ADDING BUFFET LEGS - beefing up the frame

Most of the time I have to pull out all my wood working

skills and sometimes even the swear jar to get some legs

install on furniture. While working on this buffet outside

in the warmth of last summer's sun I took several photos

to show how the frame was built and what I would have

to do so I could install a set of legs.  

READ MORE >>

SHABBY TALL CABINET - custom wood working

Growing up I wasn't the daughter that liked to play with dolls.

I was the tomboy playing outdoors, riding bikes, making ladders

to climb higher and building forts to spy from. We didn't

have a lot when I was young but we did have five acres of forest

and daddy's garage, where I could find old cans of nails and a

hammer to build whatever I wanted.

READ MORE >>

ORNATE SHABBY WHITE BUFFET - reveal with a before and after

This buffet has been perched in my back room
for five months longingly looking my way every
time I pass by to use the shower. I had huge plans
for it right from the beginning but the work was
going so slow while other things were also
demanding my attention. The final hurdle was
to refinish the inside, and make it look as good
as the outside.

READ MORE >>

ROPE HANDLES - tutorial

Time for the tutorial on the big nautical rope handles
I used on my beach dresser. They work really well
on these drawers and look incredible. It took some
time to find the rope I wanted to use but in the end
I nailed it.

READ MORE >>

WHITE WASHING VIDEO - recycling bin

I've had an unfinished wood bin in my kitchen

for years and I've always wanted to whitewash

it. Person projects always seem to take a back

burner to other work but I finally stole some

time during the holidays to get it accomplished.

I even pulled out the camera and did a quick

video of how easy it really is. In hindsight I'm

not sure what took me so long.

READ MORE >>

CHANGING THE SHAPE OF FURNITURE - shabby white three drawer

Very rarely am I ever happy when I just paint furniture
to give it a new look. Every artist has something they
specialize in and enjoy doing. Sometimes when I look
at a piece of furniture I see a shape that it should be but
currently something is is distracting from it or missing.
These pieces are also broken or unusable the way they
are, which makes me want them more. It becomes my
job to recreate it for someone new to love. For this project,
a little three drawer cabinet. perfect for a little girl's room,
I added 4 different salvaged pieces to change it's shape.

READ MORE >>

BIG SOFT ROPE HANDLES - nautical beach dresser

I'm over the moon in love with this project. I finally got to
create some big fat nautical rope handles on a set of
drawers. And I'm here to tell you it took awhile to find nice
soft rope to use instead of thick prickly sisal that is
available everywhere. I went to a tack and feed store,
a boat store, every hardware store I could think of and finally
just gave up. Then one day when I was not looking there it
was right in front of me and you'll never guess where.

READ MORE >>

FRESH FLOWERS ON A SHABBY CHIC BEDSIDE TABLE - bedside nightstand

The holidays are over, the turkey is all done,
but our bills remain to remind us of our fun.

The day after Christmas we had a big break-down,
on my desk sat a broken computer that made me frown.

Then in the van we had a broken part that made everything cold,
so we paid to replace it like we were told.

I guess it's time to get back to work and roll up those sleeves,
to pay for the furnace that broke on New Years Eve.

READ MORE >>

GET YOUR JEWELRY ORGANIZED - dressing room update

This time of year we all love to get organized.
As a present to myself I replaced my long
dressing room mirror with a hidden jewelry
cabinet mirror to help kick off some of that
much needed organizing. I had no idea what
I was missing until now. My jewelry has always
been in a box or drawer and I have never had
it properly organized. I was always spending
too much time untangling things to enjoy
wearing my jewelry. Over the holidays I got to
use the new cabinet and it's so much fun now
being able to select a piece to wear with just
a glance.

READ MORE >>