VINTAGE KEYS - disquising a thermostat

 
 
 
 
Do you see my thermostat? Would you if I had not mentioned it? I disguised it by working it into the
 wall art. I used similar shapes to help your eye pass right by the utility. You can also put a fancy
frame around the thermostat to help incorporate it but hanging things to close and right over top of it
 can cause it not to read the room's temperature right. I know cause I did it before.
 
 
I used fancy little frames I picked up at yard sales and second hand stores. They have no glass
 and I painted them white. I cut heavy brown cardboard to fit inside the frames, and hot glued the
keys to the cardboard.
 
 
I usually have some painted frames listed for sale if you are local and wanting to do this yourself.
 


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I LIVE IN A SINGLE WIDE TRAILER






I have been redoing some
spaces, updating décor,
and just taking some time
for myself.

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FURNITURE MAKE OVERS - behind the scenes



All these photos are in progress shoots from my Furniture Makeover Weekend.
 
 
The idea for a furniture makeover weekend started 8 months earlier. I believe it also started much
smaller but since we would have to travel to the location I suppose the coordinators figured to get the
 most out of it while we were there. Lots of projects can be finished in a day but the idea was for
everyone to learn from all the different projects though out the weekend not just their own.

 
I've taught class before and I've managed 20 staff but you just never know what you are in for the
 first time you do anything big. As the chosen weekend got closer I found myself pretty calm,
and eager to take on the challenge. I got to go shopping for supplies in the last week and get
 everything packed. I still didn't know what every project was so I had to pack in anticipation.
Once upon a time I was a Girl Guide so I am always prepared.

 
We arrived early Saturday morning and met the ladies from LNT group. There wasn't much time to
met and greet, we had to find a sink to set up the paint mixing and figure out the area to spray
outdoors. My tool boxes would also have to found their way to the second floor where we were setting up. Long industrial tables circled the room in preparation for all the students to work on.

 
Before I knew it students were arriving and projects were appearing on the tables.
THE CONSULTATION ... 18 of them!
I had to talk with each person to find out what they wanted out of their furniture piece.
Repairs, additions, color, and finish, some projects evolved right there in the 2 hours, but I had to move along to get everyone focused and working.

 
I recall asking a group of ladies at the sink "what time is it" the response was "10 to 12
almost lunch". My reaction "is that it" made them laugh. Well at least it was lunch time!
I was in the Twilight Zone, time meant nothing to me as I ran from here to there seeing each
anxious smile wanting my attention. I would get half way through a leg install and be off again
down stairs to mix paint, which was on my way to saw the lumber I needed to finish the leg install.
 
 
By early afternoon on day two I started to notice things slowing down and coming to a finish, I could stop and talk with a student for a few minutes, I could pick up a rag and help them buff their finish, we were standing pieces up and admiring them as they were done. That was the goal and we did it! 




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FURNITURE MAKE OVERS - before and after 1


 
 
All the wonderful BEFORE & AFTERS you are about to see look so amazing in person,
and the students that preformed the work were outstanding.
 


How many of you would like to attend a furniture makeover weekend?
Well the PR Guy here and the LNT Group in Merritt coordinated that exact thing,
and I was the chosen teacher.


we added drawer stops, learned some bled blocking tips, and added a graphic transfer on this dresser
 
18 students, some with multiple projects, 2 days, almost every tool I own,
and with years of experience we gotter done!
 

it was stripped, cleaned, painted grey, clear waxed, then dark waxed. It is off to the upholster soon!


The week before the class, students started to email photos and ideas of that they would like to do.
When this chair's BEFORE pic showed up George started to panic, but I wasn't worried in the least.

vintage high chair painted in a cherry red was heading back to Prince George to be a display piece in a floral shop
 We traveled over 2 hours to get to our destination but some ladies traveled much farther to join us.

simple vintage chair given a new life with a light turquoise spray, sanding, and waxing.
 
