Tweaky Week and Life's Blessings.

~ Happy Friday!! ~

Do you ever feel like despite your best efforts, things are just not looking the way you had intended?

I am having a few challenges with my photography in my last two posts. Very sub-standard! Blech! That being said, I have taken steps to work on that, and today is a new day! It is supposed to be sunny and 80 degrees here this afternoon! Whoo-hoo! 

I was thinking this morning about how blessed I am. I have a beautiful, happy child, and a sweet husband, who just went off to school for "Dad's" day this morning at his pre-school. They were both wearing the requested green, and they looked so happy to be spending time together. I swear, I felt like my heart was going to burst it was so full, as I stood waving them off.

I got the ALL CLEAR yesterday, from those test results I was waiting for. I always hold my breath while waiting for results, because one day almost 3 years ago, the results were bad. Very bad. The doctor called to say, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but it's cancer. You have a fairly large tumor that's going to have to come out." 

So today, I am choosing to celebrate my blessings. I have so many! 

All right, now on to the tweaky week! I did a million little things around the house this week. I have been fiddling around in the little guy's room, and moved some things around on his wall and dresser, and now I am working on his drapes. I also had the paint out this week for my side table project that I posted about yesterday, and while I had the brush I my hand I went to town and touched up all of the trim, doors, and staircase, etc. Anything that was scuffed or chipped got a touch up. It looks fabulous! I have about 3 other projects in the works as well, and plan to post about each of those later.

After my post yesterday, I was appalled by the photography and the lack of vignette for the table. So I made a quick fix with an old vase and some burlap to hold that random manzanita branch. This is just to buy some time until I work on something a bit more Spring-like, but it will do for now.

Yes, my camera skills are still appalling, but I will be taking a workshop later this month. Hang in there with me. I promise to improve!

I went outside to water today, and snapped a couple of pics of my Jasmine. It peaked a few days ago, and soon the blooms will all fall, so I am enjoying it while it lasts!

That's it for today! I hope you all have an awesome weekend!!

xo

-Lisa

Painted Side Table

~ Hello Friends! ~

This has been project week around here, and I always love the feeling of getting these little things done. You know, the little projects that have been on what I refer to as the "rolling list"?. That simply means they are the projects that are not my top priority, or ones that I have just decided to blow off! ;-) Am I the only one with a rolling list?

So, on said list was a little side table that I picked up years ago at a garage sale for $5. I loved the lines, and though it had a painted pedestal that was a little too yellowish for my decor, it has remained that way since it was dropped in my living room the day I brought it home.

Here's how she's looked for the past ....few years.

 See how yellow the base was next to my Swiss Coffee white banister? *Please ignore table vignette. I just plunked a few found items on top, and have not done my Spring vignette as of yet. 

 Closer look.

I broke out the Swiss Coffee white...

  This is the color on most of the trim, doors and staircase in our house, but I felt it just was way too white looking for the table base!

 To me it was just screaming for some aging. So I mixed two stains together from my supplies. I think it was Minwax Mahogany and Ebony. Probably 3/4 Mahogany to 1/4 Ebony, though it may have been closer to half and half. The ebony sort of takes the red out, and knocks it down to just a dark espresso, I guess. Anyhow, I just wiped it on with a rag, and then wiped it off with another dry rag.

Here is the result...

*Again with the random branch. Pretend it's not there, ok?*

   I also rubbed a fresh coat of stain on the top, and now she really shines!

 It is a very subtle difference, but enough to emphasize the detail, and to give it a little depth.

 I like it so much better!

 One last look.

Well, that's it for today! Back to my "rolling list"! Tell me you have one too!?
Have a great day, everybody! :-)
xo
-Lisa

Linking up to the following...

A Little Knick Knack

Common Ground: Vintage Inspired

Vintage Desk Re-Do, and Friday's Flowers.

Another absolutely gorgeous day here, while the hubs makes his way back today from snowy Chicago. Being a mid-western girl, I have been known to complain about the lack of seasons (I know, the gaul!) in southern California, but not in Feb and March when the midwest is still cold and snowy!

Since the weather has been so nice here the last few days I drug the little old desk down from my son's room for it's long over due spruce up!

Here it is before...

 Hideous green. Especially against my son's bright green walls. Ugh!

It was cracked and peeling on top, so I thought I would give it a quick sand, then shoot it with some spray paint.

Unfortunately...all the layers of paint started to come off, not just the top color.

WHAT A MESS!!!

 GRRRR!

So I stripped the whole top before painting it.

I used Rustoleum Espresso in Satin. It goes on like a dream. (I am not being compensated in any way for this, but would welcome it, if the good people at Rustoleum were so inclined!) ;-)

I did two coats, and let it dry overnight before putting on the hardware.

It was almost sunset when I finished.

One drawer had a little bubbling when I looked at it this morning, so I sanded it lightly and re-shot it with the spray paint. I added the new brushed nickel bin pulls while the paint dried. Luckily, the new hardware lined up with the holes from the original hardware. No need to patch, putty, or re-drill! :-)

 I love how it turned out!

 I hauled it back up the stairs by myself. I'm crazy like that. Didn't want to wait until the hubs got home tonight.

 I think it looks pretty cute in his room. Although...I am thinking of painting his room a different color. These were the colors of his nursery, and we had the same Pottery Barn airplane bedding but in the crib size. My mom bought the twin size bedding as a gift at the same time so I would not have to make a big change when he transitioned to a big boy bed.

 I like the blue, and the chocolate brown stripe, but the green just kinda bugs me now, and it never ever reads right in photos. We will see what I wind up with in there.

But for now, he's got a cute new desk in his room, that I found at a garage sale for $40. Can't beat that!

I think he's going to love it!

Here are the Friday's Flowers...ok, so they are succulents. I picked them up at Home Depot when I bought the spray paint. I like to put them in my vintage ironstone, and old creamers around the house.

That's it for today!
Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!
xo
-Lisa
Linking up to the following...

Between Naps on the Porch-Metamorphosis Monday.