**FOR DETAILS ON THIS GIVEAWAY GO HERE!!!**
I’m so excited about this giveaway for you guys!  It was so much fun hunting for little treasures with you in mind…I hope you like them as much as I do!  (Get commenting so you can win! 🙂
On to this week’s projects around here.  I needed something a little mindless this week.  You know….something that only took me 1 hour start to finish, something I didn’t have to clean out closets for, etc.  I’m working on a couple of things for clients, with orders coming in….and let me tell you, it was not the week for a huge project around here.  My feet and back were killing me last night and I’m kind of hobbling around this morning. 🙂
Okay, enough with the whiny pants….so I’ve had this lap desk since I went to college.
Nothing special about it.  It’s a great functional piece, though.  I envisioned it in the kids’ playroom (no, not finished yet–looking like end of April before the big reveal) used as a little “conversation table” in between their two fluffy chenille chairs.
I got Gray to give me a hand; it’s for him, after all.  (on a side note, I fee like I should get props when I let the little ones help with decor projects…I’m a bit of a control freak, so when I can muster “laid back”, I feel quite proud of myself. 🙂
I wanted it to feel like it had been sun-bleached….like it had been freshly painted at one time, but sitting out in the sun had aged it a bit.  I decided to combine the techniques of “whitewashing” and “dry brushing.”
Here’s how it turned out:
I do love the way it looks like I just left it outside for a long time.  First, I watered down my latex paint with water….then washed a coat on the bottom half.  After painting all those dowels, I decided I was nuts.  So when it dried,  I spray painted the bottom half a turquoise that will match the wall color.  After it dried, I used a 320 grit sanding block to age it and thin the paint.
For the white top (I’m still debating whether or not to chalkboard paint the middle portion, but I’m really liking the way it’s turned out.), I watered down my white paint, and dry brushed. 
To do this, fill your brush with paint and then squeeze it out with a paper towel and use only what’s on the brush to paint your surface.  I painted a coat, let dry, sanded, and repeated.
Here’s some close-ups…I love that it’s not just whitewashed, but there are places that it looks worn and bleached.  (This technique is beautiful for furniture as well, ladies)
So much more character this way, I think.
Also been working on more of that kid storage I’ve posted about before.  Those are old Lenox china boxes I had lying around.  For the tutorial, go here.  (I’ve been doing lots of little things for the playroom, like turning this old window into a picture frame)
Love the way those are turning out…so simple and cute and mostly free!  Take that, pottery barn.
Used my Cricut to cut out this little flower and stuck a button in the middle.  I love those whimsical touches that I wouldn’t get had I just bought a storage box.
So that’s that…hope you liked my super easy tutorial today–and thanks for understanding!  I can only refinish so many pieces of furniture a week, right?
Have a wonderful weekend and hope you can join me for Saturday Shout Out’s tomorrow–I’m on the search today for my favorite projects this week! 
–shaunna 🙂
 
 
linking this post to—
(find their sites in my sidebar!)
Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints on the Fridge
Frugal Friday @ the Shabby Nest
Remodelaholics Anonymous @ Remodelaholic
Frugalicious Friday’s @ Finding Fabulous
The DIY Showoff Parade
DIY day @ A Soft Place to Land
Show and Tell @ Blue Cricket Designs
Power of Paint @ Domestically Speaking
Make your Monday @ Twice Remembered
Just Something I whipped Up @ The Girl Creative
Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello
Transformation Thursday’s @ The Shabby Chic Cottage