DIY: SIDE TABLE

Have you ever found a piece of furniture you absolutely love that just needs a little TLC? That’s how I felt when I saw this gorgeous side table at a vintage sale. I think it was love at first sight! The price was outstanding – under $100. Ladies, if you’re hunting to a great bargain, barn sales & flea markets are the way to go.

I had THE perfect spot for the side table all picked out in the farmhouse. At first, I wanted to paint it. But when I thought about the beautiful wood that was (hopefully!) hiding under the varnish, I knew I wanted to see if I could bring back its natural beauty.

Below, see how I took a great vintage find from a 5 to a 10, with just a little elbow grease & a heart to see it restored!

STEP one: Remove doors & drawers

To effectively remove all paint and lacquer from ALL sides of the doors and drawers, I first took out the drawers and doors, and set the separate pieces out to be worked on.

Even if the paint isn't visible, it's important to clean off the nooks and crannies so that your piece is as beautiful and close-to-original as possible.

STEP Two: Plastic wrap

I covered the piece with Citristrip varnish remover and covered it in plastic wrap. The plastic helps keep the varnish moist, so that the chemical begins to peel the paint away from the wood more effectively.

STEP Three: Paint removal

Scrape down all remaining paint and wipe down with denatured alcohol with steel wool...

I HIGHLY recommend wearing gloves! My skin gets so dry and cracked from the dry winter air, and I try to save it as much “extra” irritation as possible when tackling a DIY project.

...this will help reveal that fantastic, shining wood underneath!

STEP Four: Sand

Sand off any imperfections (I just use Walmart-grade sandpaper; whatever you have on hand will work. If needed, you can repeat steps two through four.

STEP FIVE: Linseed

Wipe down with linseed oil (this one works great) - the oil helps bring out the natural texture and grain in the wood. Put in the work to add that fabulous new-find glow to the piece!

STEP Six: top coat

Cost with a top polyurethane coat (I recommend this brand). I used a flat finish because I wanted it to look vintage.

And you're done! Enjoy your beautiful side table and the vintage flair it adds to your space. Have YOU planned a weekend DIY, friends? Let me know if you try this tutorial in the comments, or via Instagram, @maplecreekmarket! Happy Friday!

Blessings,

Ginny

Shop the side table details!

Cake (Everything Dawn), Wooden sign (Currently Chic), Cake stand (Pioneer Woman)

#vintage #table #vintagefarmhouse #homedecor #rustic #fixerupper #DIY #wood #betterhomesandgardens

FALL PORCH

The fall porch just might be my favorite spot to decorate here at the farm each year. It's so satisfying to head out to the pumpkin patch and pick out just the right pumpkins to line the steps of the farmhouse!

This year I wanted to have A LOT of cornstalks. I had saved some bunches from last year and wanted to add new ones to give them that fresh fall feeling. Can one ever have too many cornstalks?

...I think not! I also wanted to incorporate lighting to give it a magical glow at night. While hunting for a great deal, I found lighting from Better Homes and Garden on sale for under ten dollars, and knew they would be perfect in this spot. Another lighting source are my solar powered lanterns from Sonnenglas. They are the very best for any occasion and can give a new look to any décor.

My next step was to find one new element. This year, that was the little postal box attached to the door. I found this cutie at Hobby Lobby. With their amazing 40% off coupon, it proved to be a fantastic deal that added just the right touch! Yay for coupons & thrifty shopping!

The wreath on the door is from Micheal’s and is feathered with the touches of autumn colors. This time of year, those wreaths have a special spot in my heart. I also added a yummy cinnamon broom from Trader Joe's by the door to give the entrance a little spooky/ whimsical vibe as well.

The old vintage scale was a piece I found in the upper barn when we moved in. It’s a heavy piece with so much character and I was longing to give it some front-and-center attention this fall. I loaded it with pumpkins and it was literally brought back to life. So much vintage goodness from this piece of history!

This year I went very light on the mums and heavy on the grasses and ferns. I love the look of fall grasses on a porch and in the gardens around Maple Creek.

How do you like to decorate your porch for fall? Do you have your pumpkins all picked out? Any fun fall finds, of vintage pieces, you've stumbled across?

Share your pictures with me on Instagram, @maplecreekmarket!

#fixerupper #interiordesign #vintagefarmhouse #rustic #countryliving #falldecor #pumpkins #porch #fallporch #falldesign

Fall on the Farm

Hello friends! Happy, happy, happy fall!

It's upon us - a brand-new season. This time of year, this farm is BUSTLING with activity. Pumpkin picking, back-to-school, decorating, football, you name it! The temperatures cool down, the leaves start to change and our family settles into more of a routine.

I find the routine part so calming after a summer jammed with activity. On top of school craziness we also have our annual harvest of all the vegetables we planted this summer. Not to mention the pumpkins...need I say more?

The pumpkins here at Maple Creek are one of my favorite parts of fall. Before we moved to New York, we celebrated fall in a much warmer climate and I just couldn’t get used to my pumpkins rotting before Halloween. That was not a happy aspect of fall for me!

(Rotting pumpkins? Blah!)

HOWEVER, autumn can be so magical and cozy: bonfires, s'mores, blankets, hayrides and football make for a winning combination. While the outside world is turning beautiful shades of color, the inside of the farmhouse gets a makeover as well. These adorable velvet pumpkins from Love Feast Shop are perfect for adorning the tables and mantels. Plus, lots of soft throws, pillows and blankets from Pier One make the furniture autumn-happy.

In the farmhouse living room this year, I decided to purchase three new items for my fall starting point.

I wanted them to be:

inexpensive

reusable

and on-trend

At Kohls's, I found a mirror that provided an amazing focal point for the mantel and laid the groundwork for the rest of the room. The wreath is from Pier One (for under thirty dollars!), giving a neutral dimension where I could add color. The last item I purchased was a warm throw. It was the right color combination to tie in all of the fall goodness together in one spot.

Finding something for each side of the mirror was a struggle. I am a lady who loves symmetry, so I needed to have two of the same thing! I looked at buying bundles of wheat...BUT, for the size I needed it was $50 a bundle, which is just not in my budget.

Last year, I saved some of my cornstalks and decided to just use what I had this year. I bunched them up, took a step back - it was a win! I love to bring from the outdoors to make a space come alive. Bonus points if it's reused or recycled!

The amber glass, on the other hand, was a total accident. I stumbled across them when I was looking for jars to can my homemade salsa. A two-pack of jars was ten dollars - score! - and I knew they could multitask around here.

The other jars are from the Magnolia Hearth and Hand collection. Again, I purchased those without even knowing amber glass would be a hot fall item! I love when things work out like that!

Last but not least, the pumpkins oozing out of the fireplace were grown right here at the farm. We purchase all of our seeds from Harris Seed Company and have worked with them for years. Their seeds are top quality. If we have a good crop, we'll sell or give away the extras to our neighbors.

How do YOU celebrate autumn? What are your go-to decor stores or websites? Are you in love with amber glass and mustard yellow, or ready for what's next? What are your fun autumn family traditions? Pumpkin picking, hay rides, etc.? Let me know in the comments!

Before you leave, one last happy pumpkin picture...

#interiordesign #country #homedecor #fall #pumpkins #lovefeastshop #falldesign #vintgine #farmhouse #fixerupper