Oh la la Frenchy Graphics Love

Hello Friends!

So ive hoped on the bandwagon~ Ive always been a sucker for French Furniture and Im loven all this French Inspired Furniture thats all over Blogland. Im talking about the French Graphics like advertisements and crowns and bees Eiffel tower ect.

If its not my almost 2 yr old then its my firefighter jumping in the picture! Ha Ha lets see if he reads my blogs cause he'd be mortified if he knew i posted this pic :)

 Really isn't this Fabulous!

 A French Lingerie Advertisement painted on the drawers of a Vintage Dresser!

AT Time N Again Antiques

 Before this was a cute scalloped edge round side table when it was just painted Aubbuson blue and Paris Grey but now that it has the bee with all the scrolls and crown its simply gorgeous really something special and unique.

 I used a Sharpie paint pen for the bee in Gold! so much faster than using a paint brush. You can pick up the paint (they're oil based) pens at Michael's in an assortment of colors.

 Super Sweet Vintage coffee table with the Famous Chocolate advertisement

located at A Unique House Antique Mall

Ive got myself an overhead projector printed out a bunch of transfers and have gone to town in fact i can't stop myself!  Using the projector is so much fun i kinda even feel like im a "real artist" actually painting. But really it just tracing :)

I know you've probably seen alot of these graphic transfers before but i was dying to try this out for myself and i am definitely hooked! 

Ive gotten all of my graphics and most of my inspiration at The Graphics Fairy. So Just head on over to Karen's site at the Graphic Fairy and pick out some graphics for yourself and get to painting! But let me warn ya ~ be prepared to spend some time trying to decide She has 1000's to choose from!!!

Have a Creative Day~ Everyday

Erica

Duncan Phyfe makover

Hi there friends!

Got a before and after for ya...

Duncan Phyfe server

 Not a whole lot to tell about this one. For some odd reason this went pretty cheap at auction, no one was bidding so before i could even think my arm went up and i got it for a song ~ la la la la 

 I knew right away what i was going to do. An easy and quick paint job so i could quickly put it in the shop ( so i thought).  I Cleaned it inside and out then removed the hardware, pulled the drawers out and cleaned them up with some Murphy's oil and then painted the shell of the server/buffet in ASCP old white.

And then to my surprise (first time this has happen using chalk paint) IT BLED! Yep streaks of pink mahogany shining through! oh how that irritated me! So much for my quick hurry up get r done paint job!

Available at A Unique House Antiques Mall booth #33

 So then i thought well maybe if i use a "color" over the Old White it won't bleed through, So then i whipped out Florence and proceeded to paint over the pink spots where it had bleed through then i covered the whole shell again in Old white. This time it was better but still some pink peeking through. But ya know what? When I went to distress it ~ it looked kinda cool~ Florence popping up where i sanded and then the pink mahogany. I did minimal distressing so there were just hints of color on the edges.

 YES! I was really liking this! Not exactly what I had planned on, but really turned out pretty. And lastly i used clear and dark wax ,a lot of dark wax. I didn't want there to be too much of a contrast from the shiny wood drawers and the painted shell.

 

Moral of the story when something isn't going quite like you planned ~ just go with it ya might end up liking it!



Before picture of Ducan Phyfe Server



Next time ~ when i have more time maybe i'll do something crazy but for now i think the Buffet that i stole for a song turned out Classic and Elegant.

But HOW COOL IS THIS?? From Repurposed Designs! I'm loven their take on Mr. Duncan! It even has working headlights :)

Check out my facebook page for more shop pics!

Has a Fabulous Evening!

Erica

Beautiful Bombay

Hello Friends!

Wow last day of August! So does that mean summer is over? :(  My life right now is consisting of Fall craft projects ( for the shop), high school football games, preparing to close up the pool, and today i bought some tulips to plant so ya I'm sad to say that my summer is winding down. But i must say i am looking forward to chilly nights, jeans and flannels, pumpkin lattes, cheaper electric bills!, and i can't wait to take my babe to the corn maze this year.

