Table on a Shoestring

I am all about doing stuff on the cheap. Take this table I just repainted. 

It started out as my old, scratched, heat marred, water ringed, dining room table that I had bought at Pier 1 years ago on close out for only $79.00. Over the years kids and grandkids had left their damage.

My original plan had been to strip it and then restain. A few months looking through Pinterest changed my mind.  

First off I had all these cans of Oops! Paint that I had bought at Home Depot and Lowes on clearance.

I had used some of them already on various little projects so they have almost paid for themselves. I also had a partial can of sealing wax from refinishing an old buffet I bought off an online yard sale site. Then I found a Moroccan stencil and I downloaded it from this site: http://7thhouseontheleft.com/2011/08/window/

I printed out 4 copies of the stencil and used fabric adhesive to hold them in place while I traced around them with a sharpie. 

I tried to keep about 1/2 inch space between each motif. I just eyeballed it. After the whole table was drawn out in sharpie I went in and started painting. I used one colour at a time and tried to be random. I didn't over saturate each space with the paint as I wanted the brush strokes to show. I was going for a very earthy, organic look. I also let a bit of the black of the sharpie peek out. It helped make each motif "pop". A coat of the sealing wax and it is done.

Now if I could just finish the rest of my kitchen...

Peldyn

Just Let Go

I don't know about you but I have a habit of hanging on to things. At least once or twice a year I have to make myself go through and get rid of the accumulation of "stuff".  I came across this article which had some very good advice on how to tame it.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7953356?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000032

So this week I am letting go of stuff. And maybe letting in bliss.

Peldyn