Dress 'Er Up!

Drum roll please.....

My dresser is finished! I'm so happy with the results.  It was actually a lot easier than I had thought. Here's the break down:

1. Found the ugly dresser at Goodwill for $70

2. Lightly sand the entire dresser. Also clean off goo and dirt if necessary.

3. Make sure to get a good primer! I used a spray primer.  This is the best kind of primer out there, so I've heard. Cover Stain Oil Base Primer. It seals wood and allows for you to not have to sand the heck out of it first.

Here's what it looks like after primer:

4. Start painting! Roll on your first coat of paint. Let it dry, then use a brush for the second coat. It helps get in all the cracks (:

5. After painting your second coat, make sure it's good and dry before you LIGHTLY sand the top, just to get any bumps even:

6. Then apply Polycrylic:

It seals the paint and assures no chipping! It's a milky consistency in the can, but dries clear.


7. Clean the hardware with Brasso:

8. Reattach the hardware:

9. Sand the edges of the top, some corners, and other surface areas to give it a more "vintage feel"

10. Done!

Such a transformation, right?!
I love the charming key hole:

And my new Anthro knobs for the top drawers:

I still have to line the dresser drawers with some cute paper, but that will have to wait until I'm home for summer.  I can't wait to get it in my room! Pictures coming soon.


I'm sharing this post with Centsational Girl.


Love and The Ugly Dresser all Dressed Up,

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She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not: Story of My Life

Hi friends! Today we have the wonderful treat of hearing from my good friend Jenni, over at Story of My Life.  She's beautiful, takes amazing photographs, and is downright hilarious. Let's hear what she's loving and what she's not:


Hey kids! Pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Michaela’s is a friend of mine!

I hope you enjoy my “she loves me, she loves me not” list today. I enjoyed creating it! Let’s dive right in.

She Loves Me…

1. One piece swimsuits

Much to my husband’s dismay, I am really feelin’ the one piece swimsuit trend this year. Especially the pretty little babies from J.Crew shown above! Me wants. Me loves.

2. Decorating with antique books

Some of my favorite things to decorate with are old books from antique stores. The ones in the photos I purchased for between .50 cents and 6.00 dollars. Umm, can we say awesomely cheap AND chic décor choice? Let me answer that. Yes, yes we can.

3. Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut flakes cereal

I think I MORE than love this cereal; I am obsessed with it. I dream about it at night, and think about it lovingly throughout the day. I look forward to waking up each morning because I know this baby awaits me in the pantry. I also look forward to afternoon snacks for that same reason. And I may or may not occasionally have a bowl of it for “dessert” after dinner. I’m not saying it’s true, but I’m not saying it’s NOT true, either.

4. Vintage gold jewelry

This one doesn’t need much explanation.

Love. Just, love. (all items shown are from this Etsy shop)

She Loves Me Not…

1. The Walking Dead

My husband LOVES this show, but I love it… not. I pretty much think it’s the worst thing ever aired. But if you’re into lots of spraying blood and flying guts, this might just be the zombie show for you.

2. Scantily-clad women

I actually Googled that to try and come up with a visual aid and, um, I don’t recommend that. Wow. Anyway, I just don’t love girls who dress immodestly and with all their junk hanging out. Like the other day, my hubby and I went to dinner and spotted two hoochie mamas walking up in the shortest little shorts I’d ever seen AND the most low cut, barely-there shirts I’d ever seen. I just wanted to shake them and say, “DON’T YOU KNOW YOU’D LOOK SO MUCH PRETTIER IF YOU LEFT A LITTLE MORE TO THE IMAGINATION?!”

Nuff said.

3. The number of unwanted animals languishing in shelters

I seriously become wildly enraged and, at the same time, deeply saddened, when I hear of people buying pets from breeders or pet stores. Thousands of unwanted animals are being euthanized in shelters EVERY DAY while you buy your prissy little foo-foo dog from a breeder. Just sayin. And the pets in no-kill shelters: what kind of life do they lead? Nothing near the type of life an animal with a loving home has, that’s for sure. BOO.

