Hand painted, custom fluer de lis furniture AND wine ...

This is what my best girlfriend found when she came to pick up her little end table.
Yah, I would be friends with me too !
That table had seen better days, peeling, dark brown and neglected ... it now stands taller, prettier and prouder.
I must get better about taking "before" pictures !!
The wine ... well, I only drink white (or beer).  So, my best girl totally made out on this deal  :)
Happy days & cheers!

My little Union Jack made it to the Royal Celebration @ ChicksPicks!

I am more than proud and flattered to be involved with Hillary Tattersall in any way possible. I have been a loyal customer for years, and I am now so tickled to have a piece of my art hanging on her Royal Wall!

ChicksPicks by Hilary is the epitome of "Ladies Who Lunch" feel-good-shopping.  You get to shop in a beautiful, gracious home surrounded by women who are smiling, pleasant, and have gorgeous taste.  The items for sale are unique, handmade with love, and easy to live with.  The prices are real life prices and it just feels good to be there.  Kinda like Nordstrom, if Nordstorm was in a house, opened every 6 weeks or so ...

ChicksPicks also has a website for those gals that are not local.  You can always find way cool stuff from the comfort of your own gorgeous home here.

Cheers!

What drives me to do this ?

As I continue to push on with my refreshment of old forgotten furnishings ...

I have to ask myself why ?

Why do I want to hunt for good stuff to refresh?  I have yet to sell another piece of furniture ...

Why do I find enjoyment in scrubbing a 100 years of tarnish off of someone else's old furniture ?  

But, would you look at that shine! 
(I soaked them in vinegar for about 2 hours and scrubbed them with a green scour pad) Beauty again.  How can I not find satisfaction in that ?

Why do I bribe myself with the treat of sanding, priming and vacuuming out musty furniture ?
"If I get my chores done & the laundry going - then I can go paint something!"

I believe the answer is - Love. 

I love the hunt, I love getting a steal of a deal, I love thinking about the possiblilities of what the piece can become,  I love escaping to my studio,  I love that my dog drops her ball at my feet a million times while I am trying to refurbish furniture.  

 

I love that today I discovered the amazing beauty of a chest of drawers I scored on Craig's List.

Just the drawers are so beautiful, I rubbed them down with Wipe On Poly to bring out the grain.

They honestly don't make furniture like that anymore ... 

A woman was literally giving away this heirloom (ugly divorce, she just wanted it gone)... 

I find it a privilege to resurrect a forgotten & unwanted piece of American craftsmanship.  

I truly see the worth and the "specialness" of these beauties... this boy is gonna need some royal treatment.  This piece is going to teach me a few new lessons on restoring finer furniture ...

More to come on him -

 

That is the INSIDE of a drawer ... this chest is going to FORCE me to buy some chalk paint.

It is too good for anything else (or at least that is how I am rationalizing my buying some of this amazing paint I keep hear about !)

Anyhoo, I love my hobby.  I would love for it to be something more.  I can't wait to work on my projects again tomorrow.  It is not work for me, it's a labor of ~ love

Lightbulb moment for me today.

How do I remove sanding dust while I was outside on this gorgeous day ?

 I used my hubby's old shoe brushes.  He hasn't used them in years.  They were great for dusting off all the nasty dirt & much nicer to use than an old t-shirt. 

If at all possible.  Do What You Love - Love What You Do.  

And, if your really lucky maybe you can make some money doing that very thing!

Smaller Union Jack Behind the Scenes

Since I have one Union Jack under my belt, I figured it would be easier to tackle another one.  It was easier, but, unless your spray painting a candle stick... I don't think anything within the furniture refreshment business is "easy" or, for the meek.

I had these shutters, they were part of a VERY old cabinet we have inherited ... I have never had a super clever idea of what to do with them.  I did some test runs on the one board.  I still love it like that.  Its metallic silver and grey.

But, I screwed them back together for this project.

Had to match them back up ...

FAST FORWARD - TA DA

It's very cool, quite rock n roll, and it's for sale.  

I used the exact same techniques that I learned here. But, I upgraded my original image to the one from Lilyfield Life found here.

I have ONE more Union Jack up my sleeve.  Another dresser that is awaiting refreshment...

By the time it's finished (and hopefully sold) Kate and Wills will be husband and wife.  

I think we better take advantage of all this royal goodness while we can !