A New Project!!!!!

I know I've been showing you guys my buddy Connie's Florida Cottage....

but.....

I'm going to digress for a couple of posts and share my latest project with the class.

Last year I helped my niece Miriam with her dining room.

This year we're working on her living room.

Since I'm back up in Massachusetts for one or two more weeks, 

I figured I would make lemonade out of this sucky winter 

and work on something that's going in her living room.

I will be posting more about her new space once we get it a little further along.

but.....

I will show what I make as I make it....

Because I can't wait to show off.....

Because I am a big baby.....

I wanted to put a bench in front of the new bookcase that holds the TV.

It will soften the wall and add some extra seating.......

if anyone ever comes over to visit them.....

even though no one likes them.....

I was looking for ideas for a small bench and trolling around the internet,

as I'm wont to do.

I may have found the picture below in a blog link party, 

I can't remember.....

I'm old.....

give me a break.....

anyway.....

this was done by Kim 

at kimskottage.blogspot.com

I thought it was a really cute idea for an old piano bench.

soooooooo.....

I thought to myself.....

"Betsy, (I call my self by my nickname....) I bet you 

could find one of these on Craigslist 

just like Andie does from The Devine Theatre Blog!!!!!"

soooooooo.......

I found this ad on Craigslist....

And I thought.....

35 smackers?????

Miriam and Ross can afford 35 smackers!!!!!

So I called the nice lady and she lived just a couple of miles from me!!!!!

I raced over with my money, 

only one problem.....

I only had 20's and I was too lazy to go get any change.

sooooooo.....

I said to her, said I.....

"I can give you a twenty and a check for 15 dollars...."

or......

"I can give you 40 dollars and you can give me a check for 5!!!!!"

or......

"I can give you a check for 35 dollars....."

Where upon she answered....

(being of a comparable age to me, me, me....)

"Just give me a twenty and get the bench out of here!!!!!

I just want to clean it out of my house.

I'm moving!"

(she was very very very very nice....)

so miram and ross scoured again!!!!

sooooooo.....

I lugged it up to my workroom and started removing the top fabric and padding.

Here's the before.

Someone had glued some thin foam to the top and stapled this tapestry fabric to it.

So I remove all the staples and scraped off the foam.

Then I lugged it down to my basement workshop and started painting it with Chalk Paint.

I am so glad Amy from Maison Decor talked about dry brushing in her class,

because I use that technique all the time now.

First I painted a coat of French Linen.

Just one coat, it covered really streaky, but that was OK.

I let that dry and then I dry brushed Old White over it.

Here's a closer shot.

Then I wanted to add more depth and make it a little browner/greener, 

so I dry brushed Chateau Grey over it.

Here's a closer look....

Then I added some Cream detailing to the legs....

And then I waxed it with clear and dark wax.

Not the top though,

'cuz that was getting covered.

Here's a close up.

Here's a side by side....

and another one.....

So, 

That's if for the paint job.

Next post will be the upholstery on the top,

and then I'll do a post on the slipcover.

This little bench took a lot of work, but it was really really really fun!!!!

on that note....

all together now.....

LATER GATOR!!!!

(I unintentionally deleted my signature....oops)

Betsy