I am hoping to participating in a antique/market show in Oct. (more info on that when everything is definite) so I've been crazy busy trying to get all my junk furniture ready.

Today i finished up a new Bombay Style Chest

so sorry my pictures aren't the best i didn't have a chance to stage this ( again really busy) just snapped pics in the driveway before it was loaded in Besty ( my faithful truck) then off to the shop we went. Anyway I hope you enjoy!

 check out that gorgeous detail! I love that there is just the right amount of Red shining through the Sparkly Silver.

 Hard to tell with these pics but the raised carved details have many beautiful layers of color ~ Grey, the Red, then a silver brushed over and then a dark wax to give it depth.

 The drawers and bottom were painted w/ ASCP in Paris Gray, the sides and top were painted in Old White.

 I really buffed the heck out of this little chest ~ my arms were burning but isn't that shine gorgeous! I used clear and dark wax ~ Annie's of coarse.

Emperor's Silk is this weeks fav color. too bad i only bought a sample size I'd love to see how a whole piece of furniture looks done up in this beauty!

 Note to self... next time you see rhinestone knobs for under $5 BUY THEM ALL!!

Would you believe I've had this Bombay Chest for about 9 years ~ WHY did i wait so long to paint it!!! 

Its truly Stunning!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a Beautiful Evening

Erica

FarmHouse Cupboard ~ Olive

Hello friends!

 I wanted to share with you today My Firefighters Spoon Carved Cupboard.

Meet OLIVE...

 We went to one of my fav auctions out on Maryland's eastern shore. My Firefighter spotted this cupboard amidst the sea of battered furniture and rusty junk ( the Americian Pickers would say rusty Gold) and just knew he had to have it. Overall it was in pretty good shape just a few minor fixes and some light sanding. We knew we were gonna use chalk paint so not too much prep work involved. A bit of gluing and some tiny holes to fill was really all it needed. He picked the ASCP colors he wanted to use and then the magic started to happen. It still amazing me even after the hundreds of pieces of furniture ive painted, How paint can just transform a piece. I love the color choice! OLIVE = country farmhouse at its best!

Still Available at A Unique House Antique Mall

First i speratically spread some Florence and Emperor's Silk And a bit of Old White all over especially in the corners and places i knew i wanted to distress / highlight. Then painted the entire country Cupboard in ASCP Olive. And Finished it off with clear wax buffed to a brilliant shine. the inside is painted in a bright white.

 Notice the spoon carved details? Lovely with the Florence and Emperor's Silk peeking through. I has a beautiful aged bead board back and awesome antique hardware.

funky picture, huh?

Looks Fantastic with the doors open or closed. Personally I like to leave the doors open. Currently in the inside im displaying some of my pink floral dishes and cherished ironstone and milk glass and oh ya my fav antique glass chicken feeder ( that i hope no one ever buys :))

I felt it was only appropriate to display the antique fire extinguisher atop my firefighters cabinet 

 Such a wonderful piece for storing all your treasures ~ lots and lots of storage! Shelves on the top and bottom and a drawer in the middle. And its deep too! Seriously you can't have too many cupboards!

Since I had Olive on my paintbrush i painted this sweet little single drawer round pedestal table. Pretty pretty.  Olive seems to be so appropiate right now with the Autumn season approaching. Its such a dark warm color.

On another note I've been doing a lot of these lately. Stenciling quotes onto drop cloth then affixing the drop cloth onto foam board. Sometimes i get lucky enough to find a frame. Maybe you remember seeing the "Family" wall hanging I had in a previous post.?

Have a Great Day~ Everyday!!

Erica

9 Drawer French Provincial Dresser

Hello Friends!

