Well, 2015 is now gone and as I sit here anxious and excited to see what 2016 has in store, I couldn't help but look at the projects I completed this last year. As I look at the photos I have taken, I can't hardly believe how much my style has changed. When I first started painting, I think my style was very French. All I ever painted were the outdated 60s and 70s French Provincial style pieces. Now I look at some of the beautiful pieces of furniture I have found and I am shocked at how much they have morphed my style. I rather like it!
Last January, I had the pleasure of picking up this darling desk. It was solid built and in pretty good structural condition. I love accenting the flaws in a piece of furniture to give it character and history. With this desk, I was able to do just that by painting her in Annie Sloan Old White and doing a heavy distress. I love how she turned out. This started my love affair with all things white this year. Not to mention the chair as well. It too was painted in Annie Sloan Old White and reupholstered with a beautiful blue fabric with silver polka dots. Ooo lala!
This vanity I refurbished was apart of an Antique Thomasville bedroom set. I found it on Craigslist and it was a very good price. I thought it probably had issues. Once I saw the whole set, I had to have it. It had character for sure. I painted this in Annie Sloan Old White and went even heavier on the distressing than I had planned. But with her cute little legs, curvy top, and beautiful hardware, this little lady didn't stick around for long.
Next up in the Thomasville set was this lovely, huge, and might I say extremely heavy dresser. Now my booth at Camas Antiques was down a very steep staircase in the basement. I kid you not when I say I wasn't sure that she or myself would make it down in one piece. But we did! Painted in Annie Sloan Old White with a heavy distress like her sister piece, she too didn't stick around for very long.
What I love about all of these pieces painted in Annie Sloan Old White is that it gives me the opportunity to let other colors shine, but it keeps these pieces elegant, classy, and timeless. I love accenting with colors, but this year, despite my belief in pink as my name suggests, I just couldn't get my fill of this beautiful custom mixed Aqua Blue. This color is achieved by mixing Annie Sloan colors Florence and Pure White. Just mix until you have the hue you desire and I promise it does not disappoint!
Here is one of my favorite items from this years picks. Now as I have said before, I love shopping at Goodwill. I never leave empty handed. This picket fence crate is one of many treasures that I have found there. I also always find a load of canning jars which paint up beautifully to make great flower vases. Another thing I love about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is that you can paint anything...and I mean anything! You can paint wood, plastic, laminate, paper, fabric, and even glass...all with no prepping or priming! It is amazing. One of my best sellers are canning jars that are painted, distressed, waxed, and accented with jute. By adding painted jars to this sweet picket fence, you can create a lovely table center piece for spring...just add some tulips and you have something very unique.
I love this bench. It too, was apart of the Thomasville bedroom set that I painted. Of course I painted it in Annie Sloan Old White. For the fabric I wanted to pick something very understated and simple. When I poured through my stash and found this sweet white fabric with beautiful yellow rosebuds, I knew I had hit the jackpot! This sweetie didn't stick around long either.
This dresser was painted for a dear friend. She wanted a shabby white dresser and so naturally I was there to deliver. I painted this dresser in Annie Sloan Old White. The hardware was a brassy gold color, so I left it as is for this stunner. The hardest part was to not get too heavy handed with the distressing. I think she is beautiful!
I know I shared a bit about this piece on my last blog, but she definitely made the list of favorites this year. I found this stunning antique music cabinet on Craigslist. I loved her Queen Anne legs and the intricate raised details on the doors. I painted her in Annie Sloan Old White and distressed her beautiful design features. She was intended for our laundry room, but she was too pretty to hide away.
This is one of my favorite vignettes from my booth this year. The sweet miniature tea set I found when we were cleaning our house preparing for our move. It was so precious I wish I could have kept it. One thing you will learn about me is that I love lavender. It is so simple and it adds a little bit of country to any decor. Plus it smells amazing too! This clock, I surprisingly got at Hobby Lobby. If you watch the sales you can get great deals on some of their pricier items. This clock was a real find. Vintage books are also a great way to add color, pattern, dimension, and detail to any space. Place them under a clock or another decorative piece for a very personal yet trendy touch.
Where do I even begin with this piece. I wish I had a before picture. It was the ugliest desk I had ever seen. But I took a chance on it because of the cute spindly legs. I'm so glad I did. She did need some help, so I painted her in Annie Sloan Old White, stenciled the drop down panel in Annie Sloan French Linen, and heavily distressed. If you are not gifted at stenciling like me, then a great way to hide the flaws is to heavily distress the parts that didn't turn out so hot. It give the piece character and age. This desk also had ugly gold knobs, so I switched them out for large crystal knobs that I got at Home Goods. Yes they sell hardware...really cute hardware and for pretty good prices. Once I finished this desk my Mom wouldn't let me sell it to anyone but her. I'm so glad we kept it!
Oh I just love this dresser. I am a sucker for the scalloped trim on these simple wood pieces. They paint up so well and they really have a country cottage feel. This dresser is painted in Annie Sloan Old White and distressed lightly. Again, I loved the hardware too much to paint it and so I left it natural. I also have an obsession with tole painting. When I saw these cute owls I had to have it. It sold right away, but I will always have this picture to remember it by.
So I know I have already talked about this dresser with an attitude in my last blog. Funny thing is that she is still voicing her protestation. Check out the hardware on the right of the bottom drawer. The handle is in the upright position. It's throwing the whole balance of the photo off and driving me crazy. Even though she was stubborn, her beautiful coats (4 coats to be exact...twice as many as normal) of Annie Sloan Old White do flatter her curves nicely.
I know I shared this photo last week as well, but I can't help myself. I love the window, but I literally sweat bullets when applying vinyl to glass. It turned out pretty good though. The small pallet board I stenciled for my women's gift for our Christmas Eve cutthroat gift exchange. I tried to get her back, but I failed :( good thing I have another board to recreate the look. The coat rack behind the board was a simple piece I got at Goodwill. It was a dark wood and quite drab if I do say so myself. I debated doing Annie Sloan Old White because it is my go to color, but instead I went with my favorite blue. I wanted it a little lighter, so I added some more Annie Sloan Pure White to the mixture. With what I mixed, it was probably a 1/4 of a cup or less, I was able to paint 2 coats on the coat rack, the large frame, and 5-6 jars. The paint seriously goes a long way.
Well, that is my year in review. A lot changed last year, some good and some bad, but it's all about how you handle the change in the moment. I made it and I am a stronger person for it. My goals for this year are to continue to find pieces and give them new life, grow in the techniques I have learned, and get myself back into a shop where I can put my beautiful finds and flips on display. I hope that you enjoyed my list of 2015 favorites and that you will continue to check back for more projects, more treasure finds, and just more fun.
Happy New Year!
Vanessa
I Believe in Pink
Sharing with:
Feathered Nest Friday at French County Cottage
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Porch To Yours
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound
Simple & Sweet Fridays at Rooted in Thyme
