I Spy With My Little Eye...

Did you spot something new in my story about the Hayley Party? Here's a hint:

That's right! I finally finished my breakfast table rehab. Sure, we put it together the night before the party, but it was finished.

The table was another great Craigslist score. Cheap, fun color (plus the former owner gave me extra paint) and just the size we needed. We had to take it apart to get it in the truck and back to our house.

There was just one problem. A giant crack down the center. Seriously giant:

I didn't really want to spend my time cleaning food and debris out of the crack, so I opted to fill it. A little wood putty did the trick. Simply press into the crack, let dry and sand until it is level and smooth:

Next, repaint. I applied two coats. I also added a couple of coats of Wipe-On Poly to protect the surface from glass rings and spills.

Then I let the table base and top sit separately for months. I wouldn't recommend this approach. It contributes to general household chaos.

Finally, approaching-party-desperation spurred us into an action. A friend came over, power tools in hand, and helped us attach the top. Easier said than done - we had to insert several shims to remove wobbles at the base and top. What a pain.

All's well that ends well. The table performed admirably as a cupcake bar.

Now it serves as the breakfast room table. Henrietta loves it - and so do I.