Dining Room Table

It's been a while since my last post.  I started a new job and I have been working hard to get everything started on the right foot there so needless to say my blog has suffered.  I'm back now and I have several projects to blog about.  I wanted to start with my new dining room table.  We have a nice dining room and it deserves a nice table but we do not have thousands of dollars to buy this nice table I had in mind.  So... I started searching for one.  I had in mind what I wanted so I was rather picky during my search.  I wanted at least an 8 person table if not 10.  I didn't need the chairs because I wanted to refinish different chairs as well as a bench to go along with this table I was searching for.  Here is what I was looking for complements of Pottery Barn

I finally found my new table at one of my favorite stores called ReStore (this is the goodwill store for contractors).  If you have never been I strongly suggest you go.  OK back to my table... There it was real wood, long, and only $60.  The table was purchased that day, however I drive a little Jetta and this table was not fitting in my car.  So I had to make the call to my husband.  At this point the table was paid for so he couldn't argue about the money $60 really!!  He thinks a good dining room table cost around $100... I love you Trent but oh how wrong you are.  So the next day Trent had to go pick up the table with his truck.  I waited by the phone as he went over there.  I was at work and I just knew as soon as he saw this table he would be calling with some smart comment.  He did not disappoint.  When he called he told me one of the store workers helped him get the table in the truck.  He said the worker asked him if he had a big family, my husbands response "No just me and my wife.  I guess she is planning on adopting 10 kids to go around this thing."  Then the worker told him it came from an office it was an old conference table, his response "Well I guess she is planning on having a conference with me." 
After he got the table home he sent me a picture of the table compared to one of our kayaks.  OK maybe the table was a little large but it was perfect!
Here are the steps I took to get the table the way I wanted:
~ Sand the entire table with an electric sander.  I left the imperfections in the table for character.
~ Pick a stain.  I went with a sandwood.  It turned out a little bluer than expected so I brushed a darker stain on the top but left the bottom the way it was for now.
~ I then sealed the top because I was happy with the color it was. 
~ After sealing the table top I rubbed on the saying ~Faith Family Friends~ (you can buy these at the store JoAnns, Hobby Lobby, or any other craft store)
~ The bottom legs and cross bar took a little more time.  After I stained it the sandwood AKA blue was very bright.  I decided to use a brush and paint on and antiquing glaze.  After that dried I brushed on a white paint. Since the glaze was on there the white went on allowing the blue glaze to show through.  it matched the rug that is in the dining room perfectly. 

Here are a few pictures of the final product.  Stay tuned for the complete table/chair/bench combo!!

Any questions on any of the steps I took just ask.  Thanks for stopping by!!

Cacey