Guess what ... We've got news!

Guess what ... We've got news!

We are sitting here celebrating, with drinks in hand because something happened today that we never imagined when we started this blog.

Do you follow the blog Better After? If you don't, you should! Lindsey at Better After features a variety of furniture and home makeovers, re-news and re-dos ... every day.

Today ... she featured us!
Check it out!



~The Re-New Girls~

Vintage Headboard dressed with a Pink Heritage Quilt

Vintage cast iron headboards in a bedroom.

Just another one of my many weaknesses.

My mother-in-law works part-time for an auction sale company, and comes across many a treasures in her travels. I had mentioned to her some time ago, to keep her eyes peeled for a headboard for my daughter's room.

She delivered! Not one, but two, fantastic vintage beds!

I snuck one headboard into my storage pile, for use at a later time. I am thinking, maybe cabin?

The 3/4 bed headboard/footboard combo, went outside for some TLC. I pondered painting it, and decided that the natural age, rust and patina, was just too much to cover. 

I gave it a light sanding to smooth it out. I then covered it generously with spray clear coat, to protect the headboard, as well as the bedding.

 

The bed was dressed with a teal down duvet from HomeSense, and a neat throw pillow ... Score! Creamy eyelet sheets and a pink heritage quilt.

The pink heritage quilt is a special item to us. 

It was made originally by my husband's grandmother with scraps of her daughter's clothing. 

My husband's grandmother passed away this summer. 

It was originally used on my mother in law's bed when she was a little girl. 

By time I found it, it was well used, well loved, stuffed inside of a quilt cover, never to be seen again. To say it needed some TLC is an understatement. 

I took it to my mother, who took it apart and salvaged the top. 

It then went to my grandmother to be re-stuffed and re-quilted. 

I am so thankful that my daughter and I were able to spend the day with my mother and grandmother and some extended family this spring quilting it back together. 

What a beautiful piece for my daughter to have, made with love from both sides of her family tree. 

The cherry on the top ... a vintage look chandelier. She loves it!

~T~

Eggplant Martini

This project has been patiently waiting for me in our garage for the last...hmm,  maybe I won't tell you how long.  This old commercial cabinet came from my parent's "collection".  My Mom had picked it up from a local business in our home town over ten years ago with plans to restore it.

My vision for this cabinet and the results weren't exactly the same, but sometimes that is just the way it works.  The plan was to paint it a very deep purple, almost an eggplant color.  First coat of paint went on bright, too purple for my liking.  Unfortunately the color in your head is sometimes very hard to find at the paint store.

I ventured out again and came home with a can named plum martini, I was sure this was the color!   Results were an almost grey/blue purple.  No, it wasn't eggplant, but this new shade started to grow on me.   A little distressing and I was happy with the results.

before

before

primed

after

                          My favorite part of this project are the old door knobs turned into pulls.

Another project out of the garage and into the house = happy husband and warm vehicle. 

hello fall.

You know I love a quick and easy re-new project.

I picked up this oh-so-lovely framed 'painting' about a year ago.

A can of white spray paint, a can of chalkboard paint and a couple hours of drying time later, I had this:

It's been floating around our house for a while as I tried to find the right place for it. It recently found a permanent place in our front entry. (*which really just means that it will stay there until I get bitten by the re-decorating bug and decide to move it again)

And since my front step got the fall treatment, the front entry got one too:

Our kids are now begging for Halloween decorations but I prefer the natural elements and vibrant colours of fall decor. I'm guessing the tub of spiders and jack-o-lanterns will be pulled out this weekend. *sigh*

Do you decorate your home for fall? Or are you more of a Halloween fan?

Barn Sale - don't miss it!

Remember the barn full of treasures we accidentally discovered? 

When we posted about this trip on our Facebook page, we received a lot of messages from you, asking where the barn is and how you could get in there to do some hunting yourselves! 

Well, you're in luck! We've been in touch with the owner of the barn and she is having another sale next weekend. Here are the details: 

Nectar Antiques Sale

6 kilometres east of Osler, SK

(Take Highway 11 to Osler and follow the signs)

Friday, October 19th 4-7 p.m.

Saturday, October 20th 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Trust us, this is one sale you don't want to miss! Mary (the owner) told us she has added a couple truckloads of goods since we last visited, so you can be sure we will be there too. Hope to see you there!

~Anna, Jade & Terra~

Lamp Shade or Laundry?

Be productive, that was what I was going to do with this day.  The list was made and I was going to make my way through it.  Both my girls were in school so there was no reason not to get it all done and done well.   I was focused and everything was running smoothly until it was time to pick up the mail.   The post office is located right next door to our local thrift store, I like to do a regular "pop" in, because you just never know what you might miss.

                                                      Like this beauty on solid poster board...

