Loving Chalk Paint AND A Winner!

Let me start this post by saying this: Sometimes you just don’t FEEL l like creating. I guess it’s kind of like a writer’s block thing.

The last couple of weeks I haven’t been feeling too CREATIVE at all. I did make a dress form last week to fulfill an etsy order and I did enjoy the process, BUT, other than that I haven’t done too much I would consider CREATIVE.

WELL…that changed yesterday afternoon. I decided to try out the paint I’ve been waiting for for weeks.

Annie Sloan’s CHALK PAINT.

I took a couple of end tables we picked up at auction a few months ago.

Alright, I didn’t take any BEFORE shots. They were your typical dark wood tables. They are extremely well made and VERY solid. Probably from the 40’s or 50’s.

Nice, but dated.

The great thing about this paint?

No sanding.

No priming.

Just the fun part—PAINTING!

I used a couple coats of the Paris Grey.

It’s a beautiful soft neutral and it really worked nicely on these tables.

Then I applied a coat of the dark wax that you can purchase at chalkpaint.com.

I did a bit of distressing and then applied a second coat of the wax.

As you can see, the finish is definitely aged and worn.

I staged them both in my great room. They look pretty darn good in there.

No, I won’t be keeping them. They will be sold in the store or at The Farm Chicks Show.

I couldn’t resist cutting a few more tulips from the garden to add some pops of color to the new tables.

You’ve just GOT TO GET SOME of this great paint. It goes on so smoothly and distressing so nicely. As you sand, it just sort of “powders” off a layer of paint. Great effect.

I'm linking up to Kelli's Restored It Wednesday.

If you've never stopped by her great blog, you've just got to do it! There's some awesome projects there today.

In other news, we have a winner of the red enamel plate stand.

It’s Becky at Abbey Style Home. She is a new follower and I love when she stops by and leaves comments for me.

Congratulations Becky!!!

Thanks to all of you who entered the giveaway. I love having you all follow and visit.

Hope your week is going great and you find yourself doing something CREATIVE.

Cori

Tulips From The Garden And A Giveaway

Let me start by saying that it doesn’t feel like spring here in Eastern Washington today! It’s still very cold and windy.

I was able to cut a few bouquets of tulips from the garden on Sunday afternoon. I’m so glad I did.

The bright and sunny color has cheered me up. I swear I’m suffering from the seasonal disorder thing the last few weeks.

I’ve got to stay motivated and prepare for the big Farm Chicks Show in just a little over a month.

We are excited about these fun plate stands. We will be bringing several of these to the show. We find a good stash of vintage enamel plates a few weeks ago at the antique mall.

Aren’t they fun?

I haven’t had a chance to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who have recently started following me. Over the last several weeks I hit 200 followers and then all the way to 251 followers!

That is really exciting for me and I love having you all stop by and visit.

SO…this sweet domed cake stand in the front with the red base…

I’m going to GIVE IT AWAY to one lucky reader.

How can you enter to win?

It’s easy.

Leave a comment and let me know what you would do with this sweet plate stand.

AND

become a new follower of Starview Sonnet for a second chance to win.

IF you are already a follower, let me know in your comment and you’ll be entered twice in the drawing too!

The winner will be selected next Wednesday, April 27th.

I’m so happy to have you visit here and look forward to getting to know you better.

God luck!

May spring find you wherever you may be this week.

Cori

Will You Be There?

The Farm Chicks show will be here before you know it!

Are you planning to attend?

I am so excited to have our very first booth at this fabulous dhow. We have spent most of the last 4 months preparing to participate in this great weekend.

If you are not familiar with the show, here’s a great video from last year’s show to share with you.

As you will see, junk lovin’ people come from near and far to be a part of this fabulous event.

Don’t You Love “A Good Hair” Day?

A little over a month ago my daughter cut her hair pretty short.

I really liked it, and, better yet, she REALLY LIKED it.

It suits her face and her spirit.

Well….today I took her for a trim and decided it would be nice to put in just a few highlights.

