Lil' Painted French Sign - Before & After

Hello!

We recently took down those ugly 80's Hollywood lights that wrapped around our kitchen above the cupboards...You know them - those nasty fluorescent lights.  With a blank slate I decided I'd like something to hang over the bulkhead. 

I had an interesting piece that sat atop an old dresser which I wasn't using.  I loved the details and the scale was just right. So I went to work on it.  Here is the after

This was how it started out....not bad right?

I first gave it a few coats of "Bon Voyage" (a really pretty blue)

I sanded inbetween, roughed it up and placed packing tape randomly along the entire piece and pulled it off while the paint was still tacky which gave a nice weathered, chippy, peeling effect. 

I decided on "Cafe de Provence" for the lettering since I love anything French :)

I spaced it out on my computer and printed it out.  I did the old trick of penciling out the back and tracing over the letters to transfer it to the wood.  Finished it up by painting the letters with.....

Don't laugh...

A SHARPIE MARKER!  The horror (lol).  There is no way my steadiness, let alone my patience would have allowed me to use a fine brush.

xoxo

Linked up to:

www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.com/

Before and After ::: From Worn Church Pew to Best Seat in the House

My ex told me about a bench in a little antique shop in Utica. So on Saturday morning my husband took a ride with me to check it out. I've been wanting a bench for my dining room it seems - forever. When we got there - the one we specifically went to see was all spindles and totally uncomfortable to sit on. Discouraged, we toured the rest of the shop. Then...tucked in a little hallway I saw it. A gorgeous little church pew just waiting to be discovered.

   It was coming home with us.  We lifted it into the Jeep and tied it down.  I couldn't wait to get home and get started!  After digging out the paint, running out for new brushes, hitting a local craft show with my daughter, I lost steam and my husband took over the painting and finished it all (gotta love him). 

I hit the computer and started to search out some appliques.  I found these on Ebay and within the week they were at my front door.  I didn't have any clamps so I glued them on and taped them down to set. 

My daughter came by and said it looked like a pile of cheerios!  I had faith :)

After putting on two coats of paint I stood back and thought - This is the best seat in the house!

Oh yeah...see the white streak on the plum coloured wall to the left?  That's the start of a white wall makeover underway.  Decided to paint the entire house white....YIPPEE!

Updated photo after painting the walls white :)

Linked to...

xoxo