This big ole' table got refabbed

I got this table this past fall.

Actually, I got the chairs first.

Not the greatest looking chairs! But,  I painted them white and reupholstered them in my favorite flower fabric. (This has nothing to do with anything, but the fabric reminded me of someone - so, Thank You Traci fro the fantastic "Happy", I LOVED getting it!)

The chairs were bright and cheerful and yummy fun.

I love the distressing.

After talking to my Sister-in-Laws they thought I should just do the table with it too. So I went back to GW and picked it up. It's huge with the two leaves.

You may or may not remember that I painted it white. It was gorgeous! But it sat. In my garage. Forever. I put it on CL, I had it on FB, on White Butterfly, I even did a flyer and posted it at Bruegger's. Not a single bite.

Look at how beautiful the sides are!

So, last week I started to strip the top in the cold. And I sanded it with my belt sander, in the cold - dear Lord there was a lot of stuff on it. And it was cold. I sanded and wiped and cleaned and restained with some ebony stain. In the cold. Then I brought it in and put some poly on it. I know others like to use lacquer and such, but I like the softness (in the look) of polycrylic. So that's what I use. 4 -5 layers thick.

And here it is now:

Such a HUGE difference. HUGE.

I love the way this looks more than anything. Not more than my hubby or my kids, or my family, but, more than the way a salted caramel hot chocolate feels in my belly.

It just makes the table. Totally.

Love. Now it needs to get out of my kitchen. If you want it, go over here.

LOVE. IT.

Farm Table Inspiration

I've got farm tables on my mind.

Mainly because I've got barn wood in my garage.

I've had this desire for a farm table for, well, forever. I love them. LOVE. Since way before they were cool and Pottery Barn went and decided to make them.

So, we're making our own. I picked up some barn wood I got from a guy tearing down a 100 year old barn. It's pretty dirty. And smells like, umm...barn. And cows. Which, for me is good, since now the secret is out about how I love cows. Tom asked if we should go and pick up some manure and rub it in the cracks so that it makes it smell even more. I figured we could skip that part. Gross.

Yesterday I sanded it. Ugh. With my arch nemesis - the belt sander. Love/Hate with that thing. I'll show you pictures soon. Plus I'll do a tiny little tutorial.

I thought I would show you some pretty pictures to get you in the farm table mood. I'm not sure if anyone likes farm tables these days, but once you see these, you'll want one too. Promise.

This one is from White Flower Farmhouse. Have you been there? Go. You won't be disappointed. It is similar to what my vision was. I love it. Of course, I'm not a carpenter so, we'll see how mine turns out!

How about this one:

LuLu of Dusty Lu Interiors via The Old Painted Cottage

How can you not love these two from Pottery Barn?

And then of course...

The Fabulous Fifi

I also love my own tiny farm house table in our bedroom.

I've also got an idea for the lighting above the table. More on that another day... but I'll give you a hint, it involves barn wood and Ikea.