This Is, Like, Sew Cool!

I see how you are!  Were you at all concerned that I was here on Monday with a new blog post and a promise to see you on Tuesday and then I didn't show up?  Not Tuesday, Or Wednesday, or even on the all important Grey's Anatomy Thursday?  (Which used to be known as Knot's Landing Thursday.)  I didn't see any news reports on me.  Larry, Robin, Paul and the rest of the WGN Morning News Team didn't run a story on me every twenty minutes. I didn't hear of any search parties being formed.  What the heck?  Unless you follow me on Facebook and KNEW I was cast down by a cold/flu bug, there is really no excuse for your lack of movement on my behalf.  WOW!  Just WOW!  Here I thought I knew you people!  So much for a "GoFundMe" page if ever a ransom for my return is needed to be raised.  (I can hear my family now, "They'll return you within a week.")  You don't know that!  Glad to know you are willing to gamble though! Risky, if you ask me!

Sorry to disappoint you but I'm BACK!  Like it or not!  I'm healthy and hacking a lot less.  I was able to pass my sickness onto the next person and if I have to wrestle my son's gas mask off of his darling face to stay well, well, I will.  I won't punish all of you though for the actions of a few.  Nope.  I'm not that kind of person.  So, here's a very cool Furniture Flip to take us into the weekend!  Brought to us by Jennifer of Jennifer Clayton Designs.

Our flippin' pal Jennifer is a lot like me but don't hold that against her.  She loves taking cast off, unusable items and giving them a new purpose.  She is always up for a challenge and what started as a hobby, has become something that feeds her creative soul.  Take for instance, this old sewing machine table.  It had lived a hard working life.  Gave it it's ALL.  Working hard, sewing it's little oiled heart out, until one day it's operations ceased.  It was like it's little machine guts were ripped right out of it's body.  No farewell gathering, no watch, no tears from anyone's eyelets, no long yarns about it's many years of service...just a "you're out of here/don't let the door hit you!" kind of thing and it was over.  Cheer up guy.  Jennifer is kind hearted.  She's taken in other retirees and given them a fulfilling future to look forward to...she'll do the same for you.  Promise.  Pinking shears promise pal. 

And that is exactly what she did.  She performed a surgical separation procedure on you that would make the Doctors at Grey-Sloane Memorial Hospital proud.  And she did it without any trips to the on call room, any imbibing of spirits at Joe's or ANY stops at the Space Needle.  Seriously?  Seriously!  

To further transform you, it was Jennifer and Jennifer alone who performed every task of your makeover.  No trips to Jackson Avery in Plastics for you!  Nope!  Jennifer herself used multiple techniques to get you the look you have today.  She used a homemade Grey chalk paint, cherry stain, she decoupaged napkins on top, and distressed you all over.  Then she applied a General Finishes topcoat on your top and a clear wax on both of your bodies.  Let's take a look at you (two) now.  

See!!  That just PROVES what I've been saying all along!  If I only had my middle section removed I'd look so much slimmer!!  Look at the after!  Slim!  The before?  Wide!  

I think that is an awesome flip!  You can visit with Jennifer on her Jennifer Clayton Designs Facebook page.  You can see her items in person (and purchase today's flip) at A Niche In Time located in Hartville, Ohio.  Let her know you saw her on Furniture Flippin'.

Thanks Jennifer for sharing your amazing furniture flip!

Have you submitted your flip yet?  What are you waiting for?  Send me before/after pictures with a bunch of details to furnitureflippin@gmail.com.  Hurry!  Limited time offer.  Maybe.  

Have a nice weekend!

~ Stephanie

It's Ok To Pick Up Hitchhikers When...

...they are of the furniture variety.  << Get that part straight.  I don't want you quoting Stephie wrong and saying I'm encouraging you to pick up vagabonds.  It's only ok if it's furniture. 

That's exactly what Ashley of Dirt Stains and Paint did.  She found a really cool little table on the side of the road.  I assume he was running away from his former home in search of someone to take him in, clean and spiff him up, and give him a new place to live.  Which is exactly what his new benefactor did.  

