The Frosted Gardner

The Hill Family Desk - Custom Refinish Before & After

2012-01-22T20:07:00.003-07:00

We have made some wonderful friends through our blog and through our furniture. The Hill family is just such a family. They brought us this old school desk that had been painted red at some point in time but needed a nice face lift to turn it into an elegant keepsake. This piece has many memories so a restoration was on the menu.

It cleaned up nicely if I do say so myself. The sharp black against the restored wood surface adds a nice touch. It looks like we still have our Christmas wreaths up in the pictures but this is not true friends. What is true is that I am playing catch up. Through my lack of posting it appears that The Frosted Gardner painting as slowed down but oh so not true. I have a list of completed pieces that include a few of our own projects as well as custom projects that include a few chandeliers, a red armoire, a few tables, and my sister-in-law's working table she uses in her quilting studio. Thanks for being patient as I dig out of my hole!

Paper Princess Castle

2012-01-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

Every princess needs a castle. And we have a bunch of little squinky princesses that need a castle so this is what Faith and I came up with to suit their needs. Below is the front view and just beyond that is the back view. It is a fully functioning castle on ALL sides.

My favorite feature is the clock that Faith made. I think it is simply perfect.

The Sconces

2012-01-12T06:50:00.001-07:00

The before and after pictures of our sconces have been a long time coming. It seems that when I go to grab the camera to snap some pictures I get distracted and end up playing with the Tangled Tower or some other miniature character. Nonetheless I think that these lights were one of my favorite projects from last year. And maybe it is because it happened by accident. We had purchased two chandeliers from a sweet lady and she said she would throw in the sconces for free. Once I saw them and thought about it I had a really fun place for them. And because my handy man Mike is so handy he rewired everything so they really worked! This was no easy task as he spent quite a bit of time up in the attic crawling through beams with a head lamp.

Have you seen the new leather bound classics at Barnes and Noble? Oh goodness they are so wonderful! I picked up a set for my Mom for Christmas and showed them to Mike. On Christmas Eve we watched her open them and had fun examining each book and talking about all of the intricate details. Little did I know that I had a set waiting for me at home under the tree. Thanks to my sweetie I now have a set of my own and I adore them and will always treasure them and hope to continue to add to our collection.

I have some 2012 projects which includes changing up a few things in our master bedroom. There are some bare walls and it has never felt quite complete to me. It is a bit of a funny shape so I have to make all sorts of considerations in my planning.

Happy Thursday.

. . . .

2012-01-07T12:03:00.002-07:00

The holidays came and went and I have had quite the time keeping up with everything and before I knew it I was behind nearly a month on this ole blog. Faith and I battled a flu bug for three weeks. Three weeks I tell ya!!! My energy was zapped and the symptoms just lingered and lingered. Finally we are back healthy and happy and I am excited to share a few projects we have going as well as a fun find.

When it came time to take our Christmas tree down there seemed to be a few sad faces around the house so we decided to make a Valentine banner to cheer everyone up! These are so fun and easy and it is certainly a fun project to do with the kids which makes it even more worthwhile!

Next up we found these arched windows that I envisioned above our front door. We have a few archways in our home so I think these arched windows will work swimmingly!

Next up I found these old vintage plates and was drawn to the colors. I think it was the black that popped. These are sitting in my chippy old plate holder in my kitchen. I am so happy I found them!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and are ready for the new year! Thanks for stopping by friends!

The Gardner Antique Fireplace Mantel and O'Christmas Tree

2011-12-09T22:13:00.001-07:00

Our Christmas tree is up and I am now revealing the antique fireplace mantel we are currently using in our sitting room. I have just fallen in love with it. This along with all of our new chandeliers and sconces have been my favorite projects we have completed since moving into our new home. Mike stripped it and restained it in an M L Campbell Woodsong II oil based stain in the Espresso color. I think that color is rich and we had hoped would match our wood floors and I think it is a near perfect match.

You know the times when you buy something and you just know that you are going to love it forever and ever. And you know everytime you see it you will think to yourself I am so glad I bought this. Well this is how I feel about this Christmas skirt. I think it might be the rich velvet against the satin fabric.

No Christmas decor would be complete without wreaths from greenery and little snowmen dancing around a Christmas tree. I so debated putting these delicate little things out this year. I looked at them and then I looked at our four year old. I bet I did that three times and told myself I will just tell her not to touch them. Well I regret to say that the little one with the shovel has been broken twice since. I think she learned once I glued the nose back on because it has not been touched since. She stands there and looks at them but I have not seen it anywhere but next to that little Christmas tree.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. We have a Christmas party along with an appointment with a good friend to talk about a few chandeliers for her. And I just adore chandeliers. :)

The Thanksgiving Surprise Part 2

2011-12-04T18:28:00.011-07:00

I have had a few questions about my parents' ranch house and what we call the bunk house. The bunk house kind of turned out to be more than just a place with extra beds. I guess if you are going to do something you may as well do it right. The houses are pre-fab homes and you pick a few things here and there and wah-laaa. Or something like that. I am sure that my mom would say that I made it sound way more simple than it is really is! But we are grateful that they have the opportunity to create this get away for our family. And like a few of you mentioned - the kitchen in the bunk house is bigger than my kitchen. For reals. :)

We were hit with a furious wind storm this past week. As I made my way to work the freeway was a site that I hope to never see again. I passed seven semis that had been blown over. The shoulders of the freeway were lined with semis who dared no longer continue driving but tried to take cover. I saw emergency crews scrambling to help those in need. The winds rattled my SUV and I felt like I was being tossed about. I did not know if I should continue or turn around and go back home. I called my Dad who I figured was driving at the same time and he told me that I had about another two mile stretch and then things would die down. Once I got to work I checked with family members to learn of power outages and closures of schools. I warned everyone to stay home if they could because the dangers of the weather were not worth a trip. That evening as I drove home the winds had died down and the damage was revealed. I drove past downed fences. I witnessed huge pine trees at the golf course virtually laying down - sometimes three to four in a row. I saw broken windows, displaced garbage cans, broken branches, chimneys on lawns and homes ripped down to plywood. We have been told to brace for another wind storm tonight with perhaps snow. I hope all those in the Davis County area are safe and prepared for what the night and morning brings.

The Thanksgiving Surprise Part 1

2011-12-02T05:50:00.001-07:00

Just before Thanksgiving I mentioned that our family was heading up to my parents' ranch house for the holiday. We were all anxious to see the new barn that was built. Well we were in for a much bigger surprise than just the barn. My family was the first to arrive. As we rounded the corner I could see the lights from the ranch house and the big spotlight on The Barn. As I looked closer my mind was trying to make sense of what my eyes were seeing. There just seemed to be extra lights. Lots of extra lights. The bunk house that my parents were going to put in next summer ... well they decided to go ahead and get it done for Thanksgiving and not tell any of us! One thing I need to mention and clarify is my parents live in Utah but they have built a ranch house for the family as a great get away in Idaho. They are not at the ranch house full time much to my father's chagrin.

Anywho my parents were very excited for our arrival and we got the first tour plus we got to see everyone's reaction once they arrived. The new bunk house includes five additional bedrooms, three more bathrooms, another kitchen with a huge island, a washroom, and of course a family room area. Check it out.

Does this Josephine dresser look familiar? I had no idea when my mom wanted this refinished where it was going. It was so fun to see her pull in a few Frosted Gardner pieces!

More to come . . .

Book Page Christmas Trees

2011-11-29T06:35:00.002-07:00

We have been doing a little bit of Christmas decorating around here. It is always fun to get out the Christmas boxes because there are little items you have collected over the years that have been forgotten until the lids are pulled off. Faith had so much fun going through nearly every box! I made these book page Christmas trees last year but opted to put a little handmade garland around each of them this year. Each garland is a bit different and some are hardly noticeable but I like the simplicity of the look. I did a tutorial on the trees which can be found under our December 7, 2010 Studio 5 segment on the right side bar if anyone is interested in making a set of their own. I hope that you are enjoying the start of your holiday season!!!

The New Barn

2011-11-26T20:16:00.001-07:00

I mentioned earlier this week that we were heading up to my parent's ranch house for the Thanksgiving holiday. I was excited to see their new barn and after talking to my mom I knew that my Dad was anxious for all of us to get up there as well! Little did I know that we were all in for a HUGE surprise. It was one of those things that I thought are my eyes really seeing what they are seeing? Are we at the wrong place? I will be sharing all of the details in the next couple of days.

