My previous post "September Project: Tea Time" featured a table and a shelf. When I originally purchased the table from Spice, it needed some TLC. So last week, I took the table to my dad's house and gave it a good sanding down with a sander (for the top) and sandpaper (for the rest). After the first coat of varnish, I brought the table back home and I applied two more coats of clear varnish to the entire piece and a total of six to the top surface. According to the varnish label, six coats guarantees 48 hours of water resistance.
While working on the table, it came to my attention that the wood that the table is made of is extremely soft - even softer than pine. So for further protection, I ordered a custom-made piece of glass to sit on the top of the table and protect it. How much did it cost, you ask? A mere $20 from Absolute Glassworks! This did not include shipping as I picked it up myself.
I also added some "bling" to the table in the form of ceramic knobs. I purchased them from WoodCraft Artisans on Main St. in Annapolis. They were a bit pricey - $10 each (for a total of $30), but I thought it was worth it to customize the table the way I wanted it.
The final difference, as you may have noticed, is the addition of four mugs hanging on the shelf which I bought today from HomeGoods in Waugh Chapel. Below are close-up pictures of the cups; they were $5 each.
