Vins et Spiriteux Set

I worked on a custom order a week ago.  The end of the story is fantastic, the middle....not so much.  It started out strong...I refinished a long coffee table and two side tables, sanded the tops, restained the wood, and drew the 'Vins et Spiriteux' graphic on the coffee table, and sealed everything with durable Varathane floor finish. 

Parfait!

Then I was asked to do a similar treatment to a pine desk and a 50s magazine holder.  The desk is where things started heading south.  I thought I'd strip the top and sand away some of the uneven paint on the legs of the desk and that would be the end of the story.  Not so. 

I should have sanded EV-ER-Y-THING down right from the get-go.  I have no idea why I didn't.  So, in a make-work project for myself, I finished the desk...but it wasn't right!  It looked pretty awful (or at least not as good as it could) and in the end I had to pull it all back to the pine.  I went through a lot of sandpaper. 

In the end...she's a beauty! 

The [very patient] customer was happy...she said this:

   

Emily, thank you so much for the lovely job you did on my "garage sale" find! 

We have received many compliments on the desk and are very happy with it.  I

 will be sure to recommend you to others.    Mary Lou R. (Ennismore, ON)

Ain't that grand?!

And here's where she's sitting pretty now

Au revoir!

Vintage Grain Sack and Antique Enamel-Inspired Nesting Tables

I didn't get a chance to blog about these gorgeous, adorable  (gorgable? adorgeous?), tables before they sold.  I absolutely love how they turned out - just like vintage grain sacks and aged enamel washbasins rolled into one! 

The pictures below are what the tables looked like before I finished them - a little distressing and some ubber-durable floor finish to seal everything in. 

And as I said, they're 'nesting' tables...so I'll leave you with a shot of everything pulled together!

French Shabby Chic Tables - Hot Stuff!

Here's a quick before and after to share with you - this table is already sold.  In fact, it sold the day I posted it for sale.  These coffee tables are always extremely popular - I can't make them fast enough!  Perfect!

They all start out the same....solid, curvy, and dated.

But they all end up a little differently...

I especially like the "Queen Bee" graphic in the centre (as always, graphics from 'The Graphics Fairy!'  Google her - she is a goddess!)

Short and sweet - just like this ol' coffee table!  I'll bid her 'au revoir' tomorrow afternoon.  *sob* 

 

I'm sharing this table makeover at The Graphics Fairy.  You should bibbity-bobbity-boo yourself over there and check out the hundred (thousands?) of vintage graphics she has to download!

Tiny Two-Tiered Table

Too cute! 

OK, you know those dated, your grandma-had-one tables that you often see at thrift stores or auctions?  You know the ones....

Sometimes it's hard to find these little tables in solid wood.  I was lucky enough to come across one for a steal at one of our local thrifts - along with this tray (with awful ivy stencil. Yikes!).  A makeover couldn't come fast enough!

I've been waiting to do this to one of these tiny, two-tiered tables: 

That's right!  Remove that awkward 1/3 of the table addition.  It's super easy - just a little 'unscrewing' on the underside of the table. 

At this point I also took the opportunity to get rid of some of the wobbly-ness of the table by tightening the legs.  So many people pass up great items at thrift stores because of a little wobbling.  This can always be fixed, people!  Do not be deterred by the wobble!! 

I wanted to coordinate the tray and the table to have them work together as a set.  I see them out in a sunroom or on the porch or balcony this summer!  You can prep cool drinks and snacks in the kitchen, carry them outside on the tray, and serve them on the table.  Yes, I think SO! 

After I finished both graphics, I felt that the 'At Home' graphic (c/o The Graphics Fairy as always!) needed to be 'bolder' to blend more seamlessly with the frame graphic on the table. 

These graphics are added using the regular technique - I use a projector and permanent marker.  There are all kinds of techniques you can use to transfer graphics.  I prefer my way because it gives me the most control over my image and I can play around with placement a lot before committing to a design. 

The final step was to dry brush on a layer of off-white paint over the top of the table and inside the tray.  This gave the whole thing an aged feel and served to tone down the darkness of the graphic.  I also distressed the table legs, top, and tray. 

 

 

 

Can't wait for summer!! 

French Clock Long Coffee Table

Snow is falling, snow on snow, snow on snow...
What better to do than finish another hand-painted coffee table?

I love this one - it's a bit different than the past French shabby chic tables I've done.  Dare I say I like it best?

I need to start keeping the camera on hand for 'process' photos.  A New Year's resolution, perhaps?

As always, fantastic graphics are care of the amazing Graphics Fairy.  The two major images are the "Steampunk Alarm Clock" and a large "Fleur De Lis."  I promise, a quick search on the Graphics Fairy site and you can have these images for yourself!

I tried using my Christmas present of an air powered paint spray gun (bought with gift cards from my lovely hubby-hubster!) to speed up painting the table. 

I over-thinned the paint and had to experiment with the rate of spray.  I ended up over-spraying quite a bit, but with a little practice I'm going to be IN LOVE with the new sprayer! 

It's a Wagner HVLP Control Spray Paint Gun and I bought mine at Home Depot.  They're readily available online as well as other hardware/building supply stores.

Clean up was super-easy considering the amount of paint that travels through it, and I especially liked that it's not overly heavy or awkward to handle.  The large and small paint containers it comes with are also a nice addition. 


And, in case you're a bit of a geek like me, HVLP stands for 'high volume low pressure.'  Good times!





