Re-dressing The Dresser

I have re-finished a lot of furniture…but never have I done a home made treatment.   I have used paint, stain, ink, fabric, paper and metal…but never have I looked into my kitchen cupboards to re-create a piece of furniture.  

A few weeks ago, I was looking online for a way to distress wood, to make it look old.   I happened upon a few sites that gave several different techniques that would weather wood quickly.   Intrigued, I tried every last one of them.   I was disappointed in all of them.   None of them gave me the results I was looking for.   So…in my usual Tootsie fashion, I mulled it over for a few days. 

Everyone knows how I love rust.   YES I said RUST.   I love old rusty metal things, that I can use in my decorating adventures…I just love it.   I love rust pretty much anywhere and everywhere…except on my Truck.  lol   I decided that I would age some wood…and I would do it using a coctail of rust, vinegar. baking soda, and strong black tea.

I poured a jug of vinegar into a pail, threw in a rusty piece of metal and added a sprinkle of baking soda.   It started to bubble immediatley…the vinegar was eating the rust off the metal and turning it to a wonderful shade of brown.   The tea was hot, super strong and a glorious shade of deep brown…It was time.   I just needed to find some wood to age!  I poured the tea into the bucket of vinegar water and was ready to get to work.

I did a few sample boards to see what the concoction that I had brewed up would do to them…Spruce changed to a glorious color of gray…so did cedar…it got very nice and dark…almost black.   Pine changed to a soft shade of brown-gray…I think I found my new favorite treatment!   I NEEDED to try this Tootsie Brew on a piece of furniture!

My Cowboy had this dresser sitting in storage.   It needed to be fixed up.  It isn’t in the “worst” shape…nor is it “old”…but it is something he likes, so he wanted it fixed up a bit.   It is made from solid pine…and had a varnish treatment on it.   I was absolutely “up” for the challenge to make this small dresser over.   It would need to be done in such a way that it would look like it belonged in the Minburn house that we are renovating and transforming.  

I eagerly pulled out the electric sander, and got straight to work!

I sanded for a couple (3 1/2)  of hours, until the dresser was completely naked.   None of the varnish was left at all….It sure did come out white!

There are a few blemishes on the front of the bottom drawer, but for the most part, this piece is in good shape!

I then pulled out my Tootsie Brew…of vinegar, rust, baking soda, and black tea, and got busy painting it onto the dresser.

Waiting for that coat of “brew” to dry seemed to take FOREVER!….

….but it was worth the wait!   I am loving the way this wood is aging!  

I sent my Cowboy a photo of his dresser thus far.   We both agreed that maybe I should try another application of the “brew”   just to try to darken it up a bit more. 

So…I applied another coat.   While I waited for it to dry, I worked on the hardware.

I bought a can of hammered metal spray paint in a brown color…and sprayed each of the drawer pulls. 

By the time the drawer pulls were dry, so was the dresser…and I could marry them!

OH YEA….This looks GREAT.

I love the new look for this dresser…it is rustic and aged…it’s not shiny, it’s not pretty…it’s gorgeous!

It is a great change for this inexpensive dresser.  I am so happy with the way it turned out…and best of all…my Cowboy loves it.  We are both looking forward to putting it into the 108 year old house we are fixing up!

If you would like to read about the 108 year old house project…you can find links to the first 4 chapters at the end of this post.


What do YOU think?   Did I do this dresser justice?   Did my “brew” age it?   Don’t forget to weigh in with a comment!   I’d love to hear from you!

Until Next Time…  Happy Junkin’/ Renovating/ Decorating!

*)*)*)… Beware the true intentions of false people

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

www.tootsietime.com

Did you miss a post or two in the 108 year old house series?
Article #1  If The Walls Of This Old House Could Tell A Story…The Saddest Chapter Is About To End.

Article #2   If Walls Could Tell A Story…The 108 Year Old House…On The Inside

Article #3If The Walls Of This Old House Could Tell a Story…The Small Bedroom In The 108 Year Old House

Article #4 If the Walls Of This Old House Could Tell a Story…The Master Bedroom

Add To Junkin' Cart??? Yes Please!!!

