From Trash to Treasure

Today I'm linking up with Kelly's blog, Kelly's Korner, to share what I make. I'm also linking up to Funky Junk, My Romantic Home, and The Shabby Nest! :-)

Although fixing up furniture doesn't technically count as "making" something, I feel that I transform the furniture into a brand new piece each time I restore or fix it! I'm still a newcomer in the furniture restoration business, so I'm going to share the projects I have completed so far. I am going to start with the first piece of furniture I ever fixed up! I wanted a new headboard, and after much research I found this beauty for $40. I knew that I wanted it to be white, and this old brass headboard was the perfect candidate!

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

I painted it outside, and had to use my planters to hold down the tarp..it was really windy that day!

Here the headboard is in the bedroom. I just love the way it fits! And with this picture I will introduce my next "rescue" project! I don't know if I've talked about my love for Craigslist before...but I LOVE CRAIGSLIST! My favorite pieces of furniture have come from Craigslist. I had been looking for nightstands FOREVER, when one day I was on Craigslist in my favorite section, Antiques, and I saw these beauties...$30 for both, such a steal!

{BEFORE}

Here they are before I gave them a little TLC, can't you see the potential there?

{AFTER}

All these night stands needed was a little bit of sanding and some wood rejuvinating oil.

 

This is the kind I use, WATCO rejuvenating oil, if you fix up furniture at all I highly recommend it!

Another one of my little projects that I am proud of is an unfinished bookshelf that I stained and finished! I sadly don't have a true before picture because it slipped my mind! Here it is mid-staining!

{BEFORE}

I stained it with Minwax Red Oak, before the wood was VERY light...completly unfinished. Here it is after the second coat of stain and with the lining on the backs of the shelves!

{AFTER}

To line the back of this bookshelf I simply got scrapbook paper and used Modge Podge to apply and seal it! It wasn't as easy as it sounds, I had to use several pieces of scrapbook paper and match up all of the vertical lines. It was quite the process, but I love the end result! Here it is in my bedroom.

I love how it turned out! It's just the perfect size!

This next project was a random Goodwill find. Future Hubster and I were running errands and I saw this sitting outside and just had to go look. It turns out it was only $9! Which I think is a great deal for an ANTIQUE Sears & Roebuck sewing machine cabinet! It didn't include the actual sewing machine, but I was fine with that...I had other plans for it :-)

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

Here it is in it's current location...as a vanity table in my bedroom!

It's just so cute in the corner of my room! :-)

One of the projects that I am the most proud of is the transformation of my kitchen table and chairs.

 I've already done a blog about them...that story can be found HERE!

Here are a few of my non-furniture projects that I've worked on. The first is a cute little frame that I made myself!

For this I used a frame I already had and backed it with scrapbook paper and then added a "Keep Calm and Carry On" image I got from The Graphics Fairy. If you haven't visited her blog yet...YOU SHOULD!!! :-)

I love chalkboard paint and haven't had enough places to use it...but I did create a cute little chalkboard from an ugly rooster hanging.

I've already blogged about it and you can view the transformation HERE!

I hope you enjoyed looking at a few of my transformations! I love fixing furniture and my obsession has only grown since I started. I'm currently working on several projects that I can't wait to share. I posted a sneek peek of an antique High Back chair I'm working on...you can read about that HERE. I also have an antique vanity and highboy dresser I will be working on soon! I hope you'll keep up with my progress and share any tips or tricks you've learned! Thanks for stopping by!

"All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." Proverbs 14:23

Sneek Peek...

This is just a little sneek peek at my newest project! Now remember, I said "sneak peek" therefore no pictures of the whole chair!

Don't you just LOVE the orange velour seat?! ;-) I bought this little beauty at the flea market a couple of weeks ago. I think..no I KNOW the Future Hubster thought I was insane for wanting this chair, but he was a trooper and carried it all the way back to the car for me! I could see beyond the hideous orange velour seat, chips and cracks. The best part....it was only $5!

Yes, that's right.....$5! The man at the flea market had it listed at $59.00 originally, then $14.50..but I got it for $5!

I just love the detail and coloring!

The back of this chair is to die for, it's just so elegant.

Can you tell a girl was working on this project? ;-) There are some places on the back of the chair that needed to be bonded together again, so I got out the trusty wood glue! Gotta love the pink clips to help hold wood glue together!

I went into the fabric store looking for toile, and I came out with this lovely. I am in LOVE with the boldness of this pattern, I think that I am going to like having this in one spot. It's beautiful and I feel like it will fit in nicely in my future kitchen or living room :-) I am obviously in love with blues and yellows, they just jump out at me! I hope you enjoyed the teaser! I should be finishing up the project soon, I just need to recover the chair and it will be done. I am so excited to show you the final product :-) Have a great week everyone!

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you, bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart" Proverbs 3:3

A Rooster & Some Chalkboard Paint

Today I'm linking my post to Funky Junk Interiors "Saturday Night Special"! I am going to share a fun little project that I did last May! My parents had a huge garage sale, but before my mom put everything out for sale I got to look through the goods! I instantly saw this lovely rooster hanging....

Special, right?! I have to say, I know some people LOVE their roosters...they're just not my favorite bird :-) But I had plans for this little beauty! I love the iron detailing on the top.

All it took was a little Chalkboard spraypaint....one of the greatest inventions ever! :-) And voilà, you get this...

How fun is this little chalkboard?! :-) I love it!!!

I have this hanging in my dining room now!

Today I linked up with Kelly's Korner again to talk about my alma mater, Baylor University, you can view this post HERE! It was great to connect with current students and alumni! I am just so thankful for all of the people I've met through this wonderful little blog community! :-)

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in." Psalm: 5:11

Dumpster Divin Diva

This summer my wonderful fiancé, well then he was my fiancé-to-be...I just didn't know it yet :-), noticed something out by the dumpster that he thought was a bit odd. He called me out to look, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing....eight perfectly good chairs dining room chairs. I thought that surely there was something wrong with them...but as I checked them over I found that they were fine...just a little beat up...okay REALLY beat up....but I knew that all they needed was some TLC. We lugged all of them inside and got an even better look at them. They were pretty bad off, they were dirty, really scratched up and needed to be repainted. This sounded like the perfect job for me :-)

They were all scratched up and filthy, but I knew that they were going to be just beautiful when I got through with them!

Now that I had the perfect chairs I realized that one minor thing was missing...a kitchen table that would seat this many chairs! I scoured Craigslist for a cheap table that would match my soon-to-be cute little chairs. Before I knew it I had found one, I got it for a steal...only $40! :-) Now this table wasn't perfect either, it needed some work...it was very scratched up as well. Here is a before of the chairs with the new table.

Not exactly my dream dining set :-)

The table is wonderful, it's sturdy and very heavy. I ended up completly sanding all of the varnish off of the top and leaving some around the trim. I also sanded the legs and painted them white, I couldn't believe the transformation! As I began to sand the chairs I coudln't believe how much work it was going to take! I had blisters on my hands and wanted to quit after the first three chairs! Another important factor...I was sanding these chairs outside, in the middle of July...in TEXAS. Needless to say...I was a little hot while slaving away over these chairs :-) The hard work paid off in the end.

Here is the finished product!

It turned out even better than I could've hoped for! :-)

So the next time you drive by a dumpster, think twice ;-) You never know what could be inside....or right outside, in this case!

Linked Up With:

{Southern Hospitality}