A Secretary and a Fairy Garden

Look at what my sweet client made for me! My very own Fairy Garden - complete with a broken buffet (been there), paint bucket, picket fence, Irish moss, and my own personal fairy! She even painted and glazed the pot herself! Really the sweetest gift - I was tickled pick (or blue, in this case) and the gesture really made my day! Hopefully, I won't kill the moss!

She brought me several pieces of furniture to refinish. One was a secretary desk that she had in the family for a very long time. It was a really lovely piece - and we all know I have a soft spot for secretary desks!

She was ready for a change and wanted to freshen it up to match her new decor. Here's the before.

So, as I do with all of my secretary desks, I took everything apart. Hardware, hinges, and the little insert. It may be time consuming, but it makes for a professional finished product. Besides, it makes it so much easier to paint the inserts when you can paint it from different angles.

I primed the piece with a latex water-based primer that was tinted grey. And then painted the body in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey.

The interior and insert were painted in Duck Egg. And finished off with clear wax.

The hardware was in nice condition and just got a thorough cleaning and spray in  Oil-Rubbed Bronze by Rustoleum. And for a cute finishing touch, I lined the drawers with pretty paper.

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Didn't it turn out cute? I just love the Paris Grey and Duck Egg combination - it's always a winner!

Hoping you have a great week and stay cool!

From me and my little fairy!

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A Classic Black & White Dresser

I'm a sucker for Dixie furniture. My heart always beats just a little bit faster when I find Dixie pieces because their quality construction and classic lines have stood the test of time. And, with a little bit of love (and paint) their furniture will last another generation!

This French Provincial dresser had great bones, but was just a little boring. Here's the before:

After days of prep - which included stripping, sanding, filling, sanding, and priming, I decided on a classic black and white color scheme. I used General Finishes Snow White for the body and drawers, and Lamp Black for the top.

The original hardware was sprayed with Rustoleum Oil-Rubbed Bronze and coated with a spray polyurethane for the final coat.

I love to add little surprises to my furniture!

The entire piece was sprayed and what a difference in the finished product it made! I used General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin to seal the entire piece.

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This lovely piece is available in my Etsy shop - just waiting to go to a great new home!

Have a great week and thanks, as always, for stopping by!

I'm Sharing At:

Silver Pennies Sundays, Metamorphosis Monday, The Scoop, Be Inspired, Wow Us Wednesdays, Share Your Style, Creative Inspirations, Painted Drawer, Furniture Feature Friday,
Feathered Nest Friday, DIY Sunday Showcase