Metal, Stone, and Wicker

If you follow my blog, you already know I love ornate metal. However, I also have a passion for smooth industrial metal as well. Like these three containers I picked up at the flea market today.

I love the sleek circular shape, and the labels.  They were $5 for the set of three.

In addition to the usual furniture, which I will be sharing this coming week, my finds this past weekend seemed to fall into three categories.  Aside from the wicker covered bottles at the end of my last post,

I also seemed to find metal everywhere I went.  This chair was a thrift store find.

This wire basket and the two galvanized pieces were in the backyard at an estate sale.

Great old green paint on this watering can.

A vintage shopping cart.

My last category was anything stone like and heavy.  This vase is over three feet tall, and weighs a ton.  I picked it up at a garage sale.  Well, I had help.  The price...$4.

This cement statue is over four feet tall with her pedestal.  This was my husbands find.

OK, back to my redesigns.  I have lots to share this coming week.  See ya soon.

Sharing With:
From My Front Porch To Yours: Treasure Hunt Thursday
Southern Hospitality: Thrifty Treasures
Charm Bracelet Diva: Club GW

Shades of Grey

In my last post, I showed you how you can use the original texture of a piece to maintain it's character, but give it a cleaner finish. I did the same thing with this corner shelf.

Here is the pic from my previous post.

You can't tell from this photo, but the finish was grainy and imperfect. By just cleaning a piece like this, and not sanding it smooth before you paint, you can achieve a very nice timeworn finish.

I gave it a couple layers of white gesso.

I then brushed on a watered down grey acrylic paint. After it was dry, I sanded like crazy with a medium grade hand sander. This brought out the texture, and revealed various shades of grey.

Check back soon.  I have another frenchy pair of tables I'm finishing.  I also seem to have a theme going with my recent finds.  Here are just a few.

See ya soon.



Sharing With:
Hope Studios: Tutorial Tuesday
Between Naps On The Porch: Metamorphosis Monday
Debbiedoo's: Newbie Party
Homemaker on a Dime: Creative Bloggers
Funky Junk Interiors: Saturday Nite Special
Under The Table and Dreaming: Sunday Showcase

Back To White

This cabinet is one of my finds from a previous post. I loved the chippy white finish, but wanted to add a little embellishment. I also wanted to seal the finish, because this was very old chippy paint.

My intention was to make the embellishments look like they had been there all along. I also wanted to keep some of the chippy quality.

I started by giving the piece a good cleaning and a light sanding. I then added my rose embellishments, followed by a grey primer.

I also switched to a crystal knob. Next came a couple layers of a white gesso/paint mix. The paint I used was a slightly creamer white, and the gesso gave it more body. I wanted a hint of the original white, and the grey primer to show through.

You can still see some of the chippy as well.

It looks great with my shabby basket of flowers.

I did an imperfect dry brush of blue in the interior.

Just like my basket, I decided not to do a wash over the finish. I like it like this for now.

Sharing With:

Thrifty Decor Chick: Before and After

Sassy Sites: Tuesday Trash To Treasure

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday's Treasures

Between Naps On The Porch: Metamorphosis Monday

Boogieboard Cottage: Masterpiece Monday

Under The Table and Dreaming: Sunday Showcase

Funky Junk Interiors: Saturday Nite Special

Miss Mustard Seed: Furniture Feature Friday

French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday

Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration Friday

The Charm of Home: Home Sweet Home

Faded Charm: White Wednesday

My Romantic Home: Painted Furniture Party

Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesdays

Primitive and Proper: Piece of Work Wednesday

Brambleberry Cottage: Time Travel Thursday

Over The Top

I went a little over the top on this frenchy table redesign. I knew I wanted to do something dramatic, and inspiration struck this past weekend.

It's the table from a few post ago.

I honestly can't tell you exactly how many layers of primer, gesso, and paint I applied to this one. A little dry brushing, a little dripping, and here you go.

After I finished painting, the top just seemed too plain to me. So, remember the netting stencil I used here? I did the same thing with a 50 cent synthetic table cloth, and got this design.

After stenciling, I did some dry brushing and sanding on top.

I love the way it turned out. What do you think?


Sharing With:
Thrifty Decor Chick: Before and After
Under The Table and Dreaming: Sunday Showcase
Funky Junk Interiors: Saturday Nite Special
Miss Mustard Seed: Furniture Feature Friday
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration Friday
No Minimalist Here: Open House Party
My Romantic Home: The Painted Furniture Party
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesdays
Primitive and Proper: Piece of Work Wednesday Furniture
House of Grace: Twice Owned Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday's Treasures
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Shabby Basket

Here is a quick little redesign I wanted to share. As much as I love working on furniture, I really enjoy giving small items more character. As soon as I saw this basket, I knew what I wanted to do with it.

This is how I found it. I pick these up at garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets all the time. They're great for corralling items. This one I wanted to make pretty.

After adding my roses, I slathered on several thick coats of gesso. I liked the cracked white plaster look, so I didn't do a wash.

A great way to give an ordinary basket a little shabby character. I'm going to be doing a larger version of this with a different design and finish.


Sharing With:
My Repurposed Life: Catch As Catch Can
Faded Charm: White Wednesday
Beyond The Picket Fence: Under $100 Linky Party
Southern Hospitality: Thrifty Treasures
Under The Table and Dreaming: Sunday Showcase
Debbiedoos: Newbie Party
Homemaker On A Dime: Creative Bloggers

Finds and Finishes

I've been taking it a little easy these past few days. It has been hot and humid. Officially 102 yesterday, and a thunderstorm today. So, I've been playing with finishes (inside), and organizing finds.

I gave this decorative piece a worn finish.

The before.

This plaque was plain wood as well. I covered it in white gesso first, followed by caribbean blue paint, a black gesso wash, and a little sanding.

I found these in the basement of an estate sale, wrapped in old newspaper.

Of course I love the rose details. There are twice as many as you see here.

Used my stone effect on one piece.

I will probably experiment with other techniques on a few of the others.


From dramatic to subdued.

These are just a few of the finishes I have swimming in my head when I contemplate my redesigns.

Here are a few recent finds.

One of these will get a finish like the first piece. Which one do you think it will be? See ya soon.




Sharing With:
From My Front Porch To Yours: Treasure Hunt Thursday
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Charm Bracelet Diva: Tuesdays Club GW