PAINTING GRAY & WHITE FURNITURE FOR KATIE'S NEW HOME

PAINTING GRAY & WHITE FURNITURE FOR KATIE'S NEW HOME

Patti has funky wonderful taste and is helping a young school teacher decorate her new home.

She went shopping at Goodwill, thrift shops and probably estate sales, looking for furniture for Katie.

Then, she brought these pieces to me and asked me to paint them.

The dresser is (I think) Henredon and a very nice piece of furniture.

The armoire was pine.  Patti is going to cover the back of the armoire with fabric and it will be a tv cabinet.  You'll see the fabric back when it's open.

These are the handles that she chose to go on the gray and white pieces and I'm sure there are fabrics and accessories in the room in these colors, too.

Almost any paint finish I do takes several layers.  So, while I was painting the dresser drawers, I had to keep taking them in and out to paint the dresser frame.  I would stack them in this chair and they were a bit wobbly on that cushion.  

I kept hoping that guardian angel would watch over them and she did.

They did not fall!

This was a queen size pine bed and Patti wanted it painted white.  I'm sure she found something really neat to use as finials on top of all four posts.

These two pieces, I think she told me she found them at Goodwill.

You should see them painted white.  They were both just as cute and special as could be.

Remember, I showed you some things I painted for Patti's beach house?  

She brought this carved surfboard and it was painted blue where the gray is now.  I painted the gray, left the little orange stripe and the middle is the original color.

Can't you just see this hanging on the wall of her beach house!!

This is a close up of the paint finish.  I didn't distress the white, only the edges of the gray.

Patti and I moved all of the furniture in and out.  She's very strong, but it's always a bit of a struggle for me.  Somehow I always end up going backwards.  Not sure how that happens!

Bye, bye furniture!!

MY FIRST DIY eBOOK PAINTING WITH A GEL STAIN

MY FIRST DIY eBOOK PAINTING WITH A GEL STAIN

Recently, I completed my first instructional eBook.  
It's about painting a door, but you could use the same information for painting woodwork trim in your home, a piece of furniture, kitchen cabinets or anything that might be painted with paint and you want it to look like a stained wood.
 ~

A client got a new front door and it had a white primer on it.  She wanted a dark stained wooden front door but the one she wanted was really expensive.  A friend told her that it was easy to stain the white one with a gel stain and make it look similar to the one she liked.  Since she's not really a painter, it was a challenge for her and didn't turn out the way she thought it would and gave up!

So, she brought it to me.

I work with gel stains a lot and decided to compose an eBook to show how I work with gel stains because they're a little tricky to work with.  This 13 page eBook shows you step by step how I use my brush strokes to simulate wood grain.

If you are wanting to change any door, cabinet or piece of furniture and would like to see my technique, here is a link to purchase my very first eBook in PDF form.

PAINT A WHITE DOOR TO LOOK LIKE A STAINED WOOD DOOR USING GEL STAIN

If you're interested in my eBook, but would rather have a 

"PRINT COPY"

that is available for purchase, also.
Thank you for your interest!

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

There are lots of monarch butterflies visiting my garden right now.  I grow butterfly weed and eupatorium just for this time of year, when they will be passing through on their journey to Mexico.  Most butterflies live a couple of weeks or a couple of months, but the fourth generation of the spring/summer season monarch butterflies live 9 months and their story is incredible!  The monarchs are everywhere in town right now.  I'm hoping that no one will delay their journey by putting them in a jar or in a cage.  They are on a mission of survival.  Most of them will be moving on south with the winds of the next cold front.

ENJOY THEIR BEAUTY!!

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

(youtube.com)

A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS FOR YOU

A BOUQUET OF FRESH FLOWERS FOR MY FRIENDS

The flowers in my garden are perking up and loving the cooler weather.  

Soon, they will be dropping seeds to ensure that life will go on.

This is a beautiful time of year.

THE GARDEN SHED FLOOR & PREPPING FOR WINTER

THE GARDEN SHED FLOOR & PREPPING FOR WINTER

Yesterday was "pet prep for winter" day.

