Annie Sloan Chalk Paint – Love My DIY Home

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

“Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder.” We say it, but do we act like we believe it? We should. We are all different. We all have opinions as to what we think is beautiful and we ought to apply that in every respect, whether it’s about nature, people or things. Showing grace – It matters in our relationships online and off. In our group, Furniture Flipping Forum, Jacquelyn Marie, of Refreshed Home Designs, posted a bright green dresser. Her story was interesting, so I’m sharing it with you today. It’s important to see other’s perspectives when it comes to art. Some on the forum liked it and applauded her, some said it wasn’t their taste but agreed it was her choice to paint it however she wanted. One member was very rude and I had to delete her comment. She is no longer a member of FFF. There … Read more

Does Your Paint Get Goobers?

This week we’re talking about your paint, not about local painting companies philadelphia , but how to keep it from drying out, having flakes of rust in it, and having those annoying little things we call paint goobers. Do you know what I’m talking about with paint goobers – the globs that can form in there when the paint starts to dry out? I have cans of paint that are three, four, five years old, and they’re just as good as when I first got them. So let’s talk about the paint we use for our projects. You’ve probably heard several things about how people care for their paint, so let’s run over those real quick. We have some people that store their paint upside down to keep the air out of the can. I don’t do that because I don’t like paint on my lid. And to me, it’s … Read more

Outdated Cabinet Upcycled into a Cat Bed

It’s the same with babies and cats. They tend to take over your house. Cat bed, toys, littler box, tunnel…my kids think I’m nuts. They come over to my house and you have to step over all of Mia’s stuff. Let’s face it. Mia is my baby, so I enjoy seeing her lounge and play. Catadorn is my go-to shop for cat toys and accessories. So I had this idea that maybe others might like to have some furniture that has a duo-function. How about an end table that hides a cat bed when company comes over? Here is the before. I got it at a garage sale for just a few bucks. The picture looks kinda nice, doesn’t it? This is a case where the photo fools the eye. It’s was in pretty bad shape and needed help. I think it was supposed to look high end, but somehow … Read more

Table Stays Rustic – But Way Prettier!

It’s kinda fun to post this BEFORE my daughter sees it. It’s for her birthday but she’s just a little busy right now thinking about having a baby some day soon. 🙂 So as we wait, this little gem is going up! I started out with a base of off white and then painted a light brown wash over that, to create a worn, Old-world look. You can see the before and base color in the video above. I chose not to fix the imperfections because I went for more of a rustic look, leaving in the dents and cracks. Nor did I repaint the hardware. It had been painted by the prior owner and is flaking off – perfect for the look I wanted! Once I got the background I wanted, I stenciled a clock and part of a compass, distressing the stencil just a bit to give a … Read more

Did someone saaayyy, “Bombe”?

#sponsored My DD tagged me on a FB bombé chest ad. So we drove out to take a look. As I was looking at it, the lady told me she kept getting “no shows” and was so tired of people saying they’d come by to take a look and then never show or message her. She took $10 off just because she was happy I showed up! They just don’t show up. I’ve experienced that same thing over and over too. Hundreds on our Forum tell the same tale. People message me and say they are coming to buy a piece and then don’t show up. Only one out of half a dozen lately bothered to let me know something came up or they changed their mind. Not long after my DH’s knee surgery, I had two people make appointments to buy three … Read more

Oh, Susanna, don’t you cry for me…

#sponsored post Susanna, a Royal Settee Another estate sale – another opportunity to save an old piece of unwanted furniture. This time it was for my granddaughters. I could see my little two-year-old grand daughters sitting in this little chair holding the teddy bear that used to belong to their moms the second I found Susanna. Here she is “before” at the estate sale Before I took her home Before she changed Before she became mine Susanna, “BEFORE” Tired, worn and hoping to serve again… These outdated and worn out pieces of furniture can have another 100 years if we bring the back to life. Most pass them by. Most don’t even see them. The estate buyers typically look for the big antiquey pieces that make a statement. Little Susanna just sat there as everyone walked right by, unseen. It was the same for Paige. She … Read more

“Shantalle” Side Table Flips for Annie Sloan

#sponsored post I’ve had a chance to give Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan a try and like it. Sure, sure, I’m later than most to the game. I’ve been trying out other paint brands with a plan to give Chalk Paint® a try. That changed when her company offered me their products in exchange for my review. I went to her site to find out the history of Chalk Paint®. From her website: “Annie Sloan first developed her now famous decorative paint, Chalk Paint®, in 1990. When she started working on it, she wanted to create a decorative paint that was immediate and allowed her to be direct and spontaneous.” It never gets old. Do you get tired of seeing before and afters? I never do. Here is her “before” – I know, I know. Her before picture is nice. BUT, she becomes WAY better after her makeover…keep … Read more

Newsletter Prize – A Mason Jar Planter

On April 1, I offered a prize in my Newsletter to the first person to email me with their fave project from my website with “I Love DIY” in the subject line. Pam said, “My favorite is the rod you put between your kitchen cabinets and hung the bird cage and sign.” She was referring to my OUR KITCHEN BEFORE AND AFTER project. She responded 1 hour and 26 minutes after I sent out my newsletter. Congratulations, Pam! You are the winner! I gave her a choice of colors for her prize: light blue, gray or teal, but didn’t tell her what her prize would be. The project, a painted mason jar planter, is done and I will be sending it out to her this week. A Simple DIY I started with a plain old Empire brand pint mason jar, sponge brush, and Annie Sloan’s Duck Egg Blue chalk paint. … Read more

Holiday Crate x10 Challenge {Love My DIY Home}

Christmas DIY Wood Crate Challenge

We were challenged to take a plain wood crate and make it Christmas festive. I bought three and plan to use them under my Christmas tree. BEFORE Box and Snowflakes First I spray painted the inside with Rustoleum’s Painter’s Touch 2x Ivory Bisque. Large wood snow flakes at Hobby Lobby were perfect for an accent. I spray painted them the same ivory bisque as the box interior and then sprinkled silver glitter on it to give it some pinache and then hung it on a nail on the box. It took a bit because it was 10 degrees outside and since I paint out on my front lawn, it was interesting to say the least. I painted a bit, brought it in to dry and took it out for more paint an hour later. After a dozen ins and outs, I finally got it painted. Anyone free to come clean out … Read more