Vintage Steamer Trunk

This may be my favorite makeover project to date.  I found this trunk last weekend at a yard sale.  There were actually two of them and I feel like a huge ditz for leaving the second one behind.  It did have a hole in the bottom of it which could have been repaired, but I didn't want to bother with it.  It was $2.  How could I have done that?

This trunk is probably from the 80's.  It's not a metal trunk.  The outer skin is thin wood with a paper covering and the straps are plastic, but nonetheless, this is a great decorating piece.

I painted the outer skin of the trunk with Annie Sloan Graphite.  When I took the Annie Sloan workshop a couple of years ago, they assured me that the paint would stick to anything and it's sticking fine to this trunk.  After the initial paint application, I used two different Maison de Stencil stencils and then used a striping stencil to place the stripes.  To visit the Maison de Stencil website click here.

The gold paint I use is by Modern Masters and it works the best of all the gold paints I have found.  I went back in with a wash of burnt umber over the gold to antique the lettering a little bit.

When all the painting was done, I applied a clear wax.  I applied the wax to the plastic straps and the edging.

I stenciled all the sides and the top of the trunk in case someone wants to use it as a coffee table.

Here is the before photo of how this piece looked when I purchased it.  I'd say it underwent a total transformation.

Thanks so much for your visits.
I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
      
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           

Sweet Petite Night Table

Today I finished two of what might be my favorite projects and the lighting for my photos was awful no matter where I placed these two pieces so I'm apologizing in advance.  That said, I found this adorable petite accent table last week at a yard sale.  This is a Bombay Company table with a sliding shelf and she is ever so sweet.  However, when I purchased her for a whopping $6, she was literally in pieces. 

I assembled all her parts and brought her home and proceeded to clamp and glue all the little pieces back together.  I painted her with Old Ochre Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and applied some joint compound using a plain old Martha Stewart stencil from Michael's.  This gave her some little Frenchy details and added to her already sweet personality.  For the tutorial on reverse modge podge click here and for the tutorial on doing the joint compound click here.

Since the little shelf slid in and out, I found a Graphics Fairy post card image and reverse mod podged the image onto the shelf.  I also shabbied the little table with my sander to give it an aged patina.

After applying the joint compound with the stencil, I went back and sealed it up with more Old Ochre and then placed the stencil back over the design and touched it up with white acrylic craft paint. 

I think she turned out very sweet.  I would love to see where she ends up.  I know she'll find a good home.

Here is the before photo of the top.  Even the track for the shelf was off.  She was in bad shape, but even still I could see the wonderful potential this sweet little table had.

Thanks for stopping by.
I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
      
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           


here

Mammabellarte Soldering Class

Yesterday I had the most wonderful day.  I made another trip south with one of my new friends, Rosemary, from Christie Repasy's class.  We drove down to the little town of Rainbow, California and took a private soldering class with Rita Reade of Mammabellarte.  There is always something magical to me about being in another artist's workshop.  I always walk away so inspired and renewed.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I enrolled in this class.  It was Rosemary's idea and I thought sure, it would be fun to learn a few new tricks and I have wanted to do a few little jewelry projects so I signed up.  The project far exceeded my expectations.

We did three different charms and learned several techniques and tricks of the trade.  Here is Rita's project.  It was just the three of us in the class, two eager beaver students and the maestro, and when I say maestro, Rita is Italian through and through complete with the most wonderful accent.  I could listen to her forever.  She also treated us to a delightful home cooked lunch and fresh homemade bread.

I asked Rita about coming north to teach another class.  I would love to do a crown class.  I'm looking for another five like minded artsy types so if any of you in the Los Angeles area are interested, please let me know so I can get a fall class together.  It's a wonderful day and you won't be disappointed.

Now, as Rita came out to greet us, I spotted this gutted piano along with some other projects she's working on.  I'm sharing this with you because I bet you can't guess what she's doing with this wonderful relic.  You won't guess so I will have to tell you.  She's turning it into a piano bar!  It will have glass shelving, the keys will be covered with Plexiglas for glassware and whatnot's and the bottom will have shelving for bottles.  This is what I call thinking outside the box or the piano as Rita would have it.  The creative mind is a terrible thing to waste so let your imagination go wild and have fun while you're doing it.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
         
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           

Verdigris Finish and Beachy Blue

I hit a few yard sales on Saturday and it was slim pick'ins all the way around.  It's unbelievably hot here and either people were busy getting ready for Mother's Day or they got scared off by our triple digit temps.  I did however happen to score some new frames and I actually tried a new product I want to share with you.

All of these frames started out getting a healthy coat of my aqua paint.  Any aqua will work.  I used Valspar latex.  These first two frames were natural pine and unfinished.  I applied two coats of my paint and before it was totally dry I took a wet rag and wiped the paint back.  I call this my beachy blue look.  The frames are simple, not my usual ornate look, but I think with a casual farm house look or beach house decor these are great.

I wanted a more aged old world look for the fancier frames which both started out with a metallic champagne gold finish.  I dry brushed the aqua paint and then applied antique gold Rub'nBuff.  I loved the look, but still wanted a more antiqued look.

I made a quick trip to the art store, told the sales clerk what I was going for and this is what she recommended.  I knew when I saw the Modern Masters label I couldn't go wrong.  I don't get any compensation from Modern Masters when I recommend their products.  If fact, they have never heard of me and have no clue who I am.

I just know when I use their products I am never disappointed in the results.  So here is how I finished these last two frames.  I took a sponge brush applicator and applied the copper paint to my frames in a random pattern.  While the copper was still wet, I spritzed on the blue patina solution.  It took a few minutes to start to see the reaction but within about 40 minutes I had patina to spare.  When the two products combine there is a definite chemical reaction.   You can't get any easier than that.  I love the results.  I did a verdigris finish a few months ago and it was a lot of work.  This is so much easier.  I also got the rust paint and I am going to share that with you later this week.

I'm working on some fun projects I hope to share with you in the next few days, one of them being this rust paint finish, but tomorrow I'm off to my class with Rita Reade of Mammabellart.  I'm taking my camera and I will definitely share what I learn in the class.  Thanks so much for visiting.

I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
         
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           

Petite French Coffee Table with Mirrored Top

Happy Mother's Day everyone.  I finally have a piece of furniture to share with you, and even though this is incredibly petite, it makes up for it with charm and personality.

I found this at the flea market last week and the only thing wrong with it in my view was that one whole side of the frame was completely unglued and ready to fall off.  I'm shocked the mirror had not broken, but at any rate, I knew this was a five-minute repair that even I could handle. 

So home it came, and within 10 minutes it was on the workbench, glued and reclamped.  I confess I had to warn my husband he was not to touch the finish because it was already aged to perfection!

He tends to like things with a fresh coat of paint, but I knew this was a gem in and of itself, and chippy and rustic she shall remain.

If I worked on this finish for a week, I don't think I could have duplicated this wonderful patina.

I'm tickled pink with this incredible find and the only thing I can take credit for is these fabulous pink roses.  This is my first crop of New Dawns.  They arrived just in time for Mother's Day. 

Thanks so much for visiting.  I hope all of you are having a wonderful day.

I may be partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
           
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays