A Bit O' Whimsy

Black and White Farm Table

2013-05-03T13:23:00.005-07:00

Here's what I have been working on lately. I put a lot of sweat into this table. The top originally had a ton of peeling veneer. It took a lot of soaking, heating, and scraping to get it all off.

I fell in love with this table because of the unique and beautiful legs. I painted the base white to really show off their beauty.

The base in painted in Old white Chalk Paint and the chairs in graphite. I recovered the seats in black and white ticking and covered them in a plastic vinyl for protection. I have a kid, I know that the material wouldn't last one meal in my home without being ruined:)

The top has some splitting but I find it adds character. I used annie sloan dark wax to stain the top, it filled in all the knicks and dings and gave the top a real time worn appearance. I will be staining wood with dark wax more often. It's all great for protection and waterproofing.

It is for sale ($250 just contact me at jenines1030@hotmail.com

Cane Couch Find

2013-05-01T01:52:00.003-07:00

I came across this caned couch and chair at my local thrift store the other day. I looked at the price and it was too good to be true! I was so excited I bought it asap. I reupholstered my couch awhile back and didn't think twice about it before buying this fixer upper. I seemed to have forgotten that I am a horrible seamstress. For my own personal couch cushions I had my lovely sister in law sew the cushion covers.

It looks like I will be trying my hand at sewing once again, wish me luck!

My husband called this my "worst" purchase yet, he of little faith. I took it as a challenge. I have the set all painted, the arm is reattached, new foam for the cushions, and fabric just got delivered to my home yesterday.

Check back in the next week and see what I make out of this fixer upper.

Benson's- A Unique Home Boutique

2013-04-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

Today I want to share with you, Benson's!! Benson's just opened up here in North Las Vegas and it is carrying some of my hand-painted furniture. I hope to work with them more in the future as well. Today I stopped in to snap a few pictures and show you around the place. Earlier I scoped out their Facebook page and saw many of my pieces in the pictures. When I stopped in, she informed me that a lot of my stuff had already sold. How exciting and what a relief!

The owner has great pride in what she does and has wonderful style and taste. I joke with her that she is living my dream. Having her own furniture store has also been a dream of hers for along time and I guess it is her time to shine.

I met her and her daughter through Craigslist a few years ago, and since then she has been a wonderful client. I hope to return the favor and be a great client for her.

Benson's carries new as well as upcycled and repurposed furniture, home decor accessories, paintings, and crafts. There is a wide assortment of color and styles, something to please everyone's taste.
Benson's will also be carrying the famous Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the very near future. It will be the second store in all of the Las Vegas area to carry the paint line. That makes me a very happy customer, no more ordering online or driving an hour.

If you follow my blog you might recognize some of my pieces.

Feast your eyes on these great pictures and be sure to stop by at 5655 Centennial Center Blvd. Suite 130 Las Vegas, NV 89149. (Husband/editor's note: And it's only like two doors down from Smashburger! Yum.)

Re purposed Buffet

2013-04-18T20:13:00.006-07:00

I've been M.I.A lately due to previous commitments, but I am happy to announce, I 'm back painting furniture full time! So please, if you've been following and have been disappointed, hang in there a bit longer. Things should get exciting again.

In my last post I showed you a buffet I got for free. It was missing the doors and drawers. I knew I could re purpose it and make it darling. I envisioned it with a shelf and 3 large cute baskets.

I sanded the top and stained it in miniwax ebony. I painted the rest in Annie Sloan Chalk paint Old white. I loved the carving and added some dark wax just in those areas to really bring the detail out. I painted the inside of the buffet in paris grey chalk paint.

You'll notice for now I have no baskets of shelves to speak of. Right now I am in desperate need of something to hold my books:)

A New Look

2013-04-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd give you a quick look at the new laminate flooring we installed in our living room. In case you haven't caught my earlier posts, every piece of furniture in this room has been bought used. I've repainted or reupholstered everything myself.

I still have a few finishing touches to make to the room. I always struggle with furniture placement in this large rectangular room but I think I finally found a setup that feels close and inviting.

The new floor brings in more light and looks so chic. I just can't get enough of the red with the gray floor.

I took out some bookcases in the room and it freed up so much space. I have been brain storming and how to fit my books in the room without bringing a huge bookcase in.

