dresser and chest renovation

We've been expanding our furniture collection the past few weeks, in hopes of jump starting the furniture business. :)

I snagged a dresser with mirror and chest of drawers for TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS!! Upon inspection it was cheap particle board and nasty drawers. But I knew we could make it see better days. Much better days.

Marshall says, "Oh yeah! Booty shot, booty shot!"

It was white white. I know this picture isn't the best example, but it was rough. With lots of stains, goo, stickers, and beads. The handles and pulls were gold bronze.

The drawers were literally coming apart at the seams. Fortunately, Marshall has all the know-how with wood glue and clamps. And I can paint.

After some primer and a few coats of our favorite creamy white paint (it's custom that matches our trim.. so we have no idea what it's called), it was looking more polished!

I lined the drawers with wrapping paper, red stripes. I really wanted to find a cute gray chevron print, but no such luck..

The knobs and pulls were sprayed with oil-rubbed bronze. And I love them!!

 

While the spray paint was out, I found a few things I thought needed some ORB loving...

The exterior lights were a faded burgundy color. Very faded. Marshall detached them from the wall, cleaned them up and sprayed them off.

Hartley wanted her picture taken, too.

And here she is. This will be going in the.. blank room.. that will hopefully be a nursery. Probably not this year.

meanwhile..

Hello, I hate my front door.

Well, I once hated my front door. It had a horrible, faux-wood grain. I covered up the hideousness with wreaths.

We decided long ago that we would paint it. What color, we weren't sure. I really wanted to go with a very dull gray/blue. But we were hesitant. Very hesitant. Until Marshall painted the wardrobe a few weeks ago. It started out gray and after it was glazed- it was the color. The color for our front door.

We started with a primer. Of course, realizing midway through we never took a before picture of the door..

And then one coat of the mistinted/clearance gray. Again, no full gray door picture. After Hartley went to bed we distressed it lightly and Marshall wiped on a wood stain.

And the after?? 

 Gorgeousness.

Simply gawgeous.

at it again!

After finishing the kitchen playset for Hartley, we started scheming more furniture renovations. Up first, a wardrobe I inherited from an aunt many years ago.

It really wasn't pretty. Eyeball knobs.. shaky.. You could say it needed some Prozac.

I had been using it to stash all my gift wrapping necessities. I would spend a good day organizing all the gift bags, bows, boxes, and ribbon. Only to mess it up the next time I wrapped gifts.. and then throw everything back in and close the doors as quickly as possibly so nothing would fall out.

But now it has a new home in our living room. Marshall did pretty much everything. I picked out new knobs and reassured him it looked good.

He knocked out the faux panels and put in wire. Painted it a gray, distressed it (very heavily.. lesson learned), and put a glaze on top.

It makes me smile. I think one day we'll have it in a bathroom, displaying pretty towels and soaps.

This project helped me come to grips with my OCD. After deciding it looked good in the living room, I felt the urge to rearrange our living room.. again.

I've identified a cycle. A horrible, vicious cycle.

The one that comes every month. It prompts strong feelings to control other aspects of my life- like where I place my furniture. Since I can't control having a baby, I find other ways to control my environment. Classic OCD.

Anyway..

We purchased some furniture (dresser, chest and mirror for $25) this week to restore. And Marshall is going to pick up some more (dresser and chest for $40) tomorrow morning. I'm finding really good deals on our local Facebook sales site!

Ohmygosh! I have another problem- HOARDING!

a few videos

Some of Hartley's favorite songs..

Fortunately, they're the same tune. :)

2 years

Hartley Caroline

you are TWO!

going on five..

We can't believe you are already two years old! Time has flown by so quickly. You are all about letters and numbers these days. I try to capture you on video.. but we need new batteries. You do very well singing your alphabet! You don't say all the letters, but you know the tune and do a great job singing the letters you know. Our favorite part is the "L M N O Q R S" part. You love counting, too! We usually hear "1, 2, tree, 6, 8, 10, leven, 13, 18, 18, 18, 18..." Followed by "good job Hartley!"

I wish I could remember all the funny things you say, because you make us laugh all the time! The other day we were talking about the trash truck coming because it was Wednesday, but also the school bus that comes at 3:45. I asked myself out loud, "What time is it?" You nonchalantly said, "2:40." Not even close, but I have no idea where that came from! One afternoon, I got you from your nap and first thing you told me was, "I need a hair cuck (cut)." We gave you a little trim. :)

Peet-a-boo!

I love the little things you say to me, too. Most mornings and after naps sometimes, you tell me "Good morning, Momma." And it's so sweet. :)

You are full of funny faces! And cheesy smiles. Sweet hugs and licks, too.

You tell me, "I good Momma." You take very good care of your babies and bears. You change their diapers, feed them bottles, burp them, and put them down for naps. You are very motherly and will make a great big sister one day! You told us you wanted a little sister- good, because that's what I want for you too!

You are getting so tall and lanky! Your weight has gone up a little bit, almost in the 20th percentile! You've got molluscums that started sprouting on your arms, then spread to your belly and now your legs. We've started using tea tree soap to get rid of them. You call them your booboos.

You have been doing great in your big girl bed as well as using the potty. You now tell us, "I potty big girl." That means you want to do everything by yourself with very little help. Today you went and pooped all by yourself! I would much rather wipe your bottom after you poop in the toilet than a diaper/pull up/underwear! Much cleaner! You still get candy, most recently "strawbaby tandy!"