Welcome!

When last we met, I left you with this photo.

I asked you if you noticed the new addition to my garden.  Did you find it?   That new addition is where today’s story/post begins.
 
Sadly, I had taken a bunch of photos of my new addition, and the step by step process to making it part of my gardens, but somewhere along the line…I misplaced them!  So, I had to do some fancy work to take a few more, so that I could share my story.

Lets get started.

A few months ago I went to a garden show in Seattle Washington with my Cowboy.  While we were there, I spotted a rusty old shopping cart that I REALLY wanted BAD.  

My Cowboy, who is very practical and level headed refused to indulge my junkin’ urge. 

He did not want to walk around in downtown Seattle pushing a rusted old shopping cart (or carrying it if the wheels didn’t work)  and saunter up to our very nice hotel room with it.

He absolutely refused to let me purchase this most beautiful piece of junk.   I was very sad.

He tried to distract me with other things, thinking I would forget all about that little shopping cart issue…but- I would have none of that.  I must have driven my sweet cowboy crazy with all the shopping cart talk.

When we got home, I shared a photo and my desperation to have said shopping cart with my Dad.   Now, if you have been following Tootsie Time for a while, you will know that I was raised by the KING of junk…and if he doesn’t have it, he knows where to find it.   He tried to settle my whining by telling me he knew where there was one, and that he just might be able to get it for me.   I was a little happier.

I waited…and waited and whined a little more about my NEED for this rusty old shopping cart, and STILL there was nothing coming my way.   I was not happy.    I was desperate and admittedly a little grumpy about it.

I had all but given up on my quest for a beautiful old shopping cart all adorned with beautiful rust and wear, when one day I arrived home from some errands to the most wonderful surprise.  A SHOPPING CART!

He had tossed it on the front lawn as if it was garbage and left it for me to find when I drove into my parking spot.   I was so excited I nearly forgot to put my truck in park!


The heat was on!   I had yapped about this shopping cart for so long, that he finally got me one, and now I had to do something with it!   I stared and stared at this cart… it is much bigger than the one I saw in Seattle, that got me into this tizzy.   WHAT on earth will I do with a full size one???  

I was blocked… drawing a stone cold blank!   I moved it around my yard, from spot to spot to see if it would fit into my garden somewhere…anywhere!   NOTHING seemed to make my eyes smile.   I just could not figure it out!   So…I set it aside…and put it out of my mind… I needed inspiration to smack me square in the face.  

One afternoon, as I was primping and pruning and playing with my flowers, getting things ready to photograph for Friday’s weekly party, I got the idea I had been waiting for.  

This corner was screaming for me to do something new.  It didn’t  “work” quite the way I wanted it to anymore…and I needed it to change…NOW.   I ran to the side of the house, and grabbed my wonderful old shopping cart.   I was inspired!

I moved the ladder to lean against the fence…and supported it with a bunch of old clay pots that were no longer strong enough to hold anything, or were broken.  I leaned my rusty old shovel piece against the ladder and got busy.
  
I gathered some left over annuals from this year’s greenhouse crop and a few little pieces of junk for decoration and set to planting.

It took me a while, but I figured out how to plant that shopping cart…I turned an empty bag from the bales of soil that I use in the greenhouse inside out…so that there was no writing visible…and filled it with potting soil.

I planted that baby right up!

I poked a few holes in the sides to add some trailing lobelia to the mix, and to help hide the black bag I used to plant in.   I added a pot of portulaca, an old watering can and a ceramic angel to the bottom. and stood back to admire my work.     It needed more.

I added a left over piece of garden hose…



…a couple of rusty plant hangers…

…placed an ornamental cabbage in the wash tub that was there before…and set it by the back handles of the cart.

There was one small window box left over from my spring planting, so I did it up to put into the seat of the cart…and I was DONE!!!