Here is what he looked like when she found him.  Poor guy.

 Isn't he cute though?  Look at that little latch on him.  Why don't tables like that hit the road in my neck of the woods?

Ashley saw the potential of what he could be under her tutelage and set to work on him.  She cleaned him up, fed him with wood filler, sanded, primed, and really stretched outside her comfort zone with the color.   

Want to see him now?  He is pretty awesome!!

Ta-da!!!

Fun & hip.  LOVE the number 84 on the top of him.  '84 was one of my favorite years.  In this case though, Ashley said her young son was into numbers big time and 8's & 4's are his favorite.  This is his table now!

Head on over to visit Ashley at Dirt Stains and Paint  for all of the details of this makeover.  You will love her blog!  She is HILARIOUS!  Check her out on her Dirt Stains & Paint Facebook page, too.  Let her know you saw her on Furniture Flippin'. 

Thank you Ashley for letting us feature your furniture flip!  And for making me choke on a potato chip and have to do the Heimlich maneuver on myself when I read this seriously laugh out loud post on Craigslist tips.

Dear readers, if you think you've seen this post before that's because you have!  It was one of the very first blog posts I did on here.  I running it again because it's cool and I was too busy over the weekend to write a new one.  

See you tomorrow!

~ Stephanie

Just A Bit Of Trash Talking...

I am a sap when it comes to things being thrown away that still have life left in them.  I remember I was shopping once with my mom around Easter.  I was 9 years old.  There was a bin of stuffed Easter bunnies for sale.  I looked through them and found a blue one that was missing it's ear.  I showed my mom and begged her to buy it for me.  "If we don't buy it, nobody else will.  Nobody wants a bunny with one ear.  We have to buy it.  He needs a home."  I couldn't leave that store knowing he would probably end up in the trash.  She relented. 

I know a lot of you who read this blog are also suckers for things being thrown away.  I've featured many of you and your rescues.  Here's one more.  Meet Deb Wright.  When I got Deb's email I knew she was one of us.  Tell me if this doesn't sound like somebody you know.  Deb wrote, "It kinda makes me a little crazy when I see things put out for the trash that I KNOW could be made useful and attractive.  And of course, I'm a big thrift store shopper, so I see things all the time that just "need a little work, honey!".  Honey applies the 'good sense' brakes."  (Gotta love those handsome handy husbands who try to keep us in check!) 
 
Deb found this record cabinet for $7.00 at a thrift store.  She knew when she saw it that it would make a perfect nightstand.  Plus, who could pass up that price tag? 
 






It needed a bit of work to serve its new purpose.  They took out the upright dividers and installed a new shelf.   

Then Deb painted the inside a sunny yellow and added a fun red basket.  

Deb said her love of refurbishing old items likely started when they got married and started a family.  She writes, "We were very young and never had a dollar to spare. So when someone would give us a bag of clothes (that wouldn't fit any of us) the ugly adult plaid seersucker pants became a cute shorts outfit for my toddler.  The plush sweatshirt became a stuffed toy and a puppet. When we got a rocking chair super cheap because of it's ugly fabric (it was the 70's!) we painted it and figured out how to make new cushions and tack on a new skirt. By the time we could actually afford to buy new furniture, I had a different outlook, didn't like everything matching, and still didn't want to pay a fortune unnecessarily."   Does THAT sound familiar readers?  

Hey, I (Stephanie) made an apron out of a pair of blue jeans and it only took me 15 minutes!   Hehehehe...I was really bored that day.  And a lamp out of a pickle jar.  And pillows out of old t-shirts.  (I think I have a real problem.  Have you seen my paper clip bracelet?)

Deb decided to go with a beachy look to this makeover.  She painted the outside aqua and glazed it with white.  

Check out the end result of her hard work...AWESOME!!

Great job Deb!

Now, dear readers.  Deb does these flips for herself so there are no links for me to have you visit.  But, that doesn't stop you from giving Deb some virtual high-fives here on the blog via the comment section!  While you are at it, let us know what YOU'VE repurposed.  

