Divine Distress!
So a couple of weekends ago the family & I went garage sale-ing…
I’ve never been a big garage sale or thrift store person before I started this little here blog…
I’ve always been embarrassed. Embarrassed to go up to someones stuff and dig around…
But I’m getting over that. Slowly. Or maybe quickly depending on who you ask!
I couldn’t believe the stuff we came home with, and spent under $30 total!
We found:
– the main subject of this post
– a lamp for the baby room (spotless and lovely)
– 30 practically brand new Scholastic books for the kids (for $3, oh ya baby!)
– an old kerosene lantern, that I don’t intend to use for anything except decoration (but apparently in the event of the apocalypse, it will work)
– 10 pet shops
– and about 20 hot wheels
All under $30. Works for me.
So back to the main reason for this post!
At a sale a couple of houses down, I spotted this little end table off to the side.
Looking lonely and very very sad.
But I could see the potential.
It’s white. I love white.
It’s distressed. I love distressed.
It’s old.
It has a farm house vibe.
It’s love at first sight.
I asked how much. At first the guy said $2? I said what?! The wife heard, and said how about $10? Nice. Oh well.
It cost me $10. And the money went to charity. Win-win.
My goal for this table was not to restore it to a brand-new vision of beauty.
Oh no, people pay good money for distressed lovelies such as these.
I wanted to keep it distressed and protected under a thick layer of varathane.
Sure the paint was peeling off, but I knew I could save it.
I had a vision, and it wasn’t going to take much to get there.
Here’s what I did:
The table was very distressed, but somehow the legs stood the test of time. They barely had a scratch on them. They looked like a fabulous pair of high heel shoes with a garbage bag dress. I had to fix that.
Nothing a little sandpaper couldn’t fix.
So before I painted the table, I scraped off the big chunks of peeling paint, then carefully sanded it down to smooth out the surfaces. Then using sandpaper, I went at the legs so they looked as distressed as the rest of the table.
Enter spray paint. My friend.
I was going to just paint it using a brush, but the helpful staff at our local big box home store, suggested that I spray on the varathane instead. Using a spray would prevent a paint brush from smearing around paint chips and stuff. Smart. Yes.
So after all that was said and done, here it is! I know it doesn’t seem to look much different, but that was the whole point. I wanted to keep the charm, but seal it under shellac so-to-speak.
Voila! I love the sheen. I love the beaten down look. I love this table.
She’s got great legs, no?!
Pretty. Pretty. Pretty.
Thanks for reading!
Lovely Linking:
Centsational Girl, Thrifty Decor Chick, Funky Junk, Miss Mustard Seed, Not Just a Housewife
What a great find and you did a nice job preserving the distress. When I began to go to Estate Sales, I would feel weird too about going through people’s stuff, and sad about the stuff people collect through their lives.
pretty indeed!
Way to go on your thrifting find!! This is my FAVORITE look. My house filling up fast with distressed furniture. The table turned out beautiful
Beauty!
What a great find! Love what you did. Where do you plan to use it?
nice! my post today is on my garage sale find as well! charming table – luv it!
http://beachhouseinthecity.blogspot.com
It’s so charming. I love it!
I love it! I just want to sit down for a picnic lunch at it!
What a find! Great idea about spraying a laquer on!
I LOVE this look!!!! I wish everything could be old, white, and distressed like this – I can’t have enough of it. Great find!!!
Star Hughes Living
What fabulous idea! I am not sure why I haven’t seen more people think of this. Thanks for having a fun site to peak at everyday!
–Words When Neccessary
I agree that there is a… uncomfortable feeling when digging through someone else’s belongings in their driveway. I actually feel worse when I don’t buy anything, like I’ve hurt their feelings by rejecting their taste. My husband, Bird, and I went to an estate sale, late last year in his grandmother’s neighborhood. Now that was weird… We wondered, “Did she die? Why aren’t her adult children coming to get their childhood belongings?” Heaps of questions and introspection.
On a happier note: i LOVE what you did with that table!
It’s fabulous. I love that you left it all chippy and fun. What a steal.
I just love its chippiness that you left behind. Nicely done!
I am so jealous of your find! I am itching to go to garage sales and “junk” stores as my sister and I call them. I always hope for finds like these! It looks great!
I love it when people see the potential in something weathered and worn! I have shutters that are like that too and I’m debating whether I want to give them the high polished treatment or let them show their age. You’ve inspired me!
