Made New Artistic Restorations

Hello everyone! I haven’t been on here in a while to give an update. There are two main reasons for this. #1. We actually had to move in before the main work on the house was finished.
#2. My back went out again. 😣

Living in our renovation project has slowed the overall progress. We are unable to unpack most of our things and we have a lot of piles to work around. Setting up house while also doing school, work, and large renovations in that same space with a body that is conspiring against me isn’t as fun as it sounds😅. Nevertheless, progress has been made since my last update and it’s so exciting to imagine how great it will be when it’s all done!

Sooooo, here are some updates for you all!

Renovation Progress report: We have been busy folks! Here are some picture updates. I forgot to take pictures for a bit, so there has been other work done that I don’t have pictures for. But I kinda think 34 pictures is plenty for one post🤣😅😇.

Reno updates. But they aren’t very pretty yet. It’s been difficult to get supplies during these crazy times.

We have been busy, though.

We FINALLY had the supplies delivered so we can raise the sunken floor on the main level. 🤗. Happy dance!!!!

We have made all the colour and paint choices for the entire house! Woohoo!

We have also chosen our flooring.....BUT only 1/4 of it has arrived so far 😣

I have the general designs ready for the kids rooms. My son’s is 100%, my youngest daughter’s is mostly there, and my oldest daughter’s is a bit of an artistic project, so that design is a work in progress.....her colours are CRAZY 😳😍. It’s gonna be awesome!

I have started a project on the fireplace, the majority of which is finished! I have done my first ever German Schmear! LOVE IT! But it took WAY longer than the expected time frame. Probably because I do not have man muscles and mortar gets heavy to manoeuvre around and I wanted to do it RIGHT. So, I took extra time with the prep because proper prep can make or break a project. Also because I knew what I wanted the finished product to look like and took pains to get it. Next, I just need to make the mantle, and finish the wall space on either side.

We got the thermostat changed out in the garage so we can use it as a painting space.

We started prepping the cabinets for paint. Not my favourite....just keepin it real. I felt like it was the LONGEST thing I have EVER done in my whole life! 😩

And we did a whole bunch more, but this post is long enough already!

Stay tuned for the next instalment in this series...

We recently bought a new house guys! We have big plans and a small budget😅. So we will be doing much of the work ourselves and prioritizing our list of renovations to work on things as we have the money for them. I see many refinishing and repurposing projects in the near future! 😉

Here are a few day #1 demo pictures so you can follow along if you’d like to.

I’m done mom’s table! YAY! This piece took sooo much longer than expected! But, it’s all finished up now and Mom and Dad are happy with it. That’s what’s important.

This is the same staining technique that I used on my Great Grandma’s little coffee table this summer. This is something new that I have been wanting to try ever since seeing it used for the first time at realitydaydreams.com. https://realitydaydream.com/colorful-wood-stain-to-make-artwork-on-furniture
Whenever I have an idea, the first place I go to is often Pinterest or YouTube to see if there are any tutorials out there. Inevitably, if I have thought of something, so has someone else. It’s a great way to gain new skills!

There were a few difficult parts in this project. First of all, it was difficult to figure out a pattern that would work with all the variations that the two leaves created. It needed to look ok with no leaves, one leaf, or both leaves. That was the first conundrum to be overcome. The second was that the stain was not the desired, nor shown, colour. We decided to ignore that problem and keep the stain as the colour it was. The next issue was the wood table top took the stain unevenly (which isn’t surprising because it’s so old). And the fact that the grain is very open in oak made the shading more difficult to accomplish. Working with the issues, instead of against them was what helped everything come together in the end, though. It was a fun and challenging project overall and I’m so glad my parents like it! Let me know how you think it turned out!

Step 3 is finally finished! The first phase was to clean and prime all areas needing paint.

When that was finished it was on to phase 2 - painting with Fusion’s Raw Silk. I used three thin coats to help with a smooth finish. For the top coat, I used a dark wax applied with a rag.

The final phase of this step was working out the design for the table top. That should have actually been it’s own step. It was a little more difficult than I anticipated to work out a design that would work with both leaves. It needed to work with no leaves, one leaf, or both leaves. Yikes! That was easier said than done! But, it worked out in the end!

I have been working on step 4, staining the table top and clear coating, for a couple of days already...almost ready! Stay tuned for the final reveal!

The table base and skirt have been cleaned thoroughly and primed with a water-based, stain blocking primer. This will dry for a couple hours and then I’ll put on the first coat of paint! Yay!

*side note:
I’m working in my kitchen now because it’s too cold to get a nice finish outside and my workshop is too full of other furniture!😳.

