Graphite to the Rescue

Okay, it's time to face the facts.  And the fact is that I'm a bad blogger.  Yep, there's no denying it.  I just can't seem to stay consistent with it.  I guess it's just one area where I'm not self disciplined.  I'm plenty self disciplined in many areas of my life.  Blogging, however, is just not one of them.  I have good intentions though...surely that's worth something, right?  I guess I just need to accept the fact that I'm probably going to be an inconsistent blogger.  So goes life!

While I may be an inconsistent blogger, I'm certainly not inconsistent in finishing furniture.  So, I always have plenty to share...it's just a matter of sharing it.  I suppose it's time I share a good lil' makeover.


Here's a couple pieces that I recently worked on for a client:

These were pieces that she wanted to keep because they had been in the family for years, but the golden color and finish were a bit lot outdated. Enter Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite.  What a miracle a couple coats of this stuff can do:

After a light sanding (although it's not really needed with ASCP), 2 coats of Graphite, and a bit of distressing, here's what we had.  This was before waxing.

 This was the perfect color for these pieces.  It added the perfect amount of contrast with the golden base color once it was distressed.  I think it turned out a perfect shade of blackish, greyish, midnight blueish, perfectness.

 My client said this was her new favorite color.  It really gave these pieces new life.  She is painting the walls of the room these are going into a mustard yellow color.  I think it will be a great combination of vintage and modern.

 After sanding the pieces down and applying two coats of wax, there was a perfectly smooth finish with just the right amount of shine.  It's also worth mentioning a thing or two about sanding/waxing the ASCP, especially in regards to certain colors.  I know there are multiple ways of working with this paint.  But, for me, I like to sand prior to waxing.  The first few times you do this, it might be a bit scary.  What happens is that when you sand it COMPLETELY changes the color of the paint.  If you are just sanding a certain area to get a distressed look, you'll probably freak out thinking you've messed the piece up.  This is where the waxing comes in...the wax takes away the dull finish/color-change that the sanded created and revitalizes the paint color back to the intended color, but even sharper.  I'll try to post some pics of what I'm talking about in the near future, but just wanted to give anyone new to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint a heads up about this.

 And here's the crazy girl behind the paintbrush:

Word.

 

 

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Dining Set Gets a Face Lift

Today was back to business.  Took the little puppy on a run this morning and unpacked some from my trip.  I worked at the thrift store then took both of our vehicles for major exterior cleanings and waxings.  I normally do this myself, but the last few weeks and the upcoming weeks are pretty jam-packed and the vehicles were in desperate need of attention.  I came home and trimmed a couple trees in the front yard and then mowed everything...also in desperate need.  Why is it that the more I do, the more my list grows.  I get to check off mowing, but then as I'm mowing I realize that the yard needs a weed, fertilizer, and ant treatment.  I also need to weed eat, then fix the gutter that fell apart while I was mowing.  Oh, and I also saw multiple bushes that need trimmed (I feel like I just did this last week).  And I need to fix a couple of the lights in the flower bed, and weed the flower bed, and trim the sago palm that sprouts new growth at an insane rate.  I've tried to kill this thing...it keeps coming back.  I seriously did everything I mentioned within the last 2 months and now it's time again.  Oh well, I guess that's life.

Tonight I'm sharing a table that I recently worked on for a client.  We were giving this piece an updated look.  Warning: I don't have any fabulous before or after pictures of the entire set because I didn't have anyone to help me haul this beast out to the yard to take a picture...so we're working with what we got...okie dokie?  Here's a few before pics and "in-the-works" pics:

 Here's the table with the two additional leaves added in and the top sanded down.  I used my orbital sander with 120 grit and lots of elbow grease.  I had to be careful because this table top was a veneer overlay that was extremely thin.  I was afraid that at any moment I would create a blemish...thankfully, I did not.

 These are the chair frames that go with the table.  In the picture the color looks good, but in actuality they were finished in a whitish, yellowish, goldish finish that was begging to be refreshed.

 My client wanted the table base and the chairs to have a bit of a taupe look, but then darkened up, also with a bit of depth and texture to it.  So, I started with Annie Sloan's Old Ochre and added a bit of some brown acrylic paint to try to darken it slightly.

Here's a super bright picture of a chair with the old ochre on it:

 

 I then added some dark wax to the chairs using the Annie Sloan soft wax.  I dipped a bit out onto a disposable plate and applied it with a wax brush.

 This picture shows the beginning of the transformation:

 This is the top of the table after I sanded it with a 220 grit paper and then steel wool.  It was stained with Minwax stain in Dark Walnut.  I added three good coats of clear wax.

 Here's the table base after the dark wax was applied.  In person, it gave it a bit of a restoration hardware look.  I was super excited.

 After my client saw everything, they wanted to darken it a bit more.  I was hesitant to continue layering the dark wax, because of the tackiness it would have to it.  So, I opted for dark walnut stain.  I then added 2 coats of dark walnut stain and used a dry rag to wipe it back off slightly.

 Although the pictures don't do it justice, I think it turned out really well.  I absolutely loved the base and the chairs and my client loved the variations you could see in her table top.  The entire piece felt like it had been revived.  We are working on fabric for the chairs now.  Once everything is set up in her home, I'll try to snap a final picture.

Thanks for hanging with me! JUNKtion out!

