Blogging Archives - Page 2 of 4 - The Weekend Country Girl

75,000 Page Views

July 17, 2014July 17, 2014 Karen

33 page views. That was a watershed moment for me. I blogged about my family pictures (you can go to the post here) from the beach Christmas before last. In 24 hours I had 33 people look at the pictures. Wow. I was really proud of that number. Up to that point I was averaging about 18-20 page views per day.

This week I crossed the 75,000 page-view mark. Thanks for sticking with me or for finding my blog and joining in. I know in blog land 75K is nothing, and I mean hardly a blip on the great blogosphere radar. It is just an ordinary week for Remodleaholic, Shanty 2 Chic, or Roadkill Rescue, but it is a big deal to me.

Because I am an educator, I thought that you might like to know this about blogging:

In 1999, there were just 23 blogs. Today, there are over 1.5 billion blogs on the internet. ( Now you see why I am so impressed you even found my little bitty blog?)

WordPress.com alone has over 60 million of them. Every half a second, a new blog is created. There are about 31 million bloggers in the US. ( I personally read about 10 blog posts a day so I am not even keeping up with one minute of the blog world per day.)

1 in every 5 bloggers updates his/her blog daily. (Man, I stink in this area!)

Source

If you have read my blog for any time at all you already know this, and I would like to apologize in advance for retracing this well beaten path, but here goes…

I do not get paid to blog. I do not have advertisements on my blog. I do not get free stuff to try out and talk about on the site. I am not opposed to getting paid, and any company that wants me to try out their stuff if free to send it my way, but blogging is not my job. I blog, and repurpose furniture because it brings me joy. I especially like trying new things out to see if it works. I started blogging so that I could show you guys what we were up to at our weekend home, Star Hill. We were setting up a home on a shoestring budget and I got hooked looking for things to fill the home with up there that were functional, creative, and fun to have around. Along the way I have met new friends. I love hearing from you in Canada, and Spain, and other parts of the U.S. I am thrilled when I can show off a project I have done to my friends who do not live near me. I have a full time job that I love and I get paid well to do but I am thrilled to have a hobby that fills my need to be creative.

A year ago I got a Facebook page for the blog. It is a fun place to talk about what I am doing in small snippets. I do try to check in there daily. If you are one of the 381 folks who like my Facebook page, thanks for checking in on me from time to time. I enjoy what you have to say and I value your input. ( Because of Facebook I am now trying to replicate a zinc finish on furniture.) I am also working on posting to Instagram more often as I see things that I think might interest you. It is my goal to continue to improve as I go along. Twitter still vexes me. I seem to have two Twitter accounts set up, but this is the main one, here. It depends which device I use where it goes. Sorry. Still learning.

This year we moved from our city house of 14 years to a suburban home. That is no small feat for two 50 somethings who had lived in the same community for 24 years. We have been super busy changing jobs, setting up a new home, learning the new area and I have taken a big leap. I have actually sold some pieces of furniture. That was scary stuff for me. I am riddled with self-doubt when it comes to the work I do and up until this year I would never have considered doing what I do to furniture for money. It made me feel good to have someone appreciate my work enough to pay for the projects. Here is a sample of what I have sold in the past few months:

I am redoing a whole mid-century bedroom set. This night stand, a headboard and a dresser.

I have a thing for green mixed with stained wood. Others must, too. I have sold more green and red than any other color.

This was my first ever set that someone requested I look for to purchase. Scary!

1970 Fab

I sold these two pieces to someone who put them in the same bedroom as night stands. If I had ever thought they would be together, I might have changed the colors. She loved them as they were and they look awesome in her eclectic guest bedroom.

finished red headboard bench

Red Red Wine by Behr. I know you are going to ask the color. Someone asks every time I post these beauties. We have made four headboard/footboard beds this summer. I still have four to go. One will be finished soon. I love that they are being used by some sweet ladies and are going to be around a while.

