Christmas pillows....

One of the great things about the "blogoshere" is all the great inspiration AND motivation!

This past week I was reading one of my favorite blogs, "The Interior Frugalista", and Marie was sharing her snowflake decorative pillows...only she calls them "toss cushions." Gotta love those Canadians...lol!

Anywho, it not only inspired me, it motivated me to do something I seriously dislike doing...sew!

I have been scavenging down pillow forms. I wanted down forms for the decorative pillows that have poly-fill and a few extras for some holiday pillows!

As I mentioned before I like down forms because they are more comfortable and have a "designer" look! To me they just look "rich" but their price tag can reflect that and it is difficult for me to fork over twenty bucks for something I am going to have to make a cover for and something that is nothing more than a "doo-dad."

This past week I found 6 awesome down pillow forms, in varying sizes, ALL for under $7...a few for as cheap as $5. Thrift stores and flea markets. Yep...I am buying ugly old designer pillows, removing the cover and sanitizing the forms for reuse! (just toss them in a hot dryer with a dryer sheet!)

Since I had all these forms piled up, I knew it was time to drag out the old sewing cart and get busy!

TIP: If you have a 18 x 18 pillow form, you may be tempted to cut your cover fabric 19 x 19 to allow for the seams. DON'T. Cut the fabric 18 x 18...your cover will be about 1" smaller than the actual pillow form, but that is what will make them look super "puffy" and "full." I read that once on a designer website (no source, just info stored in the back of my brain!) and I tried it...makes a huge difference!

I have shared "pillow tutorials" on several posts in the past (you will note I advocated cutting your cover fabric larger back then...again, don't)...you can check them out here, here, here, and here.

There is no sense in rehashing the "how to." I've provided a tutorial and there are "how to" tutorials all over the internet. Marie does a great job of "tutorialing." (As I have said before, if you can sew a straight stitch, you can sew a decorative pillow...if you can't, now is the time to learn.)

So I am going to share just to provide inspiration AND motivation and give you a few little tips on where you can find material to make inexpensive holiday covers.

My first "inspiration" came from a Pottery Barn knock-off I found on Pinterest....

This little pillow was super simple to make. I used two pillow shams that came with a white bedspread I ordered to put over my down comforter for the winter. I was never going to use them on the bed, so I decided to use the fabric for my decorative pillows. I didn't have enough for the back, so I used the leftover fabric from the tea towel pillows I will share in a bit....

As you can see, I changed things up from the "inspiration" pillow. I used green sparkly felt and rhinestones...both of which you can buy at your local craft store. I cut a bunch of "leaves" from the green felt, and used a bowl to guestimate a circle...

Then it was just a matter of filling in the "wreath" and placing a few rhinestones here and there...basically, I eyeballed it! I used fabric glue on the green leaves and "Jewel It" glue on the rhinestones and let it sit overnight before I constructed the pillow. I used a "premade" silver bias tape for the piping!

I made this pillow out of tea towels I picked up at Hobby Lobby...

....they were around $4.50 (50% off!) for two!

One set of towels made TWO pillow covers and I used the leftover fabric for the backs of the wreath pillow! I spruced it up a bit by placing a rhinestone in the middle of each of the snowflakes and added a little piping around the edge. The piping is made out of bias tape and you can find a tutorial here on how to make inexpensive decorative piping from bias tape!

I made two pillows with this snowflake cutout table runner and a white table cloth I bought at TJ Maxx. (I would not suggest using inexpensive tablecloths for pillow projects...just seems too "thin" and tends to ravel quite a bit. Lesson learned.)

I centered the runner on the piece of fabric I cut out for the front of the pillow and basted the top and bottom to it with my machine to keep it in place. After I basted it, I used the fabric glue around the edges of the cutout to keep it "flat."

Again, I glued a rhinestone in the middle of each snowflake. I just love "sparkle!"

After making two white snowflake pillows, I had enough of the snowflake cutout to make one more pillow. I picked up a "burnt red" pillow and I kind of liked the color so I deconstructed it, made it a tad smaller so the pillow would be fuller and added the white snowflake cutout material.

I only have one, but I think it will look great in the den where I have more "fall" colors year round!

I also put zippers on all these pillow covers so I can easily remove them and reuse the forms!

I tend to be an "OCD/symmetry" kinda person so I made two of each of the decorative pillows so I will have one for each end of the couch when it is time to decorate for Christmas.

