Progress report update: Photos

 

My first project was this little table. I found it last week, very unloved. Sand, prime, paint, L-O-V-E! Boy, this is kind of fun.

Next up, little chair. It was unloved, too. It had a few decades of grime on it. I think I spent more time scrubbing it than anything else. Hello, Ocean Breeze Blue!

I think they make an adorable couple.

By this time I am really having fun with the spray paint, truth be told. Until now I had always been afraid of spray paint and I had never used it before in my life. What was up with that? My mom brought me an adorable patio set and a can of spray paint about six years ago and I still have the paint sitting on it in my basement. I was just too chicken to try it. Guess what I'll be painting soon?

Next  I found this coffee table and a matching end table: 

I decided I was ready to try something a little more complicated, since I am a professional now. (After painting two things) I grabbed the end table and did this: 

Right now these guys are a bit of an odd couple:

Here's a sneak peek at something else I found the day I found the odd couple:

 

While there may still be boxes in my room, my nails are sans polish, and the boys still haven't had my help with organizing their room, I still feel very accomplished so far.

Progress Report, Sort Of

Ten tasks in ten days. What was I thinking? I vaguely remember feeling like it was a great idea to make me get stuff done. I still feel this way, but I've strayed from my original ten somewhat.

Here they are in all their glory:

1. Finish painting my dressing table. Even though I know I will change it soon(ish?) I would like to actually complete something. 

2. Get the pictures from my camera loaded to this computer. It's honestly more difficult than it should be. 

3. Help the boys get their room in order. If I showed a 'before' photo right now you'd faint.

4. Paint the little table which is now residing on my porch.

5. Paint the cute chair which is also residing on the porch right now. 

6. Mani/pedi. This one is long overdue.

7. Get rid of the boxes which managed to homestead in my bedroom. Seriously, when did they take over the room?

8. Pack up the dishes I inherited and store them safely in my bedroom closet shelving. 

9. Clean the inside of the van with all the right stuff so it's shiny-perfect. (Shortcuts are so ugly when it comes to stuff like this. Can you say "Streaked windows"?

10. Do a tax amendment form. Pray for me on this one, I'm flying solo with just my reading comprehension skills.

Instead of finishing the dressing table, I acquired a few more pieces of furniture. Of course I abandoned all my 'old' plans (this list) so I could completely redo a side table. It was a labor intense project and a first time for a lot of what I was doing, so I learned a lot. I do not regret commandeering my time in this way. 

Today I plan on working on more furniture projects. Plans have changed, but I am happy with it. At the end of these ten days I will have accomplished a lot of things I wanted to do. This was the whole point from the beginning, right?

Photos really are on the way!

Day 5 of 10

I  finished the table I have been working on for days now. It came out cute. It is not perfect, because I have much to learn, but I like it! I still do not have my camera. This one was not a number on my list, because I didn't get the table until after the list was made. It doesn't bother me, though. I still accomplished something so I am going with it. I used more Breezy Ocean Blue and some black paint. I also used some black glaze. Luckily, it all scrubbed off of my hands.

*I ate ice cream when I was done.

Day 4 of 10

I have not completed another item on my list of ten today. It's only 4:00, though. I did start working on another table. It's going to be so cute! I would be taking pictures and sharing them as I go, but my mother still has my camera. I need to go get it back later. Hopefully I will remember tonight. 

Right now I am trying to be patient while part of the chair dries. I only have one final part to do, but I really should wait until tomorrow to do it. Patience is not my strong suit, but I'm doing well so far. 

I picked up a few great things yesterday at garage sales, and one super-cool item from the side of the road. The house had more out, but my van was nearly full and this item was for sure the star. I promise pictures of everything in the next couple of days.

Day 3 Of 10

Here I am, with another item completed! I painted the cute little chair on the porch. It took more time to clean it than to paint it. Whew! I have lots more to do. The only reason I am inside instead of outside squeezing spray triggers is the sun. I have a nice little burn already. I do not need to be miserable. 

