What’s the MOST Outrageous Thing You’ve Ever Painted?

As many of you have probably noticed…I LOVE PAINT.   Not Chalk paint…but latex paint.   Chalk paint just doesn’t do ‘it’ for me…and I think it’s a colossal waste of time and money…so unless I find a brand that does what I want it to do…there won’t be any chalk paint posts from me.   I don’t do fads, and I think Chalk paint is just that.   This post…like most  of the others I’ve done…is a latex paint project.

Over the years you guys have seen me paint a LOT of different things…and for the most part I was sure of how the project would turn out before I even did it.   This time, however, I decided that I had nothing to lose…and I was VERY skeptical about how it would turn out…but SOMETHING had to change…so either way this project was going to get done.

Do you remember a few years back when I got my antique sofa set?   Of course you do!
In case you don’t …this is the sofa.


Do you remember how much I hated the color of that set, so I decided to try to dye the velvet?   Of course you do!

In case you don’t…this is her after I dyed her fabric…




We LOVED her new color…and I never did get around to updating the wood on it…BUT…after three full years of us using her…moving her...vacuuming her…and even steam cleaning her…the dye faded.

To read the whole post about the dye and the way I went about that project...click here.   

It looked sad.   Just sad and OLD.



This is our everyday living room furniture...we USE it.   I imagine that had it just been in a sitting room, with occasional use…it would have lasted a lot longer…but…it didn’t and so I am in the ‘mood’ to fix it up a bit again.

It was getting an update no matter if I had to take the time out to reupholster it…or not…so in MY mind…I had nothing to lose.   We all hated the way it looked at this time…and the Cowboy even suggested we toss it in the dumpster and find a different set to add to our home.  One way or another…there was going to be a much nicer view in our living room.

SOOO…the most outrageous thing I have ever painted became…my antique French Provincial sofa set.

I just could NOT look at this sad, faded view any longer.   It was at the point where we were embarrassed to even have people see it!   When the decision was made…I was determined to make my idea work no matter what…and if it didn’t…I’d either let them hit the dumpster OR reupholster them.



With nothing to lose…I hit the paint shop, chose my color…and got the girl to mix me up a can of flat latex paint.   I wanted a darker shade…so as to hide that nasty pink…and I wanted something neutral.   I chose a color called Cambridge by General Paint.   It is a dark brown with grey undertones.

I had been researching painting velvet fabric for a few days, and I saw NO posts that were successful in painting velvet…and …and saw that I needed fabric medium…or glycerine…and there was NO way I was going to go to that expense for an experiment…PLUS…living in this tiny little town, there was no way I was going to get my hot little hands on either of those…so I decided to do what I do best…and use my experience with paint…and wing it!

I made my own recipe using specific parts vinegar, water and paint, and went to work on a project that all of my research said could not successfully be done.

WHY IS IT THAT WHEN I SEE THAT OTHERS ARE SAYING SOMETHING CAN’T BE DONE…I HAVE THIS STRONG URGE TO PROVE THEM WRONG????

When I first started…I was using my mixture AND a spray bottle of water, like I had seen in the posts I read of others trying this.    I figured that if I sprayed the fabric first, it would allow the fibers to soak up the paint better…but that was not the case…all that did was create more work for me.   (which is also where I think the others that tried and failed went wrong)



By adding the extra water from the spray bottle…I was diluting my mixture even more than I wanted to and ended up needing to do a second coat!   So…that spray bottle got ditched..and I just went with my little wax brush and painted in a circular motion (pushing down firmly) to make sure that the paint would get between all of the fibers in the velvet. 

This is the type of  brush I found the best to get right into the grain of the fabric…I borrowed this photo from the internet as I forgot to take a photo of mine.



It took a fair amount of time to get the entire sofa set and cushions done…but I finished it!   I then used a regular soft bristle brush to paint the wood parts of my sofa in a full strength paint in the same color!   I could have used my fabric recipe to do the wood as well…but it was faster for me to just use it full strength.



