Pillows and signs and wreaths-oh my!

What a wonderfully busy week at Knott So Shabby!  Besides being chosen to sell Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint,( yay!),  I was a crafting, furniture refurbishing, decorating machine!  I really wanted to not only provide beautifully refurbished furniture for my customers, but to also offer other hand crafted decor in the shop.  Yes, it would be way easier for me to order from a wholesale company, things that were mass produced in a warehouse, but how unique is that?  I'm not saying that I make every thing in the shop, but proudly a majority of it.  So this week, I got out the glue gun and sewing machine and went crazy!

And here are the fruits of my labor......

These cool box signs were actually a custom job.  A customer had seen
something like this on Etsy and asked if we could
make them and we did!  My husband made the boxes which I then
stained in Dark Walnut to match the farm house table we had also done for this
customer.  It was then painted using ASCP Graphite for the backdrop and Old White for the letters.
We will definitely be making more of these for the shop, very cool and fun.

Made my first, of the ever so popular,  music-sheet wreaths!  These were really fun to make too, although by the hot glue burns on my fingers you wouldn't think so, ouch.

 Sewed up a few pillows; one is a throw pillow in my favorite blues and browns, the other I made using 2 tea towels. By sewing just the 3 sides and then leaving one side open with a flap and a button, allows easy cleaning. You can just throw it in the wash with your other towels, done.  I especially love the blue stripe running down each side. It reminds me of an old french grain sack!

Of course I couldn't go without painting a few pieces for the shop....

This stunning washstand is in such wonderful condition.  The wood was so nicely preserved,
that I decided to just give it a pop of color with MMSMP Kitchen Scale
and to leave the rest of the wood exposed, love it!

I used MMS Hemp Oil to protect the Milk Paint and to revitalize the wood.

Another fun desk with chalkboard paint
on the drawers and top. The body is in ASCP Coco

Another adorable pedestal table in Old Ochre
with a pretty bird graphic
compliments of The Graphic Fairy

Tried my hand at painting Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on fabric, and guess what?  It works!! You need to dampen the fabric with water a bit first, but it went on so smoothly.  After it dried, I took a bristle brush and brushed it lightly to soften. I couldn't decide if I wanted to completely reupholster this chair or not.  It's in such good condition and I really like the pretty blue, so I decided to leave it alone, and try using a grain bag log iron on image.  The problem was that the black of the iron on couldn't be seen over the blue, enter Old White chalk paint:)  The Old White provided a nice bright background for the logo.  I also painted the legs and arms in Old White to compliment the new look.  I thought it turned out really cool, and obviously was right because it sold after a day in the store!

Simple and clean chest in ASCP Old White-
this one was requested by a customer who would
like to have it for her lake cottage 

 And last, but certainly not least, my big announcement of Knott So Shabby carrying Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint!! Not only do I get to use this amazing paint product, but now I get to teach and show others just how awesome it really is!! Stay tuned for upcoming announcements on when classes will begin:)

 Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint proudly displayed
front and center of the shop! 

The first picture taken of me as a new retailer!  I wasn't really
expecting to be photographed that day (hence my hair do), but
at that point I was to excited to care, haha!

Oh yeah and I almost forgot.  Kevin (my husband) and I went to an estate sale yesterday where I found my very first Ironstone pitcher (see it on the wash stand above).  I spotted it as soon as I entered the house. I think, no I'm sure,  my heart skipped a beat.  Not only was it a true-made in England Ironstone pitcher, it was a large one at that!  It was even holding a fresh bouquet of peonies, one of my favorite flowers.  We were actually there to check out a 7, yes 7, library/harvest/farm/work tables.  After placing our bid in the box, we were excited today to find out we won 4!  Looks like I may be getting my rustic farmhouse table sooner than I thought, woohoo! That leaves 3 left for you:) keep an out on here for them!

So now you know why this was such a wonderfully busy week for me.  I feel truly blessed to be given such wonderful opportunities,  to have a happy healthy family, and to meet new friends everyday:)




Linking to: Three Mango Seeds

My heart throb...the farm house table

Today was a great day at the shop, I finished rearranging the entire shop for the millionth time. Every time a piece finds a home, I have to shift all the other pieces around the room and then re-acccesorize them all.  Last week we brought from our home workshop a table and chair set that is very special to me.  I know I could say every piece I refurbish is special, but I had hopes for this set, hopes that it would be MINE!  A year ago or so, I bought Annie Sloan's book "Quick and Easy Paint Transformations" and I fell in love with this-

Isn't it gorgeous?! Sigh...

