Thursday, August 30, 2012

DIY painting kitchen table

Alright folks, here is another DIY project the hubby and I started/finished last year. You may remember I spoke of a dining room table I had inherited from my great Aunt. We love this table, which sits in the highest traffic area in our home. This hand-me-down dining table is full of character.. dents, chips, peeling trim and water damage are indications of many years of meals shared among loved ones. Before adding yet another generation of character to the table, we decided to take on a DIY project and give it a modern update. Specifically, we painted the table and chairs white and added some funky seat covers (more details on the seat covers coming soon...)

Here is a summary of how we painted a previously stained and sealed dining set:
  • to remove loose dirt, dust and grease, wipe down all surfaces with a clean cloth dampened with pure, white vinegar - allow to dry
  • lightly sand all surfaces using orbital sander and hand sander - 220 grit
  • to remove dust, wipe down all surfaces with damp cloth - allow to dry
  • chair back-rests: apply two coats of spray primer for indoor/outdoor wicker furniture
  • remainder of chair surface and table: apply two coats of acrylic stain killer/primer/sealer with mini-roller for flat surfaces and brush for all other areas
  • chair back-rests: apply two coats of white, flat spray paint for indoor/outdoor wicker furniture
  • remainder of chair surface and table: apply two coats of white, flat melamine paint with mini-roller for flat surfaces and brush for all other areas
  • allow to dry for at least a week  
Here is the set after removal from storage
Note the four matching chairs including a captain chair have a mesh backrest - this proved to be a challenge
Wipe down with vinegar to remove years of fingerprints, grease etc.
Lightly sand with orbital sander
We didn't attempt to remove the finish and get down to the wood since we planned on painting (and not staining)
Here is a close-up of some water damage that had to be smoothed out using a combination of orbital sander and hand-sanding.
We decided to spray paint the mesh back-rests using an indoor/outdoor spray primer and flat white paint designed for wicker furniture, it worked great!
Here is the finished product as it looks today in our kitchen. More on the seat covers in an upcoming post
The finer details slowed the process, but was worth the effort. I love love love the little details.
For the legs, we pained the grooves using a small art brush and then the mini-roller resulted in a smooth, dripless finish.
We think this classic table, looking slightly modern, fits perfect in our kitchen. I love love love the finished product.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

weekend catch-up

Singer Castle on the beautiful St.Lawrence river.
This past weekend was all about fun, sun, and food! It was a great weekend spent out on the river. With the summer winding down, we need to take every opportunity we can to enjoy our time out outdoors in the sun. The kids love spending time with their grandma and grandpa, especially when it involves a boat. Little Miss L. was in heaven when grandpa took her to see not one but two castles (this momma may have been in her glory too, I love love love castles!) The weather was perfect for cruising along the St.Lawrence river...
Starting young - Little Miss L. driving the boat with grandpa.
Baby D just relaxing.
Singer Castle on the St. Lawrence river.
Nona and Little Miss L. cruising along in the boat.
Boldt Castle on the St. Lawrence.
Boldt Castle yacth house.
Going for a swim with the big guy.
These two are a silly couple.
Water time with grandma and grandpa and two furry friends.
It was also all about food - one of my faves - gooey cheesy nachos.
I know someone who loves nachos just as much as I do.
What 2 year old do you know that loves to drink salsa?!?!

I even had the chance to make a fresh batch of tomato sauce.

Friday, August 24, 2012

baby d's nautical bash

Baby D's birthday party was so much fun! I couldn't help but share more of his nautical bash with all of you. Thank you again to everyone who came out to share this special day with with us!
Daddy with  his birthday boy.
Time for the little ones to burn off some energy.
Tia and Uncle.
Baby B gets some milk :)
What's a barbecue without the meat?
One happy server!
Yum!
Let's dig in!!!
Lunch time.
Thanks Tio for giving me a hand.
All smiles with cousin Gloria.
Momma and her birthday boy.
Showing off his new walking skills.

Family shot.

Someone didn't want to blow out his candle.
Smash cake.
Baby D didn't want to dig into his cake. He was more concerned that his hands were dirty.
Big sister comes to the rescue and gives her little brother a taste of the cake.
Time to open gifts!
Big sister loves to help out.
Hey Auntie, look at my new ride.
Can we say spoiled!?!
I know someone who thought these were all her new goodies.
Thanks everyone for my awesome gifts. I can't wait to enjoy them all!