I waited a week or two before I shared it, to make sure that things were going to survive, and now I am ready to show you my fabulous, slightly rusted old shopping cart…done up Tootsie Style!

Ta-Da!!!



I am loving it!  I hope the rust spreads and fills the entire thing with glorious rustic color!

For now, I am happy with my semi- rusted old shopping cart.  

I can’t wait to see it all filled in and blooming like crazy!
 
That’s it for me today…I have just one more thing to say:

HA-HA COWBOY!   I GOT A SHOPPING CART!   (he actually really likes it…in spite of himself!)

So?  What do you think???   How did I do?   Do you need a cart now??? 

Until Next Time…Happy Junkin’, Plantin’ and Gardening!

*)*)*) show me a person who has never made a mistake…and I will show you someone who has never achieved much.

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.

www.tootsietime.com

All of my house and garden plants are planted in Sunshine potting mediums.  

The Making of a "Butt Print" :)

I have been working on my house here and there, when it is too dark outside to be in the greenhouse.  I am desperately waiting for spring to come, but while she takes her sweet time showing up, I will continue to work on my home.  Today I am going to share one of the junkin’ projects I have been working on.

 I had purchased a couple of wooden chairs to use around the dining room table that I recently made out of an old wooden door.
 


This one was painted white…and did not look quite right with my dining room décor….so I thought maybe I would try to do a little Tootsie Touch up on it. 

I had tried to paint it with some latex paint, and HATED it.  I think I would have rather had it plain white than have it looking the way it did.   I didn’t take any photos of the first attempt, as I was too busy freaking out at the horrible job that I had done!  (yep…I screwed it right up. )   This would have been a great post to use as an example of how easy it is to change it after you paint and it doesn’t turn out quite the way you saw it in your imagination…except that in my panic, I forgot to snap some photos!   You guys are creative…you can use your imaginations.

 

I primed it out….I just LOVE primer…it is like a super strength eraser.  It will make all the bad and ugly things, just go away!



This is what I want my chair to look like when I finish working on it.   I love the worn and aged look of this one.  I bought it a while ago, and it looks good with my table.   I decided that am going to try my hand at replicating this look!

Shall we get started????




After the primer dried, I took some stain and got busy applying it to the chair.  I am not applying much stain to the areas that would be naturally worn.   That part will come later on.   I made a “butt print” and tried to make places on the chair that would have been naturally worn over time.



Once the first layer of stain was completely dry…I applied a final coat of stain…using a little darker color.  I went over the entire chair with the darker stain and made sure none of the primer was left to show.   I then waited for the piece to dry.

If you look closely you can see the next piece of the dining room furniture that I am going to tackle in the back ground!



Here is the inspiration chair…



Here is my version…



I think I might have almost gotten the look!  I know my “butt print” is a little less than perfect, but I think it turned out quite nicely over all.



Here are both my wooden chairs together.   I had a hard time taking photos of them…they always ended up with a few shadows or shine from the sun or lamps.   I think that they look good together…MUCH better than before! 

What do you think?   Can you pick out mine?  :)

Have you ever tried to replicate a time worn look?  How did it turn out?

I can’t wait to show you the chairs in place at the dining room table…but will wait until after the last piece that I am working on is finished…and you can see the entire project all finished up!

Until Next Time... Happy Decorating/ Creating/ Painting!

*)*)*) There are three types of people in this world.  Those who make things happen, Those who watch things happen, and Those who wonder what the hell happened.  Which one do you strive to be?

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

I Hit That Nail Right On The Head....Of The Table?

Well hello there!  So Glad you you could stop by for a few minutes to see what I am up to!

I decided that it has been a while since I gave myself a paint hangover, and thought I would maybe work on a project or two while the kids are away for the weekend.   Not to mention that I found a new color of stain that I have never used and am just dying to try it out!  It is called Brazilian Rosewood...and I think it could be fun!

