~SHABBY ROMANTIC CHINA CABINET...Cottage Chic Transformation~

~VINTAGE CHINA CABINET~

Antique Mall Picture
Summer 2009

Last August I shared with you a POST about lots of the amazing finds I found while out doing some secondhand shopping. I fell in love with the vintage china cabinet you see above and wanted it soooo badly. I even snapped a picture of it while it was still in a local antique mall. I had every intention of buying it.... But~the more I mulled it over in my tiny little brain the more OVERPRICED it seemed. The tag read $475.00 and at the time I just couldn't see my way clear to spend almost $500.00 on something that I knew would just SIT UNTOUCHED for months...

And so...sadly I passed purchasing the little beauty and kept my hard earned cash in the bank.

Fast forward to December 10th, 2009.

My hubby and I visited the same Antique Mall while out one day celebrating my birthday. As I turned down the aisle that once held the cabinet I gasped because it was still there... I motioned for my Mr. AGPMan to come close and the price tag read $199.00--- WHAT?

I guess it was marked down because it had been standing in the same place for so long!

Instead of purchasing the china hutch that very minute (STUPID!) I decided to return home and measure for the gazillionth time the space I wanted it to go into. The mall was closing and I figured I'd just call them in the morning and purchase it over the phone...

When I rang the store early the next day I was told the cabinet was SOLD.

(INSERT SILENT SCREAM HERE!!!)

I immediately called my Mr. AGPMan and began to WAIL. I went on and on AND ON about how dumb I'd been and how I was NEVER going to learn, etc. Nothing came out of my mouth but words of REGRET over being so silly and dragging my feet for one day too many.

I heard nothing but silence on the other end of the phone...

And~

"Honey! HonEY! HONNNNNNNEY........... LISTEN TO ME! LISTEN TO MEEEEEEEE.....

I bought the cabinet!"

~SHABBY ROMANTIC WONDERFUL~
Completely Transformed

The story ended up being funny in the end but at the time it wasn't. My guy had just hung up from talking with the Antique Mall when I called them. They immediately phoned him back and said "Good thing you called so early because a woman just called wanting the cabinet!"

~SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL~
Filled Up With Keepsakes

Now...what I didn't expect was my guy purchasing another smaller china cabinet the very same day. This one had ALSO been in the space since the summer months and was also marked down. The one below was already painted and it was HEAVILY distressed (too much for my taste). It had been sprayed with a paint gun (not the best way to paint furniture in my opinion!) and was too chippy for me. He snagged them both for $333.00 (my guy's a wheeler-dealer)! :)

Good things come to those who wait (just don't be like me and almost wait TOOOOO LONG!)...

~SO PETITE & SWEET~
Perfect For Holding Extra Treasures

I love the storage area underneath the hutch. Great for holding extra plates and bowls, etc.

~MATCHING HARDWARE~

I've repainted everything on the cabinet except the front scrolly work. I need Mr. AGPMan to pop out the glass so I can do that and we've been busy...you can see what I mean about it being too chippy for me. I like gentle distressing...

~FRAMING OUT NEW DOORWAY~

Above you see the renovator man himself working on the doorway to the new dining room. He enlarged the opening to accommodate a pair of vintage french doors we found at The RINK (Oklahoma Antique Mall) for $99.00. This was the deal of the YEAR! French Doors are generally very expensive when purchased new (or vintage!).

~MR. AGPMan DOING HIS THING~

Shimming the door jam for a PERFECT FIT!

~VIEW FROM ENTRY~

Eventually the doors will be primed and painted. Right now we are just happy to have them installed and the mess cleaned up. Construction during Christmas made things exciting around here! You can see the larger China Cabinet inside...not sure where in the room it's going to end up yet! We still have crown molding to install and the dropped ceiling (sides) still need to be textured, primed and painted!

~VIEW FROM DINING ROOM~

Hopefully this year we will have hardwood floors installed in this room! Because this space was once a formal living room it is currently carpeted. That WON'T work for my family! Better choice will be a wonderful area rug...

And there you have it! All the things that have kept me and my hubby busy for the past several weeks. Hope you are inspired...

Blessings to you as you make decorating decisions for your own home...Rebecca

~ROMANITC VINTAGE CHANDELIER - Shabby Chic Lighting At It's Best~

~ROMANTIC COTTAGE LIGHTING~

Happy New Year to all of you on this BEAUTIFUL FRESH WINTER DAY! It's going to be a GREAT DECADE! I just know it! I am happy to see you again and I'm excited about the days ahead!

Are you ready to be inspired?

Good! Read on!

While my Mr. AGPMan has been busy watching FOOLBALL FOOTBALL :) today (he does deserve a BREAK now and then!!!) I've been head-deep in organizing a ton of photos I snapped just before and after Christmas 2009. With our holiday decorations packed away for another year I feel like things are getting back to normal around here!

Time to breathe again!

Do you remember a few posts back when I told you about the amazing vintage Chandelier my guy bought me for my birthday? Well...it's time for the reveal!

But first...I've gotta fill you in on the prep details!