The table waiting for a coat of finishing paste...and I'm waiting to try a can of Annie Sloan Clear Wax, but not sure if the fantastic individual who was going to hunt it down in St. Thomas for me was able to get her hands on it!  If not, it'll be good ol' MinWax Finishing Paste for this one!

Wondering how I transfer these images?  I've used a variety of techniques in the past, but the easiest and fastest way I've found involves projecting the image using a portable projector and my computer. 

This means I only go over the image once and then do touch ups with my marker afterwards. 

Other methods include tracing, using graphite/pencil rubbed on the back of the image, CitraSolv, or a method I've never really mastered involving Mod Podge.  There are lots of great online tutorials out there if you're looking!

I'm also a HUGE fan of using permanent markers or paint pens over paint & small brushes for the details.  I have way more control and I think the overall finish looks more professional and less blotchy than paint - plus, it's faster (and likely cheaper!). 





 This lovely lady is for sale - $75!

Since I used six graphics from The Graphics Fairy website, I'm linking up to her 'Brag Monday' post.  Take a look - and check out all the other fantastic links.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, too!

I'm also sharing this post over at Miss Mustard Seed's blog on Furniture Feature Friday. 

Such an inspiring source of information!

Tiny Table - It Spins!

I bought a couple of occasional tables off of Kijiji a while back for some ridiculously low price, but I didn't like the tops of the tables.  I had a graphic in mind to make the table into a birthday gift for a friend, but I couldn't put an image on the table-top.  They were 'faux' leather and octagonal...not the right surface and not my favourite.  I couldn't figure out what to replace them with - and then a stroke of genious hit me while strolling the isles at our local St. V de P...

A wooden cheese tray!  Better yet - a LAZY SUSAN-style cwooden heese tray! 

So get this, now the table top is round (just the way I like it) and it spins! 

I love it!

The graphic is from The Graphics Fairy (as always!) and I created my own 'transfer' by printing out the graphic, rubbing the back of it with a grahpite stick, positioning and taping it to the table-top and then tracing over the graphic.  The final step is to go over the tracing with either paint or a permanent marker - I always use a permanent marker.  Who can tell and it's 100x faster!

I used the good ol' homemade chalk paint on the body and sanded down to the original finish for an antiqued look.  Everything gets a once over with MinWax Finishing Paste for good measure.  Now the question is: how do I wrap it? 

 

I'm sharing this post on My Repurposed Life - definitely check out the other cool projects! 

 

Click below!

Personalized Vintage Crate

A final picture of the finished vintage crate! 

 

A close-up of the graphic I chose and edited from The Graphics Fairy a great site full of amazing vintage and antique graphics.  You should check it out!  My tricks for creating a custom graphic:

1.  Find a fairly simple graphic (or a complex one, but be prepared to spend many hours tracing the pattern and filling it in!)

2. Add text using Microsoft Word (or other word processing program).  I used MS Word and put in text boxes with the personalized names (Shedden and Jones, as well as the '&' sign placed in the sheep).  I'm sure you could also use Photoshop or some such thing...I just don't have it!

 3.  Choose "Select All' in Word and then 'Copy'.  Open MS Paint (or other basic drawing program) and 'paste' the image into Paint.  'Save As' a JPEG or PNG file (this is the important part - you need to save the image as a JPEG or PNG file so that you can do step #4). 

4.  Go to Block Posters an amazing site that allows you to upload any picture file and create a 'poster' version spanning multiple pages.  This site is great for blowing up graphics you want to include on custom pieces of furniture (like chairs, tables, dressers, boxes etc).  I've even seen it used on textiles. 

I used 'liquid chalk' pens to write on chalk boards for our wedding.

5.  Print out your image (I used 2 pages, 'portrait' orientation) and then cut out around the image.  Usually I rub the back of my image with a graphite stick (available in most art stores for about $2-$5 and lasts forever!), but since I was working with a darker background, I used a chalk pen this time.  You can find chalk pens at arts & craft stores or order some off of Ebay (like I did). 



6.  Position your image on your piece of furniture etc. and then tape it, face up, so it doesn't move - I use green painter's tape because it comes off easily when I am finished. 

7.  Use a ballpoint pen or other stylus-type tool and trace over all parts of the graphic.  I like to do this in one sitting so that I don't make any mistakes or forget any areas.  I keep my graphic afterwards in case I need to use it for reference.

8.  When you are done tracing, remove the graphic and tape.  You will see an outline of your graphic (either in graphite/pencil or in white chalk).  You can now paint/draw over this with either a small paint brush, paint pen, or even permanent marker.  I like to use a variety of permanent markers because I can get them for cheap inexpensively at the Dollar Store!  Plus, it's a lot easier to use permanent markers than it is to use a paint brush - and I even have a good eye and steady hand!  I recommend using either paint or permanent markers.  No one will know (unless you tell them in a blog!) and it speeds up the process.

 

9.  If you want to achieve a more 'aged' look to your graphic, you can sand it with fine sandpaper once it has dried.  I did this with the shabby chic French coffee tables, to the right, and then dry brushed over them with some white paint as well.  Depending on where your graphic is, you may want to wax or polyurethane over the top to give some protection.  I didn't do this step on my vintage crate because it's a more rough-and-tumble piece.

10.  Clean up and admire your handiwork (and then brag about it on a blog!)  *final step is optional*