Vintage Bed Re - Do

It's been several weeks since my last post and I've been anxious to finish my project and post it. It's been a rough ride, being that I've been in and out of doctors. One thing gets fixed and another breaks down. What is this? Third age is no joke, it's true that it's not for sissies.

We truck right along and do the best we can, don't we? Well, I had to do something about my vintage thrift store bed and I can finally post some inspiration for anyone that's willing to stop by and see it. If you're reading this, that's you! Welcome!

Since I like the country french look, I decided to re-furbish the bed with that look. At first I was undecided whether to change the design of the vintage bed. Finally, I decided since I'm the one using it, why not have what I really like? So faux french bed it is! I had completed my vanity project and decided to use the same painting method on the bed. I sanded the whole thing down, limed the head and foot boards, painted the edges with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, then dry brushed them lightly with an indigo blue stain.

I usually have a vision in my head of what I already like, but sometimes I use inspiration. These are from my Pinterest board of Bedrooms and Good Ideas.

The curved sides are the same as on my bed.

Love the ticking cushion...

I liked the appliques on this one

This is also lovely  

I like this wall color for the back wall...a pale blue will also work for just one wall.

I'd like throw pillows, curtains and bench seat in this Blueberry color.

This was my original color, I love this shade of blue, but it's time for change.

Maybe I'll use this shade for the accents, instead of the blueberry.

Dry brushed applique inspiration

I have this exact same canopy stashed in my linen closet. Time to re-use it!

Love this Ralph Lauren look with the lace tablecloth with checks and toile valances.

On my project list, to make a shelf something like this! 

I like this shade of blue for wall also. The chair fabric is lovely for my settee. Oh my! So many choices!

Blue french ticking for extra cushions and curtain lining. I'll fold the side edge of curtain over to show contrasting sides.

Well, that's what I've been working on, among all the other living one has to do. Enjoying every minute! Pain and all! What else can I do?

Anyway, this is what I came up with. My version of a calm retreat.......

The white embroidered bed cover is an antique I bought in a flea market in Paris, France. The lace spread is a thrift store find, the quilt and shams are a Homegoods bargain as are the nightstands. The nightstands were re-painted with Painter's Touch Flat White spray Paint. the lamps and wooden curtain rods (not shown) were spray painted from white to silver.

This is what the bed looked like before. The bench will be on another post.

See post on Limed Vintage Vanity Table 

Appliques from Lowe's and Home Depot, also Online

Limed bed inspiration for paint.

Liming creates a milky greyish look that I like . I didn't sand after applying stain, just paste waxed.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Louis Blue, lightened with white pickling stain.

Used for distressing.

Dry brush with Indigo blue stain.

The curved head and foot boards make it easier to convert to a french look bed.

The Homegoods nightstands are similar to one another but had different shades of white. I spray painted them with Painter's Touch Spray Paint in flat white. I also changed the knobs to have them look the same. The lamps were originally white and I spray painted silver, as well as the wooden curtain rod (not shown).

As I am still tweaking the appliques on the bed and the room in general, I only have pictures of the work done on the bed. The bench, curtains, cushions, etc., will be on other posts. I will post them as I can.

Whew! The projects I outlined on my sidebar are completed! What a relief! I still have the chandelier, bathroom (I have tons of stuff stashed away for the bathroom!), kitchen cabinets, shelves and the other side of the bedroom, which will be a small lounging area. I also will paint the room. I'm working on a wall hanging using left over appliques. I have something special I want to do to one of the walls! So much to do between my conditions! Can't wait! Stay connected!

Adios! Stay healthy and enjoy the rest of the month.........Diddie

Limed Vintage Vanity Table

I've been a very busy bee lately. I must finish all these projects I have pending. I really admire all bloggers out there who keep coming up with one creative project after another. I surely cannot keep up, nor am I trying to. I've just been able to finally devote time to all the projects I should have finished years ago!
Many moons ago I went to the local charity thrift store and pointed out to my sons Edgar and Alex that I'd come back the next day and buy the vanity table I saw. Well, I went to the store the next day and needless to say, IT WAS SOLD! My sons listened to me rant and rave about it all day long. Boy, was I disappointed, I should have known better. Anyway, the next day was my birthday and yes, you guessed it, they gave me the vanity table as a present! The little scoundrels. They pooled their monies together and bought it and had it stored in their Grandma's house to give to me as a surprise. Well, was I ever! If furniture can be loved, I love this little vanity table! I've been saying I'm going to refinish all these years. At the time Alex was in Middle school. He's now married with two children. What do you think, was it time or not?
Well, here it is. I finally finished it and now on to the next project. I really have to hurry up and finish the vintage head and foot boards for my bed. It's been seven years. We shall see. Stay connected, OK?

