DIY'er Gone Wild (with an emphasis on the ER)

Well, I didn't actually visit the Emergency Room, but I probably should have!  I've been busy trying to ready as many things as possible for the Grand Opening of my booth at Hello, Sailor!  

In my rush to "do it all" I dropped 2 doors on my right foot.  It's a lovely shade of green right now but at least my limp is gone!  A few days later I sliced my hand on an upholstery nail and decided a tetanus shot was in order.  I have to admit, the sore muscle from the shot is almost worse than the pain in my foot.

Okay, that's about enough hobbling around and complaining for one day!  I want to show you one of the beauties I've been working on! 

 Before (okay, I'd already started so it's not a true before pic)

 After

I stripped off the original finish and stain to uncover a beautiful wood grain.
Then I dyed the wood using the vinegar solution that I love (read all about it HERE) and finished the cabinet with 3 coats of wipe-on poly.

The drawer and doors got a coat of Annie Sloan Old White, but I decided the contrast was too stark with the dark ebony stain on the wood.  So, I went back over them with a color I created using Old White, Greek Blue and hint of dark teal.  I glazed the doors and sealed them with wipe-on poly as well.

(If you're interested, the blue in the first photo is the exact color!  I'm still learning a new photo editing program, so the color in the 2nd photo isn't as good a match!)

Alert:  Shameless Self-Promotion Ahead!
For those of you in the Kansas City area, here's the inside scoop!

Hello, Sailor! is KC's newest Vintage Furniture and Home Decor shop, 

located on the 4th floor at 1300 West 13th St., Kansas City, MO. 

If you're familiar with First Fridays at the West Bottoms, then you already know to expect beautiful home decor, repurposed and vintage furniture and other antiques!  If you're not familiar, bring your friends and come check it out!  There are hundreds of vendors in a fun, vibrant atmosphere!

Be green, let your home reflect YOUR STYLE, and don't buy "made in China"!

The Grand Opening weekend is coming up - Friday and Saturday, April 6th and 7th.

Hours are 8:30am to 9pm.

I'd love to see you there!

Check out the Hello, Sailor! facebook page for more info!

My sideboard was featured here:


Linking up here:
Piece of Work Wednesday at Primitive and Proper
Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed 
Furniture Friday at Decorating Insanity 
Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage
Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest
Flaunt It Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Let's Party at The 36th Avenue
Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage
What Have You Redone? at Redoux
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense 
Catch as Catch Can at My RePurposed Life
Stinky Linky at Hating Martha
Crafty, Scrappy, Happy Me. Thursdays
Hookin' Up with HoH
Thrifty Thursday at Thrifty Decorating
Thingamajig Thursday at Radcrafter
Creative Inspirations at Embracing Change
Debbie Doo's Reunion Party
Wild Wednesday at One Chatty Chic
Pity Party at 30 Handmade Days
Free For All Friday at Sassy Sites
Strut your Stuff at Somewhat Simple
Do It Ya Self at Three Mango Seeds
 My entry into Strut Your Stuff sponsored by Appliances Online and the Bosch Washing Machines

Simple Valentine's Day Decor

I'm keepin' it simple again this year when it comes to Valentine's decor. I made a simple pallet sign for the mantel. (see the tutorial for aging the wood here). I glued the boards together and then glued 3 paint stirrers on the back for support.  I'm quite the carpenter, right?  Then I Mod Podged the letters that I'd cut with my Cricut. Notice how dark the pallet wood is?  I did this with just my vinegar mixture! Simple and cute with lyrics from a song we love.

 

 I also made a paper-rose-heart-wreath.  I started by wrapping the wreath in red fabric and then glueing the roses on.  You can read my tutorial on making paper roses here. 

 

I also changed out the subway art in the bathroom, as I've done for the past few holidays (I joke that this gives the boys something to read while they go the bathroom, but I really hope that's not the case).
Powder room makeover reveal coming soon!!!

 

I found this printable at Every Creative Endeavor (I like that it's not just the usual red and pink).
Thanks Amanda!

 

 

My Paper-Rose-Heart-Wreath was FEATURED here! (yay!)





Partying here:

30 Handmade Days

Aged Wood Table (and a tutorial)

Like?

Once it was this...

...along with 2 chairs at a tag sale, I think it's safe to say it  begged me to take it home!

I painted the legs a dark teal and then sanded the ugly top until my arms nearly fell off.

I can rock some 80's hair and seriously love me some 80's music, 

but I CANNOT do 80's orange oak.   

(so I did this...)

 

To get the look

of aged wood:

things you'll need:

sanded/bare wood

tea (about 6 bags)

glass jar with lid

steel wool

vinegar (2 to 3 cups)

disposable bowl or paint tray

old paintbrush

Minwax Polycrylic for finish

1) Sand or strip the wood so that it's completely bare and free of paint, stain, or sealer.

2) Make the "wash" that will age the wood.  Use a glass jar with a lid (I used and old pasta sauce jar).  Add a steel wool pad and cover it completely with vinegar.  Let this mixture sit in a jar and bubble for 2 days.

 

3) Next, stain your wood with tea.  I used 6 teabags for this and had some left over, it doesn't take much for a tabletop this size.

Here's what it looked like after I'd done about half with the tea stain.  I ended up giving it 2 coats of tea.

4) Once the table is dry, pour the vinegar mixture in a disposable bowl and use and old paintbrush to wash your wood with the mixture. *WARNING: SMELLS BAD*  Try to coat it evenly.  As it dries it'll darken and you'll begin to see the beauty of the grain and a lot of variation in the color.  Presto Chango!

The first coat left it dark and really dry/chalky looking.  I did a second coat (outdoors, at the request of my nose) and after a few minutes it looked like this.

3) I sanded lightly with a fine sanding block to get rid of any bubble marks.

4) Once it was completely dry, I sealed the top using a very light coat of Minwax Polycrylic.  Make sure to use the best brush to minimize the brush strokes and to avoid "pulling" of the finish.

The end result is a deep, warm charcoal color that looks different in every light!

 

I decided to repaint the table legs and chairs antique white to let the top really stand out.

Then I added a beautiful transfer courtesy of The Graphics Fairy, and finished with another coat of Polycrylic.

 
Remember the before?

The afters (cloudy day)

(Sunny day)

 

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Tips to getting this look:

- make sure your steel wool is STEEL!

- use a glass jar - I used an old pasta sauce jar and it made about plenty.

- make sure the steel wool is completely covered by the vinegar, unless you're also wanting to add a rust color.

- this is a stain.  It left stains on my hands and floor (not permanent luckily) but be careful.

- don't wipe the wood down with a WET cloth after sanding, or you'll have to rewash it with the mixture. (trust me)

- the mixture is really smelly.  I thought since it was basically an all-natural method I could do it indoors, but it's clearly a chemical reaction not to be messed with. The smell made me gag (not kidding)!

- various vinegars and various wood types will produce different colored results. (I've been experimenting! More aged wood projects to come.)

 

I'd love to see the end result if you're trying this!  Send me your pictures and I'll update this post with them!

My table was featured here!!!  Yay!!


Linking this tutorial here:

One Project Closer