46 in ’14

Reading so many of the

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Year in Review

blog posts made me think about my own once again so I went scrolling through from my first project January 11th — Christmas!

Apparently, I was S L O W getting back to work last year too.  : /

As much as I traveled throughout the year–it totaled 46 projects.

That really surprised me.  Sure, some were small and minor, but many were quite involved and lengthy.

A bigger surprise came from my WordPress Year in Review ~5 OLD projects & posts were in my list of Top Viewed Posts for the year–STILL!

These are my bigger projects for 2014—

The upstairs hall built-in bookshelves and bench,

modifying the alcove,

and re-building the hall linen closet.

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A ’60’s styled dresser and bench

 

screen doors for the closet

Our Great Aunties’ dresser

Lily’s birthday rockers

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Mom’s old vanity    &     The bow-fronted cabinet

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An old record cabinet

 

 

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My 90¢ dish hutch

A Plain-Jane dresser

 

 

From a desk to a bookcase

 

 

 

 

 

Under the Stairs Storage  ~which is not yet finished, so watch for more on that!

Still super popular and always high in my daily stats are these–

The Former Dresser

I had a dresser, but I needed a bookcase

The Craig’s List dresser #1

The Lingerie Chest

The Deck Rug

There were some awesome smaller projects too–

–a few I had a hard time letting go of.   :’ (

Wishing us All  an

incredibly

creatively

prosperous

–

New Year!

Catherine

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my whirlwind ~month~

. It seems like EVery plan I’ve made since May has been foiled by sOMEthing all summer!

So, I just try to roll with the punches.

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While I was gone to Haven last month, mANy things sold out of my antq mall space–a gOOd problem to have ~but.

It’s left me busy working on projects for the store AnD I promised to do the Kane Co flea market for the 1st time in two years, so I needed stuff for thAT too!

~and don’t forget the storm damage we’re stILL dealing with.

At last I have sOMe things to share ~just not everything I’ve been working on.  I was too hurried to take pictures of everything, sorry.

I’ll start with this simple chalk board!

I found a cabinet door at the ReStore with a nice arched top and applique!  I ran it through the table saw to remove the outer door “frame,”

sanded everything, painted it with chalk board paint, decoupaged the styles and rails, and framed the door with leftover bullnose-

-which I painted with a gold leafing paint, and hit some oTHer edges while I was at it!

And I sold it at Kane Co to the loveliest woman!

Catherine

And btw— I’m in the Spot Light at The Power of Paint Party!

I’m sharing this project with these FABulous linky parties!

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a dresser and a bed makeover

I found this dresser just recently at a GoodWill store for $13.50 !

I loved the dresser~

just as it was!

No cutting up or reinventing this one.  Just some paint and waxing this time around! (how unusual pour moi!)

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The bed, I found at one of those St. Vinnie’s ½ price day sales $10 $5 (oh–about 3 yrs ago.  I know, I know~ h-OAR-der).

It needed a lot of repair, and one of the foot board posts was so”iffy,” I just cut them both off and modified the ends to reattach the finials.

Last year I saw this brass branch with birds-thingy for $7.97 in a thrift store.  I had an INstant flashback to an old ad for Patina Furniture.  They were featuring this beaUtiful bed with birds atop each of the four posters. ~And it was an inCREDibly expensive bed.

So I bought the tacky brass-bird-thingy with the intentions of making my oWn version of the bed!

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-Getting to work now-

I painted the dresser a Revere Pewter and Alabaster White combo and LUV’d it!

–and since the paint wAs already out– I just kept painting.  ; D

Yes, from the hall tree, to the dresser, to the bed!

And then I waxed EVERYthing to the smOOthest finish!  While I was at it–I even waxed the inside drawer rails because the drawers were just horrible to open and close.  Now they just gLIDe!

Yes~my work space is cRAZy out of control at the moment, just don’t look at the background!

Out of all the mayhem came these beautiful pieces!

Now- my bed makeover!

Like I said, I cut off the foot board posts (again, because one was sO bad), cleaned scoured the whole bed–it was really gross!  Then I painted away, sanded, painted, sanded–waxed.  Wow did my arms ache after that time off.

I unscrewed 2 of the birds from their branch and quickly figured out a way to attach them to the top of the posts.  Double threaded screws.  So off I went to the big-box-store.  But guess what—they don’t have anything so small.

The guy said, “I guess you’ll have to scrap your idea, huh?”  Silly man.  Never under estimate the power of a determined girl!

Okay, plan A—out.  Plan B.  Why don’t I enlarge the hole, and re-thread it to the smallest double threaded screw you have?  The guy actually looked surprised, but agreed, THAt could work— .

