*Holly Paint* - Secretary Desk

So I have had this desk had been sitting in my garage for almost 2 years. 

My Aunt rescued it from her neighbor when she put it on the side of the road for the garbage man to haul away.  I was dreading painting it because of all of the cubby holes but one day I pulled it out and tackled it!  Actually it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  Though I am glad I waited to paint it because I have learned a lot over the years which made this project easier than I thought.

I started by sanding and priming the desk. 

 I then used a dark teal spray paint on the cubby holes to add a pop of color.  The body of the desk is painted antique white, lightly distressed and waxed for protection.

 I found these bronze and diamond handles at Hobby Lobby and thought they would be perfect to finish off the desk. I used small glass-like knobs for the smaller drawers.

*Holly Paint* -French Provincial Dresser and Nightstand

I found this dresser at a garage sale last summer and finally got around to painting it last month.

I went with a light turquoise with a white top. It is almost the same as this set that I did awhile ago. It seemed to be really popular so I thought I would give it another try!.

 Right before I painted the dresser I found this nightstand on the side of the road. It is almost a perfect match. 

So I decided to paint it to match the dresser and sale it as a set.

Not bad for a mix & match! 

*Holly Paint* - Masculine Dresser

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Here's a nice 1980's dresser transformation for ya!  Don't you just love the gold handles and the seashells.  Apparently I did back in 1986 because this was apart of a set that my parents bought for my sister and me...I think it was from Sears.  I remember thinking we were so lucky to have this dresser set!!  

Well...this dresser was being used by my brother until a few months ago.  I don't think it really looks like a bachelor so I gave him my old Ikea dresser and I took this one back.  It was screaming for a makeover.  It went from 1980's girly to 2013 Masculine/Rustic.

We (I mean my husband) pulled off the laminate top and replaced it with a pine so I could use a black stain on the top.  He then cut 1/4" plywood to be used to cover the fronts of the drawers - hiding the shell design.

I taped off a small rectangle around the edge of the drawer fronts and painted it white and then stained with a black stain.  Then we glued the fronts on and added upholstery tacks to the corners as an extra detail.

 The handles are old leather belts that I picked up at a thrift store.  I screwed them on with large silver screws.

The drawers are lined with pages from a dictionary.

I can't wait until my mom/dad and sister see this I'm pretty sure they wouldn't know it was the same dresser!

*Holly Paint* Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint

My good friend was handed-down this Martha Washington Sewing Cabinet from her friend.  Lucky Girl!

She asked me to give it a makeover and said I could do as I please.  

That always makes me nervous. 

 And, of course, I had to try a new product. 

 Which makes me even more nervous.  

Why do I do this to myself??!!   

I wanted the piece to look like it had been painted for years and pulled out of  Grandma's Sewing Room.

So enter...Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint....

that should get the job done.

 And did it ever...

 

Just look at the fabulous chippy, crackle finish.

So here are my thoughts on Milk Paint...

1.  This paint is unpredictable on how it will cover.  Chippy here, crackely there, full coverage in other spots.

2.  It is oh the expensive side so make sure you know what you are doing.

3. I will definitely be using it again!  

"Hey Girl"

I've been cracking up at these "Hey Girl" pictures for quite awhile now...funny stuff. 

 But if you want some real-life "Hey Girl's" go over and check out this Link Party at Bliss Ranch. 

 It's quite funny and entertaining!

 

And in honor of Valentines Day...here are a few "Hey Girl's" of my own!

*Holly Paint* -Old Teacher Desk

 My friend text me one day and said she had found an old teacher desk that she wanted me to paint for her.  I always get excited when she calls me with a painting job...she has great taste and a fun style. I did this Chevron Hutch for her awhile back.

 She sent me a couple inspiration photos and I went to work on the piece. 

Here are a few pictures of the final desk.  What a great desk for a her workspace!

I bought these knobs at Hobby Lobby...I've heard there is a new on coming to the Arden area and I'm sooooo excited.  It will be so much closer for me but I'll also probably be spending more $$.

It took me awhile to tape off the lines for the desk top design.  I actually had to do this part twice since I was not being careful and didn't seal the tape with a base coat of white first.  The green bled through the tape and it was a mess!  So out came the stripper (not an actual male stripper but a Paint Stripper product!) and I re-did the whole top.  Oh, the lessons I learn! 

And, of course, a before picture of the desk.  She's looking pretty sad...

*Holly Happy*

It is fun to see my License Plate Dresser on some of my favorite blogs this past couple of weeks.

 It has been featured on

 Elizabeth and Co., Primitive and Proper and Better After. 

Totally exciting... 

*Holly Sew*

I usually try to take the month of December off from painting because it is too cold + I just want to enjoy Christmas. 

Though I'm working on a custom desk for a friend right now and I will post pic next week.

But that doesn't mean I haven't done anything creative!  I finished these quilts for my nieces a couple weeks ago and am getting ready to mail them off.    

I have made quilts for all SIX of my sisters kid.

They usually get them for their 1st Christmas...

but I have fallen behind a couple times-this year included!! 

If you want to check out a couple boy quilts that I did for my nephews go check out the post here.

Just as I start to think that I have run out of ideas for their quilts I find cute fabric and get inspired. 

The first one is for Miss Faith! 

I embroidered my her name on the little flag banner.

I wanted to do something different instead of regular binding so I went with a pom-pom trim.  It took a lot of pinning but was worth the effort.  I like the fun detail on the edge.

I used bias tape for the balloon ribbons.

 The inspiration fabric.

The next quilt for Miss Ruie incorporates two of my favorite things...birds and bunting!!

I made the birdcage with bias tape and a little rick-rack trim. Of courser her name had to be embroidered on the quilt (they have 6 kids-it's the only way to keep it all straight!!)

An up close picture of the the bias tape birdcage.

The inspiration fabric.