Something old (and broken) is new again!

I picked up this old broken window from the garbage a couple years ago. It has been wrapped in a blanket in my attic all this time. Recently, I came up with this idea to fill space on my bare family room wall. Here's what I did. You can't tell from the photo, but the glass is missing in three of the openings. In order to create symmetry, I moved one of the panes so I had them where I wanted them. Next, I took some extra fabric from my family room curtains and cut it to fit inside the window squares. To get the fabric to stick, I used spray fabric starch. I layed the window face-down, placed the fabric on the window and soaked it with the starch. Once the fabric dried, it stuck to the glass. Originally, I thought the fabric would be enough but it wasn't. So, after completing my previous project with the initials in my master bedroom, I decided to use the wooden letters to add additional interest. Finally, I added the felt flower I made to round out the arrangement.

Initial Decor

This project was pretty simple. The wooden letters pictured were used as decorations for my wedding. Recently, I hung them on the wall in my master bedroom but they looked too plain. So, I took two old picture frames, removed the glass and added bright-colored paper in the opening. Then I planned to glue the letters to the paper. However, I ran into a little issue.

If you look back at the before and after pictures, you will notice the letters are different.  I ended up having to use new letters because the ones I originally had were a little too large for the frame opening.  In the end it worked out nicely. I really like how the framed initials turned out and I found another use for the original letters! So, now I'm off to write the blog post that shows what I did with them.

An Old Table Gets a Modern Update

This end table was a curbside find that my parents picked up. I really love the lines but it was in pretty bad shape when I got it. As you can see the leather top was a mess and the edges were pretty rough. So, I decided to give it some love by cleaning it up and painting it. Here are two "before" pictures:

First, I decided to remove the leather top. I wasn't sure how difficult this was going to be but, to my surprise, it was pretty easy. After my online research I decided that using my steamer was going to be my best bet. So, I pulled out the steamer and with only a bit of patience and a putty knife the leather top came off without much effort...and in one piece!

After a bunch of sanding, some patching with wood putty and spackle, primer and spray paint I have a nice modern table. I chose to use the same hardware because I like the design and actually love the patina on it from years of use.

There may be another project in line for this table in the future. Since I didn't replace the leather top I am still contemplating what to do with the top. I do think I could just leave it as is. There is a small dip between the area on the top where the leather was and the rest of the top but I don't see it as being an issue. I have considered buying a piece of glass to put on top and maybe putting some pretty paper under it. We will see. I'm sure at some point I will be looking for a small project to do and this will satisfy my urge. :) If and when this happens I will share the result at that time.

Finally, here is a side-by-side before and after picture:

Thrift Store Find Turns Chic

I found these candle wall sconces at my local Salvation Army. I wasn't keen on the gold/cream paint but knew they would look really cool painted glossy black or a bright color.

Because of the intricate detail, I didn't want to sand them. So, I used a "liquid sandpaper" product (ie: Klean-Strip Easy Liquid Sander Deglosser) I purchased at a home improvement store. I simply applied the deglosser using a rag and circular motions. Next, I primed and painted the sconces. As usual, I used spray paint because I think it's the easiest way to paint objects...and you never get brush strokes.

Jewelry hanger made from old closet door

In a previous post, I showed how I made a headboard from the bottom half of these louvered closet doors (left). This project shows what I did with the top half of the doors.

During the headboard project, my husband and I cut the doors in half (right) and removed the louvers. Then, prior to installing chicken wire in the opening, I primed and painted the frame. Next the chicken wire was cut and secured into place with scrap molding I had laying around the house. Finally, I filled the small holes from the nails we used to install the moldings, lightly sanded it and put a final coat of paint on the project.

And the result...a jewelry holder/display:

Guest blogger...Carolyn

A special thanks to a follower/friend for today's blog post. When Carolyn shared with me her great re-purpose project, I just had to share it! I just love seeing what wonderful creativity people have when it comes to re-purposing furniture! Here is what she said:


Tammy,

I thought you might like to see what we did with an old hutch we had.  We made a hanging bookshelf for our foyer.  I needed something for the space, it couldn't be deeper than 12 inches and I couldn't find anything in the furniture stores that I liked.  The picture of the hutch is a similar version of what we used. 

Old Dresser Gets a Fresh Look

This dresser goes with a funiture set my parents bought me when I was a child. I put it to good use for about 25 years before my dad made me a new set. As you can probably tell from the picture, it stayed in wonderful condition over the years - which is why I have kept it so long. It even went through a quick makeover when I was in my early teens -- my parents gave it a fresh coat of paint and new hardware.

When I bought my first home and moved out of my parents' house I left it behind because I didn't have room for it. About a year and a half ago, I moved into my new home and my parents were happy that I'd finally have room for it at my place. Because of the history, and since there is really nothing wrong with it, I wanted to put it to good use - but not before giving it a makeover!

First, I removed the hardware, sanded, primed and painted it the color of oil-rubbed bronze. 

Next, I sanded the dresser. I wanted the edges to look worn from years of use, so I really focused on removing the paint on most of the edges. At this point, I realized how light in color the pine wood was and wanted to give the edges a treatment that would make them pop. So, I rubbed stain on the edges - now they have an antique look and really stand out.

Last, I decided to add an interesting detail to the drawer fronts. I found fabric at a craft store that coordinated with my spare bedroom decor, cut it to fit the drawer fronts, and used Mod Podge to glue the fabric to the furniture. To do this, I painted the Mod Podge on the drawer fronts and placed the fabric over it. After it dried completely, I put another coat over the top of the fabric to give it a little shine and to ensure it would stay in place. (Tip: if you use this technique and want a shiny look, proceed with another 4-5 coats of Mod Podge). For this project, I liked the texture after only one coat.

Next, I replaced the hardware and the job was complete!