Thrifted and Repurposed Window Treatment

Took me a long time to figure out what window treatment I wanted to do above my kitchen sink.  No matter what store or website I looked on, nothing seemed to suit my interest.  Then one afternoon, while visiting a local thrift store, I found this fabric...actually already made into cafe curtains.  It looks like burlap but in a linen blend.  Perfect! 

I brought it home and paired it up with some pallet wood slats (from another project) and used it to make this valance.  The words are just something I printed out in super huge font, meticulously cut out and glued to the front board.  The fabric was cut and measured and stapled to the back of the wood pieces. 

I had some left over fabric and decided to use it to make storage cubes out of some left over cardboard boxes that help drinking glasses I had purchased. A little bit of spray adhesive and...wah-lah!

A Thankful Centerpiece

A vintage piece and a bit of  fluff makes for a great  seasonal centerpiece

My dear friend and neighbor had this cradle sitting at her curb one afternoon.  Curious, I stopped to ask her about it.  She told me she was throwing it away and that I could take it if I wanted it.  It was her grandmother's cradle but the bottom was completely broken out and one of the corners had chipped off.  She was tired of seeing it lie around her house anymore.  She used it for magazines, for dog toys, etc.  But it had served its purpose for her.  When I told her I would like it to make a centerpiece for my table she was thrilled that it would be taken and used and appreciated by a friend.  Using some things I found around the house, this is what I cam up with!  The canning jar is filled with long grain rice and a votive.  The Pumpkin and gourds are fake, as well as the berry garland.  But my daughter and I collected some pine cones and acorns to throw in.  Christmas is just around the corner and we will be redecorating soon.  Glad we had the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate this vintage piece over the last few weeks.  

Painted, Distressed and Antiqued Using Left Over Paints

I'd been looking for the perfect piece of furniture that would give me lots of storage space, but fit against the narrow little wall of my bathroom.  Towels, hair accessories, nail polish, hair dryers, etc. needed to find a home.  So when I came across this dresser, I was thrilled.  Yes, it was covered in an ugly dark brown stain that badly needed some TLC, but the price was right. It was free!  My in-laws came across it on the side of the road and offered it to me.

Well, for about a year it sat in my bathroom and served its purpose.  But it did not look pretty.  In fact, it bothered me every time I used the bathroom, and I avoided looking at it at all costs. I knew we could not afford to buy a piece of furniture that would please me perfectly.  Nor could we afford, at this time to even buy a can of paint!  But finally this week I got the initiative and idea to revamp it. 

My first step was to sand it and get rid of any shine that would prohibit the paint from sticking. It wasn't too difficult thankfully since it had taken years of wear and tear with no one touching it.
After that I mixed two paints that I had from previous room projects...a blue from my kitchen and a yellow from my dining room...blue and yellow make green! I came up with this glamorous sea foam green. It matched the shower curtain and towels I already have. I used a small foam roller (with no nap) to apply it. Using a roller prevents paint brush streaks and makes it almost appear as if it was spray painted.  I applied two coats. 

I allowed the paint to dry over night and then used a block sander to rough up the edges of all surfaces...drawers, knobs, legs, sides, etc.  I also sanded down some random spots to really give it that distressed look. 

I also found in my basement a can of glaze that I had from years ago when feather dusting and rag coating on your painted walls was popular and a can of brown paint used for a feature wall in my daughter's bedroom.  Following the direction on the can of glaze I mixed some of the paint into the glaze and brushed it on the dresser surfaces.  Working small sections at a time wipe off the glaze/paint mixture before it dries completely. It leaves a tint in the shade of the paint... Thankfully the brown I added gave the sea foam color just the stained/aged look I was hoping for!

Needless to say I am happy with the outcome but THRILLED with the cost....$0!