Use #158 For An Old Window Frame

A hair clip holder.

I found an old window frame for $3.00. I knew what I wanted it to become almost instantly. I had to paint it so it would match the princess's room, but there was so much texture going on that I didn't want to mess that up.

So I used plain old acrylic paint and just gave it one light coat. It is completely flat and very thin so that you can still see through it in most places.

I stapled some pink ribbon to the back and and screwed in some hooks at the bottom for bracelets and necklaces.

I love it when something is not only pretty, but functional as well. This has them both covered, and the princess loves it, too.

Boo!

This is a quick and easy craft the women in my church's craft group will be making this week.

Now I get to start thinking about our Christmas craft.

Refinishing Wood

On my last post about my refinished desk, I was asked a question about how I did it. I started to give a quick response in a comment, but I decided it would make a good post. So here is the skinny (or probably not so skinny) on refinishing wood.

1st - you have to consider what kind of condition the wood is in and how you want the finished product to look. If you are painting it you just need to scuff in up a little with sandpaper. If you are staining it the wood will need to be completely stripped with some kind of chemical stripper.

If you are painting it and want the piece to be nice and new-looking, fix any holes or cracks or dings with wood putty. Let it dry and sand it flush. I'm not sure of the exact process for fixing imperfections if you are planning to stain the wood.

I like a more aged and worn look, so I leave the dings and cracks as they are. I think it adds character.

Next - If you are staining it, just rub the stain on, wait a bit, and rub off the excess. Then seal it with polyurethane or wood wax, and you are done.

If you are painting, give a good even coat or two of primer (I like the spray - it's quicker and easier). If you are painting, you need to use a good primer to cover the entire surface. There are different color primers. Basically, if you are painting a light color use a light color; if you are painting a dark color, use a darker primer. Easy enough.Then just paint and enjoy!

Tips (learned from experience):

Paint with primer in it does NOT equal a primer coat. You will have problems with pealing.

Black stain is not really black. If you want black you have to paint.

For the desk I just finished I didn't do any surface repairs. I painted the body with Kilz Semi-Gloss Bulgar Wheat paint. (The guy mixing the paint kept calling it "Burglar Wheat" hehe.) Then I mixed 1 part water and 1 part Ralph Lauren Satin Ebony paint and used it as a wash for the desk surfaces so the wood shows through just slightly.

Hope this was helpful for anyone starting a refinishing project. Good luck!

A New Look for an Old Desk

I loved the form of this old desk. All the compartments and drawers were beautiful. It was worn out and ugly, but I just knew it had potential.

Here is the finished product.

That is one amazing transformation! It's amazing what a little paint can do.

Refinished Crib

So here was the before for the crib. I just knew it had potential!

And here is the after.

Wash. Sand. Prime. Paint. And voila, a beautiful new crib!

Himalayan Poppy... the color even sounds pretty.

Update: I am linking this post up to Furniture Feature Friday on Miss Mustard Seed's Creative Blog. Check it out!