Budget Decorating

Adding a Bit of Glitz to a Motif – The Royal Collection Metallics

Add Some Glitz! The Retique It Royal Collection Metallics Are you wanting your pieces to stand out so people take notice? One way to create the WOW factor is to add a little glitz. Whether you are stenciling a piece of decor, redesigning furniture, or even stenciling on a wall, metallics are a great choice. I recently redesigned a coffee table for my living room and of course I wanted a piece of art rather than just a plain ‘ol table! Today I’m sharing a video showing you how I giltzed it up. Sometimes the best things are the simplest! I used the Royal Collection Metallics by Retique It by stenciling just a bit of trim on all of the leaves. You don’t see it at first when coming into my living room, when casually glancing at it from the front, but as you walk around to sit on the … Read more

Upcycled China Cabinet – Unwanted to Amazing!

I’ve got a good one to show you today! We’re always thinking of ways to turn cast offs into something desirable, aren’t we? Garage sale finds, Goodwill castoffs, hand-me-downs, Aunt Clara’s dusty old china cabinet… A while ago we bought this china cabinet at an estate sale. We paid $97. It’s an Ethan Allen, so I knew it had good bones and it reminded me of my mother. LOL For some reason I acquaint Ethan Allen with my mom. No idea why. Maybe because it’s from her era. Here is DH strapping everything down we go that day. It was the last day of the estate sale, so I got this china cabinet CHEAP. I got a couple of other things too. I felt like I had won the jackpot. This thing was sitting in the living room of the house of someone who had gone on, and the kids … Read more

Fixing a Sloppy Paint Job

Here’s a little tip to save you some time and effort. I bought a dresser from Marketplace and the drawers had some messy painting going on. Drips, over painting, scratches, bristles embedded, etc. The worst part were the drawer sides. My options for fixing them were: painting them, stenciling over the mess, or sanding it off. I didn’t like any of those options. I thought on it a while and came up with a better option. It was easier than any of the three choices I originally thought I had and it worked. Here is the finished project – you can click the pic to go right to the post about this project: This is an example of the super short videos I create for my Blueprint members. I’ll be sharing some of them with those who wish to see the nicky picky details that most experienced furniture flippers have … Read more

[VIDEO] Creating Appliques Using Paper Clay

SAVE $$ It can be pretty pricey to buy ready made appliques, so this is a good solution for anyone wishing to add a little pizazz to decor or furniture. It’s easy and actually a fun thing to do once you get a handle on the particulars. This video shows you how to use paper clay to make appliques fairly inexpensively.   PAPER CLAY It certainly doesn’t hurt that this product and process is pretty easy too. I like easy. At the time I made this video I only used (afflink) paper clay, but since then I’ve learned about and also use hot glue and another medium similar to paper clay, Form Flex. These two are flexible after they dry unlike Paper Clay which is not. I share the other methods in the Blueprint – be sure to subscribe to the DROPCLOTH so you’ll be notified when it opens to … Read more

Are You Ready to Become a PRO Furniture Artist?

    Have you dreamed about growing your redesign and marketing skills and/or wondered how to gain the confidence you need to get to the next level? Black Friday – Cyber Monday Furniture Flipping Blueprint Gold plan will be at an amazing price for all new and returning members. It’s time to plan for 2022 to be a record year and do great things! What is the Blueprint? It’s an online manual, a membership, for furniture artists where they can learn A to Z furniture flipping. Are you ready to stop scrolling, trying to find answers, and get down to business? Go here to find out more about the Blueprint: ValFrania.com/Join.  Why would I ever consider being mentored by Val Frania? Who is she anyway?   Why is FFB an investment in my self and how will it help me in 2022? Who else has been a member of the Blueprint? … Read more

[VIDEO] Background & Stenciling Script Tips

So so SO many furniture artists forget that their furniture is no different than a painter’s canvas. Learn a few very easy techniques and you can WOW your audience. We need to do something to stop those scrollers and sell our furniture! In this video I’ll tell you about my favorite background technique and how I add script for an old-world look. Backgrounds add interest – not just one or two colors, but from one to many will create an uncommon artsy look. It’s great for under stenciling or even a transfer. Use it to create an old-world look, weathering, etc., or even just for a look of whimsy by using dramatic or contrasting colors. You get to decide. Plus, I explain the best way to stencil script onto your piece – method matters. The BEFORE We found the tables in a jam-packed salvage type of thrift shop. Removing the … Read more

[VIDEO] Sanding and Stripping a Finish Tips

When do you sand and when should you strip? One or the other or both? First you need to give each a try, sanding and stripping, to become comfortable so it’s easy to know which is best for the job you have to do. Pick a small piece and give it a go! If you’ve never done it before, basic prep can be intimidating. It doesn’t have to be. Here’s a short look at both methods using a Rigid random orbital with a dust bag and Soy Gel Coatings Remover, formerly known as Soy Gel. Thanks for visiting. I have lots of opportunities for you to learn furniture redesign and marketing, both free and paid, that will help you along in your journey to become a confident furniture flipper. I have a bunch of ways to follow me and my escapades listed below. Have a great weekend and happy painting! … Read more

[Money Saving Tip] Bun Feet Are Expensive!

Bun feet are expensive, so we tend to avoid even considering using them on our pieces. But wouldn’t it be fab if we had a box full of options that didn’t cost us an arm and a leg? I have that now and It only cost me a few dollars. How? It occurred to me one day while spending the day looking for deals at garage sales, that I could repurpose table legs. I saw a table for sale at one sale that was only a few dollars. She was anxious to get rid of it and had it priced really low. It was old and worn and would only appeal to someone looking to get a temporary table like a young couple just starting out. So I offered her $5 for the legs and she said, “OK”! I was surprised and excited because the legs had some nice curves. … Read more

[VIDEO] Have you learned how to blend yet?

NEW TECHNIQUES CAN BE INTIMIDATING Sometimes we are intimidated by a new technique or one we’ve seen others do so well. Intimidation usually comes when we see something we like but have no idea how they did it – or it could be a lack of confidence in our abilities. But really, once we find out how and try it a few times, it becomes less intimidating. There are a few techniques that aren’t easily mastered, and blending is one that most will say was a bit difficult to get down. BUT, that’s no reason not to try! I’ve created a video for you showing a few different ways to get you started learning to blend. Grab some paint and give it a try. If nothing else, you’ll be less intimidated and have some fun. Give it a whirl. Be brave! Let me know how it goes and if you … Read more

New Pop-Up ESCAPE ROOM on Facebook – DIY DECOR

COME LEARN SOME STUFF Since I mentor furniture flippers, accumulating staging props to use in photos for listings can be a big issue. So I like to help with every area of the flipping process to help members save money and increase profits. We can make our own decor and save $ – our bottom line isn’t only affected by the profit we make on a piece of furniture, but also on our expenses. So, the more staging decor we acquire easily and cheaply, the better.   NEW POP-UP GROUP ON FACEBOOK THE ESCAPE ROOM – DIY Staging Decor is open and ready for you. You can click the  name and it will take you there so you can sign up and reserve your spot. It’s going to be fun! I’m busily working on projects to share with you. It starts September 28, but you can join in on the … Read more

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