I set up a fan to get it to dry faster because I was SOOO excited to see how it was going to turn out.   It felt like FOREVER before it was dry…when in reality it was only a couple of hours…but an excited Tootsie is an impatient one!

Let me tell you…it was WORTH THE WAIT!!!



MY SOFA PROJECT TURNED OUT WONDERFUL!!!

The first couple of days, it was as you’d expect it to be…just a little stiff…but not crunchy or solid…but the more we used it, the fabric softened right up!



The next weekend…I found time to finish the set…and I am absolutley amazed at the difference it made to the entire room.

We all love the new look AND feel of the fabric…and I am proud to say that velvet CAN BE PAINTED and that it won’t be crunchy and hard but instead soft!



My antique sofa set looks like brand new!…well almost.   I am waiting on my new foam to put into the cushions, because as you can see the old stuff is kinda tired.   That will make another huge difference.

As you can imagine…the fresh look of the furniture has prompted a bit of a makeover of the entire room…and once it’s done, I will share again…but I just could not wait to say that I did it!…and I am glad!

So…that’s it for me for today…What’s the most OUTRAGEOUS thing you’ve ever painted???

Will you try to paint YOUR living room furniture?   If you want my recipe just say the word…I’d be happy to share.

Until next time…Happy painting!!!

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

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

OOH LA LA! It’s Tiffany Blue!

Hey guys!   Hope the summer has been treating you right.   I know it has been HOT HOT HOT here!   The summer holidays are just flying by!   The kids are loving their summer break…and I am realizing that this summer has been a very different one than any I have ever spent.   (that’s for another post entirely)  

I have been a busy girl this past week or so…and I might have a few things to share with you in the very near future that might just have a little something to do with my new gardens out here on the acreage…but until then, you will just have to settle for another furniture make-over reveal.   To see the last few projects  that I have done you can click here…and  here…and to see the BEST one yet…click here

This is going to be a fairly short but sweet little post…as what all can a girl say about a little desk this size?

When this desk came to me  (yup…another junkin’ find)  it was in a sad state.   It had been used and ABUSED in a big way.

All I could think of when I started to look at it closely, was that if this was in my room as a little girl, my Mother would have strung me up by my toes and smacked me with a wooden spoon if I did something like this to my furniture!   In fact…I still have the furniture that I had when I was a little girl…It is still in good shape…and I don’t think it EVER looked near as rough as this.   It is a good thing that I rescued this…because it was going to the dump if I didn't!   It is  going to look a LOT better once I am done with it.

I had taken my oldest girl along with me when I went to town to grab some supplies for giving this little desk a make-over.   I ended up coming home with a totally different look planned for the desk than was originally on the agenda.   My teenage daughter talked me into a little bit of color….Okay…lets be honest here...a lot of color.  


It really didn’t take me too long to do this peice.   The top was a simple sanding and stain…then the sanding and priming and paint on the bottom.   A bit of paint on the drawer pulls and …Badda Bing…Badda Boom…it was done!   I did a protective coat and the piece was ready to find a sweet spot to live.  My little “Busy” would really like to have it in her room…but she would like to have pretty much anything I have made in her room.   She is my biggest fan. 

I am quite happy with the finished result.  I was excited to share the new look I gave this piece, so the drawers are not closed tight as it needed to cure just a little bit more.   (you get the idea)   This piece is now cute, fun and right on point with the trend right now.

I can honestly say, I have never painted anything Tiffany Blue…and I have never put baby pink handles on a piece…so it’s been a fun adventure!   I can’t wait to see where it ends up!  




It really is quite a change!  

Well guys…that’s it for me for today.

Until next time…  Happy Junkin’ !!!  ( and re-finishing!)

*)*)*)   One of the hardest things you will ever have to do in life, is to grieve the loss of someone who is still alive.  
                                                                           Anonymous


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

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

The Vintage “Boobs”

Welcome!  I’m so glad you popped by today.!!!

