Meet Me By The Fireplace?

Those of you who follow me regularly, know that I have been in the throws of passionately renovating and updating the house that I moved into one year ago.  I have been painting and sanding, and building and working my little fingers to the bone for months now…and I am happy to say, that I have finally dealt with two of the ugliest fireplaces in the world.  They are no longer the blaring focal point of the room that scream HELP ME!!!  They are now soft and inviting and much more streamlined…well at least that’s what I think.

Allow me to demonstrate my point:



This was my living room in May of 2012.  The fireplace is just not feeling like it should be a part of this room…there is WAY too much going on with it.

I have since May, removed that piano…it ended up out in the yard as a planter…and I have shuffled a few other things around a bit, but the fact still remains…that fireplace is dated…and tired and needs a little TLC…Tootsie style.



What?  Still not convinced???   Fine!  I will take you closer…are you ready?  Are you sure you can handle this????

Okaaay….here it is!



EEK!
 Now that is U-G-L-Y!
Hurts your eyes doesn’t it???  Ya…I Told Ya!!!
 Don’t you just LOVE the arborite??? (did I even spell that right?)  ha ha ha !   Ya…me too! NOT!  ha ha
 
I tried to deal with it…I tried to ignore it…and I just could not let it be in my house knowing it was that bad…and that I could Tootsie it up with just a little time!

So…I did what I do best…I made a plan…and got some paint!



Say goodbye!  to that old dated look…



 and Hello Gorgeous to the new updated style!



I love this neutral taupe that I used on the whole thing…top to bottom…It sure did bring it into the room in a new and different way!

Now, all this fireplace needs is a good cleaning and I will be able to light it up and enjoy!  Alas, that is a project all in itself...and one I am not going to do alone. Maybe I can get my Cowboy to help me some time!  Hint hint?  ha ha !



I have been updating the whole room this past few weeks…new furniture pieces…and a little change in accessories…I also have been working in the family room downstairs, doing a LOT of fun changes….so stay tuned…when I am finished with the primping…You will be the first to know!



Every now and then I do get a good idea or two!

**  don't forget to keep reading...there are several more posts below of what I have been doing...including some great how-to's!**

Until Next Time…Happy Decorating!

*)*)*)   Always…remember the lesson not the disappointment.

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

Leather Bound…Right?

Welcome!   Today I am sharing a super easy to do project that I have been working on for a few days.   I am changing the look of a small cabinet table that I have had kicking around here for years and making it into something new!
 
I have had this little table/cabinet for years.  It has three drawers in it…and is quite functional.  There are dividers built into the drawers, that gives it versatility as to it’s use!   It has been everywhere in my house in it’s time and I have painted it and changed it a few times too.  It currently stands in the hallway under a mirror holding a few spare bathroom supplies. 

I still love this cute little piece, but I think it is time to make a slight change to this spot.
I have recently acquired another piece while I was out junkin’ and the new piece happens to be an antique wash stand, so I had to make the executive decision to let this one go to a new home. 
I found this old cabinet a new house to live in, (with a cowboy that I know)  so all I have to do is make it look like it belongs in it’s new place!  Today…I am going to do a make-over from the simple black sophisticated …to a casual country leather bound look!   What!!!   Don’t look at me that way…you know there is a method to my madness!!!  Trust me…this is gonna be great!
If I am going to give this table/cabinet to a cowboy, I decided that it should be sort of finished in a western-ish (yes...that is a word…in my world)  style…so I settled on a leather look finish.   It was very simple to do…I ripped up pieces of plain brown wrapping paper, and crumpled them up…then with a paint brush and some white glue, I glued them all over the piece to cover the entire surface!  EASY.

I let the whole thing dry overnight, and the next day went back in and did a coat of mod podge all over it to add a little smoothness and sheen to the paper.
 
The white glue does not dry as smoothly as a mod podge does, but it is cheaper and easier to work with when putting the first  layer on to glue down the paper. 
I let that dry…

I don’t think it looks quite finished yet do you?  I think it needs a little pizazz!   I can still see the black paint through the paper a little bit…SO!… A little paint is just the thing to give this paper covered table/cabinet the final touches. 

I mixed some brown acrylic paint with water to give it a thinner texture….and simply washed it onto the surface of the piece!   I add a little more where I figure it needs it and just work through the entire thing.
 
This is starting to look a little more like leather now!  I am loving this new look!  

I put another coat of the mod podge to the entire thing to seal it up…It goes on white and as it dries it disappears to a nice glossy finish!   The podge puts a nice durable seal over the paint so that daily use and cleaning will not rub the finish off of it!

