Stars & Stripes

I should just come right out and say it, I am not a good blogger. 

I love blogs, love to read them, wish I could maintain one with daily posts.

But I just must accept the fact that for now, my posts will be every few weeks.

Who am I kidding?? Bi-monthly? Lol! 

I recently acquired two wooden pieces from a client who was parting with old furniture.

I knew immediately that they could be great painted pieces specifically for a boys room.

And if I couldn't sell them, I knew they would someday be in Kyle and Logan's room.

I loved the mid-century modern legs, the straight lines in the drawers, and the simple clean boxy look.

Just cleaned up and waiting to be painted!

I knew right away that the dresser was going to be the distressed version of the American Flag.

For months I have been wanting to paint it, and just waiting for the right shape to come along.

After a good thorough cleaning, I mixed up a custom color using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This paint covered so well, that it only needed 1 and a half coats. 

I purposely left bits of the wood color coming through, and further sanded down the edges. I also 

beat it up pretty good with lots of tools. The fun part! I knew I wanted it to be an old 13 star flag, and got to taping off my stripes, which were also done sort of messy. I had tape for guidelines, but it didn't matter if that paint didn't touch the tape everywhere.

Besides my lack of blogging skills, I apparently forgot to take pictures for the in-between stages. But you can see above how distressed I made the stripes, I sanded down after they were all painted in.

Stars were next, and lucky for me, we had a few stars laying around that I could sort of trace the shape and then hand paint them in more pointy.

Close up of the stars, very distressed, and waxed with Antique Wax.

After everything was sanded and aged, I put one coat of ASCP clear wax, and then waited till the second day to do the second coat of Antique wax.  The dresser was just done in the coordinating blue.

And you know what, the dresser sold within 3 days, so I am thinking I may need to add some hand painting to the desk as well. Something different.  The thinking wheel is turning!!

Here are a few more shots of the dresser all done.

Besides a boys room, I think this would be very cool in a living room as an accent piece.

I wonder where it is in its new home!?

Horrible lighting on this view. Oh well!

Found this super cool metal stool at a garage sale, though it would be perfect match!

Thanks for reading about my Stars & Stripes dresser, see you in a few weeks, hopefully!

Saved...at last!

I love me some craigslist! Who doesn't?  When we decided to move last year, we were looking for a book case to replace the one my husband broke, while transporting the oversized piece to the basement.
Well, more like I sort of asked him to try and take apart our beautiful craftsman style bookcase. If it couldn't be done, then so be it. We would have to live with it where it was. I came home to find the bookcase in very poor condition in the basement. It's new home. He said it was impossible to take apart, since it was made of mostly particle board with wood veneer. Really? I thought we spent a fortune for something I thought was all hardwoods. When we sold our house, it remained in the basement for the next buyer. Happy moving in present!

On a random bored evening while perusing Craigslist antique's section, we came across an oldie but a goodie. Just needed a little love.

I finally had time to give it a much needed face lift this summer.  I am a huge fan of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, thanks to my friend Amanda over at Suite Pieces.  I cleaned it up with TSP, and then put 2 coats of ASCP Provence Blue. Then I waxed with Clear wax, sanded the edges back and added some thinned down Dark Wax over it.  I had to replace the glass, I wanted something more antique, and found a beautiful piece. I also took out the scroll work so that it wasn't so busy.  One day, my office will have coordinating blue in the drapery treatments. As of now, my husbands been wondering why I chose this color. Someday honey it will all come together!

Beautiful Glass!

Linked up to:

Primitive & Proper, Miss Mustard Seed