So back to the red barn. Did you see what it was named? Hard to miss I know. "The Barn". It is what it is, right? As we pulled up the dirt road the barn was all lit up and my dad had a portable heater warming up the place so the boys could play a game of basketball. There is a hoop as you walk in and they plan to put to trampoline in there for the little kids.

Aside from the surprises we had a wonderful holiday with the family. We ate lots of great eats and laughed and chased little kids and even broke up a few fights of "she has my doll" and "I want that Ariel". The boys played X-box and we watched a bit of football. We caught up on the happenings of each family and in between all of this we ate some more. You know how it goes.

Hope you are all enjoying your holiday weekend!

The Ole Pie Hutch - Before & After

2011-11-22T19:16:00.005-07:00

What better way to head into the Thanksgiving weekend than with this cute little pie hutch. It has an extra tight latch for very safe keeping! It has the punctured holes at the back so that all of the lovely aroma makes its way to each of our noses. Okay, okay the holes are functional as well. They allow the moisture and heat to escape as the pies are cooling. I can see it now . . . apple, cherry tart, peach, and maybe rhubarb pies all nestled in this little cabinet. It is a sweet little thing and it sure looks pur-dey in white.

Happy Thanksgiving friends!

The Curly Wreath

2011-11-19T19:00:00.001-07:00

Faith wanted a wreath for her bedroom door so we came up with this one. So many wreaths require glue guns but that just does not work for a four year old. We did this by using masking paper and book pages and ripping them into strips. We then curled them around a pencil. While I used the glue gun Faith was able to curl her own strips and tape them on so it worked out perfectly. Here it is hanging from her door and greeting all who walk by. Super easy and not too time consuming which is a big factor around here!

The Clementine Dresser - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-11-16T06:13:00.001-07:00

My parents were spending a weekend up in Park City and walked into a consignment shop and spotted this little wash stand. My mom has started gathering pieces in hopes that next summer they will be able to put in a bunk house next to the ranch house. The family has grown so much we just need more room. She opted for this green color that compliments her taste of colors that tend to be more on the rich side. Perhaps this will sit between a couple of twin beds or maybe as a nightstand in another bedroom. I think that the original hardware keeps the vintage look and feel and I always adore pieces sitting up on little legs.

Happy Wednesday!

The Josephine Dresser - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-11-11T16:15:00.006-07:00

Do you see a red trend here? Seems that we have been doing quite of bit of it recently! This particular piece is for my parent's ranch house and my mom loves red furniture. It took a few different reds to match it perfectly. Red can be a hard match. Some of my favorites on this piece is the little oval mirror on the sweet back splash and the twisty front legs that are hand carved. How do we know this is how they were made? If you look closely you will see the right one is just a bit bigger than the left. I adore the sweet original flower embellishments on each door. I think they tie in perfectly with the original floral hardware. I cannot wait to see this in its home next summer when my parents complete their bunk house next to the ranch house. We are heading up that way for the Thanksgiving holiday and the barn has been completed and I cannot wait to see it.

Happy weekend friends!

Chalkboard Restore

2011-11-10T06:10:00.003-07:00

We worked on this little chalkboard for a client who purchased it from Etsy. When she received the frame it was in pretty bad shape and the chalkboard paint did not work all that well. So we repainted the frame and roughed it up a bit to glorify all of the beautiful details. We repainted the chalkboard and I was so itching to write something on the perfectly dark black surface. However, it was not mine to play with so it was delivered nice and clean.
Up next week have been working on a few pieces for my parent's ranch house. They are vintage and wonderful and fun colors that were neither black or white!

Banners & Garland

2011-11-08T06:45:00.002-07:00

I think decorating with banners and garland is so fun and so so so easy to do. Faith and I are working on a few new ones for the Christmas holiday. She found these tiny tiny scissors in an old sewing box and you would think that Christmas had already come! She loves miniature of anything and these scissors are no different!

Happy Tuesday.

The Gardner Master Bedroom Chandy

2011-11-06T15:40:00.004-07:00

This is the chandelier that is now hanging in our master bedroom. We went with simple white because well because we like white! It is clean and fresh and with a bit of distressing it is perfect. Our sconces are also complete and hanging but not hooked up so when they work I will share where we hung them and how we used them.

Happy Sunday!

The Red Bed - Custom Finish Before & After

2011-10-30T16:46:00.006-06:00

A bed in red. What color is better on this fine fall day. The side rails were missing but not for long. Mike hand made the rails and painted them in our clients color choice. Red. Have a wonderful week friends. Happy trick or treating.

The Gardner Antique Fireplace Mantle

2011-10-24T20:12:00.002-06:00

Our fireplace mantle is complete but I may wait just a few more weeks for the final reveal. I am still pulling everything together! This mantle was already in wonderful shape it is just that the color was not quite right. Our wood floors are quite dark and the original finish would have looked somewhat light and a bit orange.

So with a darker finish and a bit of polishing up she turned out wonderful. We debated on her perfect spot and it came down to two different walls. Back and forth and rearranging just so she would be perfect. I am so happy we found her!

The Augusta Dresser - Before & After

2011-10-21T19:16:00.003-06:00

I am not sure about you but I am really liking the dark table top with the ever slight variation in the paint. The body of the dresser is a light grey and the drawers are white. It is a subtle difference but gives such depth! This one is available if anyone is interested.

Happy Friday!

The Nana Chandelier - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-10-18T20:58:00.001-06:00

We refinished this chandelier for my parents to take to their ranch house to hang over the dining room table. See . . . we don't paint EVERYTHING white. Sometimes we do the polar opposite.

The Annalee Dresser - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-10-16T20:16:00.004-06:00

So there are a few of these little french provencial dressers with the gold trim and the slightly yellowed finish. Well these little ladies sure clean up nicely when they are dusted with a coat of white paint for a fresh clean feminine look.

It just works. White always works!

Chandeliers and Sconces

2011-10-08T20:20:00.003-06:00

We picked up these two chandeliers for a screaming deal. The one in front is a smaller than the one you see in the background. We kept the larger one to hang in our stairway and I have already posted a few pictures of it. The one in the front we have painted black for my mom to put up the ranch house over her dining table. I think it is going to look fabulous there.

Here is the one we painted in white and slightly distressed. This thing lights up the whole house on its very own. I am so happy we found it because it turned out just as I had hoped.

The sweet lady we purchased these from gave us these matching wall sconces as well. They are real brass and weigh a l o t! I hope our walls don't fall down once we get them mounted. We have painted these as well and once they are installed I will share the reveal.

Mike finished our fireplace mantel and it is in place and I am sitting by it right now and I am in love. Oh my it is a beauty! Once I get everything in place I will post the reveal as well.

As we have started and completed projects around our home I am so happy that we are making it all our own. Our new home is not big nor does it have every upgrade offered and that is okay. I think something that is always important to remember is that even small spaces can be amazing, clever, whimsical, and comfortable. We still have many things to complete and I have a list of furniture pieces that I am looking for but we are enjoying the journey one project at a time.

Witch Siting

2011-10-07T05:38:00.001-06:00

For Real!

We have a witch that has been spotted riding her broomstick around our home.

She stirs up a brew made of spiders that will turn you into a witch as well.

She cackles and in a dash she flies away.

The End.

The Sylvia Dresser - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-10-04T21:10:00.001-06:00

From totally rough and shabby to a new life shiny as a red apple. Ha!

We are awaiting the black handles to arrive but we could not wait to take pictures because this has already been picked up and ready for its new home!

I think this picture emphasizes the curves in the drawers so nicely!

Nothing like cleaning up an old dresser with curves and legs and keyholes. Thank you to Sylvia for letting us be a part of it all.

Mike informed me that our fireplace mantel has been completed and now to just haul it here and decide which wall it belongs on and get it mounted and ready to go. I am so excited to share the reveal!

The Anderson Bed Set - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-10-02T15:47:00.002-06:00

This is the before picture for a waterfall bedroom set we refinished for a client. Although it was not in too bad of shape it had some surface scratches and dings and the bed was broken.

Now it is sparkling and almost brand new!

The original handles were polished up and carefully placed right back on to maintain its original appearance.

I like the boxy little feet on both the vanity, dresser, and bed. I always say I much prefer feet than a big old dresser sitting directly on the floor. Just the little height above the floor gives a much more polished look.

We hope that our client is happy with the results as this piece is sentimental and they had a desire to restore it back to its original state when their parents purchased it so many years ago. Perhaps it can continue to be used like it was some years back.

