Life Is Beauty-Full

It has been about 2 week since I finished a project and I can tell you that is not from lack of trying. I have been working right along but it seems that everything I worked on didn't come out the first time. I am a perfectionist and want things to come out a certain way and don't give up until they do. Three of this week's projects are in that category. I grew up hearing if you fail try try again, if you fall off the horse get back up in the saddle , and if life gives you lemons make lemon aid. So needless to say it took me longer but things came out alright and are nicely tucked away at the shop for sale. Below is a night stand that I picked up that had some great character. I love the handles and the modern look. My first inclination was to paint it gray and then I thought why not try a gradient approach in steps of gray.

First I removed the handles and gave them a coat of spray paint and then gave the stand a coat of bonding primer. Bonding primer makes any surface accept paint like magic. It is the best thing I learned on Pinterest so far. There isn't anything I haven't used it on including glass and ceramic. Next I took masking tape and ran it down the stand from back to front all the way down the drawers and all. I painted 2 coats of the dark gray and let it dry. Then I proceeded to do the same with the tape method painting the rest of the stand using lighter shades of gray as I went along.

After the gray paint was completely dry I stenciled on the words first in a coat of bright white and then in black. I top-coated the stand with Min Wax poly coat and replaced the handles.

This solid little piece would be great to by the bedside or as a incidental table to catch mittens, magazines, or craft projects. Life is Beauty-full.