Happy 1st Day of Spring!

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Well, it certainly felt like spring here today!  The high here today was 59, which is pretty nice for this time of year!  This afternoon I was able to get started on a fun project, since the sun was shining bright in the sky, and it was simply lovely outside.


I have been looking for a different table to put between my husband and my sitting chairs in the living room.  I found this one at a thrift store, and while it would work, it needed a face lift.


It definitely had seen better years.


I had a coupon to try the Amy Howard at Home "One Step Paint".  I chose to use Ballet White.


First coat goes on.  This paint is very thick, and has a textured appearance as it goes on.


I had two very faithful attendants as I painted...


Second coat of paint went on, and it looked really nice.


You can see here how thick this paint is, and how much I used to paint this small table... all of the container!


Next part of the process was to add the Antique wax coat.


I used a sponge to daub the wax on, and then rubbed it in with a buffing cloth.



And the finished look... quite different from the beginning!


I was quite pleased with the end result... now I had to let it dry... oh the impatience of it all!  The paint dried very quickly, but the wax was still quite tacky.  I let it sit in the sun for several hours.


This was the area that the new refinished table was going to go.  This area needed a change, and I had been searching for just the right piece of furniture to make it happen.  I was glad that today it was all coming together!


Finally... the table was done drying, and the fun now was the rearranging!  I also had painted the large white shelf in the background today as well.  It was part of my efforts to make this space more usable. I found it at a thrift store for 10.00.



I really am in love with this new little painted table. It has a space for both my husband and I to place our books that we are reading, and room for coasters for our drinks.






This was a fun project from start to completion.  The actual painting process took about an hour. The nice thing about this paint is that no priming was necessary.  This paint will go on over just about any surface.  The surface of this little table was a veneer, and would have required a lot more work to strip it before painting had I not used this paint.


The above shelf I got at the thrift store for 10.00 and looked pretty awful. I was going to use the Amy Howard paint on it as well, but decided against it, as the paint is pretty spendy as I would need a much larger container to finish the shelf.  I went to the hardware store and discovered a really nice Krylon spray paint was on sale.  My thrifty heart went with the spray paint, and I was pleasantly pleased with the results on this shelf.


From start to finish, this was an easy project, and I do recommend the Amy Howard paint quite highly if you are working with a difficult surface.  However, the price of the paint is somewhat of a downside to the fun that I had.  The little jar of paint I used normally cost $15.99, but with my 30% coupon, I paid $11.19 for the paint.  I can't remember how much I paid for the wax, but it will last much longer, as I only used a very small amount of it for this table.  

While the paint was drying, I stayed busy.  


Yesterday I had put up the indoor greenhouse, which was a Christmas present a year ago from my husband.  It has been a big blessing to have! I can start my seeds indoor (which happens to be in our porch addition). 


I bought a Seedling Heat Mat last year and used it with my greenhouse and found it really made a difference with the germinating of the seeds.  This year since the greenhouse is in our porch addition, which is not insulated, the Seedling Heat Mats will be necessary to keep the soil warm enough for the seeds to germinate.


I bought one grow light new at the store last year.  Then, as summer progressed, at a yard sale I found more grow lights for $1.00 a piece!  How exciting was that!  Grow lights are not cheap to buy new!


I started some flowers from seeds, including pansies. I had a package of lavender seeds, and I've heard they are hard to start from seed, but I will see what happens.



Here I've started my cold weather veggies - kale, spinach, and broccoli.  I also plan to try starting onions from seeds, as in years past I've planted the seed onions from the nursery.  

With all the nice weather we have been having, it is quite exciting to be able to start my plants indoors, and it is a huge cost savings as opposed to buying the plants at about $3-4 in a couple of months in the stores.  I will also be starting my tomatoes as well.  I typically can't put them into the ground until the end of May or first of June, so I don't want to start them too early, because I won't have room for them inside once they get bigger.  