Thanks so much Deb for sharing your fantastic furniture flip!  Keep 'em coming!

Three down and two more flips to go for this week.  Maybe you're next?  I don't know.  I haven't picked one yet.  I do know that if you haven't submitted one then the chances of it being you tomorrow are pretty slim.  That being said, my email is furnitureflippin@yahoo.com .  Before/after pictures and details please.  

See you tomorrow!

~ Stephanie 

A Yard Sale Queen Becomes A Flippin' Machine...

Allow me today to introduce you to Shelley of Groovy Chic's Rescued Relics.  She is a self-described "Yard Sale Queen".  This past summer Shelley came across this nightstand for only $5.00.  Yes, you read it right!  Five dollars.  

 







She rebuilt the bottom corner of the drawer with wood putty and then applied Gripper Primer.  Ever the thrifty one, she painted it with dark red paint she found at ReStore.  The back wall and drawer was lined with pretty paper.  Then, she stained the top with Dark Walnut stain and added a new knob.

Let's check out the after of this groovy flip...

What a difference!  I love how the new knob ties in with the dark top and the distressing.  Shelley writes, "I furnished my entire home with my groovy finds.  But, I still can't help myself from getting out there to find something so cool I can't pass up.  So, now I am a flippin'!"  

Yay Shelley!  You can find Shelley on her Groovy Chic's Rescued Relics Facebook page.  She's located in Paso Robles, California.  Let her know you saw her on Furniture Flippin'! 

Thanks Shelley for sharing your groovy furniture flip!

Dear readers, be sure to come back tomorrow for another great furniture flip AND check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.  If you have a furniture flip you'd like to submit, please email me before/after pics and a ton of details to furnitureflippin@yahoo.com . 

See you tomorrow!

~ Stephanie

How Do You Like Me Now?

If you are a longtime Furniture Flippin' reader you know I am not a big fan of French Provincial furniture.  However, I'm slowly being converted over to the other side with each new makeover I witness.  Today's furniture flip further strengthens my conversion from hater to admirer.  It also makes me a little less anxious about the bedroom full of FP furniture on the second floor of my house that has been begging for a new look since the day I brought them home.  
 
Check out what Roni from Roni's Rescued Relics recently transformed. 

Roni writes, "A customer brought this piece to us for a small makeover. This piece was in rough shape!  Every drawer was falling apart and had to be reglued.  There was no drawer guide for the top drawer.  The top really bugged me because not only was it a really shiny plastic laminate but the sides on the top were straight, it didn't have the rounded corners on it...like it belonged in the middle of 2 other pieces.  So, I had my husband make a new top for it."  

After Roni repaired the drawers and replaced the guide, she mixed up a custom color of paint using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the color Florence mixed with the color Graphite. She followed that up by applying wax to it and then gold gilding it.  Finally, new "jewelry" (that's what Roni calls the pulls.  L-O-V-E that!) was added.

Check out these amazing pictures of the outcome of all of their hard work.  

Look at how the gilding brings out the details.  It perfectly ties into the new pulls.  I don't think a closer match could be found.  Roni needs to just come to Illinois and do my furniture because it'll never look as good as this piece does if I do it myself.  

I torture myself with this blog.  I really do.  I'm so jealous of you people with your talent.  Remember when we saw Roni around these parts before?  I showed you her buffet that she turned into a KITCHEN ISLAND.  Then if that wasn't enough, she scored a hat trick with this three for one flip she did that I shared with you here.  

Okay, let's take a look at the whole shebang of this furniture flip...

How do you like that!?!  Don't it make my green eyes even greener?  Yes.  I'm green with envy.  I sincerely am.  

You can see more of Roni's spectacular furniture flips on her Roni's Rescued Relics Facebook page.  Grab your coffee because you'll be there awhile combing through her photos.  Let her know you saw her on Furniture Flippin'.  Roni's Rescued Relics is based in Long Island, NY.  If any of you are planning a trip there, swing through Illinois with a car trailer.  You can take my stuff out there for her to do for me.  I'll pitch in for gas.

