Aged French Nesting Tables

If you've ever run into a piece that was already painted...but painted badly and you thought "Ugh. I'd have to strip that first...so I'm not buying it", keep reading.

I ran into these nesting tables at a sale of a woman who used to have an occasional shop. Her prices were great and so was her loot. I was there for 2+ hours.



They have skinny little french legs and they slide under one another so that you can pick up the largest one and the other 2 are attached. Swoon! But...someone had taken a paintbrush to these. There were brush strokes all over the legs. Gold paint peeling from underneath the white. But I refinished them without stripping.

First, I dry brushed white over it all until I couldn't see brush strokes. Then I distressed a bit to have touches of gold peeking through. And then I used my magical Fiddes wax in Jacobean all over to make them look really aged out.







Top table (with leather inlay)


Middle table


And smallest table detail...crusty goodness




And a close up of my roses because they don't last very long!



Almost Friday!

~Allison

Lego Table Seating Solution with Scotch Greener Masking Tape

A few weeks back, I finished this lego/play table. I searched and searched for the perfect child chairs at the perfect price...and came up empty handed. So I took matters into my own hands. I had these criteria for the seats I needed:

-low profile...easy to push/store under the table
-big enough yet small enough; I have boys ranging from 2.5-6.5, so tiny chairs wouldn't work, but neither would adult chairs
-paintable
-cheap

So off I went to Goodwill and happened upon these stools for $8/each. But they were adult size, so, much like the lego table, I had my father-in-law cut the legs down to be child size. Pretty ugly, no? Well, hold tight..that's about to change!



It was about this time that someone from Scotch contacted me about trying out a new painters tape they are selling. It's called Scotch Greener Masking tape...but here's the deal. It's not actually the color green. It's a more environmentally conscious tape!

Have you ever done a project with painters tape and while peeling it all off said "Holy crow...that's a lot of junk I'm throwing away for just one project"? I feel guilty every time I throw a bunch of tape away. But now you don't have to feel as guilty! Check out this from a recent press release about the new tape!

The new tapes are made with 56% renewable resources*, including paper backing made with 30% post consumer recycled content and adhesive made with natural, regenerating latex harvested from rubber trees. The tapes are manufactured using solvent-free and water-based processes. The tape core contains 87% post-consumer recycled fiber and the shipping cartons are made with 100% recycled fiber.

There are 2 different types of tape:

Scotch Greener Masking Tape for Performance Painting
Woodwork, wood cabinets, and trim
5-day removal
Medium-high adhesion

Scotch Greener Masking Tape for Basic Painting
Non-damageable vinyl, carpet, and wood
3-day removal
High adhesion

I used the medium-high adhesion for my project. And I even did an experiment for all of my readers! I used Scotch Blue Painters tape on one stool and the Scotch Greener Masking tape on the other...and performance of the Scotch Greener tape was as good, if not better than the Scotch Blue tape! Let's check out the results!

After sanding off the old varnish on the top, spraying with Rustoleum paint! **disclaimer** I let each boy pick out their own color...within reason











Crisp stripes from the Scotch Greener Tape!



And the stools in use with boy #2





So what do you think of the stools? Part of me still thinks they are ugly, but they are so perfect for kids seating because of the wide seat and solid base. I think I improved them if nothing else :)

Special thanks to Scotch for supplying me with this tape to try. If you'd like to help save the environment by using this tape, it can be found at home improvement stores!

~Allison

**I was not paid to use this product, but was supplied with a sample to test**

Back to Basics

Here is a sweet table that had an aged oak finish...and not in a good way. I sanded it down, painted it white, distressed it and glazed with dark walnut stain. My signature finish.

Before


After










Here is another table with no "before" photo...I love it in person, but it doesn't photograph very well. I got this from my awesome neighbors who said "Hey, we just cleaned out my mom's garage and thought of you!". Seriously awesome! Thanks Jon and Patti!

I sprayed this one in Stone Gray and glazed with Jacobean stain.







And then there's this guy....graduating Kindergarten this week. Where does time go? Excuse my hair. It never behaves.



~Allison