Much to her chagrin, I had to make her sit for a short photo shoot when we got home.

I think she knows (even though she’s not quite 12), that EVERY girl LOVES a good hair day.

Here’s wishing you lots of good hair days my beautiful angel!

Thanks for indulging a proud Mama in this post : I)

Cori

Choosing Paint Colors And A Fabulous Blog To Share

I recently has a visit from Kristen at Favorite Paint Colors blog.

She has a very unique blog. I think it is wonderful. She features photos using paint colors in homes and provides the manufacturer and paint color name and number.

Then, on the right sidebar of her blog she provides tabs sorted by color. You just click on “blue” and you will get all kinds of photos using different shades of blue in real interiors. What a helpful tool to help you choose just the right color for your home.

Choosing paint colors for our home during the construction process was no easy task. I ended up using a combination of just a few colors. I decided I really wanted to go neutral, but not white. I wanted a warm neutral that would brighten up some of the rainy and gray days we have here during the winter months. I also wanted to have that war “glow” in the evening.

I also wanted colors that wouldn’t limit me for fabric and furniture choices..

I chose Benjamin Moore paints. I used colors from one color card. Precious Ivor (185), Harvest Time (186) and Goldfinch (187). I also used Benjamin Moore’s Vanilla Ice Cream (OC-90) for woodwork and baseboards. I varied the shades in the house, using the lighter shade in my master bath and cottage and using the Harvest Time in most of the interior house walls. We did use the darker shade (Goldfinch) on the northern feature wall behind the stone fireplace for a bit more drama and contrast.

In my children’s rooms, I used Benjamin Moore Scarecrow(1041). This is best described as a milk chocolate. For some this may be a bit dark, but since their rooms are light-filled, it really works for us.

One thing my contractor recommended was to use a darker shade on the color card for doors, rather than a lighter shade. I like the way it brings attention to the panel doors. It was something unexpected, because I was inclined to go lighter, rather than darker.

Choosing paint colors is not easy. It is such a personal choice. We have to be able to live with the color. It needs to make us happy, day-to-day.

I love looking at other homes and seeing the paint colors they have chose and how they work with their furnishings.

Go check out Kristen’s blog and enjoy all the colors.

So glad you stopped by today.

Cori

Adding Style By The Yard

It started out as a pretty nice coffee table.

Well made..

Heavy.

Just a bit boring.

So we sanded it down to reveal some nice pine underneath.

How about a shelf underneath? I really like a coffee table that does double duty..don’t you? Plus, if you are a magazine addict like I am, you gotta have a place to put them : )

I’m sure you’ve seen projects around blogland and in some great publication using yardsticks.

So how about that?

So we cut a plywood piece to fit underneath and set on the pretty great iron base.

We lined up some miscellaneous yardsticks we have been collecting at yard sales over the last several months and we made a shelf where there was none.

For the top we used my favorite shade of red: Sherwin Williams Stolen Kiss (how I love that paint!). Just one coat so the grain would still show through a bit and added some espresso glaze.

It went from “nice” to fun, funky, and oh so functional.

Here’s a cute little chair that got reupholstered with a burlap coffee sack. It looks nice next to the Duncan Phyfe drop leaf that was just refinished and brought to the store.

Last, but certainly not least, a little Pottery Barn knock-off here.

Had a few oars sitting around.

Got the latest PB catalog. They had some with great stripes just like this.

Loved it. Recreated it with some paint, painter’s tape, sandpaper and a bit of glaze for the right amount of aging.

Aren’t they great?

Thanks for stopping in today.

I want to thank all of you that left such sweet comments about my house tour at Poppies at Play. What fun it has been to participate in such a great feature.

Make sure you visit there (button at the top right of my sidebar) this weekend as shAndy hosts a Linky Party for EVERYONE who wants to post a home tour of their own.

Can’t wait for that.

Happy Almost Weekend!

Linking up to my favorite furniture linky party: Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Feature Friday

Cori