Monday, November 7, 2011

Illustrating with Chalk Paint

I call this my Chick Chair. I wanted to try the bright looking ASCP Antibes Green because I'd run across a cute grain sack that appeared to be the same shade of green. I had hesitated on purchasing the Antibes Green because it looked too bold, but I was assured it toned down with wax. Okay.

 

Yes indeed, the green became rich and mellow with some sanding and the application of wax.





 And then I thought, hmmmm .... needs whimsy to go with the grain sack. So I added my "flock."


And that's when I realized ASCP was never intended for illustration. I had to learn to work with it, which really wasn't that difficult, just different from what I expected. You can't blend color on the image or easily add color to wet paint. The technique is more like painting with acrylics using a pallet knife.
Dab Dab Layer Layer.

So let me introduce you to the babies. (I love little chicks)







I might just keep this one.

Linking to these creative folks:
http://my1929charmerblog.com/sundays-best-party-11-6-11-new-cohost-and-the-winner-is/
http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.betweenuandme.com/2011/11/crazy-cute-link-party-26-and-homestudio.html 
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/search/label/Just%20Something%20I%20Whipped%20Up 
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/ 
http://restoreinteriors.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/ 
http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/ 
crafty scrappy happy
http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/ 
http://www.the36thavenue.com/ 
http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.alchemyfineliving.com/blog/ 
http://missmustardseed.com
http://www.remodelaholic.com/ 
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/ 
http://www.thegunnysack.com/ 
http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/ 
primp
http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/ 
http://designergarden.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/ 
http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/ 
a diamond in the stuff
savvy city farmer
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More before and after

I love looking at before and after images. I cruise the web looking for them because I find them so inspiring. Every now and then I see a Better Before and wonder what were they thinking? When I was compiling images for this post I ran across my OWN Better Before, which I'm not going to show you. :-) I'm going to repaint it and maybe we will have a Before-After-Way After post. Meanwhile here are some befores and afters that don't embarrass me.

Telephone bench done with Red Pepper Milk Paint and chalkboard paint.



I didn't realize this little bench had once been upholstered when I found it.
The fabric is a vintage Calla Lilly tea towel.


 

Before-after piano bench - commission piece




My art deco bench painted with graphite Chalk Paint, with French Script fabric.



Another Union Jack! This one was upholstered with a wall hanging from Urban Outfitters 
and painted with Milk Paint.



Next, I'll show you my AFTER chair. Sooooo frustrated I forgot to take before pictures.

Linking to these great places:
http://my1929charmerblog.com/sundays-best-party-11-6-11-new-cohost-and-the-winner-is/
http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.betweenuandme.com/2011/11/crazy-cute-link-party-26-and-homestudio.html 
http://www.thegirlcreative.com/search/label/Just%20Something%20I%20Whipped%20Up 
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/ 
http://verymerryvintagestyle.blogspot.com/ 
http://restoreinteriors.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/ 
http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/ 
crafty scrappy happy
http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/ 
http://www.the36thavenue.com/ 
http://savedbysuzy.blogspot.com/ 
http://www.alchemyfineliving.com/blog/ 
http://missmustardseed.com
primp
http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/
Posted by at 15 comments:

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Morning has broken

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the colors and the crisp air. This is the view from my livingroom window, it's my fall decor captured at dawn. Mother Nature does a fabulous job, doesn't she? I could look at this forever.


 Have a beautiful day!
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Whoo Hoo! Another month!

Yesterday I had my monthly appointment with my hematologist, and he said I didn't have to have chemo for another month. That makes 6 months without chemo. It's the furniture, I just know it. It's the passion that keeps me going.

So much so that while the doctor wanted to discuss future treatment, I wanted to talk FURNITURE. My Honey got us back on track to treatment. Sheesh. I had the doctor laughing at my misadventures.

So, in short, the next step for me is a clinical trial in Portland. And I immediately thought JUNKING! Hippo Hardware!
And junking!

One of my above mentioned misadventures was having a solid core door fall on me, but luckily (sadly) my empire desk got in the way. Look at the damage! Yikes. Coulda been my head.
But my poor desk!





Today I am doing reconstructive surgery. I'm using some gooey Wood Filler form Elmer's and it seems to be working well. Which is great because I bought it accidentally, thinking it was something else. (Love it when a plan comes together.)

:-)
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Monday, October 31, 2011

The tale of a poor little hopeless table

When I found this little table at a local thrift I was pretty darn happy -
someone had put the first coat of paint on it for me! 


That was short-lived. I started to sand and the paint rolled up into goo. I have heard that
latex paint has to "cure" for a month before it can be sanded.
Fine. I put the table away for a month. 

Then I tried sanding again. And got goo again. Plus, whoever painted this table used the
paint to fill breaks and cracks, instead of repairing the wood.

Argh. I had to use stripper. And guess what?
The paint turned to EIGHT LAYERS OF GOO!




 I've never seen anything like it! It WOULD NOT come off. Seriously, who has time for this?
I got out my friend.


I accidentally set the table on fire and my first Blogger Thought was 'I need to get
a picture!' My second Blogger Thought was 'Don't burn down the garage'. 

I can't even remember how many rounds of stripping and sanding I did after that.
I was not going to let paint get the best of me.

And finally, 37 years later, it was good enough to repaint.


And so I got on with it. ASCP in Paris Grey and Emile did the trick.




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Monday, October 24, 2011

You don't know Jack

I've been asked where the design of the Union Jack came from so I thought I'd post a little history link. The Union Jack design is an elegant solution to a design dilemma that, as a graphic designer, I think is fabulous.

Here is the basic time-line: First, add Scotland to England, then later add Ireland to both.

For a quick history lesson, please go the the source of this graphic:

Seriously, it's only a few paragraphs and then you'll know Jack.
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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Spontaneous

I get an idea and have to see it through RIGHT NOW. I call it "Being spontaneous". My Honey calls it "Going off half-baked". Whichever it is, it's how I found myself out in the driveway painting a drop cloth. I have been wanting a canvas Union Jack rug for ages but they are crazy expensive - over $200. yikes. I thought I'd make one myself, but there never seemed to be enough room to spread out something like that. So my Ah HA moment was to just run outside and paint some canvas.


I had lots of fabric paint left over from when I was painting denim jackets. I had a drop cloth. Off I went.

Getting started


What I used


Blocking and painting


I crumpled the canvas and sprayed sidways to get some faded "wrinkles."


A few coats of polyurathane and I had my floorcloth.


I am the Olive Union Jack Queen! Or is it the Crazy Union Jack Lady?


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