Lighten Up!

I love dark, espresso colored wood.  BUT, I am sick of dusting it and then it looking dusty 2 hours later (children eating on it does not help!).   I decided I needed to lighten things up.  The nesting tables I have had for 17 years, bought them at KMart--they have been natural, black and brown.  First I painted them cream and antiqued them, but they looked too country for my taste (I forgot pictures of that stage).  I decided to sell the cream nesting tables, the details on the legs are not the look I want anymore and I figured I had gotten my 17 years of use out of them and was able to sell them for more than I had originally paid.

I kept the coffee table--purchased from a thrift store a few years back for $7.50.  I also bought this little upholstered bench for $4 at the thrift store.  This was the original tapestry on it and there was about an inch of dirt under the horsehair padding.  This piece is quite old, straight screws and upholstery a hint.

The coffee table got a coat of a tan, coffee with cream colored paint.  As I started to sand a little bit of the tan off , it came off in big sheets (I had not sanded first and the stain from the antiquing caused the tan to not stick well--sorry no pictures of this either but it looked like a bunch of college guys had been using it for years).
So I sanded and primed again and painted the beachy stripes like I had on the previous table I showed you.  It looked like a surfboard and a little too modern or something for my taste.

Finally I painted the table and then bench (now a table with the upholstered seat gone and just the wooden bottom) a sea blue with cream on top.  I left the top of the now end table more blue than the rest of it.

I did some sanding, added some oak stain and new knobs and finally achieved a finish and look that I think I can live with that won't show as much dust.

I also purchased a new brown shag rug and love the lighter furniture on it.
Find more fabulous ideas at Funky Junk Interiors and at Between Naps on the Porch!

Under $100 Linky Party!

Another week, another great group of links~thanks!  Let's get to some that you must see if you didn't!
Craftopotamus showed off this great bird seed bag, yes bird seed:

How about this fun domino clock from Emma's Nook and Granny?

I loved this modge podge mantle clock from The Hand Me Down House:

The Hand Me Down House also dressed up some plain canisters:

Urban Whyte's barn door project is right up my alley, the rustic look is fabulous!

Almost free is always a good thing as Vintage Revivals proves with this rustic sign:

And finally Be Colorful's table redo shows the power of paint beautifully:

Thanks--you all make me smile!

Under $100 Linky Guidelines:

1.  Please link to the specific post, not your blog!

2.  Please only post ideas that cost $100 or less--it would be great if you share the cost of your project, but not necessary.

3.  Please include a brief description in link up.

4.  Grab my Under $100 button on the sidebar and include it in your post or a link to Beyond the Picket Fence so people can ind you and more great ideas.

5.  Please check and make sure your link works.  If it doesn't you can delete it and try again :)

6.  Please no direct links to sales sites, i.e. ETSY or just a plain ol' commercial site, we are looking for inexpensive ideas we can recreate, thanks!

Bow-Wow!

My junkin' friend Tina and I always donate something we have made to the Booster Club auction at the high school.  Tina had made an adorable dog bed out of a little cream colored suitcase/trunk (sorry no picture).  I decided to make a  companion piece for the dog food bowls. I started with this old plaid travel suitcase:

Primed it and then added some 2x4's in the bottom for weight.

I forgot some in process pictures but I cut an mdf board to fit inside and cut the holes out for the dog food bowls.  I secured it with a nail gun around the edges.  Painted it all cream, added a vintage doggie picture and a ribbon on the inside edge, stained it, and used lots of coats of clear non-toxic sealer so that it will wipe clean.

Find more great ideas at All Thingz Related!

Beachy Stripes

I have had this little OLD table for awhile, I bought it for $2 at a thrift store, and well, it was the next thing in the garage to work on.  I am not sure if it had been a desk that was cut down and missing a drawer or what.

I painted it a sand base color and then taped off some stripes and painted those in fun beachy colors.

I added pieces of cedar fencing to the sides to cover the hole, each one painted a different color.

I sold it within 24 hours of making it, if I hadn't sold it so quickly I wouldn't have been able to part with it.

Find more great ideas at Funky Junk Interiors!

Under $100 Linky Party!

Thanks for so many fabulous links last week.  You all have been busy which kind of shocks me at this point and time in the summer--I loved seeing what you all have been up to.  Here are a few of the great Under $100 Links from last week:
Love, love, want to copy this mirror wall from Vintage Revivals.  Wait until you see how little she paid for each mirror!

