By Mi-Ling Stone Poole

The next time you’re contemplating throwing away an old beat-up table, an ugly lamp or an old dresser…stop! Consider doing it yourself.

Julie Inbody has a knack for finding trash and turning it into treasure. Over the years she has donated lots of painted items to the Edmond North Booster Club auction on behalf of her daughters Elizabeth and Jennifer. Julie scrounges garage sales, and looks through discarded trash containers to find hidden treasures. She has painted trunks, lamps, picture frames, shelves and chairs to name a few. Her items are always popular at the auction and she has made a name for herself as one of the most artistic and crafty people inEdmond.

Although she is a trained respiratory therapist, her life is devoted to crafting. She makes quilts, drapes, pillows and just about anything else but her passion is painting.

“I get excited when I walk into a paint store, and I love looking at all the different types of paint colors and finishes,” Julie said.   Painting relaxes me and allows me to utilize my creativity. It’s also fun to look at a discarded item and figure out how I can make something special out of it.” Julie Said.

Julie provides tips below for painting old furniture:

• Lightly sand the selected piece of furniture.
•  Paint the entire piece of furniture with a water based paint in the color of your  choice.
• Mix 1 part glaze (Decorative Effects) with 1 part  paint color of your choice. (Glaze extends the drying time of the paint to allow you to wipe off the paint during the antiquing process).
• Sponge the color on the furniture
• Wipe off with an old clean tee-shirt.
•  Let dry
• Top with a  clear  varnish
• Lightly sand (be careful)
• Top with a second coat of varnish