Once it dried I put the knobs on, and this cabinet is ready to deliver to the cowboy!  He is going to put the dividers in the drawers and use it to house his CD collection!   He has no idea that I am making this for him.  I just know he needed a new space to store his music collection, and that he had mentioned that if I should be out and about junkin’ to keep him in mind!

The sections in the drawers are just the right size for CD cases!
I think it will go very nicely in his house…and will compliment the crate tables that I made for him!
Are you ready for the big reveal????    Here it is:

You guys have NO idea how hard it was to get a good shot of this table today!   I definitely will not be seeking employment in the photography field!   I am just learning how to use this new camera…and well…lets just say…the curve is wide for this girl’s learning!  ha ha!

I did the back in case he decides to float it in the middle of a room some time…


Both sides also turned out nicely.

VOILA! There it is! It is a faux leather treatment easy enough for a child to do but tough enough for a cowboy!
I sure hope he likes it!   If not…I have a great spot for it in my own house!   hahahaha….like you would expect anything less from me!
So? What do you think? Anyone I have shown it to in person really likes it. One person argued that it was real leather! I think it is a nice change…and will look great in that cowboy’s home. I can’t wait to show him in person…turns out someone showed him a photo…and he’s very excited too!
Until next time…Happy Decorating/Junkin’!
*)*)*)  You should never walk all over someone or take them for granted because the day you need them the most will be the day they will be gone.
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

Great Crates!!…is That a TABLE?

So I know this family of cowboys…ya…I said COWBOYS…and NO I am not Joking…there are rodeo buckles, cowboy boots and Hats all over the darn place…These boys are country ALL the way. 
I have grown rather fond of two of the cowboys in the family…the oldest…who we shall refer to as “Unky”  and the youngest that you all already know as my “Cowboy”.   They are two of my favorite characters…and Characters they are!
Now…”Unky” was over for a visit a while back and he noticed that I had been out Junkin’.   He commented that he really liked my “tables”  that I had sitting around. 
Take a look:



Yep!  they are old crates!   I found them in an old house…and they were LOADED with bird poop and other unmentionable things.  It took me a LONG time and a LOT of cleaner to get these babies all ready to be in my house!!!   I got them all cleaned up and just set them down in the living room one day to figure out what I wanted to do with them…and it hit me…they make fun shabby little tables!
ANYWAYS…back to my story…
”Unky”  really liked them…especially the one with the shelves in it that I used for my magazines!   He also liked the wooden tray on the door that I turned into a dining room table…I suppose I should show you the tray too hey???   ugh…you have NO idea…ha ha

I actually thought that I had already shared all of the next few posts…and when I prepared a post about the newest projects I have been working on, I went to refer to some of these projects…and realized…I took photos…but NEVER posted them!!!   CAN YOU SAY BLONDE MOMENT????  UGH…I could smack myself!
Ok…back to my story…

I also pulled a few smaller more shallow wooden boxes from that old place…it wasn’t as filthy as the others, and I thought it would make a great plant holder on my table! 

I added a couple of used old horse shoes…and ta-da!

I love it! 
WELL…When Unky came by for a visit…he mentioned how neat that was…and this Tootsie was listening…

For Christmas I made him a set of his own!   I used old crates from the attic of his childhood home…(Cowboy owns the old home site and there are all kinds of fun things there for a Tootsie to play with)  They were no where near as dirty and abused as the ones in my house…so they cleaned up easy…Dust is far nicer to clean off than bird poop…just sayin’  :)
I added two old pieces of wood on tiny brackets for shelves, screwed castors onto the bottom and he had two end tables for his living room!  
He can put the table tray on his dining room table to hold his placemats and napkins, and keep everything all neat and tidy!
The decorating style in “Unky’s” house is beautiful.   It is rustic and country casual…these crate tables are perfect with his décor! 
Turns out…that “Unky” LOVES his Christmas crates…and has them in his home in just the right spot! 
Maybe one day I will stop over there and take photos of how grand they look in his house!
I plan to Junk up my “Unky’s”  house a lot over the next while…good thing he’s easy going…and has lots of space for me to fill!
I already have another piece to deliver to him…I just can’t wait to show you!
Until Next Time…Happy Junkin’!!!
*)*)*)…treasure yesterday celebrate today dream of tomorrow.
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com

Takin’ 1/2 a Bite Out of Some Junk! The Rescue/Re-do of a Family Heirloom.