She's Baaaaack!

That's me...I'm the she that's back.  I know I've been MIA.  But, I didn't fall of the face of the planet.  Actually, I kinda did.  I went to visit my family and the hubby's family in the sticks of Oklahoma, so to some that is considered falling off the face of the planet.  I always have good intentions of blogging while I'm home, but then the nieces and nephew seem to pull me away.  What can I say, I'm a sucker for those cuties!

I was off work for a few days so I decided to head home for a bit, then it turned out to be a pretty good choice, since at the time, the hurricane was headed right for us.  So I boarded up the windows and hit the road with my travel partner:

 While I was home I got to spend so much quality time with all my family and my husband's family.  We went to the cemetery to add some new flowers to my Mom's grave.  Here are the nieces (Avery and Jordyn) and nephew (Aiden) helping out and visiting their Noni's grave. 

 Here is one of my Dad (Ricky) and us girls (Holly, Heather, Hilary, Hannah).  This was the best picture we got since we only had a kid to take it for us.  I should also remind you that while to some this seems crazy that we would visit the cemetery and be all smiles.  Let me assure that it is sad and hard for us, but we smile because we continue to have joy in the fact that my Mom is in Heaven.  This is an empty grave, she is not here and we somehow rejoice in that.  There is a song called "If You Could See Me Now" and it talks about not wanting a loved one to leave Heaven because it is such a perfect place.  This is certainly our view...we know our Mom is in a perfect place.  And while it's not always easy, Jesus remains our strength until the day we join her.

 I did do a little work while I was home.  Mainly for my sisters, so we'll just call it "complimentary work". Good thing I love them so much!  Here is the before of a cabinet that I did for Holly.  This used to be our entertainment center when we were teenagers, and she has turned it into a kitchen storage/utility cabinet.

 I did the weathered paint technique using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to achieve this look.

 Here's a couple of close-ups:

 I also did a small nightstand for Hannah, but, in true goober-style, I forgot the before picture.

 Here's a close-up of this one.

Oklahoma can also be dangerous...here's proof.  This is a splinter that I pulled out of my Dad's leg one day.  Just to show you how monsterous it was, I compared it to a penny:

 And here's some close ups of my little jewels.  Here's Jordyn, who turns eight this weekend.  She's so precious and inquisitive.  I got to have lunch with her at her school a couple times and we got to have a couple sleepovers, and so much more.

 Avery turned six while I was home and let me tell you...she is a spunky little ball of fire.  Here's a picture of her at one of our sleepovers...sleeping on her "taggy", holding a stuffed bear, with a bunny towel wrapped around her and slipped over her head.

 Aiden loves the "red slide" at "Noni's park" (the memorial playground in my mom's honor).  He's so smart and I absolutely love getting to hang out with him.

 Last but not least, what's a day without some adventure.  Here's Dad and the grandkids in the tree they all climbed.  I just love them all to pieces!!!  Isn't he such a good Popi!

Back to work and reality again.  I have a number of paint jobs lined up for client's over the next few weeks, so I'll try to keep you posted with some befores and afters, along with some tutorials. 

Table Transformation with Paris Gray

Ahhh...back from the morning run with a neighbor and the little puppy.  It always feels so good to start the morning run.  Actually, let's be clear...getting up for the run and going on the run do not feel good.  The accomplishment and the energy I have afterwards do feel good.

I'm in a speed painting mode this week.  Trying to get a lot of furniture pieces finished up before our next batch of company arrives.  Yep, I just compared them to cookies and called them a batch.  My baby sister and her hubby are coming, and they are bringing with them my two nieces and sister number two.  There are four of us and we all start with H's...so one could conceivably lose track....Heather, Holly, Hilary, and Hannah.  Our own little 4-H club.

Ok, I digress.  Back to furniture.  I picked up this little table and chair set at a garage sale recently for a steal.  The entire set was black and in decent condition (excluding the top of the table).  So, I kept the chairs and the table base black and did some touch-up work on them.

 I painted the top of the table with one coat of ASCP in Paris Gray.  I let it dry for an ample amount of time 30 minutes (because I'm patient like that), and then gave it a heavy distress.  That is one thing I love about this paint...it dries so fast.  If it's not completely dry, you'll just end up with a different look.  You can't really go wrong here.  And since I knew I wanted a heavy distress, I didn't have much to lose by moving along so quickly.  This heavy of a distress is certainly not for everyone, but since I'm in the business of furniture resale, I like to keep a variety of finishes going on to please the masses.

 I distressed using a sanding block.  Normally, I don't use these, because it fills up so quickly with the chalk dust, but in this case I did.  I just beat it on the driveway every few minutes to empty the dust.  I believe it was a 120/150 grit block.

 After the distressing, this piece got two coats of clear wax followed by a good buffing.  So perfectly smooth to the touch!  Now she's ready for a new home.

 Or he, it could be a he.  Maybe it is a he with all the grays and blacks.  Oh, and I couldn't get a picture without the furry little model jumping in.

 The Paris Gray is a bit darker than it appears in these pictures.  But, with my phone camera, this is about as good as it gets.  I wished I was as passionate about photography as I am about painting.  Unfortunately, there's not much about taking pictures that I do enjoy.  Maybe one day.

 And, just for kicks, his a look at my booth space at De'France.  I just restocked there on Tuesday.

The End.

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