::Desks::

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!

You can now find me at

www.acottagegirl.com

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I'm trying to catch you up on recent do-overs, so today will also be a two-fer.  Ain't cha lucky?

Meet Penelope.  She went home with a customer from last month's Vintage Market.

Before....That mirror piece is detatchable.

Penelope also hides another secret...

Pull out her top drawer....

Drop the drawer front down...

And she becomes a desk!

I did Penelope's makeover using MMS milk paint in Kitchen Scale mixed 1:1 with Homestead Milk Paint "Combed Wool" (a warm white) to get this soft color. I also used the bonding agent.

Some distressing of course, and wax finished her off.

Can't wait to use this color again!

Next up is Brittany....with no before :(  Imagine just plain 70's wood.

I did a two-tone treatment using a DIY chalky paint color match for AS cream for the lighter color.

Brittany is so unique because her drawers can be viewed from all sides.

I did those in actual Annie Sloan Provence, dry brushed actual Annie Sloan Cream over that, and used a baby wipe to smear the two colors together....after they were dry.

Used the original hardware, which also got a coat of AS Cream with some light distressing.

Brittany is residing in her new home, and this week I'm painting up an antique caned chair in cream to match.

That's today's show off!  

::Corner Cabinet Up-Do::

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!

You can now find me at

www.acottagegirl.com

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Meet Elinor.

Right out of a Jane Austen novel.

Elinor's before.

The glass was missing, so we just removed the door to use as something else down the road.

Like you do.

This is was my inspiration...from Heather Bullard's home I believe.

I used ASCP in Duck Egg for the interior, and a DIY chalky paint color match to AS Country Grey.  

It happens to be Sherwin Williams Relaxed Khaki.

 I also used American Paint Co.'s light antiquing wax on the outside, Maison Blanche on the Duck Egg.

Left the original hardware in Relaxed Khaki with no antiquing wax...you can see the slight difference the wax makes to the color on the doors compared to the hardware.

Elinor went to her new home after being listed for 20 minutes...

Think this color combo might be a hit :)

She'll be making the usual rounds with her Serendipity House peeps.  Parties go live when the girls arrive!
A Stroll Thru Life, Coastal Charm, Knick of Time Interiors, Cozy Little House, City Farmhouse, Farmhouse Porch, Elizabeth and Co., Craftberry Bush, Shabby Art Boutique, Common Ground, Jennifer Rizzo, Redoux Interiors, French Country Cottage, The Vintage Farmhouse, Rooted in Thyme, Start at Home, Stone Gable, No Minimalist Here, Domestically Speaking, Mustard Seed Interiors

::Desk Double Dip, a Paint Review, Tips, and a Tutorial::

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!

You can now find me at

www.acottagegirl.com

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Here's a review of Shabby Paints and VAX.

I also talk about glazing.  And stenciling.

And I threw in a tutorial on getting a distressed finish with three colors.

It will be very pic heavy because Miss Cherie got double dipped.

1st incarnation

Actually it's the second incarnation because first I did her in a grey-green with a white top that just wasn't workin' for me....hence, no pics.

That's when I decided Cherie would be perfect for trying the Shabby Paint products.

I received the following from the gals at Shabby Paints to try out.  Yay!

The color is called 'Dynasty Blue', and the VAX is clear.

Their products are non-toxic with no VOCs.  

A quart of their paint is $29, but I love that they carry 4oz, 8oz, and 16 oz sizes too!

The VAX sells for $26 for 12oz, and also comes in a 4oz size. 

Before I get too much further, let's look at how Cherie was dressed when I heard her in the corner of a yard sale rambling in french about how black ages her.

Pretty rough, with at least 2 coats of glossy paint, chipping off everywhere.

I broke out my mouse sander for this baby.

This is after two coats of the Dynasty Blue.

Coverage was excellent. Paint is very similar to ASCP and van Gogh.  

I watered down the second coat a bit (which I always do with chalk paint), so I barely used any of the paint.

It was a bit bright for my taste, so I decided to use some glaze tinted with craft paint.

