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Furniture Makeovers

a dresser, a story and a decision

I find my furniture all over the place.  Yard sales, consignment shops, auctions, estate sales, curbs, thrift stores, friends, family, antique stores…  This one was found on Craig’s List.  It looked like this when I picked it up.  The shape is gorgeous, but the peeling veneer and missing details had the old girl showing her age.  Instead of trying to repair and hide all of the quirks, I decided to celebrate them.  This is an old dresser and it doesn’t need to look new.  A heavily distressed paint camouflaged all of the imperfections and played up the texture of the piece. I really love how this one turned out.  One of my favorites and I really, really wanted to keep it, but it went to Lucketts.  That seems to be a theme with me, lately. A funny story about this dresser…I drove out to pick it up along with another one

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Furniture Feature Friday – A Cane Tutorial & Link Party

Our furniture get together is going to be a little different tonight.  Instead of featuring some of my favorites from last week’s link party, I’m pleased to bring you a tutorial on caning furniture.  Caned pieces are a staple in French decor and it always catches my eye, but what do you do when the cane is damaged?  Suesan aka the Frou-Fru-Gal will walk us through this process.  I can’t wait to try it on my new French daybed (that has two holes in the caning, which are getting larger thanks to my two year old!)The link party is still down below, as usual, so please scroll down to join in! I’m so happy to be here on Miss Mustard Seed to show you how to replace Cane Webbing. While many people think this is a daunting task, it’s actually a pretty easy process. I think you’ll be thrilled with

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Secretary Before & After and Lucketts

I mentioned last week that I had painted a secretary to sell at Lucketts.  Well, it made it to the Lucketts parking lot, but I had a buyer before I even posted the pictures.  The before wasn’t too bad, but it was a little scratched and the finish looked a little dated (in my opinion.)  I thought the fretwork looked a little busy and the wood tones didn’t match.  A reader named Erin sent me an e-mail, inquiring about the secretary I mentioned.  I sent her some quickly-snapped pictures and it was just what she was looking for.  We met this morning at Lucketts and both left happy.  I must admit, I left the interior natural wood out of laziness.  It’s a pain to paint all of those cubbies and it’s hard to do it well, even with a sprayer.  I ended up really liking the warmth of the wood

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French Feed Sack Chair

This is the post where I take a perfectly good chair, rip it to pieces and make it something that is totally “me”.  This is the perfectly good chair. This is me ripping apart said chair. …and this is the chair now.  Totally me.  Frenchiness.  Feed-sack-ish-ness. I know this won’t be everyones cup of tea, but it’s my cup of tea. I painted it in Louis Blue chalk paint followed by a “dry brushing” of Old White and a coat of clear wax.  The piece is upholstered in faded American feed sacks with a bright white gimp trim to frame it out.  I love the traditional-meets-quirky look of it.  Believe it or not, I’m going to let it go.  I’m taking it to my pavilion at Lucketts on Saturday to sell.  Sniff-sniff.  This job is getting harder and harder. See you tonight at 10:00 EST for Furniture Feature Friday and our special

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Furniture Feature Friday – Slipcover & Furniture Link Parties

Tonight is the night.  If you made a slipcover (using my video or all by your onesie), this is your time to shine.  I received so many wonderful e-mails, pictures, stories and questions about slipcovers once I started posting my slipcover tutorials.  I was so amazed at some who had never sewn before or those who have only made simple pillows were now going to tackle a full slipcover.  It was so fun to share in your successes and every piece I saw was miles better than my first slipcover.  You should be collectively proud!  Ugly furniture everywhere is thanking us and investors in drop cloths are counting their dividends!  Several people without blogs have sent their pictures along to me, so I thought I would highlight them tonight.   Check out this amazing wing chair slipcover by Sherri.  She has become a drop cloth convert, she confided. Aren’t the pleats

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Night Stand Makeover

I am in a mad dash to refill my space at Lucketts.  I was basically wiped clean last weekend, but I’m really energized and on a creative high because of it.  I’m a strange bird, but I guess I’m in the right business! Here’s my latest project… In my flurry, I didn’t take a before picture, but it was a part of a set, so it looked like the dresser below. I painted it in Graphite chalk paint with Old White details, distressed, followed by a coat of clear wax mixed with dark brown.  It’s a little different for me and I think it’s really striking.  (Yes, I realize the top handle is a little askew.  I just put the original hardware back on in the original holes…) It looked very cool with the fan and theatre seat that are going to the space as well.  I’m filling up the booth early

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what you don’t see & a dresser makeover

I probably have enough content for two blogs, but I only have the time to keep up with one.  And sometimes I can’t even do that!  There are so many projects and makeovers I work on that you never see.  I just don’t have the time to stage them, photograph them, write about them.  I sort of hit my favorite projects and what I’m feeling most inspired by on my blog.  One of the things I didn’t share was this union jack sign I made out of an old dutch barn door.  It had the original red paint on it, so I kept the red and painted the blue and white in craft acrylics.  It looks like it came off an old ship or something.  I also recently painted that French mirror with gold leaf detail and the small shelf to the left of the dresser.  Speaking of the dresser…

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Furniture Feature Friday – Favorites & A Link Party

Hello all of my furniture-lovin’ friends.  I’m so glad that spring is (almost) here, so yard sales can hit full swing.  I thought surely spring was here when the daffodils bloomed and I spotted some green peeking out under the leaves on my hydrangea bushes.  Well, it snowed last night.  So much for hitting yard sales this weekend!  For now, I can live vicariously through all of the links from warmer climates.  Next week, Furniture Feature Friday will be a little different.  We’ll have our normal link party, but I will add an additional featured link up for those who made slipcovers following my video tutorial series and would like to show them off.  It’s OK if you’ve already linked it up in the general party, you can link it up again to strut your stuff. If you’re working on your slipcover, hurry, hurry!  Have it finished, so you can link up.  OK? 

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

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