Craigslist Score

Have you ever worn your best clothing, shoes or accessories out only to have people notice some older item you are wearing? Isn't it crazy how well bought items always seem to steal the show no matter how much you spend on something new. If an item fits well or is flattering, that too can place it center stage when compared to that new pretty thing you are just sure will be the hit of the party.

Well, that happens to me, but not with clothing or accessories. It happens when people come to my house and walk in my kitchen. It almost never fails. People almost immediately notice the cabinet under my kitchen window and comment. (Perhaps its just because it is a focal point of that wall). I find this amuseing. Actually, it is down right satisfying because it just proves that almost everyone in America can score great freebies on Craigslist that just need a little sprucing up. That old chair from your neighbor's Aunt Lucy might be stunning when reinvented in the right shade of paint and some new, updated upholstery.

Okay. I must tell you the story...

I regularly check, actually, troll, stalk, use your imagination, the craigslist free section. Many great things have come from just a random peek. One day I noticed this cabinet. Right away I new it was perfect, BUT my husband had made it clear that nothing else was coming into this house until a number of other things leave. He was also very serious about his request to start no new projects until a number of other ones were completed. I chose not to call him about this cabinet. Days went by. I checked it a few days later and the listing was still up. Hmmm....I called. The owner confirmed it was still in his possession. The dreaded phone call to my husband. How's your day? Are things going well sweetiee? Then, gulp, I asked the question. He was VERY reluctant. Very. But, he loves me so much and tolerates a great deal. This was another such occasion. Whew! He agreed to go after work. Did I mention it was a bit of a drive away, like maybe 50 minutes and that he would need to come home first from the metroplex to get our minivan/moving truck? To his surprise it was perfect. To my surprise, he agreed with me. lol.

So, work began to remove layers and layers of paint. It was tedious, but we finally made it through. Then came the sanding and more sanding. We opted to keep the doors, but remove them from the piece. Maybe another project???

Since this was going in front of a very valuable outlet, Kevin moved it upward and patched the sheetrock.

Kevin painted the cabinet and I ordered new hardware to match our existing cabinet pulls from ebay for a buck a piece. I had purchased from Garden Ridge, (remember it before they changed their name to At Home), this gorgeous golden linen fabric for a $5.99 for 2 1/2 yards. I used this to make the curtains you see at the bottom of the cabinet where there were doors.

Now for the countertop. Months back, I convinced Kevin, (on another craigslist deal), to purchase a ton of wood from some guys for $50. I call it the never ending stack because we are still using this wood for projects! He cut two pieces, then clamped and glued them together. After sanding, they were stained.

I could hardly wait for him to get it installed. Now that it has been in place I can barely remember the kitchen without it. I am so thankful God gave me a construction fairy. I can dream it up and he makes it come true. What great fun we have, well, probably just me...

Here's my beauty in all her glory. Notice the shelves Kevin made to match above the cabinet. We used Ikea Brackets. (Another post with instructions in the project section). Very frugal and looks every bit as expensive as some of those seen in Fixer Upper. Why pay more?

The photos are out of order. I will have to arrange them tomorrow evening.