Because I have stepped up the amount of work we are doing, I have also committed to learn to use all the tools we own. I am learning to use the drill press, the table sander, and the biscuit joiner at the moment. (My first ever all on my own construction project will be coming soon. I want it to be a surprise for the recipient and they are a reader.) When I add the tools I can already use without assistance, I feel pretty accomplished. Two years ago I was terrified of a drill. Silly me. The table saw and grinder still loom large over me. They are two tools that I fear.

Here is a sample of the projects I have completed in the last fewmonths. By far the most popular thing we have done is turn headboards into benches. As I said above, we have been neck deep in benches lately.

Corn Hole Game- I sewed people!

Roadside Night Stand– This was a gift for a cousin.

I still love the 1970″s folks!

The bathroom has been a slow project this summer.

Mainly because I cannot stand a mess in my bathroom

when I have to use it to get dressed for work.

This $15.00 mirror makes me smile every morning.

I love the look and I learned to use tinted wax on this one.

Sewing cabinet number 4. I stained the top of this one. Numbers 5, 6, and 7 are already spoken for and are hanging out in the Garagemahal.

A gift for a friend who moved away. I miss her.

We built a giant barn door for our Burb Home out of reclaimed barn wood from my husband’s farm. I treasure this and will take it with me wherever we live.

Coming up in the near future we are going to finish our master bath room. It is going from a builder basic to a rustic retreat. I am so very excited that it will be done by the end of August when Hubby returns to work.

So far Hubby put in board and batten walls, I built a shelf, we stripped, painted and stained a small make up vanity, and the dresser that is going to become the bathroom vanity and mirrors are stripped and refinished in a beautiful weathered wood look. (Restoration Hardware has nothing on me! :))

This week the electrician came to install the chandelier I made over to look like wood thanks to Life on Virginia Street’s blog.

The sinks for the vanity are purchased, the faucets are waiting and the lights were picked up this week. We are moving along.

During the last few months we have traveled to Costa Rica, been to our family reunion, and while you read this, we are in Durango, Colorado. I am excited to take the train ride and plan to go white water rafting.

Next up on the big project list is finishing the master bedroom at Star Hill. I love the reclaimed wood wall, the sewing machine night stands, and the door headboard. Still to come are curtains, wall paint, staining and painting the dressers, shelving, and décor. It will be done over two weekends, ~~I hope.~~ dream.

It is my wish that if you do not take anything else away from my silly posts, it is that even a mid-life woman with no training and not many skills can stretch beyond her comfort zone and learn new things, attempt new projects, and chart a new direction in life. If I can do it, so can you.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read about what I do, send me messages, offer advice, and make my day sweeter. I appreciate each of you and feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to share.

I hope you have a wonderful day,

Blessings,

Karen

Blogging, Dining Table, family, Photography, Silliness

Keeping It Real- Staging for Photos

July 14, 2014July 15, 2014 Karen

Today I am going to talk about one of the problems that I totally blame Pinterest, the Internet, and HGTV for creating.

Because we humans are so visual, we seem believe that the pictures we see on those places above are how folks actually live. We buy into the image so much that we forget that it was staged, lighted, set, edited and cropped before we ever got a peek. I would say it is akin to believing that believing that I could fly because I watched Superman do it on television.

This is not real life, folks. But it is beautiful! If the homeowners live like this every day, they must be pretty neat people. With no pets. Or kids. Or food.

Casa Mia

dining room

Homes-House

Indulgy

Recently I asked you guys to do a little staging of your own. I asked you to take a picture of your table as it normally is, then as it looks after you set it for company. If you did not participate, shame on you. Not really. Okay, really a little bit. The reason I wanted you all to set your tables is that that is home staging you do when you have company over. Do you live like that all the time? I will bet the answer is no.

Here are some examples of before and after photos:

My buddy had her table ready for a shower, so she sort of cheated in the before picture :)! I love her giant table. It looks great set for dinner.

The photos above are in a newly moved into home! Way to go.