The chair was #5 on my list. I painted it Krylon's Breezy Ocean Blue. The table I painted yesterday is is Krylon's Raspberry.

Two Down, Eight (Million) To Go

Okay, I am on a roll, even if it is only a two day roll. Today I tackled #4 - painted the little table. I love it! If the weather would have cooperated I would have done the chair today as well. As it was I was lucky to get the table finished. I also sprayed my daughter's iPhone in the same color - watermelon!

One Down, Nine To Go

I am working on my 10x10 list. I started working on the little table on the porch yesterday. I took her outside and got her ready to paint. I painted her legs, and got nearly everything but the top surfaces. Then I ran out of paint. I resisted the urge to run out right then and buy more, since I had to go out later. Then we got monsoon-type rains so I did not get to finish the table yesterday.

I did conquer #8, though. I boxed up the inherited dishes and they are put up safely in my closet.

Ten by Ten

Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage has thrown down the gauntlet. She has challenged us to choose ten tasks to get done in ten days - starting today! Here are the ten tasks I have chosen:

1. Finish painting my dressing table. Even though I know I will change it soon(ish?) I would like to actually complete something. 

2. Get the pictures from my camera loaded to this computer. It's honestly more difficult than it should be. 

3. Help the boys get their room in order. If I showed a 'before' photo right now you'd faint.

4. Paint the little table which is now residing on my porch.

5. Paint the cute chair which is also residing on the porch right now. 

6. Mani/pedi. This one is long overdue.

7. Get rid of the boxes which managed to homestead in my bedroom. Seriously, when did they take over the room?

8. Pack up the dishes I inherited and store them safely in my bedroom closet shelving. 

9. Clean the inside of the van with all the right stuff so it's shiny-perfect. (Shortcuts are so ugly when it comes to stuff like this. Can you say "Streaked windows"?

10. Do a tax amendment form. Pray for me on this one, I'm flying solo with just my reading comprehension skills. 

Wish me luck, I know I will need it to really follow through and get all ten of these completed. Especially since today is already the first day!

*I'm already thinking about amending one of these to "Finish eating the ice cream in the upstairs freezer."

Three days worth of treasure hunting.

My feet are happily exhausted.

On Thursday I went to Goodwill. For some reason I decided I must go to Goodwill. It's odd for me since I have maybe gone to this Goodwill five times in fifteen years - until recently. I got a great mirror for Allie's room - it used to be part of an old dresser. It's very pretty and has lovely character. Then I found a mirror for the boy's room as well. I got quite a few neato glass pieces. One is a glass and silver decanter. I'm waiting for Jeannie to come an make a home in it. I got little crystal salt and pepper shakers, frames and wooden 'thingies' for a bathroom project, and a pyrex beehive cannister. I got a candlestick with great character and a pretty pink globe to a lamp. I had a totally full cart when I left Goodwill. I'm sure I am forgetting things.

Friday I went to a neighborhood garage sale and got a metal miter box with saw, a staple gun, 2 weed whackers, 6 vintage suitcases, a table with two chairs, some great old Hardy Boys books, some beautiful glass decanters, a bowl to replace one I broke in a crock pot, three metal boxes with handles, a cheese cloche, and stack of vintage sheet music - *happydance*!

I went back yesterday and bought a bunch of very old books, nearly half of them first editions. I struck gold when I got a whole set of antique dishes donated to me. (Because I'd gone twice the day before to offer to buy the dessert bowls, and the lady wouldn't break up the set. We are invited to her grandson Matthew's graduation party next Saturday at 1:00) I also got a pretty old typewriter from them. I honestly got so much amazing stuff in the last three days I can not remember all of it. 

I have been working on a few projects, as well. I'm a regular at Home Depot now. I have a dressing table and a dresser in progress, along with a few other pieces either started, or in the planning stages. I hope to share some of these projects here soon.