Good Bye 2012

So another year has passed us by.
Do you feel any wiser...or just older?
Thank you 2012 for all your lessons.
I'm looking forward to a wonderful New Year,
13 is after all my favorite number.

Impatient

I know it's a little crazy....but I'm ready for spring! I realize I'm jumping the gun quite a bit, but what can I say, I'm impatient.  I've always been like this though, January 1st is really the first day of spring...well in my book it is.

I guess I'll go gets some bulbs to force in the house...something...what's a winter crop that I can plant, kale? I desperate to get my hands in the dirt!!! Oh well, like or not winter is very much still here. I thought I could at least share some pretty pictures and leave you with thoughts green and fresh blooms.

Balance and harmony with paintbrush in hand

I started 2012 with a journal that was aptly embossed on its cover with this quote, "Strive for balance and you will find harmony". I feel a little like I metaphorically told this quote to shove it by the proceeding choices that I made for myself this year. Balance and harmony were two things that were sorely missing from my life this year. But sometimes you have to take your lumps in life and learn some lessons the hard way. With that, these are the lessons I'm putting in my pocket and walking away from 2012 with:

1.) My ambition does not supersede my need/want to take care of my family.

Money doesn't motivate me enough to give up some things, i.e. my garden, volunteering in the girls classrooms and going on field trips, hosting family gatherings and spending time with friends.

I know I can't take my zucchini's to the bank, nor does spending a day with 25-30 1st or 4th graders pay our bills....but at the end of my life I don't want to look back on all I didn't do for my family because I was trying to "make it". I am "making it" right now, I'm making a home and making a lifetime of memories.

2.) Simple things hold great value

A clean house, reading a book to my daughters, a balanced checkbook (rarely achieved), curling up by the fire with my hub, a phone conversation with my mom, planting a seed. These things add up to so much of what really makes me feel satisfied and content. It's sometimes so hard to stay in touch with what I really want.

3.) I have talents to share

I feel myself recoiling from that statement...it's really hard to feel like what I have to give is enough. But I've realized that I do have a talent for painting and a good eye for color...and whats more, I really enjoy sharing it. I think this is the best thing I've learned this year, to be able to value what I have to offer is huge for me personally and I'm excited to see where it takes me. Which leads me to a my big announcement and next steps for the new year....

I am happy to announce that I will be doing more custom painting for anyone who is interested. I've had so many customers at French Hen as well as friends and family who are always asking me about painting furniture they already have at home. If you have something that needs a bit of refreshing, send me a picture and I'll give you a quote and a color recommendation.

If your feeling like your ready to dive into the painting world yourself, than I happy to help you! Starting sometime in late January I will be hosting some intimate workshops at my house to help you paint your own fabulous finds! Please let me know what most interests you in regards to classes, I'm very flexible and still in the development stage, so I'd love your input.

And if you are looking for a little more one-on-one advice, I'm happy to come to your house for a private tutorial. This option is great if your not sure what would be the best color choice, or if you have a really large project you would like to tackle.

Please contact me via email at frenchtoastlifestyle@gmail.com


I really enjoy painting and being a mother, wife and homemaker...I think working from home and at a slower pace will allow me to be all of those things in equal measure. :)

Deep Thoughts Monday

This morning I'm finding myself with a rare private and peaceful moment. My hubbie was able to head into work later than usual, so he took the girls into school. Which has left me still in my jammies in an empty quiet house. It feels like about a million years since this has happened.

There has definitely been a lot to have "deep thoughts" about lately. With everything that's been happening on a national basis I'm struggling to put into words the depth of sadness I feel for the families in Connecticut and for all of humanity collectively. I've chosen to avoid the news, not read the paper and face book seems like a virtual minefield of "tributes". I don't want to give one single breath of energy to the profit or sensation of that ill fated day.

Today and all days forth I choose to do more than just hold my children tight...because that's just not enough. I choose to hold them to a higher standard of compassion, understanding and humility. How do you make a difference? Start with your children, because they truly are the ones who will pay it forward.

Two shades are better than one!

