SALVAGED WHIMSY: bookshelf

Liz from The Brambleberry Cottage made my day by featuring this project (as well as several other AMAZING ideas) as part of:

If you haven't linked to her party on Thursday before, I highly recommend stopping by and checking it out.

My mom found this little bookshelf at a thrift store for $4...or at least we thought it was a little bookshelf until I started sanding it and I found 4 hooks on the bottom. (Please excuse the mess and the Bud Lite box...my once huge garage seems to be shrinking daily.)

I realized that it was originally a wall shelf, but I stuck with my original impression, and I cut off the board holding the hooks.

I probably wouldn't have chosen this on my own, but my mom really liked it and it was $4...I thought I could find something to do with it. Before priming, I ~~hacked up~~ distressed the edges and shelves, as it looked too "new" for the look I had in mind. Then, while waiting for the Emerson Chest to dry, I mixed some colors together and came up with a pinkish mauve and slapped it on. I was working on several projects at once, so I don't have any pictures of the process.

After looking at some furniture inspiration, I decided I would go for turquoise, but while I was mixing it, I ran out of blue paint....so ended up with an artichoke green color. I wanted the pink to show through, so I took an unscented white candle and rubbed it over the edges and shelves before painting with green.

After I distressed it, was a little too bright for me, so I rubbed some dark stain over it and then a wash of black and red watered-down craft paint, concentrating it in the corners and scratches for an older look.

I had planned on giving it another couple coats of the wash to tone it down further, but decided I liked the color.

Not sure if it will ever sell, since it's a little different, but it was $4. Most of the stuff I've done so far is pretty neutral, so maybe this will add a little pop of color. I'm supposed to set up my first booth in the next week, so we'll see how it goes!