Before you wonder what I'm doing painting with everything else that's going on - let me explain that I started this piece on Thursday - before I got the call that Evan was preparing to make his way into the world :)
It was a piece that I had started LAST summer and never quite finished - it was tucked away in my storage room and dragged out again last week.
And so any moment that I wasn't at the hospital - I'd grab the brush and work a little more on it.
It's extremely therapeutic for me ( and we all know how much I desperately need therapy LOL )
I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ™ - Antoinette and Pure White - with clear wax and a little distressing
I wanted it to look a little shabby and a little fairy tale ( ish )
Wouldn't it be so pretty in a young girl's bedroom?
Well better than it would have looked in it's original state anyway - it wasn't very " girly " at all
Ok - off to make some more dinners for the new Mommy !
There are other things in this world besides painting furniture after all - like staring at a newborn baby :)
Have a wonderful day everyone - it's supposed to be a beautiful week here in Montreal !
Much love,
Me
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You have no idea what I went through to get these pics.................
Last week I casually mentioned to John that a lot of people take photographs of their pieces outside - and that I'd wished I could do that since our spaces are small and dark ( ish )
John says - Well why don't we do that then?
John says - It makes perfect sense
Suzan says - Oh - I never wanted to ask you because I figured you'd flip out
John says - Why do you always make me out to look that way?
John says - Just ask - I'll help you - no problem
Phew...................
So I scurried around yesterday to try to have it done before sundown
Trying to beat the clock so quickly that I didn't finish waxing the skirting or one side - it was now or never
Suzan says - John do you think you could help me bring the dresser outside to take photos?
John says WHAT ARE YOU? CRAZY?
Suzan says - We talked about this last week - you said to just ask you !
John says - Well I'm in the middle of a show
Suzan says - It's going to get too dark soon
John says - I'M FED UP OF THIS FURNITURE NONSENSE - NOW WE HAVE TO DRAG IT OUTSIDE AND THEN DRAG IT BACK IN???????
Suzan says - You said it made sense to do it !
John says - You always pick the worst moment possible !
But every moment is the worst moment possible - I can't win.
He wouldn't help me carry it to the back - so most of the pics have an ugly asphalt street behind them
John says - You're going to play with your monkey anyway
W.T.H. ???
It takes a moment before I realize he's talking about Pic Monkey
( the blanket is on the top of the dresser because I'm picturing this as a changing table for a nursery )
Suzan says - Do you think you could help me move it away from the street ?
John says - You're kidding me? Just take your photos and lets get it back in already
But I insisted and he caved.
I ran around frantically while he stood there with his arms folded and tapping his foot..............
S.T.R.E.S.S.
Add that to the fact that I can't take a decent photo to save my life and there you have it - I won't be
" dancing with dressers outdoors " anytime soon.
My favorite part of this makeover is the knobs
I just gave them a quick coat of a metallic paint that I had on hand (with a brush - usually I spray paint them) I love them - I want to do it to every knob and handle I have in the house LOL
Don't they look a little patina ( ish ) ?
I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ™ - Paris Grey & Old White................and clear wax
I did a teeny bit more distressing then I normally do
because she just looked like the perfect shabby canadidate
This piece is a Haddon Hall ..........which means it comes from the iconic Canadian EATON'S - a little research told me that they were produced in the mid 50's - and were part of their high end or " Prestigious" line - a dresser like this would have went for approximately 395.00 in it's day.................big money when you consider that you could buy a house for under 10,000 - but 60 years later it's in incredible shape and will be around another 60 ( and longer ) without a doubt.
I'm pretty certain there's a before pic floating around somewhere in the archives - but I can't find it - and only remembered to take a photo of the last drawer before I painted it as well
Actually it was almost identical to these end tables I made over last year
Just in case you're interested - here's the makeover over of those pieces ( HERE ) these were keepers and are in my bedroom
And that's it - I'm thinking the rest of my furniture makeover photos will be taken indoors............
Except maybe for the next one up !
Which I can't wait to get started !
Have a wonderful Monday everyone
Hugs,
Me
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Today I'm going to be a woman of few words..............because my brain is so tired I can't think of anything to say ( sometimes that's a good thing )
So here's the " story " of a hutch - or china cabinet - makeover - in pictures.
