Vintage End Table

i'm in the process of trying to make some life changing decisions...i'm having some issues that i am trying to work out with the business...i want to sell more...i want to make more money...its not that i'm greedy but i just think its time...

i think i spend more time online than anything i do...i'm constantly looking for ideas...pricing...facebook pages...anything that will help me build the business that i dream of everyday...

as some of you may know, i do have my own shop...the location stinks though...for the past few weeks i have been thinking about moving...i have even contacted someone that i will be talking to next week...this is a very big decision for me to make...i just have to think long and hard about it...

i have been holding off on new projects because of the possible move...i need to know what my clientele will be before i start painting new things...

i picked up this little table months ago...its been in the abyss with the rest of the junk i need to finish...i needed a quick project and i knew this wouldn't take long...

this isn't for everybody...i'm sure some people would look at this and say wow, that is just ugly...but i like it...the vintage look...straight from 1974...

yes i do know my photos stink...maybe when i start getting paid to blog then i will do better in that department...this is the after...a coat of old white by annie sloan...distressed and waxed...

CREATING LOVE AND JOY

Ashley

Outdated Dresser

everytime i start a post i think, man i need to do better...i can not honestly say how long its been since i've posted...i didn't even want to look at the last date because i'm embarrassed...

i guess i just get so caught up in everything else that i have going on..sometimes things can be overwhelming...i have a lot on my plate so to speak...it has really taken a toll on me in the past 2 weeks...i often have the feeling of giving up...saying goodbye to the furniture resto business...i know i wouldn't be happy though...so i just go a few days without doing anything...

i picked up this dresser from a friend of mine that was selling on facebook....i got a very good deal on it because she was almost to the point of giving it away i think...just needed the room...the best part is that it was 2 pieces...i still have the mirror but haven't decided if i'm painting it...i was in such a hurry to get the bottom part done that i just put the mirror aside...

my kids have a way with me...they are always wanting me to paint something for them...i feel bad and give in...this for for the 11 year old...the one that didn't have enough room for her clothes...the one that promised to keep her room clean if i painted it for her...shall i post some pics? i mean pics of the dirty room...no, i won't because that will only double embarrass me....

here is the before...if you are wondering why it looks so crazy its because i took it standing up on the end...i couldn't get a good before...i started working on it with it standing up like this...

after! i love how it turned out...its amazing what paint can do to a piece...this was actually real wood...when i bought it, i was in such a hurry that i didn't even look at it...my son and his friend loaded it up and it sat in storage for a few months...i painted it with homemade chalk paint...its just basic white that has been distressed...the top is gloss black...the handles are also gloss black...of course my daughter is in love with it...

CREATING LOVE AND JOY

Ashley

Linking up to:
Lizmarie Blog 

Painted Chair

i've wanted to paint a piece of furniture since the day i first saw it on pinterest...i think i've read very single post that i could find...after almost a year, i finally made up my mind..

i decided to use fabric medium to mix with my paint..the chair was only $10 so i didn't have much to lose...it also had a broken spring so if it didn't work then i wasn't out alot of money...i felt like this was the cheapest way to go

Before

i purchased my fabric medium from hobby lobby...i mixed it in with some paint that i already had..it was hard for me to decide on a color..i picked gray because i felt it would cover the color without alot of coats...

after

i used a small brush to apply the paint...i worked in very small areas so it would soak into the pattern...i didn't saturate it though...it almost covered with one coat...i only had to go back and touch up a few spots...

the wood was painted with homemade chalk paint...after it dried i distressed it lightly...

based on how the chair feels, i know that i didn't mix enough of the medium into the paint..its basically for looks though, so it shouldn't be a problem..i'm sure the cat will enjoy a new place to nap...

CREATING LOVE AND JOY

Ashley

Stereo Cabinet

I had a friend ask me if i wanted this piece of furniture...dumb question, of course i wanted it..it was free! i was a little unsure at first though...she told me to just go by and pick it up from her garage...i almost regretted it...

before..she said it was an old stereo cabinet that had been gutted a long time ago...it traveled all the way from new york to georgia...

i decided to go ahead and prime it..i used an oil base primer because there were parts that were not real wood and i wanted it to hold up..i feel as if the oil base works best for non wood parts...i sanded the top all the way down to bare wood...it was very dry and soaked up the stain like crazy

i used some stain i had already..i wanted the top as dark as possible...the paint was from lowes that i was using  for another project...since the door was missing a fabric screen i just decided to add the chicken wire because i had it on hand...i'm not very handy with power tools so i knew cutting a piece of wood was out of the question

one more of the before and after...its one of my favorite pieces i've done...it has so many options...could be a buffet, side table, media console...the list goes on...it is for sale and can be seen at creating love and joy store at the rock, georgia

CREATING LOVE AND JOY

Ashley

Linking Up To:
Lolly Jane
Salt Tree
Kammys Korner
Sugar Bee Crafts
VMG206 

Painted Headboard

here is the headboard to the set i just bought for my daughter...

before...oops..almost forgot the before pic...yes, i paint in my house when the weather stinks...

finished...homemade white chalk paint...distressed and waxed...

close up shot...i also made the picture above the bed...

i took a yard sale frame and painted it...added chevron contact paper to the cardboard...attached a piece of vinyl to the glass...instant art...please note...my daughter helped with this project...

CREATING LOVE AND JOY

Ashley

Linking Up To:

Night Stand

 i picked up a whole bedroom set for $60...it included a night stand, chest of drawers, dresser, headboard, and mattress set...its not the best quality, but for that price i couldn't pass it up...my daughter had been without a set since she moved in with me almost 5 years ago...even though i don't think i will be using the dresser, its so worth it...

here is is before...its just a cheap night stand...but very heavy and sturdy...

here is the finished piece...the weather has been awful in georgia the past few days...i used some old hardware i had just until i can finish the original ones...its too windy to spray paint...this is just white homemade chalk paint...i then distressed and waxed...my favorite way to paint...

i picked up this lamp base at a yard sale for $1...i think the lamp shade was from another lamp...i spray painted it all black...i wrapped some tulle around the top and attached a paparazzi hair clip to the top...(contact me if you are interested in paparazzi...very cute things for $5)

CREATING LOVE AND JOY

Ashley

Linking Up To:

Vintage Vanity

several months ago i picked up this cute little vanity...it got added to the list of other things to complete...its finally finished...

here it is before...missing 2 knobs on top drawers...part of it wasn't even painted...just a vintage rough piece...had to work hard to get the drawers to fit right...

i started stripping the top and drawers because i wanted to stain them...it wasn't in the best shape so i decided to just paint it...wasted some time on this step...

here is the finished piece...i painted it a color called mystique...its a creamy off white...distressed and waxed...added some cute knobs from hobby lobby

before and after...not a huge change...just better...

CREATING LOVE AND JOY

Ashley

Linking Up To:
Kammys Korner
Liz Marie Blog