Gone so long....

I am so far behind in bloging, I wonder if I should just start all over! Well, in the last 2+ months my best friend Katie and her wonderful husband Justin, welcomed their very first child! A happy and handsome baby boy named Daniel. He captured so many hearts in just his first day here and can't imagine how over-the-moon mommy and daddy must be.

I finally finished that antique oval table I found several weeks back for only $6. I think it might just be my favorite piece so far, and since it was only $6 that makes this frugal chic even more happy!

We finally got an awsome dresser that our dear friend, Justin (Daniel's daddy!) found me home. To say that it is in rough shape is being too kind. We got it home, pulled all the drawers (except for one stickler that still refuses to come out!) scrubbed it down and let it sit on the porch to dry. Then we couldn't get any of the drawers back in. That's right. NONE of the drawers would fit back in their snug little homes. We figured since it had been sitting outside on the porch in our lovely 100 degree (seriously) and 100% humidity weather the wood must have swelled. Brought the dresser and drawers in to "rest" and after 2 weeks I've managed to get all but 2 drawers back in. I have deemed this dresser my make or break for furniture renovation. When (not if, because there is nothing more than this type A, control freak girl loves than a challenge!) I get done with this dresser it will be my masterpiece. However, it structurally needs a LOT of work. I can sand, I can fill holes, I can paint, I can drill, but I can't build. Minor repairs ok, but this thing really needs an overhaul. So, I've called the lovely Vicki from Victoria's antiques in Leesburg (you've seen me blog about her before) and she's been kind enough to offer her help. Since I got the dresser for free, I don't mind paying her to get the dresser structurally where it needs to be and then I'll paint it. It's gonna be several weeks since she just got her new shipments from France in this weekend (guess where I'm gonna be next Saturday once she gets them all unloaded!!!!) I'm swooning just at the mear thought of it!

See, I wasn't lying. It needs some help!

I have done a couple of frames too in the last couple weeks and put 2 photo's I've taken in the past in them. One is from home last July 4th and the other is from our last trip to Bimini. Ah, Bimini....how I miss you so.

Before: After:

In the meantime, I have been busy with my photography. Our friends Gavin and Angie have 5 month old twins. One girl, one boy (how fun!) Angie asked me to do some photos for her to give to Gavin for his very first Fathers Day. I have yet to do any people only architecture and nature so I was super excited. Little did I know just how much work this was gonna be! But, it was super informative and I walked away with a lot of tips and understanding for the future. Here are a few.

I have finally come up with a name for the furniture renovation business: Southern Reinvented! Not sure if I'm gonna combine the photography and furniture business together under one name or not. That is TBD. My great friend Ashly is a graphic desinger and is going to be working on an awsome logo for me so look for that in the near future. For now the blog name stays but who know's what will happen in the future. Have a great weekend!

Busy Busy

Saturday, the hubby and I headed down to Vicki's in Leesburg to pick up "my project." I knew he'd be excited to see this store that I came back home so excited about last weekend. He was almost as excited as I was in there! We picked up "my project" and spent about an hour digging around, moving stuff, asking a hundred questions of how, what kind etc etc. I found another cool piece that I forgot to take a picture of. (dang it, I gotta get better about this!) After a trip to pick up the pup we were on our way to Lowes. Do you know how to tell if your husband really loves you? I found out last night- He buys you power tools! I got my first electric palm sander! It was like Christmas. I got very close to buying a Dremmel MultiMax too but I talked myself out of spending $100. That'll be on my wish list...hint hint honey :)

Sunday (whoever said this is a day of rest doesn't know me!) I woke up all excited to get to work! Russell got me set up outside to work. Power sanded, hand sanded, washed, and ready for paint. Wait. Where's the paint?!?! Ugh. Get in the truck and go to Lowes again with the pup in tow. She enjoys getting out of the house and people seem to just fall all over themselves to get to her. She was a happy camper. I manage to find the paint color we want, and 2 mistints for only $1. Score 1 for me! I even managed to talk Russell into going to the mattress store to buy a real bed for the guest room. Since we moved in the house 5 years ago our very few guest have had to sleep on an air mattress. We haven't had a guest in nearly a year but we are both sick of looking at an air mattress on the floor. Bed is ordered and we get to pick it up on the 4th. Huge check off our list!

Back home finally and now the painting begins. More sanding, paint some more, now time for waxing. Wax, buff, get ready to hang. No screws that will work. Seriously?! Another trip to Lowes. They should know us by first names by now!

By now, everything is ready to be finished. FINALLY! Uh oh...how tall is the new bed gonna be? That's very important information, that we don't have. So, afterall the inticipation, work, excitement, 3 trips to Lowes, waiting a week for the project to be ready at Vicki's....it's time to sit and wait for the new bed. Sit and wait...something I'm not good at doing. I did manage to build and paint the cupcake stand for Katie's baby shower in the middle of all this though! At least I got one thing marked off my to-do list!

Here's a peek at something they were working on at Vicki's while we were there....I love this piece too!

Glorious estate sales and antiques!

I made my way down to Leesburg Saturday where I haven't spent any time for years. First on my list of stops was Victorias Antiques in downtown. I made it to the the street right before hers and I see a sign "ESTATE SALE THIS WAY." That darn truck of mine just turns that way without me even thinking. (Such a smart truck!) I walk up on an old house filled with tons of people. There sits my perfect find. We've been looking for a table to set our printer and such on in the office. Mission accomplished! All for only $10. Antique- check, right size - check, right color - check! Doesn't even need much more than a light sanding and some Minwax furniture wax. PERFECT!

Next stop, made it to Vicki's this time. When I tell you I spent 3 hours there, I'm not lying. I managed to take 1 photo while there because I spent so much time swooning, drooling, moving stuff, and digging through her treasures in the back room. I have found furniture heaven! Some pieces were too pricey for my Dave Ramsey budget but I did manage to find an old door I plan to make into a headboard for our guest room (look for a photo next week when I pick it up!) Some pieces I thought were priced perfectly because of how one of a kind they were and so amazing. See one piece below that I sat and started at and touched for at least 20 min! I can't remember exactly how much it was...I think $1300, maybe $1800. I looked at so many tags I can't remember. Most of her pieces come from France. Every April she makes a trip to France and come June the containers are in. Can you guess where I will be camped out come June?!?! Some pieces are from Georgia and New England and some are reproductions. She can make anything you show her a picture of. Some of it may be from old pieces and some from new stuff. It all depends on what she has in her shop at the time.

I spent about an hour discussing her technique and products she uses. She was so kind to share her knowledge with me. She has given me new inspiration to remake some more furniture and made me realize I need a bigger house! I am frantically searching craigslist for a deal!