Let me show you what I've come up with. I got this buffet free with the purchase of a dining room set. It has no doors or shelving, but with a little work and a shelf it will be the new home to my books. I even saved a place for it.

Be Sure to check back in the next few days for the finished buffet!

Jenine

New Floor Installation

2013-03-20T10:10:00.005-07:00

These past few days have been crazy and messy. We have ripped out all the carpet in our living room and hallway. I was surprised to find a huge pile of sandy dirt under the carpet in my hallway. Ew... Don't judge me.

We've pried all the carpet tacking strips, scrapped the glue and carpet foam. The hallway is done, just waiting for baseboards.

In the living room, my hubby is in the process of scrapping grout from the tiled entryway. We also had some help with a little child labor.

I'm touching up a few places with paint and repainting the baseboards a bright white.

I've had a nasty cold and case of pink eye that seem to be slowing me down through this process. We're in a time crunch, two more days and we are due in Utah to help out my dad again.

Tomorrow is my husbands birthday and I think after all his hard work without one complaint he deserves something special. He is going to squeeze in a March madness college basketball game while we are in Utah. Hopefully his Spring Break hasnt been all work and no play. I love you babe!

Jenine

Chevron End Table

2013-03-08T17:41:00.001-08:00

This week I'm spending my time in Utah at my parent's home. My dad had knee replacement surgery and is in need of much assistance for the next month. Growing up, I begged for a lot of animals like a dog and a horse. Since then, my dad has collected quite a few more- another horse, geese, chickens, and one more dog. Sometimes I feel bad I left him with my horse to take care of for four years while we are living in Vegas. I look for any good excuse to come to Utah and help him take care of all the critters that I love. I always tell my husband how I can't wait until I can move and have a farm of my own. For some reason nothing gives more more energy than being out in the fresh air, caring for all these guys. I kid you not, it is the best medicine for depression or weight loss.

Since I am out of town, I painted an end table last week and held off on showing you. I have had this mid century end table in my home for a long time, but my husband and I never really loved it. It was one of my first pieces and I never really got around to selling it. The blue and white just didn't fit it. I felt like a modern chevron would be a cool twist for this once 'very modern' mid century piece. I am not one for the more modern looks, but I do appreciate a good chevron and try to keep up with all the "trends" of the time.

I used Paris Grey Chalk Paint and Old White Chalk Paint. I hand-painted the chevron on after my husband was kind enough to figure out all the measurements. I chose not to tape off the chevron, I find that no matter how high-quality the tape, I still have a lot of bleed through and end up touching up a ton. I didn't distress this piece or dark wax, I wanted a clean look and finished it off with a clear wax.

Much better.

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.kammyskorner.com

Emperors Silk Red Desk

2013-03-02T17:49:00.003-08:00

I have a color to show off today, one I've never used before, Emperors Silk Red. I'm usually more of a barn red kind of girl but this color is striking with dark wax. It was a very bright and bold red without the dark wax.

My dad found this desk for me at a local thriftstore near his home for $25. The ironic thing is that in high school I wouldn't be caught dead at that place, I was way too self conscious for thrifstores. Funny how things change when you aren't a self conscious kid anymore. Now, I make my living off things I find at thriftstore. Ironic.

It had a lot of dents bangs and chips. This didn't scare me off in the least. The more imperfect it is the better for me. I'm into that kind of thing in case you haven't noticed. You see gigantic dents, I see a place for dark wax to settle and look awesome! I had plans for this desk to be my own so I knew I wanted a heavy dark waxed look. Sometimes dark wax can scare my clients a bit. I filled in a few chipped spots but painted over everything else.No sanding or priming, this is chalk paint after all.

When I paint knowing I want a lot of dark wax to show, I break some basic painting 101 rules you'll read in most painting furniture tutorials. What can I say I'm sort of a rebel.

I use a very cheap dollar store brush (broken rule #1), just make sure it has synthetic bristles, the hair like kind will come off in your paint. I purposely want paint stroke lines and imperfections for the wax to settle in.

I paint in all different directions. (#2)

I don't do any sanding to smooth out my painted surface and stroke lines. (#3)

I let my chalk paint be a little bit thicker, it's harder to work with but gives a good texture for the wax to stick to. (#4)

I still haven't decided if I want to keep the desk. It wont have any practical use in my home but will be just for "looks". Sometimes I break another rule, my furniture doesn't always have a function for me :) Looking pretty is important around here.

