Oak Coffee Table

SOLD


Solid wood oak coffee table.  In excellent condition.  Stained ebony top with a distressed white pedestal.  Finished with a dark wax for an "antique" look.
36" w x 17" h.
$175.

Free printable gift tags!

Christmas is quickly approaching and I'm working away on my checklist.  Baking this morning and wrapping tonight.  With a glass of eggnog I might add:)

This year I'm all over the brown paper wrap, twine, red and white string.... Ahhhh, simple pleasures....

Check out these great blogs for FREE printable gift tags.  They are so cute - Love them!

http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/2011/11/naughty-or-nice-christmas-gift-tag.html#.Tu5NaDU7Uuc

http://sewcraftcreate.com/2011/12/naughtynice-christmas-tag/

xo

Christmas Pillows

Hot off the sewing machine!  LOVE these:)

Burlap "Snowflake" pillow 16" x 16".  Slipcover is removable and pillow is included. (SOLD)

"Let it Snow" burlap removable slipcover 19" x 19".  Pillow included. (SOLD)

Back

 SOLD!!! - Cozy green wool pillow with hand sewn felt deer.  13" x 19".  $20

Jewelry Frames

SOLD!!!

If you are like me, you can never have enough places to store all your jewels:)  This is a great way to display them keep them organized.

This is a wood frame, painted white and distressed.  It has 5 hooks and wire mesh for hanging all your lovely jewels, as well as hanging hardware on the back. 15" x 13".
$20

Rusty orange wood frame 11.5" x 13.5".  Includes wire mesh, 5 hooks for hanging and hanging hardware on the back as well.  $20

Solid black wood frame 13 1/4" x 11".  Includes wire mesh, 5 hooks for hanging and hanging hardware on the back as well.  $20

Looking for a different color frame or fabric, just send me an email to inquire!
jenodonnell12@yahoo.ca

Cottage 3 Drawer Dresser

SOLD!

I won't bore you with the details on how I refinished this one.  It was a bit of a new process for me, aiming for a new distressed look and I love it!  This dresser was originally a sea green color?, I have painted it white, distressed and sealed it with a satin finish.

New ceramic "open" vintage looking hardware was added.  

The drawers are dovetail and slide well.  I also did a dark gray wash on the inside of the drawers.

This piece is solid wood, and has loads of character!  Great size for any room.  Could be used for a change table in a baby nursery or even in a mud room for hats and mittens!

Measures 22" D x 44" H x 39 1/2" W.


$225

Before and Afters

Okay, so due to my negligence in regards to my posting, here are some before and afters that I have completed over the last few months!

I'll start with one of my simple but favorite projects:)  I picked up these antlers at the Cloverdale antique mall. I can't remember how much I paid for them exactly but it was reasonable.  I had antlers on the brain when I went there and was so excited when I found them.  I know, it's weird but I sometimes feel it's fate when I come across the item I am thinking of when I am on my thrifting adventures.

Before

 

As you can see, they were not that attractive when I purchased them, but I unscrewed the antlers, removed the lovely red and green felt, a little white spray paint, and now it is the perfect necklace holder!  Is that what you call them????

After

This is a coffee table (and side table missing from pic) are two pieces I picked up on criagslist.  Another fairly addictive site.  I got the side table and coffee table for $100.  A bit pricey for my liking, but I was looking for a round table for my large awkward front room and I don't often come by them so I was willing to splurge.  I sanded them down, painted them out white, distressed and sealed with minwax.  Two of my favorite pieces in my house, I have no regrets with this decision.

Before

After

It is also the perfect height when sitting on the floor for a family game of UNO!


And here's my last pic for the day, a set of old windows I picked up at one of my favorite little spots.

Before

I painted them out black, got my husband to hang them in the turret in our office. (Yes, I said turret, we like to call our house the "castle house", as we have quite a large turret on the front of our house.)  I love the lead pattern in them, and it actually goes with some of the vintage-type doors we have in our house.

After

I've got more, but will post those another day!

xo

Looking for Something To do This Weekend? Santa Comes to Sullivan!

If you are looking for something to do this weekend there's a great event taking place in my local area!  It's the perfect time to start getting into the holiday spirit if you haven't already started.  Not Quite South Surrey  and Jenn and Colin Real Estate are hosting an event and all proceeds raised from the event will go directly to The Center for Child Development, helping children with special needs reach their potential.

I'm helping out with the display and set up of the auction items and there are a lot of great items you can bid on.  You can also see the following link http://www.notquitesouthsurrey.com/2402/santa-comes-to-sullivan/ for a list of the all day events as well as the flyer below for more details.

Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments - This one's for the kids...

Look at me go!  Three posts in one week!

This is a great craft to do with your kids.  These salt dough ornaments can also be used as gift tags.  And what grandparent doesn't love homemade things from their grandchildren?

I made these about 10 or more years ago with my stepdaughter and just remembered the other day, so I decided to make them again with my 6 year old. She's a crafter like her mother:)  These ornaments will be going on her tree that her grandma gave to her last year for her bedroom.  Perfect! Cause otherwise, she may have been disappointed when I told her she had to paint them all white to go with the theme of my our Christmas tree downstairs:)

You will need the following:

2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 cup of warm water
cookie cutters
rolling pin
cookie sheets
acrylic paint, markers, glitter etc.
ribbon

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Mix 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt and 1 cup of warm water.  Mix until dough is formed.  Form into a ball.

Roll out the dough onto a slightly floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick.  Make sure your rolling pin has been slightly dusted with flour as well.

Then using Christmas cookie cutters, cut out shapes.  I also dust the cutters in the flour beforehand so they don't stick to the shapes.

Place shapes on a baking sheet and smooth out any edges if needed with your fingers.  The dough becomes very hard when done baking and you won't be able to remove any rough edges after they have been baked.

I used the end of a small craft paint brush to make a small hole at the top of the ornament so you tie a ribbon through for hanging when complete.

Bake in oven for 1-2 hours or until firm.  I think mine were in for about 1 1/2 hours but every oven is different.

Let the ornaments cool. Once cooled, they are ready to be painted or decorated however you chose!  I also marked the back with the date and name so I can remember when we made them:)

Happy crafting!

Bedroom Makeover

So here it is, the bedroom makeover!!!  Goodbye Ikea and hello vintage shabby chic.

BEFORE

AFTER

I was given this headboard and dresser last year and then the idea of redoing my stepdaughter's room began.

BEFORE

BEFORE

All I had to finish up was the other half a dozen projects and rooms I was redoing before I could start, but the ideas were spinning in my head.  She chose the color black for her furniture and after some color deliberation, she chose purple as her accent. (I was hoping for a bright yellow, gray and black,  but I guess it's not "my room."  I will add that I am grateful that she is the most amazing stepdaughter one could ever dream of and she pretty much let me make all the creative decisions, and in the end, I think she's happy:)  Here's a run down of my finds and projects....

The headboard has been sanded down, painted black and distressed.  The large purple throw pillows are from salvation army and were $3.99.  The two smaller shiny pillows were about $3.99 from Jysk, as well as the bedding.  The front pillow, I sewed with some great purple patterned fabric I found at VV.

The dresser was sanded down, painted black, distressed and the old original hardware was spray painted black.  I also spray painted the chandelier purple metallic.

This sofa table was a "splurge" for me.  Found it at Salvation army one day, it was $50 I think, but I knew it would be perfect in the space.  It was also sanded down, painted black and distressed.  The lamp and black dish are thrift store finds or should I say treasures:) I spray painted the lamp purple, as well as the vase which I already had.

This picture is a SA find for $6.99 that I'm sure was beautiful one day in it's time.  I removed the glass and matting, gave it a light sand and painted it out black.  The letter "H" is from Michaels.  That store is also dangerous.

The "groovy" chair is another SA find for $19.99.  As I previously posted, I was thrilled not to take on a project of reupholstering so it was great that the covers zipped off and I was able to throw them into the washing machine.  The chair was sanded down and painted out black, but of course:)  Still not sure if I want to distress this or not?.... The gray throw pillow is from Jysk, and the black ruffled pillow I sewed with left over material from some curtain panels.  I used the same fabric to recover this footstool (which I took from my mother's donate pile one day).  I knew I could find somewhere to put that....

The chalkboard wall was an idea that we came up with when discussing ideas for the room.  I decided to mimic the design of the mirror.  I used a large piece of cardboard to trace the mirror and then traced it onto the wall with a pencil and then painted 3 coats of chalkboard paint.  Voila!  Tac was used to put up some photos that I downloaded from her Facebook page.  "Did you know it was that easy to steal pictures? Kind of scary isn't it?

Another one of my "project ideas."  A jewelry frame.  I had the idea that I was going to market these a while back, but after making a few of them, I for whatever reason, left them in a closet and never pro-sued it.  I used an old frame, painted it out black, added some wire window screen mesh, added some screw hooks, and the same fabric that I used for the throw pillow and the bench below.  