Thanks so much Roni for sharing your awesome furniture flip.

Dear readers, Furniture Flippin' is currently looking for some "What Would You Do" pictures to share with our Furniture Flippin' friends.  If you have a piece of furniture you want to makeover let us help you decide what to do!  Email me a picture along with details to furnitureflippin@yahoo.com . 

I'll see you tomorrow with another amazing flip!

~ Stephanie

It's Official - I Don't Hate French Provincial

If you've been a reader here for very long, you should know French Provincial furniture ranks up there as one of my least favorite kinds of furniture.  Looking back over my life, I guess I'd have to say it dates back to my memories of my two older sisters matching French Provincial twin beds WITH canopies.  While they slept in those in the room they shared, our little brother Michael and I had boring (for a girl) brown wood bunkbeds.  Yeah, I think that did it for me.  That and the fact that I awoke most mornings to a rubber snake or bat hanging from the top bunk waiting to scare the bejesus out of me.  Ever since then I've had a hard time liking French Provincial furniture...UNTIL this blog and all of you talented furniture flippers came along.  One by one, you're converting my cold hard Grinch heart into one that is starting to embrace the cabriole legs and gilded features.  Sarah from House Of Red has brought me one step closer with today's furniture flip.  

Sarah, along with her mother in law Christine and sister in law Holly, operates House Of Red.  They pretty much do it all in the home decor department.  Recently Sarah got her hands on not one, but two French Provincial nightstands.   Their owner was going to pitch them, but Sarah intervened and snatched them up. They were missing their original drawer pulls but Sarah was lucky enough to find some on Etsy to replace them.  

Sarah painted both dressers a pale grey and attached white wallpaper border to the drawer fronts.  She originally planned on painting the border but she liked it so much she decided to leave it white.  

Sarah applied polyacrylic for protection.  Then she lightly brushed the handle pulls with the same grey and used a silver paint in the detail line around the front.  

Let's take a look at the most recent member of the "Get Stephanie To Change Her Mind On French Provincial Furniture Bandwagon"...

That is darling.  (Darling is my new "go-to" word.  I've been saying it ever since watching "The Birds" on AMC and hearing Tippi Hedren call pretty much everyone that.  I'm driving Triple H nuts with it.  Hehehehehe...)

Sarah writes, "These were a show stopper when we took them to a vintage garage sale in our local town. They sold to a couple who just bought a house and they are using them as end tables."  Well done, Sarah!  A save and a sale! 

The House Of Red is based in West Chester, Pennsylvania.  You can follow along and watch all of their creativity unfold on their House Of Red Facebook page.  Get over there, give them a "like" and let them know you saw them on Furniture Flippin'.

Thanks so much Sarah for sharing your sensational furniture flip!

I'm wondering how many of you dear readers have a furniture flip you'd like to share?  Once again, you don't have to have a blog, or a website, or a business or any other kind of page.  If you've made over a piece of furniture, we want to see it!  Send me before and after pictures plus all the details to furnitureflippin@yahoo.com .  I'll be watching for ya!  

~ Stephanie

My Gawd Awful In-Law's Nightstand...

...okay, that title is a little misleading.   It's actually the nightstands that were gawd awful and not the sister-in-law who was the owner of them.  

Meet KBB of Porch Productions.  She has a sister-in-law she loves who owned two nightstands she hated.  KBB to the rescue!  

Here's one of the ugly buggers before...

I'm sorry but that really is an ugly nightstand.  

KBB got right into tackling this project.  To remove the finish she tried sanding.  Didn't work.  She tried a spray stripper.  Worked a little.  Finally, she had to pull out the big guns...as in heat gun.  That combined with a whole lot of sanding finally worked.  

She handpainted the piece using Sherwin-Williams Macadamia latex in a flat finish.   She then distressed it a little bit with her Mouse (200-grit) and then used a fine sanding block all over to even out the finish. This was before she used FAT Paint (she's a dealer AND a user), so she used TLC clear wax as the finish.