I have a quick surprise to show you, can you tell what this is?

It's new flooring for my living room and hall! Hooray!! I have had the same nasty carpet as when we bought our home as a foreclosure. It's high time for some new stuff! I love this laminate, I had it put in my kitchen a few years ago and just love it. So bright, cool and airy. I hope my hubby will find some time over spring break to install it for me.

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.kammyskorner.com

Beatiful Patina Bedroom Set

2013-02-25T21:11:00.002-08:00

I finished painting a huge bedroom set!!

Whew, it felt like it took forever. I had some family come to town in the middle of the painting project. It slowed me down a bit. Not that I don't love my family, I'd take them in at the drop of a hat.

Once I start a project I can't lose any momentum. Are any of you that way? I find if I take a break on my own projects, they will become those half finished projects.

Here it is: two dressers, one nightstand, lingerie chest, and headboard (not in this picture).

This was a custom painted piece. I used an equal mixture of Paris Grey and Louis Blue to get this beautiful color. I used Annie Sloan dark wax to achieve the look of patina and depth. I encountered some difficulties while painting, the chalk paint kept peeling and chipping off when I painted the lingerie chest. I've had this happen only once before. On the other piece I just went with it, I enjoy the chippy look so it wasn't a big deal. For the lingerie chest that wasn't going to cut it. I found that sanding it off and giving it a roughed up surface to grip on to did the trick.

It was so ironic. I had a friend just last week text me about this same problem. She was painting a dresser Old White and it was peeling. She had even sanded and shellacked it in some areas.

Chalk paint tip: Shellac is a great sealer and seals any areas that the old stain might bleed through the paint. Older mahogany pieces tend to have this bleed through.

This was my advice to her: sand it down again and clean with a tsp cleaner- this helps remove grease, dirt, and build up. I hope it worked for her. Have any of you has this happen? Did you find another way to get around this problem?

Well, I guess Chalk Paint can't always be perfect. In the 200 hundred or so pieces I have painted, only 2 have had any issues. Not bad.

The headboard in this set was going to be used in a young girl's room so it got a different look. It was painted using Henrietta, a fun lilac color amd girly but not too girly. It was given some light dark waxing to add some depth to the color.

My client is going to send me some pictures of the whole room set up. I can hardly wait. Until then my imagination will be painting me beautiful pictures of the finished look.

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.kammyskorner.com
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
missmustardseed.com

Florence Painted Hutch

2013-02-18T17:24:00.000-08:00

Whew! I have just spent the last few day painting over coloring on some of my doors. Usually a magic eraser can conquer most of my 3 yr old's artistic work. She managed to find my Sharpie paint marker that I use to "paint" french typography onto furniture. I guess it just goes to show how durable it is, right? I am hoping she is old enough now that her coloring-on-things phase is over.I am always amazed at the difference a fresh coat of paint can make.

My younger brother and his girlfriend are visiting this weekend for the holiday. I guess they are sick of all the snow and ready for some warmer Vegas weather. I'm so excited! It can get lonely not having any family nearby. I just want everything in the house to be perfect. What about you guys, do you go crazy cleaning and trying to finish every last project before company arrives? I even have to have the house all clean before the babysitter comes.

I haven't just been working on my own to do list. I have a hutch to show you. I debating showing the pictures of it or not. I know I always say that each piece was the heaviest so far but for reals this time. To date, this was the heaviest hutch a have encountered. My husband and I struggled to get it out of the truck and move it two feet into the garage. Luckily my dad was in town to help load it back into the truck for delivery. It was so heavy there was no way we could lift the top part on the lower half just to take a picture. I was too worried we'd drop it. I have an after picture that the client was kind enough to take for me in her home. What a sweet lady.

I was so excited when she told me she wanted to go with Florence Chalk Paint, I love this color, especially with dark wax over it. I had a small sample pot I used for an end table, but never had anyone brave enough to request it.

I love how the dark wax could took a color like Florence that can look so modern and give it some warmth and rustic twist.

I picked up this bedroom set to refinish over the weekend. Pretty cool stuff. Check back in a week or so for the finished look.