What a great way to keep flip-flops and sand out of the house from Fresh Cut Fabrics:

My daughter would flip for one of these from Mum's Notebook:

We made one of these cute t-shirt bags from Whimsical Creations:

And The Paisley Cupcake showed us a great way to add a pop of color and pattern:

As always I look forward to your links this week.  I visit every link, but don't always have time to comment on every link (especially this summer, although I tried to this week).  Food for thought: I (along with many others) am much more likely to leave a comment if I don't have to type in a word verification and if your blog doesn't have so many extras such as music,etc. that it takes forever to load. I love those things, but boy can they slow down your blog and when I am checking out 100+ links I may get a bit impatient :).  Also, please note a new rule:  No direct links to sales sites, i.e. ETSY or just a plain ol' commercial site, we are looking for inexpensive ideas we can recreate, thanks!

Under $100 Linky Guidelines:

1.  Please link to the specific post, not your blog!

2.  Please only post ideas that cost $100 or less--it would be great if you share the cost of your project, but not necessary.

3.  Please include a brief description in link up.

4.  Grab my Under $100 button on the sidebar and include it in your post or a link to Beyond the Picket Fence so people can ind you and more great ideas.

5.  Please check and make sure your link works.  If it doesn't you can delete it and try again :)

6.  Please no direct links to sales sites, i.e. ETSY or just a plain ol' commercial site, we are looking for inexpensive ideas we can recreate, thanks!

A,B,C

Found these cute alphabet cards in the clearance scrapbook section at Michaels, decoupaged them on a cupboard drawer front that I painted black and added some hooks--sweet and simple.

Find more ideas at Funky Junk Interiors!

Under $100 Linky Party!

Happy Fall--okay, not really, but it feels like it here and there is a chance for snow tonight in the higher elevations.  Oh nooo, I am not ready for summer to go away--that thought does not make me happy.  Checking out all your great links does :)!
12 Crafts Till Christmas showed off an adorable hair accessory holder--easy too!

Domestically Speaking shows off a super scalloped bedroom:

This bench from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia is simply divine:

The Painted Hive shared three different fantastic looks for 1 chair:

And you have to know I love me a good PB knock-off, check out this one from Pregnant With Power Tools:

Dream Home created a Ballard Design knockoff:

Bring the projects and fabulous ideas on, I am ready!

Under $100 Linky Guidelines:

1.  Please link to the specific post, not your blog!

2.  Please only post ideas that cost $100 or less--it would be great if you share the cost of your project, but not necessary.

3.  Please include a brief description in link up.

4.  Grab my Under $100 button on the sidebar and include it in your post or a link to Beyond the Picket Fence so people can ind you and more great ideas.

5.  Please check and make sure your link works.  If it doesn't you can delete it and try again :)

Talking Trash

I was given this trashy trash can/bag holder a few years back from a neighbor.  It was the sort of thing I wasn't overly excited about but said thank you and put it in the garage.

 This year I have a "use the next thing you come to in the garage" philosophy going so this is what was next in the pile.  I painted it a sea color blue/green and added the words for garbage in all kinds of languages, so what might have otherwise been trash, has become literally trash to treasure (well treasure after I sell it).

Find more ideas at Domestically Speaking!

Under $100 Linky Party!

Thank you all for your great links last week and your sweet comments about Erika.  Goodbye was very difficult--I had to physically peel her off of me.  This picture of her hugging my son says it all:

I covet your prayers for Erika!
On to some of the links from last week--
This wreath from Decor Chick has a great shabby style that would be wonderful most anywhere:

Getting tired of your summer clothes?  Jazz up a t-shirt with this copycat idea from A Few of my Favorite Things:

The Frosted Gardner proves that black paint can update anything:

Love this fresh clock idea from The Hand Me Down House:

Dream Home shows us a fun,frilly idea for a closet door:

and Creating a Vintage Life has a great tutorial on recovering a footstool.

Under $100 Linky Guidelines:

1.  Please link to the specific post, not your blog!

2.  Please only post ideas that cost $100 or less--it would be great if you share the cost of your project, but not necessary.

3.  Please include a brief description in link up.

4.  Grab my Under $100 button on the sidebar and include it in your post or a link to Beyond the Picket Fence so people can ind you and more great ideas.

5.  Please check and make sure your link works.  If it doesn't you can delete it and try again :)