child, you're forgiven: Distressing Furniture

Thank you for all for the positive feedback from the headboard. It was a lot of fun to make! I can now see where jobs could consume people. When I did work, I dreaded it (I was also pregnant). I loved my coworkers and clients, but it wasn't my absolute passion. Now, I can't sleep, because I'm thinking of my next project. This is terrible, because I desperately need sleep.

As I'm leaned against my headboard (at 11:46 at night), I would suggest you put the extra 2x4s on the bottom to make it even with the 2x4 on the top (unless you use the metal french cleat). If you do use the metal one, let me know how it works.

On to my next project.

Since mom bought me this great fabric to make pillows,

I needed to change up our living room. (It's SO MUCH better, let me tell you. It needed a good rug.) I have enjoyed rearranging it. I told Daniel on Saturday night that I really wanted to paint the big, red... thing. I guess it's a ... TV stand? Anyway, it's huge and did not match.

I can't believe I let that rug stay for so long. (This was taken in January)

Rug

Saturday night - Anna and Juju came over! Like look at Big Red in the back. Huge.

Back to my story... my husband looked at me and said, "No." That "No" as in, I know you're already going to do it. Sunday morning, Harper Lee woke up at 7:45. At 8:45, after some good "Johnny Mac" preaching (John McArthur), she was ready for a long nap. I start moving the TV, unload books upon books, DVDs, etc.

Daniel can obviously hear me, but decided to stay in bed. He gets up with her 99.9% of the time and lets me sleep, but I decided I would get up with her (so I could get a head start). Once I finally did all of the hard work, I ask him to help me move it outside. He said, "This is ridiculous." I already thought of my response, because I KNEW he would say that, "I don't think you buying a rent house is ridiculous." HA. He got out of the bed and moved the piece in no time.

So here we go!

PREP:

For a drop-cloth, I used our shower curtain. It was old, and I had already bought a new one ($3 at Wal-mart). At this point, I was feeling really thrifty (and hoped no one pulled in the driveway).

STEP 1:

SAND

Sand pieces that are flaking off. There were only a few on my piece, but they were in the dead center.

STEP 2:

PAINT

I painted the first coat a darker grey (same color used on the outside of our house, like in the garage). Use a brush to get the corners and small spaces. Then use a small roller ($2 at Hudsons) to finish the big pieces. I like the finish of the roller better than the brush. I am not a good painter, by any means.

I painted the second coat a lighter grey. I just mixed white in with the darker grey.

I didn't have a paint tray, so I used a lunchbox. Where I come up with these things? I don't know. Daniel's reaction when using the lunchbox, "........go ahead." as he was shaking his head. Also, notice the wooden spoon I used as a paint mixer. He had the same response when I grabbed that, too.

STEP 3:

DRY

sleepyheads. HLS hates a flash, can you tell?

Let the 2nd coat dry for awhile. You're about to sand this baby.

STEP 4:

SAND

Sand very liberally. I learned from Kelli! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!! My stepdad let me borrow his sander, so I turned it up as high as it would go and got after it. You can't do it on a slower speed. It will make circular designs... just turn it up. Sand all of the edges... and everywhere you think! I sanded the front of my piece and it looked like it fell and got a bo-bo. Terrible. I just rolled over it in a lighter grey.

STEP 5:

ANTIQUE

Hobby Lobby - Rub 'n Buff

Best purchase. This little tube is probably $15, but will last a long time. We used it on my coffee table, side table and dresser in my bedroom. It's great! I've kept it in the console of my car, just in case. I put a little on my finger and went along some edges. I tried to cover as much of the red up as possible.

STEP 6:

POLYCRYLIC

I bought the semi-gloss

Just brush it on, wait an hour and DONE. DONE. DONE. I left mine outside overnight. The smell was too strong for me to bring inside.

STEP 7:

ENJOY.

How simple was that? Now we have a TV stand/bookshelf that isn't screaming at you. It matches our living room perfectly. I'm still hunting for a good chair to put in here. Hmmm... the Salvation Army IS having a huge furniture sale this Saturday. Too bad I just spent $40 at JoAnn's fabric store for my next project! I never impulse buy like that (anymore). What has gotten in to me???