Tutorials

Decorating with antique windows

April 16, 2013 by Christa 8 Comments

I’ve always admired the use of antique and farmhouse doors and windows in decorating, and wanted to incorporate at least one somehow, but wasn’t sure how or where. Here is some Pinterest inspiration:

source

Every Love Story Window

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Antique Window Chalkboard - Farmhouse 6-Pane Window - 38 x 23

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Then, one day a friend and I went to an antiques store just to browse, and I found this old window pane. The original patina was okay, but a little too rustic and yellow for my room. I also needed to be sure I carefully sanded in a contained garbage bag (in case there was a potential for lead paint – I didn’t have a test kit) and then I repainted, distressed a little, and sealed it for protection.

window pane boxwood wreat001

A close up of the layers of paint underneath the finish I put on it…

I love preserved boxwood, and found this wreath online at Amazon through Flora Decor to fill the window. I am anxiously looking forward to Miss Mustard Seed’s tutorials using preserved boxwood.

A quick staple of some burlap on the back of the frame to hang the wreath, and voila!

The window and wreath sit in the corner of our kitchen dining table nook and we are yet one more step to pulling the house together.

The project reminded me of the farmhouse door I helped a friend convert to a command center for her hallway, which was a really cool find.

What is your experience with preserved boxwood? How long does it last, and any tips on making it last longer?

Filed Under: Antiques, Before and After, Do it Yourself, Home Decor, My Home, Tutorials, Uncategorized

Weatherproofing a Wood Table

March 21, 2013 by Christa @ Stories of a House 8 Comments

~ As promised, I’m back to show how I prepared this CL table for use on our back patio ~

I haven’t started on the benches yet ~ I’m sure I will finish them to match the table color, then find a bright outdoor rug to ground the table and define the area.

We are just starting on our patio space, and one of the first things Kevin did was hang these cute outdoor lights overhead.

patiotablelights1

The lights create the right amount of bling and ambiance while hanging out back.

patiotablelights2

Anyway, back to the process of refinishing the table.

First, I sanded through the old stain and finish with 120 grit electric sandpaper. Then, I smoothed it all over with 220 grit. You can see the table after sanding here.

Next, I used a pre-stain wood conditioner, since pine is so soft and porous and the wood would have otherwise looked too blotchy. The stain color I chose was what I had on-hand, Minwax oil-based special walnut.

Since the final finish was going to be applied with my spray gun, I chose a water-based product. This is Spar Urethane in satin, which is supposed to be good for furniture used outdoors, as it claims to expand and contract during changes in temperature. I applied 5-6 coats, and will be sure to update at a later date whether or not I would recommend the water-based Spar. They make an oil-based version, and that is what I would have used if I were brushing this product on. But, my spray gun wins almost every time, and I go for the easiest clean-up

p.s. I could only find the water-based Spar at Home Depot; my Lowe’s only carried oil-based.

Whomever built this otherwise amazing table used PINK wood filler all over it! I mean, it was everywhere.

So, after staining, I took some acrylic craft paint and a small brush and blended the pink in with the rest of the table color.

After painting….

…and after sealing with the topcoat.

Here’s one more shot of the finish that I am expecting to hold up to rain and the major AZ temperature swings.

Up next is a boy’s antique dresser set in midnight blue!

Filed Under: Before and After, Do it Yourself, Home Decor, My Home, Products I Like, Table and Chair Sets, Tutorials, Wood Finishing

2011 in review & 1000 followers giveaway

January 5, 2012 by Christa @ Stories of a House 30 Comments

Happy New Year!

When I started my little blog in 2010 I had ZERO expectations. Sure, I wanted to take furniture refinishing to the next level and share it with whomever would have the patience to sit through my ramblings…but I NEVER expected I’d be enjoying friendships with people from all around the world via phone, email, and text. I absolutely love what I do, and I appreciate your friendship, whether you just lurk or directly correspond with me. Thank you so much….muah!

2011 was a year of growth and change for myself and our family. I like to blog about these things here and there because this is my little scrapbook journal (I gave paper scrapbooking the old college try but failed miserably). This isn’t just for my family to read but also for my blog family to get to know me better as a real person, and not just a girl who perpetually has paint in her hair and under her nails. Here’s our 2011 in a nutshell:

* Last week we received final approval on the second home we put an offer on which is just a few doors down from my folks’ house. This transaction took 5 weeks. The other offer we made is still going on 9 months and is dead in the water. God is good; we like this house better, and being so close to Mom and Dad is the most AMAZING blessing ever (along with having my brother and his wife 2 blocks away). So this means we are putting our lovely home on the market and the packing begins. (Anyone wanna come and help; I’ll feed ya!) We look forward to downsizing and cutting expenses, but will greatly miss this home which holds precious memories.

