Pauly D Foundation Auction Winner

Hi friends! It's been awhile since I have blogged about it, but I have been busy painting this spring. Today, I've popped in to share a reveal with you from earlier this year. This table is one of the most dramatic makeovers I've done in a while, and it was my first time working with the much raved about General Finishes Java Gel Stain.

Last fall, I donated a service to a fundraiser for our dear friends' foundation, the Pauly D Foundation. After tragically losing their son in an accidental drowning, the Pauly D Foundation was established to advocate for water safety and drowning prevention. Their vision is to make a difference by raising the bar on water safety education and awareness. I was happy to donate to such a wonderful cause. The lucky winner contacted me early in 2017, and we went right to work bringing life back to her much used dining table.

The top was in rough shape from years of use and the grandkids had given it their own special touch by carving their names in the apron with a pencil. It was definitely time to show this table some love. My client settled on a two tone look with a dark espresso top and white distressed apron. I have been intrigued by General Finishes Gel Stain for a while now. The way it works is that you can stain right over an existing finish, but this top had a lot of peeling and cracking. I decided to sand down the entire top and work with staining the raw wood for an even, clean finish.

My New Obsession: Annie Sloan® Graphite

I have a new color obsession to share with you- Annie Sloan®'s Graphite. Any fans of PrettyDistressed™ know I love me some Old White, Paris Grey, French Linen and an occasional Duck Egg Blue in her Chalk Paint™ line. In the past, I have shied away from using Graphite. It is the darkest color in the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® pallet, and I had heard it can be tricky to work with. But let me tell you now that I have used it, I am dying to paint something in my house with this color. It's so rich and unique. Then once you put the wax on, it comes to life!

I am so grateful for my clients, and the way they push me out of my comfort zone. She selected Graphite for this dresser I was refinishing for her son's room. She has an amazing old century home and has a lot of antique brass throughout the home, so we knew we wanted to do a brass cup pull on the dresser. I selected the Martha Stewart Bedford Brass Canopy Cup Pull from HomeDepot.com. Graphite is really the ultimate complement to the antique brass. The cool thing about it is it's not a true black but more of a slate like a chalkboard.

Applying Annie Sloan® Soft Wax with a Lint Free Cloth

I have been busy working on some client pieces this past week and was inspired to share another video tutorial with you. People always ask me if you need to get a wax brush to wax your furniture, and the answer is "no." In fact, I think most newbies out there will find it a little easier to apply wax for the first time with a lint free cloth versus a wax brush.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® Video Tutorial #1 - Prepping and 1st Coat

Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to share several videos that will document the refinishing process I use for furniture from start to finish. Today, I will cover prepping a piece along with painting the first coat.

Over the River and Through the Woods to Carter's Cottage

Last week, my husband gave me the day off. Yes, you heard me, an entire day without having to dress, bathe, feed or transport anyone but myself. Glorious. So what did I decide to do...hop in the car and drive out to the heart of downtown DeKalb, Ill. to visit my local Annie Sloan stockist, Carter's Cottage.

Previously, I had bought my paint from a local store that shipped to my home and at a store in Tennessee when I went to visit my parents, but from now on I am making the drive out to DeKalb to see Christie. 

Work in Progress...

So, I am currently working on my hutch that coordinates with my dining table. I took a quick video with my iPhone on Friday just to give you a glimpse at how Annie Sloan Chalk Paint goes on and covers.

Goodwill Dresser Upcycle Reveal

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Update (1-20-16): You guys love this makeover so much I have created a series of video tutorials to show you exactly how I achieved this look. Check out part 1 and part 2 on my YouTube channel. Part 3, the last video in the series, coming soon!

I am beyond excited to share this reveal with you. This is my first refinishing project with a piece I bought from a secondhand store. The hunting part was challenging, but also exciting.

I found this gem at Goodwill for $24.99. I hesitated to buy it at first because it had a couple of chipped drawers. Keep checking back for a post on how I fixed that problem. This thing was really banged up, too, with tons of dents and weird spills and stains. I almost walked away but my gut told me that at this price, I had to give it a chance. And I am so glad I did. It is the perfect piece for our front foyer.

I started off by sanding down all the spills and giving it a good scrubbing with some Murphy Clean and Shine Spray. This thing was dir-ty.

This is one of the corners I repaired. You can't even tell. Post coming on this technique soon. 

I removed all the hardware and sprayed it with Rust-Oleum Universal spray paint and primer in Hammered Black. This was my first time using this product, and let me tell you, it is amazing! This stuff looks like real metal. It costs around $7 at Home Depot, and it probably saved me about $50-80 in new hardware costs.

This look was created using two coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. I tried a new technique and distressed it before I used my Annie Sloan Clear Wax. I used 100 grit sand paper to distress followed by a coat of clear wax and finished it off with a mix of clear and dark wax. I wanted this really shabby because of all the nicks and dents it has, so I used dark wax on the entire piece versus just in the spots I distressed.

With the great price I got for this piece, I am tempted to try and sell. But I think at this point, I am too in love with it. What do you think? Sell or keep?

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint- I Die

I have been dreaming of using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint since I first started researching it in August. This stuff is pretty pricey (one pint runs around $38 and the clear and dark waxes go for $28), and you will also need to invest in some good brushes and other essentials. 

I finally bit the bullet and bought some in early December. In the words of my girl Rachel Zoe- I die. This stuff is truly amazing. I am having a blast reimagining things all over my house.  