4. Pollen

Here in Texas right now, the pollen rules the Earth. Sniffling and sneezing abounds. No bueno.

However, if it weren’t for the pollen, we wouldn’t have this:

So pollen, I forgive you. But you still don’t make the “she loves me” list.

Thanks so much for having me Michaela… Happy Wednesday, everyone!!


Thanks a bunch, girlfriend. You're adorable. Those swimsuits are to die for and I'm not loving pollen right now, either. Just got a bad case of allergies! 
Head on over to Story of My Life to say hello to the cutie-patootie Jenni (:


Love and xoxo,

41

The One Where it was Sunny

Yes, we're going FRIENDS style today with the title.

Yesterday was the first day of my entire break that it was sunny.  I'm flying back today to Seattle, so I'm thrilled I got one day of blue skies! 

Those things on my face are called sunglasses. You wear them when the sun is out.   It was awesome.

My mom and I took advantage of the weather and went to our favorite beach town, Carmel.  Have you been there? 

If you haven't, don't worry...I'm going to show you some of the cutest, most beautiful homes the town has to offer! Almost all of the houses have this stunning view:

Look at those clear skies

One of my favorites:

This is another favorite:

Love this one, too! And it's for sale...Woohoo!!

Dontcha just love the shutters??

Which house is your favorite? Wouldn't you just love to live by the beach?


Love and Beach Houses,

59

Birds + Tea Cups + M&M's

I promise my title will make sense at the end of this post (:


Last week my mom and I took down all of our wintery decorations on the mantel and made room for a little bit of spring.  Aside from putting up a sweet lamb and bunny {Hooray for Easter!}, I also made an easy art piece using a canvas, letter stencils, Mod Podge, card stock paper, a decorative stencil and paint.

First, I painted the canvas a lighter version of the color of our living room.

Then I stenciled a design on the background:

Next I found this cute bird silhouette on The Lettered Cottage. Layla used it for her mantel, too! I printed it on card stock so it'd be a little thicker, then cut it out and Mod Podged it onto the canvas:

I stenciled the word "Bloom" down the side to really make it feel like spring:

Here's how it looks on the mantel!

On the other side of the room, we put out some more "springy" decor on my favorite piece of antique furniture.  My great grandma left this buffet table for my mom and dad and the vintage tea cups for me. I just love them (:

A photo of flowers in a gold frame and a sparkly candle vase complete the table:

Lovely roses on the dining table:

And of course some pastel colored candy in the candy jar:

And that, my friends, is how birds, tea cups and m&m's all go together.


Sorry for the picture overload(:
What are you doing to prepare for Spring?


Have a wonderful Monday, loves!


Love and Pastel m&m's,

28

Weekend Love

"Fill your home with the things you love, and love the One who has provided all those things for your enjoyment.”

~Interior Wisdom by Leah Richardson

Happy Weekend!

14

Fashion Friday #26

Well, folks, it's been nothing but rainy here in Northern California.  I wish I had a really cute outdoor fashion shoot that included a sundress, but instead I come to you with these few indoor pictures. Keepin' it real (:

Here's what I'm wearing:

Top: Lucky Brand on sale! Love it.

Jeans: Vigoss

Shoes: Report

Sorry it's nothing too fancy today! 

BUT guess what?! I was in Target today picking up a few things and accidentally walked past the clothing area.  {Love those kinda accidents, right?} I found an Ikat dress!!! It made my day. You should all go get one so we can be twins(:

Maybe next week I'll wear my new dress for Fashion Friday.  Here's to hoping I get at least one day of sun on my break! I'm going to start praying. Once I prayed for snow and it happened!

Happy Friday, sweet friends! What are your plans?

PS. If you missed my low bun tutorial last week, go here to learn how to do it! {yep, just plugged my own blog(; }

Love and Fashion Friday,

36