A Whimsical Makeover: The Farmhouse Bench/Table

I recently attended a training for the Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint given by the makers of the paint, Homestead House Paint Co.

I didn't know quite what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how nice and welcoming the company was. I was happy to be learning from the experts and was pleased to know that it was a wonderful company be associated with. 

It was a lovely day of learning, asking questions, painting and great food. 

I was excited to come home and get painting right away. This is definitely a paint that takes some practice. I don't feel confidant giving tips or suggestions yet but I hope to in the near future. I have several MMS Milk Paint projects lined up. 

Here is my "after training" piece:

This is a small farmhouse bench/coffee table that fits the old world style of milk paint.  I used MMSMP in Kitchen Scale. It is an AMAZING color! I loved the richness of it. For this piece, I mixed 1/3 cup paint to 1/3 cup water. It covered in easily in 1 coat with just a few touch ups with the 2nd coat. I added no bonding agent because I wanted it to chip... It didn't chip. 

That is the tricky part about Milk Paint. It doesn't always do what you want it to do. However, with a bit of sanding, the piece turned out great! I sealed it with Hemp oil as the finishing step.

I highly recommend that you talk to an expert before you try this paint. There are a lot of variables with this paint.  You will appreciate the advise. 

I have another project planned with this paint for today. I'd better get painting. :)

Follow my Facebook page for more frequent house updates and pictures. 

Linking Up To:
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Mod Vintage Life

Savvy Southern Style

Adding Texture to the Frame Wall

Our frame wall was feeling a bit flat.

Since this picture, I have added a few more frames and some texture. 

It is feeling a bit more full but I still want to add a few more pieces inside the frames. I love finding or making unique items to display inside the frames.

Unique and girly oil painting have been grabbing my eye lately. I love how dark and moody this one is. Antique lace is also pretty when displayed in a frame.

Handmade wreaths are another great way to add a pop of texture. I made this one and hung it simply with twine. It gives it a more rustic and carefree touch.

I am going to have a lot of fun changing this around. 

Thanks for checking in. 

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Staging Furniture for a Photo - Calling all Furniture Dealers

 I have received many kind compliments in the last few weeks on my staging and photography. These comments mean a lot to me because I am no expert. I am learning as I go and I appreciate the positive feedback.

I feel like I have gotten it down to a method that works for me.
And let's be honest... A great photograph can really sell a buyer on a piece of furniture.

Here are some tips I use to stage my furniture for photos.

1. Choose a neutral background and great light - I have 3 places in my house in which I can photograph nicely. Each place has a background that is nondescript and can work for multiple pieces. It must also contain an abundance of natural light. That really is the only way to get a great photograph.

2. Choose items with pops of color - Color, color and more color! You want to add interest to your piece by adding layers of color. This will keep the reader's eye on your photo longer. I love to dry hydrangeas. They keep their color and look fresh year round. This photo was taken in February and the flowers look fantastic.

3. Add some texture - Texture is another way to add interest to your photo. Notice that I have glass, burlap, canvas and baskets. Each has a very different texture that grabs the light differently. Flowers and paper also add nice texture to a piece.

4. Use varying heights - Heights will help balance your photograph. I had a long and skinny piece of furniture that needed to be balanced out. I used the existing window and 2 more frames to add height to the photo. The flowers also add a punch of color.

5. Cluster - Grouping items can also add depth and interest to your piece. Groups of books, vases, ironstone or frames all work nicely.

To help achieve the look you want... visit a good garage sale or flea market. This is a great way to gather inexpensive items to assist in your staging. Try and find items that can be versatile. Watch my photos, there are a few small pieces that I like to use often.

Hopefully this will help you feel more comfortable in your staging and help you sell, sell, sell!

Visit these talented bloggers for more staging inspiration:

1. Miss Mustard Seed

2. Melody from My Passion for Decor

3. Knack Studios

Thanks for checking in!

Follow my Facebook page for more frequent house updates and pictures. 

Linking Up To:
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Mod Vintage Life

The Shabby Creek Cottage
 Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

30 Day Photo Challenge 1-10

I want to get better with my camera.

I NEED to get better with my camera.

The only way to do that is to take a lot of pictures.

To do this, I embarked on a 30 day photo challenge with a small groups of friends. 

I found this on Pinterest:

Using a small group Facebook page, my friends and I have been sharing our photos with each other.

Here are my first 10:

Day1: - Self Portrait - It is really hard to take a self portrait. This one was taken by my husband. I need to work on this.

 Day 2: What you wore: My Favorite Jeans - Macro Mode

 Day 3: Clouds - Taken lying on my back in the grass. :)

Day 4: Something Green - Working with perspective

 Day 5: After Dark - Photo taken at 7:50 pm using my night setting

 Day6: Obsessions: Wooden Boxes and metal stools

Day 7: Changes to Come - My neigbors probably thought I was nuts sitting for 15 minutes in the street. On this photo I practiced my background defocus feature.

 Day 8: - Routine - Taken with iphone - Saturday mornings at Shawn's

 Day 9: Someone I love - Cooper - This photoshoot lasted 45 minutes. He was loving it. We just sat in the grass and snuggled.

Day 10: Childhood Memory - On my birthday when I was little, I would wake up to this note taped to the bathroom mirror. I walked downstairs to the tape player and pressed play. "You say it's your Birthday" by the Beatles would play and my sister and I would dance around. My dad would leave this note before he left for work.

I will post more of my pictures later. I am learning a lot about my camera and would love to do another challenge in July. Anyone interested?

Vintage Trays - Pop of Color

It me surprised me to find that I have been attracted to very girly items lately. I am loving roses and bright colors. I found some beautiful vintage metal trays that certainly caught my eye. 

I love that they are girly with a bit of rust. Maybe that is my new style. Ha!

I paired them with a bright white table linen and fresh cut roses inside a vintage birdcage. I also used my Ball jars with a sprig of mint for mint water. The perfect summer drink...

I needed a pop of color in the dining room. 

Thanks for checking in.

Follow my Facebook page for more frequent house updates and pictures. 

Linking Up To:
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Mod Vintage Life

The Shabby Creek Cottage
 Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

A Whimsical Makeover: The Twin Chairs

I love chairs... until it's time to paint. I should write that down somewhere. 

I am drawn to chairs.

I love to play with fabric.

I love to use my staple gun. 

I hate to actually paint them. So many curves and tight spaces. Ugh!

However, they always look beautifully put together when finished.

Here is my most recent chair makeover:

Before: These chairs are beautifully carved with great construction. However, the wood needed to be painted and the fabric and batting replaced. 

After: 

I used a paint technique that I am not very comfortable with yet. I chose to paint these chairs with Chalk Paint® in Graphite. After and initial clear wax coat,  I covered these in a French Linen wash and finished with an additional coat of clear wax.

I got very nervous while I was "washing" the chair. I wasn't sure if it was going to turn out the way I wanted. However, once all of the steps were complete, they look fabulous! A very different look for me and I like it!

This is definitely a technique that I enjoy and will continue to practice. 

A million thanks to my favorite Stockist, Christie Carter of Carter's Cottage. She talked me off of the ledge when I wasn't sure if they were going to turn out as I had planned.

I always purchase my Chalk Paint® at Carter's Cottage in Dekalb, Illinois.

Linking Up To:
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Mod Vintage Life

The Shabby Creek Cottage
 Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

Herbs and a Potting Bench

My garden space is limited so I had to be creative about planting my herbs this year. I chose to mount them on the dead space where the garage wall meets our back deck. It is a space that needs to be used functionally and beautifully because it is highly visible and a focal point from the house and back yard. 

I chose to grow chives, cilantro, basil, rosemary, sweet mint and chocolate mint. They are all doing very well. 

For my potting table I used an old chippy table that I found at the flea market. My mom found me the great rusty stool to pair with the table. 

Now I can start potting!

Thanks for checking in. 

Linking Up To:
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Mod Vintage Life

The Shabby Creek Cottage
 Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style

A Whimsical Makeover: The Graphite Dresser

Summer is officially in full swing in the Whimsical household. I am ready to tackle some projects and paint some furniture. It is raining outside today so I thought it would be a good day to finish and photograph my newest piece. 

I purchased this dresser at the Flea Market this weekend. The exterior was a little beat up but the drawers are in great condition. It just needed a bit of cosmetic love.

For some reason, I am drawn to darker colors right now. I know, I know... it is summer. I should be seeing oranges and greens. Nope! I am craving ASCP Graphite. 

I wanted this piece to be rustic and worn. I think I achieved the look I was going for.

I used 1 coat of Graphite and sanded a good amount of it away. 

Then, I covered it ASCP Dark Wax. I thinned it down a bit with mineral spirits for easier application.

Then I applied Liberon Gilt Cream to highlight the details.

Finally, I added a bit of color in the styling. 

I am in love with this piece. It came together very quickly and just as I had planned. The color is amazing too. I have 2 other Graphite project in the works on the back porch right now. I can't wait to share those too. 

Thanks for checking in.

Follow my Facebook page for more frequent house updates and pictures. 

Linking Up To:
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Mod Vintage Life

The Shabby Creek Cottage
 Coastal Charm

Savvy Southern Style