Are We Walking to Alaska

Are We Walking to Alaska
Are We Walking to Alaska - A True Story

Friday, September 16, 2016

China Cabinet Reveal

At last - my dining room china cabinet is finished.  This is what it looked like in the shop before we bought it.  I'd been looking forever for one for a long time - I wanted white - but figured I could paint it once we got it home.  Well over a year has gone by - and I started painting this summer.
You've seen it before 
All dressed up for spring

And ready for Thanksgiving dinner
Pies on the left side - they were delicious!
And festive at Christmas time
With desserts waiting for company to arrive

And then the painting began - it was an OK china cabinet before I painted it - but I really wanted white, for that country look
I started with Chalk Paint - what a disaster - some have done great things with Chalk Paint - one of them is not me.  After three coats it was still looking horrible.
I wanted to take this railing out of the center portion - but it was so well made that I would have ruined the remaining wood - so there it will stay
Bring on the regular paint - glossy and pretty - just two coats and I was done with  the top - then our SIL and grandson moved the top away and I painted the bottom.
And here it is - all reassembled and with pretty knobs.  We have a wonderful couple who mow our lawn, powerwash and paint our deck and clean our gutters - and yesterday when they came to mow they lifted the top section back up on the bottom of the china cabinet - they are the most wonderful, hard workers - thank you Zenida and Tacho!!!  (and their little boy Daniel - who likes apples and bird bath fountains)
The yellow flowered knobs go perfectly with the yellow dining room chairs - they were a gift from my friend Linda - what a sweetie she is.

Let's put some pretty dishes in the china cabinet - how about turquoise depression glass?
I've been collecting these slowly for over 50 years now - some of the pieces have been gifts from Don and some are from flea markets, yard sales and thrift shops.

The lidded dish is a favorite 
The long thin dish was the first piece Don bought for me - right after we got married.  We lived in Sitka, Alaska and he paid the rich price of $2.98  - and recently one sold on ebay for $39.00 - amazing.  Mine is priceless - I'd never part with it.
We found these snack sets at a raggedy, dirty yard sale - piled high with batteries, car parts and loads of junk - what a treasure.
Lots of fun finding pieces at yard sales - the fun is in the hunt, discovering baskets and a jam jar.
I adore these little swirled dessert bowls - they are from the late 1970s and early 80s - considered vintage already.  The price on ebay will frighten the strongest shopper.
The middle square bowl is another piece purchased in Alaska in 1965.

 Adding more pretties - some pink transferware on top of the china cabinet
 Little birds
 And a pretty hammered aluminum tray from my collection
 The flatware is my all-time favorite - daffodil - my birthday gift from Don this year 



 And the last addition - perfectly matched
 The glasses are from the Dollar Tree - and look like vintage pieces !
I'm very happy with the results - but I can tell you this - this is the last piece of furniture I will ever paint - EVER!

Now I will walk in and out of the dining room just so I can admire the change in the china cabinet - and the pretty dishes.

14 comments:

Tom said...

The white shows off your treasures.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Everything will show up so pretty against the bright white...like your sparkly blue! I am imagining how pretty the Christmas dishes will look! I hope you have a wonderful weekend sweet friend. Lots and lots of hugs, Diane

Sandra said...

Your cabinet turned out very nice. Looks like you put in a lot of work. Love the collection of glass pieces that you have displayed. Will look forward to seeing how you change it up for the different seasons!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

White is SO much better for display purposes -- everything just POPS when set against it. Well done! And I understand why you say you'll never paint furniture again, lol -- what a thankless and gawdawful task it is.

Rowan said...

The blue glass looks lovely against the white background and the yellow flowered knobs are so pretty, I really like them. The dresser looks much better painted white, your hard work has been worth it.

The Weaver of Grass said...

What a super idea Joanne. Now I am wondering whether to do the same with the Welsh dresser in my kitchen!

Lynda (Granny K) said...

It's beautiful! What fun you will have arranging your collections as the seasons change.

J said...

While I loved the warmth of the wood against your seasonal treasures, this white is stunning! On the dreariest days this piece will light up your life! So, now we will wait until the pretty blue glassware gives way to the colors of autumn and Halloween! I can't wait to see how you'll show those pieces!

Candy S said...

Simply lovely..... I am so enamored with the pretty aqua and turquoise blue vintage glass that you have collected through the years. The stark white of the cabinet is a beautiful backdrop behind the blue glassware. I can only imagine the hours of hard work that you put in to make your vintage hutch into the beauty it is today. Bravo!!

Hugs,
Candy

Kim said...

Me thinks everything looks better with a lick or two of white paint. =) Your dresser is a picture in white, JoAnn. LoVe all your pretty blue depression glass. Your daffodil flatware is exquisite. Know exactly what you mean by never want to paint again....but somehow, one always seems to.

Kay said...

It's a wonderful transformation, Jo Ann! It looks so nice now and everything looks great in it. You should be very please with it!

I've never used chalk paint but your experience sure is sobering. Some paints really don't cover well, do they? I bought a 17" unfinished letter "K" for my craft room recently. After the primer coat I had to paint either 4 or 5 coats of red until I finally got it finished today. It's a trim color I've used in the room and have had to do coat after coat after coat on everything I've painted. I like the shade of red but don't like how hard it is to use it.

Julie Fukuda said...

Most of my furniture was once white and stripped back to the original oak finish. I think that blue glass was very lucky because the white really shows it off to the best advantage.

Powell River Books said...

It turned out beautiful. You do lovely work with everything you try. In the lower left shelf in the upper unit you have a blue round vase. I have one from my grandmother of a similar shape, but it is a milky white with hand painted flowers on the outside. - Margy

Marigene said...

JoAnn, I am trying to get caught up on blogs I read each week! The china cabinet came out gorgeous! It is so much prettier white than plain old wood. The blue glass looks absolutely beautiful against the white. You have many pretty pieces.
I have used both chalk and regular paint...I prefer the chalk, it goes on faster as well as dries faster than the regular paint. I do love my green hutch, though...that took 4 coats of bright green...thought I would never get it finished and dry enough to use it.
Keep enjoying your gorgeous china cabinet! Have a great week, JoAnn.