The Painted Turtle

Up, Up & Away!

2013-08-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

I participated in the 40th Annual Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival this past weekend. This was my third year and the best yet. The festival takes place in my hometown and our friends and family are always so supportive.

Here is the spectacular view on Friday night as we were closing up for the evening. The balloons usually go in the opposite direction but, I turned around and...WOW!

This table went home with the cutest newlywed couple! So happy to think something I did will be with them as they start their new life together.

I think this will be my new mantra!

Remember these beauties? Many people commented on how

they either had them in their house growing up or grandma did.

This one too!

A big thanks to my wonderful hubby who is always so supportive and helpful during the weeks leading up to the big event!

Moss Avenue Sale

2013-06-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I participated in the 33rd Annual Moss Avenue Sale in Peoria, IL. The day was absolutely gorgeous and the event was a complete success. Man, I love those days!!!

I've been painting for two weeks straight...sure glad I love my job :-)

I was able to cut the last of the seasons' peonies right before we left the house in the morning. It was like they saved themselves for this day. Sooo many people came up and touched them while at the same time asking if they were real.

I was so happy with the color combo on this chest. I loved this piece of furniture. The top drawer pulls out to become a serving tray! How cool is that?

My daughter's friend said this table looked like a tuxedo...by gosh it does!

I saw this idea on Pinterest. You know how out of the 100's of ideas you see, there is always one or two that stick in your head and won't go away until you try it yourself? This was one of those for me.

I'm loving me some mid-century modern furniture right now.

Oh yes, it was!!!

Loving every moment of this journey!

I was so glad to have such a wonderful time and to meet so many great people. I'm sure I'll be participating again next year!

Charlie Brown Dresser

2013-03-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

Yep...Charlie Brown...bet you can guess why! Even though that's not exactly what I was thinking when I was working on this dresser; those ARE the first words out of my hubby's mouth when he saw the finished project.

This was my first experience with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. I chose to buy...what else...Mustard Seed Yellow color. It took me a while to get a good feel for the paint; mostly because this paint comes in powder form that you mix with water. And then you stir...and stir...and then stir some more until most of the powder has dissolved. A few small clumps will remain but those brush right out when painting. The grey is ASCP graphite mixed with old white to make a medium grey.

I loved how the milk paint crackled and flaked! It was so much fun not knowing what to expect and when it did distress it looked absolutely authentic.

And so here's where Charlie Brown comes in. This summer the hubs and I were out at some local garage sales when we came upon this dresser. He was checking it out to see how sound the construction was and ripped off a HUGE piece of veneer. Now of course we had to buy it and thank goodness it was pretty cheap anyway.

So I stripped the drawer of the remaining veneer. But now I had two different textures on the drawer fronts and the paint reacted completely differently on the non-veneered drawer. Basically it didn't crackle or chip at all...hmmmm what to do what to do???

Finally, I came up with the idea to add some chevron to the drawer. Did I mention this dresser was going into my living room and I LOVE me some chevron!!! Perfect solution if I do say so myself :-)

Oh...and I still need some drawer pulls but that will come with time. I'm really excited to try other MMS Milk Paint colors soon. Have a great weekend everyone!

I'm linking up to:

Just Sitting Around...

2013-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have, in our basement, what my husband lovingly refers to as the "chair graveyard." Well, sometimes its lovingly and other times its in an exasperated tone. The exasperation usually comes when he's trying to get to something on the "other side" of the mountain.

So...for the sake of my happy home I thought it was a good time to tackle a few chairs and get them out of the basement.

I really like this color combo. I'm so into grey right now. And the number 15??? Well, my 9 year old liked it :-) I love it when my kids give me art direction!

Old rocking chairs make me smile. We had a chair very similar to this one growing up. I can still remember mom rocking my baby sister in it.

I am so happy with how this one distressed. It was originally black. I wasn't sure how the blue and black would work together but I think it turned out nice.

Truth be told, I didn't make much of a dent in the "mountain of chairs." But tomorrow's another day!

And thank goodness my husband is patient with me! ;-)

I'm linking up to:

What happened to the last 4 months?

2013-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Has it really been that long since my last post? Yep it sure has...where did the time go? All I can say is that time flies when you are having fun!