I really do keep the table at Star Hill pretty neat because it is in the main room of the house and we don’t have much space. Star Hill is a study in Red, White, and Blue. And Texas.

I snapped this picture when we were having company over for breakfast.

Our back deck. It is a glass topped patio set our neighbors gave us. It is a sunbaked wilderness most of the day, but in the evening when the shade takes over, it is pleasant. We have all our large dinners here at Star Hill

I paid fifty cents for the metal yellow plates at a garage sale. The funky yellow wine goblets were in the attic of Star Hill when we moved in. I think the original owners must have left them behind. They are fun.

The Southern Belle even played along. Yes folks, she owns this beautiful custom made table and she keeps it beautiful. It is mixed with mid century chairs that are upholstered in a cool fabric. She found the chairs on Craig’s List as is. True story.

Here it is set with her Fiesta dishes and bright napkins.

Aren’t the tables great? I love the variety. If you have ever set the table for company, you are a home stager. You know how to set the scene, make the table “feel” inviting and show off its’ best assets.

The messages that made me sad when I put out the call for pictures were three that I got that told me they would not participate because they were embarrassed about their houses so they would just enjoy what others did for their homes.

If there are things you do not like about your home, you are not alone.

The vast majority of the world has something they wish they could change about their homes and things that they really don’t want others to see. I will bet that even those bloggers who have amazing rooms have some place in their home that needs work. A friend of mine years ago stuffed a bunch of things into the oven because company was coming over then forgot. She turned on the oven several days later and scorched some paperwork. I personally would be embarrassed if someone looked in my garage when we have company coming because it is usually the dumping zone.

I live in a house that currently has four adults, two dogs, a cat, and a fish. I re-purpose furniture, as a hobby and it tends to spread. My house is far from spotless. It is lived in. Every room. Right now there is furniture in our breakfast space.

I decided to show you one of the tables we set when the crowd gets large at Star Hill. Yep, it is my painting table. Just plywood painted with exterior paint. Oh, and all my paint drips.

I set the table for two. the flowers are out of our yard. The picnic basket is from a garage sale, the table-cloth was a wedding gift almost 33 years ago. A friend of my mom made it for us.

There are times that I am photographing a project when the ONLY space that is neat is what fits inside the viewfinder on the camera. To the right, left and behind me may be a mess of things I have pulled out and a mirror reflecting light into the cave like space I am photographing in our suburban home.

Photography is not real life folks. Real life is messy. Real life is imperfect. Real life is opportunity.

I hope you have a great day. Make some memories.

Blessings,

Karen

Behr Paint with Primer, Blogging, glazing, Painted Furniture, painting

10 Tips for Painting Furniture With Latex Paint

June 22, 2014June 24, 2014 Karen

I have been blogging a while and painting furniture is a hobby. I always feel like I need to tell you that I am not an expert, just a learner who is sharing what I learn to do and not to do regarding paint.

I do not use chalk paint, but if you do, good for you. It just doesn’t work for me.

We use interior latex paint. I do get asked about how I paint a lot so here is my non-expert advice.

1. Don’t “cheap out” on paint or brushes and quality paint. I personally use Behr paint with primer, but Valspar signature and Sherwin Williams has a good quality paint. There are tons of great paints, but be aware that every brand has a cheap line. STAY AWAY from cheap paint or you will think you can’t paint. I buy quality paint in the oops section sometimes. Buy good brushes. I use Purdy brushes because they are awesome. Cheap brushes will give you a poor quality paint job.

Purdy paint brushes

2. Take the time to prep before painting. Sand, prime, tape off, clean and prepare. This is not time wasted. Take the time to get ready to paint or you will not be happy with the results.