Trying to make 2 fingers..

You are really bad about copying everything Daddy does. This isn't good when you ride with him. I now hear "GO CARS!" when you ride with me. We have to work on being sweet. You get on to yourself a lot. I hear "get off table!" or "be sweet!" If only you obeyed yourself! And us. I'm considering time out as an option in the near future..

This is easier, Momma!

You love doing forward rolls! If you've got your Daddy's flexibility, you could be a really good gymnast!

You are such a big girl! Your vocabulary is expanding every day and you amaze us with each new word you use. You are a little cuddle bug and somewhat clingy these days, but I'll cuddle with my best friend all day, any day!

Besties!

kitchen crashers!

Marshall and I started gathering ideas for a play kitchen for Miss Hartley a few months ago. Originally we planned to find cheap cabinets or side tables and then create a masterpiece.. but then our sister-in-law Janna found this...

For only $9 at Goodwill! It was missing doors and a telephone. And we were not loving all the pastels nor the cafe-esque backing.

With my supervision (and a little assistance), we removed the back, saving some MDF for the future subway tile backsplash, and spray painted the existing faucet, sink and knobs.

We used Rustoleum's Chrome Metallic spray paint - our first time using this kind. Loved it! It did great on the knobs, retro handles (salvaged from my sewing cabinet reno), and faucet. The sink unfortunately did not turn out as expected, but oh well. The hardest part was keeping a grown man from bumping into or falling on the parts while they were still curing.

Marshall splurged and got a new paint sprayer (for our future home business.. eek) and primed the heck out of this bad boy.

We used Benjamin Moore's Silver Mist for the cabinet color, not realizing we would eventually keep it in the living room which is the same color. But it actually looks great!

I went back after everything was painted and freehanded "grout lines" for subway tile. Momma suggested using a q-tip and that worked much better than a small paint brush. I used leftover black spray paint and coated the tops of old CDs for burners. They were hot glued in place and actually stayed!

Momma found an awesome set of pots and pans that look surprisingly similar to our Calphalon set.

Hartley loves her new retro kitchen! She loves making us pasta and "toffee." But even more.. she loves her new cousin Luke!

He was born the day before her birthday. Hartley's held him twice and did so great! She's also been feeding her babies a lot! She's so ready to be a big sister. Maybe it will happen this year!

We can't get over how big she's getting! She went with her Daddy to a dance Saturday night. Although she didn't feel well (103 temp the night before) she sure looked cute!

Hartley had her 2-year check up this morning. The nurse and doctor were both impressed with her growth spurt in WEIGHT! She's actually on the charts now! About the 20th percentile- a little over 24lb. Her height is in the 75th.

I think a hear a little one stirring from a good 2 hour nap.. time to go!

hartley's 2nd birthday

We had a low key birthday party for Hartley over the weekend. It took me a whole week to recover and blog about it. :)

Hartley, Marshall (love the look he's giving a kid), Bess and Bella

It was mainly family and a close friend. It started at 10:30am. At least that's what I put on the invitation! Guests started arriving at 10am. I had to laugh and relax.

Isaiah

Last year, the weather was perfect! We didn't get to enjoy it because her party was in the evening. We planned ahead this year and decided to schedule it in the morning, outside. We borrowed an inflatable jump house from Rebecca and the kids enjoyed that and Hartley's swing set.

Anna and Bess

Jim grilled hot dogs and we had that with chili, chips, fruit and a veggie tray. There wasn't much food leftover!

Caleb, pronounced "pillow" by Hartley

I made cake pops and a round cake the day before the party. My cake turned out horribly, but those who ate it said it was good. I think they were lying. :) Along with the cake, my craft idea was.not.working. I planned for the kids to color on pieces of sandpaper and then I would iron them on to a shirt. My trial shirt turned out awful. So I went to bed Friday night stressing about Hartley's party. But everything came together! The kids had fun. I actually had time to eat during the party! A success.

Bella

The weather was perfect and I got some great shots of the kids!

We got a family shot in! YAY! And Hartley tried to smile! Even more YAY!

"TWOOOOO!"

Hartley's favorite outfit is her "cow shirt." She got to wear it 3 times last week.

Mema and Hartley

Hartley went to bed last night feeling a little warm. This morning she was really warm.. so we're taking it easy today and relaxing before her big date tomorrow night with Daddy. :)

Laurie and Mac

There's a benefit tomorrow night, the annual Daddy-Daughter dance. Hartley's cousin Anna (and Uncle Jacey), along with Hartley's buddies from church, will be going. Hartley's going to be wearing a purple dress- the girl looks good in purple! And Marshall is wearing a purple bow tie. I hope they have a good time together. While they're doing that, the moms from church are getting together.

We took some pictures yesterday for Hartley's 2 year photoshoot. Not impressed, but it's hard to get a 2 year old to sit still. And smile attractively.

She had her usual photoshoot on the front steps with Grandmommie, pronounced Mom-mommie.

And then Jim joined them. Hartley is still talking about "Jim ate all da tooties." (cookies)

It was very good, but very busy, weekend! I'll get around to blogging Hartley's 2-year post soon. Maybe.