Furniture Makeovers Archives | Page 87 of 111

Furniture Makeovers

Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Milk Paint Basics

Since I announced that I would be coming out with my own paint line, I’ve received lots of questions about Milk Paint. I’ve made some video tutorials showing how to use the paint, different techniques and the best way to use the companion products that will be sold with it, but this is just a quick introduction for those who are like, “Milk Paint…what?!” So, what is Milk Paint? Well, first of all, it’s nothing new. It’s been around for hundreds of years and has even been discovered in cave paintings and Egyptian tombs. It’s made of milk powder, lime, and pigment, so it’s all natural and behaves very different from its more modern counterparts like latex and acrylics. It comes in a powder form and you mix it with warm water prior to use. It provides a beautiful matte finish that shows amazing variances in the color. Why

June 6, 2012 No Comments

Before and Afters

Say hello to “Mustard Seed”

Come on…what else could I name the yellow in my milk paint line? Yep. It’s “Mustard Seed” yellow. It’s sort of a warm honey, muted mustard color. I started out with a stronger yellow, but it looked more like school bus than mustard seed, so I had to go back to the drawing (mixing) board and I’m happy with where I landed. I think it’s a perfect yellow for a piece of furniture. Strong, but not too in-your-face-hello-yellow. Since yellow can be in-your-face, I chose to break it up with some decorative painting and a refinished dark wood top. Oh my…the legs on this piece. Wowee. Can I get an amen? Once Lucketts is over, I’m going to write a long post explaining a bit more about my milk paint line and where you’ll be able to buy it and when and all of

May 18, 2012 1 Comment

Before and Afters

Say hello to “Tricycle”

Well, I am totally whipped. I have actually resorted to giving myself pep talks over the last couple of days. “Ok, Marian. Just paint this dresser. That’s all you need to do right now, then you can focus on the next thing.” I have made everyone promise to force me to get in bed early tonight. The truck is loaded (I can’t believe I filled a 17′ truck!), I’m finished with all of my “workshop” projects and my dad is grilling some hamburgers, so I didn’t have to worry about making dinner. Tomorrow we will drop everything off at Lucketts and I’ll refill my space inside. I have a few more projects left to work on Thursday and Friday…sewing pillows, making some decorations for my booth, last minute shopping, getting change, making sure my bag is packed…stuff like that. I’m hoping also to rest and watch a movie somewhere in

May 17, 2012 No Comments

Before and Afters

Say hello to “French Enamel”

Here’s the next color in my line of Milk Paint! I’d like to introduce you to “French Enamel.” Here’s the dresser before… (You can take a moment to revive the wood lover next to you who just passed out at the sight of this beautiful wood being painted.) I know it was beautiful, but it wasn’t in great condition and needed to be fully refinished or painted. So, I painted. I do love and appreciate beautiful wood, so I did refinish the top. I stripped it and wiped it down with two coats of Hemp Oil (an all natural product that will be carried in my line.) The colors in my line are going to be named after things I love (like Shutter Gray) and this color is named after the French enamel pitchers that have always caught my eye. I own one, but was only able to afford it because

May 14, 2012 No Comments

Before and Afters

MMS tee & a French chair makeover

I picked up my t-shirts yesterday! I absolutely love them. Reni did an amazing job with the design and I’m so happy with the printing and the quality of the t-shirts. They are Champion brand and are 60% cotton and 40% polyester, which makes them a little stretchy and will prevent shrinking. I’ll be setting up an online shop soon and the t-shirts will be available for sale there, in addition to my milk paint and some of the random cool things I find and make. The shirts will be $15/each. I’ll do a giveaway for one next week (in addition to a few other goodies.) The batch I just picked up will be coming with me to sell at Lucketts. Well, I’m still paint splattered and dirty and sore and cranking out pieces for Lucketts. If you’re curious what I’m working on, you can check out my Facebook

May 10, 2012 No Comments

Before and Afters

Say hello to “Shutter Gray”

I’m so excited to introduce the first color in Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint line…”Shutter Gray.” So, maybe you’re wondering why I’m calling it Shutter Gray. I’ve decided to name the colors in my line after things I love and decorate with. I have a few awesome chippy gray shutters, so when I thought of a name for gray, shutters immediately came to mind. My gray has a bit more blue in it, but that’s the way I like my grays! The piece I tested it on is a gorgeous French chest-on-chest I picked up last week. …and the milk paint did the awesome thing it does… The piece wasn’t bad to begin with at all. It was just a little….orange. I love how this dresser (and the color) turned out. I’ll be bringing it with me to sell at the

May 10, 2012 No Comments

buying & selling antiques

colours & projects

I’m in the phase of getting ready for Lucketts where I spend most of my day in the basement painting, stripping (furniture), sanding, waxing, distressing…you get the idea. I get to the end of this kind of day and I wonder what in the world I’m going to post about. I’ve finished pieces, but they’re still in the basement and I have about seven other things in the works, but they’re really not ready to show. So, I’m just going to share some of what I’ve been up to today. When Mini first arrived to watch my boys for the day, I took a long soak in a hot bath. I was sleepy and a little sore and I just couldn’t face all of the work that needed to be done without a little down time first. After the bath, breakfast and a quick check of my e-mail and I got to

May 7, 2012 No Comments

Before and Afters

hand painting again

For those who don’t know, my business started as a decorative painting/mural business. About a year into it, I realized I didn’t want to paint stuff on everything. Sometimes I just wanted to paint something and leave it at that. More and more, that’s what I wanted to do, so I adapted my business to better reflect my personal taste. I have held onto my artist brushes, though, and every once in a while I pull that old trick out of the bag. Here’s the latest example… I am normally not into this furniture style at all, but I could see beyond the deco hardware and patterned veneer. It didn’t have the “waterfall” lines of some of its contemporaries, so I bought it. (It was also super cheap at a yard sale!) I had the big diamond in the center to deal with and the hardware had carved

May 5, 2012 1 Comment

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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