A coffee table that just needed a little wash..... named Mcnarias

My client "Miss M" brought me her coffee table a few weeks ago......and when she dropped it off, we discussed plans. "Miss M" really loved the coffee table as it is { I agreed....the wood and structure are gorgeous!} but it just needed a little something in order to fit into the design plan of the new house. One of the desires for the final outcome was that the original wood grain would still shine through. There were talks of greens and blues as well........BUT.....I mulled this over in my mind for quite sometime...and the tiny part of me {miniscule...teeny....tiny...itsy bitsy} that is a wood purist just really wanted to preserve the original beauty of the wood. I ran my thoughts by "Miss M" and she told me to go for it. {She is awesome like that!}I created a "gray wash" for this finish by mixing one part paint to two parts water. I applied the wash with a brush, and then while it was still wet.... I started dabbing and wiping with a shop towel. The wash settled nicely into all of the cracks and grooves, and I really started to like what was happening. I repeated this process two more times, and then after the final application was dry...I went back in with a sanding sponge and gently removed any heavy places. I finished this piece off with an oil based polyurethane called Arm - R - Seal by General Finishes { I talk about this product in the book!} and....Wham Bam thank YOU maa'm......she is a beaut!xo,Barb

My White Dining Room

I never...ever...thought I would do it. I called white walls ugly words like "sterile", "cold", and "lifeless".........but then I decided I was ready to give white a second chance. I decided my dining room was too dark, and I wanted to try to optimize the little bit of light that we get from our largely wooded lot. I picked the color "gallery white" by Behr and I went to work transforming our dining room.White walls make a HUGE difference, and one that has taken some getting used to for me personally. My dining room did look like this:......and now it looks like this: ....I need to actually take some pictures in the day light..{wink!}..since these were snapped at night.... with artificial lighting....but you get the idea, right?! I do enjoy looking in this room every day...it is clean, bright, and full of some of my very favorite pieces of art and furniture that have been lovingly collected over the years.xo,Barb

A little curvy and graceful set of drawers named: "Havilah"

I let this old girl sit and sit in the studio for the past few months while I worked on other things......she was painted very sloppily in off white paint, and had stickers stuck to the fronts of her drawers. I am not really ever drawn to pieces that have been painted previously....especially when the coating is thick and drippy.....BUT I could not pass up the deal on this one. I ended up having to strip the top and a couple of the drawers due to the fact that they were past the point of being able to sand and paint. I really like things as thin and smooth as possible...so I set to work.I am happy with her new look....she is polished, fresh, and relevant....and her speckled knobs remind me of beautiful eggs in the spring. Love how the cream in the knob pulls in the cream of the undercoating.....and again....the speckles are just wonderful.Havilah is available in the Knack shop, or feel free to purchase her online as well! :}**One last thing before I go......The winner of the Sweet Paper Crafts book by Mollie Greene is.........drum roll..... MERRY NUNNARI ! Congrats Merry! Please email me your mailing info: barb@knackstudios.com. Thanks! **xo,Barb 

A chair named Flora

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I know I sure did.....because we were at the lake! There is nothing like taking daily boat rides, jumping into the lake from rope swings high in the trees, tubing, and jet skiing......it is just so much fun, and a special time with family and friends. I am still a bit sore today for a lot of reasons...but the main one being, I agreed to get on the "black mamba", (new jet ski that can reach speeds of 75 mph on the water!), with my husband at the helm.... and everything was going swimmingly until we hit a wake....and I went flying! Hah! I got the wind knocked out of me and the right side of my face and neck are still smarting from the impact with the water.....but it was still fun....and I'm glad that I can still wipe out and remain somewhat intact. I'm ready to go back and play some more, but that will have to wait for another day......because.....Flora is patiently waiting in the wings for her big introduction. I am sure some of you have caught a glimpse of her in pictures previously, but today is her day to shine. I created Flora for the book, and picked her specifically for the seat upholstery project. (pgs.114- 117) Flora's "finished and famous" shot is on pg. 161 of Furniture Makeovers.Flora is available for sale locally in the Knack shop ($225), and can be shipped as well. Please let me know if you are interested in her, and I will make it happen!Have a great day!xo,Barb

Her name is Selma, and she is a winner

Hello everyone, and welcome to Monday morning! I thought I would start the week off with miss Selma....because she is bright and fun and energetic....all of which I am not today! Hah!I created Selma for the book....specifically the waxing tutorial, so not only is she happy and bright....she is a superstar! I chose the turquoise color paired with the reds because it is one of my "constants" when it comes to color combinations. This is my signature turquoise color that I started out with years ago when I first started painting...and I never tire of it....ever.Selma is available in the online shop as well as the store. So scoop her up and bring her home if you likey like!xo,Barb

"Petalia"...A desk or a dining table, the choice is yours.

I created "Petalia" for the book, and she is the piece used for the overhead projector tutorial. She is a famous girl now.......but she is super quiet and humble about it.I custom mixed the paint colors for the base and the bicycle, and then hand traced and painted the design. This piece is truly one of a kind since the colors will never be replicated exactly the same, and the same goes for the hand painting on the top.This sweet table is the perfect size for a small dining room, breakfast area, or office and measures: 60" wide, 30" tall, 36" deep.The lovely Petalia is available at the Knack shop here in Greenville as well as in the online shop!Have a great day folks!xo,Barb

Introductions: A beautiful gilded girl name "Eudora"

Eudora has to be one of my favorite pieces that I did for the book.....and probably one of the first pieces that I sketched out when I knew I would be doing a gilded piece. Of course, I had to use gold leaf in a way that I believe in and visualize...thus the stripe on the top!I am so excited that I can show these pieces online now {more coming to the shop today!} and begin to give all of my friends far and near the chance to own a piece from the book. Up until now, book pieces sold only locally since I could not show pictures online until the book was released. All of that has changed now....and they are making their online debut! Woot!Eudora is in the online shop and she is completely ready to jazz up any room in your home!xo,Barb

We celebrated....times a million

I can't yet put into words how wonderful Friday night was......and I can't wait to show you all photos and video later this week! It was a super beautiful evening and I enjoyed every single minute of it!Thank you so much to all of you who came....it was so great to celebrate with friends both old and new.....and I am definitely humbled by the love that was shown to me and to my family!So very thankful for all of those who helped make the party such a fun event, and for how hard all of my friends worked to make the night extra special for me. I will be doing a full post on all of the people who helped and provided goodies....when the photos are ready....so stay tuned!Have a great Monday!xo,Barb