Table Talk

Hope you had a great weekend!  Before we get started I want to apologize for my not-so-exciting photos -- but I have a good excuse:  It was 77 degrees out today!  77!! In the middle of November!!!  In Virginia!!!!  Because I didn't have to go into work (at my "real" job) today, I worked outside on projects  all afternoon.  It was so nice out I just couldn't make myself go inside and style an "after" photo! 

Today I'm talking tables.  Troubled tables, actually. I've told you about my trials and tribulations with the table I've been working on for my dining room redo. I tried one more time (this was my third attempt!).  I stripped.  I sanded.  I conditioned.  I stained.

I failed. 

The more I sanded, the more weird squiggles and lines showed up in the wood.  Certain areas absorbed more stain and ended up darker than others.  I really wanted the wood top and painted legs look, but it just wasn't happening.  I even called to get an estimate for a professional to refinish it.  The quote was $250 - $300.  Uh ... no.  I mean, I only paid $40 for the table to begin with. I didn't love it enough to want to spend that type of money.

So I decided to give in and just paint the top.  I'm going to keep an eye out for another table down the road, but for now I need a dining room table for Thanksgiving!  I painted the top with French Linen chalk paint, finished it with wax, and then did used a wipe-on poly on the top to protect the finish. Here's a quick look while it was still in the garage. I'll show you the whole thing when I (finally!) post my dining room reveal, which will be soon!

My other table project is this little demilune.  I found it at a yard sale for $15.

Someone had started to strip it, and had the paint off of the top and most of the front leg. 

The back legs were still a chippy red.  I actually would have liked to keep the chippy look, but since the paint had been removed on part of it, it was too late.  My original thought was to refinish the top.  But as I sanded, the spots on the top just weren't coming out. 

Having gone through the dining room table experience, I just didn't want to go through that again.  So I painted it with Aubusson Blue chalk paint.  But it seemed kind of boring.

So then I did a dry brush overcoat with Paris Grey chalk paint.  I was going for a kind of washed-out, beachy look. 

But the jury's out as far as I'm concerned.  Maybe I'm just burned out on troubled tables.

I have another side table I want to stain before it gets too cold to work in the garage.  So please think positive thoughts -- about the weather, and that my table karma gets better!

Linking to:
Debbiedoo's Blogging & Blabbing: Newbie Party
Primitive & Proper: Piece of Work Wednesday
Type A: Anything Goes
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday