An Authentic Fake

 Located between our kitchen and dining room is this built in desk with a wine rack. My goal was to turn this fairly modern two piece built-in into a fake antique.  Something free into something fine- a dog hair and potato peelings project, to be sure!!

 Step 1: Remove the horrid, existing orange tile counter top. Replace it with a nice piece of birch plywood. Then paint it the same color as the rest of the desk.

 Step 2: Add random trim pieces to the wall behind the desk to make it seem as if the top and bottom are joined together into one piece of furniture the way a true antique desk would be. (I scavenged in the carpenter's scrap pile for two types of trim.)

 Step 3: Paint added trim pieces as well as the wall behind them.

 Now our two piece desk looks like one piece of furniture shoved against the wall. And everything is painted the same base color. So far, so good.

 Step 4:  Rummage through your husband's tools looking for the sledge hammer while ignoring signs about tool-borrowing wives.

Step 5: Beat off all the sharp, straight edges and crisp new corners from the entire desk. This step is a workout, sledge hammers are heavy! But real antiques have worn, rounded edges and corners, so this step is absolutely necessary! 

Even the crackled paint won't give you the authenticity you are trying for without beating up on the wood first.

Step 6: Paint the desk with crackle glaze. I had all Sunday afternoon to work on this project so I painted the entire desk, but you could do a section at a time. Let the glaze sit for the appropriate amount of time. Directions on the jar explain the time factor.

I used a brush and a roller for this step, but be very careful not to miss a section, which is easy to do since all you're putting on is a clear coat!

Step 7: After the correct amount of time has passed, paint on your top coat color. The base color will show through when the top coat crackles. You must use a latex paint. I used a brush and roller for this step also.

I was very happy with the effect I got!

You can buy feet for your furniture project at Lowe's. They come in different styles. Four fat, funky feet might add a lot to this project. The desk will also get it's own style of drawer pulls and knobs, different from the rest of the cabinetry in the adjoining kitchen. It's all part of the illusion!

Step 8: Complete the project with a finish. You can stain, wax, or rub on an antiquing medium. I'm not sure which finish would look best, so I am going to wait until the kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts have been installed, as well as the back splash, counter tops, and even the wood floors. Then with everything in place, I will revisit this authentic fake for the grand finale!

Love ya'll,

Shelli

Collect things you love, that are authentic to you, and your house becomes your story.

- Erin Flett

Antiques Roadshow is my favorite show. Every Monday night I have one hour of appointment television. I get the popcorn out and tell my husband, 'Don't bother me.'

- Lara Spencer

Sunday Schoolisms #9: Rest in Me

Rest in Me, Me child. Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. When you try to peer into the future and plan for every possibility, you ignore your constant Companion who sustains you moment by moment. As you gaze anxiously into the distance, you don't even feel the strong grip of My hand holding yours. How foolish you are, My child!

Remembrance of Me is a daily discipline. Never lose sight of My Presence with you. This will keep you resting in Me all day, every day.

Pray continually.

(1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

(Psalm 62:5)

Sarah Young

Jesus Calling

The Pantry!!!!!!

Our pantry is finished!

This is our first renovation completion,

so please excuse me for making a BIG DEAL out of it!!!!!!

This is the current state of our kitchen.

Can't find the stove? sink? refrigerator? dishwasher?

That's because they were ripped out weeks ago!

 This is our temporary pantry located in the bedroom closet.

And our temporary kitchen?

Well, it's located in the bathroom, the only place with a working sink. So, you see, it really is a big deal to get our permanent pantry finished and useable!!

 Here's what we had to work with.

  The wall at the end of the mudroom/utility room is about 6 feet wide. The dark brown shelves at the bottom right were the existing pantry behind a tiny, cramped 2 ft. door that barely gave access to the little shelves. We took out the entire wall except for the four inches that held the light switch. 

We added upper shelving and ordered big doors that swing open wide to give roomy access to the whole pantry. Then we framed the wall for the new doors.

We also added extra shelves beside the old existing ones. 

Then everything was painted out.

And now,
drumroll please.....

Our new pantry!!!!!

Love ya'll,
Shelli

When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.
- Creighton Abrams

Sweet Summer Morning

We woke up to a sweet summer morning today!

The sunlight was making its way through the trees in the front yard,

birds were chirping,

and squirrels were scampering! 

I went out in my nightgown to the side of the house to pick our breakfast from the blueberry bushes growing there.

It didn't take long to pick enough to enjoy with a steaming cup of coffee

But as I rounded the corner back to the front door......

...the peaceful ambience of our bucolic morning

was rudely interrupted by mid-renovation reality! :-(

Sigh....

Bigger sigh......

But, in unpleasant circumstances it is best to focus on the bright spots,

so we're going to sit down to the freshest of breakfasts and count our blessings!

Love ya'll,

Shelli

It doesn't hurt to be optimistic. You can always cry later.

~Lucimar Santos de Lima

A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn't see the clouds at all — he's walking on them.

~Leonard Louis Levinson

An optimist is someone who figures that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck,

it's the bluebird of happiness.

~Robert Brault, rbrault.blogspot.com

A Tale of Three Fathers

I am a lucky girl!!!

There are three great dads in my family!

My dad, who taught me how to use power tools, appreciate country living, and to enjoy people.

My sweet husband, who I not only love more as each year goes by, but who I appreciate and admire more too!

And my wonderful son-in-law, who is the best dad a granddaughter could ever have!

Happy Father's Day, guys!!!

Love ya'll,

Shelli (Sheen)

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.

~Clarence Budington Kelland

Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher’s mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again. ~Jimmy Piersal, on how to diaper a baby, 1968

Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes.

~Gloria Naylor

The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God; I call him Dad!
~Author Unknown

Hobby Lobbied

When the demo started on the master bathroom, this mirror was removed from the wall. It is about 5 ft. long, has beveled glass, and would cost a pretty penny to buy. Although we are changing to two mirrors in that bathroom, this mirror was definitely worth saving.

You can see that it basically had three borders - a small black and gold one next to the mirror, a crackled off-white one in the middle, and a wide black and gold one on the outside.

Alecia asked me how I was going to refinish it and I said, "I am going to Hobby Lobby it."

If you want to know what is in style, what colors decorating is trending toward, head to Hobby Lobby. I'm sure there are fancier places and, oh, that I was near a Home Goods, but Hobby Lobby is good enough for me. I set out for our local Hobby Lobby to scope out the mirrors. Everything seemed to be leaning toward grays, silvers, off-whites, and platinums.  I bough a few supplies and headed home.

 I masked off the crackled off-white portion. Then based coated the inner border with a light gray craft paint and the outer border with a darker gray craft paint. Then I gave the inner border a solid coat of platinum metallic paint, but I rubbed the outer border with a lighter coat of the metallic paint.

Before

After

I have no idea where I'll use this mirror, but when we finally move in, the perfect place will reveal itself. Wherever that place may be, I look forward to this Cutie Pie admiring herself in our free Hobby Lobbied mirror.

Love ya'll,

Shelli

To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and, whatever you hit, call it the target.

~Patrick Toche

Sunday Schoolism #8: We May

"We may be rich today and poor tomorrow. We may be sick today and healthy tomorrow. We may be happy today and depressed tomorrow. But there is no change in our relationship with God. He loved me yesterday. He loves me today......  I am a pilgrim in this world but at home in my God. In the earth I roam, but in God I dwell in quiet peace."

                                                     Charles H. Spurgeon