Sunday, October 30, 2011

Quick redo on an old friend...

This sturdy and functional friend has been with me for the last 25 years!  

I picked this Lucite trunk up in a display prop sale at a May Company
department store all those years ago...for $5.

 It was mostly used to store my quilts in over the years, so I could keep them out of the way, yet always see them...it was perfect.  I then passed it on to my son and daughter in law, who passed it back to me recently when they moved back to town.

 I didn't have a space for it...so it was time for it to find a new home...but first a face lift was in order.  


I took it apart, screw by screw...there is much hardware on this little trunk.



An old Ralph Lauren stencil I've had for years, married with Martha Stewart's new craft paint (the one that sticks to everything, including glass), gave this old trunk a romantic, feminine touch.


Back goes the hardware and all those screws...


...though making it pretty didn't give me anymore space in my home to fit it in...so off to my space at Leaping Lotus it goes...waiting to be found and adopted into its new home.




Goodbye old friend...


Thursday, October 27, 2011

Dreaming of Christmas...already!

I just realized...
I'm actually running very late with getting my act together for Christmas 

...and my Leaping Lotus retail space beautified and filled up with goodies for Holiday giving and enjoying!  YIKES!  
So...Lucinda and I took a little shopping trip to LA ... and once we decided on a color palatte it became much easier...but still alot ahead to pull it together in time !

Sage Green • Aqua • Cream • Brown • Silver • Gold

Then I started looking for a little inspiration
and found some in... 

in their guest blogger series from last year.



I guess I just love simplicity in a  Holiday statement with beautiful things that whisper the joys of Christmas.

I found more in a blog by Alice...
Searching for Style


And then some ideas for my Leaping Lotus space...
The Holidays Get a European Touch


I know this is just the beggining of wonderful ideas and Christmas visions that will be dancing in our heads in the coming months.


Here are a few more I found on Etsy to share in a treasury...
White Christmas Bulbs

Handmade Christmas


Paper Baubles



Modern Rustic Garland
click on links and be delivered to the treasury


Thats it for now...I gotta get back to work...
as always...
Enjoy 

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Duck Egg Blue...

Just a quick blurb about my new favorite color...Duck Egg Blue...I like it...love it...can't get enough of it!



Along with using it alot lately on my own chalk paint furniture creations...
I found quite a few other admirers on Etsy who like it too!
And what is not to like about ducks, eggs or blue?

Enjoy this Etsy treasury on me, and check out the other items these sellers have...or just dig into the Etsy site for anything handmade, vintage or supplies.

You won't regret it !



Duck Egg Blue Large Poster Print
Silver Fish Forks
Vintage Painted Chest
Rustic Chic Planter Box
Rustic Footed Tray
Vintage Silver Butter Dish


Click here to see all 16 items in this treasury


As always...ENJOY !

Monday, October 10, 2011

Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint Again...

Okay...here I go again raving about Chalk Paint...I can't help myself...it's so very cool and fun to work with!  Here's the latest piece I did for my Leaping Lotus space...

#1. Get out the brushes and paint...


#2. Find a piece of furniture to paint...I picked this dresser up at an estate sale for a VERY good price.



I started with a coat of Chalk Paint Primer Red (no sanding or priming with this paint...you gotta love that)!




Then I mixed Olive with Cream to create sage and worked both the sage and cream together in a blended fashion to create a cloudy, dreamy finish.





 I rubbed the whole piece with dark wax and let it collect in all the nooks & crannies, then buffed it out to a yummy luster.  I thought the original top looked great with the colors I used, so left it the natural wood and waxed that too, softening the age marks that were already there.


 Inside the center door are three drawers, so I had a little fun and added an element of surprise by painting them in the Primer Red with a simple little Martha Stewart stencil in the Sage & Cream to tie in the outer finish.

 And here it is in Leaping Lotus...


...waiting for it's new home !

ENJOY 







Friday, October 7, 2011

Goodbye oak !

Sometimes...my work isn't necessarily creative...though almost always creates a sense of accomplishment.  This week offered one of those projects to work on in the home of very special clients, Virgil & Gayle Cook, who have lived with dated oak cabinets long enough and wanted the oak out !  So Lucinda and I headed off each morning to oblige them and paint it all out a soft, creamy, almost white, Frazee color...Shady Lane. Simply painting out the oak made such a huge difference and added a sense of refinement and elegance to the Cook's already beautiful home.


The existing bronze hardware shows up so much better on the lighter cabinets and adds a touch of sophitication to this one of three bathrooms we painted.



 The already lovely master bathroom is so much prettier with the light cabinets.
The color Shady Lane is the same color of the walls in the home, making the cabinets blend into the walls for a softening effect.


Upper landing storage cabinets, painted Shady Lane with a faux wood graining finish painted on the counter top to tie it in with the furniture in the living room below.
Faux wood grain painted finish

My personal favorite (the transformation, certainly not my favorite to paint) is the stairway banister...what a beautiful change that made !  I then painted the banister railing in the same faux wood finish to tie it all together.


Did I mention we painted cabinets in the powder room, a hall linen closet and laundry room too...and in two weeks we're back again to tackle the kitchen! The oak will be all gone by the time we're through!


I know, you know, your not stuck with cabinets you don't love...paint magic!  With a gallon of primer & paint, good paint brushes, time and patience (and a great assistant like Lucinda) you can transform your cabinets and update your decor yourself, at minimal cost.

Try it & don't forget to... 
ENJOY!!!