I have been searching for just the right table and chairs to refurbish just like this.  Well, after months of searching Estate Sales, Craigslist and Auctions, I finally came across a work table with nice and big drawers, a solid oak top and tarnished brass feet in a dark dingy basement at an Estate Sale.  The  4 antique farm chairs are from an individual whose family actually owned a farm.  The chairs needed a little reinforcing and the table was a honey oak in color, but workable.  I started off by painting the chairs and bottom of the table in ASCP Antibes.  I really wanted them heavily distressed, so instead of hand sanding them, I went to them with a hand sander and achieved just the look I was going for.  

Don't let the brightness of the green scare you, they
get much better after dark wax

After distressing the chairs and the bottom of the table, I used dark wax to really deepen the rich green color.  It also brought out the grain and all of the perfect imperfections of the chairs that I adore.

I did the same technique to the legs and skirting of the table.

Next came the top of the table.  It was in pretty good shape, but definetly not the look we were going for it needed to be abused a little, so here is where the fun came in.  My lovely husband Kevin used a wire brush attachment on the edge of the table to really "cut" into the grain and give it a rustic texture.  We also hit a few times with a heavy tool to make sure there were dents and divots in all the right areas, fun fun!  Now it was coming along!  After sanding it down to rid the old poly and orangy oak stain, I did a white wash treatment using 50/50 Old White and water.  

Like the book said, we could have left it like
this and it would have look great, but
not what I had in mind.

So, I did as Annie did and used the dark wax to really deepen the crevices and to give the look of a table that has been used on the farm for decades.  

Using Dark Wax can be scary at times, but
as long as you work it in and go in sections
it gives it so much character.

Finished top that shows wear and tear
with a natural rustic appeal.

After all of the wax dried for a day, I buffed it out to a soft sheen.  As I was doing this I thought about how wonderful this would look in my kitchen with an old farm house fireplace mantel.  The kids could even beat on it and just add to the character!  But like all the rest, it had to go. Forced by my husband (yes, dear I called you out) we hauled it to the shop for it's turn on the floor.  And so, yesterday I found just the right place for my rustic little heart throb of a table.  It sits next to the fireplace mantel, in a great big room, not my little kitchen, but looks amazing still the same.  Like in Annie's the book, I took inspiration of the simplicity of just a wooden bowl with a splash of color from fresh pears.  

Done and Ready for one lucky kitchen or dining room!

The BIG DEEP drawers,  I will find you again someday...

And so, I will once again be on a mission to find this table and chairs again.  It may not be tomorrow or next week, but someday I will have my very own fresh off the farm rustic table and chairs.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed reading about this project as much as I loved doing it.  Have you done something lately or maybe not so lately that you just fell in love with? If so, I love to hear about it:)

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! 

Farm Fresh

Happy Friday once again!  My goal was to try to blog at least 2 to 3 times a week and it's just not working out that way lately. Between keeping the store floor full, custom work, and being a mom, my dreams of being a semi full time blogger is well, just a dream I guess!  This week we got caught up with most of the custom work which is great because I have been having a fit to refurbish something of my own for a few days now!  As much as I love to refurbish pieces for others, they usually pick the color or style so that leaves me thirsting for something to paint in what I want.  Yesterday, as I was having one of my fits,  I looked around the warehouse for something, anything!  I have several antique tall boy dressers in there, a couple dining room sets and a waterfall vanity.  The tall boys were to big for me to move into an open area, the vanity in there I want to paint in my Annie Sloan's Paloma which is a really soft purplish hue, but I left the paint at home, so that was a no. And then I glanced over to the corner of the room which by the way is just packed with furniture.  Seriously,  I am literally climbing over pieces to see what's behind them.  Anyway I spotted this nice vintage dresser that had straight lines and very interesting hardware.  It wasn't to hard to get to if I moved a few smaller end tables but could I scoot it out far enough to work on it, oh yeah!  And so, my day of finally getting to create my own treasure began.

As I mentioned it had straight lines and the top was in ok condition, but could use a little refinishing, so I used product that is great for just this called Restore a Finish in a dark walnut.  Yes, I do prefer to strip, sand and stain my wood tops, but on this dresser I didn't want perfection.  I had "farm fresh" in mind for this one.   In fact, I was inspired by one of my favorite antique linens, the German or French grain sacks. These can be seen everyone now.  In all different colors and from pillows to furniture upholstery and now on my little dresser.

These are a few lovely pictures of the grain sack look I found on Google. 