3. If you are painting a lot, invest in a sprayer. We love ours and now have it down to a science. You can even prime your work using a sprayer. We can paint four times the amount of stuff with a sprayer than we could with just a brush. Nothing gives you the smooth finish a sprayer does.
Here is a link to a cool one I want to buy because it uses mason jars to hold the paint. (We have three sprayers now so I am having a hard time justifying the purchase.) sprayer

4. Find a good black, white, red, green, yellow, blue, and brown to keep on hand. Mine are: black suede, sea salt, red red wine, happy camper, jackfruit, sailboat, and revival mahogany. I use other colors but I seem to go back to these colors when I am stuck.
Behr Color Smart
5. Learn use a glaze. I use Behr Faux Effects. Glazing adds depth to a piece. I don’t use it on every piece but I love the look.

Behr Faux Effects

6. It can be too hot, too cold, or too wet to paint outside. Don’t force it. Read the can. If it is too hot or too humid when you paint it will give you a sticky finish.

7. Use paint conditioner. It causes the paint to smooth out and gives the best finish.

Paint Conditioner

8. Let the paint cure. That means after it is painted, leave it alone. I usually leave it to dry a week…because we only work at the Garagemahal on weekends, but at least three days in humid weather before adding a polyurethane finish. If you skip this step you could end up with a finish that just doesn’t seem to dry.

9. Use a poly or oil based sealer on your paint. If your house is full of kids, dogs and messy husbands, you will regret not adding a coat of something to minimize scratches, dings, and water marks..

10. Don’t be afraid to paint it again if you don’t like the color. If you hate it, repaint it…or give it away. I may or may not have done the second choice more than once.

I hope you try painting furniture if you haven’t before. Color is good.

Have a great day.

Blessings,

Karen

Blogging, Real Life, The Garagemahal

Keeping it Real Series- What a DIYer’s Workspace Looks Like

June 13, 2014 Karen

I hear ALL the time from people that they would love to redo furniture or do other projects if only they had the space. I think that there is a perception that without the magical amount of space or equipment to take on projects. I say that is a bunch of hooey. Yes, hooey. We started doing projects in a home we did not own, without a garage, and borrowed tools.

Our work space is pretty great (but often very overcrowded) now, but that is a very recent change. Welcome to the Garagemahal.

(In case you are wondering it looks this cleaned up about once a year- when I get frustrated and drag everything out to reorganize. Right after that- it goes back to us stepping over projects that are in progress, furniture I have drug in, scrap wood that I cannot get rid of…)

This is how it looks a lot of the time. Sometimes it is even worse!

I would say that most of the bloggers I read started out with nothing more than their garage, the kitchen table, a porch, or some other small space. Their passion for their particular craft drove them to find the space to do what they love to do, not the other way around.

This is NOT how most craft rooms look. (Although if you want to build on for me like this, I won’t cry.) I do not have a dedicated craft space at my house. I have one closet jam packed with stuff.
Dream Craft Rooms

Here are a few of my friend’s craft spaces:

The dining room table is a popular spot. My friend owns the space above. She has three kids, two dogs, and a shift working husband. She cleaned up this space to take a picture. I am calling a foul here, but she paints some really fun pieces, and furniture, and sews, all from this space.

She painted my awesome chicken at that table.

My friend Kelly uses what space she can. For this project it was the top of a plastic tub.

Kelly has a baby and works on projects when she gets her to sleep. I haven’t
seen how this one turned out. She is a real deal artist and art teacher who is hanging out with her little one right now.

This is NOT how most workshops or woodworking shops look. (Once again, feel free to build one at my house, and drop off all those fancy tools we do not own while you are at it.)
Dream Workshops

Dee, at Deeconstructed uses her garage and basement.

Wood storage is the hardest thing for me to manage. I am jealous of how neat hers is. Right now I have a ton of cedar on the floor of the Garagemahal drying.

Dee painted the wall in her basement when she started her business.

She makes some pretty amazing things in this space. This is one of her winter projects.

Porch Bench

My recently retired friend, Margaret, turned old kitchen cabinets into this workshop island. (Yes, I am a little jealous of her set up.)

I found this post from Gail at My Repurposed Life about creating a backdrop, but the last part tells you about her work space. She is the person who I have used as inspiration for my mudroom bench and the headboard benches. She works outside and is shutting down her outside projects for winter in this post.

