Friday, August 26, 2011

Quatrefoil Table

I got a free table from work because they cleaning out the "old" stuff. They were going to throw it away but luckily my boss stopped them. {Or followed them out to the dumpster saying "don't throw it away! Valerie does furniture!!}
It definitely needed some help, but I loved the shape and the size. It's a lot bigger than your average end table but smaller than a coffee table. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do...all I knew was that I wanted to stencil the top and try glazing. I also wanted to do it ASAP because I was just that excited.


I found a FREE downloadable quatrefoil stencil from Tatertots & Jello. I absolutely fell in love with quatrefoil. I want to quatrefoil everything I own. But I promise to exercise some restraint.


Since I wanted to glaze the table I picked an antique white. I also decided I was going to skip sanding and try out spray paint. I picked Krylon's Ivory.
I liked spray painting for the quickness of it, but it makes it way harder to do touch ups unless you have a color that matches it perfectly.
Primed and painted...already looks WAY better.


For the top I wanted a color that would provide contrast, but also blend with other colors well. Since I don't exactly have a place for it yet I wanted to make sure it would fit wherever it eventually ends up. I chose Martha Stewart's Gabardine, kind of a blue-ish, gray-ish, green-ish? I had second thoughts leaving Home Depot, but as soon as I started painting I was in love!
I printed the stencil on cardstock and cut out the stencil with an exacto blade and craft pad {or whatever those things are called....} It was actually way less painful than I was expecting! I used those 50 cent foam brushes to paint over the stencil. It wasn't the easiest technique and it did leak under the stencil a little, but I managed to hide that towards the end. It was worse when I started to get lazy near the end....


Next up was the glaze! I was so excited to try this technique, but also nervous because I was already in love with the table and I knew I could potentially ruin it. I read almost every tutorial I could get my hands on and went to work.
Those first few brush strokes scared the you know what out of me! But I stayed calm and wiped away with one of Jacob's old {or brand new, but it was the only one I could find...} t-shirt.
I used Martha Stewart's metallic glaze in Mocha Coffee or Dark Coffee...or something....


I LOVED it. It seriously gave the table so much more character and charm. And, bonus, it hid all the imperfections from the stencil mishaps!
I am SO happy with how this table came out. I can't wait to find a place for it. And now I am more addicted to refinishing furniture than ever! I still have a shelf headboard sitting in the garage begging for a face lift. I think quatrefoil will be involved....

Irene

There's a hurricane coming and we might lose power and I might not get to blog for awhile. Don't worry, we are all prepared with lots of water and food and candles and batteries.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Nightstand Makeover

We have been DYING to try our hands at refinishing furniture. So we took the plunge and lucked out at the very first thrift store we stopped at. I had been needing a new nightstand anyway. And this one was solid, big, and 5 bucks. Sold.
First we sanded the whole thing and primed it. Then it sat in the garage for a month. Maybe more. All I know is I went on vacation for 3 weeks and it sat primed and unpainted for at least another week after I got home. Major slacking on our part. Well...I did pick out a paint color and buy it if that counts as progress. Then one day I got off work earlier than I expected and I went home and finished the whole thing. What can I say? Once I set my mind to something it is happening.


I painted the entire nightstand an aqua blue {you know, the one that is crazy popular right now?} I think it was called Spa by Behr.


We had been going back and forth for days about what design the nightstand should have. I ended up kind of flying by the seat of my pants and very optimistically attempted the chevron. I say optimistically because I eyeballed it with painters tape and just kinda hoped it worked out.
I don't know if I would necessarily recommend this technique to anyone, but I thought it worked well enough. I measured a few things here and there and that was about it. Nothing is perfectly even or anything, but I just convinced myself it was all part of its shabby chic charm. {Right??}


Then all it needed was some new hardware from Lowes and it was a whole new nightstand.
Voila!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

SERIOUSLY!?!?

The last time I blogged was seriously 3 weeks ago?? What?? Okay okay...it's because I was too busy reading OTHER blogs and pinning my heart out and starting school. Valid excuse? I think so. But really, I do have some updates and two more projects planned for manana. I will put blogging on my to-do list. So much to say, so little time! What I will say is that my darling husband took me on a date tonight and it was just lovely. We've been spending lotsa quality time together and I am just lovin it! Until the updates...au revoir!

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Beach Babies!

Mal and I decided that the dogs needed some fun this weekend so we took them to the dog beach on Fort Story. Zoey loved running around and eating crab legs and the boys just wanted to sit in the sand and relax. But they all had a really good time and have been sleeping since we got home!
Cape Henry Lighthouse


Mama and her baby!


The babies posing for the camera!



Zoey digging for crabs
It is definitely safe to say that we will be going back to the dog beach!


a brief ode to high school

I was going through old pictures today and getting lots of smiles from all the old memories...
And that is barely the beginning. I know most of you guys occasionally read my blog so I hope you see these and get to enjoy the memories too! I can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing in every one of these pictures {jenna...why did someone not stop us from going out in public!?!?!} and I love it and love you guys!!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Four Eyes

One of the basics of my life has always been glasses. Every year a new prescription, if I'm lucky new frames and I'm on my way. For as long as I can remember. My darling husband was kind enough to get me not one, but two pairs of new glasses! And one of them is prescription sunglasses! {I have no idea how I was driving without them! Well...technically I was driving with normal sunglasses over my normal glasses...classy.} Thanks babe, I love my new glasses!
These are my new normal glasses. Shnazzy. I am a big fan of fancy sides. Bling it up baby!

My suh-weet shades!

One day I will get to have Lasik and know what it is like to wake up and be able to see. But in the mean time I'll just pick out fancy spectacles! =)

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Prissy Piggies Shoot!

I've been so so so excited to blog about this since the day it happened! One of the things I was looking forward to most when we visited Seattle was doing a photo shoot with this wonderful lady! Ever since I saw her work I was dying to get in on the action. {I admit, I had a little in, she's one of Haley's BFF's} So, I talked to her about pictures. Jacob was gone basically our whole engagement so we never got to do pictures. When Rachel told me she wanted to do a themed shoot I was sold! We didn't decide on the actual theme until just a few days before the shoot, but I thought it came together perfectly! We were working with a 40's vintage/The Notebook theme. This is what Rachel and her genius behind the lens came up with...














I just love them! Rachel was so fun and easy to work with and I will sell her to anyone who needs a photographer! My next goal is to work my booty off so next year we can do a boudoir session. Seriously absolutely gorgeous! Rachel, thank you thank you thank you for an amazing shoot! I cannot wait until our next one.