craigslist killers

I know I still have my super awesome furniture to brag about and show you but I’m too lazy to take the freaking pictures so instead I’m going to introduce a fun little weekly series. I really should call it a series because those usually end and hopefully this will keep going.

So like everyone in this little furniture/thrifting obsessed world, it has come to my attention that Craigslist searching is fun. What? I know. A hobby. What I once hated has now become an everyday habit that honestly excites me. Now, I’m a beginner with a teeny-tiny budget so it’s really all about that perfect find at like zero dollars. (I kid. Free is good too.) Whateves.

Now there are some really amazing, killer pieces that I tend to run into that I just wish I could splurge on. I always choose not to because I’m so nervous that I’m going to fail and need to prove to myself that yes, I am actually good at this and yes, I can actually make money doing this.

One day friends, one day.

SO. I will start this little weekly thing that I just post some cool ass pieces that I wish I would just buy or am loving. Who knows, maybe it will be killer?

This awesome armoire was for sale for $300. I swear it’s cool.

There is SO MUCH that can be done with the dresser. I do not even know where to start. Imagine replacing that glass and LOOK AT THOSE DRAWERS on the left. The set was $2500 unbreakable. *tear*

Another armoire which currently are my weakness. Love the details and selling for $500.

This adorbs little table was only $200, which isn’t terrible but I just didn’t see enough profit coming out of it. I know, I’m silly.

the desk that never ended.

I don’t know where to begin on this project. It’s my first completed project and it sure did give me hell. I bought this little desk for $25 from Craigslist never imagining what I’d go through with it. It’s old and sturdy, has those beautiful dove-tail drawers and will last a life time. Oh, and it’s been painted black. Every. last. bit. of it.

I really wish I had a better camera so I can take better quality photos. This will be a future investment for. sure.

I can tell this was mostly if not entirely painted with spray paint which of course made my life worse since they were able to spray each and every part of it, but they actually painted some if it brown before the black. Most people would realize that they should go with the black, sand it down, add a few coats and distress it because OH it would look awesome and be WAY easier than stripping, sanding, stripping, sanding, priming, painting, stripping, walking away, crying and painting again.

My boyfriend’s mother has been the one teaching me and showing me the way of furniture prepping but on the particular morning I woke up ready to strip this bad boy, she went fishing. Really? I don’t even know where! I decided that I was smart enough to tackle the project and started away. I followed the directions and even Miss Mustard Seed’s instructions but it just wasn’t working the way I wanted. I was able to strip the top easy, but after that it started to take hours to get anything off! FIVE hours went by, and I finally started sanding to see if that was any better. It didn’t.

I decided to walk away for the night and the next day I had my helping hand. Apparently you don’t have to wait 15-25 minutes for the stripper to set and steel wool works just as great as a putty knife. OH and it only takes an hour to fully strip this desk, not five.

After finally getting it all stripped and prepped, I primed and painted. I noticed paint streaks on this piece and got frustrated again. I decided to let it dry and see what I could do with it then. Bad streaks, still. I sanded it smooth, bought NEW paint and tried again. After all that work I felt that it just looked to plain and simple so I tried something a little different and added a dark walnut stain.

This is how it ended up and I love it. Maybe it’s just me!

I’m glad that I learned so much with this piece, but its hard to take all that in at one time. I couldn’t let my frustrations and heart-break stop me, so I just kept trying again. It’s a good thing that I need a desk right now, or else I would sell this immediately. As soon as I find one that is the exact style I want, this one will be finding a new home. PLEASE help me feel better and tell (or direct me with a link) a piece you struggled most with. I’d love to learn from you!

Linking at Miss Mustard Seed, Between Naps on the Porch, Restore Interiors & Primitive & Proper

luck of the draw

So I know I still have a few before and afters I need to show you. My desk was literally the project that everything went wrong on and it’s finally done! I swear, I will show you tomorrow. I lost my grandfather this week, which has been extremely hard for me so just bear with me.