My Repurposed Life

I loved this picture from My Repurposed Life’s post because, just like the Garagemahal, there is always a riding lawn mower in the background! You can click on the photo to see the cool night stands she made from this piece.

Finally,
I hope I have hammered home the fact that you don’t need a space to be creative, but I promised you some solutions.

First, use vertical space. Second, make it portable. Here are two options that I will be making… once the list thins down a wee bit.

I want to build something like this rolling bad boy for the garage. It needs to be heavy weight enough to hold the chop saw, the router, and the sanders. I want industrial wheels on the bottom so that it can make the slope. We are always dragging them out to the porch and it would be great to have a rolling closet that uses vertical space, not horizontal for the tools.

http://www.familyhomeplans.com/miscpro_details.cfm?ProductNumber=DP-00560

Dee, at Deeconstructed, shared Redoux Interior’s idea with me and I will be making myself a rolling work bench. Soon. What a great idea.

Dining Table to Rolling Work Table

My third and final tip is not to let your work space or lack there of, convince you not to do creative things.

I would love to see where you work and your projects.

I am going to have a few projects coming up to share then I am going to add to this real life series talking about staging for photographs. (Spoiler alert… don’t believe everything you see in pictures.)

I hope you have a wonderful day.

Blessings,

Karen

Blogging, mid-life, Rubbish Rescue, the suburban home

(Not) Measuring Up

June 6, 2014June 6, 2014 Karen

It has been a while since I wrote a post for the blog. I have been in a real funk for several weeks. It has taken me a little while to work through what had me feeling down. I realized that along with a hurt back, my main problem was that I just didn’t measure up out here in blog land, in my life, or with my projects. I started to believe I did not have anything worth sharing.

It took me a while to figure out that I was using an unrealistic ruler to measure my life… the Internet, Pinterest, HGTV…I also forgot for a little while that hobbies are supposed to feel like fun, not pressure. I started to feel stressed about my projects. Would they measure up?

When I log onto some of my favorite blogs, I found myself comparing my home to the beautiful images on the screen. There is a home tour right now that has some beautiful homes. You can start the home here: http://southernhospitalityblog.com

Isn’t that a beautiful room? I love the light, the classic furnishings, even the pillows are plumped and chopped.

I don’t live there. I live in a home with a husband who frequently forgets his shoes in the family room and must have a reclliner, two dogs who drag in dirt daily, a cat who causes the big dog to jump up on the furniture in hot pursuit at least once daily, not to mention my clutter and projects making a mess. That room would look like a tornado blew through in about five minutes at my house.

Here is my family room, as I found it this morning. All I did was turn on the lights.
See the dog? More on that in a moment.

Here is what she was up to.

One water bottle shredded.

And that was after she chewed on this bill.

We have wires that are unsightly.

And the men in my home seem to have a vendetta against pillows. One is missing a button now and my pretty ruffled down pillow apparently was sat on recently. How about the coffee table?

I am sure you have seen enough by now. My home is not Pinterest worthy. I started to feel like I had nothing to offer, nothing to say.

So… I had to reexamine why I blog, who I blog for, and regain my own personal center.

I blog because I like to connect with folks I may never meet in person. My home and projects are a creative outlet for my sometimes stressful and high pressure job. I really do like hearing from you all and I love the suggestions you make. I never would have tried my new favorite red color- red, red wine without the suggestion.

Over this summer I am going to work on a series about keeping it real. I am going to beg you all to send in pictures from time to time, so be prepared.

I have some really cool projects planned this summer, but those projects don’t define me.

I hope you stay tuned, but I am okay if you don’t. No hard feelings.

Now, I am off to tackle my garage.

Now you go check out that home tour. Just don’t measure your own home by what you see, please.

I hope you have a blessed day,

Karen

Blogging, family, mid-life

I May Be Too Old To Blog

May 8, 2014May 8, 2014 Karen

I am really feeling my age this week. It was a milestone birthday for my daughter, The Southern Belle, and my birthday is just around the corner, but the birthdays are not what is making me feel old. Blogging… well probably more than blogging, technology in general, is making me feel old. I mean like prehistoric, ” I remember when I was your age..” kind of old.

