A Storage Chest Make Over

I've been on an organization and purging fest this summer. My kids have way too many toys that never get played with so I narrowed the toys down by over 1/2 and got rid of a ton of things. It feels so good to get out from some of the clutter.

I was on the lookout for some kind of storage solution to help hold games and puzzles. My former neighbor and friend offered me this cedar chest (I had a desk that she wanted so we traded...win-win for us both).

It has a lot of storage space but needed a little face lift. I painted it using ASCP in French Linen and then applied dark wax to seal it. I restained the top using a dark walnut stain to match the hutch I just competed.

Here's the finished chest which is now the coffee table in my family room. It holds puzzles, games, and Littlest Pet Shop toys. A storage table is the perfect solution to help conceal the clutter when you have kids with toys.

I love how it turned out. It's a great piece and will be useful even when the kids are out of the toy phase.

Shara Pin It

New Life for a Sweet Little Hutch

I had been looking for a smaller sized hutch for months now to fit in a space off of my breakfast area. The space is only 42 inches so finding a hutch that A) Fit and B) Had a farmhouse feel C) Was a reasonable price was proving difficult. I finally stumbled upon one on a local FB buy/sell group and I pounced on it. I knew it had everything I was looking for but needed some TLC.

Here she is before:

It's hard to tell from the picture but there were a ton of scratches and the knots from the pine wood were showing through plus it was a terrible overall paint job. So I set to work. I started by stripping off the paint on the lower cabinet base. I wanted a stained wood top. I got the paint off and finished it with a nice sanding. I then stained it using a dark walnut stain and applied 3 coats to get the color I was going for. I love how rustic the pine wood makes the top look. Fits perfectly with the farmhouse style I was hoping to achieve.

Next I started painting. I decided to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite and set to work. (The picture is after the first coat)

Then I painted the inside of the base using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Cream. I love fun pops of color inside cabinet doors. Don't mind my pile of laundry! ;)

And this is where I hit a snag. I ran out of graphite after 1/2 through the top piece. I contacted my local stockist and of course it was out of stock and on back order. Instead of waiting a week or 2 to get more, I decided to change things up all together and I repainted the whole thing using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Gray. And you know what, I loved it even more. The lighter gray really made the wood top stand out even more. Sometimes, second choices just work out better.  See isn't she perfection!

And here she is all finished and ready to party:

 I changed out her knobs with some black with bronze knobs to tie in to her bronze hinges. I also distressed it slightly and the graphite color came through which I love.

I painted the back of the inside with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Duck Egg. I wanted my milk glass collection to really pop.

I also used chicken wire instead of the original glass to add the the farmhouse charm of the piece.

I'm absolutely in love. I cannot wait to build my farmhouse table and refinish my kitchen cabinets to tie the whole space together. So, what do you think?

Hope you have a crafty week,

Shara Pin It

A Dining Table Gets A Face Lift

I've had this table sitting in my garage for months. I been toying with several ideas of what I wanted it to look like and finally decided to give it a go.

I love this table because it has a hidden leaf that stores under the table when not in use. this is so handy because you don't have to find a space in the garage or under a bed to store the extra leaf. I originally had a couple of ideas in mind. Plan A and B involved stenciling the top similar to my previous dining table make over but that ended up not working due to the size of the hidden leaf. Working around that I set off to work on Plan C which was to paint the legs and top in two different colors. I wanted the top to be all white while the legs and base stayed a different color.

Well, Plan C eventually evolved into Plan D as the edges of the table had a bit of water damage and the discoloration was showing through even after using primer. So, to remedy that problem, I brought the darker color up onto the top. I seriously love how this turned out. It looks even better than what I had imagined. It feels so retro chic! I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White and Duck Egg Blue for this make over.

I was originally going to sell this piece but I think it's a keeper (for now anyway). I can't wait to redo my dining benches and get a couple of industrial chairs to make this the perfect piece for my kitchen. I love when things all come together in an unexpected way.

Happy Crafting,

Shara Pin It

Getting Back Into It

Blogging has been one of my outlets for several years now. I always tried hard to keep up with posting new and fun content but after awhile, I just needed to step back and take a break. I put a lot of projects on the back burner these past few months and I have just been in a funk for a bit. I was having some health issues and lack of focus and I was just in an all around bad mood most of the time. But things are changing...I'm feeling so much better and so much more focused and ready to have some fun again! So, come and join me in this adventure. I'm sure you'll have fun and hopefully get some inspiration!

I am ready to reignite my creative juices and start working on all the projects I have piled up in my garage and craft room and Pinterest inspiration boards! My first project that I want to share with you is a sweet little table that I redid for a friend. She wanted to turn her 80's looking oak table into something with a WOW factor for her new kitchen. She wanted me to gray wash it so the beauty of the grain would show through. This technique really gives a fun and modern update.

Gray washing is a great beginner project. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite. I took some of the paint and mixed it with water giving it a really runny texture. I then brushed it on and wiped away the drips. I never really measured how much paint to water ratio I used so each layer was slightly different adding to the character of the table.

I love how it turned out! I can't wait to see it in it's new home. I hope Rebekah loves it as much as I do!

Have you ever gray washed or white washed something? It is really easy and turns out great. You should try it sometime. Stay tuned for more fun projects...

Shara


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