She was screaming "make me pretty"

Ok fellow vintage painters, did you ever come across an old piece that was just sitting in a corner of some thrift store or some yard sale. I came across a truly vintage piece sitting in the back corner buried under other furniture. Still solid in her bones but a little tattered on the outside screaming "make me pretty - please".  Does it excite you to envision what this ugly duckling can become, a beautiful swan. She had her original crystal knobs and roller feet.  I decided to dress her up with Annie Sloan's Old White and French Linen. Oh did I mention I added a few stripes for fun. Take a peek - now she's ready to make an appearance, stripes and all.

                                     Old White with French Linen stripes - too cute

                                                 Love the little crystal knobs

Let's start the New Year again

Is that a familiar phrase for some of us; starting the New Year again.  I wish I could, I should have, I'm going to, let's backtrack, there's always tomorrow. I vowed this year not looking back but forward. It's been said that we can't change our past but we can control our future. So I'm going to blog more (I skipped the holidays all together - I can't believe it, not one post since Halloween), paint more, listen more, pray more, take time for me more, spend time with my grand kids more in between keeping a balance. Yeah sure! All I can say is to pick one or two & press on - don't forget to pray, prayer changes things.  Toodles!

So I started with these chairs, they were a horrible mess. Not anymore!

Look at my before & after page

Sweet Little Hutch

Take a look at this tired piece I recently picked up.  It is a sweet little maple hutch with lots of curves and shutter doors.  Another piece screaming "make me pretty".

Annie Sloan's Paris Grey is one of my favorite colors to use - it is so versatile.  The wooden knobs were replaced with vintage looking hardware.  I love the plate rack too. The top was stained in Dark Walnut with a clear coat of poly for durability. Not only is this one pretty but her curves stand out.

PS - The chalk painter/blogger that inspired me, Kristen with blueeggbrownnest had just painted a similar hutch in the same color titled Laurie's hutch.. Take a peek.

PSS - Today is Halloween, look at two of my favorite little pumpkins - my grandsons Brayden & Maddox.

                     HAPPY HALLOWEEN - Toodles,  KAREN

The UPDATED Tired Hutch

About two weeks ago I posted photo's of the Ethan Allen hutch I refreshed with Annie Sloan's chalk paint.  I love the piece but the more I looked at it the more I thought it needed just a little smidgen of color.  So I refreshed the inside of the glass hutch with none other than my favorite color - blue.  I used Greek Blue mixed with Bright White and now I just love how some of my favorite ironstone pieces pop against the blue.  So if you feel a piece is missing something, stand back and let it speak to you, it will speak back.  Take a look at the updated version.  Happy Saturday!

 

                                                              Toodles ~ Karen

A little of the BLUES today

Have you felt the blues yet?  I have been going through the blues lately, big time!  Not the Monday morning blues, not the wedding blues, not the motherhood blues, or even the holiday blues.  I'm talking about my favorite color in the whole wide world.  I've been Internet shopping for fabric for my living room drapes & I think I found the perfect fabric - Darjeerling Blue Stone (get it at OnlineFabricStore).  It's traditional and has all the colors that go with my furniture pieces, including a yummy subtle blue.  Can't wait to sew the drapes but before that I need to make slipcovers for my wing back chairs- one project after another. I will post as soon as they are completed - stay tuned.

         
                                                        Here's the fabric -  Love it!!


Speaking of the blues - I just had to paint my little rocker I had been wanting to paint for eons. It sat in the garage neglected since last October when my grandson, Brayden took last years Christmas photo in it.  Well now he has a brother, Maddox (they are 1 year apart - 20 months & 10 months now) and that little rocker needed a companion to the other one I have.  So since they are little boys I felt it should be painted non other than blue - one is painted in Greek Blue by Annie Sloan and Shoreline by American Paint Co.  I thought they came out so sweet, just like them. Take a peek .

                        Have a great weekend - toodles!        KAREN ~