(1 TBLS paint to 4 TBLS glaze, brush on, wipe off with dry lint-free rag)

:

 It caught nicely in all the nooks and crannies left from my sanding.

It also toned down the blue just enough.

And because I cannot stop myself, I also added a clock face stencil.

I used the yellow Frog Tape to hold it in place, and applied the paint (American Paint Co's Home Plate) with a pouncer stencil brush.  Lightly distressed it.

 I used the VAX to seal the finish.  Just squirted some on a paperplate, swiped a clean lint-free rag thru it and wiped it on in a circular pattern, then quickly back and forth.  Did two coats on top. LOVE this stuff.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.  It dries FAST (even in stupid humidity), and though you don't need to buff, I burnished it quickly with a paper lunch sack to a soft, smooth sheen.

It's like a non-toxic wipe-on poly.

LOVE.  Did I mention I love this stuff?

For furniture tops that will take a beating (like desks or tables), VAX is my finish of choice now.

But the story doesn't end there.

Cherie was a beauty, and I hauled her one of my markets where she caught a customer's eye.

But the distressed green finish on my friend Sara's wee primitive table 'Martha', who was sitting right next to Cherie, also caught her eye....

You guessed it,

Cherie got double dipped.

Yes, it was hard to redo that lovely blue....but when a customer hands you cash, you obey :)

Although it's not my particular style, I enjoyed doing this finish.

Another 'out of the box' technique I'll keep in my painting toolbox.

I used DIY chalk paint.
1. painted on a sloppy coat of white.
2. took a candlestick and rubbed it on all the edges and in random places over the surface of the piece
3. painted a darker green (sloppily) over that, then used 220 grit to sand off where the wax was to reveal the white.
4. went back over the edges with the candlestick as well as some new places over the green, so some places white would show, other places just the darker green would show
5. painted second brighter green coat, sanded again to remove where the wax resist was.
6. sealed with VAX, burnished with a lunch sack.

The customer loved her, and I'm happy.

 Side-by-side comparison!  

No matter which you prefer, doesn't paint's power to change a piece amaze you?

Thanks to Shabby Paints for sending me your products to review!

Both incarnations will appear at the usual linkies which go live when Cherie arrives.

DIY Show Off, Mod Vintage Life, Knick of Time, The Farmhouse Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, A Stroll Thru Life, City Farmhouse, Elizabeth & Co., Green Willow Pond, Domestically Speaking, No Minimalist Here, Stone Gable, Redoux Interiors, Start at Home, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, DIY Show Off, French Country Cottage, Common Ground, Jennifer Rizzo, My Repurposed Life, Craftberry Bush, Shabby Art Boutique, Mustard Seed Interiors, The Cottage Market

::Some Whining::

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!

You can now find me at

www.acottagegirl.com

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I know you are all just waiting with bated breath to know what's going on with our build.

No?

Oh, well, humor me, eh?

A big fat zero is happening.

One delay and problem after another.

Dashed hopes.  Disappointment.  Frustration.

More money.

Stupid people.

We closed on the construction loan almost 6 weeks ago.

We moved into this temporary space almost 5 months ago.

There's a total lack of house on the lot next door.

Maybe a makeover will make you all feel better?

Meet Victoria.

I don't have a 'before'.
She was just a light stained oak.

I used van Gogh 'Chalk', distressed and then used Miss Mustard Seed's Dark Wax.

I wanted her details to still steal the show.

I think she'd be perfect in a cottage, shabby chic, or coastal setting....don't you?

I'll haul her around some parties, which will get posted when they go live.
DIY Show Off, A Stroll Thru Life, Cozy Little House, Mod Vintage Life, Coastal Charm, Fluster Buster, Elizabeth & Co., Knick of Time, Farmhouse Porch, Green Willow Pond, Domestically Speaking, Timewashed, City Farmhouse, Lilyfield Life, No Minimalist Here, Stone Gable, Start at Home, The Vintage Farmhouse, Common Ground, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique, Jennifer Rizzo, Redoux Interiors, Mustard Seed Interiors, Craftberry Bush, Liz Marie Blog, My Repurposed Life, The Cottage Market, DIY Vintage Chic, Funky Junk Interiors