~WALL MEDALLION~
Thinking Outside of the Box

Last February I shared with you how I found some amazing wall medallions and how my Mr. AGPMan transformed them into light surrounds for the chandeliers in my home. Above is a photo I snapped of my latest find. I paid only $27.99 for this fabulous scrolly metal beauty! Isn't she gorgeous?

~GREAT PRICE - $27.99~
Compare at $60.00

ROSS has the most amazing things! Sometimes you really have to look in order to find the BEST of their hidden treasures...but I ALWAYS go there and TJ Maxx before I go anyplace else!

~DRILLED HOLES FOR WIRING~

Two holes were pre-drilled before painting in order to wire the surround correctly (so says my guy anyway)! :) This is something I know NOTHING ABOUT!! Show these pictures to your lighting person...if they know what they are doing in the first place they'll get it! Trust me!

~PRIMED WITH ZINSSER~
Brush Painted with Behr Cottage White

Remember last year when I told you about ZINSSER PRIMER? It is my favorite Primer to use although most any Bonding Primer will work. I always paint the underneath side of the surround first. Once dry I flip over and clean up any drips and then finish up with the best creamy white paint ever! It's from Behr, comes pre-mixed and is called COTTAGE WHITE! Yummmmmm.... Just like soft vanilla ice-cream!

~WIRED IN PLACE~
Lightly Distressed

I gently distressed the surround but I chose not to antique it with any other treatment! It reminds me of an antique ceiling mount and/or fixture. SQUEAL! I DO DO DO LOVE IT!

~PROFESSIONALLY HUNG~
By My MR.APMan

My guy has always done all the electrical work and rewiring in our home. It's a good thing. Electricians can cost BIG BUCKS! It is the one place we've really saved money by being Do-It-Yourselfers! Still...if you (or your honey) don't know how to wire something...call the pros. Better off spending the cash than burning down your home!

~HANGING CHANDELIER~
I Moved OUT of His Way

By this time I was so excited my camera was shaking! :)

~SIMPLY BREATHTAKING~
Be Still My Heart

I just sat for the longest time and looked at this beauty! I found her on eBay last month and unashamedly BEGGED my guy to buy it for me for my birthday! Since he's always felt bad about me being born so close to Christmas (can get costly, you know!) it's easy to winkle out of him just the PERFECT THING! :) :) :)

~SHE'S ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS~

Now...if the Chandelier wasn't beautiful enough, the real icing on the crystals (sorry!) is the simple fact she was purchased for just over $200 and that included shipping from Connecticut! :) Any reputable Antique Shoppe would easily have priced this beauty at over $650.

EEK! I love saving all those NICKLES!

Through the winter months I'll be posting even more pictures of our Romantic Dining Room. It's a work in progress! Once our front living area, we've been transforming it into a gathering place (did I say that?) that is large enough for our entire family to dine together. As a formal living space it was truly wasted square footage. Plus, our old dining room was made into a fabulous office for my guy (no, it is not romantic, charming, girly or cottage white)! :)

More photos coming up tomorrow! I'll be showing you snapshots of two vintage china cabinets and sharing with you a charming little story about how good things do come to those who wait...

Blessings to you my friends! I'm so looking forward to sharing my thoughts and ideas with you again this year...Rebecca

~NEW YEAR BEGINNINGS - Making Room for Change~

~BLESSINGS FOR 2010~

As hard as it is for me to believe, today marks the one year anniversary of my humble bloggie. The past 365 days have ushered in lots of exciting changes into my life and enough familiarity to keep me grounded. I will miss 2009. It was a good year. I'm deeply thankful for all the good and lovely things that have come my way while trying at the same time to stay positive about the things that proved to be a tad bit unsettling.

I've never been a person to look back. Still, I've found that taking a peek into the rear view mirror of my past is good for me. For how can I know where I'm going if I don't know where I've been? Is it possible for me to make better choices if I don't reflect upon those that left me wanting and hungering for more?

I think not.

And so, I begin the new year ahead with a heart full of promise that 2010 will be all I need it to be. May it be a year filled with good things, positive life lessons and a deep, maybe even profound understanding of why I am on this journey.

These things I pray for you as well.

I am blessed to have each of you follow along. I love reading your comments and your encouraging thoughts. I love your muse, your gentle advise and the sharing of your life's experiences, talents, joys and challenges. You never fail inspire me with your creativity or to bless me with your praise...

Thank you all. So very, very much.

Early next week I will begin sharing with you some of the things I have planned for this year. Stay tuned for pictures of the fabulous Chandelier my Mr. AGPMan gifted me for my birthday as well as the photos of TWO 2die4 China Cabinets we just transformed into something Shabby-Cottage-Chic-WONDERFUL! :) I continue to love all things romantic and will be sharing lots of tips, ideas, graphics and tutorials this year as well!

Additionally, I'll be updating you on just WHERE I plan to go with my A GATHERING PLACE Website (and why it's been on hiatus for so long), news about eBay and Etsy, as well as the location change of my local antique mall space...

Oh...and I'll be having a little Give-a-way for my Blogiversary, too!

Blessings to you as you enjoy the first day of 2010.

An Ever Grateful, Rebecca