One of the things I love most about blogging is meeting like-minded women from all over the globe. Jami is one of my most recent friends and I am so honored that she invited me to write a guest post.  I am Marian, better known as Miss Mustard Seed.  As a mother of two toddler boys, a youth pastor's wife, and a business owner, I understand the need to be thrifty and creative when decorating your home.  I have a passion for all things DIY and I love writing about it daily on my blog.

Today, I thought I would share a tutorial on how I made my sheet music dresser, which was the winner for "White Week" in the So, You Think You Can Decorate competition. 


I found this dresser at an auction for a ridiculously low price.  No one else saw the potential under the missing hardware, sticking drawers, and bubbled veneer.

It was a long time before I worked on this piece, mainly because I was wringing out all of my creative juices to figure out how I could save the beautiful, but damaged,  bird's eye veneer.  Some of it just needed stain and poly, but several areas were chipped, bubbled and missing.  I finally faced the truth that it either needed some expensive restoration or it needed to be painted.  Paint is what I do, so paint it was. 

But paint does not cover missing, chipping, and bubbled veneer.  Mod Podge is a fairly recent discovery for me...I know, late bloomer.  Vintage sheet music was the perfect solution to hide the imperfections. 

I brushed the Mod Podge directly on the drawers and applied the sheet music, cutting around the key holes, knob holes and edges with an Exacto knife.  I then applied a liberal coat of Mod Podge over the sheet music.

The paper is always a little bubbly when it's wet, but it dries flat, so don't think you did something wrong if you're "trying this at home".  I then applied an antiquing stain (a little burnt umber universal tint mixed in water) over the sheet music and one more coat of Mod Podge.  I finished off the top with a coat of Wipe On Poly to make it water resistant. 

The rest of the dresser was primed in a Sherwin Williams' bonding primer and painted in one coat of latex semi-gloss ProClassic paint in Creamy.  I hit the edges of the dresser with a sander and applied the same antique glaze I used on the sheet music. 

I love the original wheels on this piece and how the yellowed sheet music is framed by the white on the body of the dresser.

This is a thrifty, easy, and stylish solution for a beautiful vintage piece with a damaged finish that is beyond your ability to repair.  Please visit Miss Mustard Seed's Creative Blog for more tutorials, decorating ideas, and inspiration!  Thanks again, Jami, for this opportunity!


Now, take a moment to visit her wonderful blog where you will find many more breathtaking transformations and tutorials that will leave you speechless. Be sure to thank her for this tutorial, too!