DIY Studded Nailhead Dresser {How To}

Remember the Studded Nailhead Dresser that I posted a few months ago? After tons of requests for a tutorial, I finally decided to get this post together...

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Get Out and Do Something!

Hello blogger world, long time no see!
A quick little update for those of you who do not follow me on Facebook- we moved! To Mansfield, Texas!... going on week number 6 in our new state. The transition has been a stressful and busy one. We're currently trying to sell our home in Athens and looking for a new home here in Mansfield but in the mean time, we've settled in with my in laws...

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Home Tour/ Home for Sale in Athens, Alabama

If you follow me on Facebook then you've probably seen that we are selling our house. So, I've decided to ''list'' our house here on the blog. Of course, we are using a real estate agent but I thought that maybe, just maybe, this will help us get the word out. It will officially be listed on Monday (3-25-13) and I will link to the listing as soon as it's live. 

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Catching You Up on a Few Changes.

A lot of things have changed for Simply Salvaged in 2013 and over the next few months {I think} we will be undergoing some HUGE changes that will be announced later. But for now, I thought I would catch you all up on a few smaller things that have occurred.

The biggest change has been that we are no longer taking custom orders. Phew. That's the 1st time I've announced it publicly... it was a hard chunk of my job to let go of but a necessary one. Custom work pretty much built my business and the clients and relationships that I've acquired. I've had AMAZING and loyal clients... ''the kind to keep ya' in business''. Clients who have multiple pieces of mine in their homes, in their family's homes, and in their friend's homes. Clients who never said one harsh word or gave me any complaints because they truly loved my work. Clients who I don't even like to call clients because I really consider them to be my friends. I've said it once before that my clients are my highest compliment and that holds true. I appreciate everyone of them. Over the next month I will be finishing up a few custom orders left on my schedule so if you see ''custom order'' pop up on my Facebook, they were scheduled before this decision was made =)

Another change has been that I am no longer teaching workshops.

There are a few reasons for this but, really, honestly, the main reason is because the painted furniture market in this area is so saturated that I can't afford to be teaching people to compete against me anymore. There, I said it.

I know of 4 workshops (including mine) between Huntsville and Tuscumbia. Between workshops and a few paints on the market that don't require prep work, the blood and sweat have been taken out of painted furniture and I've been noticing now, more than ever, that we have so much competition in North Alabama.

Last but not least, in line with not teaching my workshops anymore, I am also pulling my furniture out of The Chilled Canvas in Tuscumbia. I've appreciated Dusty letting me bum her floor space so much! and I've loved getting to know her in the time I've spent at her store- she's another friend that I have gained on my journey.

So, what do all of these changes mean for Simply Salvaged??

Well, I want to focus more on retail pieces for the time being. That is what I really really enjoy doing. So, keep an eye out on my page for pieces that I will be selling privately and also from my booth at University Pickers.

All of these changes are also in anticipation of something much bigger that we have in the works but I can't announce anything just yet =) sorry!

"All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.''-Anatole France

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How To Clean & Polish Your Old Hardware

I found a super awesome antique door that had it's original glass knob attached. I almost did my usual quick clean (soap, water, & a quick scrub), and sprayed with oil rubbed bronze- but I decided to see what my knob looked like under years and years and years of people putting their dirty little paws all over it. I wish you could see how dirty these were before I cleaned them. They were all black and nasty and completely not brass looking at all.

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Mid Century Modern Triple Dresser by Thomasville

I almost pee'd myself when I found this.

Ok, maybe just a really loud squeal and a happy dance.

I love mid century modern.

So when I found this vintage triple dresser by Thomasville I was so so very excited!

This is one of those pieces that I'm kicking myself for selling.

Gah, why do I have to sell everything? It's like I just can't help it. My Father in Law says I'd sell my soul if I could rough it up and put paint on it...

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Gilders Paste and a Birdie Dish

Gliders Paste has been making it's way around University Pickers quite rapidly. 

For some, this is an old trick of the trade, but myself and Simply Salvaged are totally new to this product.

I love that it adds so much character with little to no effort.

I grabbed up this dish with a cute little birdie perched on top.

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DIY Studded Nail Head Dresser

I try not to surf the internet for ideas too often. I want my furniture to be as original and unique as possible. Although, I do realized that is very hard to accomplish. Even when I've thought, in the past, that I've created an idea for something, I always find where someone else beat me to it. However, when I do replicate the work of someone else, I always try to put my own spin on it.

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL TUTORIAL

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Depression Era Vanity

You hear me say "I'm so in love with this piece'' and ''I wish I never sold this one'' a lot on my blog. It's not because I admire my own work enough to flatter myself over and over. I mean, I do surprise myself sometimes but usually, I fall in love with these pieces before I ever buy or paint them.

I don't buy things that I don't like. I've heard ''..but you never know what someone ELSE will be looking for.'' and that is true. However, I want my business and my furniture to represent my style and what I love. So, I only buy piece that I would want in my own home.

This piece was no exception.

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My New/Old Wall Print

I promise to get back to posting my furniture soon, in fact, I just finished up a hand full of furniture today. So, stay tuned for that.

Until then, I wanted to show you this really awesome Kipp Soldwedel print that we bought last weekend for $4.50 whole dollars. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it!

I fell even deeper in love after I cleaned it up and hung it in our living room.

I hope you all have a very happy Friday!

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Partylights.com Globe Lighting

When I was planning our wedding, I had this vision of creating a blanket of lights over our backyard where the reception was held.

So, I searched.. and searched.. and searched until I found the perfect lights, at the perfect length, and the perfect price.

I really don't think the reception would of been the same without them. They added an excellent amount of lighting and created a fun atmosphere.

 Two of those strings now drape over my booth at University Pickers adding the perfect amount of character to my booth.

Since hanging them in my space, I've had quite a few people ask where I found them- they got an answer similar to ''ummmm... I ordered them online... I think I found them at....ummmmmmmm, I don't know, I'm sorry!''

So, I decided to dig up the name of the company that I ordered them from

You can buy yours at Partylights.com 

HERE links directly to the lights I use but be sure to browse their site- they have tons of styles & colors. 

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University Pickers Grand Opening

My posts have been rather sparse over the past month or so and there have been loads of furniture that have come and gone that I literally snapped pictures of as we were loading them into the truck.

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Ol' Glory.

Maybe the Betsy Ross flag phase is over in the world of painted furniture but, really, this is America- the flag phase never dies!

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Top 10 Post of 2012

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