Let's see...........where did I leave off before I was interupted by the holidays! Oh, yeah! I remember! I was telling you about this little beauty I captured on the curb in my neighborhood!
BEFORE
Cute little accent table. Just needed some TLC and a paint job!
AFTER
The roses are my attempt at freestyle folk art! They actually look better in real life! I used painter's tape when painting the green stripes, and when I peeled it off, some of the base paint came off with it! Hadn't planned on distressing this piece, but that's kinda how it turned out! The edges are painted in metallic gold. I applied a coat of finishing paste wax to give it some protection.
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This next item is an antique sewing cabinet that I picked up at a yard sale in Clear Lake last summer. They were having an "All-City Garage Sale"! Anyhoo........this cabinet was in pieces, missing some key items, one of which was a delicately detailed leg :((
BEFORE.....
This isn't the one I got - but it looks just like it if it had all it's legs!
I found out that it's an antique 'Martha Washington Sewing Stand Cabinet'. If it was in perfect condition, it would be worth quite a bit! Well, sad to say mine wasn't perfect, so I decided to fix it up with some matching legs that I found at the ReStore, give it a good cleaning, some new pale sage colored paint, add some new hinges, put all the pieces back together and see what happens!!
AFTER.......
Wouldn't it make a fantastic side table, or jewelry box, or hey, how about a sewing cabinet!!
The side lids were missing the original hinges - the old kind that fit into the wood so it's hidden when the lids are closed. I tried different types of hinges, but ended up using these decorative ones attached to the top. They keep the lids and seams nice and flat and give the cabinet a little bit of flair! Two of the wooden drawer pulls were missing, but I found a couple of decorative metal replacements in my stash that worked perfectly! I love when that happens!
I think these legs used to be part of an open book shelf or room divider. I wasn't certain that they'd look good with this cabinet, maybe a little too chunky compared to the original ones. I had quite a time getting all four legs attached - there were so many old worn out holes underneath, I couldn't get the new screws to stay in! I ended up having to fill in all the existing over-sized holes, wait until it all hardened and then start all over! It's a good thing I don't charge by the hour for ALL my time!
The interior of the side compartments was cleaned and brightened up with a coat of white paint. You could store all kinds of great things inside these two bins, what EVER you decide to use the cabinet for! It'll be good for at least another hundred years!
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When I was in Lanesboro, MN, last Fall, I found this cool old mirror in an antique shop. It was a steal, and seeing's how I LOVE mirrors, I had to have it! It's been sitting around waiting to be made beautiful and useful, again!
BEFORE..........
A closer look at this piece showed a lot of abuse and neglect. There was mud ground into the back side, in every crack and craney, and, - I kid you NOT - even packed in the nail holes! Old dried grass, oats, and, ew-w-w!, mouse droppings stuck out from underneath the mirror backing!
AFTER......
I used white paint for the frame and Annie Sloan's Linen chalk paint on the wood insets on either side of the mirror, added some black iron coat hooks, and now it's ready to be put on display! No more barnyards for this treasure find! I love preserving a little bit of history by giving it a new life!
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My sewing machine has been getting a workout, too! I've been taking advantage of the cold weather to get busy on some sewing projects that I've been putting off ignoring!
I picked up some metal egg crates at the Holiday Junk Jubilee last November. Very Vintage! Very Cool! They're about 15 inches tall, and would be useful for holding a multitude of things.
I'm using this one for my magazines!
I made the liners out of some muslin fabric I had, and downloaded the prints from The Graphics Fairy - I love her stuff! And, I love how great this project turned out! Can't wait to show them off!
I've made a few tote bags and a couple of pillows, however there are no photos of them, yet! AND LOTS OF OTHER STUFF IN THE WORKS! I'll have more goodies to share with you next time!
It's been bitter cold and there's warnings of freezing rain for tomorrow! Lovely! Great day to stay in and get some more projects done!
Stay warm, my junky friend - 'cuz Baby, it's cold outside!!
XOXOX