Two years ago my son in law introduced me to blogging. (Thank you, Big Cat.) I set up a Blogger account, and spent time learning to work with Blogger. It did not play nice with my iPad so I took another leap and moved to WordPress. It has never been my intent to blog for a living. I have a great job that challenges me and pays me well. I blog and work on furniture because I am an empty-nester who needed a hobby to keep my hands busy and mind occupied after work. I actually lose weight working on furniture because it is so physical and I don’t hate it like the gym. I enjoy connecting with people who I would never meet in any other way and connecting with old friends who sometimes find me by accident. I do however feel really uncool because although I have a personal Instagram account, a personal Pinterest board, and a Twitter account, I really don’t understand two one of them.

When it comes to Twitter, I just don’t get it. I want everyone to know that this symbol – #- back in my day (there, I said it) was the pound sign or the symbol for a number. Not sure how it got the name hashtag. I don’t know how to look for anything based on hashtags, so feel free to share the secret with me.

According to my students, who are high schoolers, it is really uncool to use any filters on Instagram (#nofilters). I am not sure why, but okay. I don’t like the filters anyway. I think they make the photos look dumb. My main problem with Instagram is that I have no idea how to follow someone else on Instagram. Oh and I only know how to post to Instagram using a program called Over on my iPad or iPhone. I am stuck if I want to post from a computer or directly from Instagram. I think my kids ( personal and professional) are intentionally keeping that little piece of information from me. Or, maybe they don’t think I could follow the instructions and would be asking for help.

I set up a Facebook page for my blog less than a year ago… with help. I often mess up on the posts. I am about 50/50 at successfully linking up to someone’s Linky party, and I cannot, cannot, cannot figure out the bitly thing to give my posts a shorter name. Sorry folks. Google + and Google Hangouts? No clue although we are going to Chromebooks at school next year so I better learn.

All this brings me back to blogging. I think I am going to start a monthly series entitled Keeping It Real. I am more and more concerned because I think Pinterest is causing women to believe that everything has to be a show worthy event or they are a complete and total failure. I put out a call for real life DIY’ers and Bloggers to send me their work space. I hear often from people, usually on messenger or email, that they like what I do and would do projects and try their hand at refinishing/ repurposing if only they had the space. The perception seems to be that it is impossible to work without a dedicated space to create in. Ha! I have started to some great photos through Facebook and was feeling pretty good about myself and the project until I heard from Dee at Deeconstructed and felt like a GEEZER.

( By the way Dee is a very talented DIY’er. I recommend you read her stuff and she writes an online magazine that is great for picking out some cool projects off blogs I had never read before, but back to my story.)

Here is what she said in the message she sent:

” You should create a whole buzz around it and assign #showmeyourswap or #shopswap or something catchy like that for people to “link up” on Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest/FB to get in on fun. That way if they search that hashtag they’ll see everyone’s that sent it in. “

WHAAAT? Dee, I think you are amazing, but are you speaking English? Is there a dictionary I can refer to for assistance? Thesaurus?

Here was my response to Dee:

“Dee- you are so much more equipped to do stuff like that this than me. I only have a Twitter account so I can follow my kids and send messages to my students. I feel like a freakin’ dinosaur when I hear from folks like you. I think this summer I need to go to blog school. Seriously.”

FYI- the series is coming along and she is going to help me with the technology stuff. #iamveryexcited

All this lack of knowledge started me thinking that in fact I may be too old to blog. Has technology passed me by so much that I cannot catch up? Am I a technology geezer who needs to be put out to pasture? Is there any hope for me?

I did some research last night and this is what I discovered.

There are 31 million bloggers in the U. S. A. the average age is 21-35. (YIKES!)

50.9% of them are women. (This was a surprise to me since ¾ of the men in my family don’t even follow MY amazing blog, much less write one.)

