Big corner, fuzzy blanket...

Do you have any "sayings" in your household that no one else on the planet would understand? 

For instance, when I was growing up, we were eating shell macaroni and calling it something else to bug my brother.  (Don't remember what we were calling it, but it was bothersome.)  My mom finally said, "Call it properly!"  So we did.  Every time we wanted shell macaroni, we asked for properly.  Shell macaroni is still "properly" to me. 

Every time we are going to watch a family movie, someone yells, "Big corner, fuzzy blanket!"  The first person to holler that, gets the prime movie-watching spot; the corner of our sectional, with the biggest, fuzziest blanket we have.  The next luckiest person gets "Big chair, less fuzzy blanket!"  And then the two who are left just fend for themselves.

Before and after and before and after...

I decided to spruce a few things up over New Year's while we were in sunny-but-not-so-warm Arizona. I've been wanting to try Chalk Paint for awhile, but alas, I cannot buy it in Willmar. But I can buy it in Phoenix.  So I did, and decided to try it out on the vanity in the kids' bathroom.

Ugly, builder-grade oak (didn't get a picture before I had the doors off...)

And here it is after, with a finishing coat of aging wax.  I'm not sure what I think.  I don't hate it, but I'm not totally in love with it, either.

I had to get a new shower curtain, because the dark wax turned the paint color a little more greenish and the old curtain totally clashed.  It really does look better than this in person, hard to get a bathroom shot on your iphone.  The knobs are crystal owls from Hobby Lobby - Maggie picked them out.

I also painted the vanity in our bathroom and left the dark wax off.  I like that one much better, but I didn't take a picture, of course.  :)  Next time.

Not sure the extra money is worth it for the chalk paint.  The upside - you don't have to sand and prime.  The downside, you have to wax everything; and the paint and wax are pretty expensive.  I'm kind of glad I don't completely love it, because otherwise I'd be bummed that I can't get it in Willmar.

Back in cold Minnesota, Max has his winter coat on.  And would really like for me to clean out my workshop a little bit so he's not constantly climbing over furniture.  What a grump.

To help me out with that, I had a "client" (friend) come and pick out two chairs (recognize one, Judy?) and a little table for me to redo for her.  Pretty hideous, no?

The first step is taking the seats off the chairs and removing the old upholstery.  More staples than I could count.  Blech.

And then sometimes what you're left with is just so bad, you have to cut a new plywood seat and start from scratch. 

My friend had the floral fabric and asked me to pick a red that matched for the other chair.  It looks brighter in the picture than it actually is. 

I used my new favorite spray paint and will never use anything else.  Rustoleum rocks.  I use their industrial grade primer and they now have satin finish in a can.  Worth every penny.  It does not run or drip, totally smooth finish.  I would highly recommend it.

I think the table is actually my favorite.  The design is just a little piece of vinyl that I cut into a flourish.  I was going to hand-paint something on, but this way she can just pull that off if she ever wants a change.

She is also buying a set of shelves, but I think we will be leaving those as is.  (I may wipe the dust off of them for her...I'm nice like that.)

Now, I only have seven more chairs, two desks, two dressers, three end tables, one coffee table, two small shelves, several mirrors, a jewelry box and an antique kitchen cupboard to do something with.  Big plans, my friends.  Big plans...