Rustic Country Kitchen Guest Post

2013-02-11T21:10:00.004-08:00

I am really excited to share with you all a guest post from JHE Log Furniture. Log furniture has a special place in my heart. My younger brother works for a company making log furniture and it makes me so proud of him :). I think when most people hear "log furniture", manly cabins and western themes come to mind. Today, I am going to show you how using beautiful hand made, top quality wood furniture can warm up a space. I think my favorite is JHE reclaimed barn wood pieces. Can you say gorgeous? Someday I will have that table.

Without further ado, Michelle's tips on creating a kitchen with Rustic charm. I will be interjecting a few times with some of my own commentary and images from the internet.

Create a Cozy Kitchen with Rustic Country Charm

Nothing says, “home, family and tradition” better than a rustic country kitchen. The heart of the home, a kitchen should be comfortable and inviting. Here are some ways to turn a modern kitchen into a farmhouse-chic version where family and friends will love to gather, eat and visit.

Floors and Walls

A rustic kitchen’s charm starts with its floors and walls. Hardwood floors are the epitome of country design, but stone or tile work too. If you can’t change your flooring, cover modern-looking floors with country-inspired rugs. Walls can be panelled in knotty pine or papered with a country motif. Paint is another option. Avoid modern, trendy colours; think warm and natural instead. Adding faux wooden beams to ceilings or walls is another way to make the room more rustic.

(A Bit O' Whimsy: Here are some inspirational pics, I am in L-O-V-E with wooden beams, I must have them in my next home.)

image via houzz.com

(image via furnitureminimalist.com)

Cabinets and Counters

Wooden cabinets make any kitchen more rustic. Instead of replacing current cabinets, try distressing or painting them. Replace a cabinet or two with wooden dish racks, which conveniently display country-style dishes. Wooden or stone countertops are a must, and a fabulously deep farmhouse sink completes the look.

(Questions on kitchen cabinet painting visit my kitchen cabinet reveal or head on over to Annie sloans cabinet tips)

Furniture

Rustic furniture is essential to any country kitchen. A big, wooden farmhouse table, for example, is incredibly inviting. Scour flea markets and second-hand shops for antique furniture that fits this look and adds a sense of history to the room, or create your own rustic furniture by painting and distressing modern pieces.

(A Bit O' Whimsy: I adore these rustic reclaimed barnwood tables from JHE)

(A Bit O' Whimsy: Here is how I envision them in my future kitchen)

image via myparadissi.com

image via www.houzz.com

(A Bit O' Whimsy: Look at these perfect benches great for kitchen table seating or for that cottage chic entryway or mud room)

(A Bit O' Whimsy: Here are some great ways to decorate with these benches)

(image via planete-deco.fr)

(A Bit O' Whimsy: I saw these cute stools and knew just what I would do with them.)

(image via nonowandthen.comwandthen.com)

Appliances

Stainless steel appliances can be integrated into country kitchens by surrounding them with older accessories like wrought-iron cookbook stands or ceramic jugs. Modern appliances with a retro appearance are another option, as are refrigerators with wood-veneer doors that blend into wooden cabinetry.

Lighting

A fluorescent light fixture just won’t do in a rustic kitchen. Look for metal pendant fixtures, wall sconces or chandeliers instead. Be sure to let plenty of natural light into the space as well. A large, minimally dressed window or a skylight is ideal.

Accessories

Pot racks, galvanized tubs, washboards—finish off your kitchen with rustic country accessories, whether they’re valuable antiques or modern replicas. Bringing nature indoors works well, too. Arrange dried flowers in a clay vase or an old milk jug for a stunning centrepiece.

A rustic country kitchen inspires home-cooked meals, lends a relaxed vibe to any occasion, and is a great place for families to gather. With a few changes, any kitchen can take on this timeless rustic charm.

(image via planete-deco.fr)

About the company:

JHE’s Log Furniture Place, is a leading manufacturer and retailer of rustic log furniture. This company has a huge online store offering indoor and outdoor log furniture, as well as rustic décor and accessories. Its furniture is proudly made in the USA and the company has excellent customer service.