 I finally found a few more minutes to share some more of what I have been up to around here.

As you know, I have my own little company going, and I have been super busy with it for quite a while now.   As my company is growing, I have added to the product line and it now includes jewellery and scarves as well as unisex hunting/hiking/gardening  gators and doo rags.

 


To see my entire designer line…click HERE. 

Because my little company is now offering neckwear…I needed a way to market and display them, so that people can see how they will look on a body.   So ….in fine Tootsie Form…I went junkin’ and found a guy, in a nearby town, who was selling off all of his VERY OLD body forms and display busts (among other things retail related)  At one time this man owned a ladies clothing store, but has since closed out and is doing other things with his business instead.   He was happy to sell me several display items that would be perfect for my little business.

When I arrived back at home, I was all excited at my fabulous junkin’ finds, my kids were shocked!   They just simply could not believe that I had purchased anything of this sort.   The busts were in NASTY condition.  One of the ‘boobs’ on one of the busts was ruined, they were dirty, banged up and in just plain sad condition.   In spite of my excitement and assurances that I ‘d be  able to do SOMETHING with them, my girls were laughing at me…they were certain that even I could not fix them enough to make them functional.   Quite frankly, they were grossed out.  ha-ha



This is an example of how bad the condition of some of these girls was.


That evening I milled the busts over and finally came up with a plan.   (yes..a plan is one of those things that as of late this girl needs)  The elderly gentleman from who I had purchased these items, told me that the busts were VERY old.   They were bought in the mid 1960’s and are from a Canadian Display Manufacturing company that is no longer in business. 



This is one of the labels that was on the busts.   (yes I carefully peeled it off and saved it…I planned to put it back onto the bust once she was finished.    At one time these items were considered to be TOP of the line plaster busts.   This made it even more important to me to salvage them.   (I love my old stuff)

Once my plan of attack was set, I got busy doing something I never ever thought I would EVER be saying I’m doing:

I spent the next few evenings …  ‘PLAYING WITH BOOBS’!!!      ha-ha-ha-ha

I patched and filled all the holes and I slowly, and carefully put a new ‘skin’ on them.   When I was finished, I was a sticky mess…and my girls were amazed!   My busts look fabulous!   They turned out exactly like I wanted them to!   When these girls are not ‘working’ for my company…they will be wonderful accessories in my production room just as they are.   When I no longer need them for my company…I will use them in my bedroom as ornaments  …  I am very happy with them!



I do like the way they turned out.   I don’t have to put a shirt on them…they are good just as they are.   So far, they have received nothing but compliments from anyone who’s seen them.   They do draw a lot of attention at the various markets that I have attended with them…and they make a lasting impression!  I have still got about 6 more busts that I need to work on, including a male one…but until I need them, I think they are just going to sit in the storage area where they are out of the way.

Well…?

What do YOU think?

Did they turn out okay?

I’m almost thinking that I might try to put burlap or a canvas ‘skin’ on one or two of the others…but I haven’t decided yet.   I wish I’d had some old sheet music on hand that had been aged…but the best I could come up with at the time was some old encyclopedias…so that is what I used.

All I did was cut the pages into leaf shapes, and glue them on with white glue.   After they were totally dry, I applied a coat of sealant to them…just to make sure that they could be wiped or washed and stay protected.




That’s it for me today!   Thanks so much for popping by!   I am off to take some marketing photos for my little company with my ‘new old boobs’.   ha-ha


Until next time…Happy Junkin’!


*)*)*)   There comes a time in life when you have to choose between turning the page… and just closing the book.  -Unknown

(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*´Glenda/Tootsie
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.
www.tootsietime.com
 
today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

Some Finishing and Re-Finishing!!

