Roll top desk

When we moved into our new home a little over a year ago I had this office. It was in scary shape for a while, but I will soon reveal it's new identity. After the walls were patched and the floor was finished my in-laws gave us this amazing roll top desk that has been in their home for who knows how many years! I love the desk, but it needed a little something to make it a little more amazing in my new office. As I sometimes do..I forgot to take a "before" picture "before" I started the refinish...but you get the idea...lets just call it a "before it was finished" picture :)

 I was so anxious to et started I didn't even clear off the top yet, I know...silly me. In these pictures I had just started on the roll top part. Obviously the yellowy oak os the before part of the picture :)

Love the detail on the drawer pulls.

The product I used is a product I've used for many things for years. It's not your typical DYI product (sorry) but one I have used in my professional life. I do believe the general public can order it, but I would recommend learning about how it is used and what can and can't be done with it before trying it.

I have paid thousands of dollars over the years taking the training on many products and it has been well worth it. 

The professional products available are amazing, but only when you know what you are doing.

Okayyyyyyy, off my soap box.

I used Vandyke Brown Stain and Seal from Faux Effects. 

LOVE LOVE this product!

I finished it off with some 

Minwax Wipe-On Poly-Great product also :)

Here is my finished desk!

Do you like the new color?

I likey likey a lot! 

I decided to keep the drawers the way they were. I know what you are thinking, it's because I was too lazy to do all of that detail work. You may be right, but you may also be wrong. It may have been because I really like the contrast and didn't want the whole thing to be dark. I think it was the best decision, and it just works out that it did save me some work :)

Tomorrow I will be revealing my new office although you can pretty much see it here.

Promise I will use different pictures.

Promise there will be close ups of my yummy 

reclaimed wood wall..

and a few other treats.

Come back and see!

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and hey, leave me a comment so I know you are out there :)

I love to get comments,

It makes me feel loved,

and happy,

and that is a good thing,

just ask Superman.

Do you like my UGLY chairs??

I recently found some really UGLY chairs. I was super excited that they were so ugly because I knew they would be some of my favorite pieces of furniture when I was done with them. 

I saw their future. Really, I did. 

What do you see when you look at these chairs?

If you are normal, you probably see grandma's house. 

Or maybe you see a cabin? I bet you see ugly.

I'm not normal, we have established this. 

I saw amazing, comfortable, happiness. 

And yes, I saw great before and after pictures. 

Was I right??

Sorry about the pictures, 

it's hard to get a good shot in fromt of a window! 

A couple of coats of Annie Sloan Old White, 

followed by a smaddering of Country grey.

(would someone tell my spell check that "smaddering" is a real word!)

Finally finished off with a dark and clear wax duo.

Love how easy ASCP is. I would not have tackled this project if I had to sand all these nooks and crannies! Priming and painting would have been more than I would have wanted also.

Once again, I'm sold on Annie Sloan Chalk Paint :)

They are definitely the most comfortable chairs we own.

Just ask Orik...

He said he agrees...They are verrrrry comfortable.

So there you go. Do you like my UGLY chairs?

Do you like my cute cat?

Do you like roll top desks? 

My next post will be all about my roll top desk

and it's makeover.

Stay tuned :)

Times Tables

Just spent the last week on my version of  the"Times Tables". I mentioned in my last (and first) post about the tables I had to get finished...well, they are done! Why do I call them my Times Tables? Let me 'splain....

Sand 3 times, stain 2 times, seal 5 times while sanding in between coats an additional 5 times... do all of that 4 times= 4 refinished tables.

Now that's my kind of math!! Really it's been a good project for a few reasons. It's only been a little over a month since we moved in to our new house, and while I've tackled the unpacking like a clumsy kid chasing a muddy pig, I'm still not done. One of those area's that wasn't unpacked and functional was the garage, which is going to be lovingly referred to as my workshop or studio depending on the day.  We were able to convert the attic over the garage to a great storage area with the addition of some plywood flooring, lighting, and pull-down stairs. Turned out great and we were able to put a lot of stuff up there. Next was the daunting task of moving "this" there, and "that" over there, and throwing away "whatever that is" to make sense of what was left in the garage. I can proudly say that I can get to (and actually open) both freezers in the garage now! Next was the realization that all of our semi-organized items stowed on the shelves around the perimeter of the garage would soon be covered with sawdust from the sanding that needed to take place in the garage. This brought us to our next project. With a cable suspended from the ceiling we now have a beautiful blue tarp backdrop that pulls to hide the shelves and all of our garage "decor". I think it's gonna need a little tweaking, but it is functional for now. Finally, the garage was ready for work!  I got to the sanding and sure enough there was a nice layer of sawdust blanketing the whole garage by the time all 4 tables were done. With the temps in the teens, I was so happy that my hubby found me a propane heater that warmed up the whole garage nicely at a pawn shop last week.

So with the sanding complete, the floors swept and the tarps drawn like a kings palace on a summers day I was ready to start the fun part, the actual refinishing. Unfortunately and fortunately at the same time this meant another project. With the temps so cold, and the propane tank empty I decided that the best place to finish the tables would be inside the house, in my soon-to-be office. The challenge with that was the fact that getting around in the office was a bit like walking through a corn field in the fall. The boxes were stacked and almost filled the room. Getting all the boxes of office supplies, scrapbook supplies, art supplies and other unclaimed "supplies" moved to the downstairs storage now free's up the office so that after my table job is finished, I can finish the renovation we started before moving in. I'll save that explanation for another day. The point is, the room was ready the tables got their needed attention and I was able to deliver them to the happy client today. The tables go in different units in a lodge in Park City. Can't complain about the 1.5 hr drive to deliver, one of the most beautiful canyons you could ever see!Pict's of the commute are below the pics of the tables.

The biggest table, a small dining table had lots of wear....

All moved into the unfinished office..the fun is just begun!

                                       All sanded and ready for stain. Such pretty wood!

                                        Dining table all done and in the lodge, Yay!

                       The lake seemed a little too thawed for ice fishermen, didn't seem to stop them at all...

                                              Love the view!