Every year is an adventure in gardening here, as you never know what curveballs the weather may throw at you.  I just do my best with what I have, ask the Lord to bless my efforts, and enjoy the journey :)  

I wanted to share an update on my mother-in-law for those of you who have been praying for her... she came through the surgery just fine today, and they plan on getting her up to put weight on her leg tomorrow!  Unfortunately, my father-in-law (who is in a nursing home) is quite upset about it all.  He has the early to middle stages of Alzheimer's, and wants to go stay in the hospital room with her, but cannot because of his health conditions.  So please pray for them, as this is a tough situation for both of them.  We are praying that she will have a quick recovery and be able to walk again soon!

I hope you have enjoyed the very first day of spring!  We were blessed here with a beautiful day, although snow and rain are in the forecast for the rest of the week... such goes this "springter" season!  :)  How was your first day of spring? 

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59 comments

  1. The table turned out beautifully, your home is quite cozy and sweet.
    My daughter just painted her bedroom furniture with this type paint and it all looks so fresh and new.
    So happy that your mother in law is on the mend. I was praying for her.
    Have a cheerful day dear one....

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    1. Thank you Shirley, it is a small space, and furniture has to be chosen very carefully! I had fun painting the table... perhaps your daughter can share her painted projects with us, that would be awesome! It is a lot of fun to repurpose and make new :) Thank you for praying for my MIL, it is so appreciated! Have a wonderful day dear friend!

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  2. {{{big, big smiles}}--I love the table and how it turned out. Aren't those plug in warmers great for jar candles?

    Keeping your family in prayer...especially your mother in law...Blessings, friend

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    1. I do love them for candles, they are awesome, but I have been using them to keep my hot drinks warm :) They work great for that too!

      Appreciate your prayers for my MIL, she is doing much better, and for that we are very thankful! Have a blessed day... I know this is back-to-school day for you, and hope you are feeling rested and refreshed after your break :)

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  3. I love that table! It had really good "bones" and fits wonderfully in that space. Great job!

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    1. I'm really happy with it so far! Indeed it had good bones, and that paint was perfect for it. Appreciate your visit, and hope you have a blessed day!

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  4. What fun projects! Your table turned out so pretty, and I love that you're starting your seeds already--I can't wait to get my seeds started :-)

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    1. Seed starting is a lot of fun, I can't wait to see their pretty green heads shoot up! Thanks for the kind words about my table, I am loving it very much :)

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  5. That table is darling. I am sorry about your in laws. I know from experience how hard it is to watch your parents age. Hopefully, she will be back to herself soon and he will be comforted by that.

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    1. Yes, it is so hard to see your parents have difficulties at this stage of life, with such hard decisions to be made too. Appreciate your kind words and thoughts! I am loving my new re-done table! Have a great week Kim :)

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  6. Happy Spring! Your table turned out really nice. I love that distressed look! It looks so good between your chairs. Its so nice to spruce things up and rearrange them. I did that in my kitchen and I just love the final results.
    My guys have been re-roofing our homes from the hail storm last summer. And wouldn't you know they got snowed on in the process. Love this crazy spring weather! Haha! Now they'll be re-roofing the shop roof. Hoping for nice weather to complete this project...
    Glad to hear your mil is doing well. I will continue to pray for her and your fil.
    Enjoy your day!
    Hugs, Amy

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    1. I am really enjoying the distressed look too! It is now the perfect height between our chairs, and great storage too, which were all things I was looking for in that space.

      Sounds like you have a busy time ahead of you with the guys doing the roofing, although I know it will be a glad thing to get done! I do hope nice spring weather lasts to get this done! Indeed, the weather is crazy and unpredictable right now!

      Appreciate your prayers for my MIL... she is doing much better today, and for that we are very thankful! Have a blessed day my friend :)

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  7. Your table is wonderful. (I need a table like that!) It looks great between your chairs. Love your indoor greenhouse. You will lots of fun using it. Good news about your MIL. Happy Spring!

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    1. I was very happy to find the table, albeit in rough used condition, but nothing that a little furniture paint couldn't solve, and now I am quite pleased with it, and all that it can store! The indoor greenhouse is a delight too, I love starting seeds indoors, it feels like it helps gets spring off to a quicker start here, lol! Appreciate your visit, and Happy Spring to you too!