Are you ready for the reveal?

Here ya go...

 
Pretty, pretty, PRETTY!!  Much better!  I'd say it was worth all of that extra effort to get them looking so fantastic.  Her sister-in-law thought so, too.  At least for the little bit of time she got to enjoy them before her mother staked claim to them and stole them!  Hehehe.  

To see more pictures of this nightstand makeover go check out Porch Productions Facebook album which is chock full of during pics.  If you live in the Atlanta, Georgia area, you can find Porch Productions at Brown's Crossing Antique Market outside of Peachtree City.  Finally, go visit with KBB, learn about FAT Paint, and follow her adventures on her Porch Productions Facebook Page. Let her know you saw here on Furniture Flippin'!

Thanks KBB for sharing your superb furniture flip!



 

It Was Love At First Flip...

We have a flipper in Alaska who is new to the craft but she's a natural at it!  

Amy from Isn't She Darling was a baker by trade, having run her own bakery in Alaska.  She recently sold her business and after a quick vacation she stumbled onto furniture flipping and SHE.  IS.  HOOKED.  It IS addicting, but it's a GOOD type of addiction.

She had never been a fan of painting furniture because the chemicals in ordinary paint and her do not get along.  Amy was at a Women's Expo when she met a representative from Cece Caldwell.  Impressed with what she heard, she bought a sample of the turquoise.  Eager to begin a new creative outlet she set her sights on a $25 nightstand bought at a thrift store.

Here's her find...

He may be short and squat, but there's potential in that little guy!

Amy began working on him, determined to make him pop with color.  She applied her turquoise paint and switched out his knobs and pull.  

Ready for his reveal?  Here is how he looks now...

He looks like he is SMILING in this picture.  At least I think so!!  What an awesome makeover.

Amy at Isn't She Darling has a Facebook page where you can see more of her work.  So, come on flippers!!  Get over there and welcome her into the furniture flippin' fold!

Thanks so much Amy for submitting your very first flip to us!  We are honored to showcase it for you!

Free For The Taking...

...junk not included.  Bobbie of New To You  was out on a furniture hunt one day when the gentleman who owned this piece of furniture was so desperate to be rid of it he called out to her "It's FREE!".  

THAT attracted her attention.  You know us furniture flippers, we are incapable of turning down any piece of furniture marked FREE.  It's just not possible.  

The drawers were crammed full of junk and paper, which the gentleman kindly dumped onto the ground before she hauled it home.

Here's this little freebie before...

 

It's a little rough!  You can't tell from this picture but Bobbie says it looked like something was GROWING on the sides.  A thorough scrubbing was in order before the fun part could begin...the makeover.

After it's bath, this side table was freshened up with some hot pink paint.  It was then trimmed with some silver glitter sparkles making this a really fun piece!  It was quickly claimed by her daughter for her room.  

What young girl could turn this down?  I don't know of any. 

Here's the after...

  

How sweet is that?  You can visit New To You  on Facebook where you will see more of their work.  Run on over there and give her a "like", then leave her a comment!  

Thanks Bobbie of New To You for letting us feature your furniture flip!

Moving On Up To A Flat Screen...

All of those who were late to join the flat screen television band wagon, raise your hands.  (Mine's up).  Come on, let today's featured furniture flipper know that she was not alone.  Those of you who still have to get up, cross the room, and change channels with a knob, however, well...put your hand down there's no excuse for that.  

Susan from Names On The Jersey Shore bought a flat screen tv.  She hung hers on the wall but then needed a place to store all that comes with the television.  She didn't want something huge that would become a catch-all and one day while searching Craigslist she found something similar to this...

Hers wasn't as good as the stock photo above but it was free and that means it was a STEAL.  (See flippin' jargon above and to the right.)

She put a LOT of work into it, including cleaning it numerous times, and made it into what she had in mind.  

Here's the up-to-date, fresh and clean smelling after...

