Make Someone Happy! Lend a Helping Hand

At Christmas time last year I had a woman contact me on Etsy.  She had a lot of items to sell and wanted to know how difficult it was to set up shop.  I gave her the entire rundown - the selling is very easy.  But then I realized - the only reason the back end of it - shipping - is easy for me - is because I have some space to have all those miscellaneous boxes and recycled materials to send things off with.  For someone in a smaller space - this would be very difficult and perhaps expensive.

Margaret contacted me again in June - perhaps I could buy outright/consign/sell her items for her.  I replied with an enthusiastic YES!  My time frame was not her time frame however.  Summers for me are usually reserved for re-finding my workroom. This summer (come hell or high water) was going to be dedicated to organizing my shop. I needed more shelves, and I needed to better organize all that I had listed in my Etsy shops.  These items are only the tip of the iceberg.
I told Margaret that I would be happy to help - but my thought was pricing and getting everything ready for October and the Town Wide Tag Sale in Purcellville.  She wanted things gone sooner than that.  Thinking, thinking...  I mentioned that she should go see Rebecca and Bill up at It's Bazaar in Purcellville.  They would probably buy some items outright - as well as consign things for her.

This is exactly what she did.  Why am I showing you my chairs?  Because she saw these in my space up at It's Bazaar and had a pair that she offered to me.  They were currently being shown on Craig's List.  I LOVED them, but I also had enough projects in the queue.

 My brain was still working in June - and I private messaged Miss Mustard Seed on Facebook.  I knew she would love them too.  She has a space at Lucketts and moves more furniture through her space in a month than I do.  The resounding answer was YES!!!  So I convoed Margaret back and told her to remove the listing from Craig's list, that MMS wanted them.
However - I was not prepared for the response!
She was over the moon that Marion might like them - let alone want them.  Well let me tell you - Now she is over the moon and back again - http://missmustardseed.com/2012/08/controlling-the-chaos/

And to top it off  - Margaret also told me she had some checks waiting for her up at It's Bazaar.
All of this came about because I took a few minutes to answer some questions.  In the process I made some one wildly happy.  That's just makes me smile :)

Love and Peace, Liz

From Drab to Fab!

Entered in MissMustardSeed's Furniture Feature Friday (http://missmustardseed.com/2012/03/furniture-feature-friday-favorites-a-link-party-7/)- to anyone coming from her blog - Welcome!!

My continuing mission to simplify my life - is resulting in a new vision for my sweet 1909 home.  Yes - this is all related to the workroom organization, etc...
I started with the Living Room and the Master Bedroom.  The major work on the Living Room is just getting my jewelry/other crafting items out of there - and up to the workroom.  Some of this has gotten done, but I have put that on hold so that I could make major changes in the Master Bedroom.  My friend Jennifer came down for a few days - and we went to work!  I love the overall look of this room - but it had been in the same basic configuration for 20 years.  I know, I know!  Some of this is because it it a small 1909 home and the room has windows/a door on three walls, and has NO closets.  First we took the two biggest pieces of furniture - the bed and the wardrobe - and moved them into place.  Then we determined that one cupboard would stay - but the two taller chest of drawers had to go. 
 I would have to find a low, 6 or 9 drawer dresser to take their place.  That meant doing a wardrobe overhaul as well (as in making some of my clothes go away - ouch!).  Luckily for me, Jennifer is one versatile girl!

Fortunately, within days of needing a new dresser - I found one at an estate sale for $25.00 (I loved that!).  Ugly - but I saw that it had potential - hence the title of this post - from Drab to Fab!    

Here it is - The top was all scratched and had paint splotches all over it - and the wood  finish was questionable.  It did, however, have dust protectors between each row of drawers, and was well built - even though it was only about 10 years old.  It also had great lines or good bones - very important!!

The 'stuff' on top is just there for now - I am still working on what will stay and go - although I an pretty sure the transferware will stay!

I removed the hardware, washed the dresser inside and out, sanded where I needed to, and then gave it a first coat of paint - I wasn't sure what color I wanted, so I started with a blue/grey.  The second coat was a cream color, ending with the top and base being painted a taupe color - a suggestion by another friend Jennifer Huffman, who sells awesome furniture and other cool stuff at the Old Lucketts Store.  I shabbied it up just a bit, and then gave it a coat of Butcher's Paste Wax.  The hardware was a really ugly color of dark/bright brass so I used a dry brush technique and hit it with the blue/grey paint, and then used the same light touch with the cream color paint.  This whole process, from beginning to end, was done over the course of three days.  So no big deal - Really!

I love the way it looks - and it was definitely worth getting rid of some clothes to trade out 2 dressers for 1!

More photos of the rest of the room soon!