tutorials.  I told him I would add the step of using a water based poly to protect all his hard work!

I might also recommend buying of of these bad boys.  My mom and sister swear by it and I think it would be more cost effective than buying a bunch of cans of spray paint.

Home Depot $68

Wagner Control Spray Double Duty

So I will leave you with one question.  What color do you think they should paint the fully panelled wall?  I thought white so that everything with the panelled look (including the cabinets) would be white and all other wall space would be the blue color.  But what you do you guys think?