Nightstands in Duck Egg Blue

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

 The sun is out, the sky is blue. What's a girl to do? PAINT! 

With the weather being so clear and dry right now along the eastern seaboard I love to spend the day outside painting in the fresh air. I've had a couple of nightstands that have been in line for a re-do for my booth and I'm happy to report  I can finally check them off my list today! 

When I'm looking for furniture to re-fresh I always try to find pieces that don't need much repair or that I like the look of " as is ". I lucked out when I came across TWO Basset ( Made in the USA) nightstands at my favorite hunting spot. I paid 9.99 each! A steal!!!

The old finish was a medium stained oak.

Just look at the new and improved shabby, rustic, french finish! 

The secret to my weathered look is to have a light hand when painting. 

1) Dip your brush into the paint but don't soak it.

2) Brush this way and that so your  brush marks are going in different directions.

3) Try and leave some of the underlying wood tones UN-painted so they show through, that way you'll have less to remove when distressing.

4) You can remove chalk paint as you paint with a damp cloth or wait for it to dry ( about half an hour ) and sand until you like the results.

 Beautifully distressed and ready for a new home!

I kept the aged brass hardware but I think something glass, or with some sparkle would be elegant too! 

 

How do you like my little leg? I didn't use any relief ( chap stick or petroleum jelly ) underneath the paint. I simply rubbed it off once it was dry with medium grit sandpaper.  It worked like a charm. I followed up with ASCP Clear Wax.

I always have the best of intentions when it comes to placing my finds in my booth for sale. I'm gonna need will power to let these beauties go! They match my bedroom comforter perfectly! 

What's keeping you busy during these glorious fall days?

My FREE Side of the Road Find

 FREE I tells ya!

 Do you swerve your vehicle with the reckless abandon of a woman on the loose when you spot one of " these " out of your window?

 

That's exactly what I did when I drove into my moms neighborhood to stay the night with her this week cuz she had hip replacement surgery today. She did great and is resting comfortably tonight. I'm a little pooped, it was a long day of sitting on my tookus waiting and reading, then waiting and reading some more. But, I'm so excited about my find ( which was still bouncing around in the back of the car on the way to the hospital this morning) I had to post tonight!

Isn't it purty? I love the industrial vibe this vintage GraybaR Rotary Sewing Machine has don't you? I'd never seen one like this before! It's not as pretty as some of the very ornate antique Singer sewing machines but it has something special none the less. What little googling I did I learned it's most likely from the 1950's. It came with all the cords and foot petal and there's not an ounce of dust or rust on the machine itself. I still need to plug er in to see if it works! Don't get your hopes up on the cabinet. It's not so pretty. Remember avocado green with antiquing stain over the top from the 1970's? I'm pretty sure my mom painted a dresser for one of my brothers in this exact color.

What do you think? Needs some love doesn't it? 

I love the vintage handles though!
Well, now you've seen the best and the worst of my latest FREE FIND!

 Help me decide what ASCP color to paint her! 

 Arles Yellow, Duck Egg Blue, Old White, Emperor Silk ( Red ) Barcelona Orange or how romantic would Scandinavian Pink be?

 You might say it was a good day all around! Mom got a new hip and I got a new piece of the past for Burlap and Bling!

Thanks for listen'n! 

Deb

ASCP English Country Washstand in Arles Yellow

 Dear friends,

Between the garden, two teens going in opposite directions and my booth downtown I've been on the go these last few weeks and I'm excited to show you my latest furniture re-do for Burlap and Bling! I've been working with the fabulous decorative  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint this summer and I fall more and more in live with each new shade I try. So far I haven't done any color mixing, I'm enjoying each color straight out of the can. 

This piece got a make over with Arles Yellow. It's so soft and buttery you almost want to eat it, but since that's not really an option ( unless you want to be featured on that show My Strange Obsession )

I rather like the idea my friend Pam had. Imagine this piece in a small country bedroom with floral wallpaper, flowy lace curtains and fresh linens on the bed.

