Front Stoop Update

I really wanted to update my front stoop from old dirty brass fixtures.  They were looking a little shabby, plus  you can hardly see the gold address numbers against the tan house!  I priced out a new light, a new mailbox and new house numbers and if I got the lowest end stuff, it would cost a minimum of $50.

Well if I'm spending money on it, I would want to get exactly what I want, right??  That would be more like $120.  Boo.  (As in Boo-hoo, not Boo! like my Halloween decor suggests.)

So, instead I bought a can of black semi-gloss spray-paint for $3.50 and got to work.  I could just buy a light later and save some bucks.

I removed the mailbox and house numbers and painted them with two coats of paint.  Once I put them back up, I wasn't satisfied because the light still looked like junk-ola.  I'm not interested in messing around with electricity (although I have installed a ceiling fan before - Bravo).

I removed the lower portion and unscrewed the fixture and placed a plastic bag around it.  Painted that with a couple of coats as well - being very careful to NOT spray my siding!!

Once back together, I thought it looked nice and fresh!  You can definitely see the address numbers now!  What do you think?!

The Aqua Crib

Here is the crib I refinished for my baby son's room this spring.

I honest to goodness got this crib for free on the side of the road.  I almost bought it at a garage sale near my home, but decided to keep looking.  The next day I drove by and they had a bunch of furniture sitting on the side of the road.  I was in such a state of disbelief that I knocked on their door to make sure I could take it! YES!!!

I put it together and made sure that it would be safe and secure for my son and then got to work sanding the wood.  I did it by hand because my palm sander is too big to fit in between the rungs, plus I think my brother "borrowed it" so I may never see it again.

I painted it with Olympia Premium paint that I got from Lowe's.  I used "Caruso" in semi-gloss which I like for furniture. The zero VOC and low odor is NO JOKE!!!  I even used it indoors while I was pregnant and let my 4 and 6 year old sons help!  I could hardly smell any paint odor and that is even with pregnant-lady-super-sense-of-smell.  Perhaps I should mention now that I could accurately sniff out a smoker three cars in front of me on the road??

It took two+ coats and on more than one occasion I wished it had flat rungs.  The detail was a pain in the rear to sand and paint (especially since I had a huge belly at the time), but is my favorite part now that it is finished since it gives the crib so much character.

 Here's where the story gets interesting.  I finished painting the crib and set the blanket I crocheted for my son inside.  I hung the counting bird pictures (from Anthropologie circa 2005) and laid out the green and white rug. That night my water broke - a whole MONTH early!!!  I think he must have sensed that I was ready for him...the crib was in place and his room was lookin' good.  Funny thing is he doesn't even sleep in it yet.  It seems too giant of a space for his tiny little body, so for now he sleeps in his bassinet or his little swing.

Hope this can help inspire your own painting projects!

Letecia

Before and After - Side Table

Well, here is the first post featuring one of my little refab projects.  I love giving old things new life and feeling like a frugalista...

Here is my great find from the local Salvation Army Thrift Store.

At $5.00, I thought it was an awesome project starter- good bones, cheap price!!

I cleaned it up and removed the funky fake wood adhesive tile (we're talking sticky!) that was partially covering the leather inset on the top portion.  This consisted of me chiseling tiny uber-sticky chunks off with a screwdriver.  Probably not the best tool for the job, but we had just moved into our house and unfortunately, my tools were not all accessible. 

Since the leather below was shot, I figured I would re-cover that part.  

I spray painted the table using Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch Semi-Gloss Ivory Bisque.

After a couple of coats it was looking sharp!  I used a black and white toile contact paper (from the Dollar Tree!!) for the top inset.

Project Costs

Table - $5

Paint - $6

Contact Paper - $1

Total project cost: $12.00