Completed Dresser Project

Wow, I can't believe it's taken me this long to post the final update on my dresser project! Clearly the last few months have been crazy busy for me, and this little blog of mine has been pushed to the back burner. But I'm back! And hopefully I'll have the time to post a little more often. ;)

As you'll recall, over the summer, I was working on a dresser refinishing project. I found a lovely (albeit worn) mid-century modern dresser in the local classifieds, and in my spare time nursed it back to its former glory. Actually, I think it's even better in its new colour scheme! All it needed was a good thorough sanding, a few coats of dark walnut stain and varnish on the drawer fronts, and a creamy white paint on the outer shell. I'm so pleased with the results! This piece now has a proud place in my bedroom, housing my sweaters, socks and unmentionables.

For comparison, here is the before picture:

 

This was the inspiration for how I was going to refinish it: 

And here is my finished dresser, all set up in my bedroom:

I think she looks great! The sanding was hard work, but I loved doing this project, and I'm so proud of the results. I've officially been bit by the refinishing bug. I have many more projects in mind, but I'll share those another day.

Favorite Things!

Last night I had a quiet evening at home, enjoying a few of my favorite things. A glass of white wine, chocolate mints, watching 500 Days of Summer, and crafting! One thing I love about that movie is that you don't even have to be fully absorbed in watching it to enjoy it. The soundtrack alone makes it worth throwing on. The Smiths, Regina Spektor, The Temper Trap... So good! I think most people will either relate to Tom or Summer when they watch it. I'm a Tom, through and through. I feel for the guy. Hopeless romantic (emphasis on hopeless), open-hearted, and a little misguided. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, if you're reading this, I'd be happy to recreate the IKEA shopping scene with you any time.

And what did I create in between drooling over JGL and munching on chocolate? Well, I got out my jewelry supplies and fixed a couple of broken necklaces, and made 2 new ones as well! Using chain and pendants from my local craft store, as well as some charms salvaged off a pair of earrings I don't wear, I created 2 funky, sort of bohemian necklaces. Here's the final result:

Coffee Body Scrub

Today I'm going to share another natural beauty product recipe with you! As you know, I like to experiment with making products myself using ingredients found in my kitchen. It's economical, environmentally friendly and really helps to cut out a lot of the dangerous chemical ingredients found in store-bought products. A product I've been making myself for a long time is body scrub. Scrubs are so easy and cheap to make, and the varieties are endless! My current pick is an all-natural coffee scrub. I especially like being able to re-purpose those used coffee grinds from my pot of morning java. If you don't compost (which, of course, I do), this is a great way to avoid putting them in the trash. Why coffee grinds? Well, the big trend in beauty products right now is using caffeine to combat cellulite. We all know that you can't get rid of the bumpy stuff completely, but you can temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. The theory is that caffeine, applied topically, increases micro-circulation to the area, which increases fat metabolism and reduces fluid retention (swelling). This makes the skin look firmer and smoother. So, I thought I'd make a scrub that does double duty - exfoliates and moisturizes the skin while (potentially) smoothing out those trouble spots. I don't know for sure if it reduces the look of cellulite, but at the very least coffee grinds make a good exfoliant. Here's the recipe I've been using. As usual, I'm not giving exact measurements. Measuring is for suckers! The idea is to adjust the ratio of the ingredients until you get the consistency you like. I like my scrub to be a little crumbly, with enough oil to spread well, but not be soupy.

Used Coffee Grinds

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or any oil you have on hand)

Coarse Sea Salt

Mix the ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Adjust the ratio until you like the consistency. Test it on your hands over the kitchen sink. When you're done, put the jar in your shower and scrub away a few times a week to get soft, smooth and moisturized skin. I find it's best to pat dry in order to keep the oil on your skin. Enjoy!

Great Event in the Kawarthas!

If you like handicrafts, vintage items and vegan and gluten free baking, and you're in the Peterborough/Kawarthas area, you need to see this! My crafty friends over at Rabbit & Bumble are hosting an open air market on Saturday August 18th. Check out their fabulous poster and visit their blog and facebook page for more info! I wish I could go, but alas, I'm working that day.

Dresser Update

Well, I've made some more progress on my dresser makeover project. Yesterday I stained the drawer fronts a lovely dark walnut. I was a little concerned that it wouldn't absorb evenly. When I sanded the drawers, I found that the old finish had absorbed deeper in certain spots, so even with a very thorough sanding, some areas were darker and some areas were lighter. However, once the stain went on, it looks pretty even. I love the shade it turned out, much more modern and more neutral. This weekend I will be varnishing them to protect the finish, then the next step is to pick the perfect shade of white paint to compliment the walnut stain. Here's how the drawers look now:

Mid Century Modern Dresser Makeover

So, I'm a little obsessed with mid century modern design. Ok, a LOT obsessed. I just love the lines, the simplicity of form mixed with the fun details. Its clean, but not minimalist, not austere. I feel like it has a sense of humour. Its fun without being childish. And a good teak or walnut finish gets me really excited! I've been searching for a while for a great mid century dresser to complete my bedroom. You know me, I'm a bargain hunter, so I've been keeping my eyes on the local classifieds and in thrift stores for the perfect piece. I ended up finding a cool tallboy dresser listed on Kijiji for $40! It's big and solid and fairly well made. It has dovetail joinery in the drawers, and its original sliders all still work perfectly. The finish however needs some work. There are some scratches and marks, and overall I'm not a fan of the colour, but you have to look past these little details. Nothing a good sanding and a coat of stain or paint won't fix! So, for $40 and a little elbow grease, I'm going to have a great dresser that I can be proud to say that I refinished all by myself!

Here's how it looked originally:

As you can see, it has nice clean lines, cute little peg legs and interesting integrated drawer handles. What I plan to do is to stain the drawer fronts with a dark walnut stain, and paint the sides and top a creamy white. I'm doing this for 2 reasons. First of all, I like the two-tone look. I think it will draw attention to the neat drawer details. Secondly, painting the rest instead of staining will minimize the work involved. You don't need to sand as much if you're going to paint. Just a light scuff, and then prime and paint. It will be easier, faster and more forgiving (seeing as I'm not an expert finisher by any means). Here's a photo of my inspiration:

Source

Conveniently, the blog where I found this inspiration piece also has a detailed tutorial on creating this look. So, on my day off, I loaded the drawers into my car and took them out to my dad's shop so I could borrow his tools. I spent a few hours sanding, and I have now completed step 1 of the project. The drawer fronts are sanded down, and ready to stain on my next day off. Feels good to get started on a big project! Here's how they look now:

Stay tuned, I will post updates as I complete more steps in the transformation of my new old dresser!

Eco Swimwear

Here we are in the middle of another heatwave! All I can think about, as I sit here in my un-air-conditioned house is pool, pool, POOL! Us lady-folk know how hard it is to find the right swimsuit. When you throw in a desire to be planet-friendly, it gets even harder! But I have good news. I've been searching every corner of the internet for swimwear that's both eco-friendly and cute. I've found some great options, but I have to tell you, they don't come cheap. Today, I stumbled upon a swimwear line that meets all my criteria! Let me introduce you to La Isla.

Source

Their bikinis and swimsuits come in a variety of great cuts, bright colours and cool patterns. But what I love about this company is their commitment to the environment and ethical business practices. They use organic cottons and Oeko-Tex certified fabrics. They use FSC approved printing facilities, and solar-powered internet hosting. They also give back to a number of worthy causes, including Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society. I highly recommend checking out their website if you're in the market for a new bathing suit!