Pizza Peel #2

I just finished this second pizza peel for Chartreuse Spring Market Days (15-17 April).

I started with this dirty rough pizza peel.  The peel was covered with baking soot. I wiped it down with bleach water to get most of it off the peel.  I weighted the board down so as it dried it would not warp.

I used the Typography Coffee Sign from The Graphics Fairy.  I used the enlargement method to get the sign big enough for my project.  The Graphics Fairy has a section on the different ways you can transfer her free graphics.  Her graphics and information are invaluable!

After enlarging the image, I taped it onto the pizza peel:

I then used a pen and pressed hard onto the paper to outline the lettering. (It's a big graphic, I had to bandage my thumb from the blister forming <hint>)

I peeled back the paper and used chalk to help see the outline from the pen markings:

After I finished tracing the sign I used chalk all over to highlight the graphics:

I used a pencil to trace over the pen engraving; then filled in the letters with a black sharpie.  I wiped down the peel with a sponge to get rid of the chalk.  After it dried, I used a rough grit sand paper to "age" the graphic.  I finished with rubbing lemon oil all over the pizza peel.

Et voila...finis!

Pop of Green

What was once a very blah table is now a bright and happy accent piece!

After: 3 different colors of ASCP

Before...bleh

 

I painted the table with 2 coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) Pure White. Next, one coat of ASCP Antibes Green. I watered down ASCP Provence and applied it twice as a wash (letting it dry between coats).  200 grit sand paper to age the piece.  Final step:  applied Annie Sloan clear wax and buffed.

Union Jack Accent Table

This is one cute table! Union Jack top, sassy casters on the bottom.  But, ewwww....this was once an ugly table.

 Once again, I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, the best paint in the entire world.

This section took me the longest to draw/paint.

Table will go on sale for the Chartreuse Market Days, April 5th & 6th.  Will consider early offers for purchase.

Getting Ready for Market Days!

Well, I'm prepping for next week's Market Days at Chartreuse.  Painting and creating...my fingers are raw!

Before

After

This chair was a pain in the heiney!  The original stain bled through the paint. I had to paint 2 coats of primer!

How Many Chairs Can One Stuff in a Beetle?

Why is it when I drive the little car I find big items?!  Last week I drove the 4Runner down to Richmond and only brought back books, a frame, framed art and some glassware...and today, I drive the Beetle, I find 2 chairs...hmmmm

I spent a whopping $12 for both chairs...woohoo!

I actually got both chairs in the beetle and got home before it started raining!

She may look ugly, but she's got "good bones". Some ASCP, and new fabric, et voila!

Love this vintage outdoor chair!

French Demilune

This project took me 3 days, and my hands show it!

The table was inexpensive and I could never find a place for it; it was just too dark and blah.  I used 2 coats of Old White ASCP.  I used a french label from The Graphics Fairy.  I enlarged the image and  printed the image on Lesley Riley's Transfer Artist Paper.  I think I used the iron too long and transfer was yellowed.  Soooo...I got a little crazy with sandpaper.  Once I sanded the image, I was committed to sanding the table.  I  applied silver leaf on the dark brass medallions on the front of the table. I used Annie Sloan clear wax, then her dark wax. Some more sanding. And repeat wax sequence.

Et voila!

wow...my windows need a serious cleaning! <lots of lab nose prints!>

...and yes, my dining room walls are painted a watermelon red.  My house looks like a crayon box; soft green living room, french blue kitchen, provence yellow in the family room, etc.  :-)
 

Vintage Rooster

Heat, humidity, post-surgery recovery and no drinky-poos makes Liz a grumpy girl...

So, in an effort to get out of my funk, I've been working on a few projects:

Combing through my photo files, I found some that had potential and played with Photoshop/Lightroom plug-ins.

I went to Home Depot and picked up a 1"x12"x48" pine board.  I asked the board to be cut into 4 12"x12" pieces.  I don't trust myself with a saw (yet), and the first 2 cuts are free; the last cut was$1.  Works for me!

Here's my rooster.  The original photo was just blah; but with some tweaking I roughed up the image.  I sanded the board to soften the edges/corners; stained the board with fruit wood stain then a coat of provence stain. I used Mod Podge to adhere the photo directly onto the board; then 2 coats of Mod Podge on top of the image.  Then to seal the board and buff up the sheen of the image, I used a small amount of Annie Sloan clear wax.

