Two-Toned Pedestal Tables

I found two similar pedestal, side tables at a garage sale for $8 each.  They are actually identical except that one has a round top and the other a square.  The original finish was orange and dated, but I had to get them because I loved their shape and pedestal bases, not to mention their sturdy, solid construction.

I started by removing the old finish with my palm sander.

Once I thoroughly removed the old stain, I painted the pedestal bases with a coat of primer.  

I painted the table legs and base with my new favorite, creamy, white paint: Linen White by Behr.  I got lucky because I discovered this color in the "oops" pile at Home Depot.  After painting and distressing the table bases, I applied two coats of Minwax Dark Walnut stain to the tabletops.

All the items I used on the tabletops are from yard sales.

I purchased these lovely, antique bottles at a yard sale for $1 each. I got the vintage crock, in the background, for $2.

This bottle is my favorite; I just adore the shape of it!

The round table:

I picked up this vintage, crystal lamp at an estate sale last week for $2!  Do you remember when I recovered this lamp shade?  I made it to sell in the shop, but I ended up keeping it because I loved it too much.  Now I am glad I held onto it because it looks perfect with my new crystal lamp!

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Tutorial Tuesday: Fabric Covered Bulletin Board

I have a lot of vintage frames, from yard sales, and many of them do not have any glass or backing.  I already made chalkboards with some of them and this time I decided to try a bulletin board covered with fabric.  

I found an old bulletin board at a yard sale this past weekend for $1, that was the big enough for one of my large, vintage frames.  Mr. Rubbish took it out of the frame and trimmed the board down with his jigsaw to fit my vintage frame perfectly.  I know you can buy cork board in rolls at craft stores, but I prefer to buy used, when I can. 

To cover the cork board with fabric, just pull it over the board tightly and staple it to the back with a basic staple gun.  So easy!  

Do you remember the Paris map fabric that I used to reupholster this bench?  I originally bought this fabric to recover a chair for my Parisian friend, Jenni.  The chair frame got warped and I could not fix it, so I made her this bulletin board instead.  

I painted the frame black and distressed the edges before putting the fabric-covered cork board inside.  

You can glue or nail the bulletin board to the frame.  I just took mine to a frame shop and had them attach it for me.  It took them about two minutes and it only cost me a few dollars.

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My Mom's Shabby Kitchen Table

Last time my parents came to visit me, we went shopping in Pacific Grove and they bought this table from Blessings Boutique.  My mom loved the vintage table, but when they bought it, the table had a weird kind of distressed finished with what looked like blotchy spray paint.  I told my mom to just paint it white and we cold distress the edges when I visited her.

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the table before, but here is what it looked like after my mom gave it a fresh coat of white paint.

I am visiting my parents right now and we decided to work on her table in between upholstering some chairs.  My mom has a nice pneumatic staple gun, so I am getting my difficult upholstery project done while I am here too.

Here is what the table looks like now, after my mom and I distressed the edges and applied a paste wax.

The tabletop is so pretty with a little distressing and reminds me of a shabby, old door.  She is collecting small, vintage chairs to go with the table and we are going to paint and reupholster them next.

The cool thing about her table is that both sides fold down to save space.  This table is actually for my mom's kitchen (I took the pictures in her dining room), where she does not have a lot of space, so it is perfect!  

I found stuff my mom had lying around her house for a centerpiece - some seashells, a silver tray, candles and bud vases holding some pretty desert weeds.

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Find of the Week: Vintage Cane Back Chairs

On Saturday, while I was out looking for yard sales, I passed a sign for a little thrift shop, advertising a store-wide 50% off sale.  I stopped in, to see what I could find, and spotted these fabulous, vintage, caned dining chairs! There was a full set of six chairs and they were priced at ten dollars apiece.  With the 50% discount, I got all six chairs for only thirty dollars!

I do not really need another project right now and I was not looking for chairs, but I could not pass up these beauties.  They are all in nearly perfect condition and there are no holes in any of the caning!

All they need are new finishes and upholstery.  I have to complete a few projects before I can start revamping these chairs, but I am really looking forward to starting their transformation.

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