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  8. That is a unique little table and what a lovely job you made of it! I really like all the places to stash things. I painted a side table but I used the Krylon spray paint. It came out really well and I'm happy with it. I was going to wax it but didn't bother. It's holding up really well. Glad your MIL did well with her surgery. Happy Spring, my friend! Enjoy this lovely week.

    Easter blessings,
    Sandi

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    1. That is what drew me to this table, the storage abilities in it, as well as the perfect height to set drinks upon as well. I am delighted to have it done and sitting pretty now :) The Krylon spray paint works great! I used it on the back shelf, and was really happy with how it turned out. We are thankful for the good report on my MIL... thank you for your prayers! Have a blessed day! :)

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  9. You are SO celebrating spring's arrival! I'm joining you ... despite the fluffy white stuff that's made it's way to the northeast today!

    ;-}

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    1. Oh I did hate to hear that the white fluffy stuff was still falling in your area... hope it wasn't too bad! Here, spring really is coming, and we are so happy indeed :) Appreciate your visit Linda, as always, and hope you have a wonderful day!

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  10. What a beautiful and inspiring post! The small table is lovely (so much space for books, magazines and other important things) and the result of the makeover is wonderful.
    Have a blessed and serene Holy Week!

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    1. Thank you Sara for your kind words, I was quite pleased with the result too, and I love having the extra storage as well as the pretty look! Thank you so much for your sweet comment, it is appreciated! Have a blessed week!

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  11. You've been quite the busy bee for sure! Can't wait to see how your seeds turn out - my cosmos and one type of lettuce have sprouted already, in just two days - isn't that crazy? I am obsessively going down to the utility room to check the flats many times per day - hey, at least I'm getting a little stair workout, huh? :) Great job on the table and bookshelf - I'm sure they are making a big difference in your sitting area - love that!

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    1. My broccoli sprouted today! I need to get some pictures of them tomorrow, but I'm amazed they came up that soon! Sounds like you are getting your workout, lol! I am enjoying the new table and shelf, it has really made a difference in the room too! :) Happy belated birthday to you!

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  12. Oh I am glad your mother-in-law came through the surgery well. Poor thing. I will definitely keep her in my prayers and add your father-in-law too.

    LOVE your little table. It is perfect! It looks fancy/expensive now! :-)

    Hooray - grow little seedlings!

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    1. I am loving my new table, it is just perfect for what I wanted between our chairs. I talked to my MIL today, and she has been moved to rehab already, so that is great! She does say it hurts a whole lot, and she appreciates everyone's prayers! Appreciate your visit as always Gina :)

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  13. Oh Wow, what a great job you did on the little table, it looks great! It is the perfect size for the space between the two chairs. I really like the color and distressed look. The greenhouse will be fun and starting plants from seeds. We do a little of this but with no greenhouse! It is so nice to meet you!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, it really turned out great, and I love it! I am also enjoying my indoor greenhouse as well. It is wonderful to meet you too, thank you for stopping by :)

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  14. The greenhouse will put you well ahead with your seedlings. so much better than having to buy plants.

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    1. Yes, it has put me way ahead with my plants, and it is exciting!

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  15. What a gorgeous table. I have not seen one like that before. I love the side 'pocket's and it looks so lovely now with a coat of paint and some wax. If I had seen this pretty in a store I would have put it under my arm and run away with it. =) You have been a busy gal with all that seed planting. There is nothing quite like eating produce you have grown yourself. I hope your mother-in-law is soon feeling better. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. Have a lovely warm week!

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    1. Haha, I fell in love with the little table when I saw it, and knew that it just needed a bit of paint love :) It has really been nice having it in our sitting area. I do love gardening, and it is always fun to get a head start on the plants. Starting things indoors here helps a lot. Appreciate your prayers for my MIL, she is in rehab now, and doing much better, we are so thankful! Appreciate your visit Kim, have a blessed day!

