Octopus covered Nesting Table set - functional art

Hello everyone!

I am just so excited to share with you all this project... if you want to see more please head over to my website and check out all the fantastic details and photos. Thanks for your support!

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Shabby Chic Storage Cabinet Step by Step Tutorial - pressed wood

Shabby Chic Storage - Chippy & Distressed

Once upon a time there was an artist. She was surrounded by wonderful people in her life who believed in her, so much so that when she put her mind to it she could create just about anything! This is how I felt with this sweet and stunning shabby piece I am sharing with you today. I personally am not an extremely shabby person though I like a soft distressing now and then. So this one was a challenge for me.

Meet Cinderella, her name was chosen from the rags to riches story because I truly feel that was what this cabinet went through. She was a cleaning supply storage cabinet in a bathroom before I got her.

I feel like her fairy godmother and my paint brush is my magic wand. She is glistening in her Shabbiness now. Though the Shabby Paints Shimmer Paints and Glazes probably have something to do with that too.

Want to know how to create this Look? Keep reading for my step by step tutorial...

Step A: Clean... with Vinegar/Water (50/50 mix) and a splash of blue dawn, rinse with water and a clean microfiber cloth.

Step B: Sand... and scuff up the surface to help the paint have something to hold onto, since this is not real wood. Wipe it down with a damp microfiber cloth to collect all the dust.

Step C: Paint in layers... I painted the following layers:

1. Three layers of Brown Bronze Shimmer Glaze over the creamy laminate like surface. Let dry to touch.
2. One dry brush layer of Buffalo Brown. Let dry over night.
3. Rubbed a bar of soap all over the areas I wanted distressed.
4. One full coat of Vanilla Bear with whole rice mixed in (to scrape off later)  Let dry to touch.
5. One layer of Stunning Silver Shimmer Paint. Let dry to touch.
6. A watered down later of Hazelnut ReVax and scrape off while wet with a metal or hard plastic putty knife, exposing the darker brown & bronze layers underneath. Work quickly and in small sections!
7. Used more Hazelnut ReVax with a small artist's brush to shade and darken corners and under the tops of the shelves and overhangs.
8. Went back in with a smaller brush and added some Black ReVax to darken the corners and under the overhangs even more.

Shabby Chic Definition:

"Shabby chic (pronounced: "sheek") is a form of interior design where furniture and furnishings are either chosen for their appearance of age and signs of wear and tear or where new items are distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique" - Wikipedia

If only the world could now how much work it takes to make something this old, old enough that someone may want to refinish it. LOL! I hope you have a wonderful day and a blessed weekend. Thank  you all very much for stopping by!

This item was entered into the "The Fab Furniture Flipin' Contest" for the month of June, I was honored to be a part of this contest last month and thrilled to be in it now. This months theme is  "Shabby Chic Storage" and is sponsored by The Old Fashioned Milk Paint Company. Though I was not able to use their product for this project. Take a moment to go check them out.

Hosts this month did shabby projects also here are their blog links:

OFMP: The Marissa Dresser (by Carrie of 38th St)

SHABBY TO CHIC STORAGE WITH OLD FASHIONED MILK PAINT ( by Charlotte of Ciburbanity)

Interested bloggers should contact Stacy (info@anastasiavintage.com) or Evey (info@eveyscreations.com) if interested in participating in future contests.

Thanks Again!!!!

~ Grace

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ATen-Hut! Dresser Makeover brings sitting room to attention!

This was a fantastic makeover to really pull the space together. Using Shabby Paints products made it ever so easy! Now it has an almost military look about it. Which is fitting since our sitting room is decorated with military items and things from our travels.

The only thing wrong with this dresser in the before state was the finish on the top. The drawers work like a hot knife going through butter and the pulls are all there and in good condition. But it's presence in the room was just "there".