* The girls changed schools. Boy was this ever the 2011 monstrosity. It took about 3 months before the tears subsided, and although they are doing okay, and in spite of being voted class representatives, they aren’t “feeling it.” But, they are really learning a lot. Many times I’ve resorted to saying, “hate me now, thank me later.” I was offered a job as their school nurse, but since I absolutely love the refinishing and working one day/week at the surgery center combo I accepted a substitute school nurse position. I can render aid to playground boo-boos and stay in the loop of what’s happening at the school.

* I was invited to put my furniture in the most adorable boutique, and I move in on January 12th. Email me if you want the location!

* My sister got engaged to the most wonderful man. She waited 32 years and he was worth the wait.

* I am now seeing a personal trainer because I am wearing a strapless dress next month to the aforementioned occasion. Right now my arms are shaking because I did a total of 210 push ups this morning. That was not a typo; thanks, Mark

* We resolved to take more family trips in 2011 and have done pretty well. We did Florida, a Disney cruise with Kevin’s family, camping (twice, with great friends from church community group), and annual passes to Disney. We’ve been to Disney twice in 2 months so far, and the girls cried last night when we came back home. I see another trip in our future, soon.

* I wrote a book! I can’t believe I accomplished it with the help of our friends, Mike and Keeley of European Paint Finishes. Kevin and I truly enjoy their company, and they are a whiz at what they do. Love them!

Well, enough about me and my family…on to the giveaway!

Having 1,000 followers and 2,010 RSS readers is very humbling. If you “like” Stories one way or the other (facebook, Google follower, RSS feed – I’m easy) just leave a comment for any or all of them and I’ll randomly select a wonderful person to receive a download link to our Guide to Furniture Finishes e-book. If you already have the book before the giveaway is over and are selected, I’ll just refund ya

Happy New Year and blessings from above to you ALL!

(Scroll up to the top to click to leave a comment; another WordPress feature I need to figure out…)

Filed Under: About Me, Antiques, Before and After, Cabinetry, Do it Yourself, Family, faq, Favorites, Finding Furniture, Furniture, Home Decor, Household, My Home, Organizing, Paint Colors, Products I Like, Project Diaries, Ramblings, Real and Raw, Recipes, Table and Chair Sets, Thrifting, Tutorials, Uncategorized, Video Tutorials, Wood Finishing, Workspace

Executive Desk :: Before and After

October 21, 2010 by Christa @ Stories of a House 31 Comments

I could have easily had this desk done a week ago, but had so.many.issues. with my sprayer.

This is what happens to certain people with certain personality traits

who perhaps don’t think they need to read manuals on very complex machines.

Before

After

I wasn’t sure at first which direction to go with this desk that I picked up at a garage sale.
It was so stately with its’ leather inlays, yet it had feminine embellishments and feet.
I decided to go with the finish you see, and hope I chose correctly.
I guess I’ll know when it sells or not!

I loved the original hardware, so I only primed, painted black, and poly’d them with spray paint.

The big question for me is always how much distressing do I want,
and once it’s painted a solid color, where should I start?

To see the video tutorial on how I distress, it is here. (I’m sorry about the fact that I couldn’t steady the camera very well!)

Disclaimer: This technique is best used to distress small areas, like edges.
Large areas show the areas distressed as lighter than the rest of the paint, even after clear coating.
But, I’ve never had problems with edges.

I usually start with the details and edges, and highlight those first.

On bigger panels and tabletops, I do edges, both the inside and outside edge if there is one,

trying very hard not to let the solvent bite too much into the surrounding paint. Again, the smaller the areas to distress, the better.

I wanted to bring out the leather in-lays, so I distressed around them.
I should also mention that the thinner the layers of paint, the better.

And – keep the denatured alcohol away from the leather.

Yes, I ruined the black leather by being ~~stupid~~ careless and placed the container right on top of it. The protective paper was still on, but it bit right down to the leather. Rather than panicking,
I marched over to my cabinet for some blue tape, taped the gold off,and sprayed the leather back to black.
Phew. You can’t even tell the difference.

It’s fun to find what lies in drawers.

Just a few tips:

After using the solvent with the 0000 steel wool, there will be steel wool fibers everywhere.

A tack cloth and a pair of gloves are your friends.
You may have to do this step twice, wiping down with a damp cloth in between.

I always grab a bunch for $0.99 at Sherwin Williams because they are ~ $3 each at the big stores.

Also, you may be wondering why I don’t just sand through. Well, for one, I like the result of this so much more than sanding alone. Albeit, I do admit it takes more time.

And two, on more than one occasion, I have sanded the edge of a painted piece,
and it turned into the runaway latex bandit.

Which means I have to do this, and start all over. And that makes me grumpy.

We somehow need to find a way to get it inside to stage it for its’ debut on Craig (shudder),
but it is so heavy that Kevin needs two guys over here to help. He usually single handedly schleps furniture where I ask without me even noticing any effort involved. This desk is that heavy.

So, my question to you is, how should I price this piece?
Edited to add: the quality of this desk is excellent, it is 100% solid wood, obviously weighs a TON, plus has a glass cover for the top.