 

I have 3 pumpkin images that I am working on; should have them ready by the end of the day.

Union Jack Tea Pot

It's now day 4 post-gallbladder surgery (acute pancreatitis), and I am going stir crazy!  I never realized how busy my life is until the brakes have been put on it...and frankly, I am very cranky.  So, I needed a new project.

I am a self-admitted Anglophile.  Gave Mom a list of sundries to bring home (She's on holiday; visiting friends in Woodchester, Oxford and London). I am hoping that William and Kate's baby will be born while Mom is in the UK.....ooooh, to think of all the tacky royal baby souveniers for purchase!

I knew I wanted to do a chubby teapot with the Union Jack flag.  I googled "free teapot template" and found this cute teapot.  I found the Union Jack image on The Graphics Fairy.  I combined the 2 images in Photoshop CS4; then printed the image from home.  I recommend to use a laser printer versus ink jet; less color smearing.  Then again, the smearing worked in "aging" the image.

 Ink jet image:

Cut out:
 

I used a solid side from one of the many veggie crates that I collected from Wegmans. I stained the wood first.

First coat of Mod Podge:

 

Sanded the image to rough it up:
 

Second heavy coat of Mod Podge:

I waxed the dried image with Annie Sloan Clear Wax, then antiqued the plaque with Annie Sloan Dark Wax:

 

Magnolia Box

Hi, I'm Liz, and I can't throw unique containers away....ahhh, so cathartic! 

It's true; I can't throw boxes, containers, etc. that I think I can reuse.  Case in point, this cute little box that held an expensive candle.  

I went to The Graphics Fairy and found this great magnolia image.  I painted the box with ASCP old white, then used Mod Podge to decoupage the box.  Don't know what I'm going to do with it; maybe use it as a hostess gift with some candies, soaps, etc.

Un Franc

I went thrifting last week and picked up a very ugly little stool for $4.  

So, I went to The Graphics Fairy and found this 1 franc image:

I used this great transfer paper (Lesley Riley's TAP Transfer Artist Paper) and after printing it on the paper, I followed the directions and ironed the image onto some burlap.  Amazon had the best price.


Now to take this thing apart:

Off with the first layer of fabric:

And another layer!

And another layer!!

Finally, foam:

Too nasty to keep; so, I removed the foam and used batting and adhesive spray:

               (That's Josie wearing her "Cone of Shame")

The board is underneath all that fluff!

(That's Luke...soaking wet)

Et Finis! 

I used Annie Sloan Old White for the wood; and used clear and dark wax to age the paint.

 Not bad for my first time.  :-)

Keys

When one has a teenager it is not cool for them to have a parent within 50 feet of them and their friends!  So, I have been banished to house whilst they play in the pool.  2 hours later I created this:

Once again, I went to The Graphics Fairy...I think this is starting into an obsession...

<still trying to get a photo of the girls in the pool>

Flower Can

Well, we've gone from excessive heat to monsoon season here in Northern Virginia.  Stuck in the house and refusing to acknowledge the precarious state of the linen closet upstairs, I went back to The Graphics Fairy to check out another printable for a project.

 

This flower can was bright yellow.  With some Annie Sloan old white paint, Mod Podge, sand paper, and Annie Sloan clear wax...Et voila!

Silverware Decoupage Project

My first blog posting...ack!

We had July weather here in Northern Virginia and Brood 2 cicadas are everywhere; perfect reason to stay indoors and try to get creative.

About a month ago, I was in Wegmans and saw a bunch of these veggie crates that were going to be thrown away. So, I started taking one apart; decided to use one of the sides.

I selected a spoon/fork/knife graphic from The Graphics Fairy. This is a fantastic site that I discovered searching through Pinterest.

I cut out the spoon and tried the "citra-solv" method:

epic fail:

so, maybe a sharpie would help?  Nope.

Mod Podge?

Yes!

 Now all 3:

 After the Mod Podge dried, I painted with watered down silver paint to the "silverware":

I then applied Annie Sloan clear wax to the slats/decoupage. Then darkened with Annie Sloan dark wax; then a final layer of clear wax.

Et voila!

I like it vertical; but it looks great horizontal, too. :-)