I just re-read a post from this time last year where I picked GROW as my Word of the Year. After looking back on 2012, I must say I'm pretty darn proud of myself! My family is "growing" up happy, healthy and so far pretty well-adjusted :-) And my business has grown throughout 2012 with lots more potential for 2013! The future is bright!

Let me get you caught up with the last 4 months.

In August I participated in a flea market/vintage show that is always a ton of fun and pretty successful. This years event was even better because I met a most wonderful gal. She was preparing to open a new store in Springfield, IL and asked if I would like to add my furniture. THIS was exactly the opportunity I was wanting to pursue so I immediately jumped at the chance.

Cassandra opened her store, Urban Sassafras, in September.

I have tell you she has been the best surprise of the year! Cassie is such a wonderfully kind, warm, and inviting person and on top of all that, she's super talented. She can paint, craft, sew, construct and her photography is to die for!! I never know what she will come up with next but it's sure to be super cool.

I work in the store twice a month and always look forward to spending the day in such a creative environment. It's also nice to dip my feet in the retail world again.

If you live in the area make sure to plan a visit to Urban Sassafras. You won't be disappointed! Things change daily...and I do mean daily. I'm sure you will be hearing a lot about the store in this blog over the next year. It's become a big part of my business...thanks Cassie!!!

I love all this color!!!

Also, I guess it's time to think of a "Word of the Year" for 2013.
2012's worked out beautifully. I'll keep you posted :-)

Thanks Britta!

2012-09-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

I'm always amazed that someone likes what I do. I often ask my husbands' opinion and being the smart man that he is; I forever receive positive feedback. But when someone I don't even know...yet :-) e-mails me out of the blue and asks if she can feature MY work on HER blog; I'm totally surprised and completely honored.

So, I'd like to send out a big "tHanK yoU!!!" to Britta over at The Handmade House because today on her blog is a little story about The Painted Turtle. And I'm doing a happy dance!!!

Thanks again Britta...you've made my day!

What A Great Weekend!

2012-08-27T21:02:00.000-07:00

Hello blog world!!! I have been MIA but once you see these pics hopefully it will make a bit of sense.

I have been busy, busy, busy...painting, sanding, waxing etc...all for my annual show at the Lincoln Art and Balloon festival in my hometown.

And what a weekend it was! I love this show because so many great friends and family stop by to visit. Each year I meet tons of wonderful people and invariably make new friends as well.

It's also so fun to see how everything comes together in one place. Once everything was set-up I thought...WOW! I have a look!!! It really turned out better than I planned.

Check out my for sale page later this week. I plan to list all the items still available.

Finally, a big shout-out to my muscle for the weekend. Thanks so much for all your help guys! I couldn't do it without you!!!

How May I Help You?

2012-07-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

Well, shoot!

OK, so it's no secret I have a hard time writing these posts. I am not a writer. It doesn't flow easily. I began writing this post several days ago and came back to finish it up this morning...only to find that it hadn't been saved!!! Oh the frustration :-)

Here's what I'm thinking...keep is short and simple.

I painted this desk with the it's final destination in mind. My friend, Melanie, is opening a new office here in town and asked that I help her decorate the space. A blank slate...how exciting!!!

She had picked out an inspiration photo, which helped define the color palette.

These colors work so well together. I like bright, vibrant colors and Mel really needed a more subdued look for her office...gotta keep it professional :-) The cream and charcoal keep it neutral and the blue adds that subtle "pop".

This is the third desk I've painted in the past year. The color-combo possibilities are endless and so much fun!

Rope detail...yummy!!!

What would a project be without a little distressing? It always adds character and interest.

Congrats to my friend Melanie. It's so exciting to watch your professional career blossom! I hope to have pics of her finished office space soon. It's coming together very nicely.

On a side note: my camera finally died. It's been a long, slow death. I'm looking for any suggestions you might have for a new digital SLR.

Have a great week...keep cool!

I'll be linking up to a few parties. Check them out!

Going Green

2012-06-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

As I've sat on the couch in my living room and looked into the dining room a few things just didn't {sit} well with me...pardon the pun :-) My dining room bugged me and had for a while. Finally, one day I got it...my dining room was decorated in a way that I thought dining rooms "should look" not necessarily the way I wanted it decorated.

