Painted pieces...

I arrived at the shop early today to get a few pieces finished for the shop.  I love that when I pull up to my workshop I can see a field and an old farm house.  Sometimes I will grab breakfast on the way and sit in my car eating and just enjoying this view.

After breakfast was over, and I had to get out of the car so I didn't look like a house stalker, I got to work.

This piece has about four coats of chalk paint on it, then I waxed it with dark wax, then distressed, buffed....along with sanding and staining the top.  It's an old bar cart and I think it is chippy and sweet.

I used the aqua paint to do this coffee table and a matching end table.  Some slight distressing and clear wax finished it off.

I'm off to enjoy some family time and relax.  Have a lovely Memorial Day weekend!

Creativity...

I thrive on being creative.  Furniture comes into my workshop and it's like meeting a new friend.  I'm a bit stand back at first, but over time I get to know the piece and by the time we part we are the best of friends.

My last job was not focused on creativity, and as hard as I tried to make it be able to be about that- in the end it wasn't the career for me.  I was dying on the inside, compromising my creative soul and watching it take it's toll on my overall mental health.

Not anymore.

Today I walked into my workshop to find a pair of old doors off of an antique armoire.  The owner of the shop told me that the piece was in pretty bad shape, so he just pulled the doors off, "Because I knew you could do something creative with it."

So I did...

Embrace your creativity and nurture it!

Home again...

I see lots of furniture in my line of work.  Pieces come and pieces go.  I am happy to let them leave my workshop and find a place in someone else's home.

Except for this one.

I painted her with MMS in Ironstone back in November and instantly fell in love with her curvy legs, castors, and dainty hardware.  She had me at 'lion's head pulls'...but I let her go, because I knew that in this business it's just what you gotta do.

So she went to the shop and sat.  And sat, and sat, and sat.  Not really sure why no one looked at her and saw what I did, but I'm kinda glad they didn't- because yesterday...

She came back home.

Painting....

I feel like a kid in a candy store.  I sit and paint in my garage....picking colours/combinations/finishes at whim, then the big truck pulls up and picks up my pieces and brings me new pieces to paint.  Dream job.

Just finished this farm table using ASCP in Graphite and Old White:

This vanity piece was fun to work on.  I started sanding/stripping it and instead of painting the tops and drawers I decided to stain it.  Then I finished it off with some hemp oil.  The base is painted in ASCP French Linen:

These cabinets were in pretty bad shape.  The picture looks a bit washed out, but they are painted in ASCP Duck Egg Blue and Old White for the drawers:

The owners of the shop are having a workshop built onto the back of the store.  Once it's finished I will have a place to really work and set up a spot for photographing each piece.   I feel so lucky to be doing this!

Chalk Painted Dresser....

Just finished this piece for the store.  I used ASCP in Coco for the body of the dresser, and ASCP  in Graphite for the drawers.  Then I hand numbered the drawers, lightly distressed & clear waxed the entire thing.  I think this would be cute in a boy's room or even in a grown up living room to house dvd's or what-not ; o )

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Chippy Cabinet...

I finished two pieces yesterday, my favourite being this vintage chippy curio cabinet.  I used ASCP in Duck Egg Blue for the interior with a clear wax.  The exterior is finished using MMS milk paint in Ironstone with distressing and wax.  For the cabinet legs I just rubbed them down using MMS hemp oil.  I am pretty happy with how this piece turned out!

Quote for the day...

If you love your work it will be easy for you to do, if not, it will only be a burden.

- Shaykh Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani

Amen.

Painting bliss...

Ever since I quit my teaching job I have been continuing to write in my journal every day.  I knew I wanted to do something, but what that something was kept evading me.  I would write words that described my dream job, words like "creative", "painting", "inspiring", "fun", "decorating", and "flexible" kept reappearing.  I thought I was dreaming to find such a job, but it turns out I wasn't just dreaming!  
While out shopping with my Mom we wandered into a little resale/antique shop called I Spy...The Perfect Piece.  I got to talking to the owner and mentioned that I paint furniture....she's been looking for someone to do just that...which led to me doing two pieces for them....they loved my work and are sending more pieces my way!  I am over the moon excited and love what I'm doing.   I'm sure I was sporting a goofy grin as I sat painting in my garage yesterday!

For this piece I used Behr in Cherry red as the base coat, ASCP in Graphite, clear wax and some distressing to let the red show through.

I cannot begin to express how excited I am to be doing something that I love so much!  If you are in the Houston area be sure to check out I Spy....The Perfect Piece on FM 2094 in Kemah.  They have an eye for great antiques!

The biggest mistake people make is not making a living at doing what they most enjoy.

~Malcom Forbes

I couldn't agree more : o )