My House got "New Years-ed"

This year I didn't formally make any resolutions. However, I found that I did subconsciously start "New Years-ing" myself and my home. I made those dentist appointments I have been putting off (in fear…long story…but a good dentist is worth MILLIONS, I tell you.) and have scheduled LASIK surgery for February. Scary things, good things, new things. I would say the house updates were less terrifying, but then I remembered the day we moved THIS TABLE. I was certain someone would have to go to the hospital with a broken toe (I am so glad they didn't!)

Our old table was nearing 14 years?? old and literally starting to fall apart, so we started shopping for a replacement. True to form, we found a beautiful, solid marble table on sale for $199. We eventually were given the "final" price of $99 and then had to pay a few hundred for piano movers to get the thing to our house. Yes - PIANO movers. This table weighs a ton. Literally, around a ton. It separates into two parts and the bottom piece is not so bad to move, but the top is a monster.

When the movers brought the table, the kitchen floors were still being redone and we had to set it in the next room over from the kitchen. Once the floors were complete, 4 very strong relatives moved it into the kitchen. The table broke a flat dolly and took 45 minutes to move from one room to another. Again - I am SO GLAD no toes or fingers were broken.

 Back to the price though…THIS was why:

There was a massive chunk missing out of one corner.

However, we have reclaimed marble throughout our house in this exact shade of ivory and the table fit the dimensions of our kitchen perfectly. It would serve well as a table as well as a sort of "island" for more prep space while cooking. It was NINETY NINE dollars and tables like this retail for $10-15,000. THOUSAND. Could I fix it well enough to hide this??

I thought it was worth a try and Sugru had asked if I wanted to sample their moldable glue...

…so I requested some yellow, brown and white hoping I could fake "marble" veining.

Here is the first layer application of the glue...

NOW. I am the first one to admit my work isn't perfect, but the glue has held up

surprisingly well and I would TOTALLY do it again.

(I would ask the movers to wait a couple weeks though and not risk relatives' toes.)

Marbling patch halfway finished

 Here is the Sugru fresh from the package - looks a bit like play dough:

To imitate the coloring of the table, I put a small bit of yellow and brown inside a full package of white and mixed it gently until the coloring was basically off white with small streaks of brown and yellow.

Once it looked like this, I gently adhered the glue to the table and used the heel of my hand to smooth it on.

That process made the "veining" much less prominent and subtly colored.

Can you see the patched corner?

Here is a closeup:

See how the glue adhered perfectly to smooth out those cracks? 

Like I said, it is NOT perfect, but it is not noticeable at first either and the table has been excellent in the space!

While I had the Sugru out, I went ahead and fixed another problem that has literally been bugging me for YEARS.

Have you ever had a lamp that tilts like that? 

Every time we move, several lamps tend to break right at the collar, but are otherwise fine.

I fight with them, constantly straightening them and cursing them every time I walk in the room.

Sugru took 15 seconds to apply, a day to cure fully and I haven't cursed the poor lamps again.

Moving on from the Sugru commercial…

I also bought a hung a few new paint by numbers thrift finds:

 AND (clapping hands wildly!) bought and hung a pot rack all by myself.

 You wouldn't think it is such a big deal, but hanging things is NOT my forte and I usually skip essential things (like finding studs), but I hung this rack by myself and hung it RIGHT and I wished I had done it years ago. All of those pots were shoved in those cabinets under the stove and as much as I organized them, they were always a pain to get out. There is also a power switch to the propane under there, so the pots and pans would forever be hitting that switch and turning the stove off. Having the pots UP and out of the way has been WONDERFUL. Pot rack was about $25 on Amazon HERE if you have also been putting off this simple upgrade.

Whew. Now the first snow of the year has come down and those little irritating "to-dos" have been scratched off and the house is at peace. It feels good.