I washed all of the bedding and cleaned out the garden shed.

For more pictures, visit my nature blog:

BIRDS & DAFFODILS

PAINTING ARTWORK ON CANVAS DROP CLOTHS

PAINTING ARTWORK ON CANVAS DROP CLOTHS

The holidays are right around the corner and I bet you're planning your decorations.

A very inexpensive and fun way to decorate is with canvas drop cloths.

These are the halloween drop cloths that I painted for a client.

You can paint these, too.

They were fun to paint!

I used craft paints.

  For all of the large metallic swipes that you see, I used a very wide brush.

Your kids would have so much fun painting these.

Just spread them out on your driveway and let'em go at it!!

Have fun!

A CONVERSATION WITH DONNIE ABOUT PAINTING FURNITURE

A CONVERSATION WITH DONNIE ABOUT PAINTING FURNITURE

On my blog, I have a tab labeled "Ask Me".  A few friends have asked questions there, but
I get lots of paint and painting questions through my email address.  I will always give you the best answer I can for your project.  There are a few special techniques that I'm still using in my business and would rather not give out that information, just yet.  For most questions though, please feel free to "Ask Me" or email me.
You'll find my email address on the "Ask Me" tab.
I would love to help you with your projects!
Below, is a conversation that I had with Donnie last week and thought you might find it helpful, too.

"Hey Lynda. I have a dresser and nite stand with bed . Head board and foot board. Frame and siderails. I also have the mirror that matches the dresser it does not mount to the dresser but hangs on the wall behind it. It is almost Identical. drawers and all to the one you did. How should I Finish these. Please reply back. I am trying to start a small business to help in my retirement. Thank you. Donnie in Ga."

"Hi Donnie,

     When I paint furniture, it's usually for a client and they're using it in their home and want the colors to go with that room's decor.  I have found that "decor" colors are "regional".  I'm not sure what your clientele will be, but you will need to paint what you think your client will want.  Your furniture is probably off white french provincial.  You could paint it white and distress it.  You could use a gel stain and make it look like stained wood.  Just read the instructions to do that or ask your paint store.  You can get tons of finishes and ideas from Google.  To get ideas of what your clientele might be, go to the flea markets and craft stores that sell furniture in your area.

     I do love painting furniture and hope you do very, very well in your business!

     Hope this was helpful.

Lynda"

"I just was thanking you for the tips. And I will let you know how things go. Im new at this but love doing it. Thanks"

DO YOU LIKE BRUSSEL SPROUTS, TOO?

I LOVE BRUSSEL SPROUTS!

Do you like brussel sprouts, too?

I love brussel sprouts!!

The first thing I do is soak them in water and pull off the loose leaves.  I save the clean leaves that I pull off and will cook them later.  The reason I pull off the loose leaves is to make sure there's no dirt on them.  Another reason is, once at a cafeteria I was eating broccoli and there was a very large bug in it.  Then, one time I was cleaning broccoli to cook and found a very large bug and it was still alive. 

I figured they came in from the farm. 

Soooo, any leaves that are loose or any other hiding places, I wash and check very carefully

To cook the brussel sprouts, I cut the ends off and cut each one in half.  I add chopped onions and grated carrots and my favorite spice.  Then, I pour olive oil all over everything and mix it up really well, making sure everything is covered with the olive oil.  I lay the brussel sprouts cut side down.

Last, I grate a little bit of cheese over all.

I cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour, til they're soft.  

I eat a lot while it's still hot.  Then, after it's cool, I put it all in little freezer bags and into the freezer it goes.  Cooking the brussel sprouts this way, it's still really good after it's been frozen.  I can have brussel sprouts often and my very favorite thing is to eat this with my breakfast.

You could add other vegetables, if you want, but this is my favorite way to cook brussel sprouts. And, I think it's a very nutritious way to cook them, too.

I guess you can tell that I really, really love brussel sprouts!!

Oh, and my little Charlie loves them, too.