Monday, August 30, 2010

The Furniture is Done! Off to College!

 Whew! The furniture got finished in the nick of time. We took Jamie and all the furniture we provided for the girls apartment, and all her stuff to college this past weekend. We borrowed a bigger trailer (ours wasn't big enough). We looked something like the Beverly Hillbillies! I so wanted to strap a rocking chair to the top of the pile and get a giant doll to sit in it! But I'm afraid it might have run people off the road laughing. Here's what the trailer looked like:


That tall thing in the back is a loft bed that was my nephew's.  They are lending it to Jamie while she is in college.  That was a blessing.

It was a 5 1/2 hour drive to her school, not counting stops.  We had a funeral visitation to go to on Friday before we left, so we didn't arrive until around 10:00 p.m.    Not wanting to leave a trailer full of her worldly goods overnight, we unpacked it all that night!  We spent the first night at her apartment, as two of the girls didn't come until the next day.

The next day we got up and got to work setting up the apartment.  I didn't get many pictures, because I was too busy cleaning.  The place was quite dirty, which I was not at all happy about.  I did snap a few.  Here's the loft bed getting assembled:


Tyler looks exhausted...he helped carry almost every piece of furniture up two flights of stairs.  Yep...top floor...not our choice!  Next year those girls better pick a main floor apartment, is all I've got to say.


Even Jared helped carry and set up.  I love this picture of him being Daddy's little helper.

I meant to take pictures of all the finished furniture before it got packed onto the trailer, but in all the rush to get it all packed, I forgot.  So I took pictures of the two pieces of furniture I hadn't shown you, after it was at the apartment.  Sorry about the quality of the pictures...not sure why they are so grainy.  I think I had the camera on the wrong setting.


Remember that dirty old bookcase from our barn rafters?  Let me refresh your memory:


Yeah...that's the one.  Disgusting, wasn't it?  Here's a close up shot of it:


You can see I painted it to match the nightstand I posted about earlier


I also painted a desk,  I didn't get very good pictures of it after.  In fact it didn't even have knobs on it yet.  Someday I'll try to get a better picture of it.  Here is the before:


It needed a little repair and some paint, but it is a very solid little desk.  It even has a finished back on it, which I failed to get a shot of.  I'll post more about it later, but here it is finished...except for nobs.


We also found a solid wood futon for $35 to use as a couch.  We had a black futon mattress, so it was perfect.  I didn't get a picture of the mattress on it though...I know...bad blogger, but I was a wee bit busy.


So here is a review of the four pieces I painted for her:

 I blogged about this table here.



It was an exhausting trip...physically and emotionally.  We said our goodbye's Saturday night, after taking Jamie out for dinner,  then stayed the night at our nephew's home about 20 minutes away.  It's so comforting to know he is there if she runs into trouble or needs immediate help.  He and his wife are both wonderful Christian people.  The have an adorable son and another baby due any day.  They even go to the same church as Jamie's friend (who she is rooming with), so she saw him on Sunday.  He delivered a box of food to her, that somehow got packed back into our car...I won't mention any names Tyler!

We drove home Sunday.  The waterworks didn't start until I went to bed.  My first baby has left the nest.  Sniff. Sniff.

 I've linked to:





Monday, August 23, 2010

I wanna win...I wanna win...I wanna win

I wanna win...I wanna win...I wanna win (said while clicking my heels together and squeezing my eyes shut tight).

Wendy over at The Shabby Nest is hosting a giveaway for a Silhouette. I want one of these so bad I can taste it! You too? Well then, head over to The Shabby Nest and get on board. You can try anyway...but I'm going to win it...sorry ; )

Update:  Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming is also having a Silhouette giveaway.  Wow...two places to win!  Check both these lovely ladies blogs out.  You won't be disappointed!

Nuther update: Wow! Is everyone giving away a silhouette? More chances to win! Kathleen from Grosgrain is also giving away one. With all these opportunities, surely I'll win one! I wanna win...I wanna win...I wanna win.


UndertheTableandDreaming


SILHOUETTE MACHINE GUEST GIVEAWAY AT GROSGRAIN!!!!


Sunday, August 22, 2010

Garage Sale Goodies

I've picked up a few goodies (one real good goodie!) at garage sales over the summer, but never posted them. So I went around and took some pictures to share with you. I'm saving the best for last...wait for it...don't scroll down just yet.

My best guess on this first item, is that it is a really huge Christmas ornament. You can't see it in the pictures, but it has a chain and hook on it to hang it from. I can't imagine hanging it on the tree. It's too large and fairly heavy. But I thought it was so cool...I'll display it somewhere.


Here's another picture to give you some size perspective.  That's a large size flower pot on my back deck.  Isn't it cool?


Next is an old rusty, crusty wood level I picked up for $1.00.  I have an idea for it...but I'm not sayin' just yet what it is.  (Never mind the flower baskets...I was babysitting them for my mom while she was out of town for a few weeks.  And the ring around the tree is where I killed the grass and am going to put mulch.)


I found these green glass bottles at a consignment shop.  I love the color and translucency.


This next one is pretty cool, but still not the coolest.  We got this TV cabinet for FREE!  A friend, who is a painter, has clients that just give her their castoffs.  She didn't need this, but told us about it, and her clients gave it to us, along with a pretty decent TV.  They had just purchased a monster flat screen.  I was floored and thrilled of course.  Blessings upon blessings.  I haven't decorated it properly yet, just threw some stuff on top. 


Now for the coolest...at least it is for me.  It is a diamond in the rough...but not too rough.  It is a storage cabinet for my future craft room.  I was so excited to get this.  I only paid $20 for it.  It is super heavy.  It's what is inside that is so fantastic.  I'll jazz up the outside a little.


