Old Things New

TRANSFORMED, from broken to beautiful

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Loving Infinity Scarves

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I’ve been on an Infinity Scarf-making spree lately. I enjoy knitting scarves (they are about the only thing I CAN knit) and it is good to have something to occupy my hands during the long dark winter evenings. Haha, isn’t there a saying about busy hands keeping one out of trouble? Anyway . . . a burning fire, a good movie, a cup of tea and a knitting project make my winter evenings something to look forward to . . . SIGH!
 For these scarves I used Size 15 needles and Cozy Wool by Loops & Threads.  It is chunky and soft and I just got an email that it is ON SALE this weekend at Michaels.  I cast on 18 stiches and then knit 2, pearl 2, knit 2, and so on, repeating to the end of the row (for those of you who actually knit from patterns my instructions will probably give you a good chuckle). I used two skeins of yarn and ended up with the perfect length to be worn long or doubled up.  After casting off I used my yarn to sew the two ends together, and voila!
 
In keeping with my OldThingsNew theme I gave an update to a traditional (OLD) scarf by adding a leather bracelet adornment to one of the scarves . . .(edgy!)
 

 . . . and a wide satin ribbon to the other (sweet!).  Both were ideas sent to me by my youngest daughter as she placed her order!
 
I think it would be fun to add old jewelry, pins or even buttons in the same way.
 
Here is a close-up of the “weave” of the pattern.  Is that the term you would use my knitting friends?  I’m pretty sure it isn’t, but I know someone will help me out!
 I’ve knitted so many scarves now that it seems like it is probably time to move onto something more challenging, but then I don’t know if I really want to do anything more complicated.  Counting and keeping track of rows would probably take away from the complete sense of mindlessness I achieve with this relaxing pastime.
 
They tell me Spring is right around the corner but until then keep warm, and take some time to enjoy a little winter hibernation!
 
 
Blessings to you, 
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New Life for an Old Table

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I am happy to say that I finally found some time to work on this little occasional table that has been standing forlornly in my garage.  I found this piece, and it’s sister, at an antique mall that was going out of business last summer. I’ve been longing to freshen her up.

The top of the table was in pretty rough shape and I wasn’t sure if I would paint over it or try to leave it natural.





When I took the sanding block to the top I found that the varnish flaked away quite easily revealing a beautiful grain to the wood.  Thus, my decision was made.
 
So here she is, painted with Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Paint, and then antiqued with some watered down ASCP in French Linen.  I brushed it on and then wiped it off  immediately with a damp rag, leaving color in the carved areas.

I am SO pleased with the way this turned out.  The wash shows off the details of the carving and the shapely legs. I chose not to do any distressing for now.  I’ll let whoever buys this little beauty decide whether or not they want a more aged and distressed look.
Here are a just few close ups:
I still need to seal and protect the paint with some soft wax which will give it that soft glow that I love, and I’ve yet to decide how to seal the bare wood top. Wax or Polycrylic? I’m open to suggestions as, up until now, I’ve completely covered every piece of furniture I’ve worked on with paint!
This table is pretty tall and I think it would look quite grand in the middle of an entry hall, with a large floral arrangement (these are my now fading Birthday roses) . . .
 . . . or perhaps as a side table . . . as a bright spot at the end of a hallway . . .or beneath a lovely mirror . . .
My “store” of restored furniture is growing as I try to decide how to go about selling the Old Things I’m making New!  This is an absolutely wonderful hobby and I’m having so much fun.  I’m sure my husband will be almost as happy as I am when the garage begins to clear!
 Many blessings and a happy weekend to you all!
 
Patti 
 
 
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Old Frame Makeover

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Here is a peek at the top of another project I finished last week.

Painting furniture is fun but time-consuming, so it is great when I come across a little treasure that I can whip out in a short amount of time.

This is the “before” picture. You may recognize it from my “Behind Closed (Garage) Doors!!!” post.