On the body, I wanted something bold that allowed this little dresser to pop, so I mixed up some of Miss Mustard Seed's Tricycle. I added bonding agent to this mix because it did have alot of varnish on it which meant I probably wouldn't get much paint to stay on and although I like the chippy look A LOT, I didn't want to risk it on this piece. After 2 coats of the Tricycle, I noticed the wood grain was still coming through and I like it so didn't put a third coat on.  I let that dry and then distressed around the corners and edges of the drawers.  I wanted to be sure my lines were even down the dresser, so I put the drawers back in and used a stencil with several lines and taped off a set of 3 individual lines to give it the grain sack look. 

After applying the lines, I didn't care for the heaviness of them. They looked to new, so I sanded them lightly to give them a more worn appearance, kind of like an old worn out grain sack:)

After sealing the body in hemp oil,  the vibrant red took on a rich new look!

The original hardware was a perfect fit in style to this dresser as they have an
old oxidized brass patina to them,  perfect! I'm also loving that warm, wooden,  imperfect
top that shows  it has been used and loved for years.

Since it is Friday, THIS is definitely my Friday Favorite Furniture Piece!  It does have the mirror that can be sold with it, but I think it looks just lovely without.  I can see this dresser used in a bedroom of course, but how cute would it look in a dining room to hold linens or even a foyer to welcome your guest and give the first impression of a home that is loved with style and comfort.

Have a blessed weekend! 

Thank you so much for popping in, if you would like to read more of my experiences, you can subscribe by email on the home page.  

I also LOVE comments and feedback, so go ahead!

Big, Red and Beautiful

Happy Friday everyone!  I was up early today thinking I could finish up with the waxing of a custom dining room set but, my little ones thought different.  It never fails, I sneak downstairs and make my first cup of coffee trying to be as quiet as possible.  All I need is an hour before they wake up, but as soon as I take one step into the work shop, I hear what sounds like a herd of elephants coming down the stairs and 2 sleepy eyed faces peek around the corner, looking for me.  So much for my one hour, but how can you resist those adorable faces really! With my hours at the new shop being from Tuesday through Saturday now, I really do miss being a full time mom at times.  I now know what it's like to be a full time working mom and have a new found respect for all of the working moms out there.  Being a mom alone is A LOT of work, but trying to juggle being a business owner AND mom is a whole other ball game!  But I'm living a dream I've had for a long time and appreciating being with my family when when I can.

On a furniture note....Today I chose for Friday's Favorite Furniture Piece one of my personal favorite styles of furniture, the Empire style.  I found this very large dresser at a resale shop by accident.  Like I once said, these are really hard to find treasures, so when my girlfriend Jennifer was sending me a picture of a different piece in this resale shop, I caught a glimps of a gorgeous chunky "leg" on this dresser in the corner of the picture. As calmly as I could, I ask her to turn around and look at the piece behind her.  Is that what I thought it was?! Yes, it was. An amazing Empire Dresser with its original mirror.  I have seen alot of Empire chest of drawers refurbished,  but not so many actual dressers, so I immediately told her to stay put,  I was on my way.  When I arrived at the store, I was amazed of the size of this dresser, but a bit disappointed at the condition.  Yes, the paint could easily be refurbished, but the mirror brackets were cracked and ready to fall apart, the mirror was attached by a 2X4 across the back,  and the bottom 2 drawers were warped badly.   Did this stop me, no way.  I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this.  After all it's all fixable when you're married to Mr. Fix it!
I will start with the reveal first....

After.....

It was originally painted in a light blue, so I chose
ASCP Emperor's Silk to go over it so that the blue
would still come through when I distressed it.

I dark waxed the entire piece and added new
Mercury Glass Knobs,  LOVE this  combo!

Besides the curvy chunky legs, the mirror arms
are another feature I love about this dresser.
They have been rebuilt and I also was able to find the replacement mirror hardware on Ebay

And this is a how we got it there...

 The top drawer was competely taken apart and rebuilt
we also rebuilt the 2 bottom drawers, but forgot to
take a picture, sorry.

Add caption

The mirror arms before rebuilding

 THE BEFORE....

Pre-Refurb Condition

Another Empire Piece saved and refurbished!  Although it was definitely not the easiest transformation, it was well worth it.  This beautiful piece is available now at Knott So Shabby in Columbia Illinois.  Thank you so much for visiting me today, have a blessed weekend!

Breaking away from the norm....

