Marvelous Mantle Makeover

I've been on a roll!

I guess that's how it is, I get stuff done in fits and spurts.

So, you'll remember the mantle that I showed you a couple of days ago...

It was pretty much just sitting there with a bunch of Americana stuff propped up on it, for lack of anything else.  Poor thing.

This mantle has traveled a long way to get to Iowa.  It originally belonged to my Aunt Carrie, who lived to be almost 101 years old.  It presided over the living room in her antebellum home in coastal North Carolina.  Thankfully, when my mother heard that her family (distant cousins who we still shake our heads about) had made the decision to tear down that beautiful old house, she decided to go inside to see if there was anything left that could be salvaged.  When she saw the mantle and realized its historical significance to our family, she asked my uncle if he would go in and help her get it out.  It was sitting in my father's garage in Virginia when he died and I asked my mom if she cared if I took it home when I moved the rest of his things.  So, here it has sat.  Dusty and unloved, all lonely on the wall, where we hung it right after we moved in.

I've been threatening the hubs for a while now, that I was going to paint it.  He was aghast that I would cover up its originally maroon paint, but I just couldn't stand it.  Pretty much the only time of year it looked good was at Christmas.  So today while he was gone, I made good on my threat.  I painted it.  The whole entire thing.

And you know what?

I think it looks great!

He, on the otherhand, just shook his head when he saw it.  Oh well, I love it.  I love it so much, I very possibly could spend hours looking at it.  I might even want to marry it!  And I cannot wait to decorate the entire office around it!

It looks a little bare right now, but I'm sure I will find the perfect pieces to go on it, over time.  But for now, I'm happy.  Very, very happy!

So here she is...

Now, to paint the trim...  But first, I have GOT to finish the diva and the boys' room.  I'm so easily distracted.  ;)

Bedroom End Table Reveal

I am on a roll, peeps!

My 2nd reveal of the week and its only Wednesday!  Yippee, ME!

Okay, so remember those hideously ugly end tables I got from Goodwill for $10 each?

Uggggggggglyyyyyy, no?

Tah-Dah!

^ For once, these pictures show the true green!  YAY!  ^

I haven't quite decided if I'm going to put the little grates back in.  I spray painted them silver and they actually look pretty good when I hold it up behind the side openings, but I'm still pretty iffy. What do you think?

These will go into the master bedroom, along with the rocking chair, when I start that little huge project.  First, I have to finish the diva's room and then start and finish Ian's chest of drawers, a table, and two twin beds for the boys' room.  I'm still on the hunt for two more twin beds on Craigslist, but I haven't found anything I like yet.

My idea for the the bedroom is cream and white bedding with gray and green accents.  The only things that will be green other than any bric-a-brac I find, will be the end tables and rocking chair.  I cannot wait to get started and I'm beginning to get impatient waiting on the diva's room.  I still can't figure out why certain places on the wall don't seem to be cured yet!

While I've been waiting, I've been working on the boys' room and picking up stuff here and there for our bedroom.  Check out these finds from Ebay. . .

**All prices include shipping costs**

I won the two vintage pillow cases at the center and the one to the left for $18.90.  The other four, plus the one pictured below I won for $30.96.  If you love vintage linens, I totally recommend shopping from scoutyboy1 on Ebay.  Her linens are in impeccable condition and come to you freshly laundered and starched crisply.  I got both of these sets through her and they were everything she said and more.  I almost hate to put them on my pillows.  They'll probably never look this good again!

At the same time I won the first pillow cases I had a bid on a vintage Bates Chenille Hobnail Bedspread.  Unfortunately, I lost that bid by a measly $0.50 because I wasn't able to be home to keep track of the bidding.  Errrrrrrrrr....

So, I immediately began searching for another one and made sure my max bid was high enough that I would win.  I won this vintage Bates Chenille Hobnail with a Fleur de Lis design in ivory for $45.01.  Its more of a creamy color than white, but it is gorgeous and in mint condition!  See for yourself. . .

 Love the fringe!

Yesterday, I won a white hand embroidered tablecloth for $10.07.  I'm going to repurpose it to go on the bed to add more layers and texture.  Needless to say, with all this white and ivory going on, the hubs is going to be taking a shower every night right before bed.  I don't care how exhausted he is!  And the kiddies are going to be banned from the bedroom!  I want our bedroom to be a sanctuary and that means its a kid-free zone - except when they're sick or have a nightmare, of course.  :)

Currently, I've got a bid in for a white Matelasse coverlet that I am determined to win.  It will complete the bedding that I have envisioned for our "new" room - well, except for a white hand crocheted tablecloth/bedspread, but those are pricey!  I've currently got 4 days and 1 hour left and I'm watching it like a hawk.    Totally fell in love with this!  Here are a couple of pics I snatched from Ebay:

Beautiful, is it not?  Now don't go on Ebay and run the price up on me now!  LOL


And all of it is going to look beautiful on this one of a kind brass bed from Brass Beds of Virginia that my parents had handcrafted and I inherited:

What a wonderful family heirloom piece this will be one day!


So, that's what I've been up to.  I can't wait until I get the upstairs bedrooms done, so I can start working on the downstairs.  Too bad I've probably got 2 months or better to go.  :(  Maybe I'll surprise myself and get it done sooner.  This beautiful weather we've been having is perfect for any home rehab!


Tomorrow?  Well, let's see...  Hopefully, I'll finish painting the boys nightstands that have been sitting with the primer on and ready to go for about a week now and if I'm feeling extremely ambitious, I'll begin work on Ian's chest of drawers and the twin beds.  

Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Rocking Chair Reveal

Today, I am rejoicing because for the first time in 3 weeks, I have accomplished something!  YAY ME!

You might remember this little rocking chair that I picked up from Craigslist for $30.00...

And it had this little issue with the back rest...

This little honey was definitely a labor of love.  All that lovely little detailing was frankly - a complete pain in the rear.

First I used Liquid Sander and Deglosser and then when that didn't do the trick, I sanded the heck out of it...

And then I covered the back rest with wood filler to even out where the veneer was chipping off...

(This is before I sanded it flat.)

And even with all that sanding, I still couldn't get off all the varnish and stain in all the crevices.  I'm sure I probably could have gotten it all off, but I'm not that patient.

So what did I do?

I primed the Sam Hill out of it too.  THREE COATS before the stain didn't seep through...

Finally, after a few coats of paint (seriously, I lost track - Note to self:  TINT THE PRIMER!) this is the final result...

For some reason, the true beauty of the paint doesn't really come through in these pictures.  Its "Sleepy Hollow" by Dutch Boy.  The green is actually a lot more muted and doesn't look as limey (Is that a word?).  It kind of reminds me of the vintage green paint I used to see in my Aunt Carrie's pre-War Between The States home and that's probably why I fell in love with it.  At $5.00 for a gallon in Menard's mis-tint section, it was an absolute steal and I plan on doing several pieces in this color - two of which are almost complete.


I think, as I go along, I'm going to learn so much.  I suppose much of painting furniture is trial and error.  I figured out, after the fact (of course) that I probably should have glazed the back to really bring out the detailing on the back rest.  I may do that yet.  But I'm also scared of really messing it up.  Distressing was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, coupled with the several coats of primer and paint I had to apply,  the sandpaper wanted to hit spots that I didn't necessarily want to distress - no matter how small I tore the pieces.  There has got to be a trick to it that I don't know.  And considering how little I know about rehabbing furniture, it wouldn't surprise me.  I guess its back to scourging blogland for some helpful hints.

All in all, I'm really pleased with how my first real attempt at a furniture rehab turned out.  Not too shabby! - Pun intended ;)

I've linked this post up to. . .

Altar'd Designs Makeover Mondays #5

Introducing Our Little Big House

This is our home.  Well, this is what our home used to look like back in the early 1900s.  Beautiful, yes?  It was called, "The Mansion on the Hill" and according to historical records was the talk of the county.  Owned by Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Wilson, with its 33 windows, wrap around front porch, leaded and frosted glass windows and ornate interior trim, I imagine it was.  At just over 2400 square feet, 3300 if you count the third floor, I'm sure people came from miles around to watch the progress for the 2 years that it took to build it.  It was quite the house for 1905.

This is our home in 2007 when we bought it.  I know, right?  What was someone thinking to tear off all that beautiful detailing, to tear off the porch, and to install that HIDEOUS slate sliding?!  And then to paint it that revolting color of Carolina Blue!  Talk about adding insult to injury!  However, the house's interior had something to work with.  Instead of telling you why we fell in love with it, let me show you...

Before we moved in:

Back Porch

Screams for love, doesn't it?

Perk:  Perfect for a mudroom with all our kiddos!

Kitchen

 Crappy Cheap paint, cabinets, countertops, 

and fake tile flooring, tacky backsplash...

Perk:  Lots of room! 

Living Room

Be still my heart!

Hardwood floors, original trim and frosted glass...

Perk:  Possibilities!

Parlor

More glorious hardwood floors and original trim!

The front door has got to go though!  Hello 1950's!

Perk:  Who can say they actually have a PARLOR?!

Did you notice the pocket doors?

Dining Room

Okay, so the idiots owners that lived here before us painted the wood floors.  It was my understanding that she actually had a braided rug painted on the floor.  Unfortunately she used cheap-o paint to paint the floors and it immediately came off everytime you scooted back your chair at the table.

Perk:  They can be stripped and refinished.

Guest Bathroom

Good use of space under the stairwell.

The only room I don't want to do anything to.

Stairwell

The people that lived here seriously had a thing for blue.  Blue house, blue walls, blue curtains, blue borders, blue wallpaper...  

See a trend here?

Perk:  Screams for a chandelier, doesn't it?

Bedroom #1

White carpet with six kids?  Not going to be white for long.

Perk:  Huge for a 3rd bedroom, lots of light from 2 windows.

Bedroom #2

Makes you want to gag, right?

Perk: Plenty big enough for 4 boys to share.  

I was standing halfway in the room when I took the pic.  

Love the shape!

Master Bedroom

Don't you love that teeny-tiny closet in the corner?

Perk:  Humongous room with plenty of room for furniture.

Upstairs Bathroom

This was actually a 4th bedroom converted to a bathroom.  See the  disgusting pretty flowered curtain on the closet?  You love?  You're in luck...  It also matches the wall paper on the south wall AND the curtains.  I'll ship them to you for free!

Perk:  Jacuzzi tub and lots of room for improvement!

So, we saw all the potential and bought it for the asking price.  I won't say how much, but on 4.5 acres overlooking wide-open fields, people living on the East and West Coasts would faint at the steal we got.  However, we also had a little lot work to put into it.

So here we are, 4 years later.  Have we accomplished all that we had set out to?  No.  Time, money, kids...  All those little distractions add up and you don't always get the things done that you want to do.

This blog is to get us motivated and keep us on track to do something anything with this house.  And we need your comments and ideas to do it!  Welcome to our chaos!