Art by Debbie Saenz

Mod Podge Monday: Beautiful Pearlescent Box

Here's another Mod Podge project I designed for Plaid's booth at the 2012 CHA, Craft and Hobby Association Show. 

After I Mod Podged this box, I used Plaid's Pearlcote Glaze Finish. 

I was so excited when I found this awesome knob! It compliments the pearl glaze perfectly, I think :) 

And then, to top it off...I came across a rhinstone brooch. I removed the pin part to make it lay flat and glued it on. Simple and very elegant!

Aww! Lovely...if I should say so myself.

You can get my complete instructions here.

Mod Podge Monday: Lovebird Tray

Several months ago I designed Mod Podge projects for one of the Mod Podge walls for Plaid's booth at the 2012 CHA, Craft and Hobby Association Show.

My Lovebird tray project was also featured in Plaid's 2012 Mod Podge Formula booklet!

A decorative edge punch adds such a nice touch!

Notice the shine? After Mod Podging, I topped off my project with a few coats of Plaid's Clearcoat Hi-Shine Spray. I love the glassy finish!

You can download the complete instructions here: Download Lovebird Tray Instructions

This is the wall at the show which displayed my projects. Notice the Lovebird tray in the middle of the bottom row? I promise to share more with you in future Mod Podge Monday posts. 

 

My New Studio: Revealed

This is an exciting day!

after a ton of hard work,

I can finally say,

it's finished!

Well, everything except my studio easel which is currently in FL at my mother-in-law's house. It will happily travel back home to Atlanta with us next month after our family visit in FL.

We moved my studio from the small bedroom upstairs down to the more spacious bedroom in our basement. Click here  to see what the space used to look like.

Now, enjoy these pictures of my new space...YEA!!

The bathroom is located behind the door on the right. Aww! water to wash my brushes. Maybe I'll take better care of them now? Before, they would sit in water way too long...

The closet is behind the doors on the right is loaded with lots of supplies!

My easel will sit in the corner area between the two windows. I have a large piece of heavy canvas to lay under it to protect the carpet from paint spills and splatters that are bound to happen :)

I added two sets of small eye hooks into the side of the window moldings then strung some picture hanging wire across to create a place to hang my inspiration images and ideas. Before, they always ended up in a pile of papers and were eventually forgotten. No more, now they'll be in plain sight. 

My corner to sit, relax, and pour over my magazines and books. A great place for my quiet time too!

I am so blessed to have this awesome space and a wonderful and supportive hubby who has been such a trouper through this whole project. I had no idea