Meet Mrs. Calabash.
I was asked if I could switch out the mirrored back for bead board - so I decided to weather it to go with all the sanded edges on the piece - an old worn look
First I painted a quick coat of graphite in all the grooves and along the perimeters of the grooves
next I applied a coat of Paris Grey - making sure to leave some of the Graphite showing through
A " wash " of Old White ( half paint half water ) was then applied over the grey
Then quickly wiped into the paint ( I only do 2 sections of the bead board at a time because this dries very quickly )
Here it is in place
I also bought an applique because although the doors have pretty picture molding - the drawer was plain
Painted the lower interior with Paris Grey
Then I sanded all the edges -
Another small change I made was putting the fretwork on the inside of the glass - it was on the outside and I can't imagine how annoying that must have been to clean ! The interior would stay cleaner than the exterior so it makes more sense, right?
The handles were " sprainted " in a pewter grey - and she's done !
The shelves are glass - so Robbie ( the owner ) kept them at her house - which is a shame because I wanted to stage this piece :)
Now I'll tell you...........this piece gave me a couple of nightmares with bleed through.- shellac - shellac and more shellac. And the beadboard on the back? Well first I bought beadboard wallpaper - and did a crappy job so had to scrape it all off. OMG - it was the type where you have to apply paste and that paste? N.I.G.H.T.M.A.R.E. to get off !
Then John measured the back and went off to buy beadboard.
EXCEPT HE DIDN'T BOTHER TO WRITE DOWN THE DIMENSIONS OF EACH SIDE.
So when he came home
John says - The guy who cuts at Home Depot made a mistake
Suzan says - What do you mean?
John says - It's too short in height and too wide in width..............
You know where this is going right?
John says - What an idiot - I gave him the exact measurements !
Suzan says - Did you have it marked as the cuts going the right way?
John says - WHAT DOES THAT MATTER?
Suzan says - Well if you didn't - then the height would be too short and the width would be too wide.............
He stormed out the door to buy another piece - and this time gave the cutter the right measurements.
So wallpaper - and 2 sheets of beadboard were purchased to get this piece done :)
But baby, look at her now !
( doesn't she look like a " flasher " with her doors open ? )
Here she is lit up
Here she is with a wreath hanging on her ( hey - I took approximately 100 pics - you have to let me post more than is necessary !)
And the most important pic of all?
Here she is when she walked into my " office " for a facelift !
You've got to scrape a little ♪
Paint a little ♫
Work until you faint ( a little ) ♫ ♪
That's the story of - that's the glory of love ♫
You've got to plotz a little ♪
Weep a little ♫
And lose a whole lotta sleep ( a little ) ♫ ♪
That's the story of - that's the glory of love ♫
As long as there's a tin or two ♫
I've got a brush and my two hands ♫
So when the world is through with them ♫ ♪
I can give them one more chance ♪
You've got to sand a little ♪
Up the stakes a little ♫
Wax 'til your hand breaks (a little ) ♫ ♪
That's the story of - that's the glory of love. ♪
You've got to stage a little ♫
Rage a little ♫ ♪
Watch each piece make you age ( a little ) ♪
That's the story of - that's the glory of love ♫
I LOVE what I do
AND I LOVE THIS PIECE !
( you've got to nag a little - sag a little - and every now and then brag a little ...............)
For someone who didn't have a lot to say - I never shut up once during this post
Don't come by on a day when I actually have something to say - you'll be sorry !
Have a wonderful day everyone ♥
I'm working on another piece as soon as I get off this computer :)
In the meantime you can listen to this version.................
Take it away Mr. Durante !
Goodnight Mrs Calabash..............wherever you are.
Hugs
Me
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Someone contacting me about painting a bedroom set a couple of weeks ago - we picked it up last weekend and so this is what I've been working on all week
Here's the end table - the dresser's not quite ready
and here she is now........................
I don't know why the distressing is not showing in the above photo !
I added a little something on the interior of the door
Ok - back to the dresser !
Have a wonderful day everyone
Hugs,
Me
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