FLEA MARKET: February 2010

Sunday, February 28, 2010

A Romance with Rust

One of the purest forms of accidental beauty results from the harmonious union of metal and nature, the consequence being nothing more than perfection of timeless elegance. Rust. Loathed by many, it has achieved its prominence of "accessory" status in the decorating world with a flare of romantic essence. Add the flicker of candlelight and the sparkle of a glass of wine...well, need we say more?

A caution, though, REAL rust cannot be enjoyed indoors without some safety precautions. First, thoroughly scrub the piece with a bristle brush and soapy water. This will remove embedded dirt and loose flakes. Let dry completely.

Second, give the piece a few solid coats of polyurethane. The spray poly in a Satin finish is our treatment of choice.

Now that your new favorite accessory is home-ready, find a clever way to display it. Here we've accessorized a serene bistro nook by adding several touches of RUST, in combination with the glimmer of candlelight and some unexpected surprises. Come. Sit. Have a glass of wine.

For those of you who just aren't comfortable bringing the real Rust into your home, or just can't wait for Mother Nature to complete the process, there are some fabulous paint treatment products on the market that will enable you to "rust" just about anything.

RUST. The New Black.JunkFest

Now...if you LOVE this post...head on over to Season 1 on "So You Think You Can Decorate" and VOTE!! Can't wait to hear from you!!

Linked to:
BNOTP-Met Monday

Friday, February 26, 2010

Flea Market Magic!

Have you seen it? It's finally here! Just picked up my copy today and I am in LOVE! I'm talking about Flea Market Style Magazine! For you junkers out there, this is inspirational eye candy at it's best!! And...because we love us a good flea market (none other than our very own JunkFest!!) and we love our readers....we're giving away one copy very soon! Whew, what a mouthful! Did you get all that?
What do you have to do to qualify for this giveaway, you ask? Just leave us a comment telling us about your favorite flea market find ever! One lucky duck will win a copy, plus a little extra flea market surprise!

Here's a little peek at what gets my attention at flea markets......

Rusty, chippy scales of every kind and color....

Vintage pails, shovels for the beach...

Stoneware, vintage pottery...

Timepieces...watches, clocks, faces....

Let's hear it from you....where have you been and what did you find?

Oh yeah, don't forget....the party starts Saturday! Head over to Alchemy Junk's "So You Think You Can Decorate" contest...we're playing along! Go vote for your favorite!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Easy Peasy Makeover Pie!

Don't ya just love a good make over ? On furniture, that is. Here are two projects that were done for JunkFest 2009. Both were fortunate to be adopted and moved on to live in good homes!

The first is a sweet chair...and look at that detailing!! CAUTION: the fabric has been removed from the before picture for the well-being of your eyes! It was WILD!! (sorry, Sandy...but you have to admit...)

Awe...that's better. A fresh coat of black. Instead of painting, I actually drybrushed the black on to preserve some of the ornate detailing. Then on to the seat and backrest. A black and white print did the job. Fine. Very Fine.

The second project is a trunk. Not just any old trunk, this is a multipurpose organize-in-the-tray-and-store-in-the-bottom-and-use-the-top-for-a-coffee-table kind of trunk. (whew! that was a mouthful)

The inside needed a bit of TLC, as did the bottom. So I reinforced the bottom with sturdy plywood, and refreshed the entire inside with pretty, pretty wallpaper. Not just applied...but TORN, then applied. An unexpected flair.

There, now don't you feel better? I do. Two fine pieces of furniture that just needed a new lease on life. What's your favorite thing to make over?

This post linked to:
Domestically Speaking-Power of Paint Party

Keeping it Simple-Motivate Me Monday

The Girl Creative-Just Something I Whipped Up

Mustard Seed Creations-workshop

Faded Charm-White Wednesday

Somewhat Simple-Strut Your Stuff Thursday

The Thrifty Home-Penny Pinching Party

Silly Little Sparrow-Toot your horn Tuesdays

Life as Lori-Get your Craft on Thursdays

The Shabby Chic Cottage-Transformation Thursday

Mustard Seed Creations-Furniture Friday

JunkDreams,

SweetMelissa

of JunkFest

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Don't Forget!

Mark you calendars! And don't forget to vote for your favorite weekly projects. 10 Decorators, 10 Challenges, 10 Weeks...over at So You Think You Can Decorate? (or SYTYCD for short) The FUN begins February 28th so don't be late! We'll be there waiting for you. :)

(If you're wondering about the sweet photo of the drawer lock...you didn't MISS it did you? Check out the previous post!)

JunkDreams,

SweetMelissa

of JunkFest

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

JunkFest-Sweet Princess Dresser

The moment I laid eyes on this dresser on a junk jaunt to South Dakota, I just KNEW it had to come home with me. At the time I simply saw potential in a nicely shaped, fairly sturdy piece of furniture that I could refurbish for resale. Once I got “her” home, a few new details that had gone unnoticed started to emerge. Notice the “pin and cove” dovetailing on this fine piece. This dovetailing was used primarily in the 1880’s, showing that this fine gal has passed the test of time. The glass knobs were a definite plus, adding a sweet touch to her presence. I searched my wood stash until I found a few suitable pieces to frame a "Princess" corkboard where a mirror would have been...had it not been missing! I covered the corkboard with cotton fabric, and stenciled it with a crown (for the Princess, of course). I also added cuphooks for the Princess to hang her mirror, ribbons, and jewels.

I sanded, repaired, and sanded some more. Then a smooth coat or two of Kilz primer to cover the pink color under the white.

A few fresh coats of white, followed by a few coats of Polycrylic to seal the surfaces. (Polycrylic does not “yellow” over white paint and gives the smoothest feel to the surface! Yum!) I placed some girly, pretty pink wrapping paper in the drawers, and added a soft pink ribbon on a small drawer where the glass knob was missing.