Wow!  I need to hire someone to get on here and write, I am so bad at remembering!  Super excited about this contest.  I'm not to sure I am qualified to win but, here is to long shot chances, right :) Never hurts to try!  I have done so many pieces since I last posted on here.  Lots of changes have taken place.  Hubby was deployed for 9 months, got back, left again for 3 months to train got back again.  Now we are into summer and the kids are out of school.  All the while I have been working on many pieces that I can't wait to show you!  I promise if you follow me, I will make an effort to post more pieces and how to's :)  But for now check out my entry into the Martha Stewart American Made Contest for 2015.

http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/103252/design/eight-crusty-brushes

Check out my Facebook page for more furniture updates!!

https://www.facebook.com/novofinds?ref=bookmarks

The Shim bed :) My new love :)

Ok this is seriously one of the funnest projects I have gotten to work on yet.  I am so in love with this bed that I want to make one to keep.  I got the plans from http://anawhite.com/2013/08/plans/cassidy-bed-king  (she is amazing by the way)

So there I am in Lowe's getting all of the supplies to build this unique bed and the guy cutting the plywood for me is curious about what I'm working on.  I told him, I'm building a bed :) that's me smiling :)
He looks at me, then at my supplies (shims, about 20 packs) and gets this odd look on his face, thinking whatever you crazy lady.  Yes I know I must have looked like a nut job buying up all of their shims but I couldn't hardly wait to get home and start this piece.

To start I just began laying them out inside my trim pieces to get an idea of what it was going to look like.  This is one of those pieces that you really have to see the vision to get it.  My wonderful husband thought I should just scrap it all and do something else.  NO WAY!!  I kept on keeping on.  After hours and hours, like about 12 of laying, gluing and nailing it was done.  I roughed it up a bit with a hammer and sandpaper since the clients didn't want it looking new.  They were going for a driftwood style and color.  I applied 3 different stains to achieve the look they wanted, then sanded some more.  The sides were new 4x4 posts so I had to use a few different sized chisels to age them up a bit.  I also had my 11 yr old daughter toss them and roll them in the driveway.  Great way to take out frustration!! :) I love this bed so darn much!!

I am currently working on staining 2 dressers they found to match the bed.  I will post pics of them and the completed room once it is all done and they send me pics :)  Thanks Grace for allowing me to build this for you and your husband, it was great working with you!!

Hello again

Wow, it's been a LOONNGG time since I have posted.  Life has been crazy.  Hubby is home from his deployment, kids are out of school for the summer and life just got crazier.  My Mother-in-law was diagnosed with Liver Disease in April.  For the past month my husband, Father-in-law and I have been taking care of her.  She passed away on Sunday morning just 2 days shy of her birthday.  It has been a hard time for my family.  You think about all of your regrets when someone passes, things you wish you would have said or done.  She is at peace now and that is all that really matters.  In the end we all leave this earth so we will see our loved ones again.

While all this has been going on I have completed a few pieces.  I am going to post pics of before it I have them.  I hope to start posting tutorials more once I get these posts caught up a bit.  Bare with me :) I have been neglecting my blog for awhile and when you do  that is feels impossible to catch up.  One day at a time I guess, it will get done!  Thanks for stopping by!


First up, here is a changing table someone was tossing out.  As soon as I saw it I thought, BAR!!  Its from pottery barn and solid wood.  I stripped the top, stained and sealed.  The rest was painted ASCP Paris grey, distressed, dark waxed and sealed.  I love how it turned out!

 Here is a cute corner cabinet.  I painted it ASCP duck egg, distressed and dark waxed.  I covered the back of the shelves in  coffee bag and put chicken wire in the doors.  Replaced the old knobs for glass knobs.

This was one of my favorite pieces.  It's a dresser that sat in my girls room for 2 years unpainted.  It's funny how you don't do projects for your own family but others get done :) Anyway, I got a different dresser for them (still unpainted :) I really wanted to do a clean non distressed look for this one.  I ended up using General Finishes milk paint on it.  The colors were coastal blue and antique white.  I absolutely love how it turned out.  The top was finished in Kona stain and sealed.  I lined the inside of the drawers with vintage looking paper that I found at Tuesday Morning.  BEAUTIFUL!!  Can't wait to do another one like it :)

 Here is a little antique dresser I found on CL.  It needed a little help.  I was hoping to make it into an island for my kitchen but my kitchen was too small :( oh well, maybe our next house :) I kept the mirror :)

Bead board left over from a kitchen remodel, shelf built on bottom where there was a broken drawer.  Perfect for cute plates and bowls.  I took the top off and made a rustic butcher block, stained and sealed.  New hardware and here it is :)

The famous coffee tables made from pallets, I do love these!  Here is one I made for a clients daughter as a surprise gift.  I am currently making myself one, maybe I will actually keep this one, maybe :)

 Ok, this beast was UGLY, beat up and broken, left for the trash.  It had 4 drawers on each side but had 4 drawers broken and 2 missing.  I removed 2 drawers on each side and replaced with shelves for magazines or baskets.  Then I stripped the top, stained and sealed.  The rest was painted ASCP old ochre lightly distressed and waxed.  It's amazing what a little love and care can do to a piece that was left for the landfill.  :)  This is why I love what I do!!

 I just love the idea of re purposing something.  After a client saw the nightstands I made for my own room out of an old desk, she wanted me to make some for her.  I LOVE these!!  So cute :)

 Hello 1970's they want their dresser back :) You can find these beauties everywhere.  Goodwill, CL , offer up.  You just have to see what they can look like through all the ugly.  I made this one into a TV stand, painted it with General Finishes milk paint and stain.  Sprayed the pulls black.  Wow, what a change!!

I found this table a a local thrift store.  It was pretty beat up but I loved the shape of the legs and it was huge!!  I was hoping to talk my hubby into keeping it, I have always wanted a round table.  Hard to fit 8 people around a round if you don't have a large space, which I don't.  So I couldn't keep her :( I am in love with the transformation and what a little paint and stain can do.  Finished with ASCP old white and Java gel stain on top.  

Now time for some small side tables, before and afters :)

 

Wow, that was a lot to post!  And to think that is only a very small amount of the pieces I need to post and catch up on.  Oh well, maybe now I will keep up with this site.  I do hope so.  I love it, even if it never gets looked , I do it for me and that's what's important :) If your here looking thanks for stopping by!  I will post my next piece once its finished.  You can also follow my pieces on Facebook, Facebook.com/novofinds  That site is updated everyday!  See ya!!