Kitchen Table Makeover

Good Morning, Friends!  I apologize, again, for taking so long in getting this post up, but as I said on Shoestring’s Facebook page, this is a piece a intend to have for a long time and that I use often so I wanted to finish it just right..That being said, It’s DONE!!

I have had this kitchen table for 10+ years and I still love it!! I’m sure you have either seen this table or a version of it before. It was one of the first “Country Cottage” style pieces that was available, at a reasonable price.. 

But, I can honestly say from the beginning, I had always wished that 
the company had made them all in white. I never have seen one to this day that is solid white.  Now, armed with a little more knowledge and Behr’s version of ASChalk Paint, I felt prepared to make it the table and chairs I had always wished it would be.  It was not at all as easy as I had thought it would be. 

First of all,  they had a really high gloss thick varnish on the “oak” parts of the table that didn’t take to my original plan.  I had intended to paint some black paint on the areas I had hoped to later sand of to give it that perfectly distressed look.  However, this table had a mind of its own.  (I have used this method before, with applying a very thin layer of petroleum jelly or even was over the black and then painted the white chalk over it, and found it worked lovely at letting the darker color come through, as this is a very blonde oak.)  When I attempted this method with this piece the chalk paint actually started rubbing off the black and pulling the paint.  

So I scrapped that idea and sanded off the areas I had prepped for this finish. Starting back, basically, and the beginning.  As I love the white tiles and wanted to make sure not to damage then in any way or the surrounding grout, I taped it off so just the border was exposed and beginning redoing the edges again with my chalk paint.  I have never had to use more than 2 coats to completely cover a surface before, but this table required three and then sanding, waxing and sealing.  However, now that it is done, I have to say, I Love It!!! It was well worth the extra work! 


I am aware that some of my projects are not technically difficult to do. But, that, in fact is the point!! To take what we have(or what we can get very inexpensively) and make it what we always wanted to be!! And No, I don't always have my Teacups and table set this way, but it's so lovely to know that I can, now that it's been 'upgraded'.

The more you put out, the greater you get back!! I hope you will enjoy this as well!! And I hope that you are all enjoying a Blessed week!! I keep updates and additional pictures on Shoestring Elegance’s facebook page if you want to go “Like” it there, you will see in your feed when I have a new project up.  I also add a few other tidbits, and inspirations there.  Come check it out!  I love your comments!!!! 

If I haven't answered your comment directly, in the past please forgive me, it isn't that I wasn't Blessed by receiving your kind words, they mean the world to me! It is just a lot to keep up with!! Thanks you for coming to visit my little corner of the world! I hope you'll stick with me through this wonderful journey!

I'm link up with these wonderful ladies:

Rod Iron Candle Redo<$1

99 Cent Candle Do-Over!

Good Morning, Friends!! So glad you had the time to stop by for a visit! 

So, last weekend, one of our local churches, had their “Annual Rummage Sale”!! I’m sure you can imagine it didn’t take me long to get up and ready for this! It started at 9a.m, so, of course, I was there at 8:55 with my tennie's on and ready!! Unfortunately, so were about 300 other people! No matter! I had a tremendously successful trip!! Many future projects will be forthcoming from the $13 I spent that morning! Yes $13, Woohoo!! I love a good rummage sale!

That brings me to today’s little project. No, I didn’t get it from this rummage sale! My sister had a garage sale a couple of years ago, and she knew that my Mom was going to have one, too. So what she didn’t sell she gave to my Mom to let her give it a try! Long story short I had first pickings at what neither of them were able to sell, before they were donated!!

 That’s how I came to own this black, rod iron candle stick holder. Remember when Black rod iron was all the rage? Anyway, it wasn't to my taste anymore either, but I thought I could make it into something I liked! 

2 years later I had a bracelet break, and got a great deal on some antique white accents spray paint within a couple of days and I saw what my little candle holder could be!!

I used a  wire brush to get all the old wax off and then I spray painted it.  About 2-3 coats worked beautifully!  And as I said, I had a cute little pearl and crystal bracelet (costume jewelry). It broke and little pearls and crystals went rolling everywhere. So, I picked them all up and put them in a container for a future project. Isn't that what everyone does when their jewelry breaks? 