I wanted to lime the vanity, not just paint it. When liming, the piece has to be sanded down to the bare wood.  I started with 60 grit and ended with 150 for a very smooth wood grain, making sure to sand in the direction of the grain. Liming is also called pickling or whitewashing. It was used hundreds of years ago to protect wood from worms and insects. A lime compound mixed with water was used. It is now used for decorative purposes.

Sanded on right side. A  small area at a time is best.

Sanded.

Apply Whiting. I used Minwax White Wash Pickling Stain. Washed down color can be used as well.

Stain is to be rubbed into wood grain using a circular motion a small area at a time and rubbing off with rag or brush.

Wood can appear different even in the same piece, the stain will also take differently in different areas. It's ok.

I used Annie Sloan Louis blue chalk Paint diluted with the whiting for a lighter shade.  I also used Minwax Color Express Periwinkle Stain ( in a tube) on a very, very dry brush for a little darker distressing. This was on top only.

The ottoman was a thrift store steal at $4.99! Hope to recover in another fabric.The letter sorter is being re-purposed to hold scarves. Designer hobo leather handbags were $5.99 each at the thrift store. Yay!

A basketful of various vintage battenburg lace and crocheted tabletops from Ira's Antiques.....a find at $10.00 for the lot!

I will be changing the knobs to faux glass handles resembling this one. I'm trying to find it in clear blue. I will post it later.

An old letter sorter is being re-purposed to hold handbags, scarves and long necklaces as needed. Yes, that's my name on the navy scarf and yes, it's missing the 1st S .......for Sunday. Oops! It's all good......

A girl can never have too many pretty jewelry holders. Girl!!! What! Are you kidding? I'll be pfft5 tomorrow!!! 

Antique cut glass from Ira's Antique Shop, $4.50 for all the small ones, the large pitcher was under $10.00, a steal!. I use them for brushes, eye pencils, cotton swabs, flowers, potpourri, etc.

Done!

It takes longer to download the photos than to write the post!  Have a great Week!

Aged Print French Mirror

Thanks to all of you who have joined up with me through Linky Followers and the Blog Hop. I'm sure it has kept everyone busy hopping from blog to blog and joining up with other bloggers. It has me. I really like the new Linky. It pops me right into the blog I want. Great fun!

Well, it's that time again for my new project reveal. I'm not going to write much about it, I don't think people really read everything. The pictures tell a story.

I found this mirror in one of the residences I lived in many years ago. The landlord didn't want it, so I took it with me when I moved out. It's been sitting tucked away in hiding, waiting to be loved again. Poor thing. When I first saw it I fell in love and knew it had to go with me wherever I moved to. One side was missing the mirror on it. So many ideas came to mind on what to do with it. I decided to use an old print newspaper to wrap around it.  This is it.

Current French newspapers were aged by dipping them in coffee, with some coffee grinds thrown in to give the paper a gritty look. I air dried it, but it can be placed in the oven for a few seconds to dry.

 First I measured how much I needed, then cut and tested the look by taping to mirror first. I made my own mod podge with half water, half Elmer's glue. Applied the MP to mirror border, then over the newspaper after it's on.

 After drying I used a very, very dry brush of blue over it, working the tips of the brush into the paper for a chippy look. To get rid of newspaper edges I used an exacto knife. I outlined the borders in blue with a dry brush for color.. Modern day newspapers are printed with color in them, I cut out blue and a little red from mine. Inside the borders I painted an outline with a different shade of blue for contrast. Using a Patina kit, I  applied it to the metal corners for an oxidized look. After it was dry, I sprayed it with Painter's Choice Clear Varnish for protection.

A little blue newspaper print works well with my color scheme. There's also a little red on the left side. 

I like the weathered, chippy, aged look of the mirror. I'm not putting it on the wall yet because I have a console table I'm working on to use it with. That's another post, so stay connected!

Have a great week-end everyone! Stay healthy!