Giveaway! My Memories Scrapbook Software

2013-02-03T21:03:00.000-08:00

I have something very exciting to share with my dear and faithful followers. Do any of you scrapbook? Or wish that you did? Do you have kids' pictures piling up and no time to scrapbook them? Has it been years since your wedding and you have yet to touch the pictures? If you answered yes to any of these, then I am speaking to you :)

I am fortunate enough to offer a giveaway from My Memories Suite, a digital scrapbook software. Liz at www.mymemories.com let me try out the software. I can't express how easy it is to use, I am computer-illiterate and found it very user friendly. Let me tell you my favorite part: I don't have to try to rummage through my scary craft closet to try and find supplies like scissors, embellishments, glue sticks, and coordinating papers. There are many beautiful templates to use if you want quick, easy, and coordinating pages. If you are feeling creative you can create you own pages and choose from the many different papers and embellishments. My second favorite feature was the ability to edit your picture with this software. Just this Christmas I was making a digital picture book for grandparents and the I had to load all my pictures into Photoshop and edit them before moving them into the software to use for pages. This is not the case with My Memories, I can easily crop my photos or take out red eye in the program itself. No worries if you don't have Photoshop.

This digital scrapbooking software saves you money in very expensive scrapbooking supplies and photo editing programs. You can also choose to print off the pages or book at a place of your choice.

It was so fast, easy, and cute. Many templates for every season, age, or occasion!
Here are some of the pictures I put together of my daughter, this literally took just minutes.

Want to know how you could win a FREE copy? To enter the giveaway, you MUST go to http://www.mymemories.com/ and take a look at the available templates/kits, then come back to this post and comment with the name of your favorite one. To be eligible to win, you must also be either a follower of my blog, or a "liker" of A Bit O' Whimsy on Facebook. Once you have submitted your comment, submit your official entry below on the Rafflecopter widget. The giveaway will end at 9pm Pacific Time on Sunday February 10th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you would like to purchase your own copy of the software, you can get $10 off by using promo code STMMMS92307 at http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

Romantic Pink Dresser

2013-01-29T18:41:00.001-08:00

I finished a really cool dresser yesterday. I didn't take a before picture, I'm really bad at that. It was just an old oak dresser with 90's tarnished brass hardware. This dresser had some cool lines that reminded me of an old jukebox. Can you see it? Luckily I didn't go in that direction.

I don't typically go for a normal square dresser unless it has something unique to set it apart. I recently discovered Rub n' Buff and have gone a little crazy with it. I used it to add some class to the old hardware.

I painted the dresser using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Antionette. It is the perfect soft, ballet slipper pink. So feminine.

I covered the dresser in clear and dark wax. I used the real deal this time and broke out my Annie Sloan Dark Wax.

I hate to toot my own horn but this dresser is so lovely!

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.kammyskorner.com
missmustardseed.com
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
twosucculentsisters

Vintage Yellow Dresser

2013-01-19T15:50:00.002-08:00

Here's one for all you yellow lovers out there. A 9 drawer dresser and nightstand made all all VERY heavy wood. I think this is the heaviest dresser I have ever encountered. I can't even lift the nightstand myself and I consider myself a pretty tough cookie.

I painted this set with Arles yellow chalk paint, a brown valspar glaze and wipe on polyurethane to finish it off.

My favorite part of this dresser is its uniqueness. I love the one of a kind hardware. It has some great carving and designs.

A very sweet family friend gave me this dresser and nightstand to refinish. I never saw it before sending my hubby to pick it up. When he came home he told I was going to laugh when I saw it. I thought "oh no" what could possibly be wrong with it.

I walked outside peered over the bed of the truck and there was a perfectly good bedroom set. The ironic thing was just a week or two before I had the matching armoire that I had just sold. Isn't that how things work sometimes. How cool would it have been to have the whole matching set!

This bedroom set will be for sale in my shop. If you are interested please contact my using the above button!

Jenine

Linking up to...
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
missmustardseed.com

Glamorous Bedroom Set

2013-01-10T19:08:00.002-08:00

I realize I've been MIA lately but I took the holiday vacation very literal this year:) I had a wonderful and relaxing time with family and friends. I can't remember the last time I didn't try to squeeze in some painting and e mails when I had a few seconds. I was a little bummed after the craft fair and vowed to not pick up a paint brush again for at least a week! It was just what I needed to get myself excited about working again.

Here is a lovely armoire and matching nightstands. I used a mixture of Aubusson Blue and Duck Egg Chalk Paint. I am in love with this color. I have been seeing it all over. I would watch this horrible television series religiously just so I could see a characters fabulous bedroom with this color. I would stop at the paint store and search for the perfect swatch. Never there. I kept telling my husband, I need to find out a way to make that color, I must have it in my life. After much searching, good old Pinterest helped me out.

