Embracing the Imperfections

From the moment I saw this table at an estate auction, I knew I had to have her. She was so feminine, her touches of the original green paint spying through the clumpy cabinet paint someone had so sadly put on her.  She was very delicate and yet so well preserved for her age.  Everyone else there apparently wanted her too as I had to put my game face on and embark in a bidding war.  I was determined she was going home with me and so she did.

I have let her sit in my garage for way too long while I have debated on how to paint her. Go back to that original green or go a bit edgier??  Also, I knew tackling that cabinet paint was not going to be fun.  As I was getting ready for Junk Hippy last week, this table started calling my name.  I stared at her for a long time before deciding her imperfections were what I loved most about her...so here is her refurbished journey.

First I sanded her down with my electric sander (except on the legs...I did those by hand since it is such an old table).  NEVER, EVER use cabinet paint on furniture. That is what caused her lumpy, bumpy surface.  I did like the crackle look of it though, so I sanded her down just enough to make it smooth, but not enough to remove all of the crackle. If you truly wanted to remove all of that crackle  visually, you would need to completely strip your piece; it will not disappear by sanding alone.  I also only sanded down to the first layer of color (the green) on 80% of the table.  I then took CeCe Caldwell's Young Kansas Wheat and just brushed it on in certain "high traffic" areas (sides, corners, etc) so that it was just lightly pop through when I started distressing.  Allowed dry time, then covered the entire table in a coat of CeCe's Santa Fe Turquoise.  Again, allowed dry time, then I painted her two final coats in CeCe's Vintage White.  I honestly probably could have just done one coat of the white, however, since it is a kitchen table and takes a lot of wear, I decided to do two coats.  I realize this is a lot of painting, but that is just the way it had to be for the look I wanted.  You could obviously make it so much simpler by not doing so many colors.

Then, when all the painting was complete, I started distressing her.  I lightly sanded with 220 grit sand paper on most of the table. I did use an electric sander on the corners.  Again, I like sanding by hand because I feel I have more control on how much is taken off.  The corners had the most crackle look, so I sanded them much heavier than the rest of the table.  You can see this in the image below:

I then applied CeCe's clear wax to seal the table, allowed that to dry overnight, and then buffed over the table again with a rag the next morning.  There are a few dark spots in these pictures, however, they are not actually part of the table (I don't want anyone thinking I used dark wax). 

Here she is all finished. 

I fully realize my design for this table is not for everyone...but honestly, I paint for me.  Of course, I want to sell each piece, and want to make something my customers will enjoy and want in their homes, however, I have to follow my heart on these pieces sometimes or I'll go crazy. As with any artist, I start with a blank canvas and create something beautiful from an image created from my heart.  That is also the reason I don't take on a lot of custom work...I want to be able to "do my thing" and create from my own ideas. That is why I love what I do...if I had to do each piece a certain way, I am afraid I'd stop loving refurbishing the way I do.    I am now thinking I may go a bit crazier on this table, maybe add a flower, chevron or something...or, I may just go more conservative and give her a top coat of green to go back to her original state...you never know!  Sometimes a project is never really complete for me...or maybe I just need to learn when to walk away :) 

Happy Visioning, Creating, and Painting! 

Keep It Simple, Sister!

Ah, that moment when a simple, every day experience leaves you almost breathless and thinking to yourself "Ah ha!"   I have spent a lot of my life working...working for others, working for myself, working and more working.  I don't sit still well and the moment I have "down" time, I find a way to fill it.  Call it determination, drive, or just plain attention disorders, but that's just me.  As moms, I think we all constantly try to juggle it "all"....we want to be super moms, super business women, super wives, super friends, and so on...and on...and on.  I know there are times I am juggling so many things that I know I am lacking in some of them.  I can't be 100% at everything all the time.  So what goes? What gets my most concentrated attention?  Tonight, I got a "sign", an "ah ha" answer, or whatever you want to call it and I am so thankful I took the time to listen.

As my girls were building a castle out of blocks tonight, I over heard my oldest telling her little sister "Keep it simple, sister" as she was stacking block, after block, after block.  Those four words jumped out at me, as if she knew how heavy my heart had been lately and subconsciously gave me the reminder I needed.  I built this painting business from the ground up...taught myself, took classes, read books, learned by failing, took risks, and learned from successes.  Obviously, not much gets to me in this business....I post 90% of what I do and how to do it for all to read and learn from. However, lately it seems EVERYONE has decided to start a "refurbishing" business, every where you turn there is competition and to be honest, some are just flat not ready to be selling pieces. So here comes the heavy heart part...probably just more of my left over hormones from just having a baby...but it caused me to second guess myself.  Putting my methods out there for others to learn from me, then use that information to compete with my business.  It's a fine line and it is not always easy.