All these pillows are 18 x 18 and honestly, I don't like the three lined up together. I found two smaller pillow forms and plan on making Christmas covers for them and using one with two of the 18" pillows on each end of the sofa...maybe...someday...IF I get a little more motivation in the future!

While I was making a mess, I decided to make another "floor pillow" for the den. I had two large poly-fill forms (actually they were Euro-pillows with ugly covers!) I bought at an estate sale and I thought they would be perfect to toss around on the den floor for tv watching! I had already made one large toss pillow and two smaller decorative pillows out of some leftover fabric from my dining chair project.

I used the drop cloth material leftover from this chair project and an iron on graphic from The Graphic Fairy. Since the pillow was fairly large, I decided I wanted the graphic to be bigger so I pulled it up in Adobe Photoshop, enlarged it and then printed it out on four sheets of iron-on transfer paper. Then it was just a matter of piecing the graphic together and ironing it on the fabric. There was a little "line" where two of the pages didn't quite fit together perfectly...I used a Sharpie to fill it in a tad.

I removed the "Grain" wording on banner in Photoshop and had intended to replace it with "Love Life." But I had a few issues with my printer so I ran out of transfer paper. Since I put zippers on all my pillow covers, I will just remove the cover and iron on the new words when my order of paper comes in.

I still haven't shared my fall decor. Truthfully, it hasn't changed a whole lot from last year. But I have a few little additions and I thought it would be fun to do an entire post about the fall decor and update my Holiday Decor pictures. After all, Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away and the day after Thanksgiving, it all goes back in the attic! If you see anything that "inspires" you, it will be the PERFECT time to snag fall decor for pennies on the dollar!!! You may have to wait til next year to use it, but it is always fun to find things you forgot you bought last year!

So this week...I promise!

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MY beef bourguignon....just as good and easier!

Over a year ago, I posted "my spin" on Julia Child's classic beef bourguignon recipe. I didn't post the actual recipe because you can pretty much Google it and find it...I just did a little "tutorial" on how I "tweeked" the original recipe.

Today I thought I would post my actual recipe, along with my commentary of what I do and why I do it. Julia's version is to die for...and just once in your life, you really should tackle it! But it is not an easy recipe to throw together for busy mom's.

My version is more of a glorified "pot roast" recipe, retaining most of her key elements and in my opinion just as yummy. It has become a family favorite!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 - 3 lb. pot/chuck roast

6-8 ounces of bacon

2-3 cups of mushrooms

1-2 cups of chopped Carrots

8-10 Pearl onions or regular chopped onion

Garlic

Olive Oil (regular cooking oil will work)

2 cans of beef broth/consomme

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2-3 cups red wine

Flour

Spices: salt, pepper, rosemary, bay leaf...or whatever YOU like!

Remember, I am a "pinch of this, toss of that" kinda cook. So follow along and feel free to "pinch and toss" to your own tastes! Or even eliminate anything you don't care for!

Bacon....10 or so slices, sliced into chunks. I use thick cut...just a preference!

Fry the bacon in a large skillet. When it is fairly done, add....

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil (or plain cooking oil) and 2-3 tablespoons of butter

1-2 cups of chopped carrots

2-3 cups of sliced mushrooms

8-10 peeled pearl onions, cut in half...or 1/2 regular onion, chopped.

2-3 gloves of chopped garlic or 3-4 tablespoons of chopped garlic from the jar (my go to!)

Sautee all this until everything seems kind of "tender."

Remove all the veggies and bacon with a slotted spoon, draining the oil back into the skilled, and put them in your "roast pan."

Leave the "oil" in the skillet. Add a tad if you need to!

Cut the 2 1/2-3 lb chuck roast into 1" cubes (if you are a venison eater....gag...this would be a great use for venison roasts) Pat it with a paper towel to dry it off.

In a bowl, mix about 5-6 tablespoons of flour with about 1 teaspoon of both salt and pepper. Coat all the chunks of roast with the flour. Brown all sides of the roast cubes in the oil.

Place all the browned roast cubes, bacon and veggies in a dutch oven...or cast iron pot...or large casserole dish...whatever you have that you cook pot roast in!

Now, this is how I get ALL the flavor out of the pan and make it easier to clean it up. I pour 1 can of beef broth/consumme (Campbell's is fine!) (or use 1 cup of water) in the pan drippings, bring it to a rapid boil, scrapping the sides and bottom. After everything is off the bottom and sides, pour this little mixture over the meat and veggies!

In a large bowl, mix the other can of beef broth/consumme and heaping tablespoon of tomato paste (you can freeze left over tomato paste so you don't waste a whole can!) Throw in whatever spices you might like...salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, parsley, bay leaf...whatever YOU like!

