$25 Dining Room Table - Seats Six

I found this table back in early winter at the local thrift store. It was priced at $35. I walked away. Then I came back....three more times. I wasn't returning to the store for the table but each time I came back I walked to the furniture section to see if it was still there. There was something about the line of the legs that I really liked but the oval shape seemed dated. I caved and offered $25 ("come on...it's been here all week") and obviously I got it. It sat in my basement for months. My original intent was to finish and sell. Then one day out of the blue I decided to bring it upstairs into my dining room to see how it looked. I actually got sick of the old table that was there and put it out on the curb for special pick-up and needed a place to eat.

As I have said before, I have to live with a piece of furniture before I really know what I want to do with it. Sort of an artistic analysis. So I broke it down...

Cons: the wood did not match the chairs and it was oval (outdated?) and damaged.

Pros: It was wood, it fit the space, it came with a leaf, I still loved the line of the legs and it served the purpose (we had a place to eat)

I search various furniture blogs, pinterest, and popular high-end online stores. I was inspired....

I decided to paint the legs and base an off-white and the top a rich brown to match the chairs. 

I mixed a couple of chalk paints to make the creamy off-white color and gave it three coats. I topped it with a soft clear wax mixed with a dark wax to tone it down. (ASCP used)

I sanded the top and started with Varathane in Kona (1 coat) followed by about three coats of Dark Walnut.

I sealed the top with three coats of Polyacrylic. I wanted a very durable surface for everyday use and love polyacrylic for its durability. 

 

 And here is the finished product...with a leaf!

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Bathroom Valance

For some reason this past weekend I was full of energy. I have no idea were this spurt came from but I took full advantage of it and worked on several projects that I had been putting off for a while. One of the things that I have been wanting to do was make a valance for our bathroom. The one that was there was Okay but a little boring. I wanted something with a little more pizazz so I bought this fabric from Joanne's and used the old valance as the pattern. The only changes I made were to make it a little wider. I also added interest by using solid black grosgrain ribbon for the ties. Enjoy!

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Enchilada Crock-Pot Dinner

Have a Tasty Tuesday!

This past weekend I tested another great recipe for the crock-pot from Taste of Home made by Judy Ragsdale from Queen City, Texas. 

Excellent! Quick to prepare and delicious. The only problem is that the cook time is short so I can't make it on a work day when I'm out of the house for more than 8 hours.Perfect for a weekend though.

Click HERE to see where I found this recipe.

Slow-Cooked Enchilada Dinner

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 can (15 ounces) Ranch Style beans (pinto beans in seasoned tomato sauce)
• 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 flour tortillas (6 inches)

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, green pepper, chili powder, salt, cumin and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the cheeses; set aside.
• Cut three 25-in. x 3-in. strips of heavy-duty foil; crisscross so they resemble spokes of a wheel. Place strips on the bottom and up the sides of a 5-qt. slow cooker. Coat strips with cooking spray. Place two tortillas in slow cooker, overlapping if necessary. Layer with a third of the beef mixture and cheese. Repeat layers twice.
• Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until heated through. Using foil strips as handles, remove enchilada dinner to a platter. Yield: 6 servings.

Thanks for visiting,

Hamburger Hamburger

I just finished posting our Memorial Day Cook-out invites on FB. It's always a great time, everyone brings a dish and we provide the hamburgers and hotdogs. I am not a big fan of red meat but I do love hamburgers, especially from the grill...my grill. I don't really have a special recipe but wouldn't mind finding one. Any ideas? This also started me thinking about the best hamburgers I have tasted.

  
MY TOP FIVE!

Their Original Hamburger was first served in 1986 on Melrose Ave in Los Angeles, California. Their burger is topped with shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, chopped onions, relish, pickles, mustard and mayonnaise. Now Johnny Rockets can be found dometically, internationally and even on cruise ships. So, if you have not tried their Original Burger chances are you can. 

 

Their claim is patties that are made from 100% pure beef, no additives, fillers or preservatives. They only only serve burgers, fries and drinks, and it shows in their high-quality hamburger patty (made at their own patty-making facilities in Baldwin Park, California and Dallas, Texas). Yes, you have to live in those areas to have one but maybe someday they will spread throughout the country so everyone can enjoy their amazing burgers.

Cowboy Ciao's Wagyu Burger

Ciao's version is a generous portion of beef that fits nicely on the thick and soft Challah Knot roll. It comes served with truffle aioli on the side along with house made potato chips and the plate is garnished with green leaf lettuce, roma tomato slices and applewood smoked bacon. Well, this weary traveler was so hungry when I stumbled upon this restaurant at the Arizona airport and what a delight. Fabulous! Don't worry, you don't have to buy a plane ticket to have one, the original restaurant is in Scottsdale Arizona. The thing is I'm not sure they offer the same menu but if I end up there someday I will ask.

  

 

Home of the Classic Big Boy;  Two fresh seasoned patties with American cheese, shredded lettuce and our famous Big Boy® special sauce on a sesame seed bun. It just doesn't get any better than this! Oh yea, here are pics I took on instagram at the Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, California.

And the #1 best of the best Hamburger is from........

Truly the best burgers ever and this little burger joint started in my neck of the woods back in the 80's. Good news for those of you who don't live in the Washington DC metropolitan area, they turned franchise in 2003 and are now everywhere including Canada. The burgers are amazing and the serving of fries is enough to feed a family. They are always hot (cooked while you wait) and there are free peanuts to eat while you wait.

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Ways to save your family memories

A quick hello and happy Thursday, or what I call "Friday Eve". Just wanted to take a minute to share my Pinterest board entitled "Family Memories". It is full of ideas to save and share family memories. There are some really ingenious ideas...check them out and as always Enjoy!!

Thanks for visiting,

Lucy Loves Elmo

On Friday my beautiful granddaughter Lucy turned 18 months old. Here is a picture her mom took capturing what a difference a year makes.

Being a grandmother is one of the most amazing experiences I have yet to encounter. I love this little person more than words can express. To celebrate her 18 months I wanted to give her something special. Because Elmo is her very favorite character and because she loves little stool and chairs that fit her just right, (remember the Rocker?), I came up with this. I know her love of Elmo will change as she grows but today he brings a smile to her face and I hope this little stool will do the same thing. 

Shhhhhh, don't tell her because it's a surprise!

I picked up a little unfinished stool at the craft store

and penciled in the design

And here you have it...Lucy's little stool

 

UPDATE - 5/15/13

This project was featured on DIY by Designs Swing into Spring Linky Party!!