Bad Kathy

My only consolation is that it is not January just yet and my plan is to not spend on frivolous home décor things for at least a month.  I went into TJ Maxx on my way home from the supermarket to look for two gifts for people coming over New Year’s Eve.  I walked out with this.

After having a conversation with myself {in my head, of course} I was able to justify these purchases to my own satisfaction.  Everything was 50% off and I spent a grand total of $47.00!

This gorgeous silver tree skirt was the first thing to catch my eye {originally $29.99}.  Rosettes and ruffles!  This is so pretty I want to wear it!  Now, I don’t need another tree skirt, but the wheels were churning to use this as a tablecloth for our New Year’s Eve party.

What about the hole you ask?  Well, the hole will be taken care of with a silver tray.  Like this.

Maybe not this particular tray but I have three to choose from.  I also fell for these trees, at least 17 inches tall with the urn.  I was amazed they weren’t broken or trashed in some way, but they are perfect.

Also picked up some holiday tissue paper since I ran out wrapping this year’s Christmas’ gifts.  Oh yeah, the gifts.  I got two candle gifts ~ one in this Peace tin and the other a blue mercury glass-like candle. 

I’ll be back to show you how I set up the table using the tree skirt as a tablecloth.

Kathy

Whew! What A Year ~ 2011 In Review

I know I did my favorite project of 2011 post, but I thought I’d add in a few more that I did over the course of the year.  This was a big year for us in that we moved from New York {where we lived our whole lives} to Ohio.  Some of these projects were done in our old house and, after September, in our new home.

January had me using a Nine West dress I found at Goodwill and turning it into a table skirt for a small round decorator table for my granddaughter.

In February I did another project for the granddaughter with this shelf I found at Goodwill for her china tea sets.

At the end of March, I decided to customize some ready made sheers when I was doing my Winter to Spring switch.

In April, I turned a plain wooden tray that was destined for the trash into a little French beauty using supplies I had on hand.

In May I found a fabulous chair at a local thrift store and I just adored the detail on it.  It did, of course, receive a makeover.

In June I finished the dresser, which I already posted about as my favorite for the year, but these little cupcake stands were a popular post, too.

July had me making two different kinds of Frenchy memo boards with clearance frames from Michaels and fabric I already had.

The end of August, as we prepared to move, an attic clear out had me transforming my son’s old child-size rocker for my granddaughter.

We moved at the end of September, but I was able to get our hall tree made over before we left.

By October we were getting settled in our new home in Ohio and I did two projects this month that I’m still loving every time I look at them.   The first was bringing some interest to the glass door cabinet in my kitchen that houses my white pieces.

The second was being able to do the gallery wall I’ve been wanting to do for the past two years.

In November I was tackling my craft/sewing room off and on and one of the things I completed was a toile skirt for the sewing table.

In December I was more focused on decorating for Christmas.  One of my projects was doing bottlebrush trees like the ones I had been coveting.

I’ve got a few projects that will be starting me off in the new year.  Now the question is which to start first!

Kathy

A Few Gifts

Besides spending the day with loved ones, I got a few things for Christmas that I’ve been wanting.  First was this black and white throw.

It is so soft!  I can’t wait for a cold winter day where I have nothing to do except sit with a good book, a cup of hot chocolate and use this throw. 

I’ve also been wanting some of the Mark Roberts’ fairies for a few years now and got two of the small ones this year.  Love ‘em! Next year I’ll have fun finding a real place for them.

We kept things simple this year, hubby and I, since we have bought a few things since our move.  How about you?  Did you get something you’ve been wanting?

Kathy

Favorite Project of 2011

Kim from Savvy Southern Style had such a great idea for her Wow Us Wednesday linky party this week.  With so much going on, she suggested we link up our favorite project of this year.   I had a few I really enjoyed doing, but I have to say I think my rescued curbside dresser was my very favorite.

Here is the original post where I did the reveal of the finished dresser:

Monday, June 27, 2011

Finally! The Dresser Is Done!

Finally! You’d think I was doing a whole suite of furniture for the time it took me to get this little dresser done. I posted about how I found it on the side of the road here and this is what it looked like.

