Altar’d: Custom Hand Painted & Refinished Furniture and Vintage Home Décor

{DIY} Ralph Lauren Faux Technique Glaze Codes

Mandie — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:38:08 +0000

{This is a repost of my orignial post from Oct. 2011}

Many of you who have purchased my How to Paint Furniture Guide have emailed to tell me that your local Home Depot has sold out of the Ralph Lauren Glazes, and that the HD is no longer carrying Ralph Lauren. {This happened about 18 months ago. HUGE mistake Home Depot}

1. My first recommendation would be to find a supplier that still carries Ralph Lauren Paints & Glazes. Ralph is just the best glaze, hands down. Behr glaze (below) is an ok substitute, but it doesn’t spread like Ralph Lauren & the texture is different. It is worth it to hunt down Ralph Lauren Glaze. Ralph Lauren has not stopped making the glazes, The Home Depot has just chosen to stop carrying them. I looked online and found several who have it available:

World Paint Supply A gallon of glaze is $27.99, shipping is $14.34

A gallon of glaze will last about 3 months for me, and I refinish about 20-40 pieces per month.

Ralph Lauren Paint Website Click on “Find a Store” in the top right corner for locations near you that carry paints & glazes. {There are 4 stores in Houston} Southwest Paint Supply and Texas Paint Supply are my favorites.

2. You can have the Home Depot tint Behr Faux Technique Glaze to the codes below for Tea-Stained (lighter), and Tobacco (Darker). There are two Ralph Lauren Shades in the middle of these, but I only use the lightest and the darkest. You could also go to Sherwin Williams and ask them to tint a glaze base to Ralph’s specifications. Just remember, these codes are for a GALLON, not a quart. They can adjust them to work for a quart- just make sure you tell them these codes came from a gallon. {Also, it all depends on your local Home Depot Paint Employees- some just say no, and some are awesome and do it for you. If one says no, try again another day}

Ralph Lauren Tea-stained
AG02 GALLON
Base: 2420

CLRNT AX B F
OZ 0 0 0
384th 64 80 16

Ralph Lauren Tobacco
AG04 Gallon

CLRNT AX B F
OZ 0 0 0
384th 160 224 48

Also, I’ve been asked frequently if I wipe off my glazes once I brush them on, and the answer is no. I’ve created my own technique of working with the glaze and a brush until I get the desired look. When I first started Altar’d, I did try the wipe-off method, but wiping off expensive glaze just didn’t make sense to me. :0)

I hope this helps everyone in their quest for Ralph Lauren Glazes- they are truly amazing products, and worth every penny. A gallon will last the average person about 12 months, depending on how many pieces of furniture you refinish.

Ralph Lauren Faux Technique Glaze

Mandie — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:23:24 +0000

{This is a re-post of post I wrote last July- but I still get this question all the time, so I thought I’d share it}

The most commonly asked question in my inbox is “Where can I find Ralph Lauren Glaze??” About a year ago, The Home Depot made the {terrible} decision to stop carrying RL Paint products and instead carry Martha Stewart. I do love Martha’s new metallics line, but nothing compares to RL for faux technique qlaze. Nothing.

So, there is a frenzy over where to find Ralph now. {because it’s THAT good}

Many of you have emailed me to tell me you purchased the Behr clear glaze and want to mix it with brown paint- I really can’t help there, because I don’t substitute anything for my Ralph Lauren Tea Stained & Tobacco glazes. Here in Houston, TX- we have several smaller mom & pop stores that picked up the RL line when The Home Depot stopped carrying it. I know that RL is widely available, because I got an email from North Pole, Alaska telling me that she was able to find a local paint shop with Ralph Lauren.

I’m not paid to promote Ralph Lauren Paint (I’m 99% sure they don’t even know I exist), but I believe RL is the best when it comes to Antique Glazes.

Ralph Lauren makes 4 shades of Antique Glaze, but we only use the lightest (Tea Stained) and the darkest (Tobacco).

I found several retailers in the Houston area that carry the RL line, and many Nationwide. I tried the Ralph Lauren.com Store Locator and it didn’t work at all for me.

Here are a few Retailers that even ship RL products to your door:

Texas Paint Supply

Southwestern Paint & Supply

I am sure there are local paint shops all over the U.S that supply Ralph Lauren Faux Technique Glazes, it just takes a google search to find them. {But, it’s totally worth it!}

If you aren’t sure what to do with the Ralph Lauren Faux Technique Glazes, or even how to Paint your Furniture, we’ve written an eBook that you can purchase for $10 and download immediately.

If you know of a Retailer in your area that carries RL paints, would you post a comment here with the Store name & City, State?

Thanks!

{Before & After} Antique detailed Dresser

Mandie — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:34:10 +0000

: Before

This Antique Chest was in need of a fresh start, so We Altar’d this dresser for Janice in our pale Aqua distressed finish.

The light aqua makes the details really pop on this leggy lady. <3

Our Pale Aqua Finish is one of our Favorites, and the recipe is included in our $10 How to Paint Furniture Ebook.