A Magical Celebration

2011-10-01T19:26:00.001-06:00

We are back from vacation at Disneyland and California Adventure. We had a lovely time sipping sodas with Sleeping Beauty, exchanging jokes with the Mad Hatter, dancing and jumping with Rapunzel, and clapping and singing with Micky Mouse. That Walt Disney is a complete genius I tell you. And for some reason I forget just how magical that place is until I return and then I want to run home and watch each classic princess adventure and each pixar animation brought to life.
And speaking of brought to life - it is time to bring some new life to a few pieces you see pictured above. I will be sharing these through the week. Do you see the dresser on the far left well that one is ours! Yipee! We are still deciding on a finish for it and will be going in the boys room.

On a personal note I have accepted a job offer with a different company and will be starting on Monday. I will be working in Salt Lake and am really looking forward to a change of pace. I am also looking forward to Halloween and little kiddos in their costumes. This is a great time of year!
Enjoy your weekend friends!

The McClellan Buffet - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-09-25T21:13:00.001-06:00

This piece belongs to my cousin who inherited it from her mother-in-law. It had some wear and tear on the top along with repairs that needed to be done here and there but oh was she worth it! She cleaned up just fine!

Notice all of the key holes throughout the cupboards and drawers. If you look closely can also see them on the vintage pulls on the doors. The wood embelishments come together in such detail and gives is such a unique flair.

You can see the green trees in the mirror's reflection. Soon these will be vibrant colors of orange, yellow, and red.

My alarm is set for 3:00 am. Yes indeed you read that correctly. Three o'clock in the MORNING. Faith and I are heading to Disneyland and she has been dancing around the house all day in excitement. We will be sharing the fun with my mom, two sisters, my sister-in-law, and four more kids all under the age of four. It is going to be crazy and fun so it is going to be crazy fun! I know some great memories will come of it. My little sister texted me today and said she was sick with excitement. Whenever we are having a bad day we always say, "We should just go to Disneyland." It is the happiest place on Earth you know.

The Gardner Catalog Cabinet

2011-09-22T10:33:00.015-06:00

I don't believe that I have shared our catalog cabinet with our friends out there! We have had it a few months but I have been a bit reluctant to post it because I have not found the perfect spot for it in our home. UUUggghhh. Have any of you ever run across this problem? It is the most dreamy piece but yet it doesn't feel right where it is currently sitting. So I am sharing photos of its glory however, they are tight shots and not full room shots which will eventually come when it is sitting . . . well you know . . . in the perfect spot.

These are all of the original tag labels that it came with and this one makes me laugh. It isn't just BILLS it is labled Bill's which means it belongs to Bill. Hi Bill!

Some drawers are missing which is okay because I like that. It sits on an old rusty metal frame which just makes it feel all that much older and rustic. When we made the purchase we were told that this was just one piece of a huge set that filled a wall. We were also told that it was used in a few different movies that were filmed here in Utah. Could be true. We really have not done much to check that claim out. All we know is that it is ahhhhhsome!

You may be wondering if this one will be painted.

No no!It will remain in its current state.

Untouched by paint.

However, a good dusting would be nice.

The Biggest Gardner Chandelier Yet

2011-09-21T08:27:00.006-06:00

For those of you who follow along over here you know my love for chandeliers. And we have just about completed our chandy makeovers in our new home. My previous post showed my hubby installing this one over our stairs. This is the view looking up. It is hard to capture the full size of this one but it is just about as tall as our four year old if that gives you any idea. I have to admit I was wringing my hands while watching him steady himself on the ladder then leaning over and with one arm bearing the full weight of this in all of its glory getting it to hook. His arm was trembling due to the weight and I had to look down on the ground and keep thinking "please don't fall, please don't fall, please don't fall". I told him several times leading up to this installation that I just wanted to hire it out but he insisted he could do it. I knew he could do it. But would he be greatly injured doing it? Alas, all is well and it is a shining light in our home so to speak.

We have made arrangements to pick up two smaller chandys in the next couple of weeks. One will go in the girl's room downstairs and the next one depending on its size just outside the master bedroom door. We really scored when we picked up the one shown above. We also got one just like it but a bit smaller plus the owner said we could just have the match sconces so yipee! I am working on some ideas how to use the sconces. They may not be functional but may add a bit of elegance to a wall.

Thanks to all the well wishes on our anniversary! I received some touching comments. Thank you friends!

Five Years Ago

2011-09-19T20:03:00.009-06:00

Five years ago this evening I was in my kitchen. My home was quiet. But that was nothing unusual. I lived alone. I had lived alone for four years. My house was spotless. Everything neat and tidy and in its place I must admit. The television was quietly in the background to drown out some of the buzzing silence. You know the kind. I proceeded to the fridge and pulled out a carton of vanilla ice cream and grabbed the blender and made me the biggest thickest chocolate malt ever. After indulging myself I went upstairs to finish packing. I also talked to my mom on the phone and both of my sisters earlier that evening. And then the ring tone sounded that signified that Mike was calling. As I answered the phone I heard him say, "So should we get married tomorrow?" I said, "Yep, I will meet you there."

After much preparation our wedding day had finally arrived! And the events of that day set me on a course that would change my life forever. In less than one year I went from single Melanie building a finance career to married Melanie and stepmom of four. I was so excited and happy for my new life. And little did I know but just two short months later another huge surprise. (To be continued . . . )

Happy Anniversary to Mike.

This man is a good man.

This man would swim through shark infested waters to bring me a lemonade.

He would also stand on a 24 foot ladder to hang a chandelier just for me.

I love you babe!

B B B Beadboard!

2011-09-14T07:40:00.002-06:00

I posted a few months back about our ahhhmazing restored barstools (that I still love by the way) and I mentioned a little something about beadboard. Our bar was basically a boring old wall. So to spruce it up with some character and detail we went with some beadboard. Black beadboard to be exact!

Many of you may be surprised at the color. Oh believe me I debated about going white and then grey entered my mind but I really needed something that made the white chairs pop. I did not want them just blending in so I think the black did the trick. Plus it compliments the black granite countertops.

Our next beadboard project will be the master bathroom. And yes indeed it will be our ever so popular white!

The Nelson Dresser - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-09-12T20:49:00.002-06:00

Did you catch the blue sky in one of the pictures above? Our weather here has been beautiful! And this little dresser has seen an amazing make over with a fresh coat of paint and some new hardware. It has cute square feet and a long single door that behind it houses an old bar to hang clothes. These little custom pieces are such fun.

We Will Never Forget

2011-09-11T16:51:00.003-06:00

We have talked about where we were.
We have expressed feelings of disbelief and uncertainty.
We have answered questions from kids . . . some who recall the event and some who do not.
We have watched the memorial coverage.
We have watched old footage from the events of that day.
We have been remembering . . .
We will never forget.

Faith's Chandelier - Before & After

2011-09-08T08:39:00.003-06:00

Have you tired of my chandy stories yet? If so you may want to skip this one! Do you see the one in the top right hand corner in the above picture? It has the black base with the brass highlights. I knew of the three this one would be perfect for Faith's room because of its simple feature and size.
We painted this one in a slight pink. When she first saw it before it was hung she was mad because she thought it was white and we had told her she was getting a pink one. Once we had it in the house and out of the sun she could see it was indeed pink and was happy once again!

We gave this one a bit of distressing on the edges to make it look worn and old.

We are still finishing up the lighting around the house so there may be a few more posts a coming.

Happy Thursday!

The Nelson Side Table - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-09-05T07:30:00.004-06:00

This little table was a bit beat up from some good wear and tear and perhaps a bit of water damage on the top. But that does not mean it cannot be restored to perfection!

This is a family piece of a client's and I think the shape of it is so fun. I think round tables are beautiful but round side tables are hard when trying to fit them up against a flat surface. The stick out and look awkward. These half moon tables work perfectly because they fit snug against the wall and save on space.

The table top has a bit of an art deco theme.

Happy Labor Day!

Hello September

2011-09-01T08:01:00.007-06:00

It is hard to believe that September has arrived. Like so many others of you out there the Fall season is my absolute favorite. The sun becomes a bit less intense, the slight breeze cools down a some, and dusk begins to set in a bit sooner. The weather is pleasant and everything begins to change color.

The shop is full and projects are just lining up to be completed.

We are working on custom pieces and a few of our own projects.

Like our fireplace mantel. I am being patient. Well kinda patient.

And the rest of our chandeliers. Perhaps this long weekend will allow us a bit of free time to paint and hang these great finds!

Enjoy our first day of September.

Studio 5 Season Kick Off

2011-08-31T15:20:00.002-06:00

Studio 5 is getting ready to kick off their 6th season

and they are inviting each and every one of us to come down

and participate in a free concert next week.

