The One That Got Away...That Didn't

 Have you ever taken a liking to something....looked it over...admired it....but then passed it up, only to get home and kick yourself repeatedly for not grabbing it while you had the chance?  So begins the saga of my beautiful table, aka workbench.  I was on a grab and dash mission into the ReStore one day...only had minutes to find some awesome sign wood while all my guys waited patiently in the car.  On my way to the "wood room" I passed by this old workhorse.  It immediately caught my eye.  So vintage, rustic, had a story to tell....it called out to me.  In my rush I didn't have time to really consider purchasing it, nor would it fit in a Honda Civic.  SO, I left it.  Then began the longest week of my life...okay, not really...

I'm being dramatic for the story's sake. ;-) 

I thought about its character and patina.

I thought about its size. It's a honker.

I thought about its awesome metal legs.  ALL.WEEK.  I tried on multiple occassions to get my husband to make a trip from work, downtown to see if it was still there.  He passed on that offer.  SOOOO.....when I thought I could hardly wait ONE.MORE.DAY.  Friday came.  My oldest had no school, my youngest was with Mema and Papa....so we saddled up the Silverado and headed into town.  EARLY.  We were in the ReStore parking lot before they opened....keeping an eye out for any other cars entering the parking lot.  I had my poor little guy so wired that someone else was going to get OUR TABLE that he nearly shrieked everytime a car pulled in.  At five til 9 we couldn't wait a minute more.  We tried the door...it opened...we walk/jogged to the back of the store and THERE.SHE.WAS.  I grabbed the tag and ran calmy proceeded to the checkout, where we were told that LOTS of people were checking out MY table just yesterday and she thought they were planning to be back Saturday to buy MY table.   Phew. 

Just in the knick of time folks.  Time to load up our gorgeous girl...in the tiniest backalley loading dock a Silverado ever did see.  I shall now proceed to thank my father for torturing my young 14 year old self with learning to back a truck down a LONG driveway, using mirrors. 

The guy at the loading dock said I had "mad skills".  **grin**

Today I sanded down the top, just a tad to get the grunge off but not take off the patina.  Cleaned it thorougly.  Brought it into the kitchen just for fun (Dad is making my gorgeous table to come later).

Trotted out some woodstain. 

Put it on pretty thick....then wiped it off.  Oh how beautiful she is now.  Poly tomorrow.

(and NO the floor isn't done yet....it's getting there.  I'm still waiting for a volunteer. ;-)

The final question....paint the legs or not?  I bought gloss black....but I kinda like their "patina" too.  Oh, and the wood slats on the bottom will be coming off too when it makes its way to its final home as my dining room side table. :-)  For now the castors on the bottom make it super easy to wheel around the house.

So what was your "one that got away" that didn't get away?


Linked to Funky Junk Interiors' Saturday Night Special

Let's Have a Collective Sigh of Relief

 Hell-ooo-beautiful.   The color is perfecto.  Light, airy, calm, does not in any way resemble a piece of candy....aaahhhhh.  I'm breathing a sigh of relief after my cotton candy fiasco.  And let me just add a brief advertisement for Behr Paint with primer.  It's just short of a miracle...actually I think there may be a little magic in each can.  ONE COAT covered DARK RED with easy breezy Natural Wicker.  (thank you thank you to my wonderful reader who suggested this color!!! and to ALL of you who offered advice!!!!)

AH-MAY-ZING.  I will give the cotton candy some credit though....it definitely showed me how light and airy the room could be.  The red was beautiful (and still was beautiful) but it was time for change.  Heck, the last paint job lasted 7 years....in another 7 years I'll be thinking about getting ready for a graduation...and we all know that moms go a special kind of decorating-crazy when a graduation is approaching. ;-)

The hutch on the left there will be making a departure.  It's a cute little thing...but just doesn't fit the dining room...it's scale is too small, honey oak color....would be a good candidate for a pretty paint job...but too small for my dining room....and let's face it, I have A.LOT. of dishes.  Is there a support group for girls who collect too much vintage glassware?  THIS old gal will soon be making an appearance.  Rustic, lots of character...love it.  Just as soon as a couple strong guys visit to help me get it out of the basement, if you remember it nearly broke me in half trying to lift it last time. 

The dresser peaking out over there on the right will also be finding a new home in my boys' room after a fancy paint job as well.  You will fall over when you see what I found at the ReStore to replace it, as my side table.  Rustic, character, age....it's wonderful. (my husband is rolling his eyes).  You'll see....you'll love it too. 

I'm thinking some kind of light window coverings.....white cotton, muslin....we'll see. 

Then there is the artwork.....oh I cannot wait to show you what's been rattling around in my brain....it involves a cow and a Grant Wood quote.  Now YOU think I'm crazy too, right? :-)

FAIL

 Is there anything a woman frets over more than choosing a paint color?  Perhaps the health of her children, the future of the planet, the crazed folks in charge of the House of Representatives right now?  Right now paint color is ranking very high in my life.  Why?  Because I screwed it up.  BIG. TIME.

Yesterday I was on top of the world....my stars were aligned...everything was working out perfectly...just one of those days.  SO....I did what no DIY'er should ever do.  I bought full gallons of paint without sampling first.  Yep, I did it.  I should go to paint prison.  I thought I had chosen the perfect color.  I knew how I wanted it to look.

I started painting as soon as I got home....the paint color was....well...pretty.....but just didn't look right with my oak woodwork.  As a sidenote, apparently EVERYONE EVERYWHERE has white woodwork.  My inspiration photos all had white woodwork.  NEWS FLASH JENNIFER....you don't have white woodwork.  The colors that look so pretty against white DON'T look so pretty against dark oak.

 I stopped painting.  I slept on it. I prayed when I crept down the stairs that it would look completely different in the light of day.  It didn't.  It looks worse.  My husband has assured me this is not the catastrophe I am making it out to be.....as he pointed at the kitchen ceiling....THAT was a catastrophe, he says.  Touche. 

My husband told me to keep the red....my mom said "the red is pretty, I like the red"....everyone who visits the house comments on the red....but I don't want the red anymore. stomping feet, pouty lip why couldnt someone have just painted the damn woodwork before me....

SO....I NEED HELP PEEPS!!!  Now I am a fish on the beach, floundering on the sand.  Ack.  I want light, airy, farmhouse by the sea....but that farmhouse has to keep oak woodwork.  What should I do?  Light neutral?  White?  Remember the kitchen has tall white beadboard, white woodwork (I took liberties in there because it had already been painted)....so how do I get the "look through" from room to room to look right?  Oh brother.  help