Over the weekend I got very, very, very blessed with some free furniture and I cannot even explain to you how nice it is. I am so excited to show these pieces off with only one that I’m currently willing to paint. I know – it’s crazy. When you see them I promise you will understand why!

Have a very happy Easter my friends!

 

pops of spring

sources here, here, here & here.

inspirational whites

via

via

When Weather Permits

Monday was the first day I was able to work on my end tables and the day was cut short around 5 pm when a horrid storm came in. I looked forward to the next couple of days that I could come home from my day job and work on the after. I still can get 2-3 hours of day light when I get home and with lights all over in my garage, I can really work whenever. That did not happen. It rained through Wednesday, was sunny for a day and rained again. I guess I could have worked in the garage if my heart really desired, but I was nervous and wanted to have the outdoor space. Plus there were all sorts of things I needed to do with these end tables and it would smell horrid locked in the garage!

Friday was jam-packed with work then hanging out with boyfriend’s family and on Saturday I found a desk (finally) for $25 that took up my afternoon picking up. This little piece is going to be hard work – I’ll have to strip, sand and then figure out what I want to do with it. It’s my top priority right now since I don’t have a desk and my computer currently sits on a piano bench I got for $5 at a garage sale. So just imagine me sitting on the floor writing and scouring the internet only to have to take breaks every 6 minutes because my entire lower half goes numb.

Not fun.

I’m out to enjoy the beautiful day! Updates tomorrow and *hopefully* a completed project.

The First Step

Friday night I was so excited for my 50+ garage sale adventure the next morning. I woke up at 6, drank some coffee and started preparing for what I could find. Apparently 50+ neighborhood garage sale actually meant 50+ houses all in one area that could choose to have a garage sale. So yeah. I went to about 8 garage sales in the neighborhood, which is still pretty nice except that 5 of them were people how sat our front with maybe 5 things they were trying to sell. What a let down. I bought a $1 dollar child’s bench that I’m going to redo and my boyfriend’s mom bought numerous little things. We ended up driving back through our usual route and found a few more garage sales and I snatched a $3 lamp that you will soon see and some flowers for decorating. Yes, I use fake flowers.

Sunday was much more exciting for me as I ventured out to Goodwill and a few thrift stores. At one, I got 2 end tables that I finished sanding today and at snatched these from Goodwill for a dollar a piece!

(Apologies on the horrible quality picture. I took this quickly off my iPad due to the fact that I could not find my camera charger. Of course.)

Here is a little sneak peek on my $9 end tables.

Hang Tight!

I am super excited to get everything figured out and now understand how people blog for a full time job. I can already tell this is going to be a challenge, but I am Oh. So. Excited.

Sunday & Monday will be great days for me to get everything set up and hopefully functioning normal. Tomorrow I will attending a 50+ (!!) neighborhood garage sale. Yes, you read that right. I read the Craigslist posting like 80 times so I get it. I have to go to work at 10 so I better have my ready-pants on and search quickly.

Lots of picks next week of my hopefully superb findings. I will also be tackling my bedroom as my first huge project next week and I can already feel my creative genes flowing!

You want to what?

I’ve never considered myself a writer. I’ve read, skimmed and gazed at blogs of all different sorts, wishing I had thought of the idea sooner. I always told myself that people did. not. care. what I had to say, and you could only have a blog if you were funny and had a few degrees to back you up. Apparently I was wrong.

Not everyone is made to be a fabulous blogger, but it is those people who really just weren’t that interesting that pushed me to start my own. Maybe that’s mean but really? I know everyone has come across some blog somewhere and even though it didn’t look pretty, they were still at least trying.

I have a love for all things furniture related. I enjoy going out on the weekends and never knowing what I may find. I don’t have much experience in refurbishing, refinishing and upholstery but I am going to learn damn it! After months of yearning and considering, I finally convince my boyfriend to let me start my own creative business and let it lead me where it may. I don’t know what exactly will come of this, but I am so excited and hope you enjoy my journey along the way!