I like color...I think I've mentioned that before...and this room needed COLOR!!! Everything I saw was brown. The floors, woodwork and dining table were all...yep you guessed it...brown. However, those three things were not changing. I will NOT paint my floors, beautiful woodwork or 100 year old gorgeous table. Soooo the color had to come in other forms.

I started with my buffet. I had painted it black many years ago so it was an easy choice for an update. Green is my favorite color and I love putting a pop of color on large pieces in my rooms. Also, the tapestry we picked up in Belgium 15 years ago had to be put away in storage. I would never get rid of it but WOW...15 years...it was time for a change!!!

Here's a before pic of the buffet. My grandparents gave this to us about 18 years ago when they moved to a new home and no longer had room for it. They bought it shortly after getting married so it's now close to 70 years old; and still an awesome piece

I decided to paint a harlequin pattern on the top to add a bit more interest.

First I painted the whole piece green and then added the pattern on top. This allows for some of the green to peek through the gray. When distressing it's always important to think about what will show underneath. You have to think in layers.

Annie Sloan's Antibes Green is a bright green. Too green for even my tastes so I toned it down using brown wax.

I found these awesome knobs at Hobby Lobby. Aren't they great? Pardon the folded piece of paper that keeps the door closed...did I mention it's 70 years old :-)

Yummy distressing!!!

Now whenever I look into my dining room I smile :-) I love the added brightness and color!

I'm linking up to a few parties. Check out the awesome inspiration!

Itsy Bitsy Spider

2012-05-31T20:46:00.000-07:00

My friend Annie stopped in this morning. She has, what I like to think of as, a magic bag. It seems as if she's always pulling treasures out of it each time she visits. Today, she pulled a super cute top out for me...it's WAY too big for her! Did I mention that I could snap her like a twig?

Sorry . . . I digress :-)

She also pulled out this dirty, old metal spider that came from her garden. The thing about Annie is...she NEVER likes to throw anything away without trying to find another purpose first. Sometimes her "treasures" are more junk but not today!

Annie said she thought one of the kids could paint it up real cute. And my son, Murphy, jumped at the chance. He couldn't find a paint brush and was too excited to wait for me to find him one so he used his fingers!

I loved how this turned out!!! Murphy has always been so creative. He has a sixth-sense with color that amazes me :-)

How often do you look at your children and wonder what they will become?

With the look of joy on his face and his raw talent, I can only dream that it will be a life full of creativity and color!!!

I love you buddy!

Linking up to these parties this week. Check them out!

Mademoiselle

2012-05-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

Hello blog world!!! I've got a few questions for my follow bloggers out there. Do any of you ever have a hard time coming up with something to say in your posts? Lately, I believe this has been my block. I want to post more, often plan to but once I sit down and "try" to get started all that comes to mind is...here's some furniture, I painted it, thanks.

Interesting huh? I'm looking for some tips. Do you use a notebook and write down funny thoughts throughout your day? Let the world in on the day to day happenings in your life? Where do you get your inspiration? Please help a girl out!!!

So....hmmm what to say :-) Here is a cute little table I picked up from someone's basement. It started out dark and scratched but with those legs I knew "the little lady" could be so much more! I was inspired to add the french postcard artwork on the top of the table because of the legs.

The grooves on the legs are just so....groovy :-) They add tons of interest and; I really love how after I distressed them the brown comes through the blue and the colors compliment each other.

If only my curves looked this good! The nice thing about the size of this table is it's versatility. It's the perfect side table but also just big enough to be used as a coffee table in a small space.

I love to conjure up what the original sender and receiver of this envelope were like and what he letter inside had to say. Was it from a son to his mother, a boyfriend to a girlfriend, father to his daughter? It's so fun to imagine the possibilities and let your mind run wild!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with family and friends and perhaps taking a moment to remember all those who have gone before us.

p.s. Don't forget to comment if you can give me any tips on how you come up with inspiration for your posts.

Also, linking up at these parties.

Have a Seat!

2012-05-02T21:17:00.001-07:00

Dear April...where did you go?

I can't believe May is here already! April had been a crazy busy month, but I did get a lot done...mostly in my own home. I've been working on some projects in my dining room. The reveal is to come...soon...I hope :-) It has to be complete or at least presentable by this weekend as my son makes his First Holy Communion on Sunday. That means the house has to look great for the family party to follow. We are so proud of him and want to make sure the day is truly special for him.

