Finally a craft post!

So for the last at least two weeks I've been working on re-doing our dining room "set". And by "set" I mean the table from my aunt and chairs from my parents, and the tow head chairs from my other aunt. So I guess what I should say is that I'm trying to make it into a set. I figure before we have kids and while I'm crazy I'll do it. I started out researching on what I should do, what I should avoid.....blah, blah, blah. I usually come across some blogs of other people who have already done or I jut wing it (which sometimes doesn't always turn out so good)

Next step was to take everything outside, because my husband didn't want sand dust all over. So I get everything outside...including our stupid table which by the way- one leg won't come off because the screw was stripped so we had to reinforce it with other screws (and by we I mean my dad). Any who I took everything outside and started sanding. I got a lovely sander from my dad. Mind you it's probably around 50 years old! So needless to say it was a little difficult. It was crazy, you have to hold it down fairly hard or else it will go all over the place, and sometimes my hands were still shaking after I used it! I considered it a work out for my arms and counted it as a bonus!

 

This is the table. I wish you could see all wear spots, the marker, the nail polish. Plus side was we got it for free from my aunt who I am so thankful for, down side- it was in rough shape.

 

One of the chairs that was in the worst shape. These are from my parents which again very thankful because they were free. I mean hello we're just starting out we don't have money to buy a new dining set! And added bonus is the memories. I remember sitting in these in my parents house eating dinner together as a family, and now I can do the same with my kids! :)

 

 

That's everything that I sanded! All by my lonesome! Proud moment! And yes I even threw in a key holder to re-do because hey why not?

 

 

Original key holder...again another hand me down from my momma!

 

 

This is all the stuff I used. (The spray paint was for another project.) And another side note I never even used the brush, I used a piece of cloth. I felt like the stain went on more evenly and there were no brush strokes, which I liked. I got my stain from Wal-Mart and that bottle was only 8 bucks! I also got a wood conditioner, it says you should use it before staining so I did.

 

 

This was after the first coat. Now just so you know I am NOT a professional. I pretty much read what other people do and follow the directions on the stain. The can says to leave it on for 5 to 15 minutes to get your desired color. I left it on for about 5 minutes before I wiped the excess stain off because I am impatient but I really do love the color. I think I only put two coats on, and only one coat for the chairs. (They were darker than the table and I was trying to get them to match as much as possible.)

 

 

 

And there you have it! Before and after of both the table and chairs! I love them! Love, love, love them! I think they look so good and they all match now! Not bad for hand me downs! And it only cost me around $25! Now that's a deal and that is why I love to DIY!

 

Side note: To protect the stain/wood I used whatever the can told me to use. That was actually the most expensive thing, which I don't mind as long as it does it's job good, I mean it's supposed to protect right?! So I guess it should cost a little more than the other stuff. Any who I got a small can and it covered the table, chairs and key holder for all three coats! This stuff stinks though because you have to sand in between each coat, but it dries fast and doesn't smell- major bonus!