Old Chest, New Chest

It was a wonderful weekend the weather was beautiful so a friend and I headed up to Rocky Mount about an hour and a half from home to estate sale on Saturday. We found a few good things which I will show you later, but today I wanted to share a redo of a chest my brother built and gave me about 37 years ago. It was originally used for a toy box. He made it for me because as a teen I had always wanted a hope chest but never was fortunate enough to have one. so being a great brother he made one for me after I got married.

Here is a pic of the chest after two children and five grandchildren using it as a toy box.

Still beautiful but a little beat up.. stickers had been put on top, many scrapes and dents.

After the first coat of Annie Sloan White, I decided on a stencil to add a bit of character. Can you see the old handles below on the right?

 

I decided to take the stencil to another level and make it somewhat dimensional with plastic wood. Not the best choice in products to make a stencil stand out. I will be looking into other products if I ever try this again.

Remember I said I decided on another handle for the side? Here is the before. Of course I had started painting on them.

 

 

 

Nope these wouldn't work but maybe these would ..


I picked these babies up right after our estate sale trip. Of course we needed to stop by Hobby Lobby!

I love them!


Next deciding on a fabric. I decided the ticking would be more suited for my project.

 

I added a layer of foam and batting. Once the fabric was on I put a strip of trim around the edge.

Another pic of before:

After:

Have a great week!



                              Beverly

Don't want an "Old Lady House".

Hey blog friends! I am still trying to hang on with this blogging and my new full time job. Whew! Half way there to getting to work from home... whooo hooo! There are 101 reasons to be a blogger but I think following you guys is the #1 reason. I learn soooo much. Such wonderful decorators out there. 
I really do study on what you guys are doing. Why? One reason is your homes are so beautiful. Two, now that I am quickly approaching my late 50's.. yep past the half way mark... I really don't want the house to turn into an "old persons home" as my kids used to say when they were young.. I don't know exactly what that emcompasses, I just know I don't want mine to be one.. Lol. So slowly, I am changing out some things and adding some new things. 
I found this beauty while on vacation in Hendersonville, NC. Funny out of everything I could have bought in the lovely mountains of N.C., I chose a cow! Looking around in Blogville, I am not alone in move love of the bovine. I paid a whooping $7.00 for her.

When I excitedly showed her to my Mom, her comment was, "it's a cow". I guess you are a cow lover or you are not, huh?

I think she a beauty. Of course, hubs was on board because it was a cheap puchase. 

Somewhere along the way she lost her mate. Looks like she was part of bookends.

  Moving on.. I have admired the wall clocks at Ballard Design for a while now but the prices were steep for me for a trendy item. But low and behold yesterday at .... yep you guessed it, Home Goods, one clock made to order for 30 whole bucks! Sure beats that price tag of $119.00 - $229.00.

Before

After.

   Another change, kind of a trickle effect. Move of the bunnies meant moving another picture. Yea, hubs was sure I couldn't make room  for the new clock. I bought this painting from a lady in the early 80's that painted reproductions for $50 a piece .. I have loved it every since. 

Before

After

Better, huh?

And, you know what? I said my walls weren't really this yellow in person but, they are sort a buttercream and we are sooo tired of this color. I would love some suggestions for a good neutral light wall color.. I am going to tone things down in here.. I love my green cutains but I have had them for over 11 years now. Got to go. 

Last thing,

Now I know I am no decorator, but wasn't this change a little obvious? I don't think I would have ever thought about it if sweet Marti over at A Stroll Thru Life had not done a blog on changing out spec house fixtures. Where in the world was I at? After having custom cabinets and granite put in I didn't think of the lighting? It has been like this for a little over a year. For Pete's sake. 

I was headed quick to an "old lady house". 

What the world?

Don't you love that scripture?

After

HOLD UP. Is that a gold doorknob?! Geeze.

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