A few years back, the ugly divorce forced me and the kids to move.   In the new place, we didn’t have a garage and the house didn’t offer much along the line of storage…so I decided to just rent one.  Over the next few months, I FILLED that unit to the lips.  There were so many items for me to put into storage “until I needed or had ideas for them” that I actually could not see them all and even forgot I had some of them! 

If you follow Tootsie Time, you know that we recently moved again.   We are now living out in the country on a gorgeous acreage, and are super lucky to have all kinds of space and storage buildings for us to store the ‘good stuff’ in.   About a month ago, I got all caught up on the work for my company’s business and decided to switch up the gears a little bit..take a break, and play.  So…I dug into my stash of ‘good stuff’ in the sheds and got busy.

The first piece I pulled out was this little hi-boy dresser.   She was in bad shape.   (sorry!   I forgot to take a photo of the dresser before I touched it!)   She was missing a drawer and her sides were very beat up.   I wasn’t confident she’d be fixable to perfection…but I was gonna try!  I sanded and scraped and got her all prepped for a total make over.  My cowboy built me a drawer…(I had the original drawer front...but not the rest, so he really helped me out.  (yay me!) and I settled on a ‘look’ for the piece.   After a little stain, a little paint and a couple of hours of my time…
Ta-Da!






I didn’t have this piece posted for even 15 minutes and she was SOLD!

The next day I headed to the shed again and pulled out another piece.   This one used to be a blonde veneer with stained navy blue drawers.   (I also didn’t get a before of this one…ugh)



It turned out very nicely.  Sorry about the eyesore in the mirror reflection...my garage needs a really good cleaning.   Ha-ha.

Playing in the garage felt SO good that I just went to town and cleaned my shed right out!   I repaired and re-finished all of the dressers that I had been holding onto and I loved every minute of it!   (I will share the rest of the re-done dressers in the next post…they turned out AMAZING…)

The cleaning out of that shed sparked an unprecedented purge of the other sheds, closets, drawers and garage in our home.   I think it goes without saying…There’s going to be one heck of a garage sale hosted by us this summer!  

Well kids…that’s all I have to share with you today…Thanks so much for popping by.   Stay tuned…I can feel the winds of change blowing again…and you do NOT want to miss what comes next.

Until next time….Happy junkin’!

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

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

Old School Lockers

Hey, I’m  back!   I know, I know…it took me a few weeks… and I am really not sharing in order of event…but I am at least getting a thing or two up and posted! lol

 If I were to tell you all of what’s been going on here since November…you would be in shock…so saving a headache… let’s move on to the fun stuff!

A few months back, a friend and I were having a casual conversation about organizing and making more space in our homes.   She was talking about how her garage is LOADED with everything except vehicles.   It had become a warehouse for her business ventures and she just needed to get rid of stuff so that she could make her space a little more functional. 

At one point she mentioned that she needed to get rid of a set of old lockers that once were used in her son’s bedroom but now were just sitting there…taking up valuable space in her garage…and no one wanted them anymore.

WHAT???   (head snapping around)

NO ONE WANTED A SET OF OLD LOCKERS????   (total shock on my face)

WHAT???? 

GET RID OF THEM???  (totally interested over here!!!!)

WHAT????

I know that you guys know that that is exactly what I was thinking! 

I told her that I would be there whenever she wanted to rid herself of this item…I would LOVE to have them!  

(and then I paced back and forth for days waiting to hear from her again…to say she was ready!)   (you know that I damned near wore out the floor waiting!!!   lol)

The day finally came (about three days later…but felt like WEEKS) and I was so excited!   I got that Cowboy into the truck, plugged in the radar detector (because there might have to be some speeding going on)  …and away we went! 

We had a nice little visit…and then loaded up the GOLD!   It was time to hi-tale it home at the speed of light…and get to playin’!   My wonderful new project piece went straight into the greenhouse for me to peruse…and perhaps to play with.

And then the next day, something happened...I didn't have time...and...Over the next couple of months, a LOT of things happened…and we were very busy, so my super exciting project piece had to wait. 