BEFORE

AFTER

Another thrift store find (are you surprised?).  The bench was $9, I sanded it down, painted it black and recovered it.

This purple table is a thrifted treasure as well, shocking I know.  I used some left over paint from my other daughter's room and painted it purple for a little "pop."  The lamp ($2.99) was gold, spray painted it and the shade I couldn't resist from Home Sense for $12.99.  And I love the cute vintage looking Shakespeare book. I won't bother telling you where I found that:)

And that folks, is it.  I have no idea if anyone is interested in reading all of this or cares, but for some reason I feel the need to blog my creative craziness.  This is what keeps me sane but drives me insane at the same time.  Does that make sense?

Thank you to my husband who puts up with my crazy and let's me make all the decorating decisions for the most part in our home and helping me with the odd assembly or moving of furniture.  Thank you for letting me be at home with our kids during these precious years, which also allows me to follow my creative dreams!

No children were harmed during the transformation of this room, but some probably watched there fair share of treehouse:)

One "Groovy Chair" Makeover

Hello!

Ok, I've been terrible with keeping up with my blog but it's not because of a lack of projects.  It's almost the exact opposite.  I've been working away on so many projects the last few months (mostly for myself), but haven't found the time to post anything! My intentions were to start posting as I went along and kind of change the path of my blog into more DIY projects etc but for whatever reason, I just kept procrastinating.  I didn't know where to start.

So, today is as good as any day.  I'm just going to start!

Here's a sneak peak of a chair I just purchased on Wednesday night at Salvation Army , which I promptly sanded down and painted out black for my step daughters bedroom.  The room is mostly black, purple and white but this little hit of color works perfectly so I didn't have to recover it, which was a HUGE bonus!  And the covers unzipped, so I just took them off and threw them in the washing machine.  I've been working on redecorating her room for the last month or two and am finally completing it all!

I will be posting the pics of the furniture and decor hopefully in the next day or two!

Now the only question is to distress, or not to distress?.....

Oh, and the name "Groovy" comes from my husband. Those were his words when I told him to check out the room last night.  And I assume he was somewhat referring to the chair:)

Before

After

Magical Metallic Sidetables

I just completed these beautiful side tables for a previous customer.  She had seen some side tables in a home decor store, took a picture and asked me if I would be able to do something like it for her?  I agreed and she began the hunt for some tables on craigslist.

Before

I did some research on metallic finishes on the internet and asking advice at local paint stores and then began the task of hunting down metallic paint.  Benjamin Moore carries a line called Modern Masters and there are tons of metallic colors to chose from.  My client chose a nice warm silver called Nickel.  

This piece was sanded down and painted a dark chocolate for the base color.  Chocolate was chosen as she has espresso furniture in the same room and it went well with the undertone of the nickel.  I was planning on dry brushing this piece as well, so a base color was needed.

This type of technique involves dipping your brush in the paint and wiping almost all of it off on a rag and then basically "dry brushing" whatever paint is left on your brush onto the piece.  A series of coats is required until you achieve the look you desire.  The base coat can show as much or as little as you like.  Metallic paint does not go on like regular paint so it needs to be brushed on as apposed to rolling.  This creates a bit of a streaky brush look because of the nature of the paint.

I also mixed the paint with some glaze and water to make the little jar go a bit further and this allows the paint to dry slower, which gives you more time to even out your strokes.  I ended up starting with the dry brush technique but found the coverage wasn't quite enough so I just used a small amount of paint and brushed it on back and forth until the coverage was somewhat even but still seeing the brush strokes for a dry brushed appearance.  I ended up doing at least 6 coats of the silver until I achieved a solid silver tone.  Then the piece was slightly distressed and sealed with Minwax furniture paste. 

Voila!  I'm not sure if that is the best description of my technique but that's it in a nutshell anyways!  And my pictures are painfully terrible as usual, as I am not a photographer and I'm sure my crappy camera has something to do with it as well:)  It doesn't really capture the true color of these beautiful tables. 

Buttercream Sideboard

SOLD!!!

Well, I'm selling another one of my "babies."  Not the baby in the basket!  Just another piece I adore:)  It was originally for sale but once completed and moved from my shop into our front entry, well....it just looked so good there so it just stayed put for a while.  But, now is the time that we must part.  So, this gorgeous butter cream sideboard is now for sale!

It measures 40" w x 17.5" d x 34.5" h.  It has four dove-tailed drawers that slide perfectly.  It has been painted in a butter cream and new ceramic hardware was also added.  Slightly distressed and an ebony stain on the top.  This piece is solid wood and in great shape.  I am asking $375 for this piece.