#RadRevivals so far...

Hey my people!!

This summer has been a lot of fun so far!!  We have had so much fun between all of our adventures and the projects we have been working on!  A couple of the adventures I have chronicled here, but today I'm going to write about a few of the projects I have completed.  One of these days soon I will do a tutorial but today I'm just bragging. ;-P

I really love doing this.  I love revamping old furniture and making it fun and new!  I love hunting garage sales, resale sites, and flea markets for stuff that needs a little lovin!  I love when something jumps out at me and spawns wild creativity.  I love when I find the perfect piece for the perfect spot in my house.  I just really love it.

My first project of the summer was my sister's dresser.  We found the dresser at a friend's adoption garage sale, it is beautiful.  It was in pretty good shape, midcentury, 7 drawers, vanity...really really cute.  And THEN, my sister picked the most BEAUTIFUL color ever to be. 

Here are some pics of the project:

 I had to sand it first because of the wood it was made of and the finish it had on it.  It took some time, but it's always worth it to sand it.

These are after the primer and the first coat of paint.

Finished dresser!  We spray painted the hardware because it was gold.  The vanity isn't attached in this picture because we still needed to transport it.  Maybe some time I will have a picture of it all put together.

Our next summer project was the deck!  We didn't build the deck, we paid professionals to do it.  But needless, it was a summer project (although I wouldn't call it a RadRevival).  It took about a week because it rained all week long.  All other projecting stopped that week as it was built.

OF COURSE, after the deck was done there was some projecting that needed to be done.  David installed the stair lights and we made the poles based on a tutorial we found online.  They were very easy and very cheap, but they work so so well!

After the deck was done I started a special gift for my Great Aunt Karen.  She's the best.  She inspires me and encourages me to learn all these new things I'm learning and exploring.  She also LOVES America.  She's a super Patriot.

Behold, the pallet flag...

It was a big hit! <3

My most recent project this summer was my new crafting and tutoring table.  My desk is lovely, but it's far too small to create the things that I have been trying to create.  The week before Will's birthday there was a 10 foot radius of mess around my desk.  I needed more working space.  I also take over the kitchen table during tutoring sessions and since I cook dinner RIGHT after dinner, I usually leave tutoring stuff out.  Also, I'm always running up and down the stairs all the time grabbing supplies or resources.  This way, I can be up near all our resources and not leave a mess in the kitchen! :)

This dining set is a counter height dining table.  It has a cubby underneath for storage, two dining stools, and a bench.  When I got this it was a mess and the cushion on the bench was....bad news.  It took a lot of work.  Before I even put it in the garage, I ripped the cushion off completely.  I took everything apart and cleaned it, I sanded everything down to the wood, and then I wiped it all down again.  That's when the fun started!

The stools and benches are a coral color and the table is mint, sea salt to be exact.  These are BY FAR my favorite colors in life right now.  Once the painting was done, I needed to fix the cushion.  I bought foam at the craft store and then, with only a vague memory of my dad making one in the mudroom when I was 11 years old and a staple gun, I made a cushion for a bench. 

Not bad, right?  I gotta pull it tighter next time.  I remember my dad's being perfect.  I'll have to get him to help for my next one...

And finally, the finished project!! I love it.  It's huge.  It's beautiful, and it does it's job!

It's good to make stuff, it's good to work up a sweat and get your hands dirty.  It's good to give stuff new life and purpose. It's good to know that after things have served their implied purpose, there is still hope for a new purpose, a new life.

For my next trick - a symphony of sewing projects!