I digress.  This lampshade had caught my eye on my past visits and I just couldn't decide if I liked it  or hated it?  It was on sale for $1.00 so my decision was made.

Terra had painted a brass lamp similar to this one during a past project and I have to admit it turned out far better than I ever imagined.  With a few new colors of Liquitex waiting for me at home I decided to pick up this lamp and that is where my productivity came to a screeching halt! 

A couple coats of Liquitex Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue 1, the "old" lampshade in the trash and the "new" one screwed on and I was done!  

 I'm glad I have such a patient husband who comes home to a messy house and supper not quite ready, but just smiles when he sees the "new" light in the bedroom.  

And just to be clear, Billy Ray did not come home with me!  Trash or treasure??  Guess that is a personal opinion.

~A~

Grey Dresser Re-New

 Remember way back when I mentioned that I had picked up another dresser buffet?

 

I originally had picked it up for Jade. After it spent a bit of time in my garage, and we 'bonded' a bit, I just couldn't part with her. I had another dresser that I had a plan for, that I ended up swapping Jade for in return for this one.

 

I FINALLY got around to doing something with it.

 

 

Original Condition:

Well worn

Painted white

Paint was peeling and chipping

Original Hardware

 

 

I gave it an all over good sanding. Not to remove the paint,

but so that the new finish would adhere.

This is after one coat of spray primer.

 

I honestly need to buy shares in Liquitex!

 

Color of the day: Liquitex in Neutral Grey 7

2 coats in 2 days. The entire dresser took 2 cans of paint.

I vow to never roll or brush paint a piece of furniture again!

 

 

After the Liquitex. I took the palm sander to it. I distressed it to my liking. The beautiful thing about it being painted white by the last owner, is that it added another color to the depth of my distressing. When I sanded the edges, now I had hues of the original wood and the creamy white paint accenting the new grey color.

 

It still needed a bit more definition. I took my gel stain in a medium walnut and did a "tea-staining" technique. I rubbed it all over the dresser, making sure to get it in all the grooves and on the fresh sanded areas. I had a wet rag at hand to wipe the excess off. I played around with it for a bit and came up with a piece that looked nicely aged.

2 coats of spray on clear polyurethane and the original hardware ...

 

 Love her!

 

 

 

 

 

~T~

TGIF! Front Entry Post 3

Thank Goodness It's Fall! 

It really is my favourite season of all. 

Fall means I get to drive through corridors of vibrantly-coloured trees on my way to work. 
It means the air feels crisp and clean. 
It means rosy cheeks and pink noses. 
It means big cozy sweaters and boots. 

To me, fall is welcoming. Which is why it makes sense to bring fall to my doorstep!

 
 This year, I tried my best to decorate our doorstep on the cheap:

The frame on the door is from an old mirror. Gold plastic frame + spray paint {from my stash} = front door statement piece!

The garland was made with a few craft supplies {already on hand} and some foam pumpkins from the dollar store.

The pinecones were a free 'bonus' from a trip I made last week to an acreage full of vintage goodies, and I spruced them up with a little craft paint.

Everything else was stolen from around the house or garage. 

I love the colour, the imperfection and the price. 

Welcome Fall, we're ready for you!

~J~ 

A sad update: After a mad morning rush to snatch up some spray paint (sale!), I came home to find this on my doorstep: 
  

Front Entry Post 2

Welcome to Fall!

Welcome to our home!

Recognize that old copper boiler? Scored that at Creekside Interiors in Delisle last month. 

Those weeds? All from the ditch when Anna and I were out last week.

Teal chair and some yellow fall mums, just about to bloom in an old Canadian Butter Box.

Had enough to fill 3 urns around the house.

~T~

Front Entry Post 1

This week the girls' and I are going to share how we are welcoming fall at our front door.  I'll start....

My inspiration came from the fall wreath I purchased at one of my favorite hangouts, Homesense.  I decided to dig out an old black urn that I thought had lived a full life at my house, and re-newed it with a coat of spray paint.   I used Liquitex paint in Cadmium Yellow for this project.  Liquitex is the cadillac of spray paints so to speak.  It is a little pricier than the Krylon brand, but so worth it.  One or two coats is all you ever need with this paint, and the choice of colors is amazing.  After the paint dried I distressed the urn by roughing it up with a little sandpaper.

 Terra and I decided to head out into the country and find ourselves some fall foliage.   We hit the "jackpot" of what I call "water weed", but I can't be sure of it's technical name.  Regardless, it was bountiful and beautiful!   We shared the wealth and dropped a bundle off at Jade's, and called it a good night. 

So weeds, paint, a few pumpkins and I'm done!   

 Door mat found at a the lovely SAS Home and Floral Boutique.

Before

After

                                                                                            ~A~