One Night Stand

When I found this wet, lonely nightstand sitting outside, I just had to take it home. Needless to say, it turned into much more than one night stand.

BEFORE:

50's era piece originally from Sears. Not sure if it was raining out, or if this piece is just crying because its so miserable-looking. 

AFTER:

Will be finished by 5/31! Check back for the finished product!

Patio Chairs FTW

Because it is absolutely gorgeous outside, I needed some chairs to lounge on outside. When I saw these puppies, I know they had great bones and could be redone to look super nice. 

BEFORE:

Super dirty, rotten wooden chairs. "Shabby chic" taken too far by Mother Nature.

AFTER:

Smooth, creamy ivory colored outdoor chairs. Ready for relaxin'.

How did I do it?

1. Rinse and clean the chairs with a hose, Lysol, and paper towels.

2. Use a wire scrub brush from the dollar store to scrub mold, dirt, and dust out of the cracks in the wood.

Can you tell which chair has been scrubbed and which one hasn't??

3. Use a spray paint with primer included for full coverage. Using light, quick strokes about 6-8 inches away, paint the chairs with 2 coats. Let the paint dry between coats. 

Yup, that's me spray painting the seat of one of the chairs.

4. Seal the chairs with either a clear top coat spray paint, or a thin coat of polyurethane. If you use polyurethane, watch out for drips on the vertical parts of the chairs!

5. Sit back and enjoy the view of your garden!

Want to try it?

Here are some tips to make sure your patio chairs turn out happily ever after!

• Take your time cleaning, sanding, and scrubbing the wood. Remove as much dirt, dust, and mold as possible. This will prolong the life of your finished piece.
• Use a wood filler and a putty knife to fill any super deep rivets in the wood, or replace a whole slat if necessary.
• Buy chairs with good bones. You can replace the paint or fix a few small areas in the wood, but if the arm is straight up broken, or it sits crooked, it will need a lot more work than if it's structurally sound to begin with.
• Always spray paint in a well-ventilated area such as outside, standing upwind to minimize fume inhalation.

Share your happily ever after chairs below:

Bold Bookshelf

Welcome to my blogspace! I invite you to join me on an adventure that can only end happily ever after. Now, before the project starts, things may not be looking so hot! But I'll explain step-by-step so your project can end happily as well!

Happy Crafting!

The project that inspired this blog:

BEFORE

 

Nasty old rotting bookshelf. Bought it for $5.99

AFTER

Bright and cheery bedside bookshelf! Wouldn't sell it for the world!

How did I do it?

1. Peel off that awful backboard that was already warped and coming apart. I got it wet to make it easier.
2. Clean the shelves with Lysol! And let dry.
3. Apply 2 coats of turquoise blue glossy finish spray paint and let dry between coats.
4. Measure twice and then cut upholstery fabric in coordinating fabric to the size of the back of the bookshelf.
5. Use upholstery tacks to tack the fabric into the frame of the bookshelf as well as the backsides of the shelves to keep it taut.
6. Decorate with candles, pictures, books, and a music box :)

Want to try it?

Here are some tips to make sure your bookshelf turns out happily ever after!

• Find a smaller bookshelf to start with so it's more manageable to keep the fabric flush with the back of the shelves.
• Use a bookshelf that has fake wood on the back that is easy to remove with a hammer, cat's paw, or crowbar.
• Look for a high-gloss spray paint to disguise any irregularities in the surface of the shelves.
• Try bolder, bigger prints such as upholstery fabric because smaller prints can look jumbled or crowded on a piece like this.

Share your happily ever after bookshelf below: