Goodwill Dresser Video Tutorial - Part 1

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I am still as in love with my Goodwill Dresser as the day I painted it. Above any other piece, this is the one I get the most questions about, so I decided to divulge my secret on how I created it using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® in Old White. Get your painting clothes on, roll up your sleeves and get ready to dive in to create your own heavily distressed beauty.

This tutorial will be broken up into three parts and will show you how to create a very heavily distressed piece just like my Goodwil Dresser. Think heavy brush strokes, lots of distressing with sandpaper and lots of dark wax. 

In part one, I show you how to prep and paint the piece and hardware. Make sure you check out the description on YouTube for links to the products I used in this tutorial.

Part two is in the works and should be up on the blog next week. Check back to learn how to distress and clear wax your piece, or you can subscribe to my YouTube channel and you will be able to view part two as soon as it goes live. Happy painting!

DIY Distressed Sliding Barn Door

So sliding barn doors are everywhere these days. It used to be the case that if you wanted one you had to shell out some serious bucks. Even if you opted to make your own door, you still had to drop a lot of money on the hardware. Not anymore, there are actually a lot of affordable options for sliding hardware now and a lot of big box places even carry them in store. Lucky for me, this helped me get this idea off my Pinterest board and into our master!

I am blessed to have an ensuite bathroom in our master, and it is a decent size but it is fairly narrow. The door opened into the bathroom right up against the shower which made it very crowded. It was also difficult to keep the door open to keep an ear out for my kids anytime I was in the shower. And the door would always shut while I was trying to get ready at the sink. I first saw a project like this on I Hate my Bath on HGTV a couple of years ago. I knew it would clear up a lot of these problems and make our narrow bathroom seem much larger. After enough begging, my husband finally gave in and helped me build the door.

Creating Custom Plank Wood Wall Art for Your Home

Never underestimate the power of scraps. I was able to create the most awesome custom wood wall art for my nursery for super cheap. It was time consuming but easy. You don't need to be handy or crafty to tackle this project.

Here is what you will need:

Wood planks (I used scraps I had from a previous project)
Some tools (saw or circular saw, hammer and nails or drill and screws)
Sand paper (I used my orbital sander)
Wood stain
Natural bristle brush
Scrap cloth
Acrylic or other decorative paint
Small detail paint brush
Computer and Printer
Pencil
Pencil Sharpener
Hooks and picture wire (if you plan on hanging your piece)  

The Goods on Mother Earth Paints

I recently shared my Girly Girl Dresser makeover for my daughter's room, and I owe you a review of the paint I used, Mother Earth Paints. The owner, Robin, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in trying out her paints and offering my honest opinion on them. Here is the Pretty Distressed low down on Mother Earth Paints.

Mother Earth Paints is based in Kansas City and was created by a former vintage store owner and avid furniture painter who had used her fair share of chalk enhanced/furniture paint. Her dream was to take her favorite properties from each paint she had come across and put them into one "does it all" paint.

This water-based, low VOC paint has a sweet smell that is not irritating at all, so you can paint in your home without a problem. I had to do three coats of each color to get the coverage I wanted. Normally, I like to only have to do two coats, but I am still saving time by not having to prime or sand the piece. I also think coverage will depend on what your are painting and your purpose, so one or two coats could work for some. I was impressed by how smooth the paint went on and how little brush strokes I saw. This paint would be perfect for those who are interested in getting a smoother, more polished finish versus a rustic thick look. 

Preparing a Gender Neutral Nursery Part 2 - Little Foxes

As some of you might remember, we are keeping the gender of our baby a surprise until his/her delivery day in April. I learned from the birth of our daughter that taking care of a newborn and trying to finish a nursery is next to impossible, so I will be creating a gender neutral nursery before our baby's arrival.

There have been lots of changes going on at the Muscari house this holiday break. My hard working hubby was able to take two weeks off and nesting was in full effect for our little bundle. My oldest finally graduated to a full size bed, and our soon to be middle child is out of her crib and in a toddler bed. So, this week is all about the baby's room. We got rid of the lilac walls in our spare room and painted it a white neutral from the Sherwin Williams Pottery Barn collection, Pediment. This is the color I have in my foyer and upstairs hallway, and we had enough left over to finish off the room. Decorating on a budget is in full effect. We will also be using the crib, changing table and upholstered chair from my daughter's room.

Last time we talked gender neutral nurseries, I shared with you my Nautical inspired room. While I still love this idea, I have gone in a little bit of different direction and settled on a Little Fox room.

Birthday Tradition - Frozen Applique Shirt

My little princess turned two this weekend, so not much crafting or painting was going on. We threw a small family party at our home and covered it head to toe in all things Frozen. I am sure all you mothers out there can relate. My daughter is obsessed! 

Today, I thought I would share with you a quick little project I did for the party. Ever since I got my first sewing machine a couple of years ago, I have a tradition of making an appliqué birthday shirt for my kids. 

It's Not Too Late to Update that Outdoor Space and DIY Nautical Pillow

It might seem like summer just started, but the stores are already reducing their outdoor furniture and accessories to make way for those school supplies. If you are thinking of making any upgrades to your patio or deck, now is the time you could really get some sweet savings, and you still have plenty of time to get good use out of them.

In honor of the stores trying to push fall upon us, I thought this would be the perfect time to share my little deck upgrade with you. I am a huge fan of navy, but it totally doesn't fit in with the color scheme of my house. So, when I was looking for a rug and umbrella to spruce up the backyard, I thought it would be the perfect place to showcase some navy and nautical, two of my favs. 

Revisiting My DIY Bathroom Update

I was fortunate enough to have my bathroom vanity makeover featured on Hometalk yesterday. In response, I received a lot of questions about the other items featured in the bathroom that I never shared with you, so I wanted to provide you with all the details today.

If you want to learn about the vanity project including the paint color and hardware visit my first bathroom post.

Originally, my plan was to hire an electrician to hang two separate lights over each sink and get two mirrors as well because I couldn't find one large fixture that I liked. Then our furnace went out in the middle of February and blew those plans out the window. So, I went on the hunt for a single light fixture again and landed on the Argenta 5 Light Vanity Light by Z-Lite. While this was a big investment, I saved money in the long run by not having to hire an electrician to split the wiring into two separate fixtures, not to mention, patching up the wall. My husband was able to install this himself without the help of a professional.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® Video Tutorial #5 - Dark Wax

Today is the final installment of my Chalk Paint vlog series, and we are talking about dark wax. For those of you who haven't worked with it before, this stuff is amazing. It gives your piece a antique look in no time. If you love that lived in, shabby look, you will love dark wax.

Cottage Inspired Dining Hutch - Before & After

I know I owe you one more video tutorial on dark wax to complete our dresser makeover we have been working on for a couple of weeks now, but I have lots of other things I have been painting that I have been dying to share with you. So today, I am excited to reveal my cottage inspired dining hutch.

The Making of a Makeover

In my last post, I revealed my recent sideboard upcycle. There were simply too many details to share with you in one post, so today, I am going to give you the nitty gritty on this makeover. 

This piece arrived via a client and is something that I typically wouldn't gravitate toward refinishing on my own. The client didn't really have a vision of how she wanted it to look and gave me free reign to let my creative juices flow.

Sideboard w/ Leaves - Before & After

After a brief painting hiatus, I am back. I just completed another piece for a client this weekend. And I must confess, I was very scared when this piece was dropped off at my house. It was blonde oak, brass and in really rough shape. I don't know why I have such an aversion to brass, but it really makes me shudder.

Pin-spired: DIY Country Chic Window Treatments

Are you a Pinterest addict like me? I love that there is a simple place to go for inspiration and store it all in neat little categories. This weekend, I finally turned one of those pins into reality, and I am beyond excited to be sharing it with you today.

This project was "pin"-spired by Jennifer over at Town and Country Living. I am a little bit obsessed with burlap. I love its natural, earthy color and the relaxed, country vibe it gives off. I really loved the idea of pairing it with a tree branch for an extra punch of rustic charm.

Bathroom Vanity Makeover with Latex Paint

Our master bath has been a pretty big eye sore since we moved in. It is your standard builder grade bathroom with no upgrades. It is going to be a long time before we have the funds to remodel this puppy, so I decided to do my best to make it more to my liking the DIY way.

Top 5 Furniture Picking Tips for Newbies

Let's turn some trash into treasure! So, I recently shared with you my new obsession for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint along with all the cool things I have been refinishing. Well, I have run out of furniture to paint around my house, so I have been out on the hunt for used items around town. Furniture picking for newbies can be intimating, so I have come up with some tips I have learned from my recent hunting trips.

Provided by FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Top 5 Furniture Picking Tips

1. Have low expectations.

Go into your picking adventures with no expectations of finding something really cool for a great price- or anything at all for that matter. It took me four trips to different Goodwills and salvage stores over the span of a couple of weeks before I found my first worthy piece. I also emailed about 25 people on Craigslist before I was able to secure a sale. When you go in with little expectation of finding something, it makes it that much sweeter when you do.

2. Set a budget.

Select a top price that works for you and stick to it. My goal is to not spend anything over $50 for a large piece like a dresser or hutch and $10 for a night stand or end table. If your goal is to sell pieces, you want to keep your cost low as possible for a better profit. And if it is something for your home, you still don't want to overpay for something you will ultimately be putting a lot of time and resources into.

3. Learn to negotiate.

I am so intimidated by negotiating prices. I would normally just fork over the marked priced, but when it comes to used furniture- consider it a jumping off point. You have nothing to lose by asking for a reduced price. This is what my guru sales hubby calls "the cost of no deal." If the seller lets you walk away, they are missing out on a potential sale. You, on the other hand, can just move onto the next store and next piece. Remember, you hold the power. 

4. Don't get emotional.

This is another hard one for me. I am super sensitive and can get worked up quite easily. Don't fret when you lose out on a piece you really wanted. You don't  want to get caught up and pay more for something than it is worth. There is plenty of used furniture out there to go around.

5. Be selective.

Don't buy just anything. I go for real wood items not composite, plywood, particle board or veneers. Usually, you will be able to tell by sight and touch if the piece is real wood. When in doubt, use the "lift" test. Wood equals heavy. Also, try to imagine what the item will look like painted. Ornate pieces with a lot of detail will work the best. Stay away from modern pieces with straight lines; they won't distressed well. Lastly, check the drawer or back of the item to see who produced it. If you find a Thomasville or Ethan Allen item, snatch it up. These guys have been around for a long time and make quality furniture.  

Look at this beauty I picked up from Goodwill. Check back on Monday to see the reveal of this refinishing project.

I hope you can use these tips the next time you find yourself at a salvage store or flea market. Happy hunting!

The Art of Upcycling- Lamp Edition

Before and After

As most of my friends know, I am a sucker for a great before and after. It is the HGTV in me. This lamp has been a long time in the making. I have had this piece since I got my first big girl job after college. I have never been quite fond of it, but it still works so it has made four moves in its lifetime. A lot of people have mentioned to me on more than one occasion that it doesn't quite go with the other things in my home. A polite way to say- this thing is u-g-l-y and why does it keep making these moves?

I hate to admit it, but I agreed with those unspoken comments. So instead of sending it out to pasture, I decided to redeem it. Let's say it- upcycle. I really believe almost anything can be salvaged with a little reimagining. 

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality.

I know chevron is really trendy right now and probably on the downtick of its popularity, but I am a big sucker for it. So I grabbed my painters tape and went for it. I would love to tell you how I did this, but there really was no science to it. I just taped and made sure my spaces were even. I have heard that they are now selling shaped tape and even have a chevron pattern. Good to know for flat surface project. I don't think it would have worked for this odd shaped shade. 

Most projects can be completed with painter's tape and patience.

After I taped this bad boy up, I took it out to the garage and sprayed it with some Krylon Fusion spray paint in White Satin. I had this can from a previous project. I like this particular paint because it even sticks to plastic. I do several light coats of spray paint with about 20-30 minutes in between each coat so it doesn't drip and to get a nice smooth, even finish. Just read the can. Spray paint is really easy to use. Once you have the coverage you want and it is dry to the touch, remove your painter's tape.

Better but not quite right.

My latest obsession in crafting is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This stuff is amazing. It sticks to almost anything without priming and distresses really nicely. You can finish it off with clear wax and dark wax that gives it a nice antique look. My mom had been telling me to lighten this base up, so I took her advice and used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. Visit the Annie Sloan website to find a stockist near you.

Looking great in her new home.

Here is another lamp upcycle I completed recently. With this one, I spray painted the base after taping off the cord and the top part where you screw in the bulb along with the switch. Again, I used my Krylon Fusion. Then I found the new lamp shade at Lowe's for $4.49. Such a deal.

Before and After

Do you have any lamps around the house that need some reimagining? Send me your before and afters. Like I said- huge sucker for them!