A quick hand sanding to get off all the peeling finish on the top and a good cleaning was all I needed to do for prepwork. Here is the original finish (the base before being painted black) with the new Hazelnut ReVax top finish. This was a color recipe of (1 part = 1 teaspoon): 

• 3 parts Hazelnut re-vax
• 1 part old gold shimmer/water (50/50)
• 1/8 part Licorice

I think it is stunning and it went right over the top of all that golden yellow finish! So easy!

Next I painted the drawer fronts the same way and finished the base frame with Licorice (black) chalk paint and sealed it with the Sheer Vax by Shabby Paints. The pulls are old vintage 60's cabinet handles from ebay... but I loved the details and brass addition to the piece. I used the old holes for the pulls on the outside and drilled new holes just inside those to attach these handles.

Please let me know what you think of this piece. I am happy to answer any questions if you want to leave them in the comments or contact me on social media listed below. Thanks for reading! 

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Happy Earth Day! - Oak Table Flip to World Map Statement Piece

Hello World of readers! Happy Earth Day to you!

Well this one took a while but well worth it. He is done... meet Magellan! Painted by hand with my favorite paints on the market! These make refinishing so easy to do!

Shabby Paints Brand paints used were: Cali Taupe, Old Gold Shimmer, Hazelnut ReVax, Sheer Vax and a custom Mixed color...

Vintage Sue Blue - 

• 3 parts marine blue
• 2 part licorice
• 1/2 part so serene
• 1/2 part oh so shabby

This blue was hand mixed by myself to achieve a color from my childhood. Our living room was this color for many, many years. In honor of my mother and her "vintage" love for this blue... It is now my first custom color I will be offering and it is called "Vintage Sue Blue". Love you Mom!

The entire piece has been hand painted and the land masses were drawn and painted freehand.

Here is an insight to the creative processes. I really wanted to label the land masses and larger bodies of water. So I took some transparencies and cut them into pieces and wrote on them while they were laying on top of the map design... testing to see how it would look.

I asked around and in the end I decided not to add the words. The top was then distressed and dry brushed with Hazelnut ReVax.  

The bottom legs have a gold dip dyed look to them with old gold shimmer dry brushed onto the Vintage Sue Blue base. I began this step by painting Cali Taupe under all the old gold shimmer edging.

Once the old gold was painted on I painted the legs with the Vintage Sue Blue recipe listed above. I painted it down over the tops of the Cali Taupe/Old Gold to a measured height and created the line you see here.

Once the blue was cured over night I dry brushed the Old gold on the underside of the table with a chip brush. Don't you just love the depth it adds to the legs?

The entire piece was sealed with two coats of Sheer Vax. I love the Vax product by +Shabby Paints, it is so easy to use, non toxic, VOC free and MADE IN THE USA!

Hope you like this project. Please help support me by sharing, pinning or commenting below with your thoughts about this piece. Thank you!

EDIT/UPDATE: This project won a prize from Shabby Paints as a monthly favorite project. Thank you Shabby Paints!!!! I could not have created this without you!

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‪#‎Shabbypaints‬ ‪#‎Giveaway‬ ‪#‎Coffeetable‬ ‪#‎refinished‬ ‪#‎oneofakind‬ ‪#‎reduce ‬‪#‎reuse‬ ‪#‎earthday‬ #chalkpaint #handpainted 

A worn down Pier One End Table gets refinished with chalk paint

Hello everyone!

THIS ITEM IS FOR SALE AT: Déjà Vu Thrift Boutique (Elgin, SC)

Today I am sharing with you this fantastic lil' end table that went from drab to fab! This worn down beauty had see better days for sure.

Pin it! If you like it!

Look at all that water damage on the legs!!!

But with some attention, love and the right kind of paints it is now a lovely piece suitable for any home.

Pin it! If you like it!

The top is done in Shabby Paint's Hazelnut Re-Vax on Raw wood. Giving it a beautiful color and a seal too.

Share it if you care for it!

