Making my Gram proud!

When I was little  I spent a lot of time at my Gram and Pop-pop's house.  For as long as I can remember I LOVED the vanity dresser that my Gram had in her bedroom.  I told her that someday I wanted it.  Well, they passed away several years ago and I brought that vanity home with me.  I had it refurbished and it was in my guest room.

When we moved back into our house last month and we furnished P's room with new bunkbeds, she kept saying she wanted a little vanity/desk with a mirror.  We looked at several in Pottery Barn, etc.  While looking I saw some furniture that had been "re-done/distressed" and a vanity that was similar to mine.  It was several hundred dollars and I thought, "I can totally do that!"  So I called my Mom and asked if she thought it would be okay to paint the vanity.  She replied, "Honey, you do whatever you want, it's yours!  I'm sure Gram would just be happy to know that P is using it!"

So, I went to work...Unfortunately I didn't remember to take before pictures until after I had finished the bench and the drawers, but you can get the gist of it...

These are the BEFORE pics that I did get

I sanded it down completely and painted it.  I then went back and re-sanded the edges and corners.  I used an ebony stain and rubbed it on the sanded areas, then quickly wiped it off to give it the distressed look.  When it was all dry I sprayed the entire piece with a clear polyurethane. 

AFTER pics

 

And side-by side

 

It turned out better than I could've hoped!  Next project is Sam's desk that we purchased at an antique mall.  Somewhere already tried to give it a new look...YIKES!  Wait'll you see those BEFORE pics :-)