Race to Beat the Rain...

My family has been in overdrive the last two weeks. Even though we homeschool, we do so many activities outside the home during the school year. We have been in a rush to get all of our supplies, books, and LOTS of projects completed. I keep saying that things will calm down, but it will get worse before it gets better, lol!

Here are a few projects that we finished up and headed out today...

I was surprised when my hubby was thinking about swapping this table with our current coffee table. I mean, I totally LOVE it, but I am not quite ready to part with our ginormous, square, red hangout yet. Yes, I am a color addict and I won't be changing anytime soon. I hope my son finds a girl ready for some colorful walls because white walls don't exist here. :)

And check out these gorgeous feet...

 

Last, but not least, is a project that I have been waiting for the perfect table backdrop for. I love doing subway art wall boxes and wanted to try it on some tables. It needed to be a surface that was pretty plain so it would not overwhelm it. I found some honking wood storage tables that were perfect!

Then I wanted some rustic chunky hardware and found a match! I just love how they turned out!

Be sure to check out Alternate Endings Design on Facebook!

Tweet

Return to Routine..

Today was orientation for one of the homeschool groups that I mentor with and that my own children participate in. It was one part rude awakening (summer is wrapping up for us), and one part hooray. I know that may sound a bit odd, but I really like getting back into a routine. We homeschool a bit year round, and with half my family ADHD, myself included, the routine helps keep us from total chaos. It is just the first weeks of total CRAZY that we have to get through in order to find something a little less crazy. :)

Here are a few things I completed yesterday. I have a lot to get caught up on before classes begin and all of the sports sweep down upon us!  I loved this finish SO MUCH that I didn't stop with just one thing, I had to add some more.

All started with a dark wood finish. I did a base coat in my favorite gray, then a bright teal. After distressing it, I went over the whole thing with a metallic black glaze before I sealed it with a couple coats of poly.

These will be heading out soon. Be sure to check out Alternate Endings Design on facebook to find out where you can check them out in person!

I am linking up to these parties, be sure to check them out!
Take a Look Tuesday
Pink Hippo Party
Market Yourself Monday
Mad Skills Monday
A Marvelous Mess
More the Merrier Monday
Motivate Me Monday
Craftastic Monday
Made with Love Monday
Craftomaniac Monday
DIY Project Parade
Sundae Scoop
Saturday Seven

Tweet

Being a Jane...

I am having my creative outburst on the You're so Jane blog today so head that way and check it out!

Tweet

Keep on Keepin' on...

A bit more finished up today and hopefully I will be able to load it all up and get it outta here!

I have a tendency to keep things if they hang out too long. I have to put them to use, then I can't imagine not having them, lol. Maybe this is why my husband thinks I am a hoarder. :-/ The only way I can win that argument is if he sees a preview of the real "Hoarders". That's not good for anyone...

Oops! I kinda went on a detour there. Here is the rest of it...

I am linking up to these parties today. Check them out. :)
Take a Look Tuesday
Manic Monday Linky Party
Pink Hippo Party
A Marvelous Mess

Tweet

A Little Catch-Up

Here are a few tables that I finished off. These will be heading to Vintage Jane this week. :)

aqua blue and bits of gold on a fantabulous rolling side table!

I have been so sick (and tired!) and I am FINALLY regaining my strength and building my endurance back up. I am so thankful for feeling so well this weekend and I am even enjoying the bit of stiffness from my hard work the last few days.

solid wood drop leaf table w/ drawer & happy yellow/white chevon pattern!

Before I got sick, I had a TON of projects in various stages of incomplete. I was wiped out totally for a few weeks and I couldn't even fathom trying to do anything (but look at my to do list and want to run in the opposite direction!). But I finally got crackin' this weekend. I still have tons to do, but at least I am gaining some floor space now! 

vintage sewing table w/ dove gray base and chillin' blue topcoat...

Be sure to "like" Alternate Endings Design on facebook to see even more as I finish up!

I am linking up to these awesome parties!

Motivate Me Monday

More the Merrier

Market Yourself Monday

Craftastic Monday

CraftoManiac Monday

Made with Love Link Up

Making Mondays Marvelous

DIY Project Parade

Tweet

A Touch of Spring Color...