I am a salt freak! But I would advise going low on the salt for the time being...there is a lot of salt in the consumme...and soooo much flavor in all the ingredients!

Pour about 1/2 bottle of RED wine into the broth mixture...maybe 2-3 cups. The actual alcohol will "cook out" as this dish cooks so you are NOT serving your family alcohol...just the wine flavor! I buy the cheapest bottle of red wine I can find at the grocery store!

Pour the broth/wine mixture over the roast and veggies. Top with just enough water to barely cover everything, if needed. Cover and bake for about 4-5 hours in a 325 degree oven. You can "peek" once, just to give it a quick stir and check the liquid...otherwise, leave it be!

I serve this with mash potatoes (YUM!) or noodles or rice...whatever you want!

If you compare this to Julia's, it is indeed different...but the flavor is just as good in my book! And soooo much easier to prepare!

Again, this would be a great recipe for venison or any other "game" meat, like elk. I think it would even be good with pork, but have never tried it.

I would think you could cook this in a crockpot. I haven't but plan to in the future. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!

Again, JUST ONCE you should try the Julia recipe...if for no other reason than to say you have done it...but when you are scratching your head wondering what the heck a "lardon" is or where to buy it, don't call me...I still don't have a clue!

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Flagstone....check!

That is one project I can check off my "to do" list! It is done...the project I started here. It took three trips to the "rock store" and two trips to Meek's for sand...and two trips to Lowe's for topsoil. But whatever...it is DONE!!!

Well, until it "settles." Seems no matter how well you pack the sand base, a few rocks always "sink" after a little rain and wear. No biggy...just pull it up, put a little sand under it and then reset it.

We had a 90% chance of rain Thursday (didn't happen!) so I wanted to get this project finished so the sand wouldn't wash away and the rock could begin "settling."

I had a bench sitting in one of my flower beds in the side yard...thought it would look great in the corner. The terracotta pot is one I bought at an auction last year and was just sitting around. I decided it would look better with a few plants!

This is another area that still needs a little "something." In time...for now, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!

Get ready for a BUNCH of pictures!!!

Again, there are hundreds of tutorials online for laying flagstone...it may seem laborious, but it really isn't that difficult and you won't regret it!

I will offer a few little "tips" for laying flagstone. Make sure you have a good sand base, well packed. After your rock is down, water the sand and rock well so the sand will wash down under the rock. After that, dump a mix of top soil and sand on top of the rock and sweep it into the joints. Then lightly water it again. Rain may wash it away a tad the first few times, so you may have to add a little more sand and soil over time....just dump the soil and sand on the rocks and sweep...eventually it will pack and stay put.

If a rock "sinks," lift it up (just pry it up with hammer), toss a little more sand under the rock to build it up and level it out, reset the rock and then fill the joint with the sand and soil mixture.

I have a tiny front porch and I love how this has opened up the front of the house a bit! It's still not that wrap around front porch I want, but it is a lot better than it was before! It eliminates an eye sore AND the need to crawl around every year filling it with plants! I just plant the pots and I'm done! Super simple to maintain!

I use to decorate the front of the house in the fall with hay bales, corn stalks, pumpkins and scarecrows. I quit doing it because I had to deal with mildewy hay bales after Thanksgiving...but I may have to start it again this year...this area would just be too cute with all the "harvest" decor!

Hum...guess we will see...fall will be here before you know it!

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Bedroom makeover...part 2? 3?

I don't know how many times I have griped about my master bedroom. So this past month I began chewing away at a few little things I dislike.

It is my favorite room in the house AND my least favorite. My favorite because it is an awesome room...big, bright, cozy. Least favorite because after 13 years, I STILL haven't decorated it the way I REALLY want it.

I blame it on the furniture.

Ornate, heavy, dark, veeeery traditional! I paid entirely too much for it, so I can't bring myself to get rid of it. One bad thing about furniture...no matter how much you paid for it, chances are you are only going to get pennies on the dollar.

There are a few pieces I would never get rid of...my dad's walnut chair and my grandparent's old trunk. The rest of it...honestly, if I had unlimited funds, it would all go.

But I don't...so it won't. The next best thing is to change it up a bit with a little bit of paint!

I featured the beside tables and the high boy here!

The next big project was the bed!

Honestly, this set would be perfect for a chalkpaint and distress treatment. I painted it with Kilz and sanded it and it was so cool looking. But alas, that is not my "thang" so I just went with my go-to Valspar Dune color.

