Stella's Vintage Green Dresser!

 So I know for a fact that I took a before picture of this dresser. However, I can't find it anywhere! Not on my phone, not on either camera, laptop, it's gone! Boo!! At least I have the after pics, right? This adorable vintage dresser is for the cutest little girl named Stella. How cute is her name?

 I went back and forth on EVERYTHING for this dresser. I tried multiple colors, three sets of hardware (and eventually went back to the originals), distressed it lightly, then decided to add more. Even the hubby helped on this one.

I think it was worth it though! I love how it turned out! These pictures aren't so true to color. It's more of a bright green. I hope she loves it!

Trendy Grey Entertainment Console

 I bought this console awhile back. It's been sitting in my garage halfway painted for months, that's how I roll. I love it! Of course I want to keep it, but there's no space. :( Anyway, I was originally going to paint it black, (surprising, right?) but after priming it grey I decided it had to stay grey. (notice how my grass is green again? yay!)
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 I love the hardware! It's so unique. I decided to lightly distress it.

I love that this piece only has a little bit of detail. Sometimes I love a lot, but on this piece I really like that it's minimal. I'm also working on a dresser for a little girls room that I'm excited to post when it's done. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Btw this console is for sale! If you're interested in it, let me know. 

Thanksgiving Buffet Decorations!

 I think this is the first year I've actually decorated for Thanksgiving! Don't ask me why. I'm glad I did though! I just made a quick burlap runner, printed out some letters to put in cute frames, put a glass pumpkin in a hurricane and found a cute little owl. After some blog-spiration (I made that up! With my luck someone's already made that word up though. ;) I decided I wanted a neutral colored Thanksgiving and I'm loving it!

 Why didn't I take more pictures?? I love this little owl. Found it on clearance at Kohl's. I wish I'd taken pics of our Halloween decor too. It actually looked really cute this year. Next year..

 I've also been working hard on improving my photography skills. Here are a few pics of my beautiful kiddos. I might not leave them up for long, but I'm super proud of myself for how they turned out. I love this first one of E in this amazing Oregon apple tree.

 Here's my L, isn't he sooooo handsome??? I love this face.

Another fave, love this little princess. Hope everyone's doing well! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pink and Green Little Kids Table & Chairs

 I've been wanting to find my kids a little table and chairs for awhile now, but these things are hard to find! You can find plastic tables and chairs, but very few wood ones in good condition. My son has been begging for a little table his size. He's constantly drawing dinosaurs. All of his homework comes home with a different dinosaur on the back, it's the cutest! I wasn't planning on painting these this week, but he's been dying to have it in the house. The top of the table was a mess, scratches everywhere, a couple stickers. It needed some love.

 I bought the paint for this table and chairs a year ago. That's right, a year ago. I found the pink and green and have been waiting for these chairs. I wanted a pink chair for my baby girl and a green chair for my little boy. My two favorite colors together. I am obsessed with how they turned out. My daughter was dying to try them out too! See the play doh? Normally I won't have my kids on the blog, but I couldn't resist this one pic. ;)

 I love this green color. Sorry the pic is a little blurry.

 How do people not love pink? This is the perfect color of pink, in my opinion.

 Is that not the cutest little set?? Perfect for my cute little kiddos.

Props for Bluebird Pictures

 Gosh, I hate it when I forgot to take before pics. The one on the top is halfway through being primed. Sorry! This chair was plain jane dark brown before. I painted these two little projects for one of my all time favorite photographers, Bluebird! Seriously, she's amazing! I can't wait to see these cute chairs in some of her pics. I hope she loves them! This one is sage green. Sometimes my pics just really don't do my furniture justice. I'm working on it...

 I gave it a nice roughed up look. Love it..

 And then there's this cute little baby rocking chair. It's the perfect pale yellow. I think this is going to be the best picture prop for the stinkin' cute little toddlers she takes pics of!

 When yellow is the right shade, it's awesome. Don't you think?? Not too bright, not too mustardy.
By the way, Bluebirds blog address is HERE I might have to borrow the pics she takes in these cute chairs. I can't wait to see her creative genius at work. You're awesome Bree!!

Kyle & Clara's Bedroom Set!

 This is what my garage looked like on Friday. It was a little crazy! I painted the two dressers, two nightstands and two mirrors. I didn't get an after picture of the mirrors or the long dresser. I'm hoping Clara will send me some (hint, hint ;). This set was in great condition! Clara wanted them crisp white with rubbed bronze handles, and that's what she got! ;) I hope she loves them.

