a classic

This one is like an oldie but a goodie.  Very classic.

It didn't start that way, though.  You may remember the story from last fall.  I don't watch TV, but from what I hear, the seller of this dresser would be a perfect fit for the show Hoarders.  It was un.believe.able.  I've really never seen anything like it.  We had to move pieces of furniture, clothing, and just *junk* just to get a look at the piece we had come to see.  

I literally got out the shop vac before I even brought this thing into the garage.  I had serious reservations about putting it in my car, but for the $15, I couldn't let it go.  This thing is over 74" wide… HUGE.

Here it is...

I used it as a paint stand for a while, and it got all junky.  Then I broke my arm.  So it's been quite neglected.

But it finally got a nice fresh coat of color-matched Heirloom White in Behr premium paint.  Like I said, an oldie but a goodie.

My sweet husband added some of my favorite rustic iron pulls (from Lowe's) and knobs from HL.

And there you have it!

I never got a staged picture because I listed it… and it sold that day.  Oh well!

I'll go on the record as saying… this may be my very last post ever in which I don't talk about Chalk Paint.  Oh my word, I'm in love.  I'm on my third piece with it already & can't wait to share, but I'm waiting on the waxes to come (don't think I haven't been tracking their progress via UPS!)

thanks for visiting!

kathie

ps… someone help.  my kitten will only drink water from a fresh running source.  I thought it was cute at first.  now ~ not so much.  anytime you turn on a faucet, he comes galloping through the house for a sip. ???

funky desk

I rescued this desk from the goodwill the other day.  She had good bones and was a great price, so I couldn't pass her up!

The hardware was permanently attached & very odd.  My husband finally got it all off.  It appears that someone attempted to strip it at some point, but they weren't really successful.  Luckily for me, though, all it needed was a light sand before I painted.

Primed & ready to go.

And, done!

 I left the underside white for contrast ~ it was an accident at first, but I loved the way it looked, so I kept it :)

 The knobs are from Cost Plus World Market.  Did you even know they sell hardware?  Well, they do, and they have some really fun stuff!

 Gorgeous legs.

I painted with a gray oops paint but the color is showing up more blue in the pictures.  I lightly glazed it, then made the decision to go with chalkboard paint on the top.  I think that adds to the fun ~ factor.

I wish I had some better pictures of the finished piece, but it sold before I realized they were all close-ups.  Oh well, that is a good problem to have!

Thanks for coming by!
Kathie

back in the game

WOW, it has been a while!  As I got ready to write this post, I noticed something that I found significant.  This is my 100th post here at A Few Good Pieces!  Good timing for my re-entry into normal life with both of my arms functioning.

Soooo… I got my cast off about 3 weeks ago and am slowly but surely getting back my strength & full range of motion.  I was in the cast for 14 weeks.  Felt like an eternity.

But this past weekend, something clicked on the furniture side of my brain, and I got hopping :)

You may remember this piece.  Actually, you probably don't, since you last saw it in NOVEMBER.  Yes, Doug built this for me in November, right before that fateful slip in the shower that put me out of commission.  As you can imagine, it was practically taunting me as it sat in the basement unpainted all this time.

So I've searched my files for a 'before' shot because I know I have one.  But all I can find are about 9 billion pictures of our kitten & another 7 gazillion or so of our spring break trip to disney.

So, you'll have to trust me that this was once a headboard.  And now, it is a bench.

I love it very much and am very happy that it is my first piece with my newly renovated arm!  (or should I say 'updated' arm, since nothing was replaced??)

I'm currently working on this:

And I also got a box in the mail today full of CHALK PAINT.  Oh my.  If you're a furniture nut like me, you know what I'm talking about.  And if not, we are not talking about chalk BOARD paint.  Oh, no.  This is a whole new phenomenon.  So I'll let you know how it goes.

Our Disney trip was perfection ~ we were randomly chosen as the 'opening family' at the Magic Kindgom and got a fabulous tour of the park before it opened, got to help the mayor count down to opening with Mickey & the gang, etc.  My boys were enchanted.  We loved all 4 parks and will certainly go back one day.

Our tour guide made us take a billion pictures, she kept saying "you will never see this park without any people in it, ever, again".  She is probably right!

Happy Boys!

We ate at the Whispering Canyon a couple of times ~ as my husband said, FINALLY a place that gets how much diet coke I need to start my day :)  This jar probably held 40 oz.

We rode Expedition Everest about 7 times.  I thought we'd never get the kids out of there.

Finally, I'll leave you with this.

Spring has sprung here in Atlanta, and the proof is in a bush in our front yard.  Four eggs!!  We are so excited.  Aren't they gorgeous?  I took these with my iphone, which I stuck in the bush.  We're keeping tabs on the nest but mamma bird sure isn't happy about it!

