A few painting projects at home …

I find great pleasure in picking up a paintbrush & taking on a few decor projects; not usually walls but furniture that needs a lift. Before anyone raises the issue, no antique or vintage furniture is painted, just rather ordinary wooden things that have a new lease of life. 

At least a decade ago, I did a few Annie Sloan paint courses to learn the techniques needed to update ordinary but dated furniture & I’m still inclined to personalise & modernise. 

My breaks from tutoring are always a time to catch up with such things & to tick some off my list. 

The gold frame of the Ethiopian crosses was in desperate need of an uplift. It had hung in a different room but was moved around & it did not work any longer. 

I decided on a creamy white paint & it looks better against the handwoven fabric with the brass & silver crosses. The wall it hangs against is a creamy Natural Calico colour so the gold was jarring. 

The cream frame now allows the crosses to take centrepiece with their interesting & unusual designs. 

This tea trolley has had several paint transformations when the living room still had a red wall which has now gone. However,  it is needed in the craft / sewing room upstairs as it was a better height to the one that is  in use because it was just too low & was creaking my back working at it. 

This paint is useful because it has a built in wax. 

It was painted in what I thought would be a browner shade but it turned out a little more grey. However, since everything else is cream in that room, it will be fine & the additional working space the 2 side flaps is useful for projects. 

The third project was to re-wax the top of the conservatory sideboard so it was once again more waterproof. I redid the cream backboards recently in the same brand of paint but in cream & I was impressed with it. 

The conservatory sideboard is used all the time & needs to be robust for drinks, food, cake stands & just about anything else. 

Last week was a hot week & the wax stayed tacky for several days, necessitating polishing it several times to smooth it out while it sets & hardens. 

However, it is once again more waterproof with an even finish which is a job well done.  

It goes well with the cream sideboard back & the slightly darker sides & shelves. 

Three much needed jobs ticked off my list, time well spent on projects I enjoy doing. 

Do you stack similar jobs up to do so when you have everything out it is easier to do? What are you busy with at present? Tell all … 

Thank-you for stopping by, it is always appreciated. 

Dee 🖌️🎨👩‍🎨🖼️

Bringing some loveliness to an old sewing box ...

Hi Everyone

I believe your home should reflect who you are & be filled with things you love & that you love having around you. Your home is your space, your sanctuary so you can please yourself with your decor.  I change things around often because that is my personality ...

I am enjoying the final half term of this academic year - where has the time gone? I always love to have a project or two to work on.  Some will remember the sewing box I updated some years back so that it fits in to the living room.

However, I saw another, more compact vintage one with a solid lid that I thought would be good in our conservatory where I often sew because of the lovely light in there. However, the dark, dated wood was never going to woo me because our conservatory is light & bright.  The red corduroy fabric with date trimming had to go but it is solid so that is important.

I stripped the fabric out, sanded the glue & previous fabric remains off, then wiped it all down, ready for the next step. 

I always keep a supply of my favourite Annie Sloan Chalk Paint at home so I am always ready for a project. I did an Annie Sloan painting course to learn the techniques some years back & it gave me the confidence to just pick up brushes & do it .... 

My roll of corrugated cardboard is always used to protect our table because I like painting at eye level where possible. This sewing basket has a shallow drawer too which is good. 

Mmmm I will be needing another tin of Annie Sloan Old White paint soon as well. 

First coat done, however, this dark furniture often has a shellac varnish which sometimes bleeds though the paint - this is going to be one of those projects that need a few coats of paint.

Better coverage with the second coat - it is looking brighter already!

Because the sewing box will be used in the conservatory, overlooking the garden, I decided to do some decoupage on it too.  I had found some lovely serviettes with hydrangeas on them while out & because they were in my favourite colours,  I knew they would be perfect.  I am an advocate of life long learning  did a local decoupage course so I knew the techniques I needed. 

Lots of colour but this is a project that can be fun - I am loving the pinks on the lid ...

Why stop at the top - the drawer was painted in  Annie Sloan Henrietta which had been lightened with Old White  - mainly because my Old White was almost finished & this was a way around the problem & because it would fit in well anyhow.

I was on a roll & decided to decoupage the inside of the lid too. I used my hairdryer to dry the layers of Modpodge on the images. 

I usually wet distress (wiping off some paint while still wet with a finger or a cloth) but I decided to sand this one to distress (a messier process .... )

Time for clear wax to protect the surface ...

This process can't be hurried ...

The change from dated to colourful ... 

Ready to be used to contain all those bits which are needed for sewing projects - I know this will be perfect because it is both functional & beautiful & that is what I demand from things in my home.

I always love to have a half term project & this has been a good one which used several of my skills - that is why I do courses .... 

Thanks for stopping by & spending your time with me, 

Dee ~♥~

Some mirrors need updating ...

Hi everyone,

Our weather has turned wet & at times wintery & after a really busy week's tutoring, I got in on Thursday afternoon & just needed to calm out.

As I popped my bags down, I passed the gold mirror in our inner hall way & I knew that was going to be my calming out project. It has been on my to-do list for ages & it just moved to the top of the list!

I keep this large roll of corrugated cardboard handy in the garage with the Annie Sloan Chalk Paints because it is a great size on the table in the conservatory.

I like to mask off the mirror to make it easier when painting & waxing ... How dated the gold looks!

First coast of Annie Sloan Old White & it looks so much better & I could paint & enjoy the garden at the same time - that is my calming mode ...

Two coats of Old White were needed to cover the gold paint, then left to dry & still time to wax it.

I clear waxed it all, then added some dark wax to the details to give it some interest, then buffed it.

