Another Piece to the Re-Do

Here is the Master Bed Headboard the client wanted to match the other pieces.

The Bed was so heavy we pulled it away from the wall as much as we could so I could work around it and just imagine.....sitting on some MDF on the bed as I finished the scroll detail on front.....funny for sure.

But the client was thrilled and excited to keep something so personal as her first bed when they married, it was solid and a great piece to re-do, so why not, paint does wonders.

I'll post the completed look when I return with one other piece.....the stool.

Scrool Happy!

These pieces may look Black but are actually Slate in color in Matte finish, waxed for the final sheen for some of the sanded edges to reveal the original wood tones of the furniture.
The original hardware was HEAVY Brass....not the right color for the look, so opted to redo in Nickel finish from Krylon.

Hand painted scroll design worked on paper first, then using a fine-liner brush, I painted over the watercolored light blue pencil I used to draw on the scrolls. Once dried, I dried brushed an asphalton medium from Lowes to soften the bright metallic finish.

Before....the pieces needed some TLC, I repaired the veneer, sanded and primed for new finish.

Yes....I've been a bit scrool happy or crazy lately as my husband has mentioned recently.

....and as any other Winter Bound artist.....I have opted to share my craziness for Scroll design with my clients.....and one in particular I think has caught the "bug" as well.

Robin has been a wonderful client-friend who has let me infect her new refurbished Master Bedroom with a bit of this "Fever" flavor.

We have been browsing Craigslist like many others who have time to read and look at all the postings during dreary weather and found just the right two pieces for her room.

Just enough drawer space for both and perfect in style.

Best of all .....the quality was unmatched, super heavy pieces that needed to 2 strong men to move.

The carving details on the sides of the dressers gave me the idea to share my love for scrolls right now, so both of decided to add a bit on the front and side of her dresser.

Perfect little punch hand done in metallic silver paint.

More pictures as promised

Here is another example of the repurposed furniture I'm doing for our Den. This larger piece was part of dining set. So I decided to redo it in the same style as the end-tables I finished for the den. I have plans for it do hold the TV boxes and dvd's, this will be our version of an entertainment center.

After prepping the piece...sanding, filling in gauges, priming and painting....the aging process will be the last step before sealing it.

Yeah....I think I'm going a bit crazy with the scrools designs, but they can be addictive and fun to do!

Making New & Fun Again

Looking around my home, I found some interesting areas that needed some help.....or added fun with a redo or new color.

So why not work with some furniture for now.

Never one to be scared of trying something new with paint, I decided to take this old beat-up table and begin the process of bringing in new color tones to our den.

My husband needed a bigger end table to hold all his controls and glass of tea....so why not start here.

It wouldn't hurt?

Table 1

Step 1.

Clean, sand and remove old veneer that was peeling....redo surface with filler and prime.

....Took longer than I expected to peel the veneer!!!!

Painted a combination of colors along with Bronze metallic.

The top needed something else????? O.k. what about some swirls?

Yeah!!! Free-handed some scrools designs for that extra punch I felt it needed.....this is all the painting before I aged the final piece and top coated it.

I'll show the completed piece along with 2 others when I post the other pictures in a few days.

Enjoy your weekend.

Oh La La

Happy to share a few pictures of a quaint little shop stuck in the back portion of a long gravel road North of San Antonio in older Ranch style home.
Oh La La, is a nice antique store carrying a wide variety of pieces, from American, Country and carved French pieces which currently I'm seeking. Garden statues and doors, stained glass windows and china, just take your time and enjoy the shopping.
If you decide to take a look, please note, they are closed on Mondays, but take Hwy 1604 North on Bandera Road, heading to Bandera Texas. It's not to far from the outskirts of S.A. but it's worth the drive to see what's new.
Now, I'm getting ready for Warrenton next week...my appetite is wet just hope the Antique show fairs better with the rain we have had.

Some Redo's

Testing hardware....and step prior to sanding. More furniture to be posted later.