And our kitten?

Not so much a kitten anymore :(  He is 5 months old.

I've missed the creative outlet of A Few Good Pieces and am so glad to be back!!  If you've got a furniture blog, rest assured I've been stalking it.  I've not been commenting, as it was very difficult to type one-handed with my non-dominant hand (trust me on this one.  it's not fun!)  But I love what I've seen and have missed you all!

happy spring!

love kathie

linking to:
Primitive & Proper's Piece of Work Wednesday
Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

My repurposed Life's Catch as Catch Can

Hooking Up with House of Hepworths

Blue Cricket Design's Show & Tell Wednesday

Domestically Speaking's Power of Paint Party

catching up!

Hi friends!!

It has been way too long since I've spent time here at A Few Good Pieces!  If you know me in 'real' life, you know why… because I am STILL in a cast.

I've graduated from the over-the-elbow-torture-contraption to a slightly less restrictive fiberglass cast that extends through my thumb/forefinger to my elbow.  The good news is that I got my elbow back!  It is amazing what you can do with an elbow!!

Here is my lovely new cast :)

The bad news is that the break isn't healing properly.  The orthopedist said "sometimes these things happen".  Hmmmm.  So I'm in a holding pattern for about two more weeks.  At my next check-up & xray, if the break isn't healed, I'll be heading for surgery to have a plate put in my arm.

This has been a humbling experience, friends.  For the first few weeks, there were very few things I could do myself.  As the pain subsided I was able to do more, but even today I'm fairly dependent on my friends & family to help me out.  For example, I can't open a pill bottle (at all) or turn a doorknob with my right hand.  I have to start the car & shift the gear with my left hand.  I can't pick up anything even remotely heavy, since my left hand (although stronger now than it was!) just isn't as strong as my right.  It is mostly silly stuff, really, so I am especially grateful for the huge blessing all of my angel/helpers have been to me!!

I haven't been totally lazy on my hiatus.  When we had our epic snowstorm & the kids were out of school for a week here in Atlanta (bliss!) I got a little stir crazy and started sewing paper garlands.   Valentine's paper garlands.  You know, only about 80 feet or so of them :)  They're adorable & I was handing them out to our teachers at school, friends at church and anyone else unlucky enough to run into me in the next few days!

I (or rather, my sister & the kids!) used my paper punch to cut out the circles of valentines-ish paper and then stitched them together with a zigzag stitch.  Super cute & super easy!

A few snowstorm pictures, just for fun…

Next up, I had a request to make a sign for my children's school for the 'lost & found' area.  So I made this… it is about 2' long & 5' wide.  Our school has a woodsy feel & it looks great (I'll have to take a picture of it hanging!)  And in case you're wondering, that is my iron cord.  When your arm is broken, you don't worry about things like staging pictures.

I used navy fleece for the background & fabric (with heat n bond) for the letters that I cut with my cricut.  So fun to be creative in some way!!

I've also put in tons of hours with my friends Kirsten & Juliette working on my younger child's class project for our school auction.  It is a birdhouse condo set up, and it turned out to be quite adorable if I do say so myself!

These aren't the best pictures of it, but we were working in the laundry room due to the snow outside!  The kids worked so hard & did every bit of work except for the trim on the roof lines.  They painted the roof tiles, painted the homes, painted & smashed the tiles for the base, did the bottlecap art for the flowers, cut the tin leaves for their flowers, and designed their butterflies & dragonflies!!  It was a LOT of work & we probably wore out our welcome in the classroom, but it was FUN & I am so tickled with the final product!

Why are the pictures so crummy, you ask?  Because my DSLR doesn't have a live-view (I have to use the view finder) and I cannot get the camera close enough to my face to use the view finder… even with the short cast!  Big bummer.

Remember this guy?  He was about 7 ounces when we adopted him…

Check him out now, he's over 3lbs!  And our big fat calico cat is the best mommy to him ~ he is one lucky kitten.

I think that's all I've got, folks!  I'll be back sooner rather than later, as I should know if I need surgery the week of feb. 7.  Even if I recover without the plate, the orthopedist said it will be March before I can get back to my furniture :(  With surgery it might be April or maybe even early May.  SO sad.

So, this might turn into a craft blog in the meantime… we shall see.

Silver lining = we got the garage cleaned out!  {Sharon, I thought of you getting your garage cleaned out!! You inspired me!} All of my furniture that is waiting to be transformed is sitting neatly in the basement now, and we have two cars in our garage for the first time in over a year.

A MILLION thanks to those of you who have reached out to me, checked on me, etc.  It means the world to me.  Typing is still tedious (I've been working on this post on & off for a few days!) so my responses haven't been lengthy, but please know how much I appreciate you & your friendships!

love kathie