Etching made easy!

Hello!  It's Monday and time for a weekend project review!

 I decided to try my hand at etching.  Sweet Melissa and I took a class a couple summers ago, and I'd never tried it since.  I found some glassware at the thrift store, and realized if my idea didn't turn out, hey, I wouldn't be "out" alot of money. 

These are the glasses I found.  Aged to perfection.

After taping off the desired area for my "design" (and I use this word lightly) I added various letters, symbols and numbers from my scrapbooking stash.  No particular order, but I tried to space them about the same distance apart.

Once the stickers were on, I followed the directions on the Armor Etch Cream. The cream was applied very thick as recommended.

Like I said...put on quite thick.

Left on for about a minute, and washed off the cream in warm water...I love the way they turned out - none are the same!

They are perfect for a cocktail or an ice cream sundae - I'm lovin' them so much, I may try to do more!

Faux Fireplace. The Miracle Makeover.

Ain't she a beaut?!  Not so much!

This "grand" headboard was sitting at a garage sale...looking all lonely and sad.

But I didn't see a headboard at all.

I saw...

a fireplace!

So I beefed up the piece with some added trim, reshaping a few areas.

Then a solid coat of white, and later a glaze treatment for some age and depth in the finish.

This is where I must apologize. 

JunkFest was fast approaching and the camera wasn't at the top of my priority list. 

I had removed the mirror, removed some of the silvering with an acid treatment, and put a gorgeous red velvet fabric behind.  The acid treatment removes only some of the silvering so you can see mirror in places, but fabric in others.  Way cool!

Here it is at the sale, right there behind the naked chairs.  I hope the new owner is enjoying it!

Stay tuned for an announcement about a GIVEAWAY!!!

Help us reach 1,000 followers and then you can comment on a giveaway post to win a fabulous basket of goodies!!

The tough little "man" room.

It all started with this old shop rack. 

Every room needs a starting point for inspiration, right?

I love the look of clean light colors and shabby, chippy, fluffy girly stuff.

But the only fluff you're going to find in my house are the furballs left behind from too many dogs and a cat.  With a house of boys, I have to be fair and give them at least one manly man room for every 4 or 5 (or 6) of my girly looking rooms. 

I surprised my hubby by having the room insulated and sheetrocked while he was away on a business trip.  I taped, mudded, and textured (cause I just love doing that...NOT),  then I painted a soft pumpkin color on the walls and hung up not only one, but two shop racks.

Then I started having fun.  This is just a breezeway between the garage and house so it's not very big but does have a little higher ceiling. 

I hung up some corrugated galvanized metal sheets.  The good old used ones with some paint and rust on them!! 

Do you see where I'm going with this?  Not really, huh.

Before hanging the metal, I drilled holes in it and hung metal curtain hooks here and there.

Now, if deer antlers and skulls aren't a manly touch...I don't know what is!! 

 (is in MY house, anyway!)

 

On the other side of the little room...

...a cute little cabinet to hold odds and ends, and metal crate for hats and gloves.  And although the door probably caught your eye, glance down.  See the little strip of galvanized metal?  Keeps the shoe kick marks off the step!

On to the door.  I totally got the inspiration for this from Donna at Funky Junk Interiors.  She rocks!

The bare lightbulb was lonely, so I used the super easy "hanging garden basket" trick, and threw in a few little antlers for good measure.  ;)

I believe the camo and orange go quite fine with this "theme".

 An old black mailbox hangs on the wall by the door for, well, hats I suppose.  It's filled with a bit of greenery, a few pheasant feathers and...you guessed it, another little antler.

 And did I mention the cutest little mini rusted bucket....EVER!

  

My Beefy Chunky Hunka Coffee Table

HOORAY!!

I've been watching and drooling for years as farm and industrial carts have morphed and merged their way into junk lover's homes everywhere.

Finally...it's MY TURN!

I scrubbed and scrubbed, and slathered on the poly to make this "house" friendly, but ain't it a charm?!

I also added some chunky lumber for a bit more height, and to make the top a smidge wider than the wheels so we wouldn't stub our precious little toes on them.

My other coffee table was quite a  bit smaller...

and has had the tarnation beat out of it over the years. 

Wish I knew someone that liked to restore junk and do furniture facelifts! 

 Duh. 

Everyone knows we work on our own stuff last.

I love being able to see the ridges in the grain of the wood,and the knots and faults add such character. 

Add a few things for looks...

but  really, my coffee table usually has a few more things on it...

 

OK, you got me.  That photo was totally staged to look nice too.  Add some more papers, a shoe or two that have been taken away from the puppy, a playstation controller, and two or four feet. (Real feet.  That's A-OK in my house.)

The rusty and crusty coffee tables aren't for everyone, but this one suits me just fine.  And it seems to go well with some of my other rusty and crusty things!

Linked to:

 

SNS Reclaimed Wood Projects

Furniture Feature Friday

Frugalicious Friday

Met Monday

The 70's called....

...they want their brass back. You know what I'm talkin about. You've been there, or at least know somebody who has...maybe still is.    Dear Lord....

The thrift and second hand stores are full of it. Goodwill has it....and of course they want more for it than it's worth! Just think....if the price of brass ever goes up like silver and gold.....get.outta.my.way...I'm headed to the thrift!!

I usually pass by the brass section (and I'm not talkin musical horns here) but this lamp caught my eye during a recent visit to my favorite only local re-sale store.

Why, yes, I did start eliminating the brass before the "before" picture....couldn't help myself...








See all that pretty fluted, curvy, brassiliciousness? Ok, let me just apologize right now for my brassy sarcasm....not intending to offend anyone who may still love the look.  If that's you....stop reading.  Go visit one of the blogs on our sidebar.  If you're not offended and totally get my sarcasm...read on...








The lamp even came with these iridescent, genuine plastic, tear-drop crystals! They go with anything and everything 70's!

Here's where the transformation begins.....a little elegant finish, silver metallic paint to pull this baby into the here and now.....or at least as far as the 80's!

A simple and cheap artist's paintbrush magically erases the offensive gold....

...until, alas! There is no more!

Yes, yes I do see that it is entirely too silver. Please be patient....I'm not done yet. There's more trickery up my sleeve....

I need to do something to enhance that beautiful faux marbling in the only part of the lamp that is not brass or light bulb or electrical cord. I'm pretty sure it's not real marble.....but it is real pretty.

Enter black acrylic craft paint (sorry, no photo) diluted with plain old tap water. Paint on, dabble off with a damp paper towel.

Here it is after painting on the diluted black, before dabbling it off....kind of runny and drippy.

Doesn't that look better? And less silvery? And more aged? And much less brassy? Yes, I think it does too.

Throw in those iridescent dangly things......umm....jury's still out on those.....

And there she is! A little less brass and a little more......hello lovely~!

Yes, the lamp shade is naked. That's another post....another day....

Who's with me on this one?  Buh-bye brass.  Hello romantic, crystally, marbley, naked-shaded lamp!
Can I get an AMEN?!

Follow me over to SNS #130.....you'll be glad you did!!

To be continued....

Featured

Me?  Really?  Awe shucks....

Head on over to Whisperwood Cottage to check out all of the Awe...Mazing! kitchen projects.  Then link up your amazing kitchen projects too!!