Antique Dresser Make-Over

I guess a few things have been made-over.

Do you like the new blog look? I was inspired by our bedroom colors. I just finished another project yesterday turning a standard mahogany piece of furniture into a glossy black funky piece that now ties into the rest of the room... but, more on that later.

Here is that yellow dresser that I have been talking about...
f-o-r-e-v-e-r!

BEFORE

AFTER

A complete transformation, to say the very least!

This was an awesome find {like many of my other adventurous hunts}.

It started SEVERAL months back... before we even new we were going to move to the Double-Wide... I was looking for an antique dresser to revamp. Something with A LOT of character. Enter this beauty. 

I had visited my padres in East Texas and during my trips to the local antique stores, I came across this diamond in the rough. I took my chance and passed on it at the time. But, I left with measurements in hand, hoping it would be a good fit for my spot I was planning to place it {in our old house}.

Then, enter all the recent changes... Well, I wasn't going to get this dresser if I didn't have a spot for it. AND not to mention, all the work that needed to be done. Oh me-oh-my!  But, my heart was still yearning for this puppy. So, during another trip to East Texas, I popped into the antique store to purchase and give it a shot... and... wouldn't you know it... it was gone!  Of course! That's what you get for waiting. But, while I was talking to the owner, I found out the people who had the booth, just removed their items a few days before. And... that dresser was still available! So, she handed me the contact info.

I called.

Mr. Jack was wonderful! 

{Read about the transformation of a tree, that Mr. Jack gave me for FREE, into a side table here}

I purchased.

I lugged it back home.

Then the work began!

1. Clean dresser and remove those ugly knobs!

2. Sand.... sand... sand.... sand!

There was soooooo much varnish on this piece.

I tried to do my best to make it as smooth as possible.

3. Wood filler in the HUGE cracks and gaping holes.

4. Prime and paint.

I decided to do something different with the inside of the drawers. I painted them red! For a fun pop! Also, if you noticed, I used spray primer and paint. I would not do that again on such a piece like this, but it did work out well, in the end. I would have liked to used Flotrol with water-based paint.

5. Polyacrylic Protectant.

I added a high gloss finish. 

FINISHED PRODUCT

I LOVE how those red drawers POP!

The glass knobs came from Restoration Hardware.

Look at the dovetail. That is true old craftsmanship. LOVIN' it!

And those feet!  Amazing!

And... it has found a home in our Double-Wide.

Like it was always meant to be!

Wallpaper Reveal!

Didn't keep you waiting very long, this time.

I'm a type a person that needs to accomplish a project RIGHT away!

I LOVE to start projects, but I want to get them done quickly so I can enjoy the beauty.  And that is EXACTLY what I did here.

Wallpaper arrived yesterday morning. And it took me all of... ummm.. 3 minutes to get it out of the box! And my kiddo slowed me down... hah!

I already had the frames ready to go. Some frames were repurposed and others were newly purchased from Ikea.

Then, I started to cut and frame. Cut and frame. Cut and frame.

Here was the idea transformed into reality.

Blank and empty living room wall:

Wall painted and flat screen TV added:

This is our first flat screen TV!

This is our first TV in our living room in over 5 years!

This is our first EVER paid programming TV!

I did not want this to be the major focal point on the wall, yet alone, the room. I wanted it to be surrounded by other beauty and fade into other interesting decor elements.

Cue wallpaper and the previously posted scenario.... and....

GORGEOUS TRANSFORMATION:

What do you think?

We decided to go with the Family Tree option.

But, I did go ahead and frame the Feather sample piece... for a little bit of contrast.

I am LOVING this look! It is so stunning! So, bold... but not committing to papering the walls.

I did choose to leave some of the matting in a couple of the frames. But, I wanted to show off the pattern, so I decided not to mat most of the frames.

I added a few other pieces for interest and to tie-in the pops of yellow used sporadically throughout the double-wide. It think it works!

{I spy... a Lil' Indiana Jones!}

Hah! I love it... all!

The whole wall was under $200 {minus the TV and soundbar... of course}! Thanks to those repurposed and Ikea frames! AND I have a whole bunch of wallpaper left over. Oh, the ideas bouncing around inside my head.

It took me about 4 hours from start to finish. I don't ever cut templates out or measure my placements... I just eye and hammer. Eye and hammer. Inevitably, I will have several empty nail holes throughout the wall. Just don't go looking behind the frames!

As a substitution: gift wrapping could be used instead of wallpaper. There are so many wonderful prints out there! And... I think I will be inserting some Christmas gift wrapping around the Holidays!

This was a FUN project!

Problems with Commitment?

My hubby was having a little bit of a problem committing.

Committing to a wallpaper, that is!

I don't blame the boy. But, with so many awesome and cool wallpapers out, I really wanted to add some funky prints to a wall or several walls in our new double-wide.

In our very first home, it took me over 5 years to talk him into re-wallpapering our kitchen. {I did it before wallpaper was decided to be cool again.} It rocked! It really did. It just took for-e--v--e--r to convince the guy {my hubby}... that... it was going to rock.

So, now I feel that I am experiencing some deja vu.

These are two wallpaper prints, from Ferm Living, I am debating about using on our TV wall.

Feather

Family Tree

I went ahead and ordered samples of both prints. Even though the colors looked extremely similar on the computer screen, one color was identified as "blue" and the other "teal". 

Sample pieces arrived. 

Taped them up on the wall. 

Hubby and I discussed. 

Decision made.

Order placed.

STAY TUNED for the reveal!

Scrumptious Cookies

I was in the mood for something sweet this weekend.

Not just sweet... but soft, chewy, chocolate and peanut butter.

What better way to tame that craving than with some yummy Chocolate Peanut Butter Not-So-Unhealthy Cookies!

This was the second batch of cookies made in the Double-Wide.

I had a bag of Reese's Peanut Chips on hand. They had a pretty impressive recipe on the back of the bag. So, I thought I would give it a shot and try to alter it to something a little more healthy. I didn't want to go too crazy on the healthy side, lack of butter, all Splenda and completely whole wheat flour makes for a flat and heavy cookie. I still wanted these to be fluffy, light and delicious! I think I did the job!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Not-So-Unhealthy Cookies
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour {originally called for 2 cups all-purpose flour}
1/2 cup whole wheat flour {added}
3/4 cup Cocoa
2 tsp of sodium-free baking soda, EnerG {originally called for 1 tsp baking soda}
1/4 teaspoon of salt {originally called for 1/2 tsp}
1 cup butter {originally called for 1 1/4 cups - 2 1/2 sticks butter}
1 1/2 cup sugar {originally called for 2 cups sugar}
1/2 cup Splenda {added}
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups {10 oz package} Reese's Peanut Butter Chips

1. Heat over to 350° F

2. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes. Do not over bake, cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

4. ENJOY!

They were gobbled up! You never would've guessed that substitutions were made in the recipe. So, I didn't have to work out as hard as what I would have to cancel out all the calories. I still worked out, though... yuck.

LOVIN' IT!