Introductions

This piece of goodness......that I named Haskell by the way..... was one that I purchased from some antique collectors that were downsizing their collection! I was really drawn to its petite nature and it's awesome cast iron pulls. It is a rare occasion when I leave the original knobs on the piece, but in this case they are just too beautiful to remove.....although I did remove them for painting because I wanted them to stay in pristine condition. I picked a very gray green color for this piece that I felt complimented the dark heaviness of the knobs, and I absolutely love the way it turned out. 

I had every intention of putting it in the etsy shop last week, but it sold one hour after I got it on the floor at Antiques on Augusta! This is a good thing....but I was excited about having a new piece for the shop since I am buried under a bunch of awesome custom projects right now. I am going to try to get another one done for the shop this week....but it may be crazy! We'll see....

I will have another Introduction for you tomorrow......and....on Wednesday too! Woot! So get ready my friends there is a little pink, and a little red headed your way!

Hope  your Monday is great today and that this week is a really great week for all!

xo,

Barb

Introductions

 Well my friends.....it was a long time coming.....but sometimes ideas take time to form and hatch. Sometimes obstacles and closed doors turn into the greatest triumphs and straight paths........seriously... 

...but anyway, I have been trying to figure out some type of planter situation for the front of the studio. I went back and forth between wanting something recycled and found, something hand made by a friend, or something bought brand new.  I just couldn't decide...so I dropped it totally. 

 Well, several weeks later I bought this piece of furniture, and had every intention of transforming it in my usual way. I started taking it apart and prepping it for painting only to find out that almost all of the drawer runners were going to have to be replaced. It made me a little sad because I knew that by the time I paid to have all of that repaired it would not be worth it cost wise.

So, it sat.....and sat......until two weeks ago when it hit me! I decided to paint it and pull out random drawers to use as planter boxes! The perfect combination of found goodness, and an example of what I do at Knack all in one. Timing was perfect because Hattie {my fabulous intern for the summer} was starting that very week and needed a project to work on! 

Hattie took my instructions and created this piece to perfection! She sanded, painted, stained, stapled plastic in the drawers, and created fantastic fabric "knobs" from scraps of material! I am so impressed with her skills and am thrilled with how this piece turned out! Thank you Hattie!

I came in at the very end, whipped out the saw and nail gun to make sure that the drawers were nailed in place {just in case someone might get the bright idea to walk off with them....or the whole piece for that matter!} and to fix the wooden dividers inside the drawers. 

Hattie and I were like giddy school girls as we pushed it out in front of the studio and filled it with flowers. I am looking forward to the flowers growing and spilling over.....but I think this piece could not be more perfect....and if anyone ever had a hard time finding the studio, or wondering what we do inside these walls....well, a piece of furniture with flowers planted in it is worth a thousand words......right?!

xo,

Barb

Introductions

This little gem today is a piece that I picked up from a local dealer...and let me tell you, it is one heavy hitter. I paid more for this piece than I normally would , and I typically do not buy pieces that have the yellow and gold finish on them {or any other finish} simply because I do not like previous colors showing through in the final finish. However, this piece was gorgeous, thick, and solid compared to most french provincial pieces and I decided to take her home with me.

It sat for a bit in the studio while I worked on others......to be honest, I have had it since January, but about a month ago I had a new client show up at the studio, fall in love with it, and commission me to paint it for her home. After planning together, and lots of sanding and painting.....I can finally say that I am super happy with this piece and think it is one of my new favorites. This piece presented a few problem solving challenges {one of which I'll be sharing a little tutorial on soon} so it felt really good to complete it, and complete it well... with a feeling of solid satisfaction.

 One of the tricks that I will share with you is this.....I highly dislike primer, {I think you all knew that?} but because of all of the chipping paint that had to be sanded down until it was super smooth so as to not show up in the finish, and because I needed to cover up the yellow and gold finish that I did not want to show through....I  found that chalk paint is the perfect paint to use as a "primer"! I know that this is unfair because it is a great paint by itself as well, but it is also a really great "primer" since it sticks to anything and tends to have a smoothing effect. It also has great colors for showing through in the distressing, and tends to give a really nice faded look when sanded together with the latex. {I would like to add, that in my experience so far....chalk paint is a good primer underneath latex paints, but not so great under itself....or painted on top of latex. Painted over itself is fine but tricky, and over latex it gets "glumpy". Chalk paint works best as a virgin finish first and foremost.} Just a tidbit, from me to you....

Anywhoo.....hope you enjoy miss Ju Ju. I am thrilled with her results and glad that she will be in her new home this week!

I will have a saweet new gray/green chest in the etsy shop by the end of the week so be looking for her ...... and p.s.,  I finally came up with a solution for my studio planter boxes.....just wait till you see!! Hopefully Friday I will have that little project completed to show you...

