It Takes Two

Bad news, I'm still using my cell phone as my primary photo taker.  Good news, these are a bit better because they weren't taken in my workshop!  I'm givin' you something to stick around for folks!

Picked up the furniture that was part of the decor for a Spring Parade of Homes house this morning.  It is always so fun to see your creations living (temporarily) in these gorgeous new homes with all the latest 'gee whizz' cool stuff.  Well I picked up most of it.  The two little side tables I had restyled so quickly for them at the last minute were purchased to permanently continue their work as designer house decor items.  

I have searched everywhere for my original before pic of these guys, but can't find it anywhere.  I'll give ya the written visual:  two Ethan Allen square side tables with a dark, dark stain and hard finish on them.  The gals had been asking for a coffee table for one of the houses.  The decor was very California beach home.  This house sits on a sand pit lake, common here in Nebraska for the non-local readers, and I wish I had thought to take some photos of the house.  It is gorgeous and just sold.  (The Builder was Absolute Custom for the locals.)

I never did find a coffee table, but when my 'picker' husband shot me a cell phone photo of these two tables to see if I wanted him to get them I knew what we could do.  And I say we because my picker even volunteered to be my stain stripper because he knew we were on a time crunch.  So, when one good coffee table is difficult to find, how about 2 nice smaller tables side by side??!  You betcha!

Ethan Allen uses a good quality stain and poly I will say, and curves are always a challenge.  It was difficult to remove every trace of that almost black stain, but we both tried hard.  And eventually got it to the point where we could see that it would work.  I applied a couple of coats of Minwax' Weathered Oak stain to begin, and followed that up with a couple of white wash coats of ASCP Old White.  Paint fast, wipe it off fast, with 2 or 3 layers depending on the spot.  The tops had stripped off easily and were easy to power sand so they ended up just naturally lighter.  

(Isn't that rug under the table gorgeous?)  Squirrel!

The design team totally styled the pieces after we dropped them off and the room was so lovely.  I love knowing my little tables are going to be help people see a nice big house as a possible home.  It's a good gig if you can get it little tables!  

To end this post I would just like to add my continuing prayers for the people in Oklahoma who were affected by ALL the tornadoes this week.  It has been difficult to watch all the destruction that was left behind and reported on.  Your strength, faith, and spirit have been so apparent in the stories we continue to hear.  It's humbling.   Please everyone, consider giving to one of the charitable organizations that will continue to provide aide to these folks as they heal and rebuild.  

God Bless everyone!

Deb

Linking to:  

Tried to anyway, it just wouldn't take. :-(


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Omaha Subway

How's that for a working title that may not get changed because I feel a bit "brain fried" at the moment?!  I've been AWOL again but my Dad was in ICU with a head injury (scary!) for several days and I wanted to lend some support and help to my Mom.  Thank you to all who knew and sent prayers our way.  I know it helped, and he is now home resting up and healing.

So I want to talk subway, not the sandwiches, but the art form.  I have been smitten with subway dressers since I first saw one many months ago.  I can't tell you where I saw it and I know there have been any number of versions done for all different areas and themes, but I do remember the one Twice Lovely presented on her blog a while back.  I've been wanting to do one for my area ever since and I finally have the perfect dresser to make it happen.  That, and a little incentive to "git er done". 
Here is Omaha.

I had already started the prep work when I had to leave town to be with my family, so when I came home it went together very quickly and I put the last coat of wax on it this morning. 

I decided to use Historical Landmarks around the Omaha area to feature on the dresser front.  It was based in Old White.

I used my Silhouette and various fonts to create the graphics for the drawers. The top coat is ASCP Graphite.

If you live around here you might be familiar with a few of these!  There was not enough dresser to include everything I came up with!  Maybe Omaha will need a brother or sister one of these days.

This was definitely a "fun one".  I needed that feeling after a stressful few days.  This dresser may or may not have an interesting temporary home soon.  We'll see, and I'll keep you posted on where you can find it for sale! 

Be good to one another!
Deb
Linking to:
http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/2012/08/poww-100-furniture-link-party.html
http://elizabethandco.blogspot.com/2012/08/be-inspired-features-and-link-party-31.html
http://missmustardseed.com/2012/08/furniture-feature-friday-a-link-party-4/

Summer's End

I don't know about you, but it seems to me that Summer is over as soon as the kiddos head back to school.  I don't feel like waiting until September 23 to start getting geared up for Fall.  I really felt though like this latest piece needed to have that easy, breezy summer feel to it.  That mellow, melting last of the sunny yellow days feel.  I gave you a sneak peak of this sweet little 3 drawer chest that I picked up a few weeks back.  Remeber this?
I worked on this last week and finished it up to show you today.  I just have to say that I might have a really, really hard time letting this one ever leave.  See what you think.

She truly is so sweet.  She was base coated in ASCP Cream, then highlighted in Old White.  When I finished I really thought she needed something on the pretty side panels.  I found more inspiration in Country Collectibles #65 2011 Decorating Shortcuts/Quick Updates.   These techniques were tutorials taken from
Quick & Easy Paint Transformations  by Annie Sloan, CICO Books, 2010, 160pp.

I simply followed the simple directions for painting the cow parsley as Annie outlined.  The technique is simple enough for those with no fine painting training or skills to accomplish.  Your tools are a little paint (I used some decoart that I had on hand in a soft gray), torn pieces of cardboard from a cereal box, and a matchstick.  I'm telling you, I have got to get this book! 

Another shot of the other side.

New hardware and very light distressing with a clear wax finish complete this piece, which may need to live at my house for a long while!

I have to confess to being a DIY/Decorating Magazine junkie.  I pick up a lot of them along the way to oooh and ahhh over the inspiring photos.  I really do buy a lot of them, but I have never dog-eared so many pages as I have out of this Decorating Shortcuts edition.  I'm finding tons of inspiring ideas in here.  So I have to know, because so many of you out there are so UBER CREATIVE, where do you find your inspiration?  What makes your head spin with fresh ideas?  I have to say, it sometimes seems daunting to try and come up with something fresh when so many have already gone before you.  I check out tons of blogs everyday to feed my creative fires, I buy a lot (sorry Mr.) of lovely magazines, and I've even joined the Pinterest hoards and am learning all about "pinning".  Heaven help me!  Tell me what you do to stay fresh, to push yourself to try something new, to stay energized??

Have a happy week!
Deb
Linked to:
http://mollysusanstrong.blogspot.com/2011/08/market-monday-with-linky-my-real.html
http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/2011/08/piece-of-work-wednesday-furniture-link_30.html
http://shadesofamberinc.blogspot.com/2011/08/weekly-chalk-paint-link-party.html