Project Post: End Table Upcycle

So I may have gotten into a weird "nesting" phase.  I have been obsessed with this Facebook group "Vintage Yardsale Utah" where people all across Utah buy and sell their vintage pieces a lot of which are furniture that can be up-cycled.  Well if you've been to our new house, then you can attest that it is pretty bare.  We moved from a 900 sq ft, one level, two bedroom home to a 3600 sq ft two level home and have not bought ANY new furniture for it.  It especially looks bare because our ceilings are vaulted so everything that we do have just looks small haha.  But I love it none-the-less :)

I would absolutely LOVE to furnish my house with vintage up-cycled furniture though I know that won't be completely practical but I just love the old charm and story from each piece.  Anywho, someone posted an end table on the site I mentioned for pretty cheap and it was solid wood and in really great shape.  So I bought it!  This was actually only my second purchase off the site and I've been a member for quite a few months now so I'm happy to say I'm not going too crazy...yet.

This table, I'm pretty sure, was not vintage but definitely needed something done with it.  It was in really good shape and the wood and stain was beautiful, only needing a little bit of tlc. The previous owner had already stripped the top of the stain in preparation to re-stain it a darker stain and then her plan was to paint the rest a lighter color.  My plans exactly when I saw the picture on Facebook!  She was 8 months pregnant and said quite frankly she just wasn't going to get to it.  And here I am about 6 months pregnant, hoping I would :)  So I took the bad boy home and got right to work.

I already have a piece of furniture taking up half of our garage right now and it is a BEAST of a project I'm finding out...so I sadly ran out of steam and it got put on the back burner.  Carson gave me a little bit of guff that I am adding to our unfinished projects that are hogging his parking spot but I assured him it would be done that week.  Well I finished it in about 3 days!

I didn't take pictures along the way to document the process.  I kind of wish I had, especially before I glazed it at the end because the glaze completely changed the paint color.  I knew this would happen and I actually like it better with the glaze but it would just be interesting to go back and compare before and after pics at that point because it is very different.  Oh well.

Here it is all finished

Here's the run down on how I did it 

and what I used:

• Removed old stain (which was already done- yahoo!) on top piece 
• Applied Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner (learned from a friend that this is a definite MUST to get a uniform look of the stain, otherwise the wood soaks it up more or less in different spots)
• Applied the Stain- I used Minwax Dark Walnut 
• Applied Minwax Polyurethane in clear semi-gloss (this seals and protects the stain and gives it a nice, shiny finish)
• Roughed up the rest of the table with a 120 grit sandpaper to prep it to be primed
• Primed the table using just a basic white latex primer
• Painted the table- I bought a paint from Home Depot's "oops" section where they have messed up on someone's order or whatever and sell it very cheap.  I got a gallon for $7!  It was America's Finest (by Glidden) but since it was in the oops section, it didn't have a name so I have no clue what it was called.  I wasn't too particular with the color, just knew I wanted a light grayish color and found one pretty darn close.  Definitely the way to go on paint if you can.
• Sanded down any imperfections from previous paint job using a 220 grit sandpaper and then applied a second coat of paint.
• Distressed it using a 60 grit sandpaper
• Antiqued it using Sherwin Williams Van Dyke Brown glaze.  Now this was sort of tricky...The paint I bought was a flat finish (I would've liked semi-gloss but you get what you get in the oops section) and I was originally going to antique it with stain that I already had but I tried it out on an inconspicuous place (definitely do this before you go full force on it- or even better, test it on a scrap piece of wood) and it was a disaster!  the paint soaked it right up and didn't let me wipe it so it was DARK.  So I decided to try glazing it but was afraid I'd get the same outcome as stain and glaze are pretty similar.  I'm so glad I found the glaze from Sherwin Williams.  It worked great!  I did have to use a lot of mineral spirits though.  So I would very lightly (like dabs here and there) put the glaze on a small section and then dip a paper towel in mineral spirits and wipe it around.  So I didn't really use all that much glaze at all.  I have found I really like mineral spirits though.  In fact, I spilled some glaze in my garage (of course away from the plastic drop cloth I had out) and it wiped right up with mineral spirits!
• Lastly I put a protective coating on- I personally like a spray coating because I feel it is easier, but really who knows, because I haven't ever tried the other kind.  I used Rust-Oleum Clear Enamel.  The can said it gave a glossy finish which I really liked because since the paint I used was flat, I wanted something to give it a shiny, finished look and this did great!

I am pretty darn happy with the way it turned out and how fast I was able to do it having a toddler and all.  Maybe I was just trying to prove Carson wrong ;)  

This lovely thing now sits in my family/living room next to our old school couch.  Even just that one little piece makes it feel a little more furnished.  I love it.  Now I think that gave me a little kick to finish the other piece I started :)

Summer Begins

Our Summer has been pretty busy so far.  I am determined to create fun, memorable experiences for James this Summer.  Not sure if it's because things are going to get a lot harder to do once there are two kiddos, or that I'm wanting to pack in the one-on-one time with James in the little amount of time we have left with just him, or that I just don't want to sit at home and watch Thomas or Cars all day ha.  It gets kind of lonely being at home all day, I think especially for James.  He loves kids and really needs to be around them more often.  Last year he had just recently learned to walk so we were still sort of limited but after Summer was over I kind of felt like what did I even do this Summer?  I sort of felt guilty for not being more of a fun mom.  So far we are enjoying doing fun things with cousins and friends.  Though I worry I may wear both of us out after this last week.

There are so many "free" or inexpensive things to do around here, I never realized.

Monday we went with Grandma Cullimore and Courtney and her kids up to Grandma Cook's house to eat lunch together and feed the ducks- FREE and the kids LOVED it!

