----> $3 Bookshelf

I really hate bookshelves.

It's probably because the ones we have get over-run with books that have been torn apart by little monsters hands that shouldn't have had them in the first place.  Then nobody wants to look at them because they've been colored in, pages ripped, pages missing, flaps bent, etc.  I'll be the first to tell you that my boys don't excel in organization skills (yet!) so our bookshelves are never tidy and they always look like a fat mess. 

Well, until my OCD kicks in and I have them all color-coded and lined from biggest to smallest. 

I kid...sort of.

I saw this bookshelf at the DI for a whopping three bucks and thought it would be perfect for Andrew's little board books.  It's big enough to hold quite a few, but not big enough to get all the special books thrown on it. 

It has its share of mystery ick on the top

I primed it and then painted a couple coats of this color that I found at Home Depot in the "Oops" paint pile.  If you've never checked out the Oops paint at HD or Lowes you need to!  I think I only paid $1.50 for a quart of this. 

The color almost has this pinkish undertone (great for my 3 boys, ahem) so I decided to glaze it and give it sort of a more rustic dirty look.  Boys=Dirty. 

Boston's latest obsession is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Wii and the other day I watched Andrew crawl over to one of the controllers, pick it up, and distinctly say, "PLAY Wii".

That was the day I finished the bookshelf.

Labor of Love:

Primer

2 coats of Oops Paint

Brown Glaze

Spray Polyurethane

----> Wouldja look at that...!

If you have these two things:

1) iphone/ipad/ipod

2) a blog

...I'd suggest following this tutorial to create your very own blog icon.

This is serious genius.

----> End Table II

Meet End Table II

I've discovered that things at the DI are either feast or famine. 

Sometimes you can walk in there and see treasures all over the place and other times you leave with nothing more than a filthy feeling on your hands from pushing the cart. 

I spotted this end table and threw it on the cart before I really decided if I wanted it or not. 
But really, how do you pass up cute table legs like that?!

I had it sanded and primed before I realized that it was missing a drawer.
Hello, gaping hole should have given that away but it was actually my friend who pointed it out.
I guess that's the end that will go against the wall.  :)

Sleek black...what's not to love, right?

This table actually has two other pieces that I'm working on to go with it.  I can't wait to finish them and show you the whole package!

Labor of Love:
Glidden Eggshell/Satin Finish:  Ebony Stone Black
Wipe-on Polyurethane (Greatest invention EVER)

----> I'm in love

source

(No, that's not my house - but I wish it was!)

I'm obsessing over these striped drapes!

I can't wait to make them.

Check out her awesome tutorial - sewing straight lines is right up my alley! 

----> Dresser

We have had this dresser forever and I have disliked it for...ever.  Three of the four drawers had broken tracks so every time I pulled a drawer out I ran the risk of losing a toe.  Chase had been using it in his room in the basement - but we recently got the boys bunk beds so now he and Boston are both upstairs and this lonely thing sat empty. 

I had a few thoughts.

1) we could use it for firewood this summer.

2)  post a "Free" ad on KSL

3)  fix it up!

I've been working on it in the garage and with the weather being slightly bipolar lately, this has taken a little longer than I was hoping.  I love the end result, though!

{the drawers aren't all falling out!}

Labor of Love: {final chapter}

disclaimer: I originally painted this a glossy white with the brown glaze and it was just short of a disaster when I got the idea to distress it.  Step away from the sandpaper, Barrus.  I ended up redoing it all.  But I'm glad because this is a million times cuter!

Primer

Paint:  BH&G Newsworthy Neutral

Brown Glaze for antique look

Polyurethane

Spray painted the drawer pulls brown

----> Candlestick

I was wandering the aisles of the DI when I stumbled upon this piece of ugly. 

Before:

{so pretty, no?}

I saw it out of the corner of my eye, glanced, and walked right by it.  I turned back around and picked it up to see how much it was (what did we learn about spray paint??) and it was only $3 so I put it in my cart.  I was envisioning a bright color with a little glaze...

First things first.  Candle - garbage.  Bedazzlement - garbage.

After:

Labor of Love:

- 2 coats of Primer

- 2 coats of Krylon gloss spray paint in Gauhaus Gold

- Lightly distressed the base

- Polyurethane for protection

----> my first re-do

I was looking for a small size table to put in my front room after I had painted the walls, hung some art, and pretty much gave it an all around makeover.  I didn't realize I'd find it on craigslist.  I loved the rounded legs of the table and detail of the top - but it was ugly.  I follow enough craft/DIY blogs to know that in a crisis like this, a can of spray paint is your best friend.

Before:

{quality phone picture}

After:



Labor of Love:

- 2 coats of Primer

- 2 coats of Rust-oleum gloss paint in Almond

- Distressed

- Brown glaze to bring out detail