A satin coat of "Red" sanded to expose aged effect.....replace old hardware with new
brushed nickel half moon shaped drawer pulls.
Sealed with clear coat in satin finish.


After sanding the piece a coat of Slate Black over XIM primer

Lot's of new things have been happening since my last post...but one project I think some of you would like to see are the fun Redo's of furniture I just completed.
Of course the all to familiar Baby changing table...great piece but obviously out of place in a guest room. So goes on the thinking cap and preparing the surface for the new look....without the changing top....that would be reused as a wall bulletin board.

Studio Time

I finally made enough time to schedule a Decorative Painting class before the Fall rush starts...most people like to make changes in their home for holidays...so it was a perfect time to have some fun. I decided go to my favorite supplier and fellow artist who offers a wide variety of courses, not just for the Beginner but for those who would like to see what is new in products or just want to have some fun and make lots of hands-on samples for their portfolio.
Leslie Vigini (www. ViginiStudios.com) is a wonderful instructor, patient and eager to share plenty of her knowledge beyond the course you're taking.
I truly enjoyed my class and will sign up for another in the future.
Here is just a small sample of Painted finishes....I'll show the "fancy" stuff later on.

This look and technique is one of my favorites...leathers are always fun but this Crocodile look can make any room look like it came from the pages of A. Digest. Just like Ostrich skin this technique takes some practice but once you master it...you will enjoy doing it often. PETA will never take aim at you....you'll be earth friendly.


This is another decorative finish that can be used on furniture and walls. Using large Stencils, the design can dictate what your room or style wants to project. This was completed in metallic golds...and can resemble Damask with the right stencil or pattern.

One of my "Fun" looks is this rich and elegant finish. This Tortoise look was completed on a door panel, but can be applied to any area or decorative item.

Using Golds and an Activator...the results turned out wonderful...now I just have to figure out what I want to transform?

If you look closely to the edge, the area shows the Activator in better detail.

This is a Finish to resemble the High Gloss or Lacquered Looks ...this finish is referred to as Negoro Nuri. Has many layers and is sealed with a high gloss using a HVLP.

This Crackle finish is a two step process with the Metallic Copper Base with Paint Activator and Stain.

Here is a nice Crackle finish done in a Stain effect....paints & technique to resemble any types of woods with a clear crackle and activator applied with HVLP. Perfect look for kitchen cabinets.

Furniture Re-Do

Close-up of ornate chairs covered in Antique Needlepoint...client was re-modeling home in a "French Gilded Inspired" theme....Blue-taped along the upholstered needlepoint, covered it in layers of saran wrap and prepared surface with clear primer....
Used both Ralph Lauren Ballroom Gold and highlighted finish with Stain & Seal from the Faux Effects line.

Used soft stencil brushes to rub on this step. I find using several layers of Gold ...give the chairs a richer finish.











Before...
White wooden chairs with decorative floral details and leather upholstery.
After...Client chose a Bronze metallic finish with Pewter & Black antiquing. The look made the chairs stand out against her metal tables. Used Lowes Specialty line which used to be McClosky by Valspar...look for square plastic bottles. Often a favorite choice for easy application.

Quick Note: As I mentioned, I'm still in the learning stages of Blogging, so I have to mention that I accidentally hit the wrong key when trying to add "New" favorites Sites...please know I'm trying to re-post them, if I missed yours please send me an e-mail to correct the mistake. Thanks.

Hutch

Fun Hutch with collection of Tea Cups and Roosters Adorning the top for Seasonal Decorating.

Opted for Blue Glass Pulls instead of wooden

pulls that came with cabinet.

One side has Trompe L'oiel Bird House with Crackle accents over Grapevine. With the other having Nest & Butterflies.

This matching Dining Hutch was purchased unfinshed (Raw Wood) and painted in the same fun "Bird & Nest" motif as the Dining table. I used several colors and applied Crackle finish in certain spots for interest, with aging glaze wash for making a complete Dining set.