I did finally paint the top of the Duncan Phyfe drum table...bye, bye beautiful mahogany!

I still need to do some kind of little vingette around this table...in time!

I'm not real thrilled with the bed. I had originally planned on painting all the raised part of the head board and just leaving the inset stained but Brian talked me into just painting the top scrolly part...which is really the part I disliked and it seems the paint just highlighted it. (See, I take his advise!) Oh well...it is different and that will do for now!

I also picked up this darling little antique fan at an auction. I'm not really into "froo-froo" stuff just sitting around and eventually it will probably go to one of my flea booths. But I like the color and retro style and it looks kinda cool on top of the highboy...for now! Until I have to dust it!

Now that all the furniture is painted, I REALLY want to install hand-scraped laminate flooring. And I really want to reupholstery the big chairs. Someday!

I found this AWESOME color chart on Pinterest....

I have some white and tan in the throw pillows and bedding but the majority of my white is a little more "off-white" and my walls are more of a "cream" than a tan. I can live without the grey...I like black better. But the blue is the color of my fireplace wall and I am itching to throw the cranberry color in there somewhere. Maybe in the upholstery on the chairs or a large rug on my new floors!

The paddle fans? Hum...might have to do a little a little paddle fan treatment!

So much I WANT to do.

That is one thing one has to understand about home decor. Unless you have A LOT of money and can afford to have a professional designer come in and do it top to bottom (my choice would be Candice Olson!) the best approach is a little bit at a time.

Don't be afraid to buy used and do a little work to make it your own. As much as I disliked this furniture when it was all stained and matchy-matchy, I'm kind of digging it now! Still want something different, but I like it a lot more now than I did two weeks ago! The floors will come in time and I know someday a piece of upholstery fabric for the chairs will "speak to me" ...someday.

I always tell my kids...it's a good thing we don't have a lot of money...think of all the great things we would never have learned to do had we had the money to pay someone else to do it!

Seriously how much personal satisfaction could one get from having a bazillion dollars and being able to design, built and decorate your "dream" house without concern for costs?

See what paint fumes do to you....

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Precious little metal "ice cream" chairs before and after!

I bought these pathetic little chairs at an auction last fall....

...neglected for who-knows how many years in an old outbuilding. Rusted, rotten...so sad.

Then they were neglected for months in my garage because of the "rust issue" I just had no desire to tackle. But I did...and truthfully, it is not that big of a deal (check out how to deal with rust here)....

Then they sat in my garage for ANOTHER month.

They are so darling and I knew I wanted to do something bright and fun with them...I just didn't know what. I get serious mental blocks on upholstery projects!

(I can always tell how long a "project" has been around just by the grass...in the "before" pictures my bermuda is dormant...now it is lush and green and needs to be mowed twice a week!)

So I went to the fabric store and found the brightest and most colorful fabric I could find!

Red for the frame...red is cheerful and fun and since the fabric had every color imaginable, it was perfect!

After dealing with the rust and giving them a good dose of primer (and of course the primer had to cure for a month while I mulled over colors), I sprayed the frames with red spray paint. I cut new seats and backs out of 3/8" plywood and covered them with new batting and the bright fabric .

Here is a little hint...if the "frame" where the back goes is 11", do not cut a new board 11", cover it with new fabric and batting, and expect it to fit. It won't.

The big button (almost) dead center in the flower was a fluke! The original back had a big button and I knew I wanted a button.

So this gives me the perfect opportunity to share how to make buttons for any project...chairs, pillows, headboards! Anything that has or needs a button...you can MAKE one out of any fabric!

Just buy a button kit...they have them at the fabric stores and most hobby stores. There is a template on the back for the fabric cutout and they come in all different sizes....

They are super easy to make! Just follow the directions on the back of the package!

TIP...put a dab of hot glue on the back of the front of the button before you hammer the back on and then put a dab of hot glue on the little U hook on the back of the button. A few times the back has separated from the front or the little U hook has come off the back...the glue just reinforces them a bit!

To attach the button, I measured and located the center of the board, drilled two small holes, threaded wax covered string on a large upholstery needle from back to front, through the front padding and fabric, slipped the button on the string, then threaded it back through and tied it off. Then I put a little dab of hot glue on the knot. Super simple!

I padded the back with a little batting and covered it with red fabric!

I love these little chairs...if I had somewhere to put them, I would keep them! Darling!

