So many projects, so little time!

Hello friends!  I'm back to show you my recent finds in their unaltered "before" states, as promised at the end of my last post.  I've been so anxious to show you all what I'll be working on the upcoming weeks that it's been killing me to even wait a few days to do it!

I feel like such a cheater.  No sooner than I had painted Betsy, this beautiful dresser popped up on Craigslist. The price?  A whopping $30!

Dear, God!  Can you feel the love?  I could hardly call the poor woman fast enough to take this off her hands before she moved.  When I went and picked it up, she told me that she was glad someone responded and she didn't have to throw it in the garbage.  WHAT?!  Who in their right mind would throw away such a beauty?  She's an antique!  She's mahogany!  She has GREAT legs, and just look at that original hardware!!  I snatched her right up, loaded her in my SUV and drove 15 minutes home, her legs hanging precariously out the back.  

Unfortunately, she's really not in the best shape, and will need to be painted.  I'm going to have to completely reassemble the top drawer, fill in a handful of spots of missing veneer, and re-glue some of the decorative scallop along the bottom and the veneer on the sides.  Still...I love this dresser.  LOVE.  But I just finished Betsy.  What to do!?  I really want to have a nice yellow accent piece in my room, but I don't know that I can bring myself to do it to this girl.  She will likely end up a creamy white, or a dark grey...unless I get REALLY bold.

The next two pieces I picked up were from one of the strangest shops in town.  It's almost like an antique shop with individual little booths, only this shop doesn't have a lot of antiques (it may, on an off chance), but rather a ton of vintage furniture pieces, a few exciting finds, and ton of junk you'd find at any other thrift shop.  The shop itself wreaks of musty, old, goodness.  Don't get me wrong...I couldn't work in a place that smelled like that.  I'd sneeze all day long, but to me, that smell means furniture gold mine.  It's the kind of hole in the wall place most would walk into and walk right out of, but there are SO many nooks and crannies to find fun pieces in, that it may be one of my favorite stores.

Anyhow, I found two cute items there.  This adorable little jewelry chest for $8 that looks like it may be wearing the furniture version of Joseph's coat of many colors.  Seriously...every part of this little thing is a different wood color.  She's not solid wood, but she's so cute with her busty top and stubby legs. 

And inside her spacious drawers with that lovely black velvet lining that attracts everything under the sun...

I also picked up this cute little frame.  It looks like a Sryroco frame from the 60's-70's?  I don't know, but I love, love, LOVE it and have the perfect project figured out for it.  I scored this for a whopping $4!

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My last find has me venturing into uncharted territories... yes, friends.  Upholstering.  This little cane back chair sat at Habitat for Humanity for over a week, which is like an eternity to stay in that store.  I've been there before where in a twenty minute time frame, the workers bring out 6 new pieces.  Stuff goes fast.  Sadly though, this little chair hadn't found her love.  I can't imagine why.  The seat is disgustingly stained, and the wood is finished in this beeeeeeutiful faux distressing.  She's on solid legs though, and her caning is perfect.  Everything else is superficial.  When I went back a second time and she was still there, I had to have her.  And she was only $5, which included a matching nasty stained pillow.  How could I refuse?  I could spend more than that on a trip to Starbucks!

Whew!  I'm so glad to finally share all of my finds with you.  What cool pieces have you found lately?