Happy Birthday to a dear friend...

...she and I served together in the Canadian military, she as a nurse in the Navy, while I was first a medic, then a social worker in the Air Force. She retired twelve years ago; I retired six years ago. We have been friends for many, many years. We watched one another's children grow up, celebrated their triumphs...and ours, grieved their failures...and ours. My friend LOVES tea. I refinished this little demi-lune table as a birthday gift for her, and here's a link to her birthday card. Here's a "before:"

I stripped and sanded it. There was a little damage on the front edge, but I rebuilt it with plastic wood.

Then I painted it with knock-off chalk paint (Martha Stewart Heavy Cream mixed (successfully!) with calcium carbonate...lots of different recipes available all over the internet...). Then I added an image from Graphics Fairy...did the image transfer with acetone. I know there are oodles and oodles of tutorials on the 'web about this technique. Here's how I do it. I've encountered some challenges doing them on painted surfaces. After much experimenting, I've discovered two things: knock-off chalk paint gives a little more "bite" to the surface. I just mix a tablespoon of powdered calcium carbonate to about 2 cups of latex paint, and mix it well in a cheap blender I use just for this. You can certainly use it without blender-ing it, but it seems a little "lumpy." I find that it actually rolls on smoothly though, so the blender is optional. After painting, I like to leave it for 24 hours so it's bone dry, then I lightly sand the receiving area with very fine sandpaper. After placing the toner based image face down, I soak cotton balls with the acetone and dab all areas of the image. I dab with some pressure, not just a light touch.I've found that "rubbing" messes up the image though. Once it's done, I filled in some areas with a dark grey fine point sharpie.

Then I chipped and sanded and waxed with Briwax Light Brown, and applied a layer of Minwax Polycrylic on the top and bottom shelves.

I gave it to her today...she liked it. I'm so happy.

Thanks so MUCH for stopping by again. Your comments on my little odds 'n' ends just MAKE my DAY...you KNOW that, right!? I'll be visiting YOU too, through your comments. Partying here and here and here and with these fine bloggers this week.

Wishing you a week filled with the joy of doing what you love with the people you love...and...

May you always have walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you, those you love near you,
and all your heart might desire.

(an Irish Blessing)