So we grabbed the double threaded screws, headed over to the isle with the drill bit/re-threading parts  -aNd thEN-  he said I would need to buy this $9 hand tool to do the job.  “WHY?” I asked.  After he explained why, and we “discussed it,” I said I really thought I could do it without the pricey (probably, 1 time use) tool, but I wOUld buy it just for back up.

Maybe WOmen are just better at this stuff—I never had an ounce of trouble using my drill–very  s l ow l y,  and finished the task in less than 5 minutes.  And I retURNed the unopened tool for a refund the next day.

I think my birds look sO cool perched up there!

And here’s the whole bed—

I wanted to float the bed in my small space, so I needed some supports to hold it upright.  Bed stores actually sell short little bed rails for display purposes, but they’re expensive.  And, honestly, I wasn’t sure someone wouldn’t assume they go with the bed at sale and take them too!

So I grabbed some scraps and made an improvised “collar.”  While I was at it, I made a little platform so I could display some pillows in the void.

Here are my 2 concoctions—

Hope you like my projects and problem/solution ideas~

Btw—here’s my newly RE-LOADed space.  Without an inch to spare in my 5ft deep x 11ft wide space, huh?

Catherine

PS~ I’m saving the other two birds for a project that will be for ME!

I’m sharing my projects in these linky parties!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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a little deviation–!

I try to go for a good walk each day—TRY, being the operative word.

I like to walk a particular direction, primarily because of the many, decidedly European-styled houses. But the undulating landscapes and river and park make a lovely bonus!

Last fall, in one area of said walk, I noticed some acorns on the ground and excitedly bent to pick them up–where I noticed EVEN MORE!  I finished my walk with stuffed pockets (think chipmunk cheeks!).  And I returned to the Scene of the Crime the next day with a bag in hand!

While I [enthusiastically] plucked every one I could reach from the walking path–and trying not to encroach terribly on the private yard I was reaching into–the homeowner came to greet me–uh oh.  As I begged forgiveness, he laughingly invited me to “. . .Take them all, please!”  I obliged him with another stuffed bag full.

And I returned for more this year–as you can see!  ; D

But–I had a new idea!

So I deviated from building a bed to play a bit–c’est la vie!

Yes, acorns are beaUtiful all on their own—but I thought they could be

more colourful!

I guess I got a little carried away, huh?

It was fun and I can’t wait to work them into some holiday decorating, but for now–I feel refreshed to get back to that Tailgate Bed!

Catherine

One wreath done!

**I originally forgot to say that–most of the nuts and caps had already fallen apart, so I placed the nuts upside down on a canvass and spray painted the varying colors!  Then I spent many hours with a hot glue gun, re-applying their caps!

It was like a big ole puzzle.  Do ya like puzzles–??  Cat   ; D

I shellacked a whole bunch of the nicer ones!

I’m sharing this crAzy idea with these fAb ladies!—

    Jennifer Rizzo’s

   Fabulously Creative
           Friday!

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Mom’s banquette is getting a feature!

 

 

Thank You Beckie

for featuring this project!

 

 

Last November, one of you wrote me about Beckie, and that I should show her some of my projects.  The next thing I knew,

she featured   1,   2,   3   of  my projects!

And they continue to draw many viewings!

The name  –RoadKill rescue–  may illicit a laugh, but it is so catchy, it gets your attention right away!  And the huge variety of projects makes it fun to keep checking back in for the next feature! (that might give you inspiration for your next project!)

again, Thanks Beckie!

Catherine

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2012 The Homies

Do you already know about, or

have you visited Apartment Therapy?

I only just found out about it myself recently.

I’ve seen it popping up on several blogs I follow.

A “contest” of sorts–they say more of a celebration of home blogs–with 6 categories of blog formats!

I was surprised to find my little, “newbie-ish” blog in

The Best DIY Blog list, counted among

the many BiG, prominent blogs I love to follow!

They have mAny votes~I have 3!  But I’m excited and grateful for each one!  You’ll find me near the bottom of the list—maybe you’ll vote me upward a little higher–?!  Actually, I’m truly flattered just to be in the list!

Voting ends this Friday, 3pm est.

There are some very cool blog names listed–

sure to lure you into checking them out.  I have!

Catherine

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The Journey of a Stylish Renovation–mom’s banquette

Many years ago (I think around ’99) I found this incredible “vintage” king-sized headboard!

It just seemed like the perfect “foundation” of a bench–for my mom’s kitchen.  I bought it, oogled and ahhh’d over it–winced at giving it up.  But it got loaded in the van for the next trip back to visit her, and, I let.it.go.

When a friend surrendered a cool trio of chairs she no longer wanted, the project was launched!  Sorry there are no other pictures to be found of the construction from back in the day.

With the most fundamental of descriptions—

-I cut up 2 of the chairs and RE-spaced the legs,

-cut plywood for the decking,

-attached the headboard,

-and padded and upholstered the seat.