It was missing two of its three drawers, but I knew I could put wood there and use baskets. Since I ordered a quart of the legendary chalk paint for my headboard, I thought I would use it on this piece, too. Anything to not have to sand or prime!

My hubby made me two shelves out of some luan that we already had in our garage for the drawerless areas. We also had this decorative trim left over from our master bathroom redo.

I painted the whole thing in Annie Sloan’s Old White chalk paint, then rubbed on the Clear Wax. {Edited to answer a comment: All products used are from the Annie Sloan line}.

You recall I asked for your help on what color to paint the baskets for the two shelves. I wanted to make a choice between gray or black. Thank you so much for your input on that! I wound up not going with either of those choices!

The baskets got sprayed with Oil Rubbed Bronze; for two reasons. First, I had it already and B. because I thought the brown would look good considering the dark wax is, basically, brown and the script writing on the scrapbook paper I used was brown.

I added tags to the baskets using shipping tags covered in a script scrapbook paper and numbers I got from The Graphics Fairy. I tied them on to the baskets using two colors of seam binding.

I was disliking the way the floral bit looked on the one and only drawer ~ even painted over. Not quite the look I’m going for.

So I got some script and music scrapbook paper to see which I liked better.

I liked the middle one best. The background color went very well with the Old White chalk paint and the script was very soft. The first one pictured to the left I used on the tags.

I cut it to size and Mod Podged it onto the front of the drawer. The 12x12 sheet allowed me to get the two pieces I needed. The picture below is pre-wax.

I also needed knobs because there were none on the drawer when I got the dresser. I realized that I already had a couple of round wood knobs that I could use. I dipped them in the chalk paint and stuck them upside down into styrofoam cups to dry {I put the screw in them when I did this}.

I added the dark wax to the whole piece {except for the shelf areas since the baskets will be on them anyway}, but got a little heavy handed I think and had to go back in with the clear wax to lighten it up again. Like magic that clear wax is! I couldn’t believe how it lightened up the dark wax and I finally got it to where I liked the look.

Finally, here she is in place in my entry foyer! This will be her home for now. Although, I do like the idea that because of the color, I could put this piece anywhere. I love it! I have some future posts planned featuring this piece.

By the time I got someone to help me bring it in from the garage on Sunday, it had gotten cloudy. If I can get a few better pictures in the morning before I leave for work, I will replace these, as they really don’t do it any justice.

I decorated the top with stuff I already had. The lamp I recently bought at TJ Maxx {$19.99} specifically for this chest. The books and tray are in my etsy; the floral I’ve had for several years and is from Home Goods.

EDITED: Some day time shots from this morning.

Now just a little bit about the paint and my take on it. I would be a bit more careful when applying the dark wax although you can fix any area that looks too dark by reapplying clear wax. The paint covered wonderfully and this piece is made up of plastic legs, MDF and a little bit of real wood. Very high quality stuff here. So it worked on three different surfaces beautifully. I applied the paint with a good paint brush and applied the wax with rags.

Is it worth the $34.95 a quart, plus additional for the waxes? Well, depending on how much I can get out of this can will determine whether I would buy it again. I applied two coats to this dresser and still have 3/4 of a can of paint left. The major plus was no sanding or priming and if you had to get primer and paint, you might be pretty close to that price anyway.

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This dresser really works in well in our new place, too.  Not only fitting in perfectly, but giving me a little more storage, since we did downsize.

Yes, I’d have to say that, even though this project took me the longest to finish, it is my favorite for 2011.  

Also linking up with

What’s It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Kathy

New Lights

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  On Christmas Eve my hubby hung up the light fixture in the dining area.   Here is the before with no light fixture.

Here is the after.

The jury is still out on how it looks, but part of that is probably just getting used to having something hanging there.

If you remember this light fixture was silver and I spray painted it Oil Rubbed Bronze.  I found the cord cover at Lowe’s for $5.97.

He also surprised me Christmas morning when I saw he hung the mini chandy I bought from Overstock in my craft/sewing room. 

I just need to get more bulbs for it and add the crystals then I’ll show you that one.  It will definitely give me more light in there along with looking much better than the basic ceiling fixture that was there. {I already sprayed those candle holder pieces white}.

Linking up with

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Kathy