Blue Damask Side Table

This cute little table came from a thrift store in Michigan. I don't remember how much it was but I couldn't pass it up! I didn't even know what to do with it. It sat by my front door in our old house for the longest time and then we moved and I had no idea what to do with it. So I gave it a little makeover and stuck it in my store! It proudly displays my lamps now, hahaha. Here is the before:

Antique Folding Chair

This cute little folding chair had definitely seen better days. It was one of those mystery 'purchases' I got from an auction.

 

It looks decent in the picture, but it was falling apart. It was a simple fix, the screws were loose! It was pretty scratched up too. It got a good sanding and a fresh coat of stain.

 

 

 

I fund the maker's mark and did a little research. The company made folding chairs and tables until the early 60's. He was local too, from Fort Wayne Indiana.

 

 

Then I upholstered it with a pretty piece of mint colored fabric I found inside an old dresser. I think it might have been a napkin?

 



 

I found three more antique folding chairs at a different auction. They are in my basement waiting for me to redo. Along with about a million other things. Hahahaha!

Coffee Table Turned Upholstered Ottoman

Let's talk about my auction experience for a minute..... My favorite auction to go to is held in a ginormous fair grounds building here in town. It starts at 5 and literally goes until midnight sometimes even 2 AM!!! And that is with THREE auctioneers going at once. Its very overwhelming at first, but you eventually fall into the groove.

Now, there is one adorable auctioneer (seriously, I love this kid) who knows of my love for beat up "garbage" furniture. Any time there is a piece that no one else wants he always says, " Sold to (my number) for $2.50". Half the time I'm on the other side of the building bidding on other things! He then makes a little pile of 'my purchases' for me in the corner. This may anger some people, but I take it as a challenge. Only one time did I have to trash a piece he sold me without consent. It was a chair that had beautiful lines but upon closer inspection had serious structural damage.

Today's repurpose is one of those mystery buys.

Repurposed Kitchen Cabinet

My mom wanted to rearrange her kitchen but had this awkward cabinet in the way of where she wanted to put the fridge. She was going to toss it in the trash. NOT ON MY WATCH!!!!! It was one of those slow motion "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" moments. HAHAHAHA. But seriously.... She thought it was cheap particle board because that's what the doors were made of. Nope! Solid wood!

Repurposed Side Tables!

This is the most dramatic makeover Ive done. I got these little tables at an indoor garage sale. They were pretty messed up!

YUCK!

I wasn't sure what to do with them. I noticed my daughter sitting on them and that was my inspiration! Stools! I gave them a good scrub and a good sanding. Then a few coats of whiite paint. I upholstered them with two inch foam, batting, and this super cute chevron fabric. Now I love them!

 

I hope the chevron trend sticks around longer, I love it so!

 

 

Welcome To Piano Bench Week! Day 4: Gold and Blue Piano Bench

Hello lovelies! I hope you've enjoyed the piano bench spotlight week thus far. Today, we have my most glamorus makeover. While I do not have a before pic, I can tell you that I got it at an "Antique Store" in southern Indiana. And by antique mall, I mean dude had a set up literally in the middle of a field. He never brought his items in. This made me sad for two reasons.... 1). He had two 1940's Taylor Tot strollers rusted out almost beyond recognition. 2). My piano bench was warped and water damaged and just rough.

 

Welcome To Piano Bench Week! Day 3: Dusty Purple Garden Bench

Hello and welcome to our third installment of Piano Bench Week! Ive been told that today's bench is actually an organ bench, but oh well. I still love it all the same. The people down the street were moving out of their house and left this beauty (as well as some other treasures) on the curb. Every time we drove by was like Christmas! We managed to snag an antique bookshelf, two card catalogs, 4 modern chairs, an antique filing cabinet, and this! Thank you, neighbors! Anyways, this is what we're working with today.

 

 

I tightened up the screws a little and painted it in Valspar's Purple Fury. I upholstered the top in 2 inch HD foam and this cute french garden themed fabric. Then I scotch guarded the fabric for protection. People ask me two questions about my pieces:

 

Question 1: Why do you use two inch foam? Its way more expensive and one inch gets the job done.