How often do we make things so much more complicated by over thinking them?  We second guess our selves, let those insecurity demons get in our heads...even when we know we are one of a kind and no one can duplicate what we do best...be ourselves. Any refurbisher can tell you, our work reflects our personalities...it is a piece of who we are. No one can duplicate that. However, putting yourself out there for others to criticize, love, or ignore all together is one of the hardest things we do.  It is hard to hear someone criticize your work, or the all famous "Oh, that is so easy, I can do that myself."   It doesn't happen often (thank goodness for manners people!), but when it does, it is so easy to let that criticism ring louder than all of the praise we receive. Human nature I guess, but so sad all the same.

So lately, I've been asking myself why I share, why do I blog?  Here is the simple answer:  I LOVE refurbishing...sanding, painting, recreating...all of it. I also LOVE to teach.  That is a gift I knew I had from an early age.  This blog allows me to do both of my loves at the same time. I get to share all the fun I have recreating and I get to "meet" some amazing people along the way.  In short, when in doubt of yourself, go back to keeping it simple...the answer will come to you!

On a side note, to all you "mom jugglers" like me, take yourself seriously, follow that dream or goal you have for yourself and know you are teaching your children such valuable lessons by doing so.  Tonight, blowing bubbles, eating ice cream, and painting with my babies made me so thankful I have the opportunity to do  so each and every day. I get to hear them call me "mommy", have their little chubby arms wrapped around my neck, and as exhausted, frustrated and frazzled  as I may get, I would not trade one moment of this crazy bliss for anything in the world.

Seeing Red!

 With the birth of our son, my DIY projects have centered around his room and some western flare. I realize most people do these things BEFORE the baby comes, but for those who know our history, know I never let my self truly believe in the small miracles until they are here safely.  Almost like I am afraid I will jinx it or something...I guess that just comes after such a devastating loss. Anyway, so I am now focused on little man's room and wanted to share a few projects I have been working on. 

First, here is a little wall decor.

This is actually a piece of barn wood from one of our family barns. It was honestly pretty perfect as it was...weathered, worn, etc.  I took some sand paper and sanded the edges just in case some little hands were to grab it (no splinters for us!) and then just took some red milk paint and dry brushed it over the wood.  Seriously as easy as that. The stars were made from heavy metal, so I used liquid nail to attach them to the wood (I was afraid hot glue would not have been strong enough).  I let that dry overnight, attached hanging hooks to the back, and TA DA! Done!

My second project has been this antique dresser.

I really thought it would be perfect for his room, however, after completing the project, we moved it into his room, started adding the clothes, and figured out it was not NEAR big enough...so, it will now go to one of  my booths...a little disappointed, but love it all the same! This antique dresser was well worn in that it had the perfect amount of knicks, wear, and yet still had beautiful lines and stain color.   I simply covered it in light coats of milk paint, distressed it lightly (I wanted that dark stain to show through, not as much of the natural wood), and then applied dark wax over the entire piece. I applied the dark wax pretty heavy over the corners of the drawers as that is where there was the most wear and I wanted to really draw that out and make it a focal point.  I had ordered western knobs to match his room, but I decided to save those bad boys for which ever piece we end up using in there and the original knobs on this piece were still gorgeous and fit the piece perfectly, so back on they went! I did add a little bit of antiquing gel to them just to deepen their color.

Here is an up-close of the dresser's leg...this is why I love milk paint so...love its "chippiness" and it just adds so much character!

So blessed to have the opportunity to create this space for such a wonderful little boy and I love getting to share it with all of you! Many blessings!

30 minute Photo Frame Project...perfect for kiddos

I love projects I can do with my girls...projects that are quick and simple since my kiddos are still young.This project seriously takes less than half an hour and is super cute! Now, will paint get on the table...likely...so just cover it up with some wax paper and let em go wild :)

I've done this project two different ways, so the steps will include a "MOM ONLY" step and a "FOR THE KIDDOS" step.

Step 1:  If you are DIYing it on your own, just take an empty phone frame and spray paint it. Quick and simple...dries super fast. On the one above, I glazed it with black, so it took a bit longer to dry.  Glazing is completely optional.
              If painting with the kiddos, let them paint the frame with acrylic craft paint and a foam brush. My 2 year old painted hers with her hands and it worked out just fine...of course you can tell it was not brush finished, but it was her frame and it looks just like it was supposed to for her little hands.  Acrylic craft paint dries pretty quickly and will wash off of most surfaces if you clean it up right away.  PUT THEM IN OLD CLOTHES first or have em wear an apron.

Step 2:  While the frame dries, paint your clothes pin (optional).  We painted ours with chalk paint. Again, on this one, I just sprayed it with chalk paint.  My girls painted theirs with the craft chalk paint and a paint brush.  Again, this dries quickly, but do not write on it for 24 hours as the paint needs to cure.

