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Sadly, Gadora’s Wonder Wagon was in a fender-bender last week. See my sad face? This week I was able to drive “The Paiger” to a few repair shops to see about getting her fixed back up. They’ll reload her with … Continue reading
Gadora has been faithfully posting her furniture re-dos on the junking collective JunkMarketStyle…and today received a nod in their “memberjunk spotlight” for my Piano bench turned child creative center. Thank you JMS! Much appreciated.
Memberjunk Spotlight...
BTW, this piece is still looking for a home: Chalkboard center listed on Etsy.
Over the summer Gadora scored a weighty coffee table with burly, turned legs. I stared and glared at it, even made an attempt to refurbish it. Twice*.
Coffee Table ~ BEFORE
Gadora first mixed a supply of glaze and paint to coat the entire surface, having sanded it first. Once dry, I dry-brushed (careful to mimic the grain of the wood underneath) a coat of black/brown.
Glaze mixture ~ halfway
Today, a funny thing happened. Well, it actually started last night when I checked out The Squeeze’s new pad. Though he had a key, the electricity wasn’t on yet, so we lurked about pointing his dim, blue-lit flashlight. His new space is a blank canvas, save for the leftover space-heater, and the little pile of metal parts propped on the porch banister. Gadora fondled a piece (I have no idea what it was intended for) and placed it on the railing so it looked like a set of robot eyes. Cute! He said it would be, “The Keeper of the Porch.”
This morning, too bright and way early, Gadora set out to organize a pile of magazine’s I’d been stashing. As I flipped through an old copy of Tribeza, a lil Austin glossy, I spied an ad for Haven Gallery. Amy Flynn’s “Bashbord” Fobot (not pictured here, or anywhere other than the ad, I looked!) was recognized as featured artist.
Bothesda MD by Amy Flynn
Gadora needed more. “Bothesda, MD” (above) upcycles a tobacco tin, pool ball, lamp parts and hydraulic fittings. He was born 10.15.09. You can read more about him on her blog: Amy Flynn Designs.
My BFF recently added a simply lovely four-poster bed from Four Hands in her master suite. There’s ample space for a seating area in her expansive room, Gadora proposes, and inquired, “How do you feel about slipper chairs?” She likes. Scoured the internets yesterday looking for both inspiration, and an affordable option, so I might present several for The BFF to consider…
Suzie Page on Apartment Therapy
Late yesterday Apartment Therapy posted a house tour by Austin’s own Adrienne Breaux and it is LOVELY. While the wall color is stunning, it is the pairing of the room’s two feminine chairs that caught my eye. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a slipper chair as “an armless upholstered chair with short legs. Originally used in the bedroom, slipper chairs are now used as accent seating in living rooms, family rooms and even offices.”
Gadora‘s original idea for this upcycled chair came last spring with a chance passing in NoLa. A random storefront window held a darling, though not entirely functional, woven men’s tie chair…Gadora was inspired. Then not long after the move to Austin, I’d coordinated a garage sale day with the girls, mapping out possible hot spots promising great adventure. Towards day’s end a discarded pair of chairs were spotted in front of a house, we whipped the car around for a calculated look. Yes! One good one. With all its parts. We’ll take it. Thank you.
This would eventually be a two-part project: 1) refurbish said found chair with new seat and paint treatment, and 2) weave ties and cover the seat.
The chair itself needed work! A power sanding revealed layers of interesting paint choices, but gave the wood a smooth finish to work with.
sanded chair ~ revealed layers
Using a cardboard box, Gadora cut a seat template then begged* her Daddy to donate some scrap wood. *Cool as a cucumber my Dad happily obliged AND helped custom cut and sand the seat bottom to fit. With seat complete, I fired up Dad’s blower, after only a few labored pulls of the starter, to clean our mess. Dad digs I dig his power tools.
sanding seat from particle board
Lest you think the Animal Print business has kept Gadora from scouring the streets of Austin for goodies, think again folks! While I’m happily, superbly, unbelievably busy with the Animal Prints (DAILYCANDY you ARE totally my new BFF), I have one eye on the workshop with its growing reminder of things wanting attention…
Remember that “tie-one-on” post? Let me refresh you… and as luck would have it, some nice folks placed this chair on their sidewalk just for Gadora!!! I’m gathering my ties, all in a similar color scheme, and plan to pick my seat (teehee), then make it happen.
Seatless Chair
Found two killer lamps (not even needing restringing) at an estate sale. Unfortunately, the family of 27 children who hit the sale moments prior to my arrival liked this lamp too, and tore into the shade. No worries people, Gadora and her muse have some CLEAR plans for this one!
Retro Lamp
Last weekend, Gadora scored a charming round occasional table at a garage sale. This week, she gave it some sass!
Table - with top coat
First wood glue was applied to the joints, then allowed to set. The entire piece was sanded and once the red basecoat had dried Gadora applied a mixture of the butterscotch (as seen in video) and a more subdued ivory. Pretty.
Table with prominent red details
Went back in once top coat was applied and gave the table more red detailing. Then sanded, applied top poly-urethane coat… and let it dry.
At the risk of aging myself, today’s project conjured up a long-ago song that was Gadora’s favorite. (It shared top billing with Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” but I prefer YOU NOT ask!) I’d spin my Lionel Richie album, paying particular attention to “Round and Round.” Yeah, yeah, yeah! Oooooh baby!
Side table - BEFORE
It’s hotter than a witch’s teet here in Texas, AJ’s feeling it too. But he wouldn’t dare NOT accompany me in the workshop. It’s just too fun.
At almost the halfway point, I’ve applied wood-glue to the inside joints, sanded the entire surface, and painted the undercoat with a great red.
Table - part 2
Next? Top coat of Behr’s butterscotch-colored latex, a light sanding, perhaps some deeper brown detailing, then a top coat. Then… you’ll see the big reveal.
Austin rocks. Besides the fact that it’s the music capital of these here United States, blah blah blah, just when Gadora thought scoring great finds at garage sales was futile… Austin delivers. Case in point…
24" round table with beveled top
And while the GS matron Maria and I visited amongst her things, her GS partner up-sold the early American mirror. “Ok, I’ll take it!”
Mirror and table - score!
More loot found on the way to check out a few furniture stores… practically free, Gadora scored a wicker/bamboo magazine rack (which Sandra suggested might suffice as a snazzy album holder!) and this twirly metal light fixture.
The Loot.
Though we weren’t in the market for a box of pigs, we stooped to get our hands on them. “There are 88 of ‘em in that box!!,” says the seller, propped in a garden lounger under the shade. He collected them for years. Was in some sort of secret swine society…
Piggy posse
Oooooo-kay. But we’re still not paying $100 smackers for your silly sows, Mister. Even IF your cookie jar oinks!
Hog heaven...
Thanks Austin, for another great day! You do rock.
Originally, Gadora believed this Kindel vanity table desired a decoupage of maps on its top, and I found some doozies: maps of the Holy Land, Europe, the world as it was—all from several National Geographic magazines, circa 1964.
Kindel vanity ~ maraschino style
As Gadora envisioned the finished project the maps just wouldn’t be flashy enough, it wasn’t until I came across a can of red paint that the vanity made sense. It hoped to be peppered with pizazz. Careful to leave the original teal blue details (the inspiration for the maps in the first place), it is starting to take shape.
An inside look...
Gadora “stuck” (thanks Mod Podge) with part of the orginal plan and incorporated a map on the inside… a lil sweet surprise.