When I step outside my comfort zone and go with bright and colorful, I am never disappointed...maybe I should take that into consideration next time I makeover something I intend to keep!

And here is a little "upcycle" hint. I had an old outdoor chair cushion that was thrown in a pile of things I picked up at an auction. The fabric was crud but the batting inside was good. I took the fabric off and used the batting that was inside for this chair and saved the rest for future projects. Free padding!

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Antique glass lamps.....to hot glue or not to hot glue...

Several months ago I bought two antique glass lamps at an auction. They are amazing! So simple yet elegant. Kind of a "Grace Kelly" lamp if you ask me...lol!

They have a faint decorative etching in the glass that is difficult to see...very subtle...but so pretty.

The exposed metal on the lamps have a little "corrosion" but I have decided to leave that be for the time being. Amazingly, they don't have a chip anywhere on the glass!

I decided to keep one and replace the little round crystal lamp I have in my office. But I wasn't real keen on the lamp shade, so I decided to keep the lamp shade from the crystal lamp....

I have some pearl froo-froo trim I bought after Christmas last year for pennies. I decided I would gussy up the lamp shade with trim...just to give it a little more glam.

That is where the question of hot glue vs. tacky glue comes in.

I think hot glue has a time and place. But whenever possible, especially on fabrics and upholstery, I always use a quick drying tacky/fabric glue. It takes a tad longer to set up but it holds better in the long run. Sometimes I will put a tiny bit of hot glue on something just to help it hold until the tacky/fabric glue dries completely. I do the same for wood working projects...apply a little bit of hot glue just to hold something in place that can't be clamped until the heavy duty mastic or wood glue can dry completely. But hot glue can break down in extreme hot and cold temps or even with too much "stress" from use. So I rarely use it exclusively...I just think, long term, tacky/fabric glue (and liquid nail or wood glue for wood projects) is a better option.

I see upholstery tutorials suggest hot glue for piping and trim. I personally think that is a mistake!

On this lamp shade, I applied a line of the tacky glue along the edge and then pressed the decorative trim in place....

Again, subtle...but it is the little subtle changes and additions that can make a difference in the "big picture."

HINT: If you use tacky/fabric glue, go back after the glue has "tacked" (10-15 minutes) and press the trim down again! At that point the glue will have a better "grip" and the trim will press flat and adhere better.

(Yes, that is a piece of driftwood on the table...I picked it up on our fishing trip in Colorado last year and I just love the texture of driftwood...I have another piece on my mantel in the den that I picked up off a frozen lake in Georgetown, Colorado 10 years ago!)

Lamps can be an expensive accessory in a room. But they are soooo easy to spruce up or change...just by painting or changing the shade. Several years ago I got a bit tired of my bedside lamps...too dark. So I painted the base AND the shades.

Not a humungus difference...and I am still not real keen on the style.... but it is enough to keep me from running out and paying $200 for the two lamps I wanted.

Painting light fixtures and lamps is a great way to personalize and update a space on the cheap! I featured painted light fixtures and paddle fans here and outdoor fixtures here.

Again, give it a shot...what's the worst thing that can happen...you don't like it. So what...you don't like it as it is...before you toss it, paint it or trim it. It will fetch the same price in the garage sale regardless...lol!

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Nasty little chair makeover...PART I!

My INTENT was to get this chair done this week so I could feature it. The weather and a bum back kind of slowed me down. But I got it done...but I am still going to break this up into a "Two Part Series" because the work that had to be done was pretty extensive. If you just want to see the before and after, check out Part II and scroll to the bottom!

This gives me a great opportunity to stress the importance of TAKING YOUR TIME and DOING IT RIGHT!

The simplest little makeover takes time. You can't rush the process. Strip it properly, sand it properly, prime it properly, paint it properly! Otherwise you are wasting your time and money!

My newest project is very similar to a chair I did for Sis....it was one of my first "features" here. (I wish I had taken better pictures to show all the detail!) The paint part was a tad easier because it didn't have to be stripped first. But it was one of my first upholstery jobs, and the more experience you get, the easier it is. Okay, it doesn't get easier...you just know it is going to be a challenge.

One thing I have learned about upholstery...no two pieces are the same and ALL have their challenges. You learn to be creative, take your time, and use the proper tools...more on that when we get into the actual upholstery process!

I spied this pathetic little chair sitting outside an apartment...obviously it was being neglected and unloved! And then it was abandoned! So I tossed it in the back of my truck and brought it home. As with most projects, it sat and waited for inspiration (and time).