Just look at all that storage for craft supplies!!!  I can hardly wait to get started on my craft room now!


I need to have a project party.  Can you all come and help me with my billion projects?  I'll provide the chocolate!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Topiaries Featured at Remodelholic!

Whoops! Cassity over at Remodelholic let me know yesterday, that she was featuring my Twin Topiaries today around 12:00. I fully intended to blog about it earlier today, but got lost in the barn. I mean I've been in that barn most of the day taking advantage of unexpectedly good weather (it was supposed to rain all day), to get a ton of sanding and painting done on the college furniture.

Soooo...I sorta forgot. What a ditz! How could I forget something so exciting??? I'm blaming it on the paint fumes...yeah that sounds about right. Anyway, I am forever grateful to Cassity. This is the second time she has featured one of my posts and I am doubly honored. If you didn't catch the post on my Twin Topiaries, head on over to Remodelholic and check it out there.



Friday, August 20, 2010

Drop Leaf Table Goes to College

I wanted to do something special on this table, but ran out of time. I guess it's special enough for college. I bought this quality pine table when I worked at a high-end furniture store in highschool/college. They had beautiful furniture and I got a great discount. I wish I could have bought even more.

We used this table for our main dining table for many years until it got to be to small as the kids came along. Then it was a computer desk for awhile. The last few years it's been in the basement. It was terribly scratched, with one very deep, long gouge from someone dragging the computer across it, I think.

I already started sanding it before I remembered to take pictures, but these show some of the damage.





Pine is forgiving however, and most of that gouge sanded right out. I primed this with a tinted primer, then later wished I hadn't because it shows if I tried to sand the edges. So I'm leaving it unsanded, with a poly finish on it.



I would love to put a scripture verse or prayer around the border of the table.  But alas, I have no cricut and I don't have time to stencil or stamp.  If I do come up with something before it goes to college, I'll post later.

I've joined these link parties. Check them out!


Cherished Treasures”=





Thursday, August 19, 2010

What's in the Barn: Part 3

This is the last installment of What's in the Barn. But I've been holding out. I think some of these items are the best.

I used this rolling kitchen island for many years in a couple of different kitchens. It really is pretty small, and too low for me. Maybe I should build it up with a base and make a potting table out of it. I had a more rustic idea for a potting bench though, and I want it a little bigger too. This one might have to go to the garage sale...unless any of your brilliant minds have any ideas...hint, hint.


My daughter got this old screen door from her friend's mom.  She wanted to hang it on her wall, but really had no place to put it.  Maybe I'll do something with it on her wall while she's away at college.  Maybe.


Sorry about the picture quality.  The lighting in the barn is very dim, especially in the back.

We bought these shaker cabinet doors years ago for really, really cheap at a close out sale.  I mean they were around $2.00 or $3.00 a door!  There are quite a few of them in several sizes.  I had originally planned to build custom cabinets to fit the doors in the laundry room.  I still might use them there...  when I get around to the laundry room.  Or they might end up somewhere else...who knows?


Both of these old overstuffed chairs were free.  I love overstuffed chairs.  I attempted to recover one years ago.  Ummm...never got it finished.  I really hate reupholstering.  Anyone want to trade painting for upholstery work???  Or I could make a scrapbook for each chair...just asking. 

Oh!  I just spotted the ottoman sitting on one of the chairs.  It's covered in ugly green vinyl.  I'm hoping to use one of these chairs and the ottoman for a little cozy corner for me at the top of our stairs...reupholstered of course!


Here's one more project to get done in the next two weeks...if this darn humidity breaks.  My daughter wants to take this bookcase to college.  It would be nice if it matched the other furniture I'm painting.  We shall see.


I asked Mr. Greenwillow to get the bookcase down out the rafters so I could paint it.  It's been up there for awhile.  Brace yourself:


Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

I forgot that I bought this at a garage sale while we were camping last year.  I call our place Green Willow Pond, because we have a pond, surrounded by huge, old willow trees.  It is a spring fed pond.  How perfect is it that I found this sign.  It says, “Willow Springs Dr.”  I'd put it at the end of our driveway, but we have a long driveway, and once, very late at night, someone drove all the way up our driveway, then turned around and left.  It woke us up.  I think someone thought our driveway was a road!  So, I think I'll put the sign near our pond.  There is a wide path around part of the pond that it would be perfect for.


My mom stripped this rocker for me years ago, and here she lies, just waiting for me to rescue her and bring her back in the house.  This one shames me.  Soon fair lady, very soon, you will be rocked in once again.  I rocked all my babies in this lovely chair.  Ahh...the memories.  I can feel and smell my snuggly babies.  Sniff.



A wood crate holds old rags.  Not sure I want to do anything with this.  It may continue to be a rag depository.


I just saw an adorable idea for painting these peck baskets...if I can just find that link...


Another project my youngest son made in Boy Scouts.  If he doesn't want this, I think I can find a use for it.  Really...I won't just take it from him (like he's ever used it even once).  He might have to pry it out of my hands...just kidding.



Whew!  Finally the last item is an old wood planter.  It used to be my moms.  It's really ugly.  But I think a little paint might spruce it up.  It's worth a try.  I can always use more planters!


Sorry, this post was a bit long.  I really didn't want to have to go to a 4th edition of What's in the Barn!  I'm sure there are other little treasures lurking in the corners.  There is so much stuff in there, I can't find what I need half the time.

I think I've got enough projects to keep me busy for a very long time.  Ya think???

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