anthro ordinal dresser knockoff

So at some point I saw this dresser either on anthropologie.com or pinterest.

and i fell in love.

i knew i could make it.

and others had made it too.

just google anthro numbered dresser images.

this has been a really long (almost 1 1/2 year) project.

i originally started this in the spring of 2012.

I started looking for dressers on craigslist and at the thrisft stores.

then i found a random $10 bill in my backyard

and spotted this dresser on craigslist for $10.

so, it was free :)

 everything seemed to be solid wood except there was a laminate top.

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i sanded and sanded.

 then i handrew a handle cut out template

and used a jigsaw to cut it out

it was by no means perfect

but i kinda liked it

(in between sanding it and cutting the handles, we moved)

(so it sat untouched in the garage for months-maybe a year)

 then i stained it

i wasn't sure how it would turn out.

 and i primed the laminate top with this

 how did it end up this dark? who knows

but i loveeeeee it

 so i stained the whole thing

 then came time for the numbers

i printed them out on cardstock

then cut them out

then used that as a stencil

at first i tried to stick it on with adhesive spray

but then quickly scrapped that b/c it didnt really work and was messy.

I traced it with a ball point pen

then filled it in with craft paint

i saw some tutorial on this somewhere

and using the pen indents the wood a little

and makes a border so the paint doesnt bleed out.

i found that it worked well.

and didn't take that long.

 so the st is a little crooked.

 i already love it

 bahhhhh so awesome!

I knew i wanted something on the top...

so i for some reason thought stenciling was the key.

 it was too much.

 so i decided to follow some dang guide on pinterest to make your own chalk paint.

using plaster of paris and paint i got free from lowes...

it was so thick and gross... but it covered the design up a little.

 then i sanded to be able to see through it.

 to seal it, i used annie sloan dark wax

and actually liked this a lot better.

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i debated poly'ing it, but decided against it

b/c i like the rustic look better

so for

$10-- dresser

$7 -- stain

$5 -- stencil

$0-- palm sander (owned)

$0 -- primer (owned)

$0 -- jigsaw (owned)

$0 -- craft paint (owned)

$0 -- brushes (owned)

$0 -- annie sloan dark wax (owned for a previous project)

-$10 -- found in yard

__________________

$12 and a lot of time

i get a cool dresser

original = $998

the chair

i got this gem at the thrift store for $6.99

really.

no lie.

yes it needed work... but it was perfect for a reading nook for H.

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before:

 on mothers day i took my mom to fancy tiger

and we picked this awesome fabric out

*thanks shellie for the gift card :)

at $16.50/yard and 2 yards

it was a steal!!

AFTER:

it matches her room perfectly

but i finished it after she was in bed...

so maybe pics later?

bookshelf

this was awhile ago,

i had this great bookshelf dad made for me.

but it wasnt going with all the darker wood in the living room.

so i decided to stain it before baby arrived.

before

 supplies

 bombay mahogany

after!

it was way stinkier than i thought

even with the windows open and a fan going

i wore a mask, which helped...

but cam and i both decided to only do 1 coat instead of 2

or we would die.

frames/lamp makeover

my inspiration came from this

color: blueberry pie

from martha stewart living magazine this month

there was a wooden chair painted this color

and i fell in love.

-

so i decided to paint.

spray paint is much easier.

and from designsponge i found out about

a new brand of spray paint with a million more colors

montana gold

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then i went to town.

frames i have had
lamp i got a couple weeks ago at goodwill

sprayed

what can i do with these painted leaves???

montana gold: cassias

painted

(framed some $1.99 wrapping paper from tuesday morning)
framed

hung

lit

my cool new corner :)