DIY: Whitewash Stools

Today, I decided to do something with the stools I had recently purchased at Hobby Lobby on clearance. They were originally $60 each and I was able to buy them for $20 a piece. The stools already had some paint on them that was distressed but the dark hues didn't go well with my white rockers out on the front porch.

First thing I did was sand them. The one pictured on the left has already been sanded. I used Fine and Extra Fine Sanding Paper left over from my painting supplies. 

You'll also need:

- Fine Sanding Paper

- Interior/Exterior High Gloss Enamel Paint

- Extra tin can to mix paint and water to create whitewash

- Old rag for wiping off extra paint to get desired effect

- Paint brush

 After you've sanded the furniture, make sure you wipe off shavings and dust left over before you start painting. My mixture in the tin can was about 4:6 ratio of paint to water. I eye balled it to do 50/50 but ended up adding more water to achieve what I was looking for. 

With water and paint mixture, your brush, and rags, start applying to furniture and wipe off some of the paint as you go. I noticed that while I was paint the water left bubbles so I start to dry brush which means essentially, I took one of the rags and squeezed out some of the paint and water before applying it to the wood. I liked this look a little better but, I have to warn you, it gets pretty messy with paint on your hands so don't attempt if you have a nice manicure!  

I only did one coat on the stools because I didn't want them too white plus I really liked how they looked. The only thing left I want to do to them since they will be outside in the elements is slap a coat of polyurethane to protect them. Note: this will also make them more shiny than what they are now. 

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AFTER

Summer's Good Reads

I love to read, pure and simple. There's nothing I like better than to sit out on the porch in a rocker, or read while catching some rays by the pool on a sunny day. That's why summer is the perfect season for reading! I personally love Lauren Conrad's Top 10 Books to Read this Summer and want to try and conquer some of those myself! 

Another great summer top 10 must read list is on Glitter Guide. Among those are The Great Gastby, which I can't wait to read again, and one of my favorite author's, Nicholas Sparks, and his newest book, The Longest Ride, which comes out in early September. 

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I just finished a Nora Robert's book, The Search, and now I am onto another old but classic Robert's book, Tribute. I can't help but be a sucker for a romance thrown into a mystery type novel. The Search is focused around the main character, Fiona Bristow, who was the only survivor out of 13 women who were killed by a serial killer. A year after her capture, the Red Scarf serial killer came back to revenge on the one that got away by killing Fiona's cop fiance and his K-9 partner. Now, eight years later, Fiona moved back to Orcas Island in Washington and started her own dog training and obedience school while helping out with the island's search and rescue team. A new man on the island, Simon Doyle, moved into town with a newly out of control puppy and comes to Fiona for help when they get a little more than what they bargained for. Just when you think Fiona's life is back in order, a copycat has come back to finished the undone business of the Red Scarf killer. 

 

Southern and Sweet's New Blog!

Hey y'all! I've always been one to read and look at other blog's, but I have never actually had one of my own. Since Pinterest came about, I have been pinning, crafting, shopping, and taking notes on fashion inspiration and now I have decided to show some of the things I have created. I have to admit, I am super excited!


To start off, I'll give a brief autobiography. Born and raised in Georgia, I'm a sweet, southern Kappa Delta girl. My boyfriend, however, thinks the sweet part is debatable. I graduated with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing from a small school up in Northwestern Georgia, North Georgia College & State University. I'm currently seeking out my career path and trying to sort out what I want to do with the rest of my life. I grew up playing sports, riding motorcycles, swimming since before I could practically walk, and spent most of my childhood outdoors. Since then, I've found my feminine side where I have grown to have a passion for photography, fashion, graphic design, D.I.Y. crafts, and interior decor.