I admit, my personal painting style is a little layered. I'm not super interested in a straight forward, one color, one note type of painting. I have done it....and I can do it. But I much prefer to layer my paints and I love to finish my pieces with washes.

Why a wash? And further more....what is a wash?

A wash is a very thin, watered down paint that is applied onto a piece of furniture and then wiped, blotted or ragged off. I like washes for several reasons. First, I feel like it softens any imperfections in my paint job. Drips or dings in the finish seem more intentional than accidental once covered by a wash. Think of it like a tan over cellulite...somehow your thighs just always look better tan ;) Ha Ha! I also like the way a wash will give a piece of furniture dimension and depth, it's also a great way to highlight cool details, such as carvings.

How do I mix a wash?

I like to start with about 2 tablespoons of paint watered down with about 1/2 cup of water. If you are a first time "washer" I suggest washing with a light color over another light color. Maybe try a grey and wash over with white. As you get more experienced you can try washing a vibrant color over black to get a layered aged look.

How do I apply my wash?

I brush on the wash in small sections and then blot off with a rag. A wash will drip and run...but don't fear...just keep wiping and blotting. Step back and take a look at the effect, do you want a second coat? Is your wash to thick or thin? All of these things are easily fixed. I often do two or three washes to get the layered aged effect I'm looking for.

Here are two examples of washes. I used Miss Mustard Seed milk paint with both of these pieces.

This table was painted with "Shutter Grey" and washed with "Grain Sack"
Shutter Grey is a very blue grey and Grain Sack is a creamy white grey

 

This table was painted with a first coat of "Typewriter" which is a black

I then washed over the black with a mix of "Flow Blue" and "Boxwood"
which when combined was a very electric blue/green


 

All of these colors are milk paint but I've had great success using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the wash form as well. I've also washed pieces that I painted with chalk paint as a base with a milk paint wash. There really are no rules...just experiment and see what happens. After all...it's only paint!

Back to reality

To say it's been a whirlwind of a week would be an understatement. I literally didn't get out of bed until two o'clock yesterday afternoon. I'm working on getting some pictures of the event to share...of course I didn't take any pictures of anything finished.



Boxes of milk paint and books

The church in process of being set up

Garland and a great box for staging

My chalkboard in process

My truck....stuffed to the gills!!!

 

It was an incredible, jam packed day. Honestly, I'm still trying to mentally process all that I was exposed to, learned and realized. After seeing Marian's first post about her visit and her stay at our local Metro Hotel here in Petaluma, I think I mostly feel proud and privileged. Sometimes when you see the view of your hometown through someone else's lens, you get a better understanding of the bounty that your community has to offer.

In regards to Marian, she was wonderful in person. At the end of the day, she's just a very talented, very real person. Both her and her husband are so down to earth and humble. I truly walked away with a sense that if she can do it...then so can I. What "it" is for me...remains to be determined.

I'll be sharing a lot this week about the event, Summer Cottage, projects that I've completed with MMS milk paint and other inspirational stories from the day and who I met.

Deep thoughts Monday

The countdown has begun....Miss Mustard Seed will arrive in a little over 24 hours. It's sort of funny when you actually get to meet someone you really admire professionally. Afterall, she's just a person like me...a wife and a mother. I guess the question becomes....what do I hope to get from the experience? Once I've meet my "idol", what will I be left with?

At this point, I know I can count on a few things. I know I'll be glad I did all that I could do to help my friend with this crazy adventure she took on by flying Marian out. I know I'll be grateful it's over and I can get some sleep...ha ha. I guess I'm hoping that by meeting a person who has very humbly achieved so many of her dreams...maybe somehow, it will show me that I can achieve some of mine as well. Any way it shakes out I'm proud to be a part of something so exciting.

If you are interested in taking a class with Marian or just meeting her and picking up her book "Inspired You" you can find out all the details here or by calling Summer Cottage Antiques 707-776-2873

Quickie update!

I've been insanely busy the last few days helping Gen get ready for our visit from the fabulous Miss Mustard Seed. Of course there's been a heap of other things on my plate as well...when it rains it pours, right?