Here is a chair I painted in April. I did a chair like this before {different color} and it sold very quickly at my sale last summer so I thought I'd make another.

I used my "go to" paint...Annie Sloan chalk paint in Provence. No priming, no prep sanding just start the fun part right away...painting!!!

A little distressing to make the chair look like it has been sitting in the corner of your house for a very long time.

Well used, well worn and well loved. Oh the stories it could tell!

Everyone who has children has a time-out chair...how about a chair that is cute, stylish and reminds the kids they are here to...{sit}. I had my little guy be my model for the day. He's becoming quite the pro...moving to a different pose with each frame. It's such a hoot!!!

Now's he's being just plain goofy...and I'm sure trying to prove that he's not really in time-out! Well, I'm off to clean my house for the big celebration! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Linking up to these parties...check them out and see what awesome projects others are doing!

Pretty Pretty Chair

2012-04-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

I love chairs...I mean I really love chairs! I wish you could see my basement. At least half of the storage room is filled with chairs in many different stages of repair or shall I say dis-repair.

This cute little chair has literally sat in about seven spots in my house. It's so darn sweet. The size is perfect because it doesn't take up much room. It can be added to the table when an unexpected guest arrives, pushed up to a desk to write a quick note or used to brighten the corner of any room.

I painted the chair using ASCP in Old White and distressed it a bit to add some character. And then...the fabric...I LOVE this fabric!!! It just makes me happy with it's bright colors and flowers. Who doesn't smile when they see flowers?

I'm working on another project using this fabric. And I must say...it's fabulous!!! Stay tuned!!! Have a wonderful Easter!

The Liebster Award!!!

2012-03-22T20:52:00.002-07:00

Today, Dee, from My Painted Stuff awarded me the Liebster Blog Award. How exciting is that? I love awards and it's even sweeter when given by a peer. Thanks Dee!!

Where this award began is unclear but it is believed to have started in Germany, Liebster means favorite or dearest. This award features bloggers with fewer than 200 followers. Upon accepting the award the recipient must then pass it on to five more blogs of note.

Here are the rules:

1. Choose five up & coming blogs to award the Liebster to. Blogs must have less than 200 followers.

2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you gave the award to with links to their sites.

I am passing the Liebster Award on to the following blogs:

Debbie from Twice Nice

Julie from In A Happy Nest

Kerrie from Boxers, Cleats and Me

Julie & Sharon from Vintage Shabby Chicks

Lynette from Casa de Luna

Check out these blogs. You won't be disappointed! Thanks again Dee!!!

Chirp, Chirp, Chirp

2012-03-16T22:54:00.001-07:00

Here's a quick project I completed a few weeks ago. Sometimes it takes me that long to get the camera out and get a good picture taken. I thought I would take advantage of the great weather and drag it outside. It's soooo much easier to get a good pic in natural light.

My plan was to paint the table red and be done with it. But once again I couldn't leave well enough alone and HAD to add something to the top.

This little birdie and curly branches added the right touch to this plain, square table. A little distressing adds a bit more interest.

I would love to know what this table was originally meant to be used for. It's taller than your usual nightstand and larger that your usual plant stand...but it will work for both. Very versatile :-)

I just had to throw in this picture. My little guy and I went to visit Grandma Murphy earlier this week. She turned 90 last September. 90!!!! Can you believe it? She has been such a wonderful influence and I thank God everyday for having such a great person in my life.

Here's the funny thing: we named our middle child "Murphy" after my grandparents. Well, my youngest, Tucker, cannot understand her being named Grandma Murphy, so he insists her name is Grandma Tucker...how cute it that? Gosh I love 4 year olds and 90 year olds! She just goes along with it. After 90 years she's now Grandma Tucker :-)

Have a great weekend...go play outside!!!

Linking to these parties

The New Design is Revealed!!!

2012-03-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

I am soooo excited to finally introduce my new blog design! I have been wanting to have this done for quite a while. And I couldn't be happier. Kristen, of Simply Klassic Design, came up with the new design. She was wonderful to work with and very patient with me. She listened to everything I asked for and her customer service was top-notch. If you are looking for a blog designer, I would highly recommend Kristen!!!

