Modge Podg-ing for the first time

I've been researching some pretty cool projects with Modge Podge on Pinterest..And since I moved to California in late December, I figured I needed to make something Pacific-Coasty-ish...

After a long bike ride with the kiddos, I went to Michael's because I needed a few things...(like a stencil for another project that is blowing my mind right now)...and I came across this!

$19.99 at Michael's

It's absolutely PERFECT!  So then I needed that roller, and the brush to brush on the Modge Podge...I bought the whole kit and caboodle!

I was having a fun time!  LOL!  (Who knew it would be so easy?!)

Either way.  This is the mess awesome piece that I bought from Goodwill for only $4.99!!

Since I am new to this refinishing thing....I really hadn't a clue what I wanted to do with it until I found that scrapbook paper...I did have a theory in my head that Wanted this blue color badly on everything.  (That will be in another blog...Don't worry!)

I DO love this blue, however, it's sooo.....umm...BLUE!  It is very bright...I needed to tone it down a bit.  (This was before Melissa told me about the Antiquing glaze.)  So I just went with it.  I had used Ebony colored stain for some drawers, and the blue on the Sides of the other drawers.  It is Valspar Latex paint that I had made into chalkboard paint with plaster of paris.

Then I started my first attempt with the Modge Podge...

EEEKKKK!!!!!  I was so scared!!

I traced out tall the shelves on the back of the scrapbook paper.  Then I put my layer of Modge on the shelf, used my roller thing to bend the ends, let it dried and then sealed it about 5 times with more Modge Podge!

Then on with the Antiquing stain....again, since this was my first time using the stain, I actually used the bottom of the one blue drawer to play around with it...I will say, it wasn't too bad!

Now, I wasn't liking the black drawers...I felt like it "needed" a bit something more...

Some of the blue had scratched onto the black and I thought, Wal-lah!  I will dry brush the blue onto the top rim of the black drawers to give it a little "something" extra.  Then, I used more of the scrapbook paper to line the inside of the drawers~with my new friend Modge of course!  :-)

With that, here is the final product!  I have yet to polycrylic it...but it really came out adorable!  For my very first project ever, I will have to say I didn't do too shabby!

Welcome to the Stripping Queen!

Hello!  My name is Raya, and I am Mrs. Lehigh Valley International 2015, who is now a Southern California Convert.  LOL!  I have always loved the look of refinishing furniture, and now, I am starting my journey.

How did it all start you ask?! 

Well, I'm going to tell you...

Before I had left the valley, I was starting to get into purchasing pieces to refinish.  Especially the antique radios because they are starting to come back now.  Vinyl Rocks!  So during my journey to starting my refinishing business, and making appearances for my reign as Mrs. Lehigh Valley International, we found out that we were being corporately relocated to California.  Honestly, we knew for about 2 months we were moving, (but couldn't say anything...so when the move actually happened, it was all within a week.   So it was major quick.

In this time, I had met my dear friend Melissa who is a refinishing machine!  The pieces she produces is absolutely amazing!  I met Melissa 2 weeks before we were leaving.  She had sold me an antique radio that she was clearing out of her garage for $25.00, and we instantly connected once we talked shop!  What I love about her, is that she is so open and willing to share her tricks with me, because just as everyone else is when they start out in the furniture refinishing business, it's VERY overwhelming!  We talk shop all the time, and always text photos of our finds and talk about what we are going to do with them...we also offer opinions and talk about life over wine and beer! LOL!

She has inspired me to FINALLY get off the booty, and get this whole furniture thing off the ground.  Between her and Pinterest, I have so many ideas, and only so much time!

So I am going to utilize this blog to talk about my pieces that I've refinished.

I'm very excited to get started!!

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to hopefully inspiring many people, as I have been just by 1!