I used antique gold Rub N Buff for the trim and hardware. This was my first experience with Rub N Buff and it was amazing. I am using it for all my hardware from now on, it was that good!

I did a light coat of dark wax using shoe polish wax mixed in Johnson and Johnson clear paste wax. The inside has been painted a rich Coco Chalk Paint.

Here is the before, your typical replica furniture that is now yellowing over time. It is so glamorous and classy now. This will be a hard one for me to let go.

Jenine

This set is available in my Etsy shop!

Linking back to...
frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
http://missmustardseed.com/
kammyskorner.com

Living Room Show Off

2012-12-22T16:03:00.001-08:00

Here it is, as promised months ago, my living room. Every piece of furniture in here has been bought used on Craigslist or a thrift store. The couches, I finished upholstering this summer and painted the frame. The piano I painted just this month, the stool was a pink vanity stool from a thrift store. The armoire was an orange oak color and was just $35 thrifted. The small chair in the corner I sewed my first ever slip cover in red toile. The checkered coffee table was an orange/brown oak. The only project that I am not 100 percent pleased with was painting the bookcases. The bookcases are a laminate, I tried Annie Sloan Chalk Paint first, it wouldn't stick. I've even painted plastic with this stuff but it just wasn't cutting it. I used a primer made for all surfaces and latex paint, it still scrapes off. I followed all those "painting laminate bookcase" tutorials and such, no luck. I'll have to find a replacement for the shelves at some point.

I have unintentionally started a vintage shoe collection in my living room. I have an old pair of English Riding boots on the bookcase, wooden shoes on the piano, and on the coffee table, a pair of wooden shoe inserts.

I added a boxwood wreath for the holidays but I love it so much I think I'll just keep it all year. The wood rocking "mule" my grandpa carved for my daughter as a Christmas gift. The man is very talented with wood.

I was inspired by my love of horses to do an equestrian look with a bit of Swedish spin. I love the sophisticated but country feel of it, the rustic plaids and checks, the warm red and blacks offset by the cool crisp whites.

The saddle in the corner is the one I use to ride, I thought I might as well put it to use when I'm not using it.
I took full advantage of the site Graphics Fairy and use her beautiful finds to print onto some scrapbook paper. The funky anatomical horse graphics tell a little about me and make it my home. I popped them into some cheap black walmart frames. I also used her graphics to print some vintage Christmas images for a rustic Christmas tree garland.

In the next six months my only plans to improve my living room will be to extend the laminate wood flooring from my kitchen you can see in the background. I think the whitewashed gray will be great against the red, whites and blacks.

Curious about what it looked like before? I'm embarassed to show you but I want you to realize that you are capable of changing anything with a little paint and a few DIY projects. You can see how much my style preferences have changed too. Happy Holidays everyone!

Jenine

Linking back to...
kammyskorner.com
missmustardseed.com

Craft Fair Wrap Up

2012-12-15T20:22:00.001-08:00

So I'm not going to lie to y'all and sugar coat things- the craft fair was a huge bust. No one showed up besides the 12 vendors and their families. I sold one stool. I think the only vendor who sold a thing was the balloon animal lady. I know she got a bit of my money after my daughter begged for what felt like hours. On the plus side, the school got some much-needed money during this PTA fundraiser and now my shop page and Etsy shop will be more full than ever before! Back to the daily grind, my house could sure use a good cleaning after weeks of neglect.

I still took pictures and I am not ashamed or embarrassed to show my beautiful work, hope you enjoy. I'll be working on getting all of these items on my shop page. Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions about an item or its price in the meantime.

Jenine

Linking back to...
missmustardseed.com

Arles Yellow Desk

2012-12-12T21:46:00.002-08:00

Friday is the day of the craft fair and I jut have one more piece to paint, I'm in turbo mode now. Today I finished a fun desk. I love the long legs of the desk and the hardware is just something special. I went out of my comfort zone and painted it in Arles Chalk Paint, lightened a little with some tan. I dark waxed this piece to tone down the brightness and add patina. If this desk is for you come on down Friday, I'd love to meet you. Here's the info:
Eva M Wolfe Elementary School
4027 West Washburn Road, North Las Vegas, NV 89031
December 14th 2012
5:30 pm- until closing

I almost forgot....... Here is another sneak peek of some more headbands I'll be selling as well. I can't pass up a chance to show cute pictures of my girl.