I was shopping today and decided to treat myself. :-) Aren't these tulips just beautiful?!? Here's the crazy thing...once I took these pictures and loaded it to the blog I realized the colors match my new blog design.

Oh, happiness!!! New blog design + pretty tulips = a good day!

I Rocked It!!!

2012-03-10T21:57:00.000-08:00

Last week I linked my latest project...the drop leaf table...to the fabulous blog Embracing Change. Stacey started her own Linky Party several weeks ago and it's growing like wildfire! Her blog is super fun and inspirational in it's own right and now her linky party is giving me even more ideas each week. Check it out...you won't be disappointed. Thanks Stacey for the wonderful honor!

In my last post I hinted about some changes coming to The Painted Turtle. One of them is my new location/work space. I've spent the last six months or so working in our basement when we temporarily rented the house we own next door to a young couple. Several weeks ago they moved on and now I've got my ~~play house~~ workspace back!!!

This was the house my in-laws lived in. Yep...right next door! And I would never have had it any other way. They were the most wonderful people I've ever known. My kids have grown up with Oma & Opa close by and we all loved it. They have now passed on and we all miss them every day. To many people it seems crazy to own a house that someone is not living in. But we cannot imagine NOT having that house as part of our lives. We still call it Oma & Opa's house.

Soooo...it is now my workspace and showroom. I'm so excited to get settled in and begin working and decorating. One of my first projects is to try to reupholster the couches. Did I mention that I don't sew...eek!

There is still one more major change to come and I'm totally psyched about this one! Stay tuned!!!

Drop Leaf Table

2012-02-29T21:35:00.005-08:00

Happy Leap Day!!! An extra 24 hours in your year!!! Did you treat it like any other day or do something special? I hate to admit that to me it was just other day. My husband did something special...he got the flu...poor guy. But to look on the bright side...he didn't waste a whole day being sick :-) Love you honey!!!

Here is my latest project. I have been wanting to do a treatment like this on a drop leaf table for a long time.

It is inspired by vintage dish cloths. Why No. 12? I really just picked it out but my daughter saw more significance to the number...she is 12 :-) Then I got to thinking...my husband is the 12th child in his family. Maybe there was more to it than I realized.

I never know how much I will distress a piece until it begins. I don't think I've ever distressed one quite this much. Did I go too far? That has been my fear, however, the more I live with it the more I like it. Lots of texture...yummy! It looks like it's been around for a long, long time.

With old tables like this, I find myself wondering about it's history. Who has previously owned the table? What were the happy times that took place around it? How many fabulous meals were eaten here? Oh, if this table could talk!

I continue to keep my word of the year "GROW" in the back of my head. And with that in mind I have some new, fun and exciting things happening in the near future. I will expound on those more in future posts...stay tuned!

Have a great week and thanks for reading!!! I love comments so leave one if you have the time.

P is for Paulie

2012-02-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

This is my nephew Paulie. Isn't he adorable? I love doing projects for Paulie. I painted the argyle wall behind his bed this past summer. He was spending the week at his grandparents while I was working on it and when he got home he said "That's pretty good." Gosh I love that kid!

I found this headboard at a garage sale many months ago and knew right away it was for Paulie and RED was the color.

P is for Paulie. I really wanted to finish the rest of his name in a fun script but my ever sensible sister thought it would be too immature as he got older...ugh. But I've got to keep my clients happy...ha!

Paulie's argyle wall is so clean, straight and sharp so I wanted to shabby things up a bit :-)

I really like how the dark color of the wood shows through the distressed paint. It pops wonderfully!!!

Ummmm...I think he likes his new headboard. Of course this has nothing to do with the fact that I gave him permission to jump on his bed...a big "no, no" when mom is around :-) But that's what aunt's are for...right???

Paulie, I hope you really, really like your new headboard. I love you buddy!

Linking up to these weekly parties.

Like Vinegar

2012-02-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

OK.....so I'm gonna say something that rarely comes out of my mouth.....my husband was right :-) And to quote Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock from the movie The Blind Side (one of our favorite movies of all time) Tim: "How did that taste coming out of your mouth?" Sandra: "Like vinegar."

