To re-finish or to not re-finish...

That is the question! I have no idea how or why I stumbled into this. There is something extraordinarily appealing to me about obtaining a used piece of furniture, taking it apart, sanding it, painting it, and putting it back together.

I have already done it once before.... I found this beauty on craigslist for a whopping $25:

A little paint.....a little hardware...a little while later.... (OK, maybe a couple of months later....)

And yes....before you wonder too much....I got the wrong hinges for the doors, and these hinges make the doors separate a little in the middle. I need to go get the correct hinges, but I just haven't yet. This little beauty is my *new* sewing cabinet. I absolutely love the blue, and couldn't have asked for cuter knobs (Thank you Home Depot). Well, since re-finishing this piece I found this website that I absolutely love! She finds the most beautiful pieces and re-finishes them. Then she sells her re-done beauties to homes who are anxious to enjoy them. Her FAQ's are very well done, and honestly they make me feel like I can re-finish anything. Her website made me so excited that I just had to show it to Andy and say, "Can I do something like this?" Now, my husband loves and believes in me to the moon and back....he knows I can do anything I put my mind too, and I don't give up until it's attempted or at least well researched (already learned my lesson to look before leaping). But he's hesitant to give his blessing b/c he doesn't want our garage to look like a used furniture depot...and I don't either. So, like all good married couples, we made a compromise.....I can find and re-finish one piece and after that I'll see how I like it and how I wish to proceed.


It's a VERY good compromise because after looking around I can see how we would end up with 3 dressers that I purchased for $20 sitting in our garage forever.....blocking ample parking and storage space. This motivates me to finish so I can proceed. (Something I'm also doing in fabric purchases.....using fabric I have before buying more).


And motivated I am.


I found this website that is an estate sale company with a liquidation center for things that have yet to find a home. Like the first beauty in this picture...

See it? The darker dresser? It was love at first site. And sometime this week I plan on driving over to their liquidation center and seeing if she's still there. If the price is right, I'm pretty sure she'll be coming home with me. :o)

We'll see.....and after that? Who knows. Only time will tell. But I can tell you the "hunt" is really too much fun...

Valentine Snow Storm

I should be sewing....

But....

we're playing in the snow!

Sending out Valentine love from Georgia!!

The pics I promised...

Here are the pictures I promised yesterday of the minky/cotton blanket I made. I know it doesn't LOOK hard to make, but trust me...it was an adventure!

I LOVE the polka dots!

I chose the soft pink minky to go on the other side, but I was sooo torn on whether the light blue or even white minky would be better. I like the pink, but I really think the others could work too.

My sweetie just had to get her picture with it...I do think it will end up being hers b/c now she's kind of attached to it.

I will do another one....I just have to decide what it will look like! :o)

Sewing "minky" and how it almost killed me...

Well, not literally almost killed me, but yes I felt my frustration rising to that point while sewing it. Somehow I picked up minky material and a cotton and thought, "what a piece of cake to sew up a sweet little blanket. Right?? WRONG! I think I pulled out the seams and tried again 3 or 4 times. So, after I finally figured it out (sorta), and at least got the four sides sewn (kinda) straight, THEN I sought help. I know....I'm backwards like that!

I found this fabulous blog of a lady who happens to also be an Etsian..... you can view her blog HERE. Thankfully she had a wonderful tutorial and I learned the secret of sewing minky fabric.....PINS....and LOTS of them! So, I am ready now to try again and see what happens the second time around. I'll take pics of "the first" tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll sell it in my Etsy shop as "this is my first...I know it's not perfect" or just let my sweet baby girl enjoy it. We'll see!!

Blog Makeover Contest

PinkandPolkadot.blogspot.com is featuring a contest to win a blog makeover from Sweet Fairie Designs



So hurry on over to Pink and Polka Dot to enter to win now!! Hurry...contect ends tonight at midnight (EST)!

Inspired

My wonderful mom sent me some fabric last week. She sent me a few yards of a few different fabrics, and she said, "I thought they were pretty and you could do something with them." She was so right! (And wonderfully sweet for thinking about me when she saw them!) They were pretty and the instant I saw them, projects flew threw my mind! Especially this one that I made into a pillow....

I just looked at that pattern and saw something more. Something more complicated and delicate. So, being inspired by this pattern, I started a project unlike one I had ever done before (sorta).....

When I'm done with it, I'll share with you. But until then, you'll have to live in suspense!! :o)

Sweet Little Shoes!

I can't get enough of them!