Glad to be back!

I want to second Autumn's apology.  I spent the last week and half traveling to and from my home town of Tampa, FL, so I have been neglecting you.  Sooo sorry!  However, the trip was just fabulous.  I was able to spend lots of time with my friends and family.  I was also able to spark up some of my creative juices that had been running low since my move to Virginia almost three months ago.  I also was lucky enough to miss both an earthquake and a hurricane that hit my area.  Thankfully we had power when we arrived, and only a couple of very small items fell off of one shelf in my daughter's room (on to a carpeted floor, causing no damage).  God is great!

While in Tampa, I was able to visit my very favorite Annie Sloan Chalk Paint stockist, Robyn Story Designs.  There, I picked up some Aubusson Blue, Arles, Primer Red, and Chateau Gray.  My good friend and fellow blogger, Marcy, shared some of her Louis Blue, Provence and Graphite with me, and my cousin Minh gave me some of her Duck Egg.  I can't tell you how I badly I am itching to start painting!!  But, alas, school starts in just a few days and I am busy school supply shopping and hanging with my kiddos before they are off to 3rd and 6th grades. (Sigh!)

While I was in Tampa, I hit up some of my old thrift stores and picked up a few small, but awesome items to work on.  Just typing those words makes me want to run into the garage right at this moment!

So, needless to say, I don't have a project to share with you today.  :(  BUT, since it's my adorable dachshund, Oscar's 4th birthday today, I will leave you with this:

This smile inspires me!

Cottage-Style Dresser Chalk Paint Makeover

My original chalk painted dresser was intended for use in my new Richmond bedroom.  My daughter loved it so much that we went out in search of something similar for her room. In our very first stop at our local Goodwill, she and I came across this cottage-style dresser.  Not the French-Provincial we'd had in mind, but for $15, this was a deal we could not pass up!

The drawers were bigger than the French dresser, so I decided that I would keep this one for me and my daughter could have the first one she had been admiring.


Since I had chosen the paint color based on my bedroom, I decided this new dresser would also be Annie Sloan's Paris Gray.  And, as luck would have it, I still had plenty paint left from the quart I had purchased.

 

The drawers drying in the sun.

Waxing the paint after it dried. The color darkens slightly after waxing.

Sanding a little after waxing brings a nice texture from the brush strokes.

The knobs I purchased at Hobby Lobby were a little too long,
so I enlisted Hubs to trim them.

I did just a little distressing along the leaf pattern.

Here is the finished product!

The knobs I purchased at Hobby Lobby.

I chose one with a leaf pattern to match the dresser's original detail.

...and mixed it up with a flower ceramic knob.

Kind of digging it, if I do say so myself!

Have you used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint?  What tips do you have for our readers?




Did you find us on a linky party or feature?  Like what you see?  Become a follower!!!  (You know you want to!)

Revamped Dresser Using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

There is nothing that I love more than finding a beautiful piece of second-hand furniture at a great price.  A few weeks ago while browsing one of my favorite thrift stores I came across a French Provincial-style dresser.  It reminded me so much of the furniture I had as a little girl that I couldn't take my eyes off of it.




In its original state.


The quality wasn't great, mainly particle board and veneer, but it had such a gorgeous shape and details that I knew I had to have it.  But first it had to be in my price range.

Tip: A tip no thrifter can live without is to know when their particular thrift store marks down their furniture.  Many of the bigger chains (Goodwill, Salvation Army) will mark down weekly, or consecutively  after 7, 10 and 18 days.  Look at the date on the ticket and count the number of days.  There is a good chance that it's time to mark the item down, but the employees haven't gotten to it, yet.  If you don't point it out, you will be charged ticketed price.

It turns out that this particular piece was 25% off the ticketed price which was right within my budget!

Because the dresser was of less-than-awesome quality I knew I had to use just the right paint.  I had been eyeing a few blogs (my favorite being Miss Mustard Seed) and I'd learned all about Annie Sloan Chalk Paints.  I search high and low, and found a local Annie Sloan stockist, but they were back-ordered indefinitely.  I decided to order through Southern Institute of Faux Finishing because they had everything I needed in stock and ready to ship.

Three days later I was the proud owner of a quart of Paris Grey Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, a can of Annie Sloan Clear Soft Wax, a chalk paint brush and a wax brush.  (Actually it was four days later, the original order accidentally came with Country Grey which was more of a beige and the ladies at  Southern Institute of Faux Finishing over-nighted me the right paint.  I only point it out to show their excellent customer service!)

I was ready to begin the transformation:



Here's the the most beautiful paint color EVER!




Chalk Paint Brush




I took the hardware off of the drawers and started to paint.




It took about 15 minutes for the first (and only) coat to dry. ONE COAT!!




About 25 minutes later the dresser was almost completely painted.



I literally took 15 minutes to wax the entire piece.  EASY PEASY!



Here is the end result.  I just love it!




Annie Sloan paint is great for distressing.  I did a little along the edges.




There was some damage that I decided to feature rather than to fix. 




I kept the original hardware.




I pretty much want to marry this piece.



 Annie Sloan Chalk Paints were a breeze to work with!  I will never use latex paints again.  So, what do you think?  Do you love it as much as we do?   Have you used Annie Sloan Chalk Paints before?  We'd like to know!

Items Available at Blossom and Poppy

You can now purchase some Aqua Seventy6 items through the online boutique

Blossom and Poppy











Be sure to check it out! The online shop also carries stationary, candles and jewelry. 




Happy Monday!!

Blossom and Poppy

This poor, neglected blog has been crying out to me. Begging for some love...just a short post, a picture, anything! It's not that I don't love her, it's just that I've been a little busy with my move and my computer situation has not been that rad.

Now, while my computer may not have been running as much as it used to, my sewing machine has been running on overdrive! My amazing friend, Mary has started up an online boutique called
Blossom and Poppy,
and will be carrying items crafted by Aqua Seventy6 - So exiting!!

I have had such a blast whipping up lots of goodies for her. It has been a very inspiring experience...and a very messy one.


For now I will keep the finished products a surprise until the official launch of her website at the end of the month. But just as a preview, here are some of the lovely little camera cases that will be available for purchase.

Gorgeousness!

I am head-over-heels for this old card catalogue turned console!

Check out the before and after (plus a how-to guide) at Dream Book Design!

Subway Art

I just discovered the coolest site where you can make your very own subway art: Wordle.  Check out what Wordle created using our blog link:

Sums us right up, doesn't it?