Old grungy cabinet to new grungy cabinet

Here she is this ol' thing I've been dragging around for years.  It's been living out back, rusty and stinky so I brought her in [after hosing down] and cleaned her up--just so ya know, I finally got rid of that date in the corner of photos-sorry I'm such an amateur, you would never know my dad was a professional photographer I wish I'd learned more when he was still with us!

                                                                     

                          Love the rusty screws and hinges

                     So I took it apart

                       Painted it white and distressed with the palm sander and stained the top

   You can see I left the metal mesh inserts cuz they're neat looking.  I stained and wiped it off so it has a very distressed look and I  added these cool knobs for a little understated bling...

      and now she will live in the bathroom!  I cut down 2 of those big old embroidered towels of my mom's and made little guest towels to hang on the handles I added to the sides of cabinet.  Cute!!

Why Rustic?

There's something so earthy and raw about worn out weathered wood & rust speckled metal why do so many of us crave this look?  Pair that look with vintage dishes, soft linens, aged photos actually anything old and carefully staged and we're in heaven.  What is it that attracts so many of us?  If we don't find it old we take great pains to make it old, scratch it up, distress, antique, or generally just junk it up.  Of course, its a personal thing, many don't like that look but those who do REALLY do! Is it an ERA we are trying to preserve or bring back? Is it a feeling of going back to times when things were simpler?

small alarm clock all metal circa 1930's

I also have this pile of embroidered pillowcases my mom made back in the 40's when she was a teenager. They are that flour sack fabric but no flour sack stamping on them (dang) but I still don't know what to do with them all.  The pillowcases are awesome as seen here with the kitchen towels.

And here is a pic of my grandma's pitcher and bowl, so delicate I keep on a higher shelf in the bathroom, and a replica of the pitcher I found at GW a few years ago.  You gotta really look and be sure you aren't buying a replica when you wanted an original, just sayin'...

                     
Ok guys, this is the best!  I hoped someday I would have this antique secretary desk my grandma had and now I have it.  She said she found it in 2 pieces on her soon to be mother in laws back porch.  When she asked about it her mil said "that old thing? You can have it" so grandma took it home and cleaned it up and had it til her passing in 1997.   It's still full of some old stuff which is where I found the clock.
                                                                            

moms baby dress made by her mom and grandma, and a pic of my grandma (in middle), my great grandma on right and I think my grandpa or one of her brothers.

Love this silver pitcher-  and the silver fork and spoon are about 80 years old....                                         
                                                                          
I love the rustic elements mixed with traditional styles, I think it's just a way to keep those memories alive.
           










                                               

Finish that furniture already!

I really like this little coffee table...and I want it white with distressing of course...

BUT I keep changing the finish

it didn't look just right so I sanded it

down again and went to all the lovely

             

blogs out there to help give me a better idea..........

so many ideas, so little time.  Everyone has a different

way or method.  I've refinished some pieces of furniture

along the way and was always successful for the most part.

I discovered there are tons

of people out there refinishing

their furniture in all different ways

some sand, some don't, some prime,

some use Duct Tape to lift off paint

for that distressed look!  Ok well I'll just do what works

                 

cuz obviously it's not a total science.   Here's that table:  7 bucks at GW

I'm using Behr Swiss Coffee but I mixed in a darker beige to tone down

the white a bit.  After sanding smooth I painted, no primer here, then painted

2 coats and sanded and distressed edges...Yikes! The orbital left round

sanding marks, crap, I dragged the sander too much, so I just sanded the

whole thing down again and repainted and here it is before the glazing......

              

                                      

and now here it is with the glazing...

                                         

I believe I like it!!!!  Whatcha think?  My house is

                                              

Spanish Colonial inside and out but I love the white

and I DO want to change things up a bit...my styles

are always changing HENCE the name

<Tumbleweed Home>

                                  

This cute little bench was made by Julie my DIL  she stenciled my house numbers on it
                                                  and I love it!

                                                         
                                                       This wrought iron base had a bird bath
                                                                  on it in another life
                                                    

                                            This is the beginnings of its new life as a table
                                                    I hope it works out! Afters coming up soon!!