My Mother's Memories in my Sewing Area

As I am cleaning out my sewing area and reorganizing, I wanted to decorate my sewing area. I found my mother's first sewing basket and wooden thread spools while going through her things before the estate sale.

I love sitting at my sewing machine and looking at her sewing items. It feels like she is right here with me!

Happy Reclaiming!

Reclaiming Furniture Workshop

I will be doing a furniture painting workshop for the Crisp Area Arts Alliance this fall. We are planning a Saturday class. I still do not have a definite date but Miriam and I are working out the details. I will be posting pictures for inspiration.

I just wanted to give anyone who is interested some notice. This is will give you some time to locate a piece. I recommend any thing that is solid wood. Unless it is has real wood veneer on solid wood. I have done this piece and it came out great.

Look in your attic, your mother's or grandmother's house. Go to estate or yard sales. Go to Brady's and Bush's here in Cordele. I have found some great pieces there.

You will be responsible to bring and remove your piece on the day of the workshop so I would like for you to bring a small manageable piece such as end tables, small chests, etc. I will be teaching you everything you will need to know to go home and do bigger pieces.

Here is a changing table that Genie found for Livvey's room. It is a large chest but this is probably the biggest piece that we can accomplish in a day.

We found this "Ethan Allen" piece (yes it really was Ethan Allen) at a flea market in Douglas GA. The downtown there has several markets side by side that are also a great source for shopping for pieces.

If you want to change knobs, please let me know ahead of time. I will need you to do a few things before the class.

I will also try to do a piece during the workshop as well.

I am sooooo stinking excited!!!

Happy Reclaiming!

Not Just Your Mothers Bedside Table!

When repurposing the guest bedroom into the grandchildren nursery, I wanted a bedside table. I looked at mirrored furniture but it wasn't quite right. I saw my mother's bedside table and got an idea. You can view the nursery at Nursery.

I painted it with silver paint. It gave me the look with out the $500 price for only $12.

Here's a close up.

I used these paints.

You can find these at Home Depot. For $5.48 each.

I painted the furniture in Polished Silver and the hardware in Thundercloud. The Precious Moments firgurine is a gift from my parents: Adoption, because I was adopted. I love it and so appropriate for the nursery. I found the frame and the lamp at TJMaxx.

I saved $488. More money for retirement!

Happy Reclaiming!

Reclaiming the 1960s Side Table

While furnishing Becca's apartment, we went to every flea market and used furniture store in South Georgia. I came across this 1960s side table. We had them when we were little, our grandmother or mother probably still has one or we have seen them at garage sales or estate sales. What I love about older furniture is that it is all wood, well made and will last!

Before picture after I brought it home. BTW I paid $28 dollars for it.

 

I added light blue paint for $4, distressed it and waxed it. Here it is on my porch after I finished it.

Here it is in her apartment.

 Isn't it so cute!

I love it!

Not bad for $32. I have an all wood, well made and cute side table.

Reclaiming the Master Bedroom Furniture (How I saved over $3000)

I am currently redecorating my master bedroom. Like all empty nesters, retirement is right around the corner so cost savings is huge. I wanted new bedroom furniture and had picked out Paula Deen furniture.

I loved these pieces at $1630 each, that's $3260 for the set.

I had bought my furniture in late 80s or early 90s. We all know it. The rice bed set.

These are in great shape but out dated. Here is my after:

You will notice I added furniture legs I bought at Home Depot. Here is a picture of painting them:

I put them on a cardboard box and it was a lot easier.

They came with these screws already inserted (the ones on the left) and we exchanged them for the ones on the right to get a good buttress with the legs and the furniture.

I painted it with home made chalk paint. $3260 minus $150 supplies = $3110 savings! Hello IRA!!!

Happy Reclaiming!

Reclaiming the Bedroom Lamps

While redecorating my master bedroom, I repainted my dresser. I loved my lamps but they really didn't match my new décor and colors. Not the shape, but the color. So I decided to spray them. Took me all of 10 minutes. I saved at least $200 by not replacing them, and they look great on my painted furniture. Before:

As you can see these are absolutely beautiful but the gold, patina color did not match. Here is the after:

 See how great they look on the painted furniture!

I used

 

 From Home Depot. Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze. Only $6.76 a can. It already has the primer included. I have also used this on my curtain rods and chandeliers and the color is fabulous.

 

Let me know if you have reclaimed your lamps.

 

Happy Reclaiming!

Reclaiming the Used Dresser into a TV Stand

While setting up my daughters apartment, we wanted a TV stand. We needed the storage but also the punch of color.

We started heading to used furniture stores in search of the perfect dresser. We got lucky and found it at the first store we stopped at for $50. It was a steal. All wood. No mirror but we didn't need one.

 

I loved the detail, but when we painted it the detailing just jumped out. I removed the drawer pulls, spackled the holes, and sanded. I didn't sand the furniture. I just used Behr paint with primer in satin so there is no need to sand. If you are planning to distress, I would use chalk paint. See my post Chalk Paint Recipe and Instructions. We left it plain so I just used straight paint. I always paint furniture with a sponge brush, not because it is cheap, but because it goes on smoother and doesn't leave brush strokes.

 

I drilled holes for new knobs. I love the large glass knobs at Home Depot Glass Knobs. They are $6 each and with 10, they actually cost more than the dresser, but it was worth it. I then drilled holes in the back and add extension cords that fed into certain drawers. One drawer to charge Iphone and Kindle. One drawer for the laptop. And behind the doors, where I removed the drawers and installed the Satellite and DVR.

 

BTW, the candle sticks and the plant came from TJ Maxx. You really need to go to TJ Maxx or Home Goods to get accessories for reasonable prices. I love these stores and try to stop in often.

 

I would love to see your dressers to TV stands!

 

Happy Reclaiming!