{Choose your Custom Finish}

Mandie — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:59:01 +0000

Our Workshops are overflowing with gorgeous solid wood vintage & antique furniture! We can custom create a unique new piece for your home, and work with you to create a design plan to fit your space.

French 9 Drawer Dresser

Detailed Antique Desk

: French Dining Set with 6 Chairs

: Pair of French Side Tables

: French Vanity or Desk

If you’re interested in having one of these solid wood pieces of furniture custom painted to match your home, email Mandie@altard.com or Rachael@altard.com

If you’d like to see some ideas of how these pieces can be transformed- we have several hundred pictures of our work in our Portfolios of Previously Sold Furniture:

{Risky Business}

Mandie — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:38:54 +0000

So, I’ve thought about this post for a long while. Should I say it? Should I keep it to myself? There’s a lot of risk in stepping out and saying something that may be controversial. I found that out after not falling head over heels in love with a certain paint. But, this subject is very, very different. See, this subject has to do with my livelihood. I use to sit behind a desk and process payroll tax deposits for oil companies. I created things on the weekends to feed my creative soul. I worked behind a desk for 8 years, and collected a steady paycheck for 8 years. And then, well, I jumped head first into making my living creating. I LOVE what I get to do for “work”. I love that I am my own boss, and I love being able to create unique furniture out of some random idea in my brain.

I give all of the glory to God for the talent He’s given me. I enjoy helping other women create too, so I wrote an ebook on How to Paint Furniture to help women across the country figure out how to paint their own furniture too, and 80 pages of info is only $10. I teach workshops here where I help people who are visual like me, learn to paint their own furniture. Anyone who knows me well would tell you that I am a very giving person. Most people don’t know this, but every workshop I’ve held, I’ve given a “scholarship” to one student and allowed them to come for free because they couldn’t afford the tuition. I’m not saying this so you’ll think I’m so great, I’m saying this so you understand better what I’m about to say.

Here’s the thing about creating…. Each piece is unique. When I come up with a new finish- through trial and error or happy accident- it’s something I’ve created- with my 2 hands. Everything I know about painting furniture I learned the hard way- by doing it wrong over, and over, and over again until I got it right. I didn’t have an ebook, or someone that went before me and pointed the way. I’ve worked very late into the night many nights, missed out on life a little more than I wanted to, but I’ve built a business that finally makes an income that I can use to pay for Karate classes for my sons, and Dance lessons for my daughter, and to pay some of the bills for our family. This is my job. It’s not just for fun, although I do LOVE it. That’s great, right? Yes! Yes, it’s fantastic! Here’s the rub. I get asked all the time “Where do you find your furniture?” and I’ve been asked so many times that it really doesn’t bother me anymore. But, do you realize that if I tell everyone my sources for furniture that I won’t have those sources anymore? I risk my livelihood if I tell people where I buy furniture. So, I’m forced to tell a half-truth, like “I love estate sales”. It’s kinda like asking a local baker what their secret ingredient is. They would be insane to tell you, right?

The next often asked question is the offensive one to me. There, I said it. It’s offensive. And, part of me says “You need to get your undies out of a wad over this!” But, I can’t! I get emails, facebook messages, blog comments, and sometimes even phone calls from people who expect me to tell them the exact name and brand of the paint I used on a piece of furniture, or give them step by step details on how I created one of my finishes. It’s the sense of entitlement that these people have that that just flat out irks me. I’m a HARD WORKER. I always have been. I can lay on the couch for about 10 minutes before I am up fixing something, creating something, or rearranging furniture. I dislike it when someone comes along and expects an easy button to life.

I’ve already shared to the extent that I feel comfortable- with a step by step ebook, and workshops, and an occasional tutorial on something like my Chevron Curtains. But, when I create a cool new finish and immediately have people expecting me to detail it out to them, or produce a tutorial for them, I get offended. And, I try really, really hard to think of a nice way to tell them that they are not entitled to ask me to tell them how to copy my art. It’s not so much the question that offends me- it’s the attitude behind it. I do not make money blogging. I run a furniture painting business in Houston, TX. I paint 6-14 pieces per week, and I work HARD. Much harder than I ever did when I had a desk and a paycheck. I’m SO grateful to the wonderful clients and friends I’ve been able to work with for the past 3 years. I’m SO thankful for the group of super creative and talented painter friends I’ve made all over the country- who work SO HARD each day because they LOVE what they do, just like me. They create stunning custom work, and they try to be nice when these questions bombard them too. Please hear my heart here when I say that I am SO flattered that people would want to recreate something that I’ve created, but please also understand that asking an Artist or Creative to tell you the recipe for what they’ve created is just plain rude. This is hard, hard work and each artist should be able to create without the pressure to post a tutorial, or paint name, or the exact materials used. I give this information to each client who purchases the piece of furniture, but no one else has the right to know.

Hate me if you need to, but I have to stand up for myself and my Artist friends who are working their tails off to create unique painted furniture all over the country. We LOVE what we do. And, we risk so much by stepping out of corporate America to create for a living. And we shouldn’t have to share all of our secrets. The End.

