Learning how to redo and rough up furniture

I really love the primitive distressed look in furniture. So I thought if i could buy antique furniture, and make it the way I want it it would be perfect!!! Trying to find someone near by that makes the kid of furniture I like is pretty much impossible. I have found places in Chicago, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, all which I'm sure is a fortune to ship. I went to a flea market and bought some pieces, and Matthew and I got  work. I am eventually going to try to find a couple old doors and make a headboard for our bed, but I wanted to practice on some little things first.

Here is our first project, it was a bench my Nan had found me in Florida when we lived there, and I have had it at this natural pine for a couple years now, and FINALLY decided to do something about it!!! 

Before Matthew sanded and took it apart

Travis waiting patiently to paint the next piece with me

Matthew sanding away

Our after, I painted it, then let it dry, we sanded parts to give it the distressed look, then I added a wax finish to it.

The sun made it a lot brighter, and harder to see all the distressed we added to it.

Now this next piece I did very little to, it was already painted black, all I did was sand the edges a tiny bit, and added the wax finish to it.

It maybe hard to even see the difference, this is the BEFORE

Travis trying to help me sand, it was very hard, next time I will only use the electric sander

The edges are distressed and I added the was finish

The last piece I have for this blog is a bench Matthew fixed up for me about 5 years ago. It has a bit of a funny story, i use to drive b this house on base, and this wood bench was sitting in the front yard, I would always say to myself that I hoped it would go up on The yard sale site i always used to find fun stuff. Sure enough about a month later it was for sale on the Cherry Point Yard sales!!!!! I grabbed that thing so fast!!!! Matthew fixed it up for me, and now I decided to distress it a bit, I love it!

Before we touched up the bench

See the cute heart Matthew put years ago for me, James name is under the bench with the date. I will have to catch a picture of that

So sweet...

This is after, we sanded it with the sander, then added the wax finish. I really love how the wax finish just brings out the exposed wood

All done for the day.

Well thats all we did that day, there are more to come! I have lots of ideas, and lots more pieces we can work on. Next time I will get a picture of the can of wax I use. Also a note to self: use NICE brushes, the cheap ones brissels come off while you are painting...