It was only after we moved to the acreage, that I had a day that I decided to just spend ‘playin’…and I pulled these out of the shed, and into my office to contemplate!


AREN’T THEY FABULOUS?????

I AM IN LOVE!

There is NO doubt, that this set was once in the possession of a teenage boy!   I  know those stickers…lol   Unfortunately, they must go!

The inside needs a tiny bit of work too…nothing a little elbow grease and maybe some shelf liner can’t fix…
I got to work…and the result was exactly what I wanted it to be!

I primed it out…and dry brushed it with several colors of paint to achieve the oxidized look I wanted.  (my photo does not do it justice!)  (I am RUSTY at this!)

I have another old locker in my garage that I thought would be the same dimensions…only a full length…that it would pair nicely with...but sadly…it is an army locker…and these are high school lockers…so they are not the same.   Oh Well…I still use them all!  lol

This treasure is waiting for the Cowboy to put a platform with wheels under it so that I can move it around at will…but for right now…I have placed it in my office/studio…and she holds bolts and bolts and bolts of lace…and other fancies for my business!
 
You sure can tell how rusty I am at taking photos and posting my stories…I am sure it will come back to me one of these days.  lol

I will share my studio/office and some of the others in our new home as soon as I get a chance to do so!   Right now my office is in full disaster mode…as there is a new line being created just in time for another big show coming up in April!
 
That’s all for today…I hope to see you all again in short order!  What have you been up to?   I hope to have time to get around and see ASAP!

Until Next Time…Happy Decorating and Creating!

*)*)*)…Invest ONLY in people who Invest in YOU. 

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

Todays post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot

www.chicaboot.com

Best Door in the House

Welcome.   It’s been a while…I know.   Trust me, it feels like forever since we got to have some time together!   Life around here just seems to be so busy all the time that I am having trouble finding enough hours in the day just to do the things that are necessary!  
This week I decided to take a much needed break from my little company…(which is growing like a healthy child!) and have a decorating vacation!   Yep…I have been doing a little work on the inside of my house again.   It has been 4 years now…I think it is about time I just finished the bits and pieces of this place that are not quite done…and maybe freshen it up a little bit along the way.   Oh who am I kidding…I get bored looking at the same thing …and I MUST change it up here and there!
About a year ago I decided to do some painting in the house.   I chose two colors that were not white or cream…and I did some decorating.   It didn’t take long and I was in a total state of decorators regret!    Although I do like the colors…they just did NOT work for this house.   So…it’s time…again. 
NO…I am not sharing any photos of that paint faux pas…in fact I am not sure that I even have any photos of the darker colors…it was shortly after that painting adventure that my little company decided to go gang busters, and I haven’t had time to do much other than work!  
This week, while I was painting, I did a little purging…cleaned out the clutter…the old, the unwanted.   I had set out three baskets…one for donations…one for trash, and one for things that simply need to be relocated.   I am positive that all of the closets were thanking me for this.   All of them except the front door closet.  
The front door closet in this house has been my arch rival since the day we moved into this house.   The door…which was supposed to be a sliding bi-fold door…was a nightmare.   It would not stay on the track and would always swing all over the place and scratch up my floors…or just simply look ugly ALL the time.  I hate the closet doors in this house.   There…I said it, and no…I don’t regret it.  
What do the front door closet doors even look like you ask??
When we first moved in…just before I painted the house…

I know right????   NASTY!   So I painted them all…and we changed that ugly front door out…since this photo…and…I have painted a couple of times…lol.  

I somehow managed to delete any other photos that I had of the front closet doors…so I will use this one of the cleaning supply cupboard.   It is pretty much identical, so I am sure you will get the idea.
Instead of the doors sliding and folding…the whole thing just flops wide open!   I just could not stand it anymore and took matters into my own hands.
Within minutes the heavy, ugly uncooperative closet doors were TOSSED out into the back yard!….ok…well neatly stood up against the fence.  Hey…I didn’t want to damage the grass or anything!  
I then went to town on a very special pile that I had been trying to save for that ‘one special project’.   It only took about an hour and I had built myself a brand new Old Wood door!

