Outdoor lighting....

I have wanted new exterior lighting for sometime. After all, the existing fixtures have been there for 13 years. It's not that I necessarily "dislike" the fixtures I have. I seriously considered just painting them. Because let's be honest... replacing all 3 fixtures could set me back a tad.

Last Friday I found three pretty ratty fixtures at a garage sale...$5 for all three!!!! Wow...what a deal. And it was exactly what I needed...2 wall mount and a hanging fixture. But they definitely needed some work. So I walked away!

But believe it or not I actually dreamed about the stupid things Saturday morning...so I got up early and went back to the house where they were having the garage sale to see if they were still there....AND THEY WERE!

Of course they were. Seriously, they were pretty ugly.

I think they were originally an antique bronzed finish and someone had sanded the finish off so they were just a grey metal...and seriously dirty. And the glass....major yuk!

I really love the mid century modern style in just about everything. I'm not sure what you would classify these as...not mid-century.... but I really like their "bones." I knew with a little paint, maybe some new glass and a little rewiring, they would be nifty little fixtures!i

The first thing I did was remove all the glass and then removed all the sockets and wiring. They were in pretty bad shape and the worst thing you can do is ignore brittle and charred wiring and electrical sockets. They are easy to replace. Kind of like plumbing,...just take it all to Lowe's and walk around looking stupid...SOMEONE will help you "rebuild" the things you need to replace!

I put all the fixtures in dishwasher....believe it or not it is the easiest way to clean most stuff if it will fit!! After a good cleaning I primed them with auto primer, sanded with steel wool, tack cloth and then painted them with an exterior satin black spray paint!

Then came the challenging part...reinstalling all the electrical elements...sockets, nuts, bolts, wiring....honestly, it wasn't that difficult! Again, just put it all back together just like you took it all apart (taking LOTS of pictures as you dismantle anything is always helpful!)

After it was all back together, it was time to take down the old fixtures and put up the "new."

First rule of any electrical work....MAKE SURE THE POWER IS OFF!

Let me save you a spill off your ladder. ALWAYS assume there will be wasp, spiders and other undesirable critters lurking in holes and crevices. Light boxes are no exception. I found wasp nests and HUGE spiders in all three light boxes after I removed the fixtures. So remove the existing fixtures carefully and always keep wasp spray and spider spray handy!!! Expect a critter or crawler and you won't fall off the ladder from fear (again, I don't tell you things because I THINK it might happen!)

I initially installed the fixtures without glass...because honestly, I kind of knew what I wanted but didn't know where to get it. I checked out a local stained glass store and found EXACTLY what I wanted. A clear glass with little bubbles in it. Not exactly cheap, but considering I didn't pay much for the actual fixtures, it was worth it.

If you notice, I have fallen in love with the new "Edison bulbs" that are all the rage which is why I wanted something clear to show off the bulbs...this "blown glass" look is exactly what I wanted...clear but with a little character.

These bulbs aren't "mid century" but I think they are just soooo cool looking.

But I warn you...they are expensive! Around $9 each so you would probably want to use them sparingly in special places. And I have no idea how they will hold up outside, exposed to the heat and cold. I guess we will see!

But I like the look...and since I don't have a huge amount of money invested in each fixture (new wiring, paint, glass) I won't feel too badly if I decide to switch them out! Probably in another 13 years...

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FINALLY, a chair before and after!!!

I say FINALLY because as I have mentioned I have "upholstery block." I can pick paint, I can pick stain...but I have the toughest time picking out upholstery. Which is becoming a real problem because I have all these chairs in my garage that need upholstery work!

Anywho, I finally picked an upholstery for these little mid century style slipper chairs....

I was a little hesitant to go with something so "funky." But fact is, I don't think these chairs have a tremendous "value" so it was a perfect opportunity to do something fun with a style I love! When I found a "'50's Paris" themed fabric at Hobby Lobby, I decided to go for it. Who wouldn't love the Eifel Tower, 50's fashion and PINK???!!!

The legs were oak...sturdy but not my favorite, so I didn't have a problem painting them....a little primer and black satin spray paint. I added a little batting but otherwise they were in pretty good shape! And really comfy! The chair didn't originally have any piping, but I added a little black around the base of the seat.

I found a black and white diamond pattern fabric I am going to make little pillows out of of...eventually. I stuck my houndstooth pillow on there just to see how it would look...not so great, but I think the diamond pattern will look awesome!

Personally, I think they are pretty cute...we'll see if they sell...

