DIY FRENCH DISPLAY CABINET - using discarded furniture parts

My number one favorite thing to do is to create furniture pieces using discarded junk. I built this amazing cabinet with a lot of common items I found at a Used building supply stores, thrifts stores, and some curb side treasure. Take a look through the following photos to see if there is something that might inspire you to get creative. 

READ MORE >>

TOURING OUR WINTER KITCHEN - wood blinds + wood stove top

Last time I was here I shared one half of our kitchen and the updates I have done this year. Since then we have both been sick and everything has been in slow motion around here. The sun has been shining and I finally got some photos taken to share the second half of the space.

READ MORE >>

WINTER WHITE CABINET - adding doors to hide the tv

My last official project for 2018 was to finish this cabinet that sits in our living room.

READ MORE >>

KITCHEN REVEAL - our home tour

Over the last little while I have rediscovered a few areas in our home and the kitchen is one of the spots I have focused on. I have also never really done a true reveal on this room so it's about time. It all started with a new set of shelves and spilled over to refinishing the fridge and even GG's coffee station got a makeover. I'm super happy with the new look and now it's time to share our little piece of heaven with you.

READ MORE >>

SHABBY CHIC BOYS CABINET - tips for a masculine cabinet

Easter is just around the corner and as a child my Grandfather loved to make elaborate scavenger hunts with hidden notes and mysterious riddles for my sister and I. He had us running back and forth hunting over at least an acre of land looking for the next clue cause we knew there was one huge chocolate Easter egg at the end and it was filled with more goodies. For me it was more like winning a trophy than an actual
Easter hunt and I wanted to display my prize for everyone to see.

READ MORE >>

LEARNING ABOUT MILK PAINT - sea foam green cabinet

A lot more people have heard about Milk Paint in the last little while thanks in a large part to the internet and many DIY bloggers but Milk Paint has been around for thousands of years. 

READ MORE >>

FURNITURE MAKE OVERS - behind the scenes

All these photos are in progress shoots from my Furniture Makeover Weekend.

 

 

The idea for a furniture makeover weekend started 8 months earlier. I believe it also started much

smaller but since we would have to travel to the location I suppose the coordinators figured to get the

 most out of it while we were there. Lots of projects can be finished in a day but the idea was for

everyone to learn from all the different projects though out the weekend not just their own.

 

I've taught class before and I've managed 20 staff but you just never know what you are in for the

 first time you do anything big. As the chosen weekend got closer I found myself pretty calm,

and eager to take on the challenge. I got to go shopping for supplies in the last week and get

 everything packed. I still didn't know what every project was so I had to pack in anticipation.

Once upon a time I was a Girl Guide so I am always prepared.

 

We arrived early Saturday morning and met the ladies from LNT group. There wasn't much time to

met and greet, we had to find a sink to set up the paint mixing and figure out the area to spray

outdoors. My tool boxes would also have to found their way to the second floor where we were setting up. Long industrial tables circled the room in preparation for all the students to work on.

 

Before I knew it students were arriving and projects were appearing on the tables.

THE CONSULTATION ... 18 of them!

I had to talk with each person to find out what they wanted out of their furniture piece.

Repairs, additions, color, and finish, some projects evolved right there in the 2 hours, but I had to move along to get everyone focused and working.

 

I recall asking a group of ladies at the sink "what time is it" the response was "10 to 12

almost lunch". My reaction "is that it" made them laugh. Well at least it was lunch time!

I was in the Twilight Zone, time meant nothing to me as I ran from here to there seeing each

anxious smile wanting my attention. I would get half way through a leg install and be off again

down stairs to mix paint, which was on my way to saw the lumber I needed to finish the leg install.

 

 

By early afternoon on day two I started to notice things slowing down and coming to a finish, I could stop and talk with a student for a few minutes, I could pick up a rag and help them buff their finish, we were standing pieces up and admiring them as they were done. That was the goal and we did it! 

FURNITURE MAKE OVERS - before and after 1

 

 

All the wonderful BEFORE & AFTERS you are about to see look so amazing in person,

and the students that preformed the work were outstanding.

 



How many of you would like to attend a furniture makeover weekend?

Well the PR Guy here and the LNT Group in Merritt coordinated that exact thing,

and I was the chosen teacher.



we added drawer stops, learned some bled blocking tips, and added a graphic transfer on this dresser

 

18 students, some with multiple projects, 2 days, almost every tool I own,

and with years of experience we gotter done!

 



it was stripped, cleaned, painted grey, clear waxed, then dark waxed. It is off to the upholster soon!



The week before the class, students started to email photos and ideas of that they would like to do.

When this chair's BEFORE pic showed up George started to panic, but I wasn't worried in the least.

vintage high chair painted in a cherry red was heading back to Prince George to be a display piece in a floral shop

 We traveled over 2 hours to get to our destination but some ladies traveled much farther to join us.

simple vintage chair given a new life with a light turquoise spray, sanding, and waxing.

 

We did lots of color mixing and I showed students how to thin and strain paint for spraying.

Any one who wanted to try their hand at using the paint gun could also try it out. 

coordinating wallpaper was added in the back and you can see more of the detail of this cabinet now that it is lighter

We wallpapered and waxed, we stripped some pieces, we stained a few pieces,

we painted and polyed, but best of all ...



 I had a blast running non stop repairing things, adding things, making suggestions,
and simply helping everyone leave with a beautiful new pieces of furniture they would be
proud to display in their homes.

 

I TURNED SPIDERMAN SHABBY CHIC - bathroom cabinet

A lot of patience, love and a bit of pixie dust went into creating
this tall bath cabinet.

READ MORE >>

WONDERLAND CABINET - shabby chic tall shelving

I do so love mashing together bits of furniture to make something amazing. Let me share how I made this stunner ...

READ MORE >>

3 ROOSTERS, A TIGER, AND AN EGG - vintage grain cabinet

I have fallen in love with another finished project. It is a lovely kitchen storage piece built for a small space.

READ MORE >>

PART II A LEG UP - adding legs to furniture

In an earlier article I shared several tips to adding legs to furniture projects, now I am share some of the different styles and types of legs I have used.

READ MORE >>