Check it out friends!

The Gardner Dining Chandelier - Before & After

2011-08-29T11:43:00.017-06:00

Our quest to switch out our lighting in our new home continues. Above our dining table we had a polished silver plain old hanging light. I should have grabbed a before picture but got anxious to get our new one up!

This chandelier is similar to the one we have hanging in the entrance of our home that we restored last week. However, this one was silver instead of brass.

So with help from these little fingers we taped it off and painted the base white and added espresso highlights.

Such an improvement! Woot. Woot.

Two down and three more to go.

This and That and a Bit of Something

2011-08-26T06:05:00.014-06:00

This little piece here is actually a desk but when I look at her I see many options including a side table for a bed, a book shelf for a kids bedroom, hang a mirror above it and it is a mini vanity for a little princess, a greeting piece in a small entrance, a towel stacker for a bathroom or of course - it can be just a desk.

We have received many sweet compliments on our outdoor pictures and want to say thank you!

Check out the little wild white flowers in the background. And speaking of white - soon this hill will be covered in a blanket of white snow. I am anxious to see what we do when that happens because we don't have a plan yet. I hope we come up with something soon. :)

I am thrilled the weekend is here. So what are your plans? As I sit here on a Friday morning my thoughts race with all that needs to be accomplished. Aside from the usual grocery shopping, stripping beds and other laundry, mopping floors, and tidying the house we also have lots and lots of projects that are just awaiting our attention. I hope to get going on our next chandelier which is now on the floor in the garage. This one is much more light weight so I am expecting the actually hanging of it to go much smoother than our last adventure. The painting projects are stacking up and we are getting ready for our next Studio 5 segment. Wishing you all a happy weekend and good luck with your project lists and don't forget to stop, kick your feet up, and look around at all of the wonderful things in life!

The Gardner Chandelier - Before & After

2011-08-22T21:18:00.026-06:00

I have been so excited to share one project we have been working on for our new home. I have been scouring the KSL ads for some new lighting options. This is just one of a few chandeliers we have run across and purchased. This particular one was literally down the street from us and fit in our budget perfectly.

We had already started taping it off when we grabbed the camera to snap a before shot. It was a brassy thing but not for long. We taped off the oil rubbed bronze elements to keep it two toned.

I had in my minds eye what I wanted our greeting chandelier to look like and I have to admit this time I was spot on! This is exactly what I had envisioned and frankly was surprised it turned out to be just what I wanted.

I think it is beautiful and adds a touch of elegance to our home and a little bit of a "real princess castle" if you ask our little girl. She insists that it be on ALL DAY. I catch her turning it on and dancing around below it.

Thanks to Mike and the kids for helping pull this one together. I think it took as about two hours to hang this thing and it was not easy and it was not fun. It was heavy lifting it over our head and we had to start over a few times due to a few bumps in the road so thanks to everyone for helping us get this beautiful masterpiece suspended in the air!

The L J Bed - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-08-19T20:56:00.005-06:00

Here is the bed I mentioned the other day. Okay ladies. What do you think? I say dahhh-ling! Darling!!!

The spindles and level of design on the posters are so lovely! I sure wish I had an additional guest bedroom in my home that had a bed just like this one.

Notice the curvature of the of the faux feet at the base of the footboard.

This bed will be moved into the brand new home of a good friend next week. This friendship developed through our love of furniture and through our blog. We cannot say thank you enough to everyone who stops by for a visit and appreciates our love for old things made new again. Thank you Leslie!!!

The L J Table - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-08-17T22:12:00.002-06:00

This little table with all of its injuries of broken legs and unattached table top sure cleaned up nicely when all put back together! Oh the details! Notice the twists and curves all up and down the legs. The white paint with the heavy distressing on the edges really highlighted these elements and you cannot help but notice the femininity of the piece.

The spindley centerpiece pulling the legs together adds yet another dimension as it sits just below the round table top.

We also refinished a charming headboard and footboard for the same client and I am wondering if this table will sit next to it. I am excited to reveal the results of that fun makeover because Leslie told me that she thought I would like her new bed and was she ever right!!! It is wonderfully quaint.

We are working on a few more custom projects and I am getting anxious to get going on our fireplace mantel. Plus we picked up an old chandelier that is getting a makeover as well. We have two days of summer left and the weekend with the big kids. I cannot believe the new school year is so close!

Grandma's Buffet - Before & After

2011-08-15T06:00:00.003-06:00

Look how filthy dirty this old buffet is and the years of dust it has been collecting! This is my grandma's old buffet that I distinctly remember sitting on her red shag carpet in her basement. She moved out of her home several years ago and my dad has been storing this piece along with a pedestal table for quite some time.

My mom at one point decided to paint this red and put it up at the ranch house in one of the guest bedrooms to store a flat screen tv. Then the last time she took a look at it she decided this piece needs to be restored and not painted and displayed on one of the main walls next to the kitchen. I couldn't agree with her more.

The after pictures do not show the hardware as she was still playing with a few options. She ended up putting the original wooden knobs back on instead of going with an updated look. We tested a few different knobs but nothing worked quite like the original hardware.

Because this is a family piece we decided to go ahead and have our little one model the piece for us. Little does she know the history she is standing by and the stories it could tell.

The old beveled mirror is still in great shape. I asked my dad about where this piece came from and he called my grandma for a refresher! When my grandparents bought their first house some sixty years ago the sellers added this piece in with the price and left it for them.

We searched and searched for a maker and a date and came up with nothing.

All I know is that I pulled Old Maid playing cards and ping pong paddles out of the drawers and cupboards. I believe my aunt had some of her music sheets stored here and I loved to sit and listen to her play the piano. My grandma had an old player piano but sold it with the house as it was too difficult to get it up the narrow stairs of her home.

I am so happy we had the chance to restore this piece and know that it will be in the family for many years to come. We delivered it this weekend and spent some time with family. There was much fun had by all. Even if we only got a few hours of sleep!

The little girls claimed the playhouse and quickly made "NO BOYS ALLOWED" signs to make everyone aware who was in charge.

The big boys would try to sneak up there but the girls would kindly let the boys know what the signs said and then decided that cute boys were allowed. And my nephew Zach is very very cute.

Here is another cute nephew who was exhausted by the day in the sun and cuddled up with his shoe. There were lots of "jeep" rides, four wheel rides, and motorcycle rides.

We saw some competitive flag football games and

enjoyed the warmth of the sun on our face and the wind in our hair. It was good weekend despite only a few hours of sleep. :)

The Christoffersen Buffet - Before & After

2011-08-10T10:00:00.003-06:00

What better way to brighten up your dining room than with a country buffet with window paned glass doors, bun feet, and a set of extra drawers on top! How about we paint it white to accentuate the great lines and give it an updated look!

We refinished this piece for my brother and sister-in-law and what a wonderful piece it is! We kept the original hardware which consisted of knobs and two dangly pulls. I always suggest using at least two types of hardware because it gives better dimension and outline of the drawers and doors.

The glass doors gives a clean look and is a great way to feature dinnerware and any family collectibles you treasure and want displayed.

The additional drawers on top add yet another level of depth and provides for storage of flatware and dinner linens.

I am not fond of furniture pieces that are flush with the floor. It mats the carpet and feels extra heavy with little height. The popular bun feet work well with their circular element against all of the straight lines of the piece.

Up next we are working on a family treasure as well as a vintage dresser with a mirror and a few custom pieces thrown in here and there. We are also working on our next Studio 5 segment as well as a few home projects (I think I always mention those but the home is a never ending project!) We plan to enjoy the last few weeks of summer before school starts and head to the pool a few more times and perhaps back to our local amusement park. I do look forward to the upcoming months as the fall season is my absolute favorite.

Home Accessories

2011-08-06T09:26:00.015-06:00

What do you use to accessorize your home?

Do you like the industrial look? The weathered wood varities? Or the metal on wood?

The Delicious Card Catalog - Before & After

2011-08-03T08:40:00.001-06:00

These just do not come around enough. They are very difficult to find which is amazing because think of all of the libraries in all those cities who no longer use these wonderful cabinets. There must be a card catalog grave yard somewhere but I have yet to find it. But we would love to get our hands on a few more of these babies.This particular one has been painted in a creamy white with a hint of a green hue. It makes for a beautiful dirty white.

We refinished this piece for a good friend who has an amazing studio in her home. She is a professional scrapbooker and also an amazing home maker. I know that this piece will be loved and well used!