 Now, hold on to that image cuz here's the ugly before picture!

This little darling has great features! I think it resembles an old English Commode or wash stand which is why I chose a soft color and an aged finish for it.

 

Here's one of the legs after sanding and before I waxed it with clear wax.

 

I love how the dark wood shows through on this piece.

This piece has two drawers and a bottom shelf. It'll make a great bedside table for someone!

Here she is all done up and ready for her trip to my booth! I sure hope someone scoops her up in a hurry cuz I had a hard time letting her go!

Ain't she purty? 

Here's are some painting tips for achieving an aged finish.

• Don't apply the paint too perfectly or too heavily. If you know you want some of the wood ( or undercoat) to show through then brush the paint on lightly especially where worn spots would be likely to happen.
• Go over areas such as the top more than once for a more opaque look and leave the edges less covered. 
• You can wipe off paint as you go, to distress before it dries, or wait for it to dry ( under and hour ) and lightly sand off any places you want to see the wood underneath.
• Annie Sloan Directions for sanding say to do it after the first coat of Clear Wax, but I prefer to sand before and then apply the clear wax with a large brush and buff with a clean soft cloth.
• If you want a deeper aged finish you can add the dark wax over the clear finish or mix clear and dark together depending on the ration of dark to light that you want to achieve. 
• Most importantly, have fun and relax!

Here's the link to Annie Sloan's YouTube where you'll find an endless amount of info on working with her fine paint!

Linking to these fine blog hops!

Knick of Time Tuesday 

Elizabeth and Co. Be Inspired

Sunshine in a Can

I know, I'm such a tease just showing you a little leg of my latest hand painted piece of the past with SASS! This little table jumped out at me at my local thrift store and begged me to bring her home. I knew right off I would be painting her with Annie Sloan's newest color ENGLISH YELLOW. It's finally available in the US! Look for a stockist near you here!

She's headed to Burlap and Bling for the big month long 20% off sale in August at Main Street Antiques in Plymouth, MA.

That is, if I can part with her. She looks so cute on our patio!

Florence Blue VINTAGE Hutch and Buffet ( Annie Sloan Chalk Paint )

 

 Dear friends, It's been a whirl wind couple of weeks what with keeping up with gardening, and re-stocking my booth Burlap and Bling but it's been lots of fun too! 

Some of you may have already had a peak at my latest finished piece painted with Florence ( Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ) on the group page Burlap and Bling,  but I wanted to share it here as well just in case some of you missed it! This color reminds me Caribbean blue water, native American turquoise,  the color on a 1950's Thunderbird and the cheeriest of summer cottages. 

I chose to use this color " full strength" and finish Miss Florence with minimal distressing and clear wax.

I kept most of her original hardware, but updated her with some pretty glass knobs so she's ready to serve in cottage style!

 

 The color is a little green in the above photo, but I wanted to show you the distressing on the door  fronts.

  

Here she is all tucked in to Burlap and Bling! I hope someone adopts her soon!  She was a tough one to rescue being so big and all! Oh, I ended up leaving the back open but thanks so much for all your feedback! The burlap you see in the background is my " wall paper " in my booth! 

I've added a new tab at the top of my page for all of my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Projects!

Check in often so see the latest " painted ladies" from Dandelion House! 

Florence, here I come!

 I know what you were thinking...Is Deb really going to leave her garden right now and hop a plane to Florence, Italy? Of course not! I couldn't possibly leave all of my flower babies in their infancy right now! 

If it would ever stop raining ( flowers love it ) I could finish my next furniture piece for Burlap and Bling!  

I'm using Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint~  Florence for this project!

 

Here's the hutch with one coat on. Since I took this photo I have finished the second coat and removed the cheep-o veneer backing ( a happy accident happened when it warped under the tarp it was covered with outside )

Thinking of adding chicken wire, beadboard or burlap to the back! 

What do you guy's think?

I've removed the doors and drawers and finished the frame on the buffet. But, this piece was just to darned heavy to make to my basement studio so it's sitting in the back of my Ford Explorer until the rain stops! 