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  16. How terrifically economical and creative you've been! I am truly impressed. I am going to pin this just so I won't lose it. That way, if I do it, I'll know who to ask questions!
    I haven't really painted furniture before. It might really spruce up my old furniture. I grew up in the days when my mother was stripping paint off of everything!
    Be blessed and enjoy your Easter weekend!
    Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

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    1. I enjoyed your story about your mother stripping paint off everything, I remember those days too, lol... funny how times change! I normally don't paint furniture, but I needed to paint this little table, because it looked pretty sad the way it was! Hope you are having a blessed week!

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  17. That was a great paint project Marilyn, and the table is very practical with the magazine/book pockets. I have painted a small stool and a small side table with Fusion Mineral Paint, available up here. A little seems to go a long way with it so I have lots left for more projects if I ever get around to them. How exciting to start growing plants in your little greenhouse. It will be fun to see them growing. I pray your mother-in-law will heal quickly and that her husband will have peace about everything. Such a tough situation. Take care and I hope you have a nice week. Pam

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    1. I've never heard of that kind of paint. This paint was very thick, and took a lot to apply, but I was very pleased with how it turned out. My plants are doing good in the little greenhouse, already some of them are coming up. Thank you for your prayers for my MIL! She is doing much better, already in rehab! Hope you are having a wonderful week :)

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  18. What a cozy spot for reading and prayer. Small spots are hard to find furniture for. You found a treasure and transformed it perfectly.
    I see your Christmas Cactus is ready to bloom. So is mine!

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    1. I do love my spot by the windows! I have a great view in front, and behind me :) It was difficult for me to find the right piece of furniture but I was glad to find that table, and happy it turned out just like I hoped.

      Yes, my Christmas Cactus is all confused, lol, blooming in March! It bloomed at Thanksgiving, and then after Christmas, and now in March! You have good eyes to notice that!

      Hope you are having a great day :)

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  19. Hi,
    I like your table. Well done.
    I love that you start your own seeds. I am on the look out for a little greenhouse like yours and grow lights to get set up. The search in on. :-)
    Have a great Easter week,
    Carla

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    1. Thanks Carla! We are really enjoying the table, it is just perfect for that space! My seeds are already sprouting, amazing! :) Have a lovely Easter!

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  20. Oh my, how busy you've been! I love seeing projects in the before and after stage, and your table turned out so great. Your shelf also looks so pretty. I have not seen the Amy Howard paint, but thank you for recommending it. What fun to start your own plants from seeds.
    Prayers will be said for your in laws. God bless them! Happy Easter to you!

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    1. Thank you Kitty for your sweet words, I am really enjoying the little table, and the ease with which it underwent a transformation! I am thinking about doing some more of this, it is very fun! Thank you for praying for my inlaws, they seem to be doing better! Appreciate your friendship so much! Have a blessed Easter!

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  21. You did a beautiful job with that little table! And filled it right up with books -- a girl after my own heart!
    What an exciting thing to have all those little seedlings growing. That looks like a great little greenhouse.
    Happy Easter to you! xo Deborah

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    1. Thank you Deborah, I loved how it turned out! And a definite bonus to have a place to store my books was a big bonus when I saw it in the thrift store. I'm happy how it turned out :) And my plants are doing great, already coming up! Happy Easter to you too :)

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  22. Marilyn
    So very sorry to hear about your in-laws. It is a difficult situation for everyone involved. Keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers!

    Your table turned out great! There's quite a bit of storage there and it's a perfect use of space. I have been thinking about doing a similar project. I have a little table in my dining room that is just begging for a face lift....the painting doesn't look hard or you make it look easy! But at any rate, I think I will try that paint on it. If it turns out well, you'll see it in an upcoming post! if not, well you probably won't see it LOL!

    I spied some familiar objects in one of the photographs! Soon another teacup reveal! It's so much fun!

    Have fun with your seeds. It's that time of year!
    xoxo
    Linda

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    1. Thank you sweet Linda for your prayers for my MIL... she is doing much better, is now in rehab. It is so much appreciated!

