Garage Sale Vanity to TV Console

Oh, sad little garage sale desk. I found it with a $15 sticker on it and offered the seller $10. She gladly took it. I think even she knew that I was going to have my hands full refinishing this one.
It had been passed down through her family, serving alternately as a vanity and desk. When I opened the drawers to check it out they were crammed full of papers, crayons and all things little girl. It was filthy, but in relatively good shape. I just knew I could make it pretty.

Once I started working on it, I really wondered if I hadn't bitten off more than I wanted to chew...

There was wood glue that was well past its prime, scrapes, scuffs and marks everywhere.

Even alphabet stickers.

The drawers weren't in awesome shape, but they were an easy fix. Especially since they won't be opened and closed every day.

I wiped the entire thing down with wet rags. You wouldn't believe the amount of dirt and cobwebs I cleaned off. {OK, my husband cleaned off the cobwebs...}

Then I sanded it down with a power sander. It was my first time to use one, and I must say it makes a world of difference. I don't know that I'll ever go back...

After I wiped it down again and let it dry, I primed with Kilz spray primer, and added two coats of leftover white paint we had in the garage. And voila...

The knobs came from Hobby Lobby's half-price sale. They were $13 total and totally worth it. I think they really made the piece.

Right now, the computer and Xbox/DVD player sit on top, but I'm cookin' up a strategy to hide them underneath. And those cords are going into hiding ASAP.

Remember my blue chair? I still love her.

I originally envisioned this piece in my entryway but I don't think it's going anywhere.

After all that work, my totals are... $10 for the vanity, $4 for primer, the paint was leftover and free, and the knobs were $13.

Total: $27! Not too bad!

Doesn't it give you the garage sale-ing itch?!

Linking to:

Kojo Designs Fresh Coat Fridays