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Chairs galore!!

My obsession with chairs has crossed a line...I am on serious chair overload!

Right now I have 6 chairs in my garage that need refinishing and reupholstery, 3 wood chairs I need to paint and two upholstered slipper chairs that don't really need any work, but have no home!

INSANITY!!!!

But I feel like I scored major on two walnut mid-century chairs! I found then on Craigslist and getting these made me feel better about the awesome dresser I missed out on!

These chairs are in awesome condition and the cane backing has VERY minimal damage. That is difficult to find.

Most would paint these puppies all "shabby chic" and apply a whimsical fabric...but they are solid walnut and in my opinion, should NEVER be painted!

Due to my not so great photography skills, it may be difficult to see a huge difference before and after refinishing...but there is! I stripped off the old "muddy" finish and applied a dark walnut stain to even and enhance the color...then I applied the tung oil!

Now I just need to do the other and decide whether or not I want to change the upholstery on the cushions! The cushions are zippered and no real harm could be done making new cushion covers and just changing it out!

I love the mid century style which is one of the reasons I picked up these little slipper type chairs at an auction a while back...

My biggest problem with all these projects is the upholstery. I know I can do it because my first major project was a doozy and it turned out pretty nifty! (see here)

I just have a tough time figuring out exactly what upholstery to use on these projects.

I get stuck...it's almost like picking out paint colors...only paint is cheaper and easier to change if you make a mistake.

I painted this wicker chair...not sure if I am crazy about the color but I know I can easily change it! The prep and repair work and priming is all done which is what takes so much time on the wicker furniture!

So the upholstery chairs sit in my garage....the four mid century, an old wing back and a vintage lounge chair...all staring at me and waiting for me to figure out what I need to do to bring them back to life!

Upholstery is a lot of work...hard work...and it can be expensive when you factor in the cost of fabric, backing, padding, etc. (there is a reason it costs so much to have a piece professionally reupholstered)

So it is important to be patient and wait til something speaks to you. EVENTUALLY you will find the perfect fabric!

I'm trying to be patient...

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Hung up on guns....

If you are anti-gun, don't read this post!

Actually, you might like this post...because I managed to "refurbish" a vintage gun in a way that makes it safe and fun!

I know a lot of parents these days "don't like guns!" But your husband or father may have an old shotgun, rifle or pellet gun they hold dear and wish they had a way to display without offending mom's good gun senses! In the south, we cherish our old guns, even if we don't want our kiddos playing with them!

I bought this 1952-1954 (per their website) vintage Crosman 22 at an auction! It was a mess...again, my photography skills are lacking. But trust me, it was a mess. And it was not functioning!

The metal parts on top where actually taped to the stock of the gun! And it wouldn't hold any air pressure! I guess someone could refurbish the gun and make it functional, but I decided to do what I do best and make it functional for my purposes!

Many vintage guns have the most beautiful wood stocks...usually walnut, and very easy to refinish.

IMPORTANT WARNING! This is where I am going to tell you the number one rule of gun safety and handling! ALL GUNS ARE LOADED!!! Even if someone tells you they are not, ASSUME THEY ARE! Check and recheck...and until the gun has been checked and rechecked and disassembled with the barrel facing AWAY from any human or animal or window, just assume it is loaded! Once you are satisfied there are no pellets, bullets or shells lurking in the depths of the gun somewhere should you handle it freely!

After disassembling this air gun, I stripped the finish off the stock with laquer thinner...unfortunately it took the black off the barrel as well! The metal barrel was in pretty bad shape and I was planning on doing something that would render it completely "useless" as a gun, so no biggy. AND once I removed all the bluing (that's the black finish on the gun barrel) I found the model number and the manufacturer's name stamped on pretty brass!

After removing all the old finish, I sanded the stock with 220 grit sand paper. I also sanded the metal parts to remove all the rust spots.

Three coats of tung oil on the wood stock (no stain, that is the natural finish!) and flat black spray paint on the barrel...then I glued the barrel to the gun, glued all the moving parts so the gun is not functioning, added a few little hooks, and....

WHALLA!!

A nifty little hat/coat rack fit for a little cowboy...or cowgirl! Or maybe a hunting cabin!

This is not something you want to do to an heirloom gun...not without permission from the owner! And it is NOT a toy! I plan on putting wall hangers on the back so it can be secured to the wall.

But it is a relatively easy little project and a great way to "disarm" and display old guns lurking in the attic or back of the closet!

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