Step 3:  Once the frame and clothes pin are dry, you will need the following to put it together:

• frame (from step 1)
• hammer
• small nails or eye hooks
• small gauge wire (I used jewelry wire I already had on hand)
• clothes pin (from step 2)
• picture hooks/saw hooks

Turn the frame upside down and mark where you want the wire to hang. My photo was a 5x7, so I wanted the wire toward the top in order for the picture to fit.  Take the nails and nail in one on each side (make sure they are even!), if you use eye  hooks, you do this step the exact same way.  Take the wire and wrap it around the nails or hooks.  Then attach the hanging hook (or saw teeth) to the top-backside of the frame (this is how the frame will hang on the wall).  Add your picture by clipping it to the wire with the clothes pin and Wowza! You're done! You have a personalized, cute addition to your wall.  This one hangs above Karsyn's dresser and helps her identify which new dresser is hers.  It is also simple  for them to change out the pictures, which they love to do.  Perfect project for displaying their art work as well!

This project can be done quickly and for CHEAP!!!  Gotta love that combination!

Happy Creating!

A dream is a wish...fairytale toy box

Growing up, I loved fairy tales.  My most favorite was Cinderella...as I grew older though, I forgot about this long lost love.  As a graduation gift, one very amazing woman wrote this quote inside my card, reminding me of my dreams.  When in doubt or confused on what to do, I often pull out that card (yes, I still keep it in my top drawer), and am reminded that I hope I always dare to dream. 

I came across this little beauty on a garage sale site and once I began talking to its owner, I knew I had to have it.  Her father had made it by hand years ago and had since passed away.  He had made numerous pieces and she said she just couldn't keep them all. Kind of made me sad in a way, but I was happy to have it and give it a new life.  Instantly, this conversation with its former owner, led my heart to this quote and I knew exactly what I was going to do with the toy box.

I am not going to go into a whole tutorial on this project as I usually do as it is pretty self explanatory as far as the painting and stenciling go. On the quote "a dream is a wish your heart makes", I simply printed it out off the computer and then used the projector to line the quote up to my desired location, and just painted it on with acrylic paint.  Easy, easy!   I then just distressed it (hence the lightness of the quote) and waxed it! Here is an up close view  of the front:

 

And here is a view of the top:

The top and sides are the exact same color, however, in this picture, it looks a bit more turquoise on the top thanks to my wonderful garage lighting. 

I am still debating on letting this one go (hence my reluctance to put a price on it)...it matches my girls room perfectly, and it honestly makes my heart happy each time I look at it!

That is what it is all about isn't it...loving what you do , loving what you create,  and daring to follow your heart???!!!

Happy Dreaming!

Vintage Frames...make beautiful, but handle with care!

Yes, I have done a post of how to re-furbish frames before, however, re-furbishing an antique or older vintage frame is a totally different beast all together.  I just finished a vintage frame for our girl's room, and while I was working on it, it occurred to me that some of you out there may be doing the same, so here is my step-by-step for this project. Hope it helps!

Why do I treat vintage frames differently than new garage sale finds?  For one, they are OLD, which means the real wood has probably started to weaken a bit. It is rare to find an antique or vintage frame in perfect condition. They usually have a few knicks or are a bit weak in the corner areas, but as long as they are still in whole pieces and some what sturdy, you can repair these things. 

Step 1:  Evaluate your frame.  Staple or nail any corners that are loose.  IF YOU NAIL THEM, use very small carpenter nails. Older frames were made with small nails from the early 1900's, so large nails (higher gauge nails) can completely tear apart your frame and bust the wood.  Any repairs need to be done with easy hands and with the great care. 

Step 2:  Do the knicks bother you or is that the look you are going for?  If  they bother you, fix them with wood filler. Just fill with a puddy knife and wood filler (or honestly you can use a kitchen knife  if you don't have a puddy knife on hand) and lightly fill in the knicks.  Let that dry for a bit, then lightly sand over those places.  I wanted the knicks to show on my piece, as I wanted the frame to be distressed looking to match the girl's dresser.  Shown below is a picture of the knicks that were already present on my frame.

Step 3:  Paint!!  This frame was actually already painted white when I bought it.  However, if you have a plain wood piece, simply apply a coat of paint on it with a brush or roller.  This piece has the
decorative corners and it is totally up to you if you want to remove these pieces to paint or paint over them in your base color (If you remove them, do so with the up most care and never remove nails with
a hammer!! Lightly pull them up by hand and lightly press them  back on in the same manner.)   Depending on what look you are going for, apply another coat of paint or don't if you want more of the natural wood to come through.  My frame received two coats.

