Long time gone

it never fails that I attempt to blog but never get into it consistently. I start out strong and then life happens. I'm still painting furniture, cabinets and mantles and designing and building custom picture frames for clients and for gifts. Fortunately, my business has boomed and I've continuously been busy and my calendar booked solid. Unfortunately, my business has boomed and I've continuously been busy and my calendar booked solid.

About 2.5 years ago, I began selling a brand of chalky paint called Bungalow Custom No-Prep Furniture Paint. It was created and distributed by a local Alabama mama. I loved the paint, loved the color choices and adored the price. I currently sell it by mail order and I'm a local upscale furniture consignment shop near my home in central Alabama. Like any "no prep" paint, that can be a little misleading. I always prime the piece before using any paint unless it's something that I want the paint to sand off of super easily for a very distressed look.   But I digress.

So, here's to trying to blog more regularly and share pictures of projects.

Happy painting!
Ashley

healthy eating

We started this before the year ended, so I won't claim this is a New Year's resolution.  My husband and I want to lose weight, but more importantly, we want to be healthy.  Healthy for our son, healthy so we can live longer and feel better doing so.

He has stuck to an exercise routine and I have not.  He has lost almost 50 pounds...me, not so much.  We are both eating healthier, not consuming processed foods and cooking at home.  I struggle with this part.  Brad loves to cook.  We've been married over 10 years and he has primarily been the chef in the family.  Not only is he great at it, he truly enjoys it.  I have to be in the right mood to cook.  I don't really enjoy it at all.  I'd be satisfied with a sandwich or bowl of cereal for supper.  However, that's not teaching our son good eating habits.  He just turned 9 and, while not a picky eater, he doesn't like to try new foods.  I've been "mean mom" and even sent him to bed without supper if he didn't at least TRY what was cooked.  I despise the fact that Brad and I both are guilty of cooking for us, then making Logan something he likes.  This has to stop.  We are doing him a disservice.  Maybe your kids are better eaters than mine?  More adventurous?

Here are some things we've found that he likes (and we love):

KALE

Considered a "super food," kale is super cheap, super easy to cook and super tasty.  =)  Our favorite way to prepare kale is to cut the stems off, wash the leaves really well and saute with onion, garlic, salt and chicken stock in a little olive oil.  Start by sauteing the onions and garlic until the onions are tender.  Add the kale and chicken stock (I make my own by adding some chicken base to hot water) and sprinkle with salt.  Turn the kale until it starts to wilt and turns bright green.  It will be done in 2-4 minutes.  Serve it hot.  It makes a great side dish with most any meat. 

We were SHOCKED when Logan asked to try it (after we'd offered it to him numerous times).  He loved it.  Score 1 for mom and dad!

BROCCOLI

 

Logan's liked broccoli okay for about 5 years.  He has recently stopped wanting to eat it, though.  The problem with cooking broccoli is that people tend to over cook it to the point it's not bright green and vibrant.  At that point, it's lost most of its vitamins. So, just steam it until it's bright green and stop.

ROASTED VEGETABLES

Logan won't eat these, but we've been making whole meals out of veggies alone.  

     -Sweet Potatoes:  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees on "Roast."  My over has a Convection Roast setting. Peel and cut into large chunks. Place in baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and salt.  Bake for 20 minutes or until fork tender. Will start to turn dark on the edges....this just makes it yummier.

    -Cauliflower:  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees on "Roast."  Remove leaves and cut florets into 1"-2" pieces. Rinse and drain.  Place in a 9x13" baking dish floret-side up. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and roast 25 minutes. 

    -Brussels Sprouts:  I've never had them much or liked them...until we started roasting them.  Cook them the same way you do the cauliflower above.  These and the sweet potatoes are my favorite.

So, no preservatives or sugar, just clean eating.  Enjoy!

 

Organization

I am not an organized person by nature (gasp! shock!). I am desperately trying to keep a detailed calendar, schedule jobs and emailing out quotes within two-three days.  It is hard for me.  I purchased a calendar/planner from Target last week after my iPhone decided to crash and erase all of my calendar appointments and the majority of my contacts.  So far, I'm doing really well with keeping things written down.  Let's just see how long I can keep it up!

How are some ways you stay organized?  Any tips?  I'd love to hear them!

Win this Cork Board!

I made this cork board a while back.  I decided to raffle it off simultaneously with the 11x14 frame. The interior (actual cork part) is 16x20.  The fabric covered push pins are included.  This would be precious in your kitchen, mud room or office.  It is black and white harlequin with a butter yellow trim. This cork board retails for $130.

This raffle will run through Friday, February 14th. I will use Random.org to choose the winner.  When you purchase a ticket, I write your name next to a number.  Those corresponding numbers will determine who wins. Please share this post on your Facebook page to help get the word out.

Thanks!

Tickets

1 Ticket $5.00 USD 2 Tickets $8.00 USD 5 Tickets $18.00 USD

Happy birthday, Mama!

My mama's birthday is tomorrow. We spent the weekend with her and my daddy. My parents are at a point in their lives when it's not easy to buy gifts for them. I'm not a very traditional gift-giver and prefer to find the odd piece of art, make something myself or find a funky antique. 

I found this Progressive Farmer magazine from January 1954....the year and month of my mom's birth. I ran across it at my favorite antique mall back in August or September. It is the entire magazine, not just the cover. I decided to frame it for her for her birthday. The way I framed it, she can actually take it out and look at the whole magazine. She loved it. :)

Gift giving doesn't always have to cost a lot of money. Find something you think the person will love. Put a little thought into it or make something yourself. That will mean much more than a store-bought trinket.

