Childhood Dresser Makeover and a Giveaway!

Remember my childhood dresser from this post?  Well, the story goes that my grandmother picked up this set at an estate sale when I was just a wee girl, and I have had it ever since I was out of the crib.  (Actually, since I've married, my mom has had it in her guest room, but who's counting?)

When we moved into this house,  our guest room was much smaller than our old house and my old bedroom set simply did not fit.  It had two large dressers and a sleigh bed.  So my mom and I swapped (who doesn't love a new look for free!) But truthfully, I was never really fond of the finish.

This is a complete bedroom set with two twin beds,  a tall and a small dresser.  But, the thing about refinishing this set is that it SERIOUSLY intimidated me!

I was kind of hard on this set as a kid and remember getting into some trouble for breaking the dove tails on one of the drawers and breaking the original hardware beyond repair.  (My sister recently admitted to being the one who wrote in the drawers in red crayon.) But the internet is a wonderful thing my friends. The tall dresser has this paper lable on the back of it.

  
So after a bit of research we found out that in addition to not having the original hardware, this set had already been refinished once before.  Although, they fetch a tidy sum on Ebay in their perfect original condition, lets just say the Keno Brothers from the Antiques Roadshow won't be knocking down my door anytime soon to get their hands on these!

So I gathered all of my courage and supplies and got started.

I knew I wanted to stain the top (Minwax Jacobean) and paint the body in Cream Annie Sloan Chalk Paint but I was in some serious turmoil about the feet.  Should I paint them, should I stain them??  So I did what any obsessive ninny normal thinking person would do...I emailed the expert.  Thankfully, a very patient and equally fabulous Miss Mustard Seed answered my email distress call with some excellent advice.  She said to start out with leaving the top and bottom stained and paint the body, the I could decide after if I wanted to paint the feet (because as we all know chalk paint sticks to everything.)

We kept the original keyhole strike plates and replaced the (replaced) hardware with blingy glass knobs....which of course meant filling the old holes with wood filler (fill, sand, repeat until you have a smooth surface) and gave the whole piece a LIGHT distressing.  Then I gave the top and feet 2 coats of rustic brown Hannants wax and used a mixture of mostly clear and a smidge of rustic brown on the whole piece.  I steel wooled it to a nice satin finish and this is what I ended up with.

 
  
And a couple of detail shots...

 
 

 

and one more for good measure (this one's a little blurry but I think the color is truer)

 
  
I can hardly wait to start on the other dresser!

Now onto the Giveaway part.  I am so happy that the Dwelling Place is growing by leaps and bounds!  This week we hit 100 Facebook Fans and that deserves something special.  Why not celebrate with a Giveaway I say!

Tasty!

  
 
You've heard me RAVE about Dagstani & Sons Jam Sessions (my jelly of the month club) on more than one occasion. (Like the Toast Party), and many of you who know me personally know that I don't even let Mr. Dwell near the jars anymore!  But you don't have to just take my word for it, check out this post from a REAL foodie! Now's your chance to taste this sublime goodness! You will your own month of these unbelievable jars of sunshine direct from the King of Preserves himself.  (I know...I'm a shameless "fan girl")

Restore! 

 
 
Yup - that would be your very own quart of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White, a great book filled with Chalk Paint secrets and project suggestions, a color chart of all of the available Chalk Paint colors, a couple of chip brushes and a sampler of Hannats clear wax.

 

The Rules (because there are always rules!)

You have to be a follower on Google Friend connect to play. There is an easy link in my sidebar.  If you are already a Typepad follower, please convert to Google...I'm trying to get rid of that clumsy Typepad module from the sidebar!

Then all you have to do is....

COMMENT TO WIN ONE OF THESE GREAT PACKAGES

Which one of these is calling your name, and why?

EXTRA ENTRIES
For more entries, do one or allof these and PLEASE COME BACK TO TELL US IN THIS POST'S COMMENTS (make sure you comment so the randomizer can count your extra entry):

-Facebook this giveaway on YOUR FB page

-Become a NEW RSS follower of RE, which means to subscribe to RE by email, on the sidebar of my blog

-POST this giveaway on your BLOG

-Become a NEW follower of The Dwelling Place Facebook Page

I will be taking comments on this post until Midnight on Friday May 13th and will announce the winners on Sunday the 15th  - Good luck everyone and I can't wait to read your comments!!

Comments

[Finkwick]

A tough choice, but I would LOVE to try the chalkboard paint, so the Restore package is for me. Perhaps Darling will win the Tasty package and she will share a smidge of Tasty with me!

[Finkwick]

I posted your giveaway on my FB page too...your dresser looks incredible. Great job!

[Christina Dever]

Love the blog, Bek! Miss you!

[Mary]

We all know I'm not going to attempt painting but I can definitely eat, so Tasty for me please :)

[Mary]

I shared the blog on my FB page. Does that count as an extra entry?? Hope so :)

[Jenn Olko]

Awesome Becky! I would love the chalk paint giveaway for some pieces we picked up for the shop! You did a magnificent job!

[Collette Douglas]

Wow! Beautiful transformation! Good choice on the color, and leaving the feet bare... :) I am panting to try chalk paint!

[Lina]

This is a fatastic dresser redo!!! Great job! I want to try chalk paint really bad!

New Follower!

Lina
Fancy Frugal Life

[Sherrie]

I love the dresser! I think not using the paint on the feet was perfection!

[chris]

oh that dresser is beauti-ful. for reals girl, you did a really nice job. go you!

i am also a new follower!

[chris]

annnd i'll get you in my rss. which i love thankyouverymuch!

[WEST FURNITURE REVIVAL]

love it such a beautiful color

[Piper]

I am a new follower!! I love the dresser! I am seriously contemplating doing my daughter's whole bedroom suite.... I may be in wayyyyy over my head!

[Piper]

I subscribed to your feed!!

[Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.]

Your dresser is just beautiful! I'm a new follower and I'd love a chance to try chalk paint!

[cindy]

I would choose restore. I have been wanting to try the new chalk paint. I am a new follower.

[Cori Smith]

Love this project!

Leaving the top and the legs in the finished wood was genius!

Just beautiful.

Cori
Starview Sonnet

[cherry]

Love your dresser I like that you left the feet..
chalk paint/ food/ chalk paint/ food hummmmmmmmmm I choose the jelly. The paint is fabulous but because of it I haven't eaten much this week and I'm starving..lol

Happy Weekend
hugs from Savannah, Cherry

[Karla]

I'm a new follower that loves your dresser and chooses the restore package.

[Karla]

I just subscribed to RSS feed as well. (p.s. still choose restore :) )

[Lisa Bracale]

Hi, I justed "liked" you on Facebook. I love the dresser.

[Linda]

Hi! I am your newest follower and I would L.O.V.E to try the chalk paint! Your dresser is gorgeous!! Thanks!!!

[Linda]

Hi, I just "liked" you on Facebook too! Thanks!

[Linda]

And now I am a new RSS follower (my first one!) Still loving that chalk paint! Thanks again!

[Windy Gabbert]

Hi! I'm a new follower---would love ot try the chalk paint!!!!