Here is my second table that I finished last week...

I wanted something with a little bit of color. I didn't want to go to extreme because I wanted it to be able to morph into a room for a long time instead of a passing fad. This side table started off in a light oak finish. I painted a base coat of a light gray to blend with the finish. Then, I mixed up a light green color that had a little more blue for coolness to match the green of the season. Of course, I couldn't just stop there. I added the last coat in a warmer yellow green wash for contrast. 

I did some moderate distressing to show all of the colors and added a couple of coats of wax for durability. I just LOVED the finished table. If I had a place for it, I would be keeping this! It looked great everywhere I put it. As a bedside table or end table, its colors were surprisingly versatile.

I have already hauled this table off for all the shoppers at Vintage Jane, but if you have a piece that you would like funked up a bit, just let me know!

Tweet

Loving the Time Change and Weather!

I am so excited about the time change and the fabulous sneak peek at Spring weather! Of course, I am NOT excited about waking up in the dark morning hours, but hopefully it will be lighter soon. When the daylight hours are longer and the weather is calling me to come outside, I feel like I can conquer the world, or at least finish something.

I have been working away on so many projects lately that i haven't even had time to post them! Well, I may just have to spew out some photos this week so you can see that I really have been doing something. Maybe short and sweet will get me caught up. :)

I refinished a couple of side tables this week. Yay! It has been since last Spring that I have gotten to do a furniture project. It will be happening more often now.

This is a solid oak and sturdy side table, but it's a bit ho hum. You know I just like to FUNK something up!

This drop leaf table started off with a light oak finish. I painted on a light gray base coat, then added two coats of a matte black. These are moderately distressed to let the light gray and light oak contrast with the darker top coats. They were finished off with a couple coats of wax to help them stand the test of time.

I will try to post my second table tomorrow with some details. I started a new Facebook page just for my repurposed and upcycled projects. Check it out at Alternate Endings Design!

This table and more will be heading up to Vintage Jane in Kville tomorrow. If you are local, come find some treasures of your own. :)

Joined the party at:
- Craft Schooling Sunday at Creative Jewish Mom

Tweet

Not Quite Crystal Clear...

I had fun making some of our Christmas gifts this year. I was trying to handmake or purchase handmade this season. I think I came out 50% not, lol. I think if I would have started further ahead of time I could have at least had 80% made. Oh well, something to work toward next time. :)

I really like making these "incognito" mugs. The kids and I were giggling each time we held them up. Kind of hard to look at someone drinking from it and not think they were a bit silly.

Then we just had to make more!

So I had lots of fun with these and I am in the process of making more. I wanted something a little more artsy as well, so I decided on doing some wine glasses. I found some stemless glasses that I had to have! I think they are so casually contemporary! They may not be for the wine connoisseur, but I think they can be used for so much. I would even use them as candleholders or a short vase.

Did you get a little crafty over the holiday season? Any ideas for the next holiday season? I am gonna keep my mind open, hands moving, and creativity flowing to see what we can do!

Tweet

Let the Battle Begin!

Wow! It is scary to think how fast 2011 slipped by. I am not great at resolutions, but I love to start fresh. I am going to make more of an effort this year to stop and smell the roses...and coffee, mmm, love coffee...oops! Man, I can get sidetracked! Anyway, I want to make sure I appreciate the time I am given on this earth instead of wondering what happened to it. I want that for my family as well. Not a resolution, a WILL DO. :)

We just passed my son's 13th birthday. What a milestone (sobbing). He wanted to do up in an exciting way. Along with a lot of his friends, he is enthralled in airsoft. For those of you who have not ventured down this road and don't have a clue what that is, air powered guns that shoot plastic bbs. Much smaller than pellets and paintballs, but I am a strict mama on the limits of the gun's power or fps.

So he and his army of guys planned out their battle plans, home bases and everything else. He had his clear ideas for his invites and loved the outcome. (Now available in the smallfrynotables etsy shop.)

After they wore themselves out, they just chilled around a fire roasting hotdogs and smores and just doing their guy stuff. They all seemed to have fun and my guy was very pleased, which I have come to realize is a bit difficult for a teen, lol.

Tweet