Just recently finished a 9 Drawer French Provincial Dresser.  These are so Hot right now.  Just look at pinterest they're are so many and they're all different. Everyone has a unique approach to recreating them.  I thought i would share w/ you how i finished mine...

 I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. A variety of colors ~ The Shell of the Dresser is Painted in Old Orche, Old white on the drawers, Co-Co on the moulding separating the drawers, Antinoette highlighting some of the details on the sides along with Versailles stenciled on the sides, and lastly the knobs are a mix of Emperiors silk and old white. WOW! that's one of the many great things about using ASCP is all the colors just blend beautifully together.

 I cracked sections of the drawers to give it that time worn appearance.

 The three drawers in the center were decoupaged with a collage of coordinating scrapbook paper. A pretty pink french toile in the center ~ I loved this paper unfortunately i can't find any more of it anywhere! :( And for just the perfect amount of shine i put some Big Glass Knobs on the center drawers! So chic!!



Here is a close up of the Martha Stewart stencil that i chose for the sides.

 The Wood top was stripped and then re stained in a dark walnut by Miniwax. A Fav of mine i tend to use it all the time.

 Distressed in all the right spots and a dark wax all over finishes the job!

I spent a lot of time on this French Provincial Dresser but it was well worth it I really love the way it turned out!

 And apparently someone else did too because as soon as i posted pictures on facebook and said it was at the shop~ it SOLD!  Didn't even last 24 hours!!

That is just so flattering!! Being a dealer you always wonder if what you love is what others will love. For me its not always about buying what sells it about creating beauty and inspiring others.

The only picture I have of my dresser all nestled in the shop. :)

thanks for looking!

Have a fantastic day ~ everyday!!

Erica

Ombre Dresser

Good Morning!

 Its a gorgeous Sunday Morning here. So quite and peaceful and nice and cool almost feels like a fall morning. I guess thats why ive been inspired to search pinterest for Autumn lovelies. well that and the fact that whether you want to or not, fall is kinda being thrown in our faces~ya can't help but to notice, its everywhere in the stores in blogland. I do love the Autumn season and anticipate its arrival but im still trying to hold on to summer a bit longer. I might lag behind a little from the rest of the retail world but im just not quite ready to show pumpkins yet. :) However my eye is drawn to all the lovely shades of purple that are gonna be so hot this upcoming season! and with purple being my fav color i had paint up my

 Ombre style dresser PURPLE!



Ombre- shaded or graduated in tone



 And a excellent choice if i do say so myself! Ive been patiently waiting for the perfect piece of furniture to come along so i could try this painting technique.

you might have heard others referring to their "pickers" (aka someone who buys/picks furniture that you may like to sell to you) Well i don't have a picker but i have a thrift store. Nooo, not Goodwill but a ma and pa back road junk store. I go there so much the owner now "saves" pieces for me. My last visit he put a Victorian Side Table ( in terrible condition but still lovable) out back for me, his son thought it was trash threw it in the Dumpster! Welp yes i did... I had my first Dumpster Dive. :) ahhh the life of a junk dealer ~ good times!!  Anyway this is where my Dresser came from.

Im dying to paint up something else Ombre Style ~ maybe in Pink~  but being lucky enough to come across the perfect piece~ isn't that often. Its challenging to find a Dresser thats Vintage, at least 5 drawers, and with no knobs. I suppose you could use another type of furniture ( i have seen it done ~ just pinterest it).

Isn't that soo cool ~ Pink on a accent wall!

To go with the show stopping Purple dresser I needed a Fabulous Headboard

 I think this one will work swimmingly!

Painted in ASCP Old White  and the tiny spindles along the top have an undercoat of a lilac purple. The upholstery is done in a Taupe Green background w/ a creamy white French Script and a purple stamp ~ Gorgeous!

I had some fabric left over so i went ahead and recovered a footstool to give it the same Frenchy Flare! Maybe next i'll do a lampshade!

Until next time.

Have a happy day~ everyday!

Erica