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Furniture Makeovers

Furniture Feature Friday

Well, this will be our last FFF of 2012!  I decided it would be good to take a break over the holidays, since most of us will be hanging with our families instead of painting in the garage.  Some of the furniture addicts might sneak in some brush strokes here and there…  If you do, just hold onto those links and share them in the new year.  We’ll kick 2013 off with a special FFF link party where you can link up your favorite furniture find/makeover of 2012.  I think that will be pretty fun to see the best of the best. I’m excited about 2013.   I’ve been thinking about my business and what I want to accomplish next year professionally and personally.  I’m not a new years resolution kind of person, but it’s always a good time to reassess things.  I’ll be sharing some of my thoughts &

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Before and Afters

A New Look & The Empty Nest

Notice something new? I’ve been working with Reni on a new look for my blog over the past few months and it finally went live last night.  I still have a lot of work to do on the pages, but it’s getting there. Today I went to do a book signing in Warrenton, VA at The Empty Nest.   I met Janet, the proprietress, a few years ago through our blogs.  I never thought I would be signing my book in her shop, so it was a pretty amazing day. Janet also carries my Milk Paint at her shop… …and her son was giving a milk paint demo.  Milk Paint can be a little intimidating, so it’s always nice to take some of the mystery out with a demonstration. Janet also carries ASCP… …and a lot of other beautiful antiques, handmade items and home decor… …and, of course, I bought

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Furniture Feature Friday – Favorites & a Link Party

I have thoroughly enjoyed traveling, but it’s so nice to be home!  I was basically a loaf today.  Slept in, worked on my e-mail and I did have the chance to pick some FFF favorites from last week.  Here they are… I thought this piece by Dionne of The Turquoise Iris is absolutely stunning.  The colors, the finish, the hardware, the styling…perfect. This pantry in the background, featured on the blog whatever, used to be run-of-the-mill stock cabinetry, but some paint totally transformed it AND the entire space.  I am fond of paint…in case you hadn’t noticed.  I love everything done by Susan of Maple and Magnolia and this pine bathroom cupboard is no exception.  The grey interior with the pine exterior with the rolled up towels with the glass jars filled with soap and natural sponges.  I love it all. Here are the rules for our furniture get-together… 1.)

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Before and Afters

milk paint over oil

A common question I’ve been getting lately is, “Can you paint milk paint over other painted finishes?”   Yes, you can!   This little dresser has been hanging around in my basement for a while and, after selling some other pieces, I was forced to work on it.  The delay wasn’t because I didn’t like the piece, but because the drawer bottoms were jacked up and needed to be replaced.  Pieces that need repair often get put on the back burner.  I couldn’t find a before picture of this piece, so here’s the best I could do…   …a snapshot from the Removing Paint Part One video.  It had a few layers of paint, the last one being a white oil based paint that had yellowed and cracked over time.  I removed the paint off the top and painted the base in Mustard Seed Yellow with some bonding agent added,

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Decorating

Trickery | Vaseline Resist Technique

Well, I received another oh-crap-call from Lucketts on Saturday.  The Painted Empire dresser sold the day after I brought it in.   I guess I wasn’t the only one in love with that finish!  Here’s how I did it… I’ve heard about using Vaseline (petroleum jelly) as a paint resist for a while, but I never tried it.  On this empire dresser, I pictured layers of blue and wanted to have clear definition between the two colors.  This seemed like a good piece to test it out on.  I painted the first coat of paint in Flow Blue with the bonding agent added to all of the paint except for what I used on the drawers (I wanted some selective chippiness.)  I then rubbed some Vaseline over the edges of the piece and around some of the key holes and other random spots.   I don’t think there’s a specific

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Before and Afters

Painted Empire

I got a call a few days ago from Lucketts  It’s a great call, but an “oh crap” kind of call, too.  Both of my large furniture pieces had sold, so I needed to get some furniture into my space ASAP.  I decided to sell a little wash stand I’ve had for a few years and I finally started working on the empire dresser I had in my basement for a while.  Here’s how it turned out…  Here’s the before…   The wood on the front was really beautiful, but the sides had been painted, so I didn’t feel a lot of remorse about painting this piece.  (Do I ever?)  I layered French Enamel over Flow Blue and used a bit of trickery between to get some clear definition between the coats.                   Can you tell I’m a little in love with

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Before and Afters

Chalkboard Trophies

  I often have trouble leaving things alone.  I like to tinker, tweak and put my stamp on things.  The latest case in point – these ceramic trophies I found on clearance at Target.   I spotted them a while ago and liked the shape, but they seemed off in white ceramic.  I guess others agreed with me, because they ended up with three clearance stickers piled one on top of the other.  I knew I could make them work, so I bought all of them.  I initially thought of silver leafing them, but I decided it would be fun (and a little less labor intensive) to spray them with chalkboard paint. I’m often asked which brand of chalkboard paint I like and I actually like two brands.  I use the Krylon spray version and the Rustoleum that comes in a quart.  I’ve liked the result of both.   This

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Before and Afters

Upholstered Chair Reveal

 Here she is…    Here she was…   Again, I have nothing against pink, but the pink didn’t work in my home and really wanted to keep these and use them in my family room.  I’ve been on a quest for years to populate my family room with comfy, yet stylish (and budget friendly) chairs and these fit perfectly.  Right chair, wrong color.  So, I stripped her down and gave her a new look.  You can read the very G-rated post about stripping HERE.   I’m so proud of the way this chair turned out.  It’s definitely my best upholstery work to date.  I even put a zipper in cushion.  I know, right?  Fancy.   I trimmed out the fabric with green trim (since I have a lot of blues going on already) and I decided to leave the frame as is.  I sort of like the washed look with a

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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