The base and legs are done in Shabby Paint's Alamo White with Hazelnut Re-Vax and Sheer Vax as a sealer and to add a beautiful tint of color and

Love it then support it!

Pin it! If you like it!

Isn't this a striking combination? Simple, rustic and elegant at the same time!

Share it if you care for it!

Now that is "ALL GUSSIED UP"!

How do you care for a piece of furniture like this? Check out the Shabby Paints chalk paint manufacture page.

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Wooden Crow Gets a Chalk Paint Makeover - Henna Style

This Crow was found at a second hand store. Sweet and simple in his black slightly distressed paint he attracted my eye. No tag, no name, no home. Until now!

After his makeover I gave him the name Wolfrum. Don't you just adore him? He was painted with Alamo White, Shabby Paint's and sealed with Hazelnut Re-Vax. The designs are Henna patterns as I am a henna artist too.

His details cover him from tail feather to beak tip. Let me know what you think about this makeover of Wolfrum the Crow... leave a comment below!

Now that is "ALL GUSSIED UP"!

How do you care for a piece of furniture like this? Check out the Shabby Paints chalk paint manufacture page.

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Dr. Seuss Illustrations Inspired Night Stand and Table - Hand Painted Chalk Paint

Hello

Been busy this week working on some pieces that are Dr. Seuss inspired! I am having so much fun being brought back to my childhood. Reading books over and over... for visual reference of course. LOL! These are some Seuss--ified pieces all right!

This first piece was done with Folk Art Chalk Paint - Imperial (red), Shabby Paints - So Serene and Licorice.

The Before & After shot...

This next piece with a before and after image of a thrifty table find I stumbled across years ago and I a just now getting around to redoing it.

Just to prove it's not clipart here is an image of my daughter sitting on top of the table.

Hope you enjoyed these projects. Keep any eye out for an online video class on how to do this technique.

Over on my Uniquely Grace Blog there is a bit more about the Truffula Trees and the Window Display at +Books on Broad  all these fun pieces went into.

Now that is ALL GUSSIED UP!

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Illustrated 3D Rocking Chair - Chalk Painted Furniture Flip! Looks like it came right out of a book!

Hello

Hello Readers! I am excited to share with you yet another Illustrated Chalk Painted piece of furniture. Done up in a cheerful color of yellow (the hand made Sunflower Chalk Paint mixed with Alamo White by Shabby Paints) and shaded in a Sunflower color. The line work was done in Licorice from Shabby Paints also. NOTE: I tried the DIY Latex recipe... poor coverage, ruins brushes, costs more over all, and drips a whole lot, takes longer to dry between coats and over all I just didn't care for it like I care for my Shabby Paints Acrylic Chalk Paint. Adding Alamo White to the Sunflower helps on the lighter color but it still had a lot of issues and took me longer to finish this piece then I would have liked.

This chair would be so much fun in a Nursery or Child's bedroom.

Or perhaps a Library or Classroom with a reading rug and story time!

Maybe it was meant for that perfect photo shoot for a photographer prop to have for their clients.

Hope you enjoyed this piece. Please check out our other posts and find us on Facebook at All Gussied Up Southern Home Furnishings & More.

NOW THAT'S ALL GUSSIED UP!

Leave us a note in the comments below! Do you like this color? technique? Where would you put this chair?

~ L. Grace Lauer

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Dr. Seuss' Lorax inspired Truffula Tree Seedlings DIY!

Hello everyone... today's post will be quick. I have to rush out to play practice for my daughter, son had youth group and I am on my own tonight to get them from here to there. LOL!

I put together some Truffula Tree Seedlings for the Dr. Seuss window display. I painted up some clay pots with +Shabby Paints Betsy Ross Red, Alamo White and Licorice. then created the tree trunks and the truffula tops with feathers.

Here is the full window display... with the night stand and the end table I repainted also. I am loving this chalk paint!

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