I know many tout the virtues of chalk and plaster paint. No sanding, no prep, no prime. But 1) I am old school and 2) the paint on this chair was literally crumbling off and I could scrape the white paint off with my fingernail!

I wasn't going to risk painting this chair only to have the old paint flake off! Besides, I have to have a nice smooth "template." So my best bet was to strip, sand, prime and paint.

First I had to remove the old upholstery. I'm not sure what is worse...a seriously botched attempt to "cover" the old upholstery or doing so and leaving the old upholstery intact. Which means I had to remove the 8,324 staples someone used to haphazardly attach the disgusting green fabric and the 6,352 upholstery nails (these are just estimates) used on the original disgusting fabric.

Regardless of what you are removing...good or bad...I always suggest taking TONS of pictures while you deconstruct. You THINK you will remember how something was constructed, but you may not. It is always good to have pictures to refer back to! When I took my first shot at reupholstering a chair I took hundreds of pictures as I deconstructed it...boy was I glad later when I got stuck on something and wasn't sure what to do! I just referred back to the picture of the original and I knew exactly what I needed to do!

After hours of pulling, prying and cursing, I was down to bare bones (both the chair and my hands!)

Once I got all the old upholstery off, I addressed the little "wobbles." This chair was in pretty good shape structurally but it is important to make sure all the joints are secure and tight. Glue and clamps! Don't move forward on a project like this until you make sure everything is in tip-top shape. You don't want to be glueing and clamping after you have a shiny new finish on!

Now it was time for a little strip job.

I used Citristrip jel to remove the multiple layers of paint! It actually took 2 applications. An old toothbrush on all the nocks and crannies. I used a mineral spirit wash to remove all the "goo." Then I let it all dry thoroughly.

I know stripping old finish and paint is a tedious, nasty, back-breaking process...and I have no doubt it is the reason someone came up with the idea of mixing plaster and paint. But again, my "old-school" mentality just won't let me move forward without properly stripping all the old paint off.

I don't paint over wallpaper, I don't tile over vinyl, I don't upholster over old upholstery. I just don't. Call me crazy.

Then I sanded....and sanded....and sanded! Getting all the old paint out of the grooves in the legs was not an easy task...but absolutely essential! This is exactly why I always keep old toothbrushes with my shop tools!

After sanding, I primed it with Kilz. I like Kilz for several reasons. For me, it is my personal preference after years of experience. Others swear by Zinsser. This is just one of those things you need to experiment with and do what works best for you! Regardless, I will ALWAYS recommend an oil-based primer!

Nine times out of ten I am going to prime a piece before I paint it. I am not willing to take the risk of "bleed through", I want a smooth finish and I want my paint to stick! On rare occasions I will not apply a primer if I am going to use chalk/plaster paint and plan to distress the piece. But even then I prime areas I suspect might bleed through or cause problems.

Anywho, after I got MOST of the old paint off and sprayed on the primer, I let it dry thoroughly. Then I sanded, and sanded, and sanded...again. I started with a 80-120 grit, and finished with a 220.

I like to sand. Or rather I like how the piece feels and looks after it has been primed and sanded. And in my opinion, "feeling" is the key!

Funny story...years ago I was feeling quite smug about the fact that I had not gotten all those nasty little wrinkles all my friends had around their eyes and mouths and on their neck. Until I put my readers on one day to pluck my eyebrows...and there they were.

Even though I finally broke down and got prescription glasses, I still don't trust my eyes to see all the imperfections...but I do trust my hands. As I sand, I "feel." If you can feel it, it will show through a coat of paint!!! Sanding transforms the piece and if done properly, it can mean the difference between having a piece that is beautiful and professional or one that looks like an inexperienced DIYer threw it together!

After priming and sanding, I used my compressor to blow the dust off and then tack cloth to get rid of all the little smidges of dust and debris! I know I harp on using tack cloth...I can not stress how important this step is!

My original plan was to paint the chair a "blush/salmon/coral" color and then upholstery it in black damask. I saw a chair almost identical to this one in those colors SOMEWHERE...and then I couldn't. What I could find was a lot of teal and damask...and since this is a piece that will be sold, I decided I had to go with what is obviously "in." A "pink" chair can be risky! Pretty, but risky!

So teal it is....

The trick to spray painting anything (besides the prep work) is to do 3-4 VERY light coats...let it dry for 30-45 minutes between coats. If you get a drip or run (which you shouldn't if you do LIGHT coats) let it dry OVER NIGHT and then carefully and lightly sand it with a VERY fine grit sand paper! Tack and then lightly spray it again.

