Memories...all alone in the moonlight, what?

I am the QUEEN of starting something...and never finishing it. It's because I'm an only child.

I don't really believe that...but I blame everything on it. I really don't want to come up with another reason. That one has worked so well for me for many years.

Okay, rambling again.

I have a friend who gets paid big bucks to refinish furniture for people. I begged her to share her tricks with me since I'm cheap and also didn't want to haul my tables to her house. She shared!

I found my coffee table in someones trash several years ago.

The guy caught me taking it and helped me load it in my car! He told me he was an antique dealer at a monthly sale and the table hadn't sold in three months so he tossed it. Needless to say I have tried to drive by his house on a regular basis!

My picture/sofa table we bought for way too much money at an Arts and Crafts show when my house was 'all things country'.
The wooden applique on the front has silently mocked me in the years since I became 'all things traditional'. My evil plan was to pry that sucker off, fill the holes, and paint the table.

Fast forward to my actual crazy life. I started this process on a Tuesday...I was having twelve people over for lunch on Saturday.

I decided not to pry. Good life lesson, good furniture lesson.

First came the paint. Then the sanding process. I LOVED that part! Of course, I was worried I'd do too much and regret it. Now I wish I would have done more! I was a little worried I'd end up with two country looking pieces. And I was trying so hard to get away from that.
Next came the glazing. Can I just say that glaze costs way too much? One pint was $22! Luckily it didn't take much. I did hate that I painted it on, and then wiped it off. Should have rung the towels out and back into the can. Lesson learned.

By now I was higher than a kite. It was so stinking windy outside that I couldn't open the windows or doors to ventilate. It just smelled sooo goooood...

By Friday afternoon I was ready to polyurethane...and sing with the chorus of Cats.
Right before the guests showed up Saturday at noon I moved the tables back into the house. They were so beautiful.

I didn't want anyone to touch them...I also didn't want to put the pictures and candles back on them! We just needed a day to enjoy their full beauty.
It's Tuesday evening...I finally put everything back on last night:)

Well, at least now I can say they're finished!

Next project...what to do with the very country ammunition case under my new traditional table....any suggestions?