Last night just before the sun went down I heard the sound of rain and then the sound of wind. Next came the beating of hail and I ran to the window to see the beginnings of a huge summer storm. It came quickly as only a few hours before I was following our little one around on her bike with the summer sun feeling very hot. And then what seemed like an instant the clouds rolled in and the house got dark and then the rains came. Tears from heaven I think. I will be attending a viewing tonight for a friend's fifteen year old son who lost his life Saturday evening. My heart aches for all involved. My thoughts have been of their family these past few days and just cannot imagine how they are coping. Perhaps with friends sharing in their grief it lifts their burdens a bit. One can only hope.

The Gardner Coffee Table - Before & After

2011-07-31T18:49:00.020-06:00

This is a rough before picture of our coffee table turned up on its side. When we got this table I didn't realize this was going to be OUR table but after a bit of cosmetic work and a fresh coat of grey paint it was going to work perfectly next to our white sofas. I found the chunky yet curvy legs to be unique and the scalloped skirt all around the base of the table to give it much character. We added a bit of extra height so we could more easily keep the dusty bunnies cleaned up! The true color is hard to see here with all of the white but it is a grey with a slight blue tint.

The grey was inspired by Sharon over at Elizabeth & Co who painted a coffee table in a nice grey a few months back. Sharon has inspiring pieces all throughout her blog! I am so happy what I took away from her and could put a piece similiar in our own sitting room.

It is hard to believe yet another week has come and gone and the kids will be back in school in three weeks. I wish the clock could start to tick a bit slower.

The Gardner Sofa Table Part 2

2011-07-28T13:39:00.001-06:00

Can you see what is peaking over our sofa here? Our new sofa table that has turned out to be my new best friend. This was one of those projects that just turned out far better than I imagined. The colors matched up perfectly and the surface was in great shape and taaa-daaa. Magic!
Here is a view as you enter our sitting area. The wall that you see to the right will house the antique fireplace mantel we purchased a few weeks back. I hope that you are all enjoying your day!

The Gardner Sofa Table - Before & After

2011-07-25T16:20:00.002-06:00

Do you remember my post from a few weeks back when I admitted my disappointment when a sofa table I had spotted fell through? Does anyone remember that? Boy, I am sure glad things worked out the way they did because I now have the most beautiful one of a kind sofa table that I look at everytime I enter the family room! We picked this piece up late one Friday night a few weeks back. We had quite a few "treasures" on our list to pick up and quite honestly I didn't really know what we ended up with and what fell through the cracks but this one made it home with us.We three toned this piece with white drawers, grey body frame, and the beautiful walnut stain on top.

We did some heavy distressing to show off all of the great details on the corners and those long legs.

It was a beautiful sunny day (and pretty hot actually) when we finished up The Scarlett Dresser and this sofa table for our own home. I couldn't help but snap a photo of the corner of our shop as well as the beautiful backdrop against the blue sky. Occasionally my mom wanders out to see what project is being completed next and I saw her step back and take in The Scarlett Dresser. I asked her "Hey Mom, you want this one?" So guess what. The red beauty is going up to the ranch house and I have to admit that I am pleased it is staying so close!

Up next we have just put the finishing touches on another card catalog for a client. We are also working on a few other custom projects as well as making visits to The Old Flamingo with new inventory. We have a black dresser that will be going in there this week! Thanks for everyone's comments of support and for all of those stopping in the store to see our pieces. I had the opportunity to meet Ann on Saturday when we went in to hang some banners and deliver some black end tables. It was so fun to meet her and wish I could be there everyday to welcome each of you! Thanks again.

The Scarlett Dresser - Before & After

2011-07-24T21:55:00.005-06:00

Alright friends is this a beauty or what? And would you believe me if I told you it was circa 1880s? Ah-mazing isnt it. This is a McCord and Bradfield from Grand Rapids, Michigan and is our oldest piece yet. Look at these bones! They are dusty but they are good! And we ventured out on this piece and did it in a rich red. So unless like us. But I think our gamble paid off and we are happy with the results. Tell me what you think.

The characteristics of this piece that caught my eye were the claw feet on the front, the key holes, the curved drawers, and the chunky back splash. I don't think I have seen one this size before. At least on the pieces we have done previously.

Take note of the beaded wood detail on each side.

Thank you for all of the sweet compliments on our new outdoor photographs. We have moved our shop behind my parent's home and they have a beautiful landscape. We are grateful for their generosity and love the extra workspace and our little one enjoys stopping by for more frequent visits with her Nana and Pa.

Tomorrow is a state holiday so I am going to enjoy the day off!

The Stella Dresser - Before & After

2011-07-21T14:00:00.000-06:00

This is a sweet little number we recently spotted and were drawn to the wonderful details from the sides to the base of the scalloped skirt. This piece is going into a little girl's bedroom and was not available for long! My first inclination was that it would work wonderfully to display a tv because of the opening for a dvr or dvd player. But with all of its feminine details and original hardware that keeps it oh so vintage it is perfect for a little girl. The details are hardly noticeable until it is cleaned up with a fresh coat of white paint and distressed to make the elements pop.

I am happy to announce that one upcoming project is another card catalog! We refinished one last winter and are so excited to get going on another. Although it is only Thursday I am still anxious for the weekend to begin! And a three day weekend at that which has means I may be able to get going on a few projects of my own around the house.

Have a wonderful day!

The Emmaline Hutch - Before & After

2011-07-18T19:57:00.016-06:00

We picked up this beautiful french hutch a few months back and finished it in our vintage white. Because french just says white in this case. We pulled the metal lattice from the glass. I always like a clear view of vintage finds and treasures or family pictures that are displayed on the shelves.

This hutch can be seen The Old Flamingo in Salt Lake City. And a quick thanks for the continued support and for our loyal friends and blog visitors who have taken them time to stop by. Thank you one hundred times over! We are working on some more great projects that I cannot wait to share. Some projects will be available to be purchased and some are a few of our own projects.

Happy Monday!

The Gardner Barstools - Before & After

2011-07-16T09:10:00.019-06:00

After we determined where we were moving in May I was on the hunt for some tall bar stools. The thirty inch kind which I found was going to take some time. It took about five weeks and then I spotted these for $15 a piece and was thrilled that I could get what I wanted instead of paying $150 a piece. As you have noticed I RARELY purchase anything brand new. We looked at new barstools but I just couldn't bring myself to do it! The wonderful thing about taking something old and creating something new is you have something that is just yours because chances are no one is going to have a true replica.

We painted these my favorite white which is the Benjamin Moore Aura paint in the color "Frostine". With the usual distressing and recovering the seat covers this is how they cleaned up. One project we will be working on soon is putting black beadboard on the front of the bar. That is just one of the many I have on my to do list.

I already had in mind the fabric I wanted which I quickly found. I imgined a black toile to compliment the splashes of black we have in our kitchen as well as our family room. I think it matches the white paint nicely and provides a clean fresh look. I need to mention here really quickly that I am having so many problems with Blogger lately. I cannot get things to align and center. I am consistently getting additional spacing that I have not entered and just the editing of my final post is time consuming and frustrating! Is anyone else experiencing the same issues? UUgghh. Currently I cannot get my text to center. Lovely!

The Old Flamingo

2011-07-14T07:11:00.006-06:00

Today at 11:00 am the doors of The Old Flamingo will open at 3474 South and 2300 East in Salt Lake City. It offers fun furniture restores and wonderful vintage finds from The Frosted Gardner as well as a handful of other great furniture artists and collectors. We hope to see you there or sometime over the weekend.

I have already received a few emails and phone calls with questions and am so appreciative of the response and support just this week. Thank you to everyone!

The Geneva Vanity - Before & After

2011-07-13T05:44:00.002-06:00

I spoke of this sweet Geneva Vanity the other day. She is the sister piece to the Genevieve Dresser and is just as wonderful and beautiful and even comes with her own mirror!

This could not only be used as a vanity but would work well as a desk. Its chunky curvy legs mimic the curve of the front of the dresser.

The keyholes on the drawers remind us that this piece is nearly 100 years old. I wonder what was carefully hidden in them so long ago.

The solid mirror can either be attached or hung directly on the wall. It has a few imperfections which only add to its age and beauty.

And like the Genevieve Dresser this can be seen at The Old Flamingo at 3474 South 2300 East in Salt Lake City.

Happy Tuesday!

