Table for One

Aren't garage sales delightful? I'm sure the bf is afraid of what "project" I'm going to find when we head out for a day of shopping at other peoples' houses. ;) 

Last summer, I found a cute little table that I thought would be the perfect project. It was a simple side table with a single drawer that screamed out that it needed a little love. The $5 price was perfect so I mentioned to the bf that it would be perfect in the Hawkeye room. (This is the key...I just let him know how it would be if it were somehow Iowa Hawkeye themed and it gets to come home with me...)

Last summer was hot. When I say hot, I mean blazing hot. The grass all died, I (and by that I mean Greg) had to water the flowers every day, our poor dogs didn't want to be outside, I didn't want to be outside. So, the table sat...and sat...and sat... 

(Scene change: Spring 2014) This spring has been cool, NOT 105 degrees, and has been perfect for working on things outdoors. 

So, my little table is finally ready for a new life. First, I took it all apart so that the top of the table is removed and the drawer is sitting to the side. I used the electric sander to remove the finish and smooth out the nicks and dents. Then, I painted the entire thing (minus the parts you won't see) with white primer. When that was finally dry, I had to sit down and think about my color scheme; I decided on a yellow tiger-hawk, a yellow base, and black legs. 

Primer and first coat of yellow.

 After the yellow was dry, I taped off the legs and painted them black.

Black legs!! 

Next step will be to paint the top of the table black, with a yellow tiger-hawk. My last step will the the drawer. I know I want to be creative with it, but will figure that part out later. Until then...

Uncommon Grounds...Smells Delicious!!

Well, the new coffee shelf is officially complete! Here's how it was finally finished:

After gluing on the loose piece that fell off (with Gorilla Glue, of course) the shelf was ready to be painted. I chose a maroon-ish pink color since I'd used that on a previous project for the kitchen. (I haven't blogged about it, but I turned a picture frame from Goodwill into an awesome grocery list chalkboard to keep near the pantry. MEGA-helpful when trying to write my grocery list.)

I used the same color for both projects. It just made sense... (Don't judge my randomness of items!!)

 I painted the shelf once, sanded it again, and painted it a second time. I always feel like two coats is a must, in case I miss a spot, and sanding it after the first coat makes it smoother in the long run. After the second coat, I shaded part of the front with a dark maroon craft paint. Really, no one will notice but me; but I felt better knowing I put a little detail into it. :) 

Done with both coats of paint.

Once it was dry, the bf and I tried to figure the best way to hang it on the cupboard. I was all about using a saw tooth hook but he wanted more stability so opted to get some 3M Velcro hangers. He cut them in half lengthwise and secured them to the back of the shelf and TA-DA!! Ready to be hung up! 

The bf surprised me by having it hung up and ready to go when I got home the other day. I was so excited to finally put the project to good use. Luckily I discovered that we have exactly 7 different boxes of K-cups in the cupboard so this project couldn't have worked out any more perfectly. I was SO excited to fill it up with coffee and tea. 

Finished!!!!