Monday, May 23, 2016

From Trash To Treasure: My Weekend Curbside Find

Happy Monday, cafe friends!

Weather has improved here in the Midwest, which means that I'm working as quickly as possible to get the seeds planted and the garden in order. It looks like this nice weather is just a short window, as rain is expected in the forecast in the days ahead. That's fine...it will give all the flower seeds a good watering!

This weekend, I was running a few errands with the boys. We cut through a side street in the historic downtown area of Batavia, and that's when I spotted a pile of treasures at the curb with a cardboard sign advertising "FREE".

I brake for free stuff, especially if that free stuff is cool.


I found this adorable table, and knew right away that it was just the right size and shape to go in my sun room.


I'm guessing that this was once used as a telephone table back in the day. Telephone rested on top, and phone books went below. And if a phone book wasn't handy, just carve the telephone numbers right into the wood on the top. Oops! Yes, it had a few imperfections, but I knew those could be remedied.

I got to work right away, cleaning the surface with Simple Green. Then I took it outside for the painting process. I had recently purchased a container of ReClaim paint in Licorice when I last visited Noblesville, Indiana.

If you are in the neighborhood, you must visit A Corner Cottage. It was always one of my favorite stores there. They have the most lovely and creative window displays, and the owners and staff are all so helpful and friendly. The owner's dear mother, Virginia, was a sweet friend of mine from our church lady's bible study. She went home to the Lord just a year or two ago. I keep a card she gave me when we moved to Pittsburgh tucked in my Bible. You know the sort of beautiful, cheerful woman that everyone wants to be when they grow up? That was Virginia.


The ReClaim paint worked like a charm! It's a very unique paint with a texture like pudding. It goes on best with the roller, and if you cannot roll, then it's a good idea to use a chipping brush and sort of smoosh it in the nooks and crannies. I applied two coats. This paint requires no sanding and no priming, and clean up was a breeze.


I let it dry overnight, and then I gave the edges a light sanding for a distressed look.


I love it so much! My family was amazed that the dirty little table could be transformed with just a little paint.


It's a nice place for one's chickens to come home to roost.


And the rack below is the perfect spot to store some gardening magazines.


I have been looking at similar tables in catalogs, like Sturbridge Yankee Workshop, and they usually run about $200. My table? Free! That, my friends, was not luck. That was a blessing! I think Virginia would agree.

This table was good practice for me, as I'm still planning on using the same paint to paint the chairs and pedestal  table base one day soon.

I might need a little more paint, though. Looks like another trip to Noblesville is in my future.

Hope you are blessed today, too!

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