Mantle and Built-In Revamp

I met Claire through Facebook over the Summer.  She had me paint her master bathroom vanity with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen.  Since then, she has taken our Fall family photographs (check her out at Claire Roberts Photography) and did an amazing job!

Claire contacted me before Christmas and wanted to purchase a gift certificate for her mother for Christmas.  She wanted me to paint her parents' oak mantle.  Her parents built a house in a beautiful neighborhood in Trussville, but it has a LOT of oak cabinetry and mill work.  The Steadman's home is gorgeous.  They just don't build houses like the ones built in the late-1980's/early 1990's.  The solid oak mantle and oak built-in desk/book shelf were great to start with, but they are working on some updates to the interior, so painting these fixtures was right in line.

Here are the before photos of the mantle and built-in desk/bookshelf:

 

(Nice coffee cup and impact driver, right??)  I ALWAYS seem to forget to take a "before" shot until after I've removed doors or have a bunch of junk in the way.....*sigh*

Claire and I decided on Amy Howard One-Step Paint in Selznick Grey.  I knew once I added my favorite Ralph Lauren Faux Glaze in Tobacco, it would change the "grey" undertones to more taupe.  Mrs. Steadman decided she wasn't sure about any distressing to the edges, so we opted not to do it.  So, after two coats of paint, some new hardware and glaze, this was the finished product.

Detail of glazing in crevices

Dark oil-rubbed bronze hardware and hinges

What a difference!!  The desk has several shelves that go in the top section. I left those out so that the homeowners could adjust them for their books.

What do you think?

Annie Sloan v. Amy Howard

The BIG question in most furniture painting circles is this:  Annie Sloan or Amy Howard-which do you prefer?

When I took the plunge and purchased a quart of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Country Grey, clear and dark waxes and a wax brush, I was nervous.  I have painted furniture for many years the "old fashioned" way....sanding, priming, sanding, painting, sanding, painting again, distressing, glazing, sealing....blah, blah, blah....IT. TOOK. FOREVAH!   I was hesitant to try AS because of the initial cost involved.  Paint-$36; Waxes-$27 ea; Wax brush-$30-ish.  Not cheap when I don't know if I'll like it or if I can even use it properly.  I got home that afternoon, took the hardware off of a buffet I have had for several years, wiped that sucker down and started painting. I was SHOCKED at how easily the paint went on. I shook the can a little before I opened it, but nothing was separated and it was nice and thick. By the time I finished the first coat, it was dry and ready for the second.  AS paint dries super-fast.  It drys to a perfect chalk-like finish.  The finish was very delicate and would scratch off easily before waxing.  Once the second coat was dry, I waxed it first with clear and then dark to get that great antique look.  I was hooked.  Literally in love with AS products.  I've painted tons of furniture, bathroom vanities (even the crappy thermofoil (yes, a client taught me that word) ones that so many builders are fond of), even kitchen cabinets using AS paints, waxes and lacquer. 

Some pieces I've done using AS Chalk Paint and waxes:

 

Now, on to the comparison....

I was interested in trying Amy Howard One-Step Paint because a cute store down the street from my home started carrying this line.  Before she did so, however, I went to Homewood, AL one day and picked up a quart of Bauhaus Buff and some Light Wax for myself and the spray Primer and Lacquer for my shop-owner friend, Mary.  I got home and wanted to try my hand at the One-Step paint to see what it was all about and if it could compare to my oh-so-loved Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I shook and shook the can, removed the lid and was shocked at the floating "water" on the top.  It was so badly separated.  I stirred and stirred and it just never seemed to mix well.  I started painting a small bookshelf.  I literally put on four or five coats over several days.  It was streaked, uneven and didn't cover well.  I was disgusted and went back to buying AS products. It literally took me nearly an entire quart to cover this small bookshelf.

Flash forward to last week:  I kept seeing all of these pieces people have been painting with AH paint and none of them seemed to have the problems I had.  I decided to give it another shot.  I went to see Mary.  I told her what a horrible experience I had with AH paint the first time I used it.  She gave me some tips and we decided I must have had a bad can of paint.  I chose Dunavant Green. Oh my grannies! I  loved it!  I had an antique buffet I purchased about two years ago that was in rough shape. I knew I wanted to paint the bottom and re-stain the top (which I have yet to get around to doing).  I took Mary's advice and turned the can upside down for 30 minutes prior to using.  When I popped the lid, there was none of that watery separation that I experienced the first time I used AH.  I stirred it good with a plastic knife then started on my buffet.  It is significantly thinner than AS.  I did have to do three coats.  I didn't use a lot of paint, though.  I decided to just use the AH Light Wax on this piece after roughing up the edges a bit.  I love how it turned out!! 

Antique Buffet - Before (yep, it's a catch-all)

This is more the true color. The bottom picture looks a bit too lime

So, which paint do I like best?  At this point, I can't say with clear certainty which I prefer.  They both have great qualities.  They are very different from each other. 

Ease of use for beginners:  Annie Sloan
Dries smoothest:  Annie Sloan
Color choices:  Amy Howard
Price:  Amy Howard
Durability:  I'm going with Amy Howard right now because you don't have to wax this paint.  Annie Sloan HAS to have at least clear was on top.

I think I'll choose which paint to use on a job-by-job basis.  Try them both...see what you think. Let me hear from you.