Time to hang it back in the inner hallway, opposite the stairs. I always do a full length check from the bottom stair before leaving the house ...

Much better - it compliments the Natural Calico walls & looks more modern, a job well done!

Sometimes, 1 job leads to another & as I headed upstairs, I realised the two mirrors on the landing outside all the bedrooms needed to be done too ...

These two mirrors face each other & they are brilliant at giving an all round view of the daily outfit. However, the one was gold & the other was in need of a fresh coat of paint too.

So on a cold Shropshire morning, they came down to be prepared for painting.

It is nice to watch the odd snowflake drift past & the birds hungrily feeding in the garden ... 

All done,  they just need to be clear waxed then they will go back upstairs where they will blend in rather than scream out ...

Do you have a to do list that doesn't seem to get any shorter? However, it is satisfying to make simple changes that makes our space more pleasing to the eye & that we like living with.

What is on your to-do list? Does it involve paint? Thanks for stopping by & taking the time to comment,
Dee ~♥~

A replacement mirror needs painting ...

Hi everyone,

I know that many of you are handy at decorating & love tinkering about the home.

The lovely mirror in one of the girls bedrooms made its home in Birmingham with A Wondering Star daughter. I was pleased that it is enjoyed in a different setting and I have been looking for a replacement one that is both a generous size and one that could be painted again.

Luckily, I found this large sized one locally and decided it would be a good replacement mirror.

I was not daunted by the silver colour because I knew it would need a make over. I rather liked the bevelled mirror & deep, generous frame.

I started by taping up the mirror to make it easier for painting.  The tape gives a neat edge without fussing about removing paint so is always worth doing.

The generous modern frame was painted in Annie Sloan's Graphite - the same intense colour which was used on the first one.

I decided to use the same Annie Sloan Graphite Chalk paint again & as the name suggests, it is the colour of pencil lead. As you can see from the state of the tin, it is a well used colour.

Goodbye silver, hello graphite ....

I love how Graphite brings out the curves of the shape of the frame as it highlights the details ...

Lovely frame depth & detail ...

Once the paint dries, it looks matt & not very exciting ...

Time for waxing - I want a deep colour so am using the dark wax.  You can see how the colour intensifies as soon as you wipe wax on it.

Smooth, shiny, dark finish once the wax is lightly buffed.

The frame was left overnight for the wax to harden before it was ready to be hung up in the upstairs bedroom above the chest of drawers.  You can see from this photos how big the mirror is - really generous, solid wooden mirror.

It looks perfect in the bedroom - another paint job completed!

Do you change things about & are you in favour of painted details? Thanks for stopping by & for taking the time to comment.
Dee ~♥~

Helping out with some projects …

Hi everyone
As my regular visitors know, I always have a project or two on the go all the time. I love changing things around & trying out new things.

I have always been keen to wield a paintbrush when needed & some years back, I did some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint courses to familiarise myself with all the techniques that are so popular because I believe that we should always be prepared to learn new skills …

Some of my projects include -
Creating a uniform entrance hall

Painting a vintage frame

Painting an elegant graphite mirror

A vintage suitcase is transformed

Updating a vintage sewing box

Updating a tea trolley

making a picture ledge

Emperor Silk for my personal desk

I am also happy to try my hand at various sewing projects which came in handy too

New cushions for the summer house

Making a fabulous new headboard for uni

My Friend Ellie has been busy on a project for a new built-in headboard.   She tells the story over on her blog

I was called on to help out with the painting as she has not used Annie Sloan chalk paints. We got advice - and paint from a fabulous local supplier who looked at the inspiration picture & advised on the steps we should follow to achieve the results.  I always like to consult a professional, independent person because their experience makes the process much more successful

Then, with a bag of Annie Sloan paints in my hand, we headed off to Term Cottage to begin the painting.  Ellie had bought some lovely mouldings from a local hardware supplier I had used for a previous projects so we first made some tea then planned the painting - important step to be sure what we were to do.

First step - a coat of Old White to cover the primer & to give it a good colour to distress back to.

Old White on the mouldings to give a colour to distress back to …

Then boldness - the colour Ellie chose - Annie Sloan Provence

The coat of Annie Sloan Provence now completely covering the Old White

Then dry brushing with Annie Sloan French Linen to give depth & age to the moulded details …

I like distressing by using a damp rag & wiping back gently through the paint layers because I find it less messy than sanding, and because I find it easier to control how much distressing is being done.

I wiped back the mouldings, going with the curves & lines to emphasise the lines. Some were taken back to the Old White paint, others parts less so, & French Linen was dry brushed in to the curves.

The main headboard part was brushed with French Linen to bring in the brown colour, done so that it blends in to give depth.

Waxing time - clear wax brushed on & gently rubbed to deepen the colour  ….

The last two are Ellie's photos  - the routed top board is added to the headboard which ties in with the French Linen colour used …

I left Ellie to add any further touches she wanted then returned to help with the cushions that hang in the middle.  I LOVE the fabric choice.

We cut & sewed 2 hanging cushions to form a padded headboard. The fabric choice is so lovely and the completed project is beautiful.

The paint work on this project was interesting to get the right balance between the 3 Annie Sloan colours of:
                  - Old White
                 - Provence
                 - French Linen

Once waxed with clear wax, the colours deepen too so I am very pleased with the paintwork, especially on the mouldings where there is real depth of colour which is reminiscent of old, time worn pieces.

A great project for the space & it looks fabulous & is functional as well ….

I hope this has given you some idea of how complex it is to see a project through from vision to completion. I am very pleased to have been able to contribute my skills to her vision.

Thanks for stopping by & for reading the post. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dee ~♥~