I have been sharing a few junkin’ projects here and there that I have been working on for a 'friend.'  Today I am sharing a piece that I made out of two separate pieces.
My 'friend' and I had been out at her grandmother’s place one day, and ended up with a whole bunch of wonderful junk to play with.  Now, to many people, the stuff we brought out of those sheds would be just considered trash…but to us…they were pure gold…just a little rough around the edges!

This is the base of an old set of kitchen cupboards…It is absolutely adorable.   We have all the missing parts, it just needs to be repaired and brought up to a better standard of stability.   Right now it is in very rough shape.
I love that it is on castors!!!  Can you imagine being able to re-arrange your kitchen????   

This is the top of that cupboard!   How cute is this???   Can you imagine how much character they have when they are put together????   I love it!

There is even a little spice rack inside the cupboard!   Ya-ya…there’s also well …er… some filth and a little mouse poop…ha ha!  
My friend doesn’t really like the idea of putting the top on the original base, so we also pulled another piece out of that shed.

Check this baby out!

It is big and beautiful…and yes….a little dirty, but there are lots of details built right in!  I can’t wait to get the drawers open ( they are stuck in position) and get to work!  
It does not have cabinet piece for the top anymore…but it does have great bones.  This is going to become the base for the little cupboard top I showed above. 
I had fun and a few surprises while making this project take life…
We got busy cleaning up the pieces we wanted to use…my friend was working on cleaning up the top part, and I took the base.  Somehow I always end up taking the piece with the most surprises in store for me. 
The first order of business was to get the doors and drawers to open.  It took a little muscle, but I eventually got those drawers to open…now…I have seen a lot of things in my junkin’ adventures…but these drawers...well…they were unique…to say the very least.

I pulled the drawers right out of the cabinet to clean them….and got myself a little bit of a surprise in one of them!   Do you see it???   I was startled…and grossed out enough that I was actually gagging!!!  

I could handle the mouse mess that was left in the drawers….

I could handle the dead bugs, cob webs and the broken glasses….but I could not handle…

The filthy set of upper dentures!!!   I should have kept them and scared Grammie with them…set them inside her desk drawer…hahaha!

Good Greif!   I am gagging right now!   How disgusting is this???   My kids were laughing so hard at my reaction.  I opened that drawer and let out a little scream…and then started to gag.   They thought it was hilarious!
The other drawer wasn’t nearly as disgusting…but it was a little disturbing…

There was several bottles of this in that other drawer.  Two of them were still full!!!   just a little disturbing…ha-ha
I wonder what the other “valuable ingredients” are…or maybe I don’t….hahahaha!
After we had a good giggle over the contents of our junk, I got to work…

...cleaning and disinfecting everything...

...sanding and scraping a little here and there…

…and taking a million before photos!  
Bring on the paint!

This piece was given two coats of semi-gloss black oil based paint.

It sure does look better than it did…

…but it still feels like it’s not finished yet…  I need to give it some depth. 
First we needed to finish the top.

Inside …outside and all over this piece I cleaned and scraped and disinfected….then I painted.

EVERY little spot on this piece was also painted with two coats of black semi gloss paint.

When both pieces were dry….and ready to be moved, I grabbed a rag and a can of cabernet colored gel stain and rubbed all over the black.

…the red stain gave the black a little dimension…and the pieces were left to dry.

While the outside of the base dried, we added some spray glue and some pages from an old book as shelf liners on the inside of the cupboards.   My "friend" loves that look…and this was a great idea for covering the inside  shelves.
Once the whole thing was dry and ready to move, there were castors added to the base piece…so that it would be easy to move if the need should arise, and the whole project was taken into the house, and set into position!

I added little wooden knobs to the drawers, that were painted and stained to match the finish…my 'friend' did not want to add backing to the top…she wanted to see her wall color through it.
and that is all that needed to be done to finish the project!  

I adore the original hardware on the top cabinet piece.   All we did to them is add a tiny bit of copper color paint to them…they didn’t need much more!
I can’t wait to share this cabinet all decked out with dishes and pretty things!

The BEST part of this project is that these pieces once belonged to a family member of my "friend".   They were her great great great grandmothers!   How wonderful is that for her to have????   

Not only did she get a china cabinet that is a one of a kind…but she created a family heirloom at the same time!
So…what do you think?   I like the result…and still want to try to fix the original base.  I have more junkin’ projects to share…so stay tuned!

~~~Update~~~
Sadly, after my "friend" got the pieces that she wanted me to fix, all finished...she sort of disappeared from our lives.  Funny how that works hey?

Until Next Time…Happy Junkin’!
*)*)*) to my special three….When you choose the action, you have to accept the consequences. And if you can't stand the heat, then you shouldn't have lit the fire.
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com