This table has been sooooooo close to completion for months and I just kept working around it...not loving it, not knowing what to do to love it and therefore letting it sit, and sit, and sit. As you can see it's big and it took up a lot of space in my little workshop. You'd think that would have spurred me on...but no. My hubby kept saying "It looks great the way it is." Just wax it up and be done...this is where "he's right" comes in...ugh

I listened to him and now I LOVE it. It didn't need anything else but the creativity of those drawing on the chalkboard top! How fun!

As I mentioned earlier, this table is big. It's 3 ft by 3 ft. I figured there could be several people (or kiddos) at a time drawing on the table. And thinking like a mom; perhaps splitting up the drawing areas would be a good idea.

Have you noticed I'm really into drawing on furniture? I'm glad my kids are old enough to know when you CAN draw on a table and when you CANNOT. Otherwise it could get real ugly. My kids are awesome artists so I'm often inspired by them.

I love the chunky bulbous shape of these legs. They're just plain pretty :-) I added a little distressing.....and yummmmy!!!

The color of this table is ASCP Arles; such a pretty sunny yellow. As much as it might hurt, I will post this on my Items for Sale page. It needs a good home :-)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Linking up to these parties...take a peek!

GROW!!!

2012-01-28T21:34:00.000-08:00

In my last post I was contemplating what my "word of the year" should be. I made a list of possibilities and left them on the kitchen table to come back to at a later date. Several nights ago my hubby says "I like this one." "Really...why?" I said. His answer was "because I think it truly encompasses all our goals for the year".

So...the word is...GROW!

I want to use this year to "grow" into a new business. I would love to see my blog "grow" into something special. We are "growing" a wonderful family. This word has now been wondering around in my head for a few days and I think my hubby is right. I cannot think of one negative connotation associated with the word "grow". It's cheerful, confident, energizing, and adventurous. Yep...I like that :-)

Here is my latest project. What?...you'd like to see what it looked like before? Ha! I forgot again. My brother's mother-in-law found this on the side of the road...thanks Susan!!!

I painted this piece using Annie Sloan "Provence" chalk paint. It's the first time I've used this color. It's very pretty. Actually much prettier than my pictures show. I'm limping my digital camera along until I can buy a new one. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!! :-)

I had hoped it would be more intense. I'm looking for a great turquoise to paint my piano. But here's the great thing about this paint...you can mix and match to an infinite amount of colors.

This cute little table/secretary is great in so many place in the home. I've actually moved it around to several spots myself. It tucks into just about any spot seemlessly and can be used for a bit of storage and a small writing area. Although I could use it myself, I'm going to post it on my Items For Sale page.

Oh...and more exciting news for my little blog. I've surpassed the 50 follower mark!!! Whoohooo...way to GROW! And a big thank you to my friend Rachel for purchasing the harlequin table this week!!! I hope you enjoy it! My hubby was really happy to get a piece out of the house :-)

Until next time...have a great few days.

I'm gonna party here this week!

Word of the Year

2012-01-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

The other day I saw a blog post that asked...What is your word of the year? Word of the year???? Not a whole list of resolutions, just one word? That seemed easy enough...right? WRONG!!!

This word has to (or should) be the word that inspires, drives, and gives meaning to the year I would like to live. And the word I choose needs to work with my whole being...mother, wife, designer, painter, business owner...ugh! This is harder than I thought!!!

But is HAS got me thinking...and thinking...and thinking. And to be honest I'm still thinking, wondering, pondering. One word...for a whole year... I'll get back to you on this one.

On another note this is my latest project; a two-tiered side table with a harlequin pattern on the top. Like I mentioned in my last post, I just can't leave the top bare. It's a compulsion :-)

I painted the whole table with Annie Sloan charcoal chalk paint; then added a coat of paris gray on the top. I used the computer to draw out the harlequin pattern, transferred it to the top and painted the pattern using charcoal gray.

This gives me three coats on the top; charcoal gray, then paris gray and once again charcoal gray in the harlequin pattern. Chalk paint distresses very easily. I knew I would distress this piece and when I did so I wanted the charcoal to show through the paris gray. When distressing you always have to think in layers and whats under under your paint.

I've got a few great projects in the making as we speak. I really look forward sharing them with you over the next week. Now I'm off to wonder, ponder and think...scary!!! Oh, and let me know if you've come up with a word for your year.

As usual I'll link up to some great parties. Check em' out and have a great weekend everyone.