I got my second wind at about 11:00 pm, actually I think it might have been more like my third or fourth wind, but who's counting. Anyway, Gen and I were at Summer Cottage getting prepped for the open house tomorrow. I think I can officially say I'm moved in. My space can definitely use some tweaks...but for now I'm satisfied. Here's some pics.

Hope to see everyone shopping local this weekend!

I'm obsessed!!!

I've decided that I'm obsessed with chalkboards!!! I've been slowly nurturing this fetish...and recently I'm finding that I think there should be one in every room in my house.

My husband built a huge chalkboard for French Hen....which I've had soooo much fun playing with. Every month I change out the theme, it's also a great way to get the word out about community events.

I'm not really a good artist, most of my ideas are adaptations of other artwork I've found online. I google images of a subject I'm interested in and use that as the jumping off point. The great thing about chalk art is that it's so forgiving. I do a lot of "blending" with my fingers and if you mess up, just erase that section and start over.

I think the best part about a chalkboard is that in encourages you to create. Let's face it...it's such a bummer to be a grown up sometimes. There's something about having a piece of chalk in hand and a blank canvas that is absolutely liberating!

With the help of my hubbie I made several chalkboards in all different sizes that I'll be bringing to my new space in Summer Cottage. So if you're looking for a gift or something for yourself come pick one up...or make one for yourself (I'll have to do a little how-to post). I can't think of a better gift than one that inspires creativity.

Favorites and New beginnings

I've been slowly moving into my new little space at Summer Cottage. It's super exciting to be able to fill my entire space with 4 small pieces in comparison to bringing a truck load that doesn't even make a dent.  I've always wanted to try my hand at a strictly mono-cromatic space, I figured this was my chance. My new space has a great white wood background that served as my jumping off point and it's been a thrill to piece together a new look. Here's some shots of the space in progress...

It's always fun to create something new. On another note, I recently brought a piece into French Hen and I think it's one of my favorites. When I first got this dresser it came with a great original patina that I was hesitant to mess with. I have to say, as a mother of two little girls, I find that I'm always drawn to pink....especially original crispy faded fabulous pink, like this dresser was.

However, this piece had some downfalls and in the end I felt that it could be equally fabulous and a little more finished if I gave it a fresh coat of paint. I didn't document the process, but it was pretty simple.

*One coat of primer
*One coat of ASCP Paris Grey
*One coat of White wash ( brushed on and ragged off)
*Clear wax to finish

I find this treatment accentuates the flaws that a chippy dinged up piece may have....but in a good way. The best thing you can do when something is imperfect is to embrace it's uniqueness and highlight the positives. This dresser has beautiful lines and an aged grace about it that really spoke to me. I hope she finds a good home soon.

One slice of humble pie for me please

As this year draws to a close, I can't help but reflect on what a roller coaster ride it's been. I started the year by bringing my Bestie Gen into Summer Cottage to share a space with me, which was quickly followed by me taking a large space at French Hen Antiques. Talk about having a Tiger by it's tail...I definitely got drug along by the pace of that expansion and soon found myself giving up my space at Summer Cottage, in order to concentrate my efforts at French Hen.

Now after months of really working my butt off, I've come to the tough decision to leave French Hen and return to Summer Cottage and a much smaller space. I'm so glad I went through the process of trying the larger space, I completely surprised myself with what I was able to produce. However, after months of knocking things off my "mom" list in trade for my "antique dealer" list I started to really question where this all was leading.

So here I am, starting over...again. I don't mind though, I feel relieved, renewed and ready for some new adventures. This time around, I think I'll work on being the captain of my own ship, that way I can dictate the pace.

To Brenda (owner of French Hen) I wish nothing but success and prosperity. So many people love your shop...I hope your business continues to grow and enrich the community.

To Summer Cottage Antiques, I'm so grateful to be returning. As the saying goes, Many hands make light work. I really missed the network of dealers and how we all take care of each other.

To my bestie Gen, TO WANDA!!! 

Deep Thoughts Monday

Gratitude....apparently it's not for sale.