 I love this tall dresser. Great lines, adorable hardware, lots of storage. It's perfect!

 She wanted the insides to be white also, it was a lot of work, but I love how it turned out!

 Such cute little nightstands. I'm so happy that Kyle will have a place to put his laptop now! She told me they've been using little glass nightstands. Huge step up guys!

This set will look so great in their master bedroom! I can't wait to see them in person!

We have loved getting to know Clara and Kyle more and I really hope this set will last them for years to come..

PS, I'll be posting prices on the blog soon if you want some custom painting done. I won't be accepting too many clients, only because it's a lot for me and my kids. Thanks!

Great News!!

Painting In Portland is now on FACEBOOK!! Yay! I just welcomed myself to the 20th century. LOL. Ok, I use Facebook for personal use, but have decided it's time to create a page for my blog! Do me a favor and PLEASE go like my page! It will help me have a better idea of how many people actually look at my blog. You can also ask me any questions you'd like and I can answer them quickly. Sound good? You guys are the best!

https://www.facebook.com/paintinginportland1?ref=stream

Here's the link! Thanks so much!!

Ok, this picture has absolutely nothing to do with this post, I just like it. LOL. ;)

Antique Vintage Chair in White

 This chair was inspired by a chair on Pretty Little Liars (don't judge, I get bored and my husband's gone a lot ;) Anyway, if you've seen it, look at the chair in Hannah's bedroom. The first time I saw it I LOVED the lines, the white, all of it. I've kept my eye out for something like it ever since. I don't get the chance to go thrift shopping very much now that Luke's in school, but occasionally I'll pop into Goodwill and today I found this beauty.

 Ok, let's be honest. My photography skills are really lacking. I'm saving up to buy a Canon Rebel T3i. I want to learn as much as I can about photography, but it's going to take some time! I love how the chair turned out though! I re-did it to go with the desk I have yet to make-over. It will come.. Anyway, here it is! I painted it white and distressed it, then reupholstered the seat with some fabric I bought a year and a half ago. Oh vintage, how i love you!

 The detail on the back of the chair is what I love the most.

 If it seems like I'm getting a lot done lately, it's because I've now joined the land of the living before 9 am. It's amazing how much I can get done in a day now. I never thought I'd enjoy waking up early (ok, I don't enjoy the waking up part) but it's been great to get so much done!!

 Don't you love this fabric??

And one last picture. Don't judge the yellow grass. We don't have sprinklers and as soon as it starts raining again it will be beautiful green. ;) Hope you like this little makeover!

Distressed White Dresser

 Before: Ok, all of the credit of this dresser goes to my sweet friend Lisa Sharp. She is awesome! I don't know her very well, but what I do know, I love. She's so kind! She has now given me TWO pieces of furniture. Before she takes furniture to Goodwill, she'll call me and see if I want it. Seriously, HOW NICE IS THAT????? She's awesome!

 As soon as I saw it, I felt like it would be perfect for a little girls room. I really wanted to paint it a light yellow, but I painted it with a client in mind and know she would love white. And honestly, can you EVER go wrong with white? I don't think so. I love it so much. PS, don't mind that it's in my garage, I'm a busy girl with little muscles and this thing is HEAVY!

 Recognize this hardware? I've used them before on my small green laptop station.

 I love old furniture like this piece. Why don't they make it with such amazing quality anymore?

 I only distressed it a little. Distressing is perfect for furniture in homes with young kids. They can run into it, scratch it and it doesn't matter. It will just look better and better from all the kiddie lovin'.

 This dresser has two small drawers, two lower drawers and three drawers behind the top two cupboards. So much storage in a smaller amount of space. Couldn't be more perfect!

And here it is! Awe sweet white and old furniture, the perfect combination. ;)

Antique French Provincial Dresser

 I have been working on this dresser for MONTHS. Ok, wait. I've been working on this dresser, taking a break, working, taking a break. At first I was painting it a light beachy blue and about 3/4 of the way through I decided it just wasn't the right color for this piece. So I decided to go with a soft mint green. On top of the blue it made a dreamy seaform sort of green. I imagined how this piece would turn out and I have to say I am beyond pleased.