So here is my little Candlestick do over which I achieved for 99cents (that was the deal I got on the spray paint!!) I hope you like it.  What was once sitting in the corner back behind the door now makes a beautiful centerpiece on my Dining room table!  Many Blessing you this week, I hope you have enjoyed my “cheap” or “chic” little project!  




Sharing with:

Prayer Request Box

This is actually a post and project I had not planned to do or to write! I was so happily surprised though with the results I decided to share it with you.

What is the saying “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”? Well, I don’t know if that is the case or if we are just lucky or so Blessed that we learn to “make the best” out of what we have.

I just recently experienced this. What a happy surprise!

My Wednesday morning’s “Women’s Power of Prayer” group was held at my house this past week, because our wonderful leader had an opportunity to have a vacation with her husband and their children.  It was not an overwhelming undertaking for me. I love to bake! I always have coffee and Tea @ the ready for all friends and family that pop by in the early hours of the day! So, how happy was I to have this wonderful group of women meeting here this time…It pleased me very much.  

One of the things that our leader has always had available at all of our meetings has been a prayer request box. One with blank cards to be written on & deposited in, (if someone preferred prayer that they weren't comfortable enough to request from the group). As well as, any donations, for some of the special reading materials available. (This has always been something that people could deposit anonymously, as not to provide any undo discomfort. And even though, our leader provided me with everything I would need for our meeting and what sections of our study to focus on. She had, in fact, forgotten this wonderful little (but very important box).   

I thought this was not a problem. Surely,  I should be able to find something I could use. In fact, it wasn't as easy as I thought, to find something visually appealing, as well as, functional.  So I searched my house the night before the group was to meet and stumbled upon this stationary, that someone had given me years before that was never really to my taste, but the hinged box was perfect for my needs. Then there was just the little matter that it was really not as delicate and pretty as I would have liked this important box to be.  So I looked in through my craft supplies and had a couple of sheets of “card stock” scrap-booking paper, that I had saved for whatever.?! Okay, I was just taken with the look of it and thought when I bought it at .59 cents a sheet that it would be beautiful for something! And it was!  I got out my ruler, straight edge and tacky glue and covered, lined and wrapped the lid up with a bow!! Standing back at 12:30 am, I was quite pleased with my little prayer box!!  It wasn't necessary to put all this effort in such a little thing, but I was pleased that I had! By the end of our successful morning meeting the contents were removed, to be handed of to the right person, and my beautiful little prayer box remained my happy little memory of the morning. 

This wasn't a difficult project for me, but it certainly was a rewarding one.  I remember thinking at the time, that it may have made God smile! Or laugh!  I hope you enjoy it, too!! 

As always, Many Blessings for a wonderful weekend! 

My Version of an Old Classic Vase!!

Hi all!!! Okay, so I have seen a lot of people making their own milk glass or just spray painting colors on glass vases, lately. While it is nice, I remember knowing that the milk glass vases were glass and I had been wanting to try something for a while... So, I decided to test my theory…(while I love all the other vase projects I had seen) I wanted to see if I could do it the way I was thinking.  I got this vase at our local Hospice Thrift store for $1.25.

Garage Sale Stand <$5, but Free To Me!

Okay, so you know how you have 5+ projects lined up that you have great plans for?  Well, that’s usually how I work. Anyway back to this post.  I have a wonderful new friend that loves that I go garage sailing and Thrift store shopping for my Redo’s She, however, doesn’t know how something speaks to you, I mean you see something and immediately know what you want to make out of it. However, being someone that loves to be supportive she went to a garage sale last week and found and bought this little stand for me. 

This would not have 
been my first pick, 
but I took it on as a 
challenge… So, I got 
my paints out after I cleaned it up and 
started repainting. 

I was so surprised when I stood back and saw what I had done!! I was actually very happy with it and it now fitted in with my style!! 

Serendipity!!

So, what do you all think? Better after, right?

Thank you so much for visiting me here and 

@ Shoestring’s Facebook page…Your 

views, “Likes”, and comments are a such a 

Blessing to me, you can’t even Imagine!! So 

from me to you Many Blessing!!

 If you get the chance try and check out


Metamorphosis Monday 


here:http://betweennapsontheporch.net/metamorphosis-monday/


As well as, these other great parties