Only 8% of bloggers earn enough blogging to support a family. (I honestly had no idea that many bloggers earn that much money. I get NOTHING for blogging- it is a hobby. Perhaps I need to figure out the whole getting paid thing, hmmm)

81% of bloggers earn less than $100 blogging. ( Yay me, I am in the majority here. #iwriteforfree)

There are 528,000,000 page views monthly. ( Just so you know I have had 66,262 page views in 2 years.)

I did an internet search for ” I am too old to blog” and found that this topic has been written about several times. My favorite was a 26 year old. http://www.littlebirdfashion.com/2012/06/are-you-too-old-to-blog.html

Seriously? I mean, if 26 is too old to blog what does that mean for someone who is more than twice her age? Thank goodness she decided she wasn’t too old! Here is another cute one referring to Little Bird Fashion’s blog: http://www.mymodernvintage.com/2012/06/am-i-too-fat-or-too-old-to-blog.html

I really do want to learn to improve my technology skills and I am going to do that because I like learning new things and I want to feel competent at what I do, but it really circled back to what is bothering me most about the internet/Pinterest and the perception that what others show you online is what their life is like all the time. Their homes are clean, children are fed healthy meals, and there is domestic bliss. I feel like a failure when I see slick photos on other blogs or “bells and whistles” that I cannot even understand. For a moment it causes me to forget why I started blogging in the first place and doubt myself. Do I even belong on the blogosphere?

Why yes, I do believe there is a place for even a geezer like me. I have a unique perspective based on my own personal experience. What Hubby and I do with furniture and our home is something that anyone can do, and not break the bank.

It really all boils down to the fact that I blog for myself and as long as it is fun for me, I will continue. If it stops being fun or takes a toll on my self esteem, it will be time to step away. I wanted to take a minute to thank those of you who read my blog, leave me notes, like my Facebook page, Pin my work, and stay in touch with me. I really do appreciate you. #youarethebest

I hope you have a wonderful day,

Blessings,

Karen

Behr Paint with Primer, Blogging, Painted Furniture, painting, rescuing damaged furniture

Project Update

April 28, 2014April 28, 2014 Karen

I apologize for ignoring you all so long. I have been crazy busy at work and I have been steadily working on furniture at home but nothing spectacular. By spectacular I mean that mainly I have been painting end tables (four of them) and finally finished my third sewing cabinet to beverage station. It has been hard work, and very satisfying, but I know that most of you will not be that interested. It feels sort of been there, done that. I have already told you all how I paint stuff and walked you through the process of turning a sewing cabinet into a beverage station. Here are some pictures of the current work:

The color is Behr Intoxication. It is a bright kiwi color, but the photos look Limey.

If you want the DIY on this project, here it is Beverage Station

I was given an antique wash stand that was in pretty rough shape. Here it is after I already stripped the top.

Silly me. I don’t have my picture from when we brought it home. This is going to be a gift for a friend.

My friend chose yellow for the washstand. I chose Behr Bicycle Yellow.

Here is the remade version.

I am also working on another mid century modern piece. The headboard will go with night stand that is done and upcoming dresser.

Here is the night stand.

The headboard is going to be a mix of sea salt white and stain just like the night stand.

So far I have it sanded, painted, and ready for stain… Once I finish cleaning up the places where it bled under the tape. Grrr.

This week I will have a couple of projects completed that are fun, easy and a little different. I am picking up some fun stuff tonight and will have to ask your opinion on one of the projects.

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the warmer weather.

Blessings,

Karen

Blogging, mid-life, recycled furniture, Repurposed Furniture, resale finds, Style

Selling My First Custom Piece of Furniture

March 31, 2014March 31, 2014 Karen

Well, I did it. It sort of felt like the first time I was on a diving board at about age five and was about to dive into the deep end of the pool.