{Stepping off my soap box now} Mmmmkay, Thanks!

{Mother’s Day Giveaway} I

Mandie — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:35:57 +0000

In honor of Mother’s Day, we are giving away a $100 Altar’d Gift Certificate, good towards the purchase of any piece of furniture, or a makeover on your existing furniture, or towards the tuition of one of our painting workshops.

It’s simple to enter, just leave a comment here about why you love your Mom. You can send your hubby to comment about why you should win, or teach your 2 year old to type. ;0) For a second entry, leave a comment on our Facebook Page about why you love your mom.

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” ~ Washington Irving

The winner will be announced here on Friday, May 11th!

The Drawing is now closed, and #10 Betty Bradley is the Winner!

Thank you all for Entering & Happy Mother’s Day!

{Altar’d Painting 101 Workshop}

Mandie — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:24:10 +0000

What is an Altar’d Painting Workshop?

Our workshops are a one day class that will teach you everything from the basics of painting furniture or cabinets to creating faux finishes. Each class is taught by Mandie Morris and Rachael Maly of Altar’d. We will show you step by step how to recreate the finishes we use on our furniture, and each workshop includes both of our eBook Instruction Guides. During your class, you will create samples of some of our best selling finishes, as well as have an extensive Q & A Session with Mandie & Rachael. We will demonstrate every product that we use, and show you how to apply the products to furniture. Similar classes in the Houston area cost $600-785. Our workshop tuition is $250 per person and includes materials and lunch, and is completed in one day.

You’ll leave the workshop equipped to paint every piece in your home, and with samples of each finish you create in class as well.

Each Workshop begins at 9am and ends at 3pm.

Our next 2 Workshop dates are:

{Saturday May 19th, 2012}

{Saturday June 9th, 2012}

Lunch is included with your workshop tuition, as well as drinks throughout the day.

Our Workshops are currently hosted in Mandie’s Home Studio in La Porte, TX 77571, but will soon move to our new Warehouse.

Upon registration, you’ll be provided with our exact address and further instructions.

To reserve your spot in this workshop, you can check out through our website and pay the $250 tuition, and we’ll contact you shortly with Instructions and Directions to my home.

Reserve your spot in our next Workshop here.

Before & After {Tuscan Style China Hutch}

Mandie — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:29:26 +0000

This china cabinet makeover began with Alaina and the Tuscan style dining room she is creating. She studied room designs and objects that inspired her color scheme. She wanted a blue that will stand out from the creamy walls she is having faux painted, along with many other pieces she is altering to fit together in this soon to come divine dining room that guests will not only feel welcome but will not want to leave! Here is the cabinet before. She and her husband debated on replacing this piece with a newer model, but had the vision to refinish this gorgeous cabinet instead!

BEFORE

Annnnnnd, Wahla! Here is the same china cabinet, after is was Altar’d.

Altar'd China Cabinet in Steel Blue

The outside is a steel blue finish and the inside is our oatmeal finish. Fabulous new hardware will be added. Stay tuned for the finished dining room photo!

Steel Blue Altar'd Hutch AFTER

{This Gorgeous finish was created by Rachael of Altar’d}

Do you have a piece of furniture that is drab, or looking dated? We can Altar your furniture into a custom painted, one-of-a-kind unique piece for your home. We offer free quotes, and would love to create a custom design plan for your space.

Rachael@altard.com {Located in League City, TX}

Mandie@altard.com {Located in La Porte, TX}

We’ll be opening up a Warehouse/Shop soon!

Easter & Restoration

Mandie — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 20:37:13 +0000

Have you ever thought that you’ve made too many mistakes in your life to be forgiven and accepted by God? I know exactly how that feels. I remember thinking I couldn’t possibly be useful or important to God because of my past. I’m so grateful for a God who gently reminded me over and over again that I am forgiven, and I am useful for His glory, and accepted and cherished by Him, and you are too.

{source}

If you’d like to, you can read my Testimony here, or watch the video below below it. Last April, I was invited by Shelley Neel of Life Community Church in LaPorte, TX to share my story at a Women’s Event- there were about 300 ladies there, and I was a nervous wreck, but I’m so thankful for the opportunity to share.

Happy Easter to you and your family. I pray that God’s grace and forgiveness finds you where ever you may be.

Altar’d Workshop {Come Learn to DIY}

Mandie — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 01:40:36 +0000

What is an Altar’d Painting Workshop?

You’ll leave the workshop equipped to paint every piece in your home, and with samples of each finish you create in class as well.

Each Workshop begins at 10am and ends at 3pm. Our next workshop is Saturday, March 24th.

Lunch is included with your workshop tuition, as well as drinks throughout the day.

Our Workshops are currently hosted in Mandie’s Home Studio in Huffman, TX 77336.

Upon registration, you’ll be provided with our exact address and further instructions.

To reserve your spot in this workshop, you can check out through our website and pay the $250 tuition, and we’ll contact you shortly with Instructions and Directions to my home.

Click here for more information or to sign up for our next Workshop