      I am really enjoying my little table, it is just the perfect height to place drinks on, and it has the added bonus storage too! The Amy Howard paint is really awesome - you can go to her youtube channel to see her techniques, and different things that you can do with the paint. Her paint is only available at Ace Hardware stores. I was happy that it did not take very long, and did not require any extra work, other than just degreasing/cleaning the piece before getting started.

      Yes, you have great eyes, there are some very special pieces on the shelf, and they have been a sweet blessing that I've enjoyed :) My teacup package got mailed off and now I am waiting to receive mine, such fun and delight!

      Yes, the joy of planting is abounding, lol! I love it! Hope you are having a lovely week, and may the Lord bless your Easter!

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  23. That is unique and useful looking table. It turned out cute. We are hoping to get seeds started soon too.

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    1. Thank you Abbi, it was a fun table to refinish, and I am just loving its new place in our home! Thank you for your kind words... and starting seeds always makes me feel like spring indoors, even if it is not quite ready outdoors, lol! Have a blessed Easter my friend!

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  24. It really does feel like spring at your blog today! I'm inspired with your projects. I've never heard of Amy's paint - what a step saver. And that greenhouse is perfect for your climate. Very nice.

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    1. Amy Howard's paint can only be purchased at Ace Hardware. If you want to see what you can do with her paint, she has a youtube channel as well. I was pretty amazed at how easily this paint was able to transform this table into something useful and purposeful again.

      I need to have an indoor greenhouse here, because our growing season is so short. It helps to give plants a head start.

      Appreciate your visit, and kind comments. I pray you have a blessed Easter!

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  25. I love the table!! The primitive/antiquey finished look is just so pretty! I am sorry to hear about your mother-in-law. I didn't realize she was having surgery, but so thankful she came through everything well. God is so good!! Have a wonderful day, sweet friend. :)

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    1. I am really in love with the ease of finishing this little table in such a quick amount of time, with little effort, and have been enjoying my quiet time in the mornings with the new table joining me :) My MIL is doing well, she is now in rehab, and they are working with her to get her moving and back to walking again, amazing! Appreciate your sweet visit at always, and pray that the Lord blesses you with a sweet dose of His presence this weekend as we celebrate HE IS RISEN! Much love to you today!!

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  26. So amazing what a bit of paint will do, eh? Looks lovely my dear.. So exciting to begin the planting season and all that goes with it.. So nice to visit with you.. xoxo

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    1. This paint really is amazing, I loved how easy it was to apply! And we are happy that it is indeed seed starting time again... my little plants are already pushing their heads up in my indoor greenhouse :) Hope you have a blessed Easter weekend my friend!

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  27. Your table turned out amazing!!!!

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    1. Thank you Chrissy! I have really been enjoying my little table for my quiet time with the Lord in the mornings, it is a perfect place for my Bible and devotionals, and other books. I am happy with it :)

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  28. I love your cute little table, it holds an amazing amount of books. You did a great job with the painting on both it and the bookshelf, they tie in nicely together. I love your indoor greenhouse. Last year we started seeds here but it was difficult as we had to keep the cats away, something like that would be perfect.

    I hope you enjoy your Easter.

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    1. I am really enjoying the refinished table, it is serving up a lovely purpose as a perfect place to have my time with the Lord each morning, and coffee!

      My seeds are doing great, they are already coming up! Planting seeds always feels so good in the spring after the winter months :)

      Have a blessed Easter too my friend, appreciate you so! :)

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  29. I love your cute little table, it holds an amazing amount of books. You did a great job with the painting on both it and the bookshelf, they tie in nicely together. I love your indoor greenhouse. Last year we started seeds here but it was difficult as we had to keep the cats away, something like that would be perfect.

    I hope you enjoy your Easter.

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  30. How many wonderful things you did at the same time, my sweet Marilyn !
    I love your little piece of forniture and your vintage touch with the white paint gives it such a charming note !

    Hope you're having a blessed week,
    I'm sending love to you

    Dany

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    1. It was such a delight to pretty up this piece of furniture, and I am inspired to try doing some more projects like this! So fun for sure!

      Hope you have a blessed and very special Easter!

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