It wasn’t one of the first items to go at the garage sale where I found it. It probably didn’t appeal to many people with it’s little decoupaged birds. In fact, I initially chuckled and said I should buy it for my husband because he is so into birds right now. Upon closer look I fell in love with the frame and knew just what I would do with it!

It was a perfect frame for a chalkboard. So, with a little Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, in Old White, a bit of distressing and an application of dark wax, my frame was complete. Next, I sanded over the birdies in the picture to smooth off their edges, and painted over the entire picture with a few coats of chalkboard paint.

Most everyone knows that you can buy black chalkboard paint at the hardware store and it can be kind of pricey, but did you know you can make your own, and in any color?

Here is the recipe from http://www.bhg.com/decorating/do-it-yourself-magazine/easy-chalkboard-ideas/print/?page=7

To create a custom color combine 1 cup latex paint, in the color of your choice, with 2 T. unsanded tile grout. Mix well and apply several coats of paint, allowing it to dry between each coat. Sand lightly between each coat of chalkboard paint.

When your project is dry, have fun creating messages on your board. This one is on my dining room window sill.

The message is from the Bible, Psalm 34:8. I think it is a fun mealtime message.

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A Queen Anne Table Rescue

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Since the whole reason for starting this blog was so I could talk about painting furniture, I guess it’s about time for me to post another restoration project.

I’m kicking myself because I accidentally deleted the before pictures I took of this table. So, in a picture of words . . . When I first laid eyes on this little Queen Anne table, it was sitting forlorn in a corner of the garage. It’s color was a deep, dark walnut, with a hint of blood-red undertones that seeped eerily to the surface. As I rubbed my hand across the dusty top, the dry feel of the wood sent shivers up my spine and a musty smell arose to fill my nostrils. There was no hint of protective sheen left on the table’s dingy wood, only a dull sadness. Two deep cigarette burns on top were an indication of neglect and abuse. As lost as this table appeared at first glance, there yet remained a hint of it’s former elegance in the shape of it’s lovely legs. Hope stirred within my heart . . .

What this table needed was a good cheering up! The paint color I used was Valspar’s Twilight Meadow, mixed according to my Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe #3 (from a previous post). I loved the color but felt like the table needed something more than paint alone. Fortunately, I came across a design I loved at: Jones Design Company.  Emily, of Jones Design created a template to “wallpaper” an entire room in her house (Whew, that is a lot of work!), and she shares this free downloadable template, and DIY instructions on her website. Since this table is so small I decided not to do the “double” design. Here are some step-by-step pictures of my project:

This is the template that I printed and shrunk to the size I needed on my printer. I cut it out and traced it onto heavy cardboard. Then I started tracing it in pencil on the table top. I traced one side of the shape first, then moved the template over about 1/4″ and traced again, to create the outline I would paint within. Then, I repeated the same procedure with the other side of the template and kept repeating across the entire table.

When the tracing was complete I filled in the outline with Annie Sloan’s Graphite chalk paint. My lines aren’t perfect but that just adds a bit of character! After the paint was dry I took out my sanding block and did some distressing. This is how it looks up to that point.

Painting a piece of furniture with chalk paint is a fairly quick and easy process. It is the finishing of each individual piece that consumes the most time. On this particular piece, I felt that the graphite lines were still too “fresh” looking. Since I wanted my table to look like it had aged gracefully over time I thinned some plain white paint with water and brushed it over the entire piece, then wiped most of it off with paper towels. Next, I thinned down some light grey paint I had on hand and repeated the procedure. When I was finally happy with the look, and after a short dry time, I did a bit more sanding, and covered the entire table with a mixture of Annie Sloan’s dark and clear waxes to seal.

What do you think? I’m happy with the illusion of layers of color coming to the surface. I feel like I’m looking into a pool of water.

These photos show how the piece glows after buffing.

And here she is, staged to show off her full potential. I’d love to hear your thoughts on my sweet little Queen Anne table.

Have a blessed day!
Patti
 
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