Project 10 of 2012 Distressed Desk

I know at this point you may be tired of reading post about Annie Sloan chalk Paint. But i am passionate about the whole concept of making it easier to distress a piece of furniture. And Chaulk Paint does that.

Before Annie came out with the white that is currently offered, I was trying different things that I read about on the blogs for making your own chalk paint, simply because I wanted white, not off white or beige, but a nice bright white.

The formulae I like the best is 2 parts flat paint.. ( or eggshell finish if you have it and are in a pinch)
 and one part plaster of paris. It actually is a little less than that but you'll figure out what concistancy works best for your technique!
So here is my latest victim before I attacked, which I gave a peek at in my last post.

Well you can see I had begun by the right hand corner leg. I really have to retrain myself to not be so excited and stop for a second to take some before photos.
I am definately a jump right in the water kinda gal.

So what'ya been up to?


Places I  pop in to party this week are below:

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ 

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

http://missmustardseed.com/ 

The Shabby Chic Cottage - Transformation Thursday 

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday

Miss Mustard Seed - Furniture Feature Friday  


Furniture Friday - decoratinginsanity

My Romantic Home - Show And Tell Friday

The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday

Common Ground-Vintage inspiration Friday

One wall of my studio/ guestroom and another booth

Holy toledo, it's been eleven full days since I posted anything. I have been very busy.
I finally got most of the guest room/ studio finished. I'm just revealing one wall today. The office area/ craft closet.
I have been using this room to pay my bills, blog, and to do small crafting. The banner of old hankies is my Valentine's touch. I plan to use my photos on canvas here. They are mostly beach shots.

I am temporarily using this vintage lacy tablecloth instead of a closet door,

 but I like how it looks and might keep it.

This wall before I took over this room, just after my son moved out. He bought his own house. I really should get around to posting some of the renovations he did there, as well.
But back to this room. Here is the before of this particular wall.

Below is the sketch I drew up in September, and this is the wall on the left of that sketch.

My idea sketch of that wall... so things are coming along , a bit at a time.

More of that before room and the idea plan back in September's post here
I like how it is coming together from things I pretty much had somewhere in the house, just re-use, and recycling! Just trying to create a pleasing look with things I already have.

Except I did recently buy those hankies!

Another item I spent some time on is this pretty little suitcase table I made at the Beach House with a few coats of paint!

 I also decided in late January to open another booth at the antique mall, North End Antiques, Cape May NJ
Last posting I did was about dressing the window there, for Valentine's Day, and now I decided to take the spot by the window. So I will be having lots of fun dressing that window for every Holiday!
Lots of projects that I had to get busy on for that room!
I have sold 3 desks since I opened my 1st booth in mid October so I figured I better paint another desk!

Lucky we had some sunny days and I worked this from the garage.
Half way through I remember the before shot.

And another frenchy nite table I was glad to get my hands on below.

And a peek at it all finished and distressed

Just above it I put an old window, with some vintage hankies, in a banner,

and next to that is an old high chair I painted which was the perfect spot for some vintage vases with roses,

 for a little Valentine's display.
I love old crates, especially hanging on the wall so I put a few up,

 my favorite one says Cape Cod and it is an old cranberry crate!
So that is the one wall of my new booth.


More to come, lots of other painting projects, and that desk I finished, later.
Happy Valentine's Day to all!
Partying here:
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Primp your Stuff!
Tuesday's Treasures

Project # 3 a Pressed Back Chair and renewing my booth

I found this old Pressed Back chair

 and pondered painting it....but Press Back Oak chairs have always been well liked, and sought after, just in their natural oak state, so I really didn't want to mess with history. They certainly have a wonderful, cowboy, prairie, heartland of America quality.

But changing the seat wouldn't hurt. It's probably been done many times since this baby was made.

So with my trusty old oil, and fine steel wool, I cleaned her up,
and got out the dropcloth to see what I could do about that seat.

I could not get the seat off to cover her so I hot glued the dropcloth onto the existing fabric, and added some trim. I also made an accent pillow for it with a vintage map fabric from 1994.

It's got nautical maps and conk shells on it.

Now she is sitting in front of a Tiger Oak desk with a safari vignette in front of her,

That hat which I thought was a safari hat actually turns out to be a helmet from World War 11

Worth quite a bit of money!

I covered that entire wall in burlap and did a bit of a safari theme for the Tiger Oak desk and Oak chair. with a few old botanical prints, Currier and Ives prints, and vintage  clocks

And of course anyone doing all that work out in a safari...

 is going to need a big ole jug of rum from a demijohn!

 All waiting for a new home, at my booth in Cape May at North End,

on the masculine side of my booth.
I try to have a masculine side and a feminine side to appeal to all.