It seems that every holiday had become a mass vehicle for shopping and spending, decorating and parties. Be it Easter or Valentines, Halloween and definitely Christmas, my kids are always coming home with an invitation, goodie bag or some other treat, in celebration of that said holiday. Now you have Halloween decorations for sale in August and Christmas rolls out the day after Halloween...if not sooner.

Which brings me to Thanksgiving....apparently the one holiday we somehow haven't figured out a way to pimp out for cash. What is it about this holiday that keeps it somewhat sacred? You would think it would be Christmas or even Easter, given their religious significance (for some at least). But no...Thanksgiving is our one untouched holiday. I guess the simple message of Thanksgiving keeps it pure. After all, you won't find gratitude for sale.

The simplicity of the tradition, family and friends gathering for the same meal in celebration of all that they do have and are thankful for. Hmmmmm, this is a tough one to market. What more do you need? And here's the kicker...the less you have, sometimes the more grateful you'll feel. Because Thanksgiving is the holiday that makes you take pause and say, "I'm so grateful for...." And there is always something to fill in that blank.

Whether your family dines on fine china or paper plates, your turkey is farm raised and hormone free or a good ol' butterball pumped full of nitrates and salt (which I might add, make it mighty tasty). I'm sure that you will sit down and feel grateful for all that has been laid before you. I know I will.

Like Butta'

I think I'm in love. Is it possible to think a wax is....sexy?

Ok, I know, I have some explaining to do here. Since my Bestie Gen is a retailer of MMS Milk Paint, I of course bought the entire line of paint along with all its finishing products. I'm having a great time getting to know the best way to use the products and experimenting with the colors and techniques that are unique to milk paint. But I have to say that I already know that I'm sort of head over heals for the furniture wax that is included with this line.

This wax....hmmmmmm, it's like butta'! It's sumptuous, it's sexy. Since this is a natural beeswax based product, it smells great and has a silky smooth consistency. It's fast and easy to apply and it buffs to a beautiful natural finish. I find myself stroking my furniture....I think my husband might be jealous.

MMS furniture wax works great over milk paint, but I'm loving it over Annie Sloan Chalk Paint as well. If you've found paste wax to be tricky and sticky, this is such a no-brainer to use.

I just finished waxing a dinning room table with the stuff...so I think I'll light a cigarette and bask in the afterglow. Just kidding....well about the cigarette at least.

Poetic waxing

Something I've learned along the way with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, is that it must be waxed to finish and seal the paint. The ASCP wax is good quality and worth the investment, but if you'd rather stick with a brand you already have...that's fine too.

My best tips for ASCP wax are as follows:

Apply a thin layer evenly with a paint brush of your choosing

I like to buy cheap brushes that I can toss without guilt after a few applications...because I'm lazy and don't like to wash my brushes. If you are a better steward of the Earth and your finances than I, my best tip for cleaning is to rub some vegetable oil into the bristles of your brush to loosen the wax then wash with warm soapy water.

Let the wax cure for at least 24 hours before buffing

I like to wax pieces at night and since my stuff is for resale, buff them at the shop once they have been transported. That way you avoid scratches and dings in the finish.  If you don't allow the wax to cure, it will be sticky and you won't be able to bring it to a shine.

Use ASCP dark wax sparingly!!!!

I love the effect the dark wax can give to a piece, but it can go all wrong very, very fast!!!! For the best results, apply a thin layer of clear wax first, then gingerly dab the dark wax onto the areas that you would like to have a more aged appearance, then work it in with a dry brush. If you put too much dark wax on, work the area with a brush with clear wax on it...this can help knock down the dark. On rare occasions I do apply dark wax over an entire piece...but only when using a dark ASCP color such as Graphite. Since the dark wax is meant to give an aged appearance to a piece, be thoughtful about where you might see an authentic wear pattern or darkening on an antique piece. For instance, in the cracks and grooves of details or around the handles or corners. DO NOT take your brush and make skid marks across your lovely furniture!

Pre wax

Pre wax

This is literally how much wax I put on my brush...just specks on the outer edges.

You can see here that I put hardly any wax on my brush...a little goes a long way!

                I like to stipple the dark wax around a small area and then work it in with my brush.