Ta-da!  My barn wood sliding door!   I love the new look!   The swarms of teenagers that are here on a regular basis love the new look!   Anyone I have shared it with…thinks it looks fantastic!   Even GRAMMIE liked it!  (and she is so NOT a barn wood decorator…she’s very frilly and lacy)   I have one more glider to put on that track…but otherwise it is finished!
…And that’s the end of the story!   Well…sort of…almost…ya…there will never be an end to the story around here!   I am plotting and scheming to replace some baseboards, trims and moldings here before I go in for a much needed surgery in the near future.  I want my house to be totally in order so that I can recover without delays because I couldn’t stand to look at something …well you know. :)

I have some more project photos to share…but those are a story for a different day…so stay tuned!!!   This Tootsie has been on a roll!  :)
Until Next Time…Happy Junkin’/ Renovating/ Decorating!

*)*)*)…I’s sad that bullies have the misguided idea that they are so cool and that people are impressed by them. Bullies are the most uncool, pathetic people of all.

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

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

Check them out!

The Pink Antique Sofa Set …and the Dye.

Hey guys!   Long time no see from me hey?   I do apologize…I just have not had a choice.   Things in my world as of late have been hectic.   I have been struggling with some rather serious health issues…and have had to make a few concessions in my world to accommodate that.   My little family is growing up so fast, that I don’t want to miss anything with them…(and they are super busy)…My little company has gone gang busters, and I am so very busy with that, that I have no time to do much else.   I have been forced to learn to schedule my time by the hour…just to get things done every day!   This is a good thing…but it did take a big bite out of my ‘play time’.    But…as any good mother would tell ya…sometimes real life has to go before the junkin’ fix …I do plan, in the near future, to write a post to let you all in on what has been happening around here…but today is not the day…today…we are doing another fabulous project!!!
so…lets get started!
If you have followed me for a while, you know I love junk…and I love antiques.   I love to decorate with both of them…and that when I find the perfect piece…it must be mine!  You will also know that I always try to wait just a little while before I make a big change to a piece of furniture.   Especially if the change is to the upholstery.   I like to get a feel for it, decide if I am in love with it, and if I plan to keep it for a long period of time.   There are a few exceptions to my ‘think it over’ rule…but for the most part, I force myself to be just a little bit patient.
This project is not one of those exceptions to my rule.  
My story begins almost 3 years ago.   I was in an antiques shop in a little town not too far from home, and I found a loveseat and a sofa that I immediately fell in love with.   Sadly, I did not have anywhere to put a large antique sofa set and, had to leave them behind.  
I pined after these pieces …talked about them to my friends, children and anyone else who would listen to me…and still I did not think I could work them into my home…so at the antique store they stayed.   Months went by…and I never imagined they would still be in the shop…but they were…and I still loved them.
I spent a little time, trying to make the small settee that I had re-done a few years ago work for my living room…but sadly, it didn’t offer nearly enough seating for everyone that we have visiting us regularly…so I had made the decision to store it until one day I have a space that it will work in.   I finally had made room for my beloved set!   I called the store…excited to tell them to hold onto it until I could pick it up…AND IT WAS GONE!
Someone had bought my sofa set!  
I was ticked!   WHO deserved that set more than me?   HOW could this have happened?   I guess I will just have to live with my beautiful yet much too small setee …for now.
I had all but forgotten about the antique sofa set…I was kicking myself for not snatching it up when I had the chance…It was a really good price…and in very good condition.  I thought that the set was meant to be mine.  
When Christmas arrived and we were all sitting on random chairs and stools and the floor, I mentioned that I wish I had purchased that set…it would have been perfect for all of us to sit in.   15 minutes later, I opened an envelope that had a photo of my beloved living room set in it!  
The very next day, the sofa set was moved into my living room where it sat for the last couple of years, (with me contemplating it over and over again…)  and it is still there.
I suppose now would be a good time to share what it looked like….right?

