Three cheers, it's done

A few months ago my daughter Emily started browsing Pottery Barn Teen magazines.  She selected several desks that she thought would look great in her room to replace her childish vanity (pictured below) and shared them with me.  However they were expensive so I suggested we buy a desk at a garage sale. 

After a good day at garage sales I came home with this beauty of a desk for $15.  Emily didn't think it measured up to the pottery barn desks so I put it in the kitchen for my use.

 I read up on Pinterest about painting furniture and went to Home Depot to purchase the supplies.  While Emily was at girls camp I started painting the desk with hopes to surprise her when she came home.

 After 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint I applied 2 coats of the Varathane finish.

 The varathane was so stinky that we had to put the desk on the porch for a couple of days to air it out.

Finally It was done and I put on the knobs and carried her desk upstairs.  But after a day I noticed that the desk was turning yellow.  Apparently Varathane can cause yellowing when applied to light colors.  Here you can see the yellow drawers compared to the white color behind that they used to be.

I was so sad, that all my hard work had resulted in a yellow desk.  But I pulled that desk out of her room, sanded it down again and applied two more coats of paint and carried it right back up to her room.  I think it looks great. We got the chair from Ikea.                                              New Desk

                                                                    Desk before paint 

Since I had all the paint out  I tackled my next painting project.  This dresser (also from a garage sale) was in need a paint job and new knobs.  Emily had been asking me to paint it for 5 years.

 And I did.  I think it looks great.  I did not apply Varathane over the paint, I've learned my lesson.

When Holly saw me sprucing up Emily's room she wanted to make some improvements to hers too.  We decided to buy her a new dresser at IKEA (where they only cost $100) and she began putting it together herself.  It replaced a tiny dresser that I had purchased at a garage sale for $5 when we moved into our house 5 years ago.  I really do like garage sales. :)

 The week before she had put this rack together to hold her flute and keyboard so she was prepared.

 Five hours later she had a finished dresser.  Way to go Holly!

Now Holly and Emily are both enjoying their new furniture and I have my garage back. Success!

Today I am thankful that:

*My friend brought me some flowers for my birthday, that was so sweet.

*A neighbor girl brought over some Russian candy, from her Grandparents, to share with my kids.

*Holly had been so diligent about doing her online health class this summer and is almost done with it.