This would be perfect for my Simply Creative linky party. Would you consider linking up?
Angela
http://365days2simplicity.blogspot.com/2011/06/in-celebration-of-almost-hitting-100.html
I LOVE IT!!
Embarrassed, that is so funny! Gurl, I dumpster dive when they are tearing down old houses!! That’s how I got a lot of my door knobs and doors!!
And the wife, wow, that was RUDE!! But I’m glad you still got the table, it’s perfect!!
BEAUTIFUL!
You just reminded me of a project I have in the garage that I have been waiting for the hubs to be home for. My dresser from my childhood- now I know what I will be doing this weekend.
Great legs for sure!! She is gorgeous! I love that you left her as is… she looks perfect that way!
LOVE IT!!!
I really like your find–too bad the wife piped in;) I think you made the right choice in finishing off. It looks great! Thanks for sharing! I’m your newest follower. Hope you can visit me sometime.
Oh it really is a wonderful find! Great thinking on the part of the guys at HD too! It’s the perfect way to preserve a perfectly chippy finish!
I appreciate that you kept this as close to “as found” condition as possible. It’s lovely!
You did very well with your purchase and subsequently with your “making it yours” I too feel weird going through stuff, but I’m thinking “soon someone will be going through my stuff, I sure hope they like it”.
I have just recently gotten excited about going to yard sales. I was embarrassed too about walking up to someone’s house. I really like the table. It looks great!
oooh I love it!! Love the chippy paint!
SWOON!! This table is perfection!! Love it!!
This is so beautiful! I love how you kept it as and didn’t try to restore it.
It is so pretty, what a truly wonderful find for $10 – lucky lucky girl you are! Love the sweet farm style apron and pretty turned table legs. Thx for sharing 🙂
I love the table! $2 would have been awesome, but $10’s not bad.
I love it too! You’ve done a great job.
Really nice job 🙂 Your hard work paid off big time….good thing you were able to see pass what everyone else was looking at. You have a real gem of a table.
What a pretty table. Love old, chippy painted pieces. You did well!
Dropping by from Met Monday. I hope you’ll come see the safari nursery.
Allison
Atticmag
Its just like i said, lol, u gotta know when NOT to paint, and u certainly do! Visiting from the blog party at debbiedoos…….ur newest follower, Bonnie
Love love love this!! Chippy paint is a favorite of mine too~ love your table~ Following you along 🙂
BRAVO- really and truly well done!
LOVE finds like that. Congrats!
Bravo!!! Standing O for you! I would have wanted to do the same thing, but wouldn’t have ever known about spray varathan! A revelation. Thanks for sharing!
I am in love with this table!!
I hope you will drop by my blog to see my great thrift store find this past week!!
I am your newest follower!!! 🙂
~~~rhonda~~~
Love it, and the gloss on the top totally seals and finishes the look. Great job. winks-jen
Whoa – she is a beauty, JoAnna!!! Such distressed perfection! I’m so glad that you didn’t try to perfect her at all… 🙂
xoxo laurie
Its a pretty table, love the colour and its distressed-vintage kind of vibe. Good decision to preserve the look.
@Bug and Bird Bug, I feel the same way about walking away from a yard sale and not buying anything…”AKWARD”.
Love the table in all its chippiness! Thanks for sharing how to preserve the patina.
Very pretty!
Dee
Your new follower
What a great find! She looks beautiful!
I wish I could find such a perfectly distressed piece. What a great find!
what an awesome find! I love this–and also would love it if you would share this at my linky party!
fabulous it looks great.
Caroline
It did turn out perfect. Thank you for the tip. Have a great Sunday
Rita mammabellarte
Love this table!!!! It’s perfect!! And for $10… that’s a steal :)) So awesome!!!
LOVE FROM TEXAS!!
~~Michella~~
http://www.michellamarie.com
What a steal even at $10. I’m so jealous.
LOVE it! I love everything about it! I would like a table like this but dining room table size!
Love the table..distressing is great!
I TOTALLY feel ya on being embarassed about thrifting and garage saleing! I force myself to visit every thrift store in our tiny town once a week after dropping the kiddo off at daycare. So, I’m slowly getting more comfortable with it.
I love the table. Great find!
very pretty and you should have stuck with the $2. 🙂 lol
Cheryl
http://www.paintedstudio.blogspot.com
Pretty indeed! What a sweet piece! WANT.
Donna
very pretty. I want this table for my kitchen remodel.