A little sunshine + good times + stop motion
You guys! I have been waiting {very impatiently I might add!} for over two months to be able to share this video with you all! We filmed this promo video for the book on May 4th, the day after the big launch party, and it was a very full and long day. I am so appreciative of the vision that Carlton and Julia Riffle had for the direction of the video, and truly enjoyed every minute of working together to make this video a fun and happy representation of what I am privileged to be able do every day! I smile every time I watch it, knowing what all went into the planning of it...and what was going on both behind the scenes, and in the scenes!I hope you find yourself snapping your fingers, doing a jig, and definitely smiling by the end of it....Good times.....xo,Barb
Water is wet..... and wood does not like wet things.
I have gotten a few questions about water marks on both painted and unpainted wood, and so I thought I would try to tackle this question the best way I know how.I took pictures of water rings that I have around my house {above}. The unfinished table has a few rings, and the TV console in the den has a few too. I may or may not be responsible for the ones on the wood table....but my son totally owns the ones on the TV console.I have a personal conviction about such things as water rings........ {see how I got all poetical and rhythmical?}......I am not bothered by them really, and take the approach of "I'll get around to waxing that table"....or "I'll fix those rings on the console when I finish putting on the new back.......one day." These are signs of life and living...and they happen.BUT, I know that this can be bothersome and really should be taken care of in order to keep your beautiful furniture looking fresh and clean! So, here goes.1. Use a coaster for goodness sake! I sell all kinds of coasters in the shop for this very reason, and I have them all over our house {ones that we apparently forget to use...but nonetheless....we've got some great ones!} Seriously though, try to remember to put down a coaster on both painted and non painted surfaces.2. There are two types of water rings on non painted surfaces. Light and dark. The light stains have only penetrated the surface finish, but the dark stains have reached to the innermost parts of the wood and are a little trickier to get out! If you have light or white water rings on top of a NON painted wood surface , the best thing to try first is mineral spirits. Put a little bit on a clean soft rag and rub it into the spot. Let it sit overnight, and repeat if it seems to have helped. If the stain is still visible after using mineral spirits, then use a paste mixture of baking soda and non gel toothpaste. Let it sit on the stain for a few hours and wipe away with an oil soap. {Murphy's oil soap} Once the ring is gone, and the wood is dry....apply danish oil or wax to seal the surface again.3. If you have a dark stain on non painted wood you will want to start by lightly sanding the area with a fine grit sandpaper. {150 grit} If you can remove the stain without major, heavy sanding and disturbance to the surface, do so, and then apply a furniture stain or varnish to even out the finish. {If you are talking about a fine antique here, you will want to be very careful as this can really destroy the value of a piece when executed poorly.} If your stain is so dark that it does not remove when sanded lightly.... then you will need to get a little more involved and bleach the spot. Use a brush and apply the bleach directly to the stain. When the stain has lightened,{it usually takes a few hours} use a clean rag and water to stop the chemical action of the bleach. When you have washed the area with water, apply vinegar to neutralize the wood, and let the wood dry completely. Depending on the type of wood finish you have, apply stain or wax to seal the wood and match the finish of the existing wood surface.4. If you have a water ring on a painted surface....it is not difficult to fix....but it IS a process to fix. It is very different from non painted surfaces. I have found that you have to sand through the paint to try to remove the water mark and it will require that you seal and then re paint the surface you are working on. Make sure that your surface is nice and smooth before re painting. You will want to sand and seal the water mark with polyurethane or a stain blocking primer. When moisture is trapped in the surface of the paint or in the wood it has to be sealed before being repainted or it will seep back through the next coat of paint.I hope this helps in answering your questions! If you have any other questions for me , please leave them in the comments section!Thanks guys!xo,Barb
This wallpaper is calling my name....