 My little beauty queen. I can't seem to have enough pictures of her (and of course my bubba) around the house.

 I debated and debated on the color of handles and finally went with white. I wanted it to bring out the white on the dresser from being antiqued. I wanted this dresser to have a softer, feminine feel. Especially with all the curves and details on it.

 I am obsessed with this hardware! I mean, seriously?? It's gorgeous! Antiquing the hardware just made it pop.

 I love the drawers, oh my. My husband almost died when I told him I was selling this dresser. Let's be honest, there isn't one square foot of room in my house. I'm really sad to part with this piece though. It's been sold for months. I have to give the patience award to Jacquie, bc she has been MORE than patient with me. I hope she's so happy with the final product!

 Awe, those legs. I love legs, can you tell? My favorite legs ever are in Victoria's secret. Walk around the store, you will drool and not for the risque pictures. The furniture in there is AMAZING!

 So many details, so much love..

 Ok, seriously don't want to sell this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 What do you think?? Do you like the color? I love it!! Enjoy Jacquie!!

Stained top white bottom Farmhouse Table

 So remember how I JUST barely finished re-doing my OTHER breakfast nook table?? Well, I kept trying to make it work and I just wasn't loving it in my house. I loved it before we moved in, but it wasn't fitting the style here. So of course, the day AFTER I redid it AGAIN, I found the perfect Farmhouse Table. Grrr. That's okay though, I've been eyeing Farmhouse Tables for months and I knew that if I found one with chunky enough legs (the only time I actually WANT chunky legs;) that I would buy it. Well this one caught my eye and I had to have it!

 I mostly fell in love with the legs. The color, not so much. I really wanted an all stained table, so I set out on sanding and sanding and sanding. You know the primary song pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked and walked? Well, that's about how much sanding I did.

 I was so proud of myself for being patient and sanding the whole thing. Patience is definitely NOT my virtue and I was definitely patient when it came to sanding this.

 Awe, beautiful bare wood. Then I spent 2 nights and about 4 hours total at Home Depot trying to find the perfect stain color. I tried 4, hated all of them. I knew I didn't want walnut. I wanted a cherry color, but not cherry. Yeah, that color doesn't exist. So after much debating and contemplating and e-mailing with an amazing furniture refinisher in Arizona, I decided to mix up my own stain. A walnut, cherry mix. 1/4 walnut, 3/4 cherry. I finally found the right color.

 So I started staining and yikes, it looked like crap. It went on super splotchy on the legs. Even though I really had sanded all the legs, (minus a couple spots in the cracks, whoops) it looked like crap. Seriously. I cried. Ok, I didn't cry. But I was really bummed. So I had to change my vision for my table and decided to go with a white painted bottom. Don't get me wrong I LOVE white bottoms (no pun intended), but 1/2 of my house is white bottom, stained top. I talked myself into it though because the color of the stain I was using was totally different than any of the other furniture in my house. It works, right?? Sometimes you have to change your dreams.

 When I FINALLY finished it and moved it into the house, my green chairs looked AWFUL with it. I was wanting to paint them white anyway, so I dragged them outside and painted them AGAIN. Ok, trust me, I am not painting ONE more thing for this breakfast nook. I do love it now though.

 I put on FOUR coats of poly on the top. It has these little cracks that I LOVE the look of, but trust me, I do NOT wanting to be scraping crumbs out of them 6 times a day. And believe me, with my 2 year old, it would be that often. So I filled the cracks in REALLY well.

 I had a really good time distressing this table with my Ryobi. I went at it! Sometimes the venting is really necessary. Especially when your husband is NEVER home and you have two young kids. ;)

 I love the white chairs with the white table. I should have distressed a little more on the chairs, but by the time I was almost done I was EXHAUSTED. Another day..

 I LOVE how the color of the stain turned out. My truly custom table. Sorry for the blurry picture.

 I love the look of the wood with the grains showing through. It makes my heart go pitter pat.

 I actually really like the print of fabric on the chairs with the contrast of the white, versus the green.

 Nothing like a chunky Farmhouse leg.

And then, just because I could, I hurried and sewed a valance for the window. I just found some fabric I had in storage and sewed a 20 minute curtain. Not the prettiest, but it will do. YAY for breakfast nook COMPLETION! Someday I will get rid of that shag rug, but for now I'd rather vacuum everyday than mop. More projects to come as I find time to post them!