The other 2 walls are much more feminine with the white distressed desk I posted about last time, a 1950's Wilendur roses tablecloth, and some ruby glass and milk glass,

I know I have to cover this wall too, not crazy about the pegboard look!

 But it is ready to remind those men of the upcoming Valentines Day. They all need to be reminded.
 Most of them think about it at 4 pm on Valentine's Day!

 Dont ya think?
Or do you have one of those dream boat romantics?

So that's what I've been up to with my latest projects.

Renewing and stocking my booth in Cape May at  North End Antiques and Collectibles.

Farmhouse Friday

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

Vintage Inspiration Fridays

Vintage and Pumpkins and Lace, Oh My

I recently opened a booth at the North End Antiques and collectibles in Cape May NJ.
I love crossing over the bridge into Cape May and seeing all the boats!
 I also love the colors that the beach grasses change to this time of year!

I know I have to hunker down at home and get myself ready for Thanksgiving Day,

 and I will really get on the ball  tomorow... 

After all, pumpkin pies must be made for this little cutie pie.. my grand daughter.

But I have to tell you, I have really been enjoying setting up my little shop down on the Cape.
 I especially love the shore when it is quiet.

I did a redo on this old desk with some Annie Sloan paint. I love how easy it distresses.

It used to look like this....

back to the finished product,... quick.

And this cute little french vanity below got a coat of one of my favorite white paints by Behr, Cottage White.
 I slightly distressed the edges.

Sorry these aren't the best pics. It was rainy and dark out that day.
That little vanity's look before I slapped it senseless with some cottage white ..

She is much better now,
but I do want to pair it with a small mirror. and I recently found the perfect one to work on. You can see the one in my booth is too large for her.
Peek to the right and you will see a pair of vintage barkcloth drapes from the forties in the background,

these were always a favorite romantic shabby pair of drapes,
 and some
gorgeous vintage French lace which fits nicely on a twin bed.

I hope you'll follow me as I have fun in this new adventure.
Here's wishing everyone in blogville have a healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanks a million for stopping by!

Partying with these lovely ladies..

Sunday showcase

creative me Monday

Amaze me Monday

Metamorphisis Monday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Wicked Awesome Wednesday

Picky and Pickier hit Cape May, Paint the town!

I had  great weekend and hope all of you in Blogville did too !
My sis and I went to Cape May for the film festival and had a good time. Come to think of it, last week was pretty cool too.
I used Annie sloan chalk paint for the first time last week, and I have to say it's a fun paint to work with.
I was thinking it was sort of expensive. But once i used it, I changed my mind. it goes a long way, and you really do not need to prime.
Here is the piece I worked on. I chose the paris Grey as my first paint color to try.

I hand sanded along the edges in strategic places for a worn, distressed look.
I love how this paint sands off!

 I lined all the drawers with pretty paper. And re-used the original hardware.

Here is how it started out... pretty beat up and worked over.

I also got the opportunity to live what has been one  of my life long desires, which was to join one of those co-ops down in Cape May, N. J.
I finally was able to get a little spot! I am so happy to be setting it up with all my vintage finds from over the years.  This piece is one of the first pieces to go in.

I discovered this place called The North End Garage just a few weeks ago, and they had a spot open,

 so I didn't think too hard about it. I signed right up.

 I had just come from the West End Garage where I purchased my paint, and inquired about a spot, which there seems to be a waiting list for. So I was very pleased to get in here.

Cape May is one of those  Beach resort towns that have a super ambiance with lots of  gorgeous Victorian homes. It has some of the prettiest seaside cottages and mansions on the east coast.

So today my sis and I strolled the streets for one last time before she goes back to Florida for the winter!

One last adventure for this year, for Picky and Pickier.

Here are a few photos of why we adore this cute little town.

Just walking through this town is sheer joy.

Fabulous wrought iron fences are all over this town from the heyday of iron workers in Philadelphia.

No 2 house are ever exactly the same.

There are a few that look similar here and there, but all are painted differently.

No matter how many times my sis and I go to Cape May, we always find different houses to drool over.

There are wonderful old slate sidewalks everywhere!

And many still have the hitch for the horse out front. 

And do you know what this thing below  is? 

Can you guess?

 The hitch to the right of it might give you a clue.

It is an old step from the days when stepping down out of a horse drawn carriage could be tricky.

Pretty neat huh?

And I am sure each home has a story all it's own.

This one below could have been used in the Practical Magic movie, they wouldn't have had to build it.

Susan at "between naps on the porch" did a beautiful post last week of all the interior shots of the 

Practical Magic house.

I enjoyed my stroll, I hope you did too!

Joining some parties!

Perfectly Imperfect

House in the Roses

Between Naps on the Porch