There are tons of great bloggers and small business owners that have great tips and tutorials on using Chalk Paint. Some of my favorites are Blue Egg Brown Nest, Simply Reinvented, and The Purple Painted Lady. There is a bit of a learning curve on how to use the paints and waxes, but I really think there are tons of ways to achieve the look you want. I have pulled inspiration and tips from all these websites to Chalk Paint my way.

Here are some pieces I upcycled from around my house using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Project #1: End table

Before

After

I painted my first coat with Paris Grey and a lighter second coat with Old White. 

I applied clear wax and heavily distressed it with a 100 grit sandpaper. 

Project #2: Nightstand

Before

After

Here I used two coats of Paris Grey followed by a coat of clear wax and heavy distressing. 

Then I finished it off with a mixture of clear and dark wax to give it that aged look.

Project #3: Floor Lamp

Before and After

I used one coat of Old White on the base of the lamp and lightly distressed it. I then did a coat of clear and dark wax. The lamp shade look was created with painter's tape and spray paint. Read more about this lamp upcycle.

What about you? Are you dying to try ASCP?

Disclaimer: At the time of this original post, this blog and this post are not sponsored by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I received no product or compensation for this review.

Extra: Behind the Scenes

Photo shoots don't always go as planned. My little J.S. and S.J. wanted to join in on the fun.

Putting down the phone and breaking out the big boy.

The Art of Upcycling- Lamp Edition

Before and After

As most of my friends know, I am a sucker for a great before and after. It is the HGTV in me. This lamp has been a long time in the making. I have had this piece since I got my first big girl job after college. I have never been quite fond of it, but it still works so it has made four moves in its lifetime. A lot of people have mentioned to me on more than one occasion that it doesn't quite go with the other things in my home. A polite way to say- this thing is u-g-l-y and why does it keep making these moves?

I hate to admit it, but I agreed with those unspoken comments. So instead of sending it out to pasture, I decided to redeem it. Let's say it- upcycle. I really believe almost anything can be salvaged with a little reimagining. 

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality.

I know chevron is really trendy right now and probably on the downtick of its popularity, but I am a big sucker for it. So I grabbed my painters tape and went for it. I would love to tell you how I did this, but there really was no science to it. I just taped and made sure my spaces were even. I have heard that they are now selling shaped tape and even have a chevron pattern. Good to know for flat surface project. I don't think it would have worked for this odd shaped shade. 

Most projects can be completed with painter's tape and patience.

After I taped this bad boy up, I took it out to the garage and sprayed it with some Krylon Fusion spray paint in White Satin. I had this can from a previous project. I like this particular paint because it even sticks to plastic. I do several light coats of spray paint with about 20-30 minutes in between each coat so it doesn't drip and to get a nice smooth, even finish. Just read the can. Spray paint is really easy to use. Once you have the coverage you want and it is dry to the touch, remove your painter's tape.

Better but not quite right.

My latest obsession in crafting is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This stuff is amazing. It sticks to almost anything without priming and distresses really nicely. You can finish it off with clear wax and dark wax that gives it a nice antique look. My mom had been telling me to lighten this base up, so I took her advice and used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White. Visit the Annie Sloan website to find a stockist near you.

Looking great in her new home.

Here is another lamp upcycle I completed recently. With this one, I spray painted the base after taping off the cord and the top part where you screw in the bulb along with the switch. Again, I used my Krylon Fusion. Then I found the new lamp shade at Lowe's for $4.49. Such a deal.

Before and After

Do you have any lamps around the house that need some reimagining? Send me your before and afters. Like I said- huge sucker for them!

Frenchy Country Wall Collage

While I tend to lean more toward country than french country in my decorating taste these days, this project definitely has some French influence so I am dubbing it Frenchy Country. 

I recently made a jute letter and wanted to incorporate it into a collage for our family room. We have two huge blank walls on either side of our massive television (thank you dear husband) and, I wanted something unique to hang there besides another picture. I was inspired by different arrangements I have seen on Pinterest and in a recent friend's home. After hours of wandering the aisles of Hobby Lobby, I came up with this.

Frenchy Country Wall Collage

This door handle I found in the cabinet hardware/pulls section. Honestly, I love this more than my jute "M." The best part- 50% off. Cost: $5.99

This fleur-de-lis I had in my last home. Like my jute letter, it needed to be lightened up. I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White, mildly distressed it and used both clear and dark wax to finish it off. I have two of these and originally purchased them from Hobby Lobby.

I found this key on a table they had set up with "Spring Collection" items. All priced at 30% off. This table was a jackpot. I also got two glass jars and a metal basket. I can't wait to show you how I use those. Cost:  $4.49

I found the frames back in the frame section if you can believe it. These unfortunately were not on sale and were the most expensive items in the collage. However, I always have my trusty Hobby Lobby app which normally always offers a 40% coupon for one full price item. Cost: $17.99 (oval frame after coupon) $14.99 (square)

The cross I found in the cross section (yes, they have a whole section of crosses). I don't think this piece is particular Frenchy, but I liked it. It is rustic and is a symbol of my family's deep love for Jesus. It will be a daily reminder of his redeeming love, so I went for it. I can be very eclectic at times, and that is okay. I don't claim to be an expert. I just do what I like. Another bargain at 50% off. Cost: $4.99

Here is a before and after just for fun so you can see how far we have come in this room. Still more work to do, but not too shabby.

Before

After

Disclaimer: This blog and post was not sponsored by Hobby Lobby. I hope maybe one day it will be. Wink, wink.