Thursday, December 29, 2016

Farmhouse Signs DIY

It's been awhile since I have written a post on my blog! But as the new year approaches I feel the urgency to get new workshops in the making and new ideas are flowing through my mind. 
I'm looking forward to 2017 and what our little shop has planned. We are going on our fourth year at Fresh Finds, LLC and we are so thankful for all our customers that have supported us. 
Our website has all the classes that we offer and you can register online just by clicking the workshop that you would like to take. 
One of our most popular workshops last year was the sign class. I've been working on signs for a couple of days. I LOVE making signs and I love stencils! I can make the biggest mess in my kitchen and dining area when I pull out all of my stencils, paints, and brushes. But it's great that I can paint indoors with our all green products and not worry about harmful toxins and smells. 
The first sign I made is a board from a special place. It came from my grandmother's old garage/barn. It's seventy-five years old and has great old weathered paint and crackle on it. What could be more perfect for a sign, right? I had to repair the back with metal brackets because it was cracked. I used 3.5" stencils for this sign and I used Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Typewriter black. I will seal the Farmhouse sign with Miss Mustard Seed's Tough Coat to help keep the wonderful crackle and chippy paint in place. Here's a couple of pictures of the sign.




I also painted and stenciled this sign out of a 1x8 cedar board that I've had in the garage for some time. Miss Mustard Seed's Boxwood was used for the base coat and then I sealed it with Dark Wax to give an old distressed look. 




Next was a pallet board stenciled with white letters that say LOVE. I'm getting a jump on Valentine's Day with this one! Pallet boards have a good rustic natural look.




The stencils I used on my signs are a heavy 10m that can be used over and over. If you are looking for a heavier stencil that can make great signs I highly recommend these. Fresh will have these in stock soon or take a class and they will be included! 
We are open Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9-5. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Do you make New Year Resolutions? I'm not much on all that, so I don't make any. Happy New Year and Happy Painting! 


Sunday, August 7, 2016

Schedule a Workshop at Fresh Finds

We are offering 12 different classes right now at Fresh Finds. You can go here to see them and you can register online. It's that easy! Our workshops are planned around you and your schedule. So when you ask, "When is the next workshop being offered"? The answer is "you schedule it and we will make it happen"! 
We offer workshops for bridal parties, family nights, birthdays, mother-daughters, etc.  We also offer private classes. 
I'll be working this week from 9-5, Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. 
Stop by and see what's new at Fresh and let me help you choose the right products for your next project. 





Friday, July 22, 2016

Antique Vanity Turned into Two Side Tables

I bought an antique vanity from a friend a few months ago and as we were loading it into my trailer it became two side tables. Instead of a vanity I gained twin tables with veneer damage and several other hiccups! But I could see potential in these ugly ducklings and the challenge was on. I immediately went to work on the twins using my sander, removing hardware, adding putty, and adding wooden appliques. 
Several weeks later, another friend came by the store looking for one side table for her sweet daughter and I mentioned that I had two at my house that I had been trying to revive but that they were in pretty sad shape. I sent her a picture and she adopted one of them to restore. She did a beautiful job and I was inspired by her success in restoring her "adopted twin". So I set out to finish what I had started with the vanity turned side table. You can go here to see her make over.
I opted to do lace embossing on the top and the drawer fronts. Embossing has become one of my favorite applications on furniture. 
I used Paint Couture's embossing medium along with a lace curtain that I purchased at a thrift store. It gave such a elegant and delicate look to this antique table. 
I applied Color of Sweden's Gustav along with Paint Couture glazes, Zinc and Weathered Wood. Artisan Enhancements Clear Finish was applied for a nice matte finish.
If you are interested in learning the art of embossing, I teach a class and you can go here to register. 

Twins
I've worked on many projects that have had issues but this was by far the worst yet! I am going to share several photos with you on this make over. Remember if you have a piece that is damaged you can make it look totally different with just a few tricks. 


BEFORE
Putty added to some of the damaged sides

Embossing Before Paint

Embossed Drawer Fronts Before Paint

Painted and Glazed with Wooden Applique Added

Glass knobs added to the completed table


I invite you to leave a comment or question on this post. I would love to hear from you. We are open every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9-5. New items are arriving daily and we have completely flipped the store recently. Our web store is open everyday for your shopping convenience. You may go here to shop.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Embossed Angel Wings on Antique High Boy

I bought a nice 2 Drawer Oak High Boy with 2 doors. I knew exactly what I wanted to do this piece when I laid eyes on it! Those doors would be perfect to emboss the Angel Wing Stencil from Artisian Enhancements. Here's a BEFORE picture of the high boy. I also knew that I would not leave those original knobs on the drawers or doors. I chose Paint Couture's British Gray for my paint with a mixture of Paint Couture's Weathered Wood and Zinc for my glaze. Here's a BEFORE picture of the high boy.