It's a looker now!  LOVE the contrast of the two colors she chose.  

For more about today's furniture flip, swim on over to Names On The Jersey Shore for the lowdown.  

Thanks Susan for letting us feature your furniture flip!

Olive You Chester (Drawers) !

Okay, I do know this piece of furniture is called a chest of drawers but I have to giggle when people runitalltogether and it sounds like "chester drawers".  

Now, Chester (Oh heck, I'm going with it!) was in need of a makeover and our friends at Bella Nouveau Furniture Creations were happy to oblige.  

Here is Chester before...

They had removed his handles in preparation for his new look.  Am I the only one that thinks those handles resemble an Eagle?  Tell me I'm not.  

They set to work on him deciding to let the beauty of the wood inlay top speak for itself and chose a color combination for the rest of the piece.  The new colors make him stand out in a crowd of other Drawers named Chester.  

Are you ready for Chester's reveal?  Take a look....

  
Now he looks up to date and younger than his years.  

Don't you want to take him home?  Well, you can't!  He's taken!  But, you can contact Bella Nouveau Furniture Creations and tell them you'd like a Chester of your own.  They love to do custom work and make their customers happy.  They are working on their website but in the meantime check them out on Facebook!

Thanks Bella Nouveau Furniture Creations for letting us feature your furniture flip!  
 

It's Ok To Pick Up Hitchhikers When...

...they are of the furniture variety.  << Get that part straight.  I don't want you quoting Stephie wrong and saying I'm encouraging you to pick up vagabonds.  It's only ok if it's furniture. 

That's exactly what Ashley of Dirt Stains and Paint did.  She found a really cool little table on the side of the road.  I assume he was running away from his former home in search of someone to take him in, clean and spiff him up, and give him a new place to live.  Which is exactly what his new benefactor did.  

Here is what he looked like when she found him.  Poor guy.

 Isn't he cute though?  Look at that little latch on him.  Why don't tables like that hit the road in my neck of the woods?

Ashley saw the potential of what he could be under her tutelage and set to work on him.  She cleaned him up, fed him with wood filler, sanded, primed, and really stretched outside her comfort zone with the color.   

Want to see him now?  He is pretty awesome!!

Ta-da!!!

Fun & hip.  LOVE the number 84 on the top of him.  '84 was one of my favorite years.  In this case though, Ashley said her young son was into numbers big time and 8's & 4's are his favorite.  This is his table now!

Head on over to visit Ashley at Dirt Stains and Paint  for all of the details of this TOTALLY FREE as in ZERO COST makeover.  You will love her blog!  She is HILARIOUS!  

Thank you Ashley for letting us feature your furniture flip!  And for making me choke on a potato chip and have to do the Heimlich maneuver on myself when I read this seriously laugh out loud post on Craigslist tips.

What Do You Mean Those Used To Be A Desk?

People A-maze me!  The ideas they come up with leave me wishing I had come up with it first!  Of course, with this fantastic furniture flip I'd have had to come across a desk like I've never seen before and well, I've never seen one quite like it.  

Beth and Nick are a talented couple who can pretty much do anything.  I came across their blog, Sawdust and Embryos when I was looking for backsplash ideas.  You should see their talents in that area!  You won't believe it.  I fell in love with their blog.

Today I want to share with you a furniture flip they did together.

Beth's cousin had given her an old desk complete with a bunch of cubbies, some great trim work and fantastic legs. 

Beth had considered saving it for her young daughters to use one day when awesomeness struck in the form of a really creative way to repurpose it.  You won't believe it.  

She had her Triple H (again, handsome handy husband) set to work taking it apart and turning it into:

See!!  I told you!  Amazing!  Now she had two bedside tables for their master bedroom.  

For the story and step by step of this furniture flip, check them out at Sawdust and Embryos .  While you are there, look at their backsplashes!  Again, amazing.  

I have a sight unseen desk to pick up tomorrow for a furniture flip.  Dare I hope it looks like this one?  

Thanks Beth & Nick for letting us feature your flip!