Saturday, March 9, 2013

Mid-Century Modern Cabinet Make Over

Welcome back my lovelies!

Cape Town is abuzz and gearing up for the spectacular, but gruelling Cape Argus Pick n Pay cycle tour. Our weather is getting cooler and it looks like winter is coming around early!

Anyway back to my post!

I loved this retro cabinet when I saw it on Bid or Buy Crazy R1 auction. I love the clean, simple lines of the piece and it did'nt look like it needed too much work. I put up a maximum bid of R100 (about $10) and nobody else bid higher, so this baby came home to me!
Here is the before! I did'nt let the dark scorch marks and the water marks on the top put me off!
  
Here is my messy kitchen counter!

See the bowl of salad in the background? Bad girl, I forget to eat when I'm excited to see the end result!




For the transformation I used CeCe Caldwell Omaha Ochre as a base color, and layered Alaskan Tundra Green over that. The green was also used on the legs. The sides and the trim was done in Young Kansas Wheat. Now, the colors looked very light, but I knew that the wax would kick it up a notch!
The antique dress form image is from The Graphics Fairy. There are many to choose from, but after much deliberation, I settled on this one!
I used the graphite transfer method, paint pens and Heritage acrylic paint to complete the transfer. Then I spotted the cute Frenchy gift tag in my stash. I modge podged it onto the drawer front, aged it up a bit and distressed the edges! I think it makes a sweet addition to the overall look. Once again 'Less is not more' for Moi!
The distressing on the cabinet was done with a damp rag, I applied clear wax and then light ageing wax!
I bought the cute crystal knobs at Handles Inc. They have a huge variety of hardware and I spotted some awesome hardware for that farmhouse look and made a note to self!


Is she a cutie or what?!!! This cabinet will be a cool addition to my soon-to-be craft room!


I also dabbled a bit in mixed media, but more about that later!
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Sunday, March 3, 2013

Grainsack inspired side table with French graphic

Hello my lovelies and welcome back!

She loves me, she loves me not!
I sat in a corner, all lonely and sad. Nobody cared a hoot or so it seemed. I watched all my homies getting a make over, looking all fab, getting all the ooh's and aah's, primping their stuff and my heart ached!
Was it ever going to be my turn??
Then one day I got scooped up and my heart (thumpa-de-thump) sang with joy!
Here I am after a layer of blue-grey paint!

I am finally shedding my plain Jane blah appearance and looking forward to my new look!

My legs and flanks got a layer of creamy-white paint...I love all this pampering....feeling good baby...yeah!

Then I was given these cute stripes...I heard her say that its grainsack inspired. Now I don't have the foggiest, but I was enjoying the ride!

Then she disappeared which felt like hours and I started to panic...had she given up on me now?!!...Noooo!

Then she re-appeared with a print in hand and I heard her say that its the Pappillon graphic from The Graphics Fairy. It took her a while to decide because there are so many awesome stuff offered on the site!

Well, she started vigorously scratching on the back of the paper with a graphite stick and I lifted an eyebrow...what now? I tried to guess her next move!

Then she placed the paper face up on my hood and started tracing the graphic...Ouch, that hurt just a little!

Then she grabbed paint pens and went over what she had traced. Next she used the same technique to transfer a little bird on a branch!

Then she distressed the heck outta me...'suffer for beauty' I silently moaned!

Then I got lovingly waxed and buffed....that felt good and made up for my earlier 'suffering' and then for the big reveal!

I am flipping with happines, I am strutting my stuff. I think I am darn cute now...!  
I am not just a pretty face...cos I have storage for magazines, remotes and such under my hood!



 






 



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Saturday, March 2, 2013

Spring green, roses and lace


 
Happy Saturday!!! Can you guess what this is?


 
I was painting a plain pine table and the reflection of the lace curtain shone on the table surface. My heart started racing with excitement because an idea started forming in my head.
 
Just an idea and no plan for executing it...that normally gets my heart racing!
 
I popped into the fabric shop on my way to work and bought a scrap of lace fabric.
 
The day dragged on...all I wanted to do was to get home and try this crazy idea of mine! When I got home from work that day, I had ants in my pants, because early evening is family time, so little pine table had to wait a while!!!
 
Once the house was quiet I jumped into action still hoping that I was onto something here!
 
I think by now you've guessed it...yes?! I did a lace stencil over the top of the table....

 
 
The background color is a mix of blue and grey paint. I secured the scrap of lace over the top, took the table out into the yard and spray painted all over the lace. When the paint was dry I carefully removed the lace fabric and Wow! I fell in love...LOL
 
Then I thought, won't she look adorable with dipped legs? I used painters tape to close off the parts that I wanted to stay the original color and out to the yard she went again. This time to spray paint the exposed bits!
 
Such a fun piece!
 
Have you had any crazy ideas lately?
 
 
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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Showing her softer side - Cabinet make over

Hello and welcome back!

Do you remember this cabinet I picked up on the fleamarket for next to nothing? I promised to show you her new look...
 
 
 
Drum roll...curtain rising...silence, hold your breath and Ta Dah!!!


I love that she is much softer now with shades of creamy white and coastal blue!
 
And guess what?! I wet distressed this baby. I loved it so much I nearly overdid it!
 
I added layers of milk paint from Here in the color lichi.

The trim was given a coat of soft blue accented by silver giding paste. After distressing with a wet rag I gave her some clear wax followed by light ageing wax.
I dived into my craft supply bin and hauled out this flower applique and gave it the same color blue followed by the gilding paste and attached it to the cabinet with gorilla glue.
 
This cabinet has these pull outs for the door to rest on when you open the door (the door flips down). The little knobs were missing, so I glued on tiny wooden knobs which I painted blue as well.
Now for the vignette!
 
This was a black lightweight metal bucket which I've given a faux zinc finish and added the No 1. I will share how I did it in another post...easy...peasy! I filled the bin with pretty hydrangeas!
 
A vintage tea pot also filled with hydrangeas...I love the patina on this piece!
Pretty silver picture frames and a tall candle holder topped with a blue scented candle!
Subway art poster...not done by moi, but I can do this!
 
 Do you love her softer side?!
Do you think she is oh so gorgeous now?!
 
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Saturday, February 16, 2013

Woo Hoo! My revived French inspired blanket box

Hello and welcome back!

Lightbulb moment! 

Just realised that so far this year I've been able to do a post at least once a week.....HIYA!!!! 

It does mean having to work a couple of hours every night...so I am holding up 2 jobs....not bad for a 52 year old, I reckon!
This blanket box sat in my garage for over a year. I found her in a neglected and abused state and she went through more pain and suffering during our move! I finally decided to give her some much needed LOVE!




Here is the before!
BLAH brown,amputated leg, rough around the edges, brassy handles, scratched up, water marked...this gal lived a hard life!
I did surgery on her leg with Gorilla wood glue and filled all her nicks and rough edges with Liberon neutral!

I gave her a few layers of creamy white color and a wash of 'Dusk of days'over the top! I applied some gesso over the hardware followed by the same color I used for the top!


Next I used the graphite method to transfer the French Typography to the top of the blanket box!I went over the words and scrolls with my paint pen. The image is from The Graphics Fairy.

To finish her off I gave her some distressing, and some clear and dark wax from CeCe Caldwell!
I love the way she looks now!

Notice my dressing table in the background? Its in the same imbuia ball and claw style!
I want to show you this pretty pin cushion....not made by Moi..I bought it at Still Life in Long Street!
And of course Miss G had to sneak into the pictures...LOL
That's it from me. Hope you have a wonderful week!

You can often find me at these parties:












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