...and may just have jumped from being in my cart...to being on its way to my shop! Some drawers will be very happy soon.{For those of you expecting a post today on water rings on wood and painted surfaces....more research is being done so that I can cover all of the bases....I promise to have my two cents up when I am done trying out every option!}xo,Barb
It's Prime Time
Ok, it's time to get down to the "nitty gritty" about primer. I have made no bones about the fact that I have a love hate relationship with primer, but over the years we have learned to tolerate each other and respect our differences.95 percent of the time I do not use primer in my work due to the fact that it is not needed for the finish I am creating. However, there are times when a primer is absolutely necessary and here is what that looks like.1. Raw unfinished wood. The reason I prime raw wood before painting is because most of the time {but not always} the wood releases tannins that will come through your paint finish....especially when using lighter paint colors. Some wood types do not release as many tannins, so educate yourself on the type of wood you're painting over. Let me reiterate that this is not always the case and sometimes tannins will not happen.....but I have found that tannins usually do rear their ugly heads and so I just nip it from the get go. One of my favorite stain blocking primers is Zinsser Cover Stain Primer Sealer.2. Shiny wood. On occasion a client brings me a mahogany type piece and the existing finish is slicky slick, so I like to give a light sanding and a coat of bonding primer to ensure that the paint finish I put on will stay nice and firm. My favorite bonding primer is Stix Waterborne Bonding Primer. It is super thin, easy to apply with a brush and or foam roller, and soap and water clean up! I have been able to have this primer tinted to a couple grays, but it is limited in "tintable" colors.This brings me to the very important conversation about another priming must for me. If I am not distressing a piece of furniture that I am priming, I am not picky about what color the primer is tinted. However, if I am distressing a piece that I am priming, the primer must always match the paint color. There is nothing I dislike more, {well that may not be entirely accurate.} than sanding through paint.... only to unleash the wrath of glaring white primer. I personally like to see only the paint color I am using and the wood....that is all. So, either use a paint and primer in one, or tint your primer to match your paint. Not all paint and primer in ones are created equal though and I find that several of them are quite thick when applied. My number one rule when applying paint is thin....thin...thin! Applying three thin coats of paint is way better than one or two thick ones. Don't believe me? Try it...and you'll never go back to thick again. Instead of mentioning the paint and primers in one that I do not like...how bout I just mention the one that I use every single day in the studio.....Benjamin Moore Aura paint. It is always the right color, and always the right consistency.....hands down.3. Dining tables. Dining tables will get so much wear and tear...not to mention temperature inconsistencies due to food dishes and drinks. Always use coasters, trivets, and hot pads to protect your painted dining surfaces. {I know we are not talking about polyurethane in this post but when I seal a dining room table I use Arm-R-Seal oil and urethane top coat by General finishes.} It is the best.There you have it. All of my favorite priming agents....the when, the why, the where. I hope I have answered your questions, but if you have more feel free to ask!{**Disclaimer- I am not being compensated by any of these brands for promoting their product. {although that would be really cool!} I am simply sharing the products I love based on my continuous use of them and their consistent results that I have come to expect and respect.}xo,Barb
Makers better make it a point to sign up for Indie Craft Parade!
I have been a supporter and promoter of Indie Craft Parade since its beginning.....and I am so proud of my friends Erin Godbey + Elizabeth Ramos for the fantastic show they have created.If you are a maker anywhere near my great city of Greenville, SC you need to enter to be in this show! Call for entries is going on right now and ends this Sunday June 23 at midnight!Visit the brand spankin'new website and register right here.
What I'm reading... At the moment
I have seen lots of Summer reading lists going around, and since I am headed to the lake for a few days this weekend I thought I would share the books I am currently reading..... Or getting ready to start!1. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand- I love anything about World War II and the men and women who were part of this era inspire me so very much.2. Follow Me by David Platt- Simply because it comes highly recommended by people I love.3. Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath- because there is always more to learn and improve on.xo,Barb
FYI: Party video.....Action!
https://vimeo.com/66154674 Carlton and Julia Riffel captured the Furniture Makeovers book party both in photographs and video....to perfection.What I love most about this video, is that every single detail was thought of....without me having to direct or explain anything. I was blissfully behind my signing table signing books and hanging out with friends and family.I am so thrilled that the sweetness of this very special evening was captured so wonderfully....and will be putting it on repeat today.....xo,Barb
FYI: Good times with Furniture Makeovers
1. One of my "other favorites" from the book. Loved doing this reverse vinyl technique. 2. Bicycle table in the works. 3. Blue fingers, which is a common thing around here 4. Sweet encouragement from a friend to keep me going 5. Seriously my favorite knobs ever....I think the idea came to me in a dream :} 6. Always lots of dirty rollers and brushes to wash out 7. Process. Love my set of vintage screw drivers.I think I have to apologize for the blurriness of some of these photos due to the fact that they were all shot from my IPhone as I was scurrying around the studio from one thing to the next! It was so important to me to capture every moment that I could, so that I could cherish and remember all of the experiences of writing this book. I would be snapping away while Aaron was doing his thing, and then I would have to get back to styling or creating or whatever else it was that we were doing that day. I do not apologize for the messy real you get to see in these photos...because there were so many messes......so many messes I tell you..... behind the beauty that was captured for this book. Sometimes I would stand amazed at how the studio was an absolute disaster behind the scenes but the section where we shot the photos was pristine and ready to go.I included the photo of the chai tea because my crazy friend wrote "Hot Barb" on the cup....which made me laugh....and then "I love you" which made me cry. I had so many friends who knew that I was in the middle of something huge and instinctively, without being asked or told, showed up at my door offering help, love, and support. I found it so touching that people would give up their free time to sit on my floor and chat with me when I was weary, bring hot drinks to keep me going, put on their painting duds and paint when deadlines got tight, and just be there when I just needed someone to talk to while working day after day, hour after hour.It is very hard for me to ask for help, always has been , I think I can handle everything...I'm tough..... but through this book writing process I learned to accept help. I say accept help because even though I never had to ask my friends for help {because they weren't asking they just told me ...hah!}....I still had to actually accept the help, and once I did... I realized what a treasure help is and what I had been missing out on. I also learned how to be a helper, and through their examples I learned how to offer help even when people don't know how to ask for it. It was a milestone for me, and now.....let me just tell you....I have no problems asking for help! Help from friends is love in action and I want to love others in this way.So to my friends....Carrie, Renee, Marian, Lily, Jen B, Cindy, Susan, Jennifer B, Angie, & Krystle.....Thank you for helping me, I will never forget your kindness.xo,Barb