the $3 balcony side table

I'd been looking a bistro table for our balcony that wasn't a typical plain old expensive bistro table if you know what I mean. After looking on all the usual websites for a new one and I just didn't love any of them. So I ended up with a project instead - this $3 side table from a charity shop:

It was in very bad condition, so I wasn't concerned with making it look 'pretty' and instead opted for something fun and functional until we find/transform another table we really like. 

I had been lusting after all the wonderful vintage union jack cushions on notonthehighstreet.com amongst others and was talking about making one myself for one of the chairs when my husband suggested painting one on the table instead... clever him....so that's what i did.

2 coats primer, 2 coats of off -white (dutch boy DB 356-1). Then I masked out with painter's tape the areas I wanted to stay white - I didn't measure anything as I wasn't after a pristine look.

Then i just filled in the gaps with a dark blue and a plumy purple (bit more subtle than pillar box red...) 

When it was (mostly) dry I removed the tape and viola, a cheesy, cute, sweet reminder of home whilst we're sipping beers or Yorkshire tea in the Santa Monica sunshine. yey! 

Sophie