Tile Table Transformation!

I found this small, old table at an estate sale for $7.00.  I knew it had tremendous potential, because I loved the little drawers on both sides and the legs.  It was still very sturdy, but the top was covered in contact paper.  When I peeled it back, I discovered that the wood on top was cracked and peeling.

I decided the best way to rescue the top was with my favorite technique....glass tiles!

I painted the entire table black and selected these great, tiny glass tiles that come in a sheet.  They are really inexpensive at the big box hardware stores.  I really liked the tiny silver tiles that were scattered throughout.

I had wanted to replace the existing handles with silver ones.  The originals are Bakelite plastic, and really quite beautiful; however, they are dark brown.  After searching and measuring multiple drawer pulls, I was not able to find any whose screws were the exact same distance as these.  I did not want to devalue the piece by filling in those wholes and drilling new ones, so I ended up just putting the original ones back on the drawers.

A Rare Before and After! Tile Top Table

I finally remembered to take the before pictures! 

This table was in the back of the garage at a yard sale I was at.  I asked if they would sell it to me, and luckily she did.  She said it had been sitting in her grandfather's garage for years.  This is how it looked when it first came home with me.

It didn't even have a top on it, which is perfect for me because then I get to be really creative!

I decided to tile the top using glass tiles.  I love to mix contemporary trends and designs with classic, antique pieces or form.  I let the colors in the tile inspire the paint job, which I left somewhat rough to give it a rustic look.

Then, I lined the drawer with wrapping paper to pretty it up even more.

The funny thing is, I almost forgot to  take the "After" pictures this time!  I had already dropped the table off at my shop, and then I remembered!  I had to run back in and snap some pics!  Some days, I am blonder than usual!

New Projects!

I've relocated my shop to this cute antique shop, so I have some new items that I have been working on.    At the same yard sale where I bought the bulletin board, I also picked up a great working chandelier.  It was plain silver when I bought it, but not anymore!

Now, it is bright pink with sparkly pink "crystals" dangling.  Any little girl would love to have this in her room!  And, some big girls would, too!

At still the same yard sale (yes, I wiped them out!) I purchased a great old table.  It is solid wood, well made and very old.  After four coats of glossy ivory paint, I finally was able to cover the natural wood which was stained and scratched from age.  Then I stenciled this design using pink and green pearl acrylics.

 

 

It is a short table, so it is perfect for a little girl's tea parties. 
While we are on the them of little girls (can you tell my daughter is now 13 and I'm missing those tea party days???), I had painted this cart yellow originally, but was never quite satisfied with it.  So, since I was in a hot pink mode, I went ahead and jazzed this up with some zebra stripes as well.  It is also a chalkboard so it can serve many purposes in a kid's room.

 

Last year, I purchased this "dry sink" replica from the 70's at an auction.  I decided to turn it into a dry bar.  I took off the curvy-country front decorative piece, painted it, added new knobs, and added glass tiles to the top.  I almost didn't want to part with it!  I actually kept it at my house for several months before finally deciding to turn it lose.

 

 

This is a close-up of the tilework:

 

 

 

And, last but not least, I have been using old clip-on ties to create these t-shirts for men and boys who are reluctant to wear a tie.

Upcycled Bulletin/Chalk Board

Here's one of my more recent projects.  Once again, in my hurry to get started with my ideas, I failed to get a before picture.  However, it was a fabulous garage sale find:  an old, solid, wooden chalkboard and corkboard. 

With some paint and a few modernizations, voila!

Now it's ready for the dorm room or bedroom!

A few other recent projects

This is a table I repainted.  It was once a telephone table.  Now, it's just a fun little end table since everyone keeps their phones in their purse these days!

I made some Halloween decorations from yucky, kitschy knick-knacks purchased at Goodwill (love that place!)  A little paint, some glitter and spiderwebs...voila!  Instant creepy cute!

Cats, owls, birds and a rose candlestick are all in this pic.

I decided to make Halloween art, so I used a thrift store picture frame to hold pics of classic horror film creatures.  I dirtied the glass with some brown paint and cobwebs to add to the creepy factor.

Family Portrait!

Last, but not least, I have started painting shoes.  Don't ask why. 

The answer is because they are a cheap canvas, thanks to Goodwill.



Wingtips, anyone?

Baby tennis shoes



  


 

These were bridesmaid's shoes...the dreadful dyed to match the dress kind.

Glitter paints embellished the top, but the heels are covered in seed beads.

All of these items are now in my Etsy shop.

Upcycled Dinosaur Diorama

I am so excited about this latest project.  It is a Christmas gift for my nephew who loves dinosaurs. 

I started with a $1 tv from Goodwill.  I gutted it and painted it with plastic paints.

The walls were decoupaged with pages from used children's books, and I painted a bit to blend them together.
I made the volcano from a plastic water bottle covered in news-paper mache.  I installed a red light bulb that came from an old plastic Christmas decoration that was in a box of junk I bought at an auction.  The dinosaurs all came from a flea market for a quarter a piece. 
I positioned the large dinosaur near the hole where the knobs were, so there is something to see if you peek through.

This diorama cost less than $5.00 to make!  And, most importantly, it was fun!

Time to catch up!

Whew!  It was a busy Summer!  I thought I would just post some of the items I have upcycled over the past few months.  I will try not to let so much time lapse between posts in the future!

This first one is a used lamp from a thrift store and antique lampshade from flea market.

Nursery lamp with vintage card decoupage.

I used vintage "New Baby" cards to completely cover the wooden base of the lamp.

 

This second item is a Portable Mini Bar made from old metal toolbox.
The top is tiled with bottle caps. 
The door is adorned with a vinyl album of
"German Beer Drinking Songs"

  

This next item are little greeting messages made, quite simply,

from an old Scrabble set I picked up at a yard sale.

Scrabble tile messages