After the paint dries I gave it a good coat of clear poly finish. Probably overkill considering the Valspar spray paint I use SAYS it is an "all in one." Again, I'm old school. You clear coat everything.

The key now is to WAIT. Wait and let the paint dry and cure for a few days. Upholstery can put a lot of wear and tear on a piece so you want the paint to be cured before you begin working on the upholstery.

And as you can see, this piece has some serious reconstruction to do before I can ever begin to put the fabric on! I'll make sure I take good pictures and share step-by-step instructions on how to reconstruct and reupholster this chair!

IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT....TAKE YOUR TIME!

Stay tuned! Part II is on its way!

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Drexel Declaration Mid Century coffee table...

I know I am always talking about how AWESOME some of my furniture finds are, but this is truly an AWESOME piece!!! Mid century and walnut...my absolute favorites! (Check out some of my other mid century finds and makeovers here!)

We scored this coffee table at an auction. I probably should have flipped it over and looked for markings before bidding, but it is pretty big and honestly, I didn't want to draw too much attention to it (gotta be "cool" at the auctions!) When I bid on it, I knew nothing about it other than it was walnut and mid century! Structurally, it was in mint condition and I knew it could be spectacular with a little elbow grease. The scratches and water sports were not too bad! We were told it had been stored in an old outbuilding for years....I believe it!

The piece is marked on the bottom. It is a Drexel Declaration coffee table. A relatively "rare" piece with a good value!

As I have said before, it is not the "profit value" that motivates me. It is the absolute LOVE I have for this furniture.

It has been in my garage for months. I just didn't have the time or space to mess with it! The first thing I had to do was strip it. Keep in mind the finish on these pieces are 50+ years old so the old varnish has "yellowed" over time. And of course there is all the wear and tear...scratches, water damage, worn finish! But you CAN NOT strip old paint or varnish inside. The chemicals are just too strong and stripping and sanding does make a bit of a mess so I made sure I got all stripping and sanding done before it got too cold to work outside! (I really need a heated shop!)

I almost always use Formby's furniture refinisher to strip old varnish. I find that it really does a great job of "melting" the old finish off while hydrating the wood. Occasionally I may have to use something a little stronger and on very rare occasions I will actually sand the piece. I did take some sand paper to this piece only because there were several "water stains" that just couldn't be chemically removed.

I can not stress enough how important it is to CAREFULLY sand old furniture! Veneers can be very thin and it is easy to get carried away! Always start with a fine grain paper (220 grit) and work your way to a heavier grit ONLY if you need it. Then work your way back to a fine grit!

You may not be able to remove every stain or imperfection. And that is okay! Old and antique pieces are going to have imperfections! Embrace them! My office desk I featured here is a prime example....

Try as I might, I could not get this old cigarette burn to go away...and that's okay. It is a constant reminder of one of the many reasons I shouldn't start smoking again!

Fortunately I was able to get almost all the "imperfections" off the coffee table.

Also, most finishes were originally applied in a way to make the wood grain appear "uniform." A multi-layer technique may have been used or the finish and stain were sprayed on. Once the original finish is removed, you are likely to find that the wood grain no longer has a "uniform" appearance. Again, embrace it!

After making sure I removed ALL the old finish, I "washed" the entire piece with mineral spirits. This is an important step when refinishing furniture whether you are applying a clear finish or painting. It removes all the gunk and oils. Then I hit is with a very fine sandpaper just to knock down the grain a bit.

The mineral spirit wash will also give you an idea of what color the wood will be when you apply a clear finish. Most woods will be a completely different color stripped than it will after a clear finish has been applied. After you wash the piece with mineral spirits, the wood will eventually dry back to a natural color, but while it is wet you will be able to tell what color it will be after a clear finish is applied and whether you will want to apply a darker or different color stain. I personally love the color of natural walnut after a clear finish is applied, so rarely will I apply a stain.

After wiping the piece down with mineral spirits, I wiped the entire piece down with tack cloth to remove dirt and dust. Again, you can wipe down a piece all day with the cleanest cloth...I can promise you the tack cloth will find more! Use it and use it between EVERY coat of finish or paint!

After stripping, sanding and tacking, I began applying the Formby's tung oil. I love this stuff...in my opinion it is a superior finish to poly! Super easy to apply and much less room for error. If it gets scratches in the future, just hit it with 0000 steel wool, tack cloth and then apply another coat of tung oil. Simple!

