If I can't Find a Bar Cart, I'll Make One Instead

Anyone get the Grinch reference?  Anyone?

Since before Christmas, I have been looking for a bar cart for our dining room.  I had wanted to give one to Chris for Christmas, but never found one within my budget; or when I did find one, it was sold before I could get to it.   If you remember our dining room, you may recall this cute little cabinet.

My mom bought it for my birthday a few years ago when we went to the auction together (that was what I wanted to do for my birthday.).  I painted it white and distressed it and added the turquoise beaded knobs.  And it worked really well in our old house where it housed my cookbooks.  Over time the doors swelled and didn't shut as well.  We brought it with us to this house, but I wasn't loving it's very cottagey feel in the corner of the dining room, but I wanted to keep it for sure.

Well last week I was flipping though a magazine ( I can't remember which but will search!) and I saw an old cabinet turned liquor station and somewhere, one of these turned on!

Just like the Grinch, I got an idea.  I got a terrible, horrible, awfully good idea!  I decided that I could turn my cabinet into a liquor cart.  I began by removing the doors, and filling the hinge holes with woodfiller and sanding it down.

Once that was done, I primed the piece all over.

Then I used metallic antique gold spray paint to paint the inside.  I did the inside first because I knew I was going to be spray painting it with the gold, and I knew I could cover any spray paint when I hand painted the exterior.

Before I painted it, I also turned it upside down (here it is on its back, but I ended up flipping it over) so that I could add casters.  You can buy casters at hardware stores, but I was literally working only with things I had on hand (all the paint, primer, hardware came from my stash of stuff).  I drilled holes in teh appropriate size for my casters, and then placed them.

 I also added a brass handle to each side....

And a brass hook to the front....

And here it is now!  I surprised Chris by having this ready for him when he came home Friday.  Not sure it is the cart he was looking for, but you know what?  It was all free to me.  And I like it.   I am also considering adding a shelf to the bottom.

All in all, I am pretty happy with this piece.  I am most proud of the fact that I didn't have to buy anything to create this little bar cart for us.  Of course, as my mom pointed out, when the kids are older we will need a locking cabinet.

As a sidenote here is a funny story.
When I was 18 years old I got the grand idea to steal vodka from my parents.  They NEVER drank it, so I used a "Poland Spring" water bottle and filled it all the way up and put it in my closet.  I replaced the vodka I took with water.  I thought I was so smart.  Let's fast forward 8 years to when I was about 26.  I got an email from my dad address to my brother and I.  He had made bloody Mary's with my mom and they realized that they felt nothing... nada... He then realized that the vodka was watered down.  He wanted to know which one of us did it.  I called him right away and could not stop laughing!!!!  I called and said "It took you THIS long to figure it out?!?!?"

You might think less of me after reading this, but I think it's a really funny story.  And I didn't drink that whole bottle all at once... I used it over time in 7-Eleven slurpees, which then became "magic slurpees" to my friends and me.  And I know something else.  Yes indeed, Mom, I will be locking my liquor up.