Headboard / Footboard Bench

Hello My Blog Friends!!  I've been keeping busy, so I'm trying to squeeze in some time to share a project or two with you.  The weather here has been all over the place, so I'm trying to take advantage of each sunshine moment I can that I'm not at work to try to crank out some furniture.  I gave you a sneak peek of this bench a little while back, but never got a chance to share the details.

This piece was for a local Florida client.  She rescued this headboard and footboard from a family member who had destined it for the dump.  I know, GASP!  But, if you had seen a true before (which of course I don't have -- big surprise!), you would be more understanding.  There was VERY outdated engraving in the headboard...not the kind of engraving that you could sand out...I'm talking engraved into the wood about 1/2 an inch.  So, I took the headboard to a friend of mine to have it planed.  We shaved off a 1/2 inch of wood from the top of the headboard.  Goodbye funky outdated design!

Then, in the very end we were left with this, but I'll share how we got to this point:

 

The slats used for the original bed frame were what became the "seat" of the bench.  Building the bench will have to be another post, but I did have to solicit some assistance on this one.  Here's what it looked like when it was first transformed to a bench.

I did a lot of sanding with my orbital sander to smooth everything up.  I started with a 120 grit paper and worked up to a 220 grit before painting.  I used a dry brush technique to brush on "Alligator Green" from Benjamin Moore.  Dry brushing (this technique is explained here) uses just a little paint to give a very feathered look.

 The "Alligator Green" was followed with Graphite from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  This was also applied with a dry brush technique.

After all of the painting, I sanded it some using 220 grit, just to help everything blend well.

Here's another before and after glimpse:

 This piece was going to be used on a patio by my client for an outdoor table, so I gave it three coats of polyurethane once the paint dried.

It's not shown in this picture, but we also added some vintage casters to this piece to it would be easy to move around on the patio.

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More Graphite Love

It's been a busy week here.  However, I've had some AMAZING painting weather--thank you Jesus!!  Just a quick little before and after for you.  Well, technically, you're seeing the after then the before.  Good thing we're not getting technical here!

This wardrobe came in the base thrift/consignment store I work at.  This is a pretty nice piece for what we usually get in there, but sometimes I get lucky and get something great like this.  Also, I'm typically not drawn to lighter color pieces like this.  But, I remembered a chest and nightstand that I had done in Graphite for a customer that turned out really great.  So, that was my inspiration for this piece.  The Annie Sloan Graphite seems to work really well against this color of finish.

 Thanks to ASCP, this piece required no sanding.  Also a bonus for me...this piece was clean to start with.  All I did is give it a light wipe down with damp rag to get started.

 I did two coats of paint.  I often get asked if I paint by hand or use a sprayer...the answer is both! Generally it depends on my mood and the finish that I'm going for or the piece itself, but this piece was so square/flat/straight lined so I hand painted it.  I really enjoy painting by hand...kinda therapeutic for me.  I know, crazy, right?  I suppose it's a good thing I enjoy it since it's sorta the business I'm in!!

 After the two coats of paint, I used my electric sander with 220 grit paper to distress the edges of this piece.  I then lightly sanded all the flat surfaces (also with my electric sander) for that silky smooth feel that this paint gives you.  My usual warning:  at this step, if you're a newbie to this paint, you'll likely think you've messed up and ruined the whole thing.  The color will change.  The texture will change.  And you'll be scared.  No worries...the wax will fix it all!

 The entire piece got a coat of clear wax and then I buffed it by hand.  This piece only lasted about a day until it got a new home...I just love it when pieces move that fast!

I'll leave you with a picture of me and my assistant with our sad/poutty faces on because we are missing the man of the house.  Deployments stink!

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Super Simple Dry-Brushed Coffe Table

Good morning world!  The puppy and I just got back from a three mile run and we are feeling energized.  Actually, he's laying on the floor wiped out and I'm energized.  Lots to do today, so I need to keep the energy going.  We've got company coming this weekend (can't wait to see my Dad, his girlfriend, and two of my neices!!) so I'm powering through another to-do list that I've given myself.

Yesterday was pretty full: putting dinner in the crockpot, work at the Thrift Shop, work at a client's house, come home to what should have been dinner and discover that the power was off yesterday morning for an hour and a half and the crockpot just doesn't restart itself when this happens...ugh, furiously scrounge up dinner (because it's Tuesday and that's my dinner share night for the neighborhood), pick up friends at the airport, start to clean out my office closet, hang with the hubby and the puppy.  My point is...as you can see there was no house cleaning or painting going on in that schedule.  Both of which need to be done.  So, today, that's what I'm doing!

But, first I'm sharing with you another REALLY easy dry-brush project:

 I picked up this little coffee table from a friend of mine.  We traded some items, and this was one that I came home with.  All I did to get started was wipe it down with a damp rag.

 I then dry-brushed on some Annie Sloan Old White.  As you can see, there was no perfection going on here.  The only thing I really tried to do was go with the direction of the grain.

 You can see that some parts are a little heavier painted than others...no big deal.  It adds to the overall look of the piece.

 Next I used my orbital sander and went over it a bit just to blend it a little.

 Next it got a coat of Minwax Paste Wax.  And ta-da....15 minutes later you have a completed project!

 

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Cottage Chic Nightstand Makeover

YAY!  I'm happy to report that after a LONG month and a half apart, the hubby is safely home.  Too bad there is a lot more time apart on the horizon.  But, for now, the little puppy and I are just loving having him home with us.  This weekend was wonderful...just being lazy and hanging out together!

I did manage to squeeze in a few projects though.  I've been busy painting some furniture for some clients.  It's not all fully finished yet, but I'll share pics once it is.  In the meantime, here's a little cottage chic nightstand that recently got a little makeover.  Really, is paint amazing or what?!?!?

 Here's the blah-ness we began with:

 I started by giving it a really good cleaning and then a very sloppy haphazardly painted coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White.

 After the Old White dried (which doesn't take long with ASCP), I dry brushed on a some strokes of Provence and Chateau Gray. 

 

 I then sanded a little bit to blend together slightly.

 Next up, I worked in sections using the wax.  First a section would get a light coat of clear wax, simply applied with an old rag.  Then using a chip brush (because my wax brush needed cleaning), I used the Annie Sloan dark wax and worked it into all the crevices that were created using haphazard brush strokes while applying the paint.  It really does not take much dark wax at all.  This stuff goes a LONG ways.  The clear wax...not so much.  It definitely takes a bit more, but the end result is soooo worth it.  So, after applying the dark wax, I then take the rag with clear wax and basically wipe off the dark wax.  I generally take my rag and go in small circular motions, but I don't really thing there is a right or wrong way to do this.

 The clear wax helps remove the perfect amount of dark wax, but leaves a wonderfully aged, cottage look.  I also changed the handle on this piece.  I had one in my stash that was a loner and it happened to work perfectly.

 Here, you can really see the effects of the various colors and the wax all working together.

 This piece is headed to De'France this afternoon!

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