Minty Antique Vanity and Matching Bedset

This bedroom set may actually be the best thing Ive ever work on.  Super big call, yes I know- but not only is it absolutely stunning with the gorgeous turned legs, the casters, and the ornate detailing, it is also ridiculously easy-to-please.  If it were anymore agreeable it would be a breakfast television personality.

I can't believe how easily it sanded (evenly) and how well it took the chalkpaint.  Yes, there were some dings, yes there were some nicks, but when you are going for a distressed and rustic finish, hey, these things simply don't matter. In fact, all of those little bits weathering make the piece look authentic. I think she wears them like a badge of honor.  Maybe that is why I love it so much. Perfectly imperfect.

I tossed around a few different colour options for this set, but in the end I went for something 'soft' that could blend into any decor and went for mint-green.

I kept the original hardware but I painted it an off-white to keep a 'soft' look - it did some of that amazing crackling that is so hard to mimic on the faux. Ive tried several different methods, but still I haven't mastered the crazing/crackling effect. I guess the trick is just to paint old hardware and it does it all on its own. Bottle that Martha.

I used Mixwax dark wax straight over the mint chalkpaint.  Mixwax dark wax is so subtle that you can get away without clear wax first.  I also did a medium amount of distressing to keep with a rustic cottage feel.

I did seal the top with polyacrylic before waxing.  Just a personal choice, but I find that polyacrylic and its hard drying finish is a little more durable on well-used surfaces.  I did topcoat the poly with some dark wax though.

This typewriter belongs to my darling mom 'Shazza Dazza'.  I asked to borrow it, and of course she not only said yes, she also sat me down, put the kettle on, and spun the yarn about how her father bought it for her when she had to take 'typing class' in grade 9.  Her teacher would walk around and 'wrap' students on the knuckles when they made mistakes.  I had been laboring under the false assumption that it was something she had bought at a garage sale, so I was really happy to find out that it has a history in our family with stories to tell.  It weighs an absolute tonne and it is beyond awkward to try to type on, I can just imagine ol' Shazza cursing both it and her teacher while gazing lovingly across the  classroom at some local farm boy (yep, she was a farmer - LOTS of stories about that too!)

Ahhhh. Such a little beauty.  If I hadn't just got that gorgeous spindle legged vanity I would be tempted to keep it. 

The hardware, I didn't go for a total coverage - I wanted to keep the rustic vibe.  You can see some of the crazing up the top.

And of course I found a nook for that awesome Eaton's vintage wallpaper.  It looks perfectly at home lining those top drawers!

The Before!

Linking up to:

missmustardseed.com

savvysouthernstyle.net
 

One for the Stag N Doe

What a week.  I have been working painstakingly on a dresser that got quite the overhaul, and some matching nightstands.  It is one of those pieces that turns out to be ten times the amount of work than you expected.  Tomorrow I am buying a nice bottle of bubbly which I will uncork with vigor when it is all done. Not long now. I can see the light.

But lets save that post for another day.  Instead, lets talk about this beauty below.  She is a nice antique piece with a matching mirror.  I decided to donate a piece for Mr. Chuckle's sister's stag n' doe party in lead up to her pending nuptials.  They are raffling off a lot of prizes, and I thought, 'Hey. why not a piece of furniture?'.  So it was with that in mind that I kept my eye out for a nice piece.

I found this one at a steal.  It was at my favorite re-store.  I must have been quick that day, because usually these types of pieces get snapped up quickly.  I was so enthused I walked out without paying.  So literally, a steal.

I did pay on my next visit though, guilty conscience be damned.  It was in rough shape.  Mr. Chuckles and I had to do a lot of sanding and wood filling to bring this lady back to the land of the living. I believe she made a guest appearance on the Walking Dead at some stage in her past.

I love the little key hole details.  They are real locks too.  No keys, sadly. I know a lot of bloggers put knobs on these dressers, which I really like..but Im also a big fan of ring pulls. So I gave them a bit of a buff and left them original.

These pictures are appalling, I know.  I was in a rush.  The camera was cranky.  Dresser wouldn't sit still.  Bad photo session all round.

A bit of the distressing detail. I kept it pretty light all round.  I should also mention that I turned this into a chalk paint using PoP.  I like the patina of chalk paint/wax on these old pieces (I usually use latex acrylic and polyurethane).  I also waxed with MINWAX dark wax.  No clear.  But I find the Minwax dark wax to be subtle compared to most dark waxes, so you dont get that 'staining' in the paint finish.

And below is the before.  Certainly wouldn't stand out in a Miss America Pageant.  But hey, a little bit of make-up, some fancy lighting, and just a bit of well placed Hollywood tape, and whammo, say hello to Angelina Jolie.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!