The "Up" House

2011-07-11T09:26:00.005-06:00

source: KSL.com

I am sure most or all of you have seen the sweet movie "Up" by now. Our family certainly enjoyed it and it was the first real movee that we took our little one to see when she was about two. It captivated her attention and touched our hearts. You just couldn't help but fall in to love with Carl and Ellie and their dream.

source: KSL.com source: KSL.com

Recently KSL.com reported of a new home being featured in The Parade of Homes which is a replica of the "UP" home and I have to admit it is absolutely charming. I have not yet seen it in person and I don't know if I will make it down there due to a busy schedule but I just had to share these pictures with my friends! source: KSL.comsource: KSL.com source: KSL.comNote all of the intricate detail in the wood work and then of course the painting their home sitting atop Paradise Falls.source: KSL.com
And the beautiful wood work continues down the halls and up the stairs. source: KSL.comsource: KSL.com
The whimsical arched gateway leading to the walkway is yet another attention to detail. I have to admit - I wish I lived here. :)source: KSL.comAnd of course the hose reel that held tight to the balloons that took Carl and Russell the infamous Wilderness Explorer on their adventure. source: KSL.com

If you have not yet seen this movie I recommend that you do and if you have go ahead and grab your kids and some popcorn and throw an old sheet over the garage door and project it at dusk and watch it together.

The Genevieve Dresser - Before & After

2011-07-09T20:06:00.013-06:00

Hello friends! When I initially found The Genevieve Dresser I had planned to keep her for myself. She is 99 years old and had an old Swedish newspaper in one of the drawers. My brother speaks Swedish and lived in Sweden for two years which made me think it was a sign that I needed to keep this piece. But lets get real - that was just a big fat lamo excuse to keep yet another piece for myself. Once it was completed I knew I would not want to part with all of its beautiful chunkiness! And will you believe me when I tell you that it has a sister vanity! With a mirror! How often does that happen I ask you. Pictures of that the sister coming up next.
The shape of this dresser is so charming. There really is nothing delicate about it. It is solid and in amazing condition. As Mike was carrying it into The Old Flamingo I nearly throw myself on the ground and grabbed this foot. Do you believe me? Okay maybe I am exaggerating a touch but I really do grow to love nearly each piece that we complete. Don't get me wrong - I have seriously had some love hate relationships with a few and couldnt wait to get them out the door and yell - don't let that hit you on the way out. But this is a treasure.
And there you have her. She is available to be purchased at The Old Flamingo which opens on Thursday! We will be having a grand opening with party hats and streamers sometime in August so I will keep you all informed.

I have also had several inquiries about our new home. Everything is going well. We had our shutters installed today and we are settling in quite nicely. Pictures to come! Thank you for all of your continued support!

The Bombay Chests - Before & After

2011-07-06T18:40:00.013-06:00

We had a very good friend that we met through our furniture find for us these two Pulaski bombay chests. They had seen some major damage especially on the legs. You can see that they are no longer attached to the piece. So with a bit of reconstruction and some TLC they are as good as new.
We do have two of these although only one is pictured. I so wanted to put these to the side of my white couches! They have such a wonderful shape and I of course we kept the original dangly pulls.
These are currently sitting in our store space at The Old Flamingo. Between it is sitting an old metal headboard.
These would also work perfectly as nightstands next to a tall bed draped with white cotton throws and grey pillows. If nobody snatches these up - well it will be a really good excuse to bring them back home with me.

Fabric Wreath

2011-07-06T11:47:00.005-06:00

If you have some old fabric laying around grab yourself a styrofoam wreath and wrap it with your scraps. Once the base of it is completely wrapped go ahead and layer on strips of fabric to provide a nice ruffled texted effect. Simply glue down at random and

wahhhhh-laaaaahhhhhhhhhh. Done.

Simple and easy. No sewing machine required. No needle and thread. Just a hot glue gun and a steady hand!

I have several furniture restores to post! I have some amazing transformations that are available if interested.

Have a wonderful day friends!

Good Morning

2011-07-05T05:55:00.005-06:00

Yesterday morning my parents had a special visitor awaiting them at their front door. Look closely. Can you see him?
Now can you see him? His name is Buck and he found himself quite comfortable on my mom's greeting rug at her front door. My dad snapped the picture with his phone so it is a bit blurry. They often find deer sitting and laying on the grass but none have every climbed the stairs to enjoy the porch and perhaps take a nap in the shade.

Happy Birthday Mom!

School Chair

2011-07-04T20:16:00.009-06:00

There is something about an old school chair. What is not to like about it? Wood and old metal together - the perfect match.
And oh the stories these old chairs could tell. A few even have engravings from school kids who became disinterested during lectures and pulled out a sharp object and left their forever mark in the old wood grain. Some wrote names others wrote favorite sports teams and still others drew pictures such as stars and hearts. This chair is no different than all the others.

Hope you all enjoyed this patriotic day.

And thank you to all who have served or who have loved ones who have defended our freedom. Thank you again and again.

Grotto Gallery & The Old Flamingo

2011-07-02T21:07:00.015-06:00

Today we spent time at a place called Grotto Gallery in a few cities over. This place is a strip of small art galleries that are each designated by a unique door. At the head of this quaint alley way is a new store going in called The Old Flamingo. I forgot to snap a picture of the old metal camper trailer parked in the parking lot offering cold and refreshing treats. One simply approaches the window and picks from a variety of cold slushes that are drizzled with a touch of cream. We highly recommend the Citrus Cooler.

Each Wednesday starting this week a grower's market populates the parking lot bringing fruits and vegetables to those who love things FRESH.

So what does this place mean to The Frosted Gardner? After a few weeks of deliberation we have decided to place our furniture pieces as well as our wonderful vintage finds in The Old Flamingo. The store will feature vintage decor and furniture restores from us as well as a handful of other furniture artists. We are excited for this opportunity and cannot wait to offer our customers and clients a place to visit us in the Millcreek area near Salt Lake City. I will continue to blog about our pieces and we will still continue to offer custom refinishes to those of you who already have found your own wonderful treasures. I have a few amazing before and afters to share with you as we continue to load our space.

Happy Saturday!

The Johnson Sofa Table - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-06-30T05:25:00.004-06:00

This sofa table was the last custom piece that we finished before our move. It was finished in a pleasant blue that would compliment just about any decor.
This particular piece has a nice shape with sharp straight lines and one drawer.

And wouldnt you know it! I am now on the hunt for a sofa table. I found a beautiful one last weekend not far from our home for the perfect price. We exchanged text messages but had a hard time confirming when our schedules would allow for me to pick it up. We landed on Saturday afternoon. I arrived on time and rang the bell excited to see my newest found treasure. No answer. I went ahead and knocked and rechecked the address to make sure that I was knocking on the right door. That all checked out. I went back to the car and texted to see if they were home. I sat there for ten minutes without a response and due to another commitment had to leave. And here I am today without a sofa table. That one got away. You win some and you lose some.

Happy Thursday!

The Gardner Clock

2011-06-27T11:48:00.004-06:00

One of our goals before we moved and pulled the spray booth down was to refinish our clock that we picked up nearly a year and a half ago. Yes, you read that correctly. We have had it for quite some time. We stained it a bit darker in places that we were going to distress so the finish better matched our new wood floors.
We also wanted it two toned so we darkened the round wood frame that encircles the face as well as the wood embellishment at the bottom of the clock.
We are happy with the results and it is one of the first visuals you see as you walk through the front door. This final picture is a bit dark but nonetheless a full shot of the clock. We are expecting our plantation shutters to arrive this week and are anxious to have some window coverings! I am sure the neighbors are just as excited as we are about this!

We also recently refinished some bar stools. I hunted for these for nearly a month. We found the perfect THREE on KSL and got them for a screaming deal. They were refinished in my favorite Bejamin Moore white called "Frostine" and the seats have been covered in a toile fabric.

Happy Monday!

We Are Back

2011-06-26T18:12:00.010-06:00

It has been a month since I last posted and it seems that things in our world have change drastically. Needless to say, the move was weeks of work but we are settling in nicely. After renting a moving truck for two days and help from family and friends we got everything OVER to our new home and as it goes we are still unpacking boxes and searching for a few items.

We worked days and evenings to get everything ready to go. In the midst of all this our little one was super grumpy and ended up with croup PLUS a double ear infection which included two trips to instacare and a very sad little girl who just wanted to be held amidst all of the chaos.

So now that we are finally here my mind is a going on upcoming projects. Such as this.

Our new home does not have a fireplace but that doesn't mean we are not having a fireplace mantel! I am excited for this piece to be the newest addition to our home. I am excited to get caught up on all the projects that friends out there have been working on as well. It is nice to be back.

