Cherry Blossom Bureau

I am tooooooo excited about this piece of furniture! I might pee my pants, which actually isn't that difficult to imagine given I have had three babies. Okay sorry to gross you out but I am sure a lot of you can identify with me! You get super excited about a project that you have thought up and if it even turns out half as good as you imagine, it's a home run.

I feel like I won the home run derby at the All star game, so don't burst my bubble if you hate it. Just be a good friend and lie through your teeth.

Here she is in my foyer where she has sat for, oh, about 2 months.

She is very solid and has amazing drawers behind those doors. I originally wanted to do a "sewing" technique on her but then I was in a craft store and I knew what she needed to become. 

Now I am going to tease you a little with the transformation:

                      I must still be feelin' the botanical vibe from our trip to Canada =0)

Are you sufficiently pumped?

Okay, Okay, here she is. 

I am smitten.

I masked off the cherry blossom design first and the painted over it so it would look like inlaid wood.

I made my own chalk paint using Sharon's recipe from Elizabeth & Co. and some turquoise and cream paint I had left over from older projects. NOW I understand the appeal! Amazing stuff and the coverage is out of this world. Not only would I have had to sand and prime this piece first but it would have taken about 3 coats of regular latex to get the coverage I got with just two coats of the chalk paint, no sanding and priming required. 

I carved a few details into the wood to make it more like inlaid wood. A little sanding took the edges off and I think it adds appeal.

See what I mean about those drawers. I thought about stenciling some sayings like "holsters and hosiery"  or "foundational garments" on the drawers but then I thought she might think that made her look cheap. Add to the fact that this new generation probably would not understand what foundational garments are. And tracing the word "thongs" is definitely out of the question.

I used Minwax Paste in their light color to finish it. I had to soften it quite a bit by letting it stand in hot water and then working it in with an old brush. It was okay but I think I am going to invest in Fiddes and Sons wax. 

It naturally crackled in places which made it even more lovely. 

I didn't want the knobs to compete with the wood design so I painted the knobs to match. The gold glaze serves to further highlight the details of the piece without taking away from the flowers. The gold also goes so well with the turquoise color.

The color changes depending on the light that is playing off of it. Sometimes it is more blue and sometimes more green. 

So, Home Run or Strike out?

Doesn't matter really, still smitten. 

Always being renewed,

Please see the link party page to see where I link arms with those blissfully beautiful bloggers that host every week. So gracious they are along with these other sweet ladies!      

 

 

What Will it be Wednesday....Communion Table?

My husband has become my biggest picker! I lurve him! He drives quite a bit for his job and has taken to texting me photos when he sees something he thinks I might like.  Well, He texted me a photo of a table he thought I might find cool and of course I said "Yes!"

When he took it out of the car it was a little rougher than the photo let on.

And it was a Communion Table! 

Shazam!

Missing part of its foot.

Would you keep it or toss it?
I choose to keep it and try to figure it out.

SO now I want you to go back to the first picture of the table and look really hard. We are going to play Where's Waldo, except we are going to look for the letter "U". As I was studying the table to see how in the world I was going to save this lovely piece, I noticed how the legs made an upside down "U". Well our last name begins with "U" and well, read on, faithful readers,  your reward is at hand!

I was going to wait to post it tomorrow but I am so happy with how it turned out I couldn't wait!

I know, I know, I am supposed to build up the tension but I am no good at that (I am the person that as soon as I buy a gift I want to give it to the person, and I might act like I am three and ask if I can help them unwrap it.... ) so here is project number 1 from my Communion Table Hack!

First I removed the peeling veneer and saved it

You can use regular scissors to trim it

Then I cut off it's legs! I know, sacrilegious. I think I might have said a prayer for forgiveness for doing this but then i thought, I am sure the Lord would rather see this table used for good rather than evil as in the dump evil. And so I cut.....

I reattached the veneer and secured it over night with my clamps.

I gave each "U" a fresh coat of stain and a good buffing and Wah-la!

I drilled two holes int he back of the other "U" so it can be hung but not sure where I'll place it.

A super unique wall shell with our last initial! 

This looked a little blah with just my Izzy's hand print and fist mold so I added some flowers. I love how flowers usually are just what you need to add a bit of shizzle.

I was planning on adding my other hack project from this table on the other side of the "U" shelf  but I  found a better place for them. I do have a picture project that I want to add here. When I start getting 8 days in a week, it might get finished.

I never noticed but I now have my cross wall and my communion table "U" in my foyer. Is this too "churchy"? I really don't want people tho come for a visit and start confessing their sins...especially to someone such as me who is so flawed.  I am in love with the fact that when I look at the crosses, I see God's awesome grace towards me in providing His Son as my substitute. In the "U",  I am reminded that it was from a communion table and I am reminded of what Communion means with my Lord and Savior. It is a precious relationship that I share with Jesus and this may start to be the place I do my devotions in the mornings. 

What a beautiful hack I am and am becoming through Jesus. Amen.

Always being renewed,

Please see the link party page to see where I link arms with those blissfully beautiful bloggers that host every week. So gracious they are along with these other sweet ladies!