And here's the AFTER. Oh what a difference a little paint will do to a piece!



The Angel Wings were embossed using VP Antico by Artisan Enhancements. I also used the color shaper to push the VP Antico through the stencil to create a nice raised textured look. After the VP Antico was dry, I applied one coat of Paint Couture's Matte Finish, and then the glaze mix was applied. 
In the picture above you may have noticed the doors are missing hardware. I couldn't decide what I wanted on those cute doors. I finally painted two pulls with British Gray and topped them with Paint Couture's gilding wax in Gunmetal Tulle. I love that if you have hardware that's the wrong color, no worries it's an easy fix! Nothing a little paint and gilding wax can't transform.
Here's the finished cabinet in the store ready to sale. 
More up cycling coming soon! Leave a comment or question and I promise I'll respond. I love to talk paint.









Friday, July 8, 2016

Up-Cycle With Chalk and Clay Paints by American Paint Company

Have you ever bought the shoes before the outfit? I have a few times if I REALLY love the shoes! I bought a french provincial side table and oddly enough this table didn't have the usual hardware on it. It had a pull knob that was not very pretty in my opinion, so I immediately found the perfect knob. Ordinarily, I pick my paint color and then the hardware but not this time. I chose a paint color that would compliment my knob. I wanted texture and I wanted a pop of color. I mixed two colors Beach Glass and Shoreline, to make a custom mix of a beautiful blue.



After painting the table, I distressed the drawer and a few other areas. I applied a coat of American Paint Company's Top Coat for the finish. All of American Paint Company's products are all natural so all your painting can be done indoors. 
I used an all over stencil on the drawer sides to add a special touch. 

  
This one didn't stay on the floor long before someone gave it a new home. 
We are open at Fresh every Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9-5. Stop by and let me help you get started and up-cycle some of your furniture!






Leave a comment or a question!

Monday, July 4, 2016

The Chalky Look Added to a Side Table

How do you get that "chalky" old world look that is popular? It's quite simple if you use American Paint Company's Chalk and Clay paints. Here is a picture of the French Provincial side table that I painted with American Paint's Rushmore and Gunpowder mixed 1:1. 




 After two coats of the Rushmore and Gunpowder mixture I left it to dry for several hours. To achieve depth and more texture I loaded my Artisan Enhancements brush with Paint Couture's Italian Ivory and dry brushed. When you dry brush be sure and off load your brush so that there is almost no paint on the brush. I like to use the Artisan Enhancements flat brush for this application. 




 After dry brushing, Artisan Enhancements Top Coat was added to seal the paint and add a nice finish that will be very durable. I applied two coats of the Top Coat. I highly recommend this Top Coat for all your paints - it's very easy and dries in 24 hours. 
The hardware was also dry brushed with Italian Ivory and then sealed with top coat. 



 I'm very pleased with my "chalky" make over! It will be put on the floor in hopes of a new home. Leave a comment on what you think about this look. Do you like the chalky finish or the smooth finish?
If you want to find out more on how to achieve this look please visit us at Fresh on 403 College Street in Jasper or go to www.freshjaspertexas.com









Monday, June 27, 2016

Paint Couture Russian Red, Black Walnut Glaze, and a little Crackle

I have a hard time deciding on a color when I paint. I usually go to Pinterest or my magazine stack to get inspiration. I've always loved the color red and for this piece I chose one of my favorites by Paint Couture, Russian Red with Black Walnut Glaze. Paint Couture has one of the prettiest reds of all the paint suppliers. It's especially pretty with Paint Couture's Black Walnut Glaze. And of course everything looks good with a little Paint Couture Crackle so that gorgeous glaze can ooze into those tiny cracks to give you depth and texture! If you haven't tried these products and you are interested in painting furniture - fair warning you will be hooked!
Here is the small desk I painted in Paint Couture Russian Red  and Black Walnut Glaze by Paint Couture. 




Here's how I painted this desk:
I painted two coats of Russian Red and that needed about 4 hours to dry. I then took the Crackle Step 1 and painted the top and the shelf beneath. Crackle 1 goes on milky but after about 45 minutes it dries clear and is very sticky. Here's a picture of the Crackle 1 and how it looks when you brush it on.


Once your Crackle 1 has dried you are ready for step two Crackle. This medium is very thick and you must not over work this step. The thicker you brush it on the bigger the crackle. So I usually do some areas thicker so I get a variation of crackle effect. Here is a picture of the crackle after it's dried and prior to the Black Walnut Glaze. Isn't that a gorgeous red!





I like to let my crackle set over night or at least 8 hours. It doesn't take very long for you to see cracks after 30 minutes but it needs plenty of time to dry and cure before you apply the glaze.
I applied the Black Walnut Glaze after my crackle had cured.





