Divine? Or Dumpster-Worthy?

I found a little writing desk at an estate sale.  It was laminate and an ugly brown color, but I liked the shape and size and thought I'd paint it black.  I bought it for myself, so I wanted it to be as inconspicuous as possible.  (I'm still "borrowing" space in another room while I work on creating an office/workspace.)  Since it was laminate, I knew I'd have to get serious about primer and hope for the best.

(Oops, no before photo.  I bought this desk same day I bought the pulley here.  I think I was so excited about the pulley that I forgot about the desk!)

I started out by spraying on Kilz spray primer.  The edges all started crackling, which seemed like a bad sign.  I sanded and primed again.  This time I rolled on a grey primer - more crackling.  I'll spare you the details, but let's just say after priming, sanding, priming, sanding, painting, sanding, painting, painting, and painting...I was just plain ready to put the thing in the trash!!

But, that would just be silly.  So, onto plan B.

Plan B, Plan B, wait, what was Plan B?

Oh, yeah... I like this... alot.  In black?!?!


source

I embraced a few remaining crackles, glazed, rubbed, drybrushed, rubbed, waxed, rubbed, bought new pulls and came up with this...

It almost looks like it's wrapped in leather.

I love it!  Bonus: the 14 coats of paint are preventing it from chipping every time I turn and whack it with the arms of my office chair!
SO glad I didn't throw it out!

{ I'd love it if you'd stop by Every Creative Endeavor and vote for my Gear Art Project (#79) for the Creative Bloggers Got Talent Auditions! }

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Linking this little desk here: 

Piece of Work Wednesday at Primitive and Proper 
Made by You Monday at Skip to My Lou 
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Nightstand for a World Traveler

 

I decided that it was time for our oldest son to try waking himself up for school in the mornings.  The problem was, he had no place to put an alarm clock as the bookshelf that sits next to his bed was too high for him to reach.  I'd found this old, feminine looking nightstand and decided I'd try to work a little magic with it.

 I forgot to take a true before picture of the entire piece, but there were flowers painted on the drawers (which would NOT be okay with this guy)!

I've been experimenting with the many home recipes for ASCP, and what I had on hand this time was powdered unsanded grout.  I mixed it with a wall paint we had leftover that was a green/tan color.  I primed and painted and at first I loved the color and thought it went on pretty smoothly.  Then I freaked out when it was dry because it was so rough.  I sanded and sanded and sanded and sanded.

  And this is the finished product!  I think it turned out really well, but it's much more chippy and distressed than I would typically like.  But he loves it and it works perfectly in the room!

His room is decorated with globes and old maps and I thought these adorable compass pulls would be the perfect finishing touch for the nightstand.

I also Mod Podge'd some pages from an old atlas inside the drawers.

Then I repainted a trunk for the foot of his bed.

With a new comforter/duvet for the bed the room will be complete.  I think it says "World Traveler" without screaming "I'm a theme room"! What do you think?

I linked up here:

Updating My Workspace - pretty painted table

 

I was looking for another chance to use that beautiful Blue Ocean Breeze (Krylon) color on another piece.  (See the dresser I originally painted in this color here.)

I already had a desk that would work, but it had an 80's look (minus the big hair).