Step 4: Distress    We all know this is my favorite part! On an older frame, however, you need to use care and a light hand. Too much pressure can cause the sides to buckle or the wood to split. I NEVER use my electric sander on an antique frame. I always sand by hand with 220 grit sand paper and do so with a light hand.  It does take a bit longer, but there is nothing worse than getting this far in your project to have it break! Ugh!   I always go with the grain and lightly make my way around the inside of the frame first, then the outside edges.

****If you wanted to glaze your frame, you would do so here*****  Simply glaze, let dry overnight, and you are ready for the next step!***


Step 5:  On this frame, I wanted the intricate corner pieces to be a different color (again, to match their dresser, so I was very particular).  They were originally gold, and I did want a tiny bit of that to show, so I took my #8 flat brush and lightly painted the corner pieces with the Santa Fe Turquoise and water mixture from the vintage dresser post.  This dried very quickly, so I was able to distress the corners after an hour.  I took a small piece (just a tad bigger than a half dollar) of 220 grit sand paper and used my forefinger and middle finger to sand over these intricate corner pieces.  They were ornate and I wanted to ensure I did not flatten out any of the curvature in these pieces.  I sanded just enough for the gold to come through in places.

Step 6: Coat...I used polyurethane on this piece.  As you all know, I very rarely use poly as it adds an additional step to the process, but with the white paint already applied, I was not sure the quality of the paint, etc. and did not want to risk it looking yuck down the road.  So I applied polyurethane with a foam brush and let it dry overnight.  The next morning, I took a foam sanding block and sanded over the frame (polyurethane turns white with sanded, to it helps alleviate that yellowish tint poly leaves) and buffed out the poly until it was completely blended.  You could use any sealant you like...wax, lacquer, etc. 

Ta-Da! My finished masterpiece!

Now, back to doing some pieces for my booth spaces...but boy, it sure has been fun to do some pieces for my girls :)

Happy, Happy Painting!

Just for my girls...vintage dresser re-do

As many of you know, we've been redoing our girl's room in preparation for our new bundle of joy. We needed a tall dresser and I have been on the search for months. I'd find one and think "Oh! This is the one", but then that feeling would pass and onto a booth it would go.  Then I ran across this one at a local roadside antique store and I knew it was perfect for what we needed...vintage  curves, classic lines, large drawers, and drawers that do not have pulls-they are made to simply pull open from the bottom of each drawer.  SOLD! Loaded it up and off we went.

The dresser started out a really dark stained color, and I really wanted that to show through, so I did not prime it.  I lightly sanded it with my electric sander, then I painted the body of the piece with CeCe Caldwell's Vintage White. On the drawers, the turquoise I normally use was a little too dark to match the girl's fabric, so I took a disposable quart-size paint bucket and mixed 2 cups of CeCe's Santa Fe Turquoise paint with 1/2 cup of water, then mixed together well inside the bucket.  It does become watery, but not so much so that you have runs, etc. That is the nice part about CeCe's being so thick to begin with.  I rolled this mix onto the drawers in two thin coats. I then sanded the body and drawers by hand so I could control the amount of distressing.  This dresser has some nice vintage designs, and I wanted to highlight those, not blend them, so I took the turquoise paint mixture and painted in the lines of the design on the top and sides of the dresser, then lightly hand sanded around those lines as well. Use your thumb or forefinger and a small piece of sand paper to get inside those delicate lines. I then waxed the entire piece with clear wax and buffed it out once the wax had time to cure.  Here she is...I love it and more importantly, so do the girls.

The funniest part is Kinsley (our oldest) says "Mom, why do you keep painting stuff then take all the paint off?"  I had to laugh out loud because I am sure that is confusing to her...it never occurred to me she might not understand what I do! I promised her the next one I do for her, I will not distress to which she replied "Ok, that would be great!" so I guess I will be doing another one down the road for my big girl :)

I know it seems I use a lot of turquoise and white, but that is what is "big" right now in my area and what sells best for me. Our girl's room is zebra/white/turquoise/light pink (yes, I did let them choose it....Lord help me), so this was the perfect piece to match their decor without going too "over the top." I wanted a piece that would grow with them and not ever go out of style as zebra, prints, etc. tend to do.  Here is another picture in better light.

To me, this is the best part of chalk paint...you can add water to soften colors, mix colors to create your own custom hue, or change the entire color by covering with wax, dark wax, etc. I have heard over and over "why pay so much for paint?" as people shake their heads and I just laugh and tell them "TRY IT ONCE and you'll know!" For someone like me who uses it all day, every day, it is worth the investment. 

I hope everyone has a great week holiday weekend and takes time to thank, hug, and remember a solider...they give all so we can post freely, speak freely, and live freely. God Bless!!