Jenine

Linking back to...
missmustardseed.com

Numbered Dresser

2012-12-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

Here's another piece I finished for the craft fair. I've been wanting to do a numbered dresser for about a year now. I did a old white/duck egg blue wash to give the driftwood appearance. This was a great dresser for it, the wood grain was dry and deep, the paint just settled into place.

Some of the original hardware was missing and I wanted to go for a rustic feel so I replaced the old with the new rope pulls. Each drawer has been lined with striped wallpaper.

If you would love to give this dresser a home come see me December 14th 6pm at Eva M. Wolfe Elementary School!

Jenine

Linking back to...
missmustardseed.com
www.bystephanielynn.com

Painting my Piano

2012-12-01T08:30:00.000-08:00

I finally finished the last huge piece of furniture for my formal living room. Painting the piano! I've been thinking about it for along time but couldn't decide on the color until everything started to fall into place.

I got this piano as a gift for my birthday 2 yrs ago, my sweet husband surprised me with it, how fun. It is a very used piano off of Craigslist. I probably wouldn't recommend painting a brand new piano. The brown color was really weighing down my living room, it was almost making it feel like there were two separate spaces, one bright cheery side with reds and whites and the dark brown side that didn't fit in.
I had the usual concerns about painting a piano but it is pretty easy when you use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I left my piano in the very spot it always is in to paint it, no sanding or priming necessary with the chalk paint. I debating for along time between a Paris Grey or Old White. I finally settled on Old white, knowing secretly that I plan on replacing the carpet with a beautiful laminate whitewashed wood flooring that I already have in my kitchen. This will all take place when I have the money and my husband puts in the flooring himself ;)

Anyways.....back to the piano, I still haven't decided if I'd like to use a dark wax over it, I have a huge armoire in the room that is heavily dark waxed and I just don't want everything looking super old.

When it came time to distress it, I used a neat distressing trick that you may or may not already be aware of. Since it was in my home, on the carpet, instead of sanding down the edges I used a damp wet rag to wipe the areas I wanted to distress. It takes a bit of elbow grease but it does a great job and looks very natural.
It is also a great technique if you have another paint color underneath that you'd like to show through.

Because of the- no sanding at any point in the process- I wasn't worried about ruining the important stuff on the inside of the piano and changing its main function, music. Not that I can play the piano really well, someday right?

I just love the little flower carving detail, it adds such character to the piece. I painted it in coco chalk paint to make it pop a bit and match with the stool. Do you recognize the stool, it's from one of my older posts?

I'm almost ready to take final pictures of the entire room for the blog but I'd thought it would be so perfect to show it when it's all decorated for Christmas. It's like my living room was made just for Christmas, it's so perfect:).

Jenine

Linking back to...
missmustardseed.com

Craft Fair

2012-11-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. I always enjoy every bit of time I can spend with my family. Instead of having a relaxing weekend, I was super anxious about taking my V.T.N.E (Veterinary Technician National Exam). I've been studying every day for the past 4 months and I'm happy to announce that I passed it and can now take a very short breather.

Moving on...

Now that that is behind me, I am cranking out some awesome projects. I will be having my first booth at a craft fair EVER! It will be at Eva M. Wolfe Elementary School on December 14th. So far, I'm really excited about the pieces I will be bringing that night. I have some fancy reupholstered chairs, end tables, footstools, a couple of dressers, some cute growth chart crafts, and I've been furiously hot gluing headbands for girls. The headbands are super over the top with gorgeous feathers, flowers, and some bling because that's how I roll.

Here's a little sneak peek of what will be at the craft fair so don't miss out. I will be taking cash, debit and credit cards that night. See you there:)

Eva M Wolfe Elementary School
4027 West Washburn Road, North Las Vegas, NV 89031
December 14th 2012
6pm- until closing

Linking back to...
missmustardseed.com
www.bystephanielynn.com

Another Verdigris Dresser

2012-11-17T10:59:00.003-08:00

In case you haven't noticed, I love a good detailed nine-drawer dresser. If I see one on Craigslist for a good deal, I must have it. I loved all the layers and detailing each drawer had on this dresser. I really love to bring out the carving of furniture but I didn't want this one to feel too busy. I've been dying to make another verdigris dresser but was waiting for the perfect piece.