Pricing is always the hardest part, because some things sit and some things go like hotcakes,

and I’m still trying to figure out a rhyme or reason.

Products used:

SW Solo Low VOC in Tricorn black, semi-gloss

See tutorial on distressing here

Topcoat: Varathane, semi-gloss

Linking to:

Sawdust and Paperscraps

Finding Fabulous

Filed Under: Antiques, Before and After, Furniture, Tutorials, Wood Finishing

Video Tutorial :: How I Distress Furniture

October 20, 2010 by Christa @ Stories of a House 17 Comments

Well folks, this is my very first video. I really didn’t mind talking to myself while nobody was home.

For those who have wondered how I distress a lot of my pieces, I hope it is helpful!

I’m entertaining myself over the fact that I’m not actually in the video,
but look like a ghost against the black desk towards the end.

Anyway, I added the final finish to this desk today,
and should have pictures up tomorrow.

Stay tuned!

Edited to add: if you are doing large areas of distressing, don’t use the solvent. The dullness may be too obvious, even after the clear coat. But, for smaller areas and highlights, knock yourself out!

Until next time my friends,

Filed Under: Antiques, Before and After, Furniture, Tutorials, Video Tutorials, Wood Finishing

Rustic Picture Frame

October 17, 2010 by Christa @ Stories of a House 24 Comments

I hope everyone has had a fantastic weekend.
We celebrated two of the Little Women’s birthdays, so Mama is tired!

I’m finally getting around to posting this picture frame makeover/tutorial.

If you like rustic finishes, this is for you. If you like clean lines, you will wonder what in the world I was thinking.

I took a basic picture that I bought on clearance.

While I liked the picture, the frame did nothing for me.

First, I taped the inside edges of the picture to protect it.
Then, I diluted some Hide Glue with a little water, and brushed it on.

I let it dry completely to the touch (1.5-2 hours).

This stuff stinks. Those who’ve read my blog at least a little while know that I made all kinds of faces.

Then, I used a product called Casein to create the rough, crackled finish.

Brush on vertically, then horizontally, and don’t go back over anything. Just apply it and move on.

It will look like this (very rough) after the cracks form.
Let it dry completely for at least a day, then sand it smooth.

Oopsie Daisy.

I forgot to rough up my frame with sandpaper before the Hide glue,
which meant the glue had nothing to grip to, so large chunks of dried casein came off.

I applied some Valspar Weathered crackle, followed with a coat of white paint I had on hand.

Here it is after the crackling was finished and dry.
If you cannot find Casein, weathered crackle or Hide glue with paint alone would basically achieve
the same result as with the Casein, only it will be a lot smoother.

To glaze it, I mixed some Raw Umber Universal tint into clear glazing medium.

I rubbed on multiple layers until I achieved the depth I was going for.

I am calling it good.

Although I’m not normally a crackle-loving girl, I like things to look authentically aged, so I prefer it to the smooth black frame.

Linking to:

Until next time, my friends,

Filed Under: Before and After, Home Decor, My Home, Tutorials

Adding Warmth and Texture, on a Budget.

October 2, 2010 by Christa @ Stories of a House 22 Comments

Our home has a Frenchy, Old World charm, but lately I’ve been wandering around, thinking something is missing. Since we are in what seems like forever “rebuilding” mode due to the economy, I needed to find cheap solutions that didn’t look “cheap.”

source

As much as I love these Ballard boxwood topiaries, $50 a pop isn’t in the budget.

I made a trip to Ikea, and found these and added them to a garage sale wire (thing?) that was pink but that I spray painted oil-rubbed bronze.

This basket adds texture and is also functional.

Ikea has great greenery for $5. I added it to a basic clay pot and gave it a makeover…with the Ballard pots as my inspiration.

With some lightweight spackling (joint compound would work better, I just didn’t have any), I smeared it on heavy.

After it was dry, I sanded it smooth and painted it in an off-white I had on-hand (BM Muslin).

Next, I mixed some glaze with Raw Umber Universal Tint

($6 at the big orange box and will last forever).

Brushed it on, and wiped it off. The left is brushed on, the right is wiped off
(and we all are taken aback to our crush on Daniel-son):

Now you will realize how cheap I am forevermore. I didn’t want to fork over the $5 for a styrofoam ball, so I made my own using notebook paper that I smoothed into a ball with some packaging tape. Newspaper would have been better, but we don’t get the paper.
Again, economy.
(This is what 18 months of unemployment does to a girl.)

I chose moss that was in between bright green and brown, then sprayed the back with foam & fabric spray adhesive and put it on the el-cheapo, paper ball.

I am very pleased with the bang I got for my buck.
It’s not exactly like the Ballard greenery, but I think it has the same feel.

See the frame in the background? It was once a smooth, black frame that now looks rustic and old.

It was a fun project, and there is a tutorial to come!

Linking to my favorites