How to paint furniture

The coffee table that became a French Country bench

January 16, 2018 by Tanya 13 Comments

Hello there, please forgive me for going mia for a couple weeks, we have had the most unpleasant of winter colds and tummy bugs passed around.

I think we may be out of the woods, and boy am I am glad!

But as I came up for air I finished an upcycle that I am super duper excited about.

So I know I keep talking about updating our bedroom, and with the flu that hit we kind of hit the pause button for a week.

However, I have to share a very thrifty and fun redo we did for the end of our bed.

We have been looking for a bench that we can use as a coffee table/foot stool/end-of-the-bed-bench.

And while we were open to different styles, and I figured I could repaint THE perfect bench if needed…

I didn’t realize it would be a glass-topped coffee table.

But, there she was at Goodwill when we were out shopping and looking for good junk the day after Christmas.

We picked this cute table up for $5 not bad huh? [Read more…]

Filed Under: DIY, French Country, How to paint furniture, Thrifty Living

Shabby sewing table turned desk before + after!

August 13, 2017 by Tanya 19 Comments

You wouldn’t believe it, but this desk was a break-away top sewing table in her former life. A giant hole in the center of the desk top with two sketchy pieces of wood sitting inside.

We drove out to check it out as it was for sale on Offer Up, and I thought we would be saying, thank you and heading back home.

That is not how things went down, and I should probably know that when an impossible challenge is in front of us, Troy goes into major trouble shooting mode.

Knowing that he loves an impossible challenge, we headed back to Vancouver from Portland with the questionable project in the truck bed. [Read more…]

Filed Under: DIY, Farmhouse Style, How to paint furniture Tagged With: how to paint furniture, painted desk, shabby white desk, twelveOeight

How to update a 1970’s dresser

July 21, 2017 by Tanya 6 Comments

Sometimes a piece of furniture comes your way and it takes a while to decide what to do with it.

Should I re-stain it, maybe a darker cooler color like a walnut?

Should I white-wash it and put new, fun knobs on it?

But this dresser had it’s destiny before it became mine. [Read more…]

Filed Under: DIY, How to paint furniture, Thrifty Living

hello 2016 + my fave things from 2015

January 2, 2016 by Tanya 4 Comments

hello 2016.

The past year has in many ways gone by so incredibly fast.

My kids are taller, we’re all a year older.

I closed a painful chapter in my life and walked into a healthy, new life that I love.

I met a wonderful man & a best friend that would change my life forever.

I had zero time to blog, but I have a job I love, and I am trying to eek out time to begin blogging again because I feel like part of me is missing when I don’t write.

I think the part of the year that I love the most, is looking back and seeing God work things out.

In the quiet times when we have no idea how an impossible situation will be resolved.

In noisy times where we just need five minutes to ourselves so we don’t feel crazy.

In the painful moments where it doesn’t feel like hurt could ever be healed.

He has shown up and handled it. Handled it when I could not, and gone before me not to pave a perfect straight road, but to remind me that He’s got this and I am His daughter.

And I have learned that I can survive those tough times that are no fun, and really appreciate the seasons of quiet. That is new for me because I fee like I’ve always been in a hurry to get to the next thing.

I used to make a New Year’s Resolution each year, or choose a word.

I have decided to put zero pressure on myself and just enjoy having another year, more time and living a peaceful (yet crazy/loud/busy) life with my family.

Here are a few things I loved working on this year, and I hope this finds you blessed, at peace, and seeing the good. Because it is everywhere and wants us to find it.

No matter what.

So here we go, a new year, and some of my favorite stuff from last year….

All You Need Is Love Free Printable twelveOeightblog.com #loveprintable #allyouneedislove #freeprintable #valentine #twelveOeightblog

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Painted Vintage Dresser + Homemade Chalk Paint

February 1, 2015 by Tanya 21 Comments

When I saw this dresser recently while thrifting, I knew I needed it.
I wasn’t sure however if I would be able to let her go once she was done!

I did a bit of research after bringing her home, and it looks like this dresser is probably WWII or prior due to
the wood wheels on the casters (cool huh?)

When it came to choosing a color I was completely stumped. I wanted to do something fun, and decided that
this pretty leaf green would be a fun addition to many color schemes.

I used my Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe, and I love how she turned out!! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Decorating, DIY, home decor, How to paint furniture

How to paint furniture with a sprayer

July 1, 2014 by Tanya 15 Comments

I have a little confession to make.
While I love to paint furniture and am always looking for new ideas and creative ways to paint, I
have been a little hesitant to try a paint sprayer.

I know.

It’s probably silly, but the regular way has worked pretty well (minus a few brushstrokes) and I
wasn’t sure I would like using a sprayer. So I shelved the idea.

That is until I had the opportunity to try one out from Home Right. I was not
compensated to write about this sprayer, but I did receive a sprayer to try out and share my
experience painting furniture with it. Here is what I used, the new Finish Max Pro.

It’s pretty cool.