Sometimes you have to break free from the "norm" and step outside the box.  We don't always have to follow what everyone else is doing or how they are doing it.  It's good to just let your imagine run free and have fun with a project!  And that is just what I did to this cute antique Hoosier Table and chairs.  When I was first approached to buy the set, one look at the color ORANGE and I about walked, no, ran the other way.  BUT, something stopped me.  Not sure if it were my inner "get crazy" side or what, but I knew I couldn't walk away from this set.  It needed me.  My first thought was to strip it all down to the bare wood and start from scratch, and then I woke up.  I have not nor do I plan to ever strip down a painted chair much less 4 painted chairs.  I thought and thought about a alternative.  The funky orange wasn't that bad. I could actually see a young college student in a dorm or loft enjoying it, but for this girl, it would have to tone down a bit.  Gray over orange was my first thought, but then I remembered I just painted that huge Dining Room Set in Paris Gray and wanted to use another color. Black?, no to Halloween.  So, I do what I love to do and get inspiration from my favorite magazines such as Flea Market Style magazine and blog, or Cottage Style.  I also love Better Home and Gardens. You can always find great ideas in these.  This idea came from the Do it Yourself magazine which is a special publication of Better Homes and Gardens, Spring 2013 issue.

This was my inspiration....

Source: Better Homes and Gardens "do it yourself"
Publication

And this is my version...

Antique Hoosier Table and Chairs in ASCP Napoleonic Blue 

I LOVE the color combo and the funky chic style is gives!

Isn't it cool!  In the magazine, they used an unpainted table, which left the images in bare wood and then they painted over the placed vinyl in a pretty green. So let's back up.  In order to get the place setting images on the table, I traced a plate and utensils onto vinyl.  I suppose you could used contact paper too.  After carefully cutting them out which was quite the task, those darn fork prongs, they were oh so carefully placed in front of each chair on the orange table.  Another cool thing about this table is the "pop up" leaf.  When you pull the 2 ends apart a folded leave is attached and on this leaf, are 2 of the 4 settings.  So you could have a table with just 2 of the settings without the leaf or 4 settings with!

Here are some pictures to help you understand the process a bit better.

This is the table and 1 of the 4 chairs as I acquired them.
Not so bad, but needed to chill a bit for my taste.

I traced the biggest spoon, knife and fork I
could find in my house.  The plate is a standard size.

After tracing them onto the vinyl, I cut them out....

and oh so carefully stuck them exactly where I wanted them!

Next came the 3 coats of ASCP Napoleonic Blue.  When that dried, the vinyl settings were peeled up leaving the images in orange.  I distressed just around the corners and edges of the chairs and table so that the orange would blend with the orange on the table settings.  Clear wax was then applied and buffed to a soft sheen!

This was a really fun project. It just goes to show you that with a little paint and imagination, the possibilities are endless.....

Thanks for stopping in.  I hope were too were inspired to do something crazy or out of the norm with a project that's been on your mind lately!

Grandma's Jelly Cupboard

Today is a stormy rainy day and I have to say that I'm truly enjoying it!  It's been a while since I heard crashing of thunder like this morning.  Living in California, you may have the rainy season but not so much thunderstorms, or not of this magnitude.  So, today, I've been on the computer writing estimates and arranging and editing my photos of the finished pieces in the shop.  My wish is that someday, I will figure out how to balance the paperwork, blogging and painting so that I don't get overwhelmed with one or the other.  Of course the constant interruptions of our little ones don't help much, but it is what it is and you do what you can.  This week we were extremely busy with several custom jobs.  My hard working amazing husband, not only works a very dangerous job outside of the home, but gets up at 3:30 most morning to refinish table tops and put a coat or 2 on dressers if need be.  I have no idea how he does this!  He has always been an early riser and a hard worker, but his dedication to our new shop and business is just beyond words, so thank you for the millionth time my love.  Case in point an old Jelly cupboard that was brought to us in it basic shell with no door and a very water damaged top.  I know I posted photos of this cupboard on my Facebook page a while back, but felt it deserved a post on my blog, so here it is.  After sanding the what was left sides down to the original first layer, he then  rebuilt it to its former glory. I painted it in ASCP Pure White with clear wax and it was as good as new again! It belonged to my client's grandmother and she wanted it restored back to what she remembered as a child in her grandmother's kitchen. And that my friends is what I  absolutely LOVE  about when  furniture is restored or even refurbished and brought back to life whether it be to remember a loved one or just to enjoy in the heart of our homes!

Just lovely, looks like grandma just brought it home!
My apologies for the lack of staging

He used an wire attachment on his drill and wire brushed all of the old rust and grime off,  NICE

Newly rebuilt top with molding and new shelves with original clips

Side view of Cupboard AFTER

Side view of Cupboard BEFORE

The before and after!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you were inspired a bit today.  Would you like subscribe to my blog and have my posts sent to you via email? Click here, thanks!