The Big Move

2011-05-25T10:11:00.005-06:00

Hey friends. Just popping in to say that I thought I could keep with the blogging over the next few weeks while we have a high school graduation, packing up our old home, and putting our new one together but
well
you
know.
I was wrong.
I am taking a two week break to get things in order.
I am excited to share some details and pictures of our new home when the wood floors have been mopped, the beds have been put together, the couches and pillows fluffed, the dishes put away, and a few pictures put on the walls.
Did you catch that -
I have wood floors.
I have wood floors!
Pretty excited over here but overwhelmed with the move.

Enjoy your days!

Gardner Village

2011-05-20T09:05:00.009-06:00

Oh my goodness! You will never believe who I spoke with this morning. I was on the phone with the talented woman who built Gardner Village here in Utah. The place is ah-mazing!She purchased the old Gardner Mill and built up around it. She brought in old houses and each is a speciality shop.
From furniture to rugs to quilts and linens to yummy pastries and candy stores . . . this place has it all.
The Village Quilt Shop has always been a favorite. It consists of shelves filled with all kinds of quilts and bedding. It is one of my favorite places to shop. If you are from Utah and have never visited this little community of shops you should put your kids in a stroller and come on down.

Mike and I had our wedding reception here almost five years ago. It is the perfect place and setting for family and friends to gather for wonderful events. I still cannot believe I was on the phone with her for half an hour. We talked and talked about our passion for all things vintage. I cannot wait to meet her in person!

Gardner Village

Wahoo for Friday!

The Whitney Desk - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-05-19T06:35:00.004-06:00

We are getting close to our move and are trying to finish up a few custom pieces as well as a few of our own! This is a custom refinish of a standard student desk in a pine finish.
I think the white is quite becoming on her. Clean, fresh, new.

Our official move begins in two weeks and in the meantime we are overwhelmed with all that needs to be done! The weather here is cold, wet, and not pleasant at all. We hope that ends soon. I have tickets to the U2 concert next Tuesday and it is in the college football stadium and I dont want to sit in the cold and rain! We have Maddy's high school graduation next week and all of that excitement that accompanies it! I hope to keep posting amidst all of the chaos! Thanks to all of you for your congrats on the sale of our home. We can still hardly believe it!

The Cart - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-05-14T19:57:00.009-06:00

So what can you do with an old cart such as this one? Our client Allison had a vision of removing the side towel rack and pulling out the diamond glass and replacing it with bubble glass. We removed the plastic wheels and painted it in a grey. I think the pictures make it look bluer than it really is but nonetheless it turned out beautiful. Allison had a great vision. As usual.
I love grey. Thanks to Sharon over at Elizabeth and Co who gave us the inspiration to paint a coffee table in a grey. We accidently picked a table up for $20 and recently refinished it and we are thinking that it will work nicely in our new living room because WE HAVE FINALLY SOLD OUR HOME!

We initially tried selling it on our own and then took a break for about a year or so. Then we tried on our own again and finally decided after running into an old friend who happens to be a real estate agent to give that a try. Like everywhere else the market has been so bad and we struggled for the past year trying to sell. Once spring hit we started getting more traffic but still no one was very interested. Our contract with our agent expired on May 1 so we decided that once that happened we needed to take another break. Between my new job and The Frosted Gardner business and juggling family we decided we were going to pull it off the market. We just needed to simplify life for a bit. We had one final showing on April 26 and reluctantly straightened the house up for the last time.

However, this time would be different because they came back later that day for another visit and within two days we had an offer! We counter offered the next day and they accepted within a few hours and we just couldn't believe it.

iv align="center">If everything continues on track we plan to move into our new house in three weeks. We couldn't be more pleased and know that where we are going will be a wonderful place for our family. I have not dared talk about it much because I am afraid to jinx our great fortune but at this point everything looks solid and we are starting to pack up the house.

We will continue painting furniture just like we always have and nothing will change in that regard. We feel very blessed and cannot wait to make our new house a home.

The Kimball Chest - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-05-12T06:27:00.000-06:00

Everything looks beautiful dressed in a creamy white.

The Sophia Armoire - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-05-10T19:34:00.007-06:00

This armoire belongs to a wonderful friend of ours and we have talked about her before. Allison is the mother of nine! And she is AHHH-mazing! She wanted us to refinish this armoire for her little Sophia to sit next to her crib and house all of the necessities that come with being a little girl!
This has been refinished in a creamy white and lightly distressed. We kept the original outer hinges to maintain the rustic feel.

While debating on hardware we discussed these flower knobs that came from a custom refinish that we had completed for Allison's sister-in-law. She had Mike paint them to match the hinges and I think that they make the piece complete. Allison's vision for this piece was spot on. I think it is lovely.

We have recently refinished our clock that has been sitting on our stair landing for over a year waiting for its restore. About time I would say! Along with that we have a small chest, a small buffet, and a dresser hutch.

Happy Tuesday!

The Petersen Coffee Table - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-05-08T19:24:00.017-06:00

This table is a refinish we recently completed for a client we have worked with before. She wanted a makeover on this coffee table that had some wear and tear. If you have kids you know exactly how the top of this table got to be just like it is. This table has seen homework, some plastic hammering, some cars driving across the surface and so on and so on!
Mike was able to completely sand the top to remove all of the dings.It almost looks like the top of the table has been completely replaced. A nice smoothe finish was his goal and is exactly what he achieved. You cannot go wrong with a chunky coffee table nestled between couches. In fact, we had a black coffee table in here but we sold it and now we are on the hunt for one of our own. I am not quite sure yet exactly what we need as of yet but I am on the look out! I hope that all of you wonderful moms and moms-to-be out there have had a wonderful day. I know that I have been well taken care of here and am grateful for my husband and my little girl who make me so happy. And for my four step kids who are always kind and respectful and who are a big part of my life.

I feel that the blog has been a bit neglected over the past few weeks and it has been weighing on my mind but we are in for a few changes around here. Some pretty big changes that are exciting and scary all at the same time. I cannot wait to share the details soon!

Happy Mother's Day!

The Ranch House - Kitchen View

2011-05-03T20:31:00.019-06:00

I mentioned a few weeks back that I had planned to most more pictures of my parent's ranch house. This is their home away from home and where our family enjoys getting together.

This is where we all do what we do best.

EAT!
This is the view from the kitchen window.

And the deck.
Views from each side of the house.

Things have gotten pretty busy at our home and things will not be slowing down until mid June. Hope you are all well!

The Christensen Table - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-04-30T21:14:00.017-06:00

Before This beautiful pedestal tables had seen better days. And now it is seeing really good days!
After
The base is stunning with the four arches sitting up on casters.
The wood grain is amazing. Notice the two little legs nestled up under the table. They are used to support the additional weight of the four leaves that also accompany the table.
So how is your Spring shaping up? Because the weather here today was all over the map. A bit of blue sky. Drive a few miles. Snow. Drive a few miles. Rain. Drive a few miles. Wind. Drive a few miles. Kinda sunny. Then it snows. Hmmmmm.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend!

Vote For Mitch - Student Body Office

2011-04-28T08:03:00.005-06:00

Sit back and relax ladies because you are in for a special treat today. I will forewarn you that this post has nothing to do with furniture or home decor. But you will not want to miss this because someday this kid is going to be on tv. I would like to introduce you to my nephew Mitch who has decided to run for student body office.

At Centennial Junior High this is no true campaigning. No poster board signs hanging in the halls repeating "Vote For Me!" No shirts or pins made. No skits or passing out fliers. It all lies in the hands of a video.

Mitch is in 8th grade and a good kid. He makes good choices, has good friends, is on the school basketball team, plays football and baseball, likes golf and tennis, and goes to church every Sunday. But this kid is a goof I tell ya! I had to share his video with each of you because it all speaks for itself and because it makes me laugh and if it only makes you smile well that makes for the start of a good day. I leave you with the words of my sister. "I don't know where this kid came from."

Vote for Mitch for SBO.

Please note: Mitch does not typically wear a sweat band on his head, tank tops, short shorts, and a fur coat. Just a little disclaimer there.

You got my vote Mitch!

The Cutler Buffet - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-04-27T08:24:00.001-06:00

Before Would you believe me if I said that we ended up with two of these very same exact buffets from different owners and living two hours apart! Crazy, eh! Of course when we originally picked it up I bought it with the intention of keeping it and putting a tv on it but it was one inch too big. So instead it went to one of our loyal clients and was finished in a beautiful rich red.