I added the gold arrow drawer pull once the desk was complete. This project took me a couple of days to complete! Yes, it's just that simple to do a make over with a furniture piece with our paints and products. I love to talk paint and I invite you to stop by Fresh and ask me any questions you may have about painting. We also invite you to contact us about setting up a date to bring your small project into the studio to paint on location where we can guide you. We call this our "U Schedule It" Workshop. 
Leave me a comment or question on this post! I'll be back with more makeovers next week. If you are in Jasper I'll be in the studio Monday working on more furniture. Stop by and see what's getting painted and made over.








Saturday, June 25, 2016

Vanity Make Over Using Colors of Sweden


This sweet vanity was in good condition but it needed something to bring it out of it's drab existence! What better way to do that than a Color of Sweden color with Paint Couture Glaze and Paint Couture Crackle? 
After cleaning with Simple Green, I applied two coats of Misty Fjord by Colors of Sweden. I love the hues of the Colors of Sweden paints. Here is the color board for all the Colors of Sweden - it's hard to pick just one! Micki Coles the inventor of the Colors of Sweden has been painting for many years and she has some really informative you-tube videos. You can go here and see how she applies glaze to a cabinet door.
It is recommended to let the paint dry for four hours. I had fans going in the studio so it dried fairly fast. Next I applied Step 1 of the Crackle Medium which is a size that needs to dry for at least 45 minutes to an hour. It goes on milky but dries clear and will be very sticky when it's dry. You can apply two coats of size if you want bigger crackle but I wanted it smaller.
When the Step 1 Crackle Medium is dry I then applied the Step 2 Crackle Medium. It's very thick and I brushed it on with a chip brush. There a few important facts to know about using Step 2. DO NOT over work and the thicker you apply the medium the bigger the cracks. I like a variation in my cracks so I apply it thick in some places and light in others. You will notice cracking quickly but you need to let it dry for at least 8 hours or more. 
Once the crackle was dry I applied Paint Couture Glaze. I love the mixture of Zinc and Weathered Wood to get a nice shade of gray. I used 2 parts of Weathered Wood to 1 part of Zinc. Have you ever applied glaze? I have several different ways that I like to apply glaze and it seems to work well for me. Leave me a comment and share with me how you apply your glazes. 
Here a few pictures of the final make over. 




Friday, June 24, 2016

Coffee Bar Talk




Pinterest is packed with ideas for cute coffee bars. My favorite are those that use re-purposed pieces of furniture and I've painted a few for the shop in the past few years. This one is an antique radio cabinet minus the radio. I painted it Miss Mustard Seed's Yellow and replaced the old fabric that covered the speakers with stenciled burlap. 
The ornate wood arch hanging above the mustard yellow cabinet came from an antique wash stand. I've painted several of these when I find them and they are great for framing a sign, a mirror, add hooks to hang cups or dish towels, and so many other uses. 

Have you up-cycled anything lately? I'm working on several painting projects right now and I will share those when I'm finished. I'll be working in the studio at Fresh tomorrow from 9-5, so if you need help getting your paint or supplies stop by. July 18th is our next scheduled workshop in the studio. But did you know that we offer workshops at your convenience? Just email me with a date and time that is good for you and we will coordinate a date. Classes are listed on our website and you can go here to register.
I do have a warning for you though, if you learn to paint, it's very addictive and you may not want to do anything else! Have a wonderful day and leave me a comment. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Painting Laminate Counter Top


 This is laminate from the 50's or 60's era. Most of you have probably encountered this white sparkly counter top at some point. It has little flecks of gold and silver. My grandmother had this on her counters when she and my grandpa built their home. 
A friend of mine called and wanted me to look at some items that were in an old store she was liquidating. She thought there might be a few items that I may want to paint. I came home with a few items and this old counter was one of the treasures I bought. 
It had a door but I removed it because I wanted open shelving. 
I added bead board and trim to the front and sides. 
I painted the top and added embossing medium by Paint Couture and used my wood grain applicator to give it a new faux top.


Wood grain is an easy way to cover the laminate and give it a totally different look. Do you have laminate counter tops in your bathrooms or kitchen? This is an easy and economical way to change the look of those cabinets. 



 I purchased my bead board at my local Lowe's and cut it to fit the front of my cabinet with my miter saw. I then used my staple air gun to attach the boards. Paint Couture Angelic was painted to the front and sides of the cabinet and then Black Chiffon Glaze by Paint Couture was applied. Glaze is great to use on bead board since it goes into the grooves and gives depth and dimension to the look.


The picture above shows the steps I used to get this look. When doing the wood grain look you add the colors that you wish to show through for the grain. I chose black, brown, tan, and white for my colors. 


I'm pleased with the make over. 



And here's the finished cabinet in the store. I may add casters to the base later because I think it would make it more convenient to use. 


If you would like to learn how to make over your counter tops with a little paint and embossing medium stop by the shop and I'll help you get started. We also have a great website to order the products and you can go here to place an order. 
Please leave me a comment on here! Have a blessed day and keep on painting!