One fine day...

I have always wanted a beautiful white slipcovered sofa... ALWAYS. And one fine day I will have one. Granted it may have to be several years from now, when I'm done having kids and they are no longer little, and mess-makers. Sidebar: I am speaking as if I already have more than one. I don't but hopefully this won't be the case for long.
I wanted the Calvert Sofa from Pottery Barn, but they discontinued it (boo!), so the Vintage Vogue Slipcover Sofa from Ballard will have to do. If I'm really lucky then maybe I'll get the Camelback Slipcovered Sofa  from Restoration Hardware. I love this sofa!

I envision my space with my lovely white sofa looking something like this:

Image take from The Lettered Cottage

Texas Burning

Photo by Steven Urban

Well the last week in Texas has been crazy. I am a huge animal lover and I am involved in a lot of groups on Facebook that advocate for horses (anti-slaughter) and other animals that need rescuing. When the fires broke out across Texas, a lot of these groups started cross-posting about animals in need of transport, or safe-haven from fires, and then people started posting and offering their homes and property for these animals to shelter at while these fires burned. I, of course, became sucked in and cross-posted like crazy and networked between different rescues and Facebook groups that were formed as means of supplying information to those in need and those wanting to help. I spent hours and hours online, and stayed up late many nights. It made me feel like I could contribute some help to these poor people and their animals that were so affected by these fires. I wish I could do more- if I could have I would have been out there myself picking up horses and other animals but, I don't have a trailer so that wasn't really an option. I also became an admin on a FB group called Texas Equine Emergency Response Network, which is meant to serve Texans and their horses not just during these wildfires, but any disasters, natural or otherwise that may occur.

As of right now I am putting together some of my son's surplus toys, and I am going to ask for clothing and other donations (household goods, toys) from family members who want to donate to those families who have lost everything.  I feel so heartbroken for these people, and I hope that I can help. Even if just a little.

Anyhow, I have not had any time to dedicate to my latest furniture projects. I hope to finish my niece's bed this week and who knows when I'll start on that other table, AND my girlfriend found a dresser she likes, so she will be picking that up so that we can silver leaf it. I need more limbs, and maybe more hours in the day. Not to mention it is already getting dark so early! Sigh... wish me luck!




Nicole

It all started when...

I decided that I wanted new bedroom furniture. There was a little problem though- I was recently laid off from my job and really enjoying my new gig as stay at home mom. This meant that our disposable income was, well, very little. I decided that the next best thing would be to refinish our furniture and spruce up our room with some new paint. I took our furniture and stained it with Minwax's Classic Black in a satin finish. I also took an old piece of furniture and stained it, added a new top and made it into the little "desk" I am typing this blog on right now. I really enjoyed taking something old, and somewhat ugly and making into something new again.

Fast forward to about 2 months ago and I got the itch for new furniture again. Still unemployed I decided the next best thing would be to peruse craigslist ads and find something old to make new again. I stumbled upon a beautiful (well, if you could see its potential) solid oak table that was a steal. Mind you, I bought it for my next home as the one we are living in right now does not have a formal dining room, and I want to move sooner than later... I am a big believer in "thoughts turn into things" so I am going with it. We WILL be moving into a new home very soon :-). Anyhow, I digress.
I decided that I would buy it and re-stain it as I had done my bedroom furniture. As I looked around the internet I stubled upon a few Facebook pages and blogs seen here, here and here that inspired me to try something a little different with the table, and born was my idea to paint it. 

Here she is before:

And here she is after:

I know that this picture really doesn't do the table any justice, but I will have to take some more once I find a place better suited for staging it.

Since I have done this table I have had 3 people ask me to make over a piece of furniture for them and I am excited to do these pieces. I am currently working on a daybed for my niece, and I am looking for dressers to make over for two of my friends. I am thrilled that I have the opportunity to help create something beautiful for someone else. I am excited to see where this little hobby of mine will take me.

I have since found a different table that I want for the dining room in my next home so I am going to sell the black table above- if you're interested, just leave me a comment below. I love it and I hope that someone else will love it as much as I do and want to buy it.

Here is the new table I have yet to start on:

And once she is done she should look something like this:

This table was done by European Paint Finishes

 Or

This table was done by Simple Matters

So, here goes nothing with this little something I am going to call Twice Treasured. Thank you for stopping by... I hope you come back soon. Oh, and tell your friends!

Nicole