Work in the wax and try to get it in the nooks and crannies of the piece. BTW...this isn't one of the fore mentioned cheap brushes...I did splurge for this waxing brush. Honestly, it's not that much better than the cheap ones, in my opinion. However, the cheapies shed bristles which you have to then pick out of  the wax. This one just happened to be clean.

 

Here is the dark wax worked in. You can see that it gives the piece a more aged patina.

Up close you can see the way the wax sits in the nooks and crannies...hmmmmmmm
      all this nook and crannie talk is making me crave and English Muffin.

And finally...here she is waxed and ready to go to French Hen. Against the brick wall, this looks a little like a furniture mug shot...but oh well.

Deep Thoughts Monday

Julie...this pic's for you! XO

Well, it was a busy weekend at the shop and now I'm just trying to catch up a little around the house and get ready to clean my workroom again....argghhhh....never ending!

To tell the truth, my thoughts really aren't that deep today. I just like the idea of having a day and a forum to express whatever I want. I guess that's really what a blog is...a journal with legs, a vehicle for your thoughts to go out and meet the world.

We're experiencing the first glimpses of winter where I live and I love it! There's something about the first rainy cold days that make you want to put on a pot of soup and take on a little (or big) project. I have some new projects in the hopper, a MMS milk paint testimonial and the reveal of my little pink piggy coming up this week. Hope you'll check those posts out. Until then....

If only...

Or is it, Only if?
Do you find yourself thinking, "If only I had that house, body, dollar amount, car or talent" then I could....fill in the blank. I'm the worst at this!!!! I can't tell you how often I'm blind to the blessings in my life. It's so easy to get lost in the I don't haves.

For me it boils down to self worth. I tell myself things like, "If only I owned this house, I would..." or "If only I had the bankroll to really support my business, I would..." When really I'm telling myself..."Only if.." then you can achieve your dreams. Well, I don't a lot of things...but the truth is, I can't let what I don't have hold me back.

"You can't always get what you want....but if you try, sometimes, you might just find you get what you need."
Or so the song goes ;)

Deep Thoughts Monday,
By: Emily Bruhn
LOL!!!

Makeover underway...An update:

If you paint enough with ASCP you start to get bored with the colors on the market. And because chalk paint is so popular with people in my business, you end up seeing a lot of carbon copies. Sometimes, I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of Paris Grey. What's a girl to do? Mix it up! Literally....

One of my favorite colors in the ASCP line is Duck Egg. I think it's sort of a robin's egg/aqua hybrid. One day, I was in a reckless mood so I mixed the Duck Egg and Paris Grey together....and Grey Duck was born. Or Paris Egg? Whatever, I'm obviously thinking too much about this.

My well cared for paint cans

Disposable Tupperware makes a great container for paint

Anyway, Grey Duck is the color I choose to paint my little side table project. I love this color with Annie Sloan Dark wax applied over it, which BTW, dramatically changes the end color. So here's the update photo with one coat...which I think is plenty because I primed my little piggy ;)

The dark wax will really nestle in the grooves of the legs and these little floral/sunburst details at the top. I'll walk you through the sanding and waxing next post.

Deep Thoughts

I haven't watched Saturday Night Live in a long time....but one of the things I do remember is the "Deep Thought" clips. They always cracked me up and I thought that would be a good seg-way into my own "deep" thoughts.

I admit, I'm an overachiever when it comes to self analysis. I'm definitely my own harshest critic and at times it can be really debilitating. With the seasons changing and lots on my mind lately. I'm finding myself on the presuppose of change. With a heavier work load and growing children my expectations for myself and my family are changing. I still have trouble thinking of myself as a "working" mother...but I certainly am. But that doesn't make it any easier to ask for more help from the kids and hubby. Old habits die hard...and most days I just feel like I'm drowning in a sea of dirty dishes. Hmmmmm, what to do? Chore chart? Nervous breakdown? Tears usually get my hubbies attention. A maid....definitely a maid. Right?

In the end, I just have to speak up and ask for more help. I need to keep reminding myself that delegation is not a sign of weakness.