In 2005 I found the pedestal table in her local Thrift Shoppe for $275, bundled with a large glass round and 4 modern chairs—none of which belonged together—nor would they sell any of it separately.  Eventually, I sold the glass and chairs with a different pedestal in the flea market at a good profit.

A day or two after the table, I found the Chippendale chair for $3 at one of her Goodwill stores, and this is the outcome of the mismatched items!

Light, sweet, garden-y.  Ethereal.

I painted all the pieces with Kilz–it’s a good all-around primer, and I like the softness of the white color.  My friend Sara painted the Waverly fabric pattern on the slat of the chair!

–This is what the table looked like as I found it, funny how the dark stain “conceals” the carving details.

I think it’s really pretty painted, but think it would have looked fabulous with a lighter, med-honey stain, round glass, in a foyer with a beautiful vase of flowers!

Funny just how many years I’ve been doing this, wish I could show you all those long-ago projects.

Catherine

 

  I’m sharing this project with these GREAT linky parties!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Rizzo’s Fabulously Creative Friday!

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the coolest Blog Post!

Have you checked out Mandi‘s

ultimate linky party featuring US

at Vintage Revival?

What a super fun idea!  A-n-d-there went my morning.  I discovered several new blogs, saw some really cool projects, added them to my reading list. . .

. . .did I mention I got nothing else done all morning?

So, my favorite thing is to begin each day checking out all your newest posts–and I discovered who included me—

Thank You Julia!  I stalk you too—ShoeStringBean!

I’m #47 on the list!

I saw the list has grown much longer, so I’m cutting this short to go check out the new entries!  And, add “a few” myself!

Catherine

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My jewelry “box”

Quite a while back, I found this frame at the flea market.

**I have “found” many—this is just one more of my “collections.”  ; D

After playing around with paint,     I built a box for it.  Think “shadow box.”

I “upholstered” that box with heavy linen.  Applied a combination of wooden pegs and teensy cup hooks.  Finally, I connected the frame to the box with a piano hinge.

I knew at some point I would come back to it–I just didn’t have the right print or picture to put in it yet, patience. . .

So- a while back I found this print at St Vinnie’s for a dollar.

I cut it down, and mounted it to ¼” plywood I cut to fit the frame opening.

I cut ½-round and flat stock for 2 matching “frames,” and sandwiched 3/8″ brass chicken wire between the two–then applied it to the face of the mounted print.

I painted and waxed the wood and outer print area–

and slipped it into the frame.

The reason for the two layered “frame” and chicken wire?  To create “space” for the earrings to be hung on the face!

My new jewelry “box!”

Catherine

—Yes, I boo-booed, there’s a gap at the top.  I’ll figure something out!   Cat

I’m sharing with these fabulous linky parties!

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I had a dresser, but I needed a bookcase.

This was the instigating dresser!

Something I found many years back and gave to a great niece.  When she outgrew it, I traded with her for a bigger dresser.

I forgot just how cool this one was but—I really didn’t need another dresser!  What I needed was A Bookcase!

–Parts of her were rough and needed repair, especially a back leg.  In making the repairs–I learned how it was originally made, and can now recreate parts of its design in some future projects!  –hmmm, serendipity– !?

I found this decorative “header” in Atlanta.  The story was that “they” were moving this grand sideboard-buffet in the back of a pickup on the highway–and didn’t secure it good enough.  Y e p—it fell off, got run over by a bunch of vehicles and was destroyed—except for this header piece.  And I knew I could do something with it!

Now this piece was one good-sized window rosette bought at the ReStore.

I bought 2 each of 2 designs thinking they were interesting and “I could do something with them!”

They were too wide, but this design/this one had a natural center–so I cut it in half. A great size now, with a natural left & right side!

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Here’s the carcass.

Dresser gutted, repaired, the interior re-fitted with old pine boards, and the shelf installed.  Hutch top roughed out, header attached.  Doors are next, and I’ve made a decision on the hardware!

The back leg is now repaired,

the doors finished and installed, and the hardware chosen.

The doors are inset with 3/8″ brass chicken wire found at a ReStore for $7.50!  I was going to order it from one of my designer catalogs– same piece $89.  Visit your local ReStores—and donate too!

I still haven’t decided on the lower back panel—more tongue & groove boards like the top, a solid wallpapered panel–??–I don’t know.

Since the dresser was already painted

–and it’s such a big piece–

I decided to stick with a “white’ish” color, using Farrow & Ball’s CLUNCH,

and “age” it with an over-glaze.

Even with the top shelf missing in the hutch—can’t you just see all the storage potential?!

A real workhorse!

36″w  x  7’11″h

Catherine

This project was featured at:

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