Answer: I use two inch foam because I feel that it gives a more plush, luxurious look to the finished product. I'm not in this to just get the job done. I want to put out a quality piece, even if it costs me a little more.

 

Question 2: Why do you scotch guard every piece?

Answer: Would you ever paint a piece and not give it a top coat? Even fabric needs protection from damage! I have two preschoolers. I know how quick things can go wrong, even if you're being careful. I feel like it also gives a barrier of protection while they're on the floor in my store. Not everyone has common sense, you know!

 





On to the reveal.....

 

So Cute!

Stay tuned for tomorrows installment, the gold and blue bench!

 

 

Welcome To Piano Bench Week! Day 2: Navy Polka Dot Piano Bench

Welcome to Day 2! I found this piano along with yesterday's at a Michigan thrift store. It was also $7.50. It was in very good condition, but too plain for me, ha. I couldn't find the before pic, so I used my bff google to find one that looked exactly like it.

Welcome to Piano Bench Week, Day 1: Black Damask Redo

This week, I'm going to feature a few of my piano benches Ive done. Let me start by saying I LOVE piano benches. I love them for entryways, and that they open up so you can put things in them!  This one was my first, and a favorite. I got this at a thrift store in Michigan for $7.50. I used leftover fabric and paint from the bentwood rocker redo, so it didn't even cost me any extra!

 

 

My Version Of Ombre Paint Chip Art

I saw this post on Roadkill Rescue a few days ago and fell a little bit in love. Heather from The Lovely Cupboard shared her tutorial on how to make it. So while dilly dallying at Lowe's waiting for my paint to be mixed, I snatched a few (or twenty).

Glittery Leopard Print Chair

I got this chair from a flea market during the Indiana Covered Bridge Festival. If my mind serves me correctly it was 3 for $15. It was very crudely reupholstered over a damaged cane seat. The seat was removed.

 

 

Ugly Red Wingback Reupholster

Prepare your eyes for this baby. It is ugly. I got this poor chair from an auction, for $2.50. I guess I was the only one to see its potential. Or the only one with upholstery skills. Whichever. I stripped it of its ugly fabric. And by stripped, I mean removed a million tacks. And by a million, I mean a few hundred. Ha! Now, let me explain.... upholstery is not hard. It is just very time consuming. It does require some sewing skills but they're relatively easy to pick up. If you would like to see a detailed tutorial, please leave a comment in the comment section!!! 

 

 

After I got all the pieces removed I traced the pieces out onto fleece and the fabric. I got the fabric at Joann's. After I traced it all out I stapled it into place, and sewed the back in by hand.

Repurposed Pool Steps

 

 

My mother and I were out behind her house in the alley, inspecting raccoon damage. Seriously, how are such cute little critters so gross and destructive??? She spied these pool steps, tossed out by the people across the alley. She immediately dragged me over to rescue them. Why? She wanted to give them a new life. Why didn't I think of that?!?!?!

 

Her vision was to have me spray paint them a fun, bright color and make it into a sort of outdoor plant display.

Waiting Room Chairs and Ottoman Redo

Every year my moms neighborhood has a block wide garage sale. Its more like 6 blocks, but I can start at my house and walk through the whole sale, and end up at her house. We live that close. I found these two waiting room type chairs about halfway through. They had a little structural damage and they were ugly, but that's nothing I cant fix!!!! So they held them until the end so I could come back to pick them up. I couldn't exactly pile them into the baby stroller! At $2 each, I'd say I did pretty good. On the way to pick them up, I found this little ottoman for a whopping fifty cents. Yes. Fifty. Cents. They made the perfect set!!!!

 

 

I decided to go with a leopard print theme. I removed the upholstered part and fixed the structural damage.

Bentwood Rocker Redo

I found this beautiful bentwood rocker at a garage sale. Let me start off by saying, I LOVE these. I currently have four (yes, 4!) that I want to redo.

She has sure seen better days!!! I started off by tightening down all the screws so it didn't wobble. I sanded and spray painted the chair in a semigloss black, then coated it a few times in poly. Then I had my husband cut out a piece of plywood to serve as the seat and back.