Painting Pine

I thought I needed to update my living room tables. They are pine and I've had them for quite a while.

My inspiration came from a friend who happened to have the very same tables. She casually mentioned she had painted her and I asked her to email me a couple of pictures since she's moved away.

I bugged her repeatedly ask her several times questions about how she did it. I went to Lowe's and Home Depot several times--buying and returning. Last week I began.
First I cleaned, sanded, and painted two coats of paint. (Coffee Bean mixed at Lowe's).

Next step was to add black to glaze and highlight --this is where I steered away and ended up going over the entire piece. I regret that decision!

It was looking alright until I added the satin poly top coat. Then...doom! It just doesn't look right. I've tried sanding it to get some of the high gloss. 

Check out some other paint projects on Beneath My Heart's Linky party. 

I may just have to start all over again...someday...

Time for Porch Living!

Oh, Spring is beginning this week! Can't wait for my favorite time of the year. I began updating my screened in porch. This is the before:

I've had that rug for years and years! I am tired. tired. of the Christmas green.

So I went shopping and picked up new cushions and a new rug.

I guess I am in an aqua faze! The cushions have the light turquoise and light brown accents. I lucked upon the cushions at Big Lots--total was around $75. Not bad! They are reversible.

The new rug brings in all the shades. And to me the lighter rug is calming.

The rug came from Lowe's. Since the weather doesn't get into the porch it should be fine. The other one was for years, and years, and years.

Now I'm anticipating the ferns that will be out soon! Until then I laid a silk one on the table--just to give me a spring in my step.

It will go from this:

To this:

I've tried to keep my geraniums over by storing them in the garage. Does anyone know exactly how to bring them out--do I begin to water them more and just set them outside???? They look alive but barely. They were gorgeous last year!

Happy Spring!

White to Bright

I am stressing during the dark days of winter. Especially the north facing kitchen and dining room areas of the house. I just cannot get enough sun to chase away the winter blues.

I am adding more "white" to the kitchen. I lucked out at TJMaxx the other day. These little canisters were a steal! And since one is labeled tea and the other coffee it will work out perfectly since we drink decaf coffee at night. (Need I say that we are addicted to coffee--and lots of it!) I put the decaf in the tea and explained it in detail to Mr. Spouse. The coffee is in the coffee container. And coffee is in the tea container. But the decaf coffee is in TEA. And he gets it. 

I really like the detail in them. It pops out!

Every time I go in TJMaxx I am on the lookout for more "parts" of this white ware. But nothing yet. But then, the looking is exciting too!

What do you do to chase away the winter blues?

A good cup of coffee is comforting. Now I just need to get rid of the cord hanging down. But I'll worry about that another day!