Since I haven’t been out junkin’ in ages, my selection here is down to the slimmest of pickin’s.   My choice for today’s project is going to be the coffee table for the family room downstairs.  I have been slowly but surely getting that room all set up and cozy…it is taking a while, but it is starting to come together.  The new coffee table really needed some help…



Told ya it needed help.   This is definitely NOT a Tootsie style piece of furniture!
Please try not to notice the ick behind the table...it is a mish mash of cords and stuff that I need to properly place in this room...
...hey...I'm workin' on it...I am only one girl...and my imagination sometimes sleeps a bit! :)




It is boring and plain, and kinda beat up. It came to us with that Cowboy I talk about all the time.



I am sure that with a little imagination and some elbow grease, this table will be Tootsiefied in no time!
Lets get to work!



I layed out my painting tarp…since I don’t have a garage yet, I still am forced to do all the dirty work in the house…so I need to protect the floor.  
I sanded it lightly to help remove any of the “shiny” that would deter the new finish from sticking.
Next….I primed it out.



I didn’t prime the entire piece…Only the part I wanted to use a lighter color of paint on.  I plan to leave the base and legs black…I will simply use a high gloss oil based paint on them so I need not worry about the paint sticking.



Once the primer was nice and dry, I grabbed a couple of cans of stain and got to work!  
My first color was Brazilian Rosewood.  It is pretty but left me with a little hint of purple/mauve almost…so I did what any good Tootsie would do…I grabbed the Dark Walnut and went right over it!  



It turns out that the two colors together make for a very nice effect!  See???   Those are the happy accidents that a one of a kind piece of furniture is made of!  :) 

Next…I needed to add a little “map” that will guide me in my finishing of this table.  I used a ruler and I drew myself a little border all the way around the table.



There’s a close up of my edge guide line.   I just know you are wondering WHAT on earth I am going to do with an ugly line….  Aren’t ya?  



I am going to use upholstery nails!   I need the guide line to help make sure I get them as straight as I possibly can!



I nailed and nailed and nailed…and let me just add, it is NOT easy to put upholstery nails in a straight line…when the stain isn’t dry yet!   Yes…I got impatient and excited…and I struggled more than just a little to get them in place…but it got done and now…



…now... I think...
I think it needs something more!   That one skinny little line is simply not enough.  It needs more bulk…and perhaps a little motion…don’t you think?



Ya…I agree…it needs MORE NAILS!



This is “okay”… but Tootsie doesn’t settle for “okay”…HEY…I am no minimalist in any way shape or form…it is all the way…more is more…go big or go home…
So, I set to work laying out nails in different patterns, standing back and looking …



…at them and finally I settled on a plan for the table. 



AHHH….now that’s much better!



What do you think?   I like it.  I think the adding of the shapes gives it some motion…some “curves”…some FUN!



I considered adding some of the upholstery nails to the center of the table as well…but then decided against it…just in case we play a game on here or something like that…the kids like to build puzzles and things down here…



… I DO plan to put some ornament of some kind on it once the paint is 100 % cured! When have you EVER seen this Tootsie leave a table empty!?! Ya…
…you know exactly what I am talking about. :)



I am loving the new look for this old table.   It doesn’t look like a mass production plain Jane table anymore.



It no longer looks like a boring, typical, inexpensive space filler…left over from the living room of a bachelor…(sorry Cowboy…but your table…was a little too boring for this gal)



…now it has some personality…style and one of a kind pizazz!



What do you think?



I think I like it…for now…ha ha…and I also think that the Cowboy better not try to take it back if he knows what’s good for him!   This table is now property of…TOOTISE.  (at least till I get sick of it)  :)



Well kids…that’s all for me for today.  I did what I set out to do…I took and evening, did up a project, I gave myself a HUGE paint hangover, and I shared it all with you!  
What did you do last night?

Until Next Time, Happy Decorating / Designing / Junkin’/ painting!

*)*)*)  I am strong .. because I've been weak ... I am fearless .. because I've been afraid ... I am wise .. because I've been foolish ...

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

I am linking in with Share your Cup Thursday today!