After
We matched the paint color to the red in the fabric on this fun vibrant chair. This buffet has great details with the legs and all of the lovely elements at the base. The color that we originally picked was drying a bit light in color so Mike mixed a touch of black which made all of the difference!
We do not keep the original hardware often but we have both times on this piece because they blend well with the wood design that surrounds the knob.
We tried on some black knobs but they just did not look right. But when these went back on it was ALL right!
The construction of the back of this buffet shows its age. There is no piece of plywood stapled on the back. No way.
I do not have much red in my home but this piece certainly makes some rearranging tempting! Its rich color and elegance may have me changing my mind.

Happy Wednesday!

Fabric Flowers

2011-04-26T06:05:00.014-06:00

I was playing around with some fabric last week and trying to teach myself how to make some fun fabric flowers. This is the result. But let me tell you! At one point some fresh glue right out of the gun made contact with my left index finger and oh my ouch! I hate it when that happens.
My immediate response was get it off.
So of course it is glue and sticking to the skin and when you pull it off well ladies, I think you know what happens then.
Some more ouch! ouch! ouch!

And then within a couple of hours you have a big old blister that is just a throbbing. The kind that really matches your heartbeat.
No joke.And that is when you decide you hate your glue gun. And then you walk by your creation.
And that is when you decide you love your glue gun.

Happy Tuesday.

The Ranch House - Twin Bedroom

2011-04-24T18:46:00.020-06:00

We spent time this Easter weekend with my family at my parent's ranch house in Idaho. It is about a two hour drive from home but well worth it because the house sits in the middle of rolling hills and a resevoir just down the lane. This is the twin bedroom and all of the furniture came from my grandmother who has passed on. These twin beds belonged to her and her twin. The beds have some stratches and marking that have some stories and memories. I wouldn't paint these for anything. I love the rich color and details.Along with the twin beds is a matching vanity, bench, and side table. I think most of you know that this old hardware is one of my favorites. These old vanities have great character. I can just envision my grandma and her twin sitting down here to apply some makeup and tidy their hair for a night out with their friends.

I have more ranch pictures coming up as I take you on a tour of some of the fun items my mom has collected.

The Zaida Dresser - Before & After

2011-04-21T05:46:00.001-06:00

Before
After
This sweet dresser is one that would work perfectly in a baby girl's nursery or a little girl's bedroom. The original hardware and curvey top and base add a touch of femininity.
It is available for purchase so please email me at frostedgardner@live.com with any questions.

We are planning a quick trip for a family event this weekend and I am looking forward to a little get away. We are planning a visit to my parent's ranch house and an Easter egg hunt for the little ones. I hope that the weather cooperates!

Happy Thursday!

Spring?

2011-04-17T20:52:00.004-06:00

The past few days have been a bit warmer but we are still experiencing some rain. This week is supposed to be a bit of the same. We are hoping that Spring really is here soon so we can pull out our flip flops and sun glasses. Hope it is sunny and bright where you are.

The Davis Dresser - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-04-16T19:27:00.018-06:00

Before We have a new client who wanted a nice clean makeover on her bedroom dresser. This piece is a very simple dresser with vey clean lines.

After I think that this dresser has more straight lines than we have ever seen. And that is not a bad thing. We distressed the sharp edges and then stood back to determine if we should continue distressing on the flat surfaces. We went back and forth and yes lets do it and no I think we could run into a problem. Because there are no contours on the drawers or legs or edges we stopped there. We felt that distressing the flat surfaces would not look natural and spotty. And I rather like this clean look on this particular piece. We kept the original hardware which were nice heavy pewter knobs which already contributed to the nice polished look. As always we hope the Davis' are happy with their makeover and it will fit nicely in their bedroom!

Today has been beautiful weather and the kids are currently at the park. It sure feels like winter has extended its visit this year as we have had snow through this week so it was sure a pleasant surprise when the sun started peaking through the morning clouds and decided to stay for the day. We hope that spring is here to stay. I hope that you are all enjoying your weekend.

I am linking to the blogs on my sidebar.

Inspiration - Outdoor Lighting

2011-04-15T10:06:00.018-06:00

Ahhhh! Outdoor Lighting!

Three Words.

Need

Some.

The Kjarring Bench - Custom Refinish Before & After

2011-04-14T20:13:00.035-06:00

Before Michelle sent us the above pictures in an email that was entitled "Can you fix this wood bench?" Why yes we can! And then we will want to keep it! Michelle told us that they had recently found this bench down in a cellar that had not seen the light of day for years. It was a bench that her husband and his siblings had used to sit around the dinner table about fifity years ago. She wanted to perserve the old look and feel because it had some wonderful memories. She wanted it more stable, sturdy and functional so she could use it as a bench in her entry way. After The layered paint is all natural! Mike made some repairs but kept the original nails.I think the original shabby chic look fits this perfectly. We would not have recommended it any other way! The old nails and layered paint is priceless. Mike also found an old newspaper that was stuck underneath the seat of the bench and preserved it for the memories. He also preserved this old wad of gum someone stuck on the bench! How could he scrape off this wonderful history! We hope Michelle and her family are very happy with their greeting bench and we appreciate the opportunity in giving it new life.

I am linking to the blogs on my sidebar.

The Ramsign Giveaway Winner!!!

2011-04-13T05:50:00.008-06:00

Thanks to all who participated in our Ramsign Giveaway! Our lucky winner's home just got an instant improvement and will be receiving some new numbers!

Our winner is Denise from Pink Postcard!

She said "I am a follower! love your projects! I REALLY hope I win, I need to replace my super ugly house numbers! The Englehardt is what I am hoping for. It would look great with our soft green house color!

If you have not checked out her blog you should go take a visit. She has completed many o' great projects!

We have finished up a little white dresser and another great custom project.

Happy Wednesday!

Custom Refinishes

2011-04-11T08:09:00.004-06:00

I have had many questions recently about our custom refinishes and if we offer them at all.

Yes!! We are always happy to work with a client on their own pieces. If you are local to Utah and would like a custom refinish bid please email us (frostedgardner@live.com) a picture of your piece along with dimensions and we would be happy to provide you a bid on a custom refinish!

I am working on putting together a wall collage and here is a sneak peak of one piece I finished up this weekend.

Happy Monday!!

The Sage Dresser - Before & After

2011-04-07T06:44:00.017-06:00

Before This little dresser was kindly donated to us by someone who follows are blog and thought that we may want it. Thank you to Leslie for being so kind and thinking of us. When I say we have met many new friends this is just one example!!!

A few months back I won a

Devine

paint giveaway over at

A Little Knick Knack.

The amazing thing is number one that I won because I never win anything and two that we picked an awesome paint color! Paint colors can be super hard to pick but this one was right on!

After

This color is a very rich grey green. We have used the a similar Restoration Hardware color but I have to admit this looks much richer. It has a beautiful tone and sits nicely against white. The cute little bun feet gives is some fun character. You can see the quality of the color when you compare it against the white baseboard and white door in the background. I made this hat for our little one for her second birthday. I had it neatly stored under her bed but it has found its way out again and I have seen it on her head on several occassions recently.These are a few old hat boxes that were originally painted in the 1990s navy blues and deep red. We spray painted these white and I threw a few strips of scrap paper on each side to give it more dimensions and bring out the colors in our little one's room. We added the new oil rubbed bronze hardware which looks beautiful on everything. It just has such a nice crisp clean look. This sweet little thing is available to be purchased. If you are interested just email me at frostedgardner@live.com.

61" Wide . 35.5" Tall . 19.5" Deep

We have another french dresser that will be completed today and available to purchase as well. Have a wonderful Thursday!

The Ramsign Giveaway! CLOSED

2011-04-05T16:30:00.008-06:00

We are so excited to announce our

Ramsign Giveaway!

Ramsign is a company based out of Denmark and they make porcelain enameled signs that are a tradition in Europe and are produced by hand with an original stenciled technique. The quality of the enamel provides resistance to the sun, water and dirt.What better way to personalize and greet visitors than a traditional sign marking your place of residence! They have many options including door signs, address plaques, house numbers, and name plates.

They have a commitment to quality and every single product is covered by a 30 year warranty plus a full satisfaction or money back guarantee. The wonderful folks over at Ramsign have offered one house number plaque to a lucky reader of The Frosted Gardner. Ramsign ships worldwide so this is open to everyone!

To enter please do the following:

1) Leave me a comment telling me you are already a Frosted Gardner follower or become a follower and tell me you are a new friend!

2) Link up this giveaway on your own blog and leave me a comment to let me know for an additional entry.

3) Visit the Ramsign website and let me know your favorite style and color for an additional entry.

Good luck! I will announce a winner on Wednesday April 13th.