My biggest nightmare

Isn't it beautiful?  Well it was a paint in my butt... ha ha get it... paint in my butt? Haaahaha!!

Okay but seriously.  This stupid dresser just about killed me.

It started off looking like this.  Found it on KSL for $40. 

(oh yeah, all the drawers were there... they'd already been sanded though at this point)

After hours and hours of sanding, cleaning, priming and painting it ended up looking like this.

Here's the thing with DIY projects.  You never really know what you're going to get.  And you spend all this time hoping that it turns out how you're envisioning.  In this case I was super disappointed.  I had spent hours and hours and in the end I was like... meh.  MEH?!  No way.  I didn't want a meh.  I wanted those angels to sing ya know?!  I'm sure you're thinking, oh Abby, it looks fine!  The original piece had crackle paint on it.  And even though I sanded forever I could never really get it to come off.  Plus the hardware was totally bugging me but I couldn't find any pulls that really matched the style of the dresser.  I also used a shiny finish which I kind of hated.  And then there was the color all together... 

So I decided to start all over... WHAT?!  Yeah I know, I'm insane.  This time I stripped it.  HOLY CRAP!  I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  It would have been perfect had I known that the feet weren't made of wood...

haha stupid old furniture!  The feet are made of some type of plastic so the stripper started eating the feet.  They're kind of a mess, but all in all I love how the "new" dresser turned out.  Check it.

I would never have thought to paint the hardware the same color as the dresser were it not for my friend Lindy.  She totally talked me into it and I LOVE it!!  They don't stick out anymore and I feel like the color and everything is so much better!!  Plus you can't see or feel the crackle so that's awesome.  I was a total rookie when it came to DIY furniture resoration projects.  PSH, now I'm a total veteran.  Ask me anything.  I'm smart.

Haha.  Hope you have a great day!