Thursday, January 22, 2015

Antique Booth Projects and Update

So I haven't talked about the antique booth for awhile now.  Overall, things just aren't going as well as I had hoped.  When we started back in July, I hoped that I would at least make enough money to cover rent most months and have some months where I made a small profit.  I knew that this was just a hobby for me and I wouldn't be able to put tons of time into it so I wasn't expecting a second income.


Turns out that I have only made money above rent three months out of the six so far and two of those months it was less than $10.  I think this is for a few reasons:  1) I just don't have the time to decorate the booth seasonally or go in there and shuffle things around constantly, 2) I haven't had as much much time as I had hoped to search for and fix up new inventory, 3) The people visiting this antique mall just don't have my great taste.  :)  That last one is mostly a joke.  But I have been surprised by some of the things that have gotten snatched up and some of the things that continue to sit there.

As I'm sure you can guess, all of this rambling is leading to the announcement that I have decided to walk away.  I gave my notice last week and the booth will be closing at the end of February.  Hopefully, someone else will have better luck in my space.

I did want to show you a couple more makeovers that I completed for it though.  First up is this solid, metal filing cabinet.


I wish I had taken more before photos for you.  The major issue was that whoever had painted the cabinet had painted it using a brush.  The brushstrokes were AWFUL.  There were ridges everywhere on this thing.  Also, for some reason, instead of removing the hardware, they had just painted over it. Bad.

Seth spent tons of time sanding this thing down for me (thanks, honey!!!) until it was smooth.  I removed the hardware and used some Citristrip and a wire brush to take off the multiple layers of paint.  I  primed the filing cabinet (I think I used this) with multiple light coats of spray primer and sanded in between with fine grit sandpaper.  For the paint color, I chose a soft, powdery blue (note that the price listed in this link is for 6 bottles) by Krylon.

I had A LOT of problems with this spray paint.  Multiple cans started spraying out white flecks of paint mid-stream (and yes, I had shaken them up VERY thoroughly before and after this started happening) which was infuriating.  I then had to sand down those areas and recoat with a bottle that wasn't spraying white flecks yet.  It got to the point where I had a few half empty bottles that were all doing this and no more paint.


It might be difficult to see in the photo, but if you look closely, there are raised flecks of paint.  So, plan B was to purchase the same paint in a quart size and use a foam roller to roll it on.  Ummmm...why didn't I do that to begin with?  It covered much better and was much easier.

After reattaching the hardware, here is what the finished product looked like.



I thought it turned out super cute and was tempted to keep it for myself.


I loved the worn copper color of the hardware.


I did not calculate exactly what I spent on paint for this beast.  I probably don't want to know, but I would estimate that after the purchase price and paint, we probably put about $35 into this project (not including the hours upon hours of labor sanding and painting it).  Considering that 3 drawer metal filing cabinets start at around $100, I priced it at $80.  After sitting in the booth for the past 3 months or so, it finally sold for $65.  Whomp whomp.  I'm not sure $30 was really worth all of the time and energy that we put into it.


A second quick project that I put together was a copper cage pendant light.


It started as this ugly lamp shade that I found on the side of the road.  (Yay for free!)  I removed all of the fabric and wiped the metal frame down with dilute white vinegar.


I used Krylon's copper brilliance spray paint (yes...Krylon again).  It's not cheap spray paint, but I used a coupon at Hobby Lobby.  I believe it took me about one and a half cans to cover everything.

We followed Mandy's tutorial and Seth wired it for me.


Again - I think it turned out cute, but apparently the shoppers at the antique mall are not into the trendy, stripped down, industrialized look.  Or maybe it's the copper color.  It's still there waiting on a forever home, but I have no doubt I will find a spot for it in our house if it doesn't sell.

I've still got a couple more projects to share with you as my antique booth venture winds down.  And the kitchen cabinet reveal.  If we ever get there...

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Affordable, Modern Cribs for the Twins

If you've browsed around this blog much, you probably know that Seth and I do not like traditional furniture.  We prefer a more modern, streamlined look.  This preference leads to much difficulty when it comes time to purchase furniture.  The local furniture stores around here are not going to cut it.  I spent quite some time searching for affordable, modern cribs before we found ours and I thought I would gather them all in one place in case others are in the same boat.

Let's start with the pricey options.


Modern Cribs (splurge)


1.  Babyletto Lolly Crib $399 - I really like this one.  The natural wood color of the spindles makes them fade into the background.  

2.  Dwell Studio Mid-Century Crib $799 - This one is gorgeous.  Much too pricey for us, but gorgeous.

3.  Oeuf Sparrow Crib $760 - The poster child for modern cribs (it seems to be on every design blog!).  Too pricey for us though.

4.  Ti Amo Moderna Island Crib ~$400 - I am not as familiar with this brand, but it looks like a nice mid-priced crib.

5.  Babyletto Hudson Crib $379 - This was my dream crib for awhile.  It looks very similar to the Oeuf Sparrow but for half the cost.  If we were having only one child, I might have splurged.



Now for some more affordable options...

Modern Cribs (save)

1.  Baby Mod Marley Crib $299 - I love the tapered legs on this beauty.  It looks like the white/walnut combo is currently sold out but hopefully it will be restocked.

2.  Baby Mod Modena $249 - On sale for $199 currently!  Also comes in gray and espresso.

3.  Fisher Price Riley Crib $249 - I love the white/gray color combo.  And it's manufactured by a well-known, trusted company.

4.  Delta Children Manhattan Crib $249 - This one is not available in white, but I do like the gray.  The slanted legs are also reminiscent of those on the Oeuf Sparrow.

5.  Baby Mod Olivia Crib $299 - Currently on sale for $249!  I like how the base seems to cradle the entire crib.  Looks super sturdy.

6.  Fisher Price Soho Crib $299 - A dramatic, contrasting look!


**If you're looking to save even more, try the old standby Ikea Gulliver Crib (it's only $99!) or the Delta Waves Crib ($129!).**


We made our crib decision at the end of December and have since found time to assemble one of the two.  I will reveal our winner and show you some pictures soon!  Happy crib hunting!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

A Jumping Off Point

2015 has begun and I am officially less nauseous and getting more energy back.  Hooray!  The nursery design has been at the forefront of my mind lately but I'm not making any final plans until we find out the gender of the babies.  It's possible that we will find out very soon...if they cooperate.  (PLEASE BABIES,  COOPERATE!!!)

Since our life is now headed in a new direction, you will likely have to endure posts about nursery design/decor, maternity wear, baby gear, etc.  I hope that is okay.  If you're not interested in these posts, just skip 'em.  It won't hurt my feelings.

With that said, this is one such post.  I stumbled across these pillows last week and knew they would be a perfect jumping off point for the nursery.  They are colorful, fun, and gender neutral.  



We chose the mouse and the fox - one for each crib (to be removed when babies are sleeping, don't stone me).  I love the colors and it will be easy to design the nursery around them whether we are having two girls, two boys, or one of each.  

I am also loving this print by Michelle Armas which shares a very similar color palette.


The purple and pink might be a bit much if we are having two boys though.  Guess we'll see!

I appreciate you sticking around through the slow blogging period I've had recently.  I hope to get back to more regular posting now that I'm feeling better and able to tackle more projects around this house.  In the works are: an affordable, modern crib roundup; nursery design boards; kitchen cabinet reveal; and kitchen cabinet organization (including our out of control spice cabinet).

I sincerely hope that 2015 is treating you all well so far!