All-Star Table

2012-01-13T20:30:00.000-08:00

I just can't seem to leave the top of a table alone. For me it's like a blank canvas that I just have to do something with. I didn't even realize I was doing it until I took a look back on other projects. Maybe it's becoming my "signature" look :-) Anyway this is the newest one. The ALL-STAR table.

What's really a bit creepy is that I rarely have to think very long about what I'm going to paint on the top. It's like the furniture "talks" to me.

Don't be too scared...furniture pieces are the only inanimate objects that I hear :-)

Here's a before pic of the table...kinda brown, kinda stained, kinda boring.

I used Annie Sloan chalk paint in aubusson blue on the table. I really wanted the top to look like a worn pair of jeans when finished. To achieve this, I heavily distressed the top then waxed and buffed it. I repeated the process again and distressed one last time to rough up the wax. One last buffing gave me a smooth but worn looking finish.

I have to admit I'm having some trouble with photographing my pieces indoors. Until the last few projects I was able to take all my pictures outside. Natural lighting and green grass as a background is so much easier. I'm still looking for the perfect place in my home for photo shoots.

It's been so fun getting back into the swing of things. I just love furniture, painting and making something that's old look new again.

Have a great weekend and try to stay warm. It sure is cold in Illinois! I will be linking up to a few other blogs. Take a look at what's new this week in blogland.

Oh the places we will go!

2012-01-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

Here is another project I've completed recently for our home and I couldn't be more happy with it. I knew the moment I found this trunk that I wanted to use it in our toy room. We really needed a place to put all the pillows and blankets that gather in this room. I was constantly folding blankets and putting them back on the futon...ugh! Problem solved!!!!

Here's a before shot. It's not too bad black but I love me some color so of course it was gonna get painted!

The really nice thing about this project is that it was quick. No muss no fuss. It did take me a little time trying to figure out which fabulous color to use. As you can see there is already a lot of color going on in this room...but...it is a toy room so let's just go for it!

I knew this piece would be sat on, stood on and even drawn on...chalk board paint to the rescue. It's not too often kids hear their parents say "sure, draw all over the top of that trunk!" Their friends really like it too and it's amazing some of the things they draw. **idea moment** take pics of all the great drawings for memories and maybe another project down the line :-)

I used Annie Sloan chalk paint again in Antibes Green...my personal fave color. This is probably why the last two projects I've done for our home has been in green :-) I distressed the sides and again this works great for the toy room. If it gets (or when) more distressed it will only add to the character. Basically, it's kid proof :-)

Oh, and the cat C.C. would like to go wherever we might be going. She has to check everything out and wholeheartedly approves...how do I know??? She sleeps on top of the trunk most afternoons.

I just had to show you this picture. My camera is always laying around the house and so whenever I download pictures I never really know what I might find. This one cracked me up. I'm guessing from the point of view that it had to be taken by my 4 year old. What young child takes a picture of a can of paint??? My kid!!! I'm so proud!

I'll be linking up to several parties this week. Click on the buttons below to see what's going happening on those blogs.

A Full Circle

2012-01-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

The desk is done!!! Whoooohoooo!

This desk has been a personal project for my daughter's room. I believe I started this around Halloween and it's finally done and in place. Ali is so happy and excited.

Here's a quick before shot. As usual I started it and then thought of taking a pic. This desk used to be my father-in-laws workbench in his basement. I was talking to my husband the other night and said "this had to be used as something else at another time." He thought about it for a bit and realized it was in he and his brothers bedroom when they were kids. Talk about a full circle!

I used Annie Sloan green chalk paint on the desk. I decided to use a little dark wax on it to tone down the green a little.

Using chalk board paint on the top of the desk means Ali can write all over the top of her desk and mom can leave reminder notes as well. Like...Ali, clean your room :-)

To "season" the chalk board paint you need to rub chalk all over the surface and then wipe it clean. This will ensure that whatever you write on the surface won't "burn in" forever.

The inside of the drawers were pretty rough. One of my favorite treatments is to decoupage the bottom of the drawer. I had these scraps of paper already laying around that worked great.

My little assistant who's always around to lend a helping hand!

A little distressing just makes the color pop even more. Also, Ali tends to be hard on furniture so I kinda figure I'm just working ahead :-)

Completing this project has me soooooo excited again to paint more furniture. I've got a lot of projects in the hopper so stay tuned.....