Antique dresser turned vanity

It's been a while since my last post.  Perhaps because it's Christmastime, and the business of the season takes precedence over work.  In November I decided to quit until the new year.  Well, everyone else had different plans!

Official Homestead House Retailer

 The other day I received a phone call from the president at Homestead House.  She had great news - I've been approved to be a retailer of the paints!  Currently they are only accepting those with brick-and-mortar stores, so I was surprised I was approved.

Milk Paint Workshops

On Saturday, December 7th, we are hosting our very first Milk Paint Workshop Launch!

The first 6 people to contact us will get a full workshop, for just $20. (See details about the workshop below).  All benefits of the workshop will be included.

(You must be comfortable to have your photo taken for advertising purposes)

Come with a small piece of furniture, and let's have some fun!

Side-of-the-road find - A French Dresser

 The other day, our neighbours had this little number at the side of the road.  Mark, with his keen eye, spotted it and promptly sprinted across the road to snatch it up.  I was less amused; the thing was a piece of garbage.  Let me show you.

White Corner Hutch

 It's been a little while since I've done a blog post, and the reason for that is simply this: I haven't finished any furniture to blog about.  I got this pretty little number done today, so I'm very excited to finally write a post :)

Silk Screen Buffet

 This week I thought I'd try something new - silk screening.  I had the perfect candidate for it - this beautiful antique buffet.  The finish on it was in pretty good condition, but the top of the buffet had a little wear and damage on it.  So I didn't feel bad painting it.

French Provincial Loyalist Hutch

I often drive out to Welland or Fonthill to pick up pieces.  The other night, I picked up two pieces from that area, one was this hutch.  I really liked the french provincial legs on it.  I thought it was simple and elegant.

Happy Halloween!

 In spirit of it being fall, I decided to do a very autumn colour on this piece.  I know - it's yellow!  Not a colour I do very often.  In fact, I've only done 2 other yellow buffets - ever.  I usually hang onto them for longer than the white, green, blue and grey pieces I do, but they do eventually sell.  And the buyers who buy them don't just like them - they LOVE them!

Chevron Fabric Buffet Tutorial

This was the little buffet Mark found on the side of the road.  It went through 3 transformations before I was happy with the result.  The first idea was to strip it down, and give it that unfinished, anthropologie-esque look, with a french graphic transferred onto it.  That didn't work out.  The piece was too water damaged and banged-up to get the look.  So then I painted it white.  I didn't like that either, because the dings all came through the finish.  I've seen the idea to use fabric to cover pieces, so I thought I'd give it a go.

A Simple White Hutch

I've been trying out a lot of different painting techniques lately, but sometimes I need to do a few pieces in the middle of experiments that I know will sell.  This hutch I simply painted white, lightly distressed it, and up on Kijiji it went.

Side-of-the-road find: A retro buffet & hutch

As you all know, my husband Mark is the champion at finding things on the side of the road.  "Ohhhh" you say, "You're so lucky to find such gorgeous pieces".  No - these pieces are not gorgeous when they come to me.  See - look!

Antique Commode

 The other day, I scored this little gem off Kijiji for just $50.  And that included delivery.  Sometimes I feel like I really score on Kijiji.  This was one of those times.

Thanksgiving Buffet

Happy Thanksgiving!  To all my American readers - Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!  Thanksgiving is my favourite weekend of the year.  Not only because it's my birthday, but because I always have SO much to be thankful for.

Happy Birthday - to me!

It is my birthday.  I feel that you're still young if you still feel okay announcing how old you are turning.  I'm turning 27!  Not quite yet 30, but no longer in my 'early twenties'.

Living Room Project Launch

If you have talked to me in the past month, I have probably mentioned the fact that I'm dying to paint my living room.  I've been wanting to paint it since the day we moved here - but just haven't found the style I wanted for the room.

Refinishing Antique Hardware & Removing Veneer

A reader recently e-mailed me, asking how I refinished the hardware on my pieces.  I thought it was a good question, so here is a little tutorial on how to do it.  I'll also share my method for removing veneer.

White Tallboy with Bird and Branches Decal

This week I got all of one project completed.  It was a busy week, but a good week.  I obtained this lovely little number off kijiji, and was excited to do a fun stencil on it.

Painting Over Honey-Coloured Furniture

I often come across people wanting me to give that authentic, distressed look to their Mennonite-made furniture - you know - the solid wood, 90's built honey oak furniture.  I've always denied the ability to do it, because when you distress a piece, you want the dark wood showing through the paint.  With lighter coloured furniture, it just doesn't distress well, because the colour coming through is light and not pretty at all.  

A Little French Dresser

This week I had a leftover graphic I had printed off, and was waiting for the perfect piece to use it on.  I acquired this adorable dresser from a lady in Caledonia, and thought it'd be a good piece to try it out.

Fall Mantel Display

Fall is my favourite season.  I love the crisp air, the change of seasons, the beauty of the trees, and the spirit of thankfulness.  We have SO much to be thankful for.  Lately one of the things I have been so grateful for is the country we live in.  Canada is a majestic, gorgeous, free country absolutely full of opportunity.  How blessed we are to call Canada our home!