Step 2 of Mom’s dining table is FINALLY finished! The stripping took so long because the original stain had sunk very deep into the grain and had also started getting a bit gummy. But, a little persistence and all the old stain was stripped off down to the raw oak. After that it was sanded with a medium grit sandpaper until smooth. It was finished off with an ultra fine grit sandpaper until silky smooth. The skirt and body were lightly sanded just to scuff up the finish a bit so that the paint with adhere better.

Step 3 will be to wash down and paint all the parts that are not being stained. As well as work out the overall table top design. Stay tuned!

Since Step 2 of my Mom’s dining table is still in progress I thought I’d show you the new staining technique I tried out this summer. I really enjoyed it!

This was my Great Grandmother’s coffee table so I wanted to do something special with it. It started as just a simple medium brown stain all over. Very common to the 60’s and 70’s.

I stripped the top to bare wood and painted the legs and skirt in Fusion’s Raw Silk. The staining was done with Minwax’s oil based, Red Mahogany stain.

I’m planning to use this technique on my mom’s dining table as well. 😉

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Sometimes stripping off the old stain comes quickly and sometimes it’s a slow process. This time it’s slow. But we’re a 3rd of the way there. ☺️ I always like seeing the fresh raw wood come through.

Hi everyone, I wanted to let you all know that I’m starting a new piece today! My Mom’s little dining table. Happy Birthday, Mom!

I had fun refinishing this bar height table for our youth pastor, Paul Eikland. The legs fade from dark blue at the bottom into a silky coal black. The top was stripped and sanded smooth and finished off with h**p oil. The lettering on the table top is a scripture that Paul chose from Matthew. I’m so glad he let me redo this for him!

Paul’s Preacher Table!

Hi everyone! What has everyone been up to lately? I have been enjoying making a variety of planters out of old drawers and other salvaged materials. They all turn out a little differently and are unique and charming in their own right.

Some turned out well as indoor window boxes and others were weatherproofed to be used as outdoor porch planters and railing boxes. Every part of each of them has been made with salvaged materials. This is important to me because a large reason for why I like doing this is because it keeps things usable for longer.

Less waste, less garbage filling up the dump, less unwanted and unusable heaps. Maybe it’s silly, but it feels important to me. Take the ugly and make it beautiful. Take the unusable and give it purpose. See the value where others have seen only trash. I find connection to God through this work. Each finished piece blesses me....I hope it blesses someone else as well.

This vintage plant stand is one of the pieces that I recently had in the trade show. She was in disrepair and not looking her best when I first brought her home, but she’s looking pretty good now!

I took off the top, most damaged, shelf and used pieces from it to revamp the new top shelf. The bottom shelf was damaged and wobbly but is now doing fine after some minor surgery. She was painted in Fusion Mineral paint’s Little Lamb, slightly distressed, and top-coated with both dark and clear waxes to give depth and a nod to its age.

I REALLY like this piece! She’s so pretty! I’m tempted to keep her for myself!

*PM me if you’re interested in her.

I’m here! My little spot is all set up at the Brave Girls event
https://www.facebook.com/events/283036125961434/?ti=icl

Getting some pieces finished up for the Brave Girls trade show tomorrow! Here’s a super close up of one.

There will be a whole lot of fun things for kids and adults! Come check it out!
https://www.facebook.com/events/283036125961434/?ti=icl

My current work pile....

These should make for some good before and after pictures! Some of these are in very rough shape.

I’d like to show you all my drawers! This outdoor drawer planter was made last year, but I didn’t want to put it up here until it had proven itself to be sufficiently weather proof. So it stayed outside, with dirt in it all last fall and over the winter and came out the other end in great condition!

It was made from three vintage dresser drawers. It’s lined inside and sealed in and out. The colour is Fusion’s Cranberry.

Here is the coffee bar installed into its new home! The soon to open Parkland Wellness Centre! I was so happy to be able to help make this place a welcoming space, even in this small way. The Parkland Wellness Centre and Refugee Welcome Space will be having it’s official opening on the 30th with an open house. If you’re interested, go and check it out! https://www.facebook.com/parklandwellness/

This piece started as a child’s dresser. The three bottom drawers were removed and salvaged boards were used to create a shelf on the bottom. The outside body was whitewashed with Fusion Mineral‘s “Limestone”. The inside was a combination of Limestone and Dixie Belle’s “Colonel Mustard”. The wood top was completely stripped and left raw with h**p oil as a finisher. There is a black, cast iron, three pronged hook on the inside for extra storage as well as a small, cast iron towel bar on the outside.
The whitewashed areas were finished off with a custom wood burning design. The intention of the art on this piece is specific to the Wellness Centre and was designed to hold meaning for this space and people in it.