THIS is the sofa.  The loveseat, (photo did not turn out) is the exact same…only smaller of course.  
(To be honest, I never really got a lot of photos of this set…between my recent health issues, my little company, the kids, work, and life in general, photos kind of were one of those things that didn’t take priority. )
Back to my story…
I love the bones of this set.  Now…take a good look at this photo.   Can you tell exactly what it is about this piece that I absolutely was NOT in love with?
Here…I will share it again.

WHAT about this sofa do YOU think I am not loving?
Well?   Did you see it?
IT IS PINK!
Ya…I am NOT a pink girl.   My sister is a pink girl…Busy is a pink girl…millions of other girls are in love with pink…but Tootsie….not so much.
The other day, while I was at my desk working, I looked up, and there it was…in my earth toned living room looking pinker than ever…I finally make the decision that the PINK HAD TO GO!  
…the only issue I now had…was that I don’t have a lot of spare time to play around and re-do the upholstery.  
Because I am a busy single mom…(and about a million other things right now)…I decided that I would take a very big risk and try to simply update this sofa set.   The pink has got to go…and slip covers won’t do the job.   I decided to dye it.
Off to the store I went…to pick up the supplies I would need.   I have never done anything like this before…so I wasn’t quite sure what I would need…not to mention, I live in a tiny little town that hasn’t got a whole lot of options to offer…so I got what I could…and took the leap of faith. 
The whole time I was spraying on the dye formula, I kept telling myself…that the worst that could happen would be that I will have to bite the bullet and shop for some fabric to cover this sofa and love seat.  
I am pleased to say…

It turned out fantastic!!!
All I did was purchase several boxes of fabric dye powder (there was no liquid dye available to me so I took what I could get)   I then put down a LOT of garbage bags to protect the floor below....yes...this is a very messy project.
I mixed the dye fairly strong and added some salt to help it set.  I wanted a color in the olive/khaki/brown family...so I decided to mix equal portions of dark brown dye with forest green dye.   I also took into consideration that the dye mixture would have to mingle with the dusty rose/pink that was already on the sofa...and figured that it would be great if in some places a little more of the pink would show than in others.   I also was prepared for different shades showing up in areas that were more faded or worn than others.
Put the mixture into a spray bottle…and started to spritz it on!      I made sure the entire surface was saturated with the mixture…and left it to dry overnight.  
In the morning, I took out my carpet cleaner, and mixed up a cold water/vinegar solution to run over the whole thing with.   This step pulled any excess dye out …and helped prevent dye from transferring to our clothing.   Once that step had dried…I sprayed it all down with scotch guard…and we were good to go!
I love the way the whole thing turned out…It was a fairly long and involved process…but was just a fraction of the cost and time that it would have taken to have re-upholstered the set.  

Now….my antique sofa set looks wonderful in my earth toned living room…and I can work without the distraction of the PINK sofa screaming at me to change it up!     My antique sofa set can sit like this until I find the perfect fabric to cover it in…and the time to do it!  Yay!!!  Maybe by that time, I will have been able to get the dye that stained my hands off.  haha!
It is difficult to see the exact color of the new look...it is an olive brown...but it looks different in different light...in some light you can see more green tones...and in other light...greyish brown...I love it!
I still need to do a little something to the wood on this set…but that will be a post for another day. :)

That’s all I have for you this time…but very soon I will share what I have growing in the greenhouse…and possibly (time and energy permitting) I will be able to share more of the inside of my little house.
Until next time….Happy decorating!

 *)Unless you're ready for what comes around... Perhaps you should not go around in the first place!  You only end up being the laughed at!  (you know who you are)  “hugs” :)

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

today’s post has been proudly sponsored by Chic-a-Boot…

                                                   

Check them out!

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