I was contacted by someone to source (find and buy) a table and chairs to paint and refinish the set. Scary. I have sold a few pieces of furniture before, but they were more of a “I did this piece does anyone want it” type sale, or “I am moving away, would you like to buy the stuff I made for myself?” kind of sale. When you do work for someone else, you are putting yourself out there. What if they don’t like it? What if I totally misinterpreted what the person wanted? This particular set was for someone who does not live in the same city so all the work was shared by message and through pictures.

We started with this golden oak, scratched set I picked up in Beaumont while visiting my folks:

And ended up with this:

I had a friend tell me that I took a dated piece of furniture and made it look old, but in a good way.

I sanded the top down, stained it dark walnut, Hubby painted the chairs and the base of the table sea salt with his awesome paint sprayer then I got busy distressing them and glazing. Once I was finished distressing and glazing Hubby took over again and used his sprayer to polyurethane everything. The top of the table took four coats of poly, but it is beautiful.

I was so thrilled with the results of this set and as we drove over to deliver it, I hoped it was what the new owner wanted. This was all really silly because she had purchased an end table from me before, but it was one I found, I picked out the colors, and then I posted it for sale.

When we arrived, she liked the set. Woo Hoo. She like it enough that she sent me home with another piece to work on and several more to come. This time I feel more confident because she and I got to talk about the color and finish. I will be starting with the night stand of the set then the headboard and dresser.

The pictures are not great because we stayed too long at the lake Sunday mowing and cleaning so that meant we had to rush to get them delivered. The bench fest took more time than expected. I decided to go ahead and write about this experience even with terrible photos because this is one time that the story is not about the furniture I did, it is about taking risks. I still feel more comfortable doing my own thing then selling what I don’t keep for myself but I will admit it felt pretty good to have someone like what I do enough to seek me out.

Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit. – e. e. cummings

I promise to take better photos of the table and chairs when we drop off the night stand.

The bedroom furniture is going to be a sweet mid century modern set that has been in their family since it was brand new. It is getting refinished so that it can move on to the third generation when they move out on their own. If you are one of my Weekend Country Girl Facebook friends, you got to see the dresser and even weighed in on the color scheme.

I now have my second project, a headboard into bench, that I sourced the furniture and am doing for someone else who is paying me. She is a dear friend, but it is still a little scary. The good news about this one is she sent me a picture a while back and said ” I want this.” As soon as I found the headboard and foot board I could see it in my mind already. It is going to be beautiful.

When I grow up selling my re-purposed furniture may be something I want to do more of. We shall see. For now, I love being able to do what I love.

If you are a professional in the painted furniture field, I would love to hear from you about your first sold piece. I hope you tell me you were scared too, so I don’t feel like such a sissy.

Blogging, Costa Rica, Photography

Tamarindo Costa Rica Excursions

March 19, 2014 Karen

Here are photos from our excursions. My tummy trouble stopped me from visiting the volcano, but my Hubby took pictures for me.

First Into the Estuary.
We took a trip up the river that flows through the area and into the sea by boat. Our guide, Pony, did not speak English. I got to practice my Spanish. It made me laugh to follow Pony through the mangroves to see the Howler monkeys. He was barefoot though the rocky soil but had a pink High School Musical backpack.

We saw birds, monkeys, and fish. Our guide was shocked we did not see any crocodiles. I guess they needed beauty sleep. We were first on the river that morning. The other boats came up the river as we were going back.

http://www.seabirdsailingexcursions.com/
We went snorkeling, ate great food cooked on board, and toasted the sunset on this beautiful boat. It is a great deal for those who want to see the beautiful rocky seashore, get out on the ocean and snorkel. I will be honest and tell you the snorkeling was hard work. I was spoiled in Hawaii but it was fun to see the fish. They have promised to post pictures from our trip but not up yet.

http://www.villascostarica.com/tamarindo-turtle-nesting-tours.html

No photos of the turtles. It was dark. I love the ecoturism in the area. They take good care of their turtles because they know that people come to Tamarindo just to see them.

Finally,

Here are Hubby’s photos of the volcano trip. I will admit to being a little jealous.