Rolling Cart

My Craft Rolling Cart
A couple of weeks ago I was browsing a local antique mall and came across this cart for $5.00!!
























I decided that I wanted to paint it a neutral color and add some fabric around it to conceal my craft bins. I used burlap and used my staple gun to attach it around the base of the cart. I concealed the staples by using a brown ribbon. I hot glued the ribbon to the fabric. I decided to use some scrapbook paper for the top of the cart. I found a really pretty calligraphy print at hobby lobby. I mod podged the scrapbook paper to the top and then I used some distressing ink to make it look vintage. I sealed it off with polycyclic.

Here are a few after pics:

The plus about my little cart is that I can roll it anywhere in the house that I’m working on a project.

Table and China Cabinet

My table, chairs and china cabinet was given to me by my mom's boss. I was excited about receiving them because they were in excellent condition and the table had a leaf and six chairs. The china cabinet has a ton of storage for my china and pewter

Below are a couple of before pieces:

When I first received the furniture I thought I wanted to stain it a different color. So I began sanding it then I stained a chair, top of the table and one side of the china cabinet and realized I wanted everything white. This project then turned huge and overwhelming. I decided to sit back and make my mind up how I wanted the furniture to look and what would look best in our house. So I began sanding again and then I picked out an off white color from Glidden called porcelain that was a flat base. I painted about three coats. I lightly distressed the edges and few other spots of all the pieces. Then I sealed all of the pieces with a spray acrylic sealer. I decided to stain the top of the table a dark stain and I sealed it with polyurethane.

Here are a few pictures of the top of the table:

I left the inside of the china cabinet and the shelves their original color then I added scrap book paper to the walls of the cabinet. I used scotch tape to put the scrap book paper up and then I used modge podge to seal it. If I want to change it out all I have to do it give it a little pull and it will easily come off.

The chair pads were in great condition but I was not fond of the fabric. I took one of my cushions to JoAnn fabric and picked out a fabric and ask the sales associate to tell me how much I need for each cushion. I also purchased a staple gun to attach the fabric. I covered the fabric over the existing cushion fabric. I chose a goldish/tan fabric that wouldn't show dirt to bad. I've never recovered any type of furniture and it turned out to be pretty easy.

I removed all of the hardware from the china cabinet and replaced it with knobs and pulls from hobby lobby. Each were no more than $2.99 a piece. I used two wrought iron pulls for the drawers and two hanging pulls for the doors. On the large door and a couple of the drawers I used antiqued crystal knobs. (Those are my fav)!

This one by far the hardest project I've completed so far and the most time consuming. It was well worth it and will last a long time.

My new Obsession-Ceramic Stools

Aren't these lovely! Below are a few pictures from magazines, blogs, etc. of homes that have decorated with ceramic stools. My new obsession!

The only draw back to purchasing one has been the $150.00 and up price tag on them. I looked high and low and haven't found one in a price range I would like to spend.

Until I ran across this one at the Flea Market for $30.00

Although I'm not fond of the purple flowers and deep down really wanted a off-white one I decided to give it a little spray paint. I'm not completely sure on the rules for spray painting ceramic so I just decided to dive in and give her a light sanding and start spray painting away. I sprayed it Valspar satin spray paint the color is Chruchhill Hotel Vanilla. Then I finished it off with a little clear sealer for a little protection. I decided to see how well the spray paint was going to stay on by scratching the piece with a sharp item. It didn't scratch it so I think it's going to be fine.

Here are my after pictures below.

My dog China decided to grace the picture! She likes my new blue chair!

A Family Bread Box

This way was my grandfathers bread box. When Kirk and I got married he had a bread box that I really didn't like. First of all it had a very country-looking front on it. Basically there was nothing I could do to it to make it look good. But my bread box was perfect and it really means alot to me because it had been used at my grandfathers house for a long time. So here's how I revamped it.

• First I used a cleaner called TSP that you can buy at any hardware store. It is a really strong cleaner that I also used on my kitchen cabinet redo. When you apply the TSP you have to wear gloves because it's so strong. I gave it a good scrub and then I scrub it with just a sponge and water to get all of the cleaner off.


• Secondly I used my sander to rough it up a little bit then I hand sanded the edges.

• Then I used red latex paint and gave it one good coat. I let it dry overnight so that I could distress it easily. If you try to distress the piece before the paint's dry it will smudge.


• I lightly distressed the edges and gave it a little bit of chocolate glaze just to given the paint more of an aged look. Then I let it dry for several hours again before I sealed it with polycrylic.


• I decided to line the inside of the box with scrapbook paper. I glued the paper down using mod podge and smooth the top several times to get the creases out. I let it dry for a couple over house before I gave it coat over the scrapbook paper. Then I gave it about three other coats. I then sealed it with polycrylic.

I decided to use red to match my kitchen. I just love the way it turned out it really adds to the county-cottage feel of my kitchen.