Because of the weather, I had to apply the tung oil inside. The smell and fumes from tung oil is not that bad. Steel wool itself tends to crumble and create "dust" so I decided to try something new...which is NOT something I do easily! I picked up these little "finishing pads." They seem to work pretty well! I still favor the steel wool, but the pads produced far less "dust" than the steel wool!

A little trick when painting or refinishing...place aluminum foil under the feet/base after you are finished sanding and tacking. Most paint and finish won't stick to aluminum foil (unlike paper) and it will protect your floor and keep dust from being dragged onto the base when applying the finish!

I usually apply 3-5 coats of tung oil. I use a "stain sponge." You can usually find them in the stain section at Lowe's. Three coats is usually enough, but if I still feel the finish is "uneven" I will continue to apply coats until I get an even "gloss" look. ALWAYS rub it down with 0000 steel wool and tack cloth between each coat.

Whether you use steel wool or finishing pads or sand paper, make sure you always sand WITH the grain.

"Sanding" and tack cloth between each coat is VERY important. I used tack cloth before I applied the first coat of tung oil and I could still see and feel "crumbs" after it dried!!!

I love this piece. I think it looks a tad too big for my living room, but I just can't bring myself to part with it! Honestly, I think I would like it a bit better if I had a bigger rug. This one has always been a tad too small, but it was cheap and I just needed something to throw down to keep our toes warm! With an old kitty in the house, you don't invest too much in rugs.

So I have been looking...Joss and Main...Overstock...I'm looking! Someday.

(UPDATE! Yep, that is the NEW rug...featured it here...and I seriously love it! I am so honored to be featured on betterafter.net! Gail asked to see the inside, so here is a picture with the top open. As you can see it has a little compartment with a sliding drawer. The inside was in mint condition, so I did not do anything to it!)

and Better After!

and Curbly.com

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Painted throw pillows....

Some days I am determined to get my sewing projects completed. And then this....

How am I suppose to get any work done when they do this!?

But I did...I actually made a few pillows, including these darling painted throw pillows. Check out the tutorial here! (I can not currently get the link thingy to work...just click on "Trash to Treasures Tutorials" above!)

Due to the "cat delay" I wasn't able to get my couch cushion made. Darn. Oh well, I've lived without for a year...guess it can wait another day or two...lol!

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Cabinet door chalkboards....

I just assume everyone has old cabinet doors laying around...probably a silly assumption! But I see old cabinets all the time at garage sales and thrift stores. If you can find inexpensive old cabinets with decent doors, buy the cabinet and use the doors to make these super cool chalkboards! Or stop by your local Habitat for Humanity...they have TONS of old doors for cheap!

I just happened to have a bunch of cabinet doors stacked up in storage at my apartments...ones I had saved for whatever reason. I decided to put them to good use! (I have no doubt I will need one next week...always happens!)

First remove all the old hardware and fill the holes with wood putty. Some doors have European hinges and those leave big holes...just ignore them! They are on the back...no one will see them!

Next, sand the door with a 110 or 220 grit paper...just enough to knock the shine off the finish...then use TACK CLOTH!!!

I always paint the back or underside of any project first...that way when I flip it to do the top I don't feel too terribly bad if I ding or scratch the back or underside!

You are going to use chalkboard paint in the center of the front, so you only have to paint the back and the frame of the front.

I painted all these cabinet doors different colors since I will be putting them in my flea booth.

I spray painted a few with bright colors, so I primed those with Kilz (sanding and tack cloth between coats!). I used plaster paint (no primer) on a few and sanded the edges.

Regardless of the paint you use, always apply 1-2 coats of clear coat to seal the paint. Do this BEFORE applying the chalkboard paint!

Let the paint and clear coat dry over night and then tape off the frames with painter's tape.

I wanted to try the new Frog tape because I have read really outstanding reviews but I could NOT find the roll I bought last week...it is here somewhere, I just can't find it. So I used good ole' blue painter's tape.

Several months ago I bought a quart of black chalkboard paint at Lowes. I have used it on several projects and it really is outstanding. When Katie wanted "chalkboard" walls, we just used Valspar flat paint since we needed 2 gallons and it has worked great!

I think for this size project, the "real" chalkboard paint is worth the investment.

I used a brush for the corners and edges and then I used a 4" sponge roller. I applied 3 coats.

After all the paint dries, put a hanger on the back. I used cup pulls for the little tray for chalk.

This is a fairly simple and inexpensive project! If you have any old cabinet doors sitting around or stumble across a few at a garage sale or thrift store, give it a shot!

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