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 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!!
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!!!
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!