The shelf above was made out of one of the dresser’s drawers. There are hooks for hanging cups and mugs on the top and bottom of the shelf. The sign on top is also custom made specifically for the Wellness Centre. I think it finishes the piece off nicely, plus I had a bunch of fun making it!

The coffee bar is finished and delivered! I’ll post pictures of it installed into its new home soon!

The planter boxes are done and waiting to be installed! I’ll have pictures of them delivered to their new home and installed as soon as I can get over there! They turned out pretty cute guys! They have a rustic, boho, farmhouse vibe going on that I am REALLY liking! I’m definitely making more planter boxes, guys! They were SO FUN!

Stay tuned for pictures of the coffee bar! Coming soon!

Getting close to done! Here are some progress pictures of the coffee bar!

In the midst of another shop day! Getting closer to finishing the planters and coffee bar! YAY!

The drawers are now planter sized boxes. The side panels are waiting for a second coat of mustard yellow and some finishing touches are in progress on the drawer fronts. Aside from the boards added to the bottom for structural support, these boxes have been built entirely from salvaged drawer parts. I don’t throw things away if at all possible, and I reuse as many salvaged parts as I can manage. It’s always a goal of mine when repurposing pieces.

I’ll show some progress pictures of the coffee bar next time😇!

I picked out some hardware for the projects being made out of the little dresser. More progress pics to come!

Many times the inspiration for a piece comes from everyday experiences, common items, and normal sites. Beauty often reveals itself in unexpected places. These instances are precious gifts from God, rewarding you for taking a closer look and slowing down enough to observe creation. This little table was inspired by a few rocks.

My youngest daughter has been collecting rocks for most of her life. She is quite enthralled by them and sees even very common rocks as a thing of beauty. She was showing me through her collection one day and I was struck by the variety of pattern and depth of colour so many of them had. When a friend gave me this little girl’s side table, the colours and patterns from the various rocks were all I could envision for this little sweetie!

This piece was done using Fusion’s Limestone, Heirloom Tradition’s Peachy Keen, and Country Chic’s, Tribe. It was finished with a clear wax. The pull is a piece of raw quartz attached with silver finish hardware. This piece and others will be available on June 15th at the Brave Girls Trade Show!
https://www.facebook.com/events/283036125961434/?ti=icl

Progress is continuing in the dresser repurposing....

Hey Guys! I hope you are all having wonderful days!

I have been working on repurposing the little dresser. The first step was stripping and sanding the top of dresser and the fronts of two drawers. The raw wood is buttery smooth now and just waiting for the h**p oil that will go on as the last coat over everything!

I’ve got a bunch of new projects in the works! One of which will be turning this vintage dresser into a coffee bar and two window planters! I’m very excited! I’ll post update photos along the way for anyone who is interested.

This cutie is in the store now! Reinforced for stability and painted with a custom colour mix. Antiquing glaze over the fresh colour helps it look its age. Top coated with a clear wax.
For sale at Country Scraps.

Happy Family Day everyone! I hope you all have fabulous plans for the day! Part of my plans will be taking in a couple of new pieces to Country Scraps. ☺️.

I just finished finding the hidden personality of an antique vanity! She was in pretty rough shape and needed a lot of work, but it was worth it! She’s an artsy piece, with a flare for the dramatic, showing new sides of herself through each of her drawers. Every one of her drawers were treated as it’s own piece of art. The fronts were done using a version of a paint pouring technique, smoothed, then sealed using a clear, water based, urethane. The outsides were stripped down to their raw wood and clear waxed to show the beautiful grain. The insides were painted in one of the shades used on the drawer fronts and clear waxed. Everything was finished off with crystal cut, clear glass pulls.

The body was painted in a solid colour and clear waxed. The mirror and it’s original backing were reattached using new boards for strength. The dropped middle has a thick piece of glass that was still in relatively good shape, so that was simply cleaned and polished and placed back on.

This old girl still has a few more memories to make! You can see her in person at Country Scraps in Stony Plain.

All the paints used for this piece were from the Fusion Mineral Paint line. The body was done in “Homestead Blue” and DIY clear wax.
The drawers were done using, “Homestead Blue”, “Heirloom”, “Raw Silk”, and “Little Lamb”. The drawer fronts were top coated using Heirloom Tradition’s clear gloss topcoat.

Currently falling in love with a new Fusion colour. Homestead Blue.....

A lot of times, during the process of restoration, there a definitive ugly period. But if you keep working through the ugly, the beauty always comes!

I’ve started refinishing a very beat up antique vanity. It’s currently in the “ugly period”. But I am so looking forward to the finished piece! The beauty is on it’s way!