April 20, 2011

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!



April 15, 2011

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!

April 7, 2011

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!


April 4, 2011

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 !

March 31, 2011

Some Lucky Before and Afters ...

Recent Before and Afters ... there are more, all over my house.  I just haven't photographed them all!

Hand-Me-Down-Brown


Thank you Grandma for this wonderful set of shelves!

 

Vanity Bench

the rest is still awaiting a lot more white paint ...

This little bench started me seriously thinking about painting furniture for other people.
This was done for a teenager who inherited her Grandmother's bedroom set.  A very beautiful, in great condition full set.  My teenage friend looked at me (with tears in her eyes) and said  "I hate it !  but, my mom is making me keep it"  I looked at her and said.  "I see the beauty in your furniture, let me help you see it too"  I threw that little ugly brown stool in my van ... and this was the end product. 
She loves the vanity bench now, still hates the rest of her furniture ... I guess I better get that family to hire me!


My girlfriend's foyer table

 This little sideboard has always been in my best girlfriends foyer.  
I asked her if she would let me try a makeover on the old girl.  She said sure "I bought it at a garage sale in California a million years ago, I have never touched it."  Perfect, into the van it went.

With some khaki paint I had in the stash, some stain, a refinished top, a coat of wipe on poly... this girl is shining and my bestie loves it :-))


Union Jack Hack

  
This is my personal favorite so far.
Thank you Miss Mustard Seed!!  
How much do I owe you for all of the free advice anyway ?


Curb Alert


What is sexy you ask?  Free storage I say!
While driving home on trash day, I stumbled upon what my silly neighbor put on the curb.  
Well, into the van it went.  The drawers were a little off, but, I can fix that ~ easy !  
My first commission.  From my tween daughter. 
Bright green semi gloss paint, black gloss spray paint for knobs, pink zebra wrapping paper purchased from Ebay glued on with Modge Podge...
She thinks she's a rock star.  For under $20 bucks.  Big grins of silly satisfaction - priceless.



Lounge Lizard (at least that is what I fondly call it)



Good bones, clean lines, ugly black stain on top. 
It has a destination.  Next to her hubby's red and black leopard lounge chair. 
He needs an assistant to hold a cold one, the remote, & a late night snack. 
A man's table it will be.  A funky man's table.



 Viola!  I love it, I wanna keep it ... but, it already has a home.  Darn !

Tres Comfy Chair


 Can't you see this in someone's sunroom? 
I wish I had a sunroom ~  I thought it was too cute to pass up ...

Fresher is always better :-)  Wythe Blue is the color, bright, but not too bright.  just pretty.




March 22, 2011

I love - and I have copied Miss Mustard Seed

It is my true hope and desire that imitation is the finest form of flattery.

Because I cannot take credit for this kick ass idea.  It was my favorite blogger's idea, I was just the labor.

I learned so much recreating this dresser, (and this post).

I will try to share some of my lessons ...

This was MY childhood dresser.  My mother stripped it, sanded it, stained it, and made it useful for ME
A long time ago.
 This was my great grandfathers dresser.  Sadly, it was hiding in my son's closet.  It was working, but not showing off it's true potential.

Until, Miss Mustard Seed helped me to fix that !
I have followed her blog for well over a year.  Quietly loving her projects, advice, and inspiration...
When she posted her Union Jack Dresser (the first one), I RAN into my son's room, ripped out all of his clothes, and started prepping that day.

MMS taught me to use chalk to trace out my design.  She did not share with me however that measuring out a Union Jack Flag is very tricky!   That darn flag is all about proper proportion.  I learned to use my ACMoore coupon and buy an image projector for the next flag I plan on painting - on anything!



The design is tough, but if I can do it ... you can too. 
Or, you can wise up & buy an image projector, you've been warned...



I learned that patience is a virtue, and my son is a trooper for allowing me to paint in his room for a week.

This was a many step process for me.

I really liked it here, I liked the wood showing through behind the flag.  
But, that is NOT the British Flag.
That is ... well, an incomplete British flag.




I learned to love a natural top.  I learned to use stain.  I learned to use wax. 

I learned that if I sand red into white, it makes it kinda pinky.  And, that is bad.

I learned that it takes a VERY long time, and A LOT of practice to be as good, and to make it look as easy as Miss Mustard Seed does - EVERYDAY.

I learned that I have a long way to go.  

But, this dresser rocks - and we LOVE it ! 



This was my favorite makeover of all the hand-me-down-brown furniture that I have ever done. 
 I learned a lot, and have made a cherished family heirloom all that more special.

Thank you Miss Mustard Seed.  

I am moving mountains in my home, and you have taught me how.


I will post this to your blog & linky parties ... once I LEARN how {wink}

March 20, 2011

My first (sale) little red table.


My first sale today! I wasn't sure this little vixen would find the right home ... but, she did!
So glad that someone else believes that red is a neutral {wink}.

Knowing that someone out there thinks my stuff is worth buying - helps me to want to create some more!
little red table - before it was refreshed in red


March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May you always have work for your hands to do
May your pockets always hold a coin or two
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain
May the hand of a friend always be near you
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you
- Irish Blessing 

Blissfully Able

What can i do that causes no harm ?  That keeps me happy and inspired? How can I express myself while having fun, doing good, and helping others ?  How can i use my 2 hands and imagination while staying home and caring for my family and homestead ?

hmmmm.

Maybe i can recycle cast away furniture and give it a new purpose.  Maybe i can turn my hobby into something more ...  maybe i can let each piece that i find decide (with my help) what it wants to become ... maybe that sounds a little crazy - but that's how i see it ...

I'm sure not hurting anyone, & it's good wholesome fun.

Momma's got to do something while the laundry is workin'.  I am certainly not spending my days watching daytime TV.  That stuff will rot your brain!

Let's see what we can do ...