We did lots of color mixing and I showed students how to thin and strain paint for spraying.
Any one who wanted to try their hand at using the paint gun could also try it out. 

coordinating wallpaper was added in the back and you can see more of the detail of this cabinet now that it is lighter
We wallpapered and waxed, we stripped some pieces, we stained a few pieces,
we painted and polyed, but best of all ...



 I had a blast running non stop repairing things, adding things, making suggestions,
and simply helping everyone leave with a beautiful new pieces of furniture they would be
proud to display in their homes.

 



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FAUX MARBLE - painting a dresser





Our furniture make over class was a great success and the trip over all was fun but I'm pooped out!
Until I get all the photos in order, all my supplies restocked, and the tools put away,
I'm going to show you some projects from the past and ideas I have not shared yet.



It's an *OLD WORLD* style dresser with a faux marble top.


We got this dresser many years ago. It was bright teal when we got it!
The color was very pretty but it had many stickers and the finish was damaged in several places.
It really deserved a classic finish!


BEFORE               and                    AFTER


Since we redid our dressing room it really did not have a place with us any more.
So it was time to move on and let it go to a home where it could be used again.

That's when it went to live in Joelle's foyer!


It was meant to be!


The Chippendale style hardware I used was sprayed with OIL RUBBED BRONZE
from Rustoleum. It's a delicious metallic chocolate color.

The top has seven coats of poly in this photo but a few more were applied to
give it a thicker glassy finished look to the faux marble top.


I learned to faux paint marble long ago for an in expensive bathtub surround.
I do not have more photos or a tutorial on how to paint this but if you want to learn the
different technics, there are tons of tips, tutorials, and videos on line to help you.


The body color is ASCP old white with Minwax dark wax over top.
The bright teal is still inside lining all the drawers. How fun is that?
Traditional outside with a bit of fun inside.


 TIP:

If you are thinking about painting the inside of your drawers remember there are several areas on the
 outer edges of drawers that rub against another part of the dresser. Paint doesn't slide well against
 other painted surfaces, and each layer of paint can make things tighter, so try to paint only one of the
 surfaces that rub and not the other. In the photo I have offered one example but the most important
place to use this tip is on the side of your drawers.
Paint either the drawer side or the inside edge of the cabinet body but not both.
Consider which one is seen more often.

***********************************
Here are some unique hardware pieces available at

 
 
 
 
 

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MATCHING AN EXISTING PAINT JOB - grey cabinet


 
 
after photo
 
I found this little cabinet at a yard sale many years ago. NO BEFORE PICTURE
 It had WAVY ORANGE PLEXI GLASS in the door and SIMPLE ANGLED PLYWOOD LEGS.
What I did adored about the cabinet was the finish. Someone had created this unique vintage
look in grey and it was going to fit perfectly in our mudroom to store supplies.
 
HomeDepot Wallpaper
 
Out with the orange plexi and in with a cool wallpapered panel. I kept the amazing antique handles,
and the grey/brown paint finish. I love the idea of putting a swing handle on it's side for the door.
Think about trying it on your next project.
 
 
Somewhere along the way one of the original legs broke. We would just prop the little cabinet up
and go about our business. When it came time to make over the mudroom it was time to deal
 with the little broken leg. I went to my stash and picked 4 longer cabriolet legs to replace the old plywood ones. Longer legs was also going to make the outlet behind the cabinet easier to use.

I apply dark wax with a glove and paper towel
 
I painted just the legs in a simple grey I mixed with Annie Sloan Pure White & Graphite.
When the legs were dry I used clear wax then generous amounts of dark wax.
It was the exact recipe to get a perfect match with the cabinet finish.
 
 
Here is the cabinet standing proud all fixed, painted, decorated, and filled with automobile supplies!
It's our mini garage hiding our oil and antifreeze, funnels and flashlights.
 
 
To see more of this tiny room makeover:





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HOW TO CHANGE THE SHAPE OF A CABINET




I think it was fall when I first saw this mini cupboard, it was attached to an email asking if I could give it a makeover. I was intrigued and let her know something could definitely be done to update and beautify the piece.

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A BED INTO A BENCH - before and after






Every time I walk by this pretty and curvy bench it makes me smile.

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