We also went to the farm at Thanksgiving Point for Family Home Evening Monday night.  We have a membership so we took advantage of that.  We have been avoiding Thanksgiving Point on Monday evenings for fear it would be crazy busy but decided we'd try it out this once.  To our surprise, there was hardly anyone there!  It was great!

he did NOT want to ride on the pony

Tuesday we didn't really do anything fun, but ran a bunch of errands (specifically Father's Day) in town that made our day seem really busy.

Wednesday we went to Seven Peaks with my sisters and their kids.  We have a Pass of all Passes and this was the first time we had gone.  Carson was not able to come because of work and has never been before so we will definitely go back with him.  James had a blast!  

Thursday we went to the Kids Summer Movie Club movie that Cinemark is doing.  They show kid movies every Thursday during the Summer for only $1.  This was our second time going.  James has so much fun going with his cousins and he LOVES the popcorn!  He doesn't sit the whole time, but it is so laid back that we just sort of come and go as he needs and I don't feel that we're interrupting because the theater is packed with noisy kids.  

Friday we went to This Is The Place Park in SLC.  It was John Huntsman day so it was free admission!  They had tons of fun little activities for the kids and free ice cream.  It got really crowded but was still really fun.

We only spent maybe $5 this week on activities and had SO much fun! Score!  But boy are we pooped.  Maybe we'll spread out the activities a little more from here on out.  :)  

  

Big Boy Bed Update

As mentioned in this post, we were going to transition James into a "big boy" bed soon.  Well, last Sunday was his first night in his new bed and he has done really well!  I have to be honest, I was terrified about how he'd respond to this change but like all other changes we have encountered with him, he handled it like a champ.  I am finding that I am the one with a fear of change.

We borrowed a bed from Carson's mom that she no longer needed and set it up a few days before we actually put him in it.  We figured doing this might be a good idea as to sort of ease him into the idea instead of changing things all at once.  We would tell him that was going to be his new bed in a few days.  Then we went to the store and let him pick out some sheets for it.  Of course he picked out some Thomas the Train sheets and also some Cars sheets from the Disney Pixar movie (he has become quite obsessed with this).

Sunday night rolled around and I just prepared myself for at least a night or even a few weeks of little to no sleep including rough naps but we put him in bed Sunday night and that was that.  He slept SO good!  We didn't hear a peep from him from about 8:30pm to 8am the next morning!  We thought that when he did wake up he wouldn't realize he could get out especially on the first night but morning came and we heard his door knob turn a few times and out he came, shutting his door behind him.  It was the cutest thing.  He does this same thing when he gets up every day now, shutting his door behind him when he comes out.  Funny boy.

I have to be honest though, I cried the next morning making his bed.  Haha I don't know why, but it just hit me that he is not my little baby anymore.  He's growing up so fast!

Then with naps, again, he did really well!  There has been a few times that I have to go in there and put him back to bed 2, 3, 4 times but I am just persistent and usually he'll take a good nap as he usually did when in his crib.

This week has been sort of rough though with naps...I'm not sure if it's because we've had a super busy week or what but I sure hope it has nothing to do with his new bed.  Hopefully he can go back to napping well.  The other day, I was so desperate for him to take a nap.  After about an hour of putting him back in bed, I loaded him up into the car and we went on a little drive.  I could tell he was so tired.  Little stinker fell asleep minutes after we started our drive.  I got home and put him in his bed where he continued to nap and I took a much needed nap myself.  It was delightful.  I may just have to use the car more often :)

We can't believe how well he has done.  I really don't give this kid enough credit.  We are so proud of him!

Days of our Lives

Sorry to disappoint, although the title shares a name with a day time soap opera, no one will be in a coma or be plotting to steal their siblings spouse in this post.  

This is the latest happenings in May that I didn't write a specific post about.

We celebrated my birthday on May 10th.  I guess I don't have any pictures probably because James wasn't with us and that's practically the only reason we take pictures anymore haha.  Carson took the day off and my sister was so kind to watch James for us while we went out to see an early afternoon movie and dinner.  We saw Ironman 3 which was excellent and ate at Texas Roadhouse which was also very excellent.  I got my steak I had been craving :)  My boys spoiled me.  I got a few maternity shirts that I wanted and desperately need (I borrowed most of my maternity clothes with James....that or just wore over sized t-shirts).  James got me a wiggle car so we can cruise the neighborhood together...though I'm beginning to think it was just for him...and I'm lucky and got to continue my celebration only two days later with Mother's Day and had a really lovely day.  I got Lucky perfume (one of my favorites that I had run out of far too long ago) and a cute maxi dress which isn't necessarily maternity but is stretchy and will work for me for a while while pregnant and even after so I love it!  Thank you Carson and James for making those two days very special.

We had fun celebrating Memorial Day with Carson's family where we went to his parent's house (they had just gotten back from a trip to Poland the night before!) and enjoyed a bbq and each others' company.  The kids loved the slide and the bounce house.  

I bought this vintage piece for $50 and have special plans for it!  I'm excited!  I will show the final project when (and let's be honest...if) I ever finish :)  Yes, I am using a chemical stripper and yes, I am pregnant.  Don't worry, it is in a well ventilated area and I wear a mask.  I also have Carson put the chemical on and get it all nice and ready and let it air out and then I come in with my handy tool and go to town! But let me tell you, come to find out, stripping furniture sucks!

This isn't May but early June.  We got together with the Cullimore extended family (I couldn't even get everyone in this picture) for a family night and then had snow cones and cookies together out on the lawn.  I just love Summer and am so excited for it!

And I just have to share this pic...he positioned himself on my sister's couch GQ'ing it. 

Such a model :)

And he decided to claim another family in the row in front of us at church.  They are probably more fun, but I think he may have a little crush on this beauty....They are sharing treats here.