As your children grow, let them show you the type of people they are. Don't assume they will follow in your footsteps. Ask them questions, let them discover what they love to do, and then gently show them the way to get there.
This post is about my own discovery and one way I believe we should help our children discover their own passions...
Yesterday I opened up an email from a retail clothing store and noticed they added something new to their typical 40-, 50-, or 60%-off advertisement. ...
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Modern Two-Tone Dresser
Modern two-tone dressers are very in right now. They have clean lines that can blend with just about any decor. Dressers that are extra long and low are particularly versatile and a great find. Use them in any room of the house - as a dresser, a media console, a buffet, or as an entryway table.
I picked up this 9-drawer dresser at a local yard sale and gave it a modern, two-tone update. Compare to those you'd find at West Elm and Crate & Barrel.
Here's how I found it.
The entire piece ...
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July 25 – What I’m Working On
Got up early. Ran to the grocery store. Stopped by a yard sale and… found this modern console...
The size is perfectly versatile and can be used in any room of the home. In the living room, the dining room, the bedroom, or as an entryway table.
A few hours of sanding it down and it's ready for a an updated finish.
The wood is very smooth so a stained finish makes sense and would look fantastic.
Or, I could go two-tone. The funky drawer fronts down the center would look very cool ...
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Vintage Twin Beds by Sligh Furniture Company
If you ever come across furniture made by Sligh Furniture Company buy it. The quality is excellent. The details are stunning. Such was the case with these matching twin beds.
UPDATE: I apologize in advance for the poor quality of these photos. These were taken in my early years of refinishing and photographing furniture - before I understood how to lighten and brighten the photos. Regardless, I think you'll still be able to see how beautiful this set was and the ...
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Gold Bar Cart
Just about every home decor store I've walked into over the past few months has featured a bar cart. They are very hot right now, most likely because of their versatility and the way they can add a splash of glamour to either an indoor or outdoor space. This week I took an outdated baby changing table and transformed it into a bar cart that shines!
Ok… I admit... it didn't really take that much effort to transform this furniture piece into a bar cart. It was actually pretty easy because it ...
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Rustic Schoolhouse Chalkboard
When I found this old schoolhouse chalkboard being thrown away, there was no way I was going to let the trash truck get it. The rustic frame was beautiful. The chalkboard just needed a little love.
Here's how this old schoolhouse chalkboard looked when I picked it up. I may be dating myself when I say I remember these being in every classroom of my elementary school. There was no such thing as a whiteboard or smart board back then!
I loved the worn, rustic look of the wooden frame and ...
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Modern Turquoise & White Striped Bench
This turquoise striped bench is one of my favorite makeovers to date. The bright color and modern design create the perfect statement piece for a living room, dining room, or entryway.
When we first got married, my husband and I lived in central Massachusetts and purchased a 6,000 square foot Victorian home. We lived there while we renovated every room. The plaster dust was everywhere for three straight years!
I should have known back then that refinishing was destined to be in my ...
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Vintage Sligh Dressers
An estate sale can be a perfect place to pick up some vintage furniture pieces at great prices.
That's exactly where I found an eleven-piece bedroom set.
A few weeks ago a friend of mine told me about an estate sale just down the street. Later that morning, my husband mentioned the same estate sale to me. I actually smiled when he told me. All I could think of was how patient and supportive he's been of my filling our garage with refinished furniture projects.
Earlier that week, I promised ...
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Brewster, Massachusetts – Part I: Ocean Edge Resort
The kids and I took off at the last minute and headed to beautiful Cape Cod. At least once each summer we are so lucky to be invited to stay with family at Ocean Edge Resort in the quaint town of Brewster, Massachusetts.
Brewster is an hour drive from Boston. It's located on what we call the inner elbow of The Cape. Cape Code is like an arm extending out from the mainland and slightly bent in the center (at the elbow). The inner elbow is the Massachusetts Bay and the ...
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Brewster, Massachusetts – Part II: The Brewster Flats
Yesterday, I told you about our spur-of-the moment trip to Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Massachusetts. Today is all about the beach there and the incredible Brewster Flats.
The Brewster Flats is the name given to the tidal flats of Cape Cod Bay. They run from Brewster to North Eastham which is about 10 miles. It's said that the Brewster Flats are the widest expanse of tidal flats in North America. They are wonderful but you need be very cautious because of the ...
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Starburst Pedestal Table With Driftwood Stain
Making more space in my workshop meant finishing up this pedestal table project. I've known since the moment I brought this table home, that the finish was calling to be brought into this century with Driftwood stain.
Here's a peek at how the table looked before.
Sanding enhanced the starburst design even further. Any dark stain would have covered up this gorgeous detail. Driftwood stain, however, would allow the starburst to show through.
Here's the tabletop after one coat of stain...
… ...
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Tin-Wrapped Coffee Table
Tin, Aluminum, or Zinc. For the past few months, I've had visions of a tabletop wrapped in metal, secured with decorative nail heads, and set on antique wooden legs. Today I finally finished the table in my vision.
This table is actually a basic Ikea tabletop painted to resemble a metal-wrapped table. Here's the before...
The legs and bottom shelf were both damaged so they were removed. The legs were replaced with a set of antique legs purchased from CraigsList and then cut down to ...
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