Have a great day!

xo.

Barb

Introductions

First of all, I hope you all had a great weekend! I had a fantastic trip to Lucketts and also managed to squeeze in a midnight tour of the monuments in DC....it was fantastic! 

I will be showing you my Lucketts finds on Thursday! It was so fun to meet some of my blog friends even though it was crazy busy for them at the sale.....I think they had little left to sell on Sunday! I have never seen such buying frenzy! Stuff that I planned to go back for was gone before I could get back! Oh, well...I managed to find some neat momentos.......And....

......today I would like to introduce you all to "Gertie". I bought this piece at a yard sale, and it turned out to be the perfect size and shape that I needed for my daughters room redo! I love this little piece, and it has the perfect amount of storage for all of B's little treasures! 

I may still decide to add some sort of feet to this piece, but have not decided yet....so, until it hits me....this little Gertie is perfecto for now!

xo,

Barb

Introductions

Today I would like to introduce you to "Bertrand".

I'm feeling stripes lately and I promise this will not be the last you see of them..

...I love this vintage scalloped mirror that I have had for a while...wish I had photographed it sooner... but it looks perfect sitting on top of Bertrand...so all is good

My peonies are superstars, and the perfect finishing touch to soften the masculine lines of this piece..

...and I mean it when I say superstars....what gorgeous creations my Creator created....{try saying that three times in a row}....

...the top has some striped goodness...

...as well as the side....and the front

.... these bone knobs with their fluted shape add yet another element of softness...

....this shot in the studio makes my heart melt...and you also get a sneak peak of the gorgeous, and huge 9x12 rug I scored for 20.00.....yes that is twenty dollars!!... {don't hate}

...last but not least...the gray vintage modern paper finishes off the drawers to perfection....

...as you can tell by the many photos....I have much love for this "Bertrand" and feel inspired to no end to create more....and more... and more....

Bertrand is in the Etsy shop...feel free to visit him there.

xo,

Barb

Introductions

 Today I would like to introduce you to my latest! This piece is a really cool little sewing cabinet. So cool, that I used it in not one... but two photo shoots in its "un-painted" state! I have to admit I was a teensy bit nervous about this transformation, and I really wanted to nail it....get it right....hit a home run....you get the picture. You may wonder why this piece is different since I should feel that same pressure with my own pieces.... and I do....but they don't have the sentiment involved.

 You see, my client brought this to me from Charlotte, and it is a piece that belonged to her grandmother ...so it is extra special. Miss A loves the piece for its sentimental value, but it did not fit her aesthetic or the memory of her grandmother's spunky personality! Miss A knew exactly what she wanted, and upon perusing my paint samples and details....picked out her color and the paper for the drawer fronts easy peasy. The knobs were a little bit trickier, but she found these at Anthropologie and then shipped them to me. They are perfection, and really finish the piece off nicely. 

I am super excited about how this little one turned out, and can't wait to present it to Miss A on Friday!

Good times!....and speaking of good times....I am working on a super fun piece that will hopefully be in the etsy shop by the end of the week.....woot!

Enjoy the day today!

Introductions

.....Well better late than never....right? Sheesh! I have no excuse....just have been so busy, and I would rather do things right than rush them. 

Okay, now for the business at hand.... I would like to introduce you all to "Wyatt". A couple weeks ago I got a call from a lady wanting to sell a few pieces...so, I drove out to her house and immediately fell in love with this piece... and knew that I would remove the old mirror and transform it into a small table/desk. 

The design plan for the legs had been milling around in my mind ever since the above magazine page from Better Homes and Gardens with those fantastic chair legs dipped in paint jumped out at me.....it got my mind thinking that legs that look like they have been dipped in chocolate would look pretty sweet! 

The stripes did not hit me until the piece was already painted...but I can't even tell you how excited I was when I pulled off the frog tape and knew that this guy was complete! 

I have been waiting for a piece to put these fantastic ship/octopus knobs on ...thus the name Wyatt, after my grandpop who is a retired navy man! Love you pops!

Hope this piece was worth the wait...he'll be in the etsy shop as soon as I get the photos uploaded!

Hope you all had a great Easter!!

xo

Introductions

Wild turkey is a color that I have used before ...and loved.....but it had been a while. I was glad to get re- acquainted this past week, and I am once again assured and reminded of its perfect neutral shade with a nod to all things pink and flesh like.....and also a hint of my favorite.... gray. All in all a winner in my book.

My client received this piece from her grandmother, and she was using it in her daughters bedroom. It was in great shape, but just needed a little bit of a freshening up. When talking through a design plan for this piece, I understood that miss L wanted to keep it neutral so that it could be used in as many ways as possible....and in as many rooms as possible throughout its lifetime. I think she is so smart for thinking that way, and this color is perfect for just that.

xo