I did a few things differently on this one. I hate doing the exact same thing twice, I like to explore my creativity. I used a diffferent base metallic spray paint and even used 2 different chalk paint colors than last time. I left out the gesso/Old White step to give a more vibrant color and I did much more distressing than the last piece.

If you haven't seen my last dresser or tutorial, check it out on my most popular posts in the right sidebar.

This beautiful dresser and nightstand will be for sale, so contact me if you're interested.

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.bystephanielynn.com
threemangoseeds.blogspot.com
linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
www.kammyskorner.com
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
www.theshabbycreekcottage.com
romantichome.blogspot.com

Primitive Pie Shelf

2012-11-11T16:56:00.002-08:00

I was given a great opportunity to give a new look to a very old piece. When I first saw a picture of the piece I didn't want to paint it. I loved the old worn look. When I saw it in person I understood why it needed a new look. It clearly had a lot of work done on it and wasn't an original. The bead board doors had been replaced, the hardware was new and the paint job looked runny.

My client just moved to Vegas and was feeling inspired to go for a Southwestern feel. I repainted the outside with a dry brush technique using Duck Egg Blue Chalk Paint. I didn't want a solid paint finish. We both wanted to try and keep the integrity of this shelf as much as possible. I love the worn wood peeking through.

The inside of this cabinet got a special treatment. It went from cobwebs and clumps of stuck on dirt to clean, bright, and fresh. The inside was painted in an Arles yellow paint.

The old beadboard backing was removed, along with about a dozen rusty nails sure to cause tetanus. My husband put in new beadboard sure to last a very long time!

Jenine

Linking back to...
linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
missmustardseed.com
www.funkyjunkinteriors.net
www.savvysouthernstyle.net
www.theshabbycreekcottage.com
romantichome.blogspot.com

Herringbone Desk

2012-11-04T09:03:00.000-08:00

I ran across this desk that had clearly been painted several times. It looked like someone had tried to strip it and sand it down but gave up. Boy, I know when I'm in that process, thoughts of giving up cross my mind. This piece had some strange rust and cement-like textures on some parts of it. I probably should have just thrown it away, but I thought I'd give it a shot. I wanted to do something fun.

I just love it! I stripped, sanded, primed, and painted. I knew I'd be using chalk paint and milk paint, but I felt the primer was necessary to hold the rust in and all those strange layers. The milk paint crackled beautifully over the primer, I wasn't even trying, it just happened and it looks awesome! The milk paint was easily chipped away with a metal putty knife. I sealed it so all the "chippy" goodness would stay on and not continue chipping.

This item is for sale in my shop, keep in mind this is not a smooth finish paint job, it has chipping, layers and peeling paint. The top middle drawer sticks a bit but the rest work like a charm.

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.bystephanielynn.com
threemangoseeds.blogspot.com
linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
www.kammyskorner.com
www.nutmegplace.com
www.theshabbycreekcottage.com
missmustardseed.com
www.funkyjunkinteriors.net
www.savvysouthernstyle.net

Swedish Inspired Dining Room Table

2012-11-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

I finally finished a table I've been working on, on and off for what felt like months. I've been "educating" myself through Pinterest, Google and Annie Sloan's website, and I'm realizing things I see and fall in love with are almost always Swedish. I think a lot of Swedish furniture and style gets passed off as French when it's not. I realize there is really nothing Swedish about the construction of my table and chairs but I really wanted to do something in the whites, light blues, and grays that remind me of Sweden. I didn't take a before picture, but it was your typical brown furniture. I took this picture in my not so lovely driveway.

This is the kind of room I could see in my mind while painting this table. If only I had a place like this to use as my backdrop for photos :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8230585@N06/3281431259/in/pool-1073943@N21/

http://www.housebeautiful.com/decorating/house-pictures/eclectic-beach-front-cottage-4

http://www.4inspireddesign.com/

http://splendidwillow.com/2012/01/10/stockholm-in-my-heart-now-in-my-store-new/

Jenine

Linking back to...
www.funkyjunkinteriors.net
www.iheartnaptime.net
www.kammyskorner.com
linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
www.savvysouthernstyle.net