I've hauled it all over town and back this week just to keep it dry.

I'm loving this color.. It's so warm and beachy! I've used it full strength and will wax with  ASCW ( clear wax ). I can't wait to get her down town to my booth and dress her up in seashells, and crystal lamps! Sea Bling! 

 I want to keep this piece light and cheerful! 

Oh, how do you like my Camo backdrop? Elegant isn't it? 

It's for my handsome Yankee's boat. You don't think his " precious " is going to go uncovered do ya? 

Festival of Color VINTAGE FRAMES

 Got frames? I sure do...

How happy does this collection of cast off chalk painted frames look?

I came across this fabulous idea for creating a collection of frames from miscellaneous shapes and sizes of vintage frames on  Krystiana Byrds' pinterest board Chalk it Up and just had to share.

Turns out they are available on Etsy!

  

Imagine them hanging in a long hallway, play room, garden house, stair well, the side of a barn or put them for sale in your booth or boutique!  

  

I don't know about you, but I've got several frames calling out for this idea... It's raining today, the garden is happy so I'm happy. I think I'll paint! 

China Cabinet Reveal ~ Miss Duck Egg

 TA DA! Introducing Miss Duck Egg! I posted on my Facebook page earlier today that I'm feeling like quite the chalk paint rock star after giving a major up do to a large vintage china cabinet that's been hibernating in my basement for a few years.

 

Here she is with out her door on. I love the openness to the cabinet this way and I can imagine it filled with all sorts of purty things. Towels, linens, quilts, china books etc..

 But,  I have a thing for swirls of any kind and I love the grill inside the glass door  that goes on the front just as much!

 

What I love most about this vintage china cabinet are the small details like the fluting on the frame, the chunky feet and the wooden appliques on the top

and bottom. 

 Another thing I love about his piece are it's imperfections. It has little dings and knicks, and even a few pieces that have fallen or dropped off along the way... A well lived life has a way of doing that to a gal, but Miss Duck Egg has weathered it all in stride. Sure, her hardware's a little rusty and her skin might be cracked and scarred but she's still got some life left in her...Nothing a little AS Duck Egg Chalk Paint and a little clear SOFT WAX can't fix!

What do ya think? Is she ready to rock n roll again?

She's got her bling on and she's ready to go!

I'm taking her to Burlap and Bling for her debut this weekend.
 I hope someone asks her to kick up her heels one last time!

Painting Progress Report ( Duck Egg Blue )

Good morning all! Today might be the first time I post twice in one day since starting my blog in 2009! I'm reporting in with my painting progress from yesterday.  

I have to tell you I am IN LOVE with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint !!! I've been painting furniture for years and this paint has renewed my passion for painting again. I'm loving the results ( so far ) on my vintage a china cabinet.

At first I was going to trim all the details and frame in old white then wax it with a mix if clear and dark wax, but as I painted I loved how the original wood finish looked underneath so I  just kept playing until I liked it.

I literally slapped the paint on the legs and I love how it looks so spattered and worn.

I also love the wood tones in this molding trim along the bottom of the piece so I'm leav'n it like it is...

ASCP dries quickly, but not too quick allowing the artist to play and experiment with different techniques. If the paint gets too thick for smooth brush strokes just add water and you're back in business plus you can mix the paint and customize your own tints!

 I'm off to do a little more painting, rubbing, sanding and waxing. No, not my eyebrows,  the china cabinet! You guy's are too much!
What do you think so far? I'll be back later on with the final report on this lovely lady!

Toodles!
Deb

Painting and Planting...

 

 Howdy friends! Whew doggies is it busy around here! Are you burning the candle at both ends too? 

 There's so much to do this time of year, but it's all good, right?

My Duck Egg Blue Annie Sloan Chalk Paint arrived by mail yesterday! Now I can get started on that monster in the above photo... It's a great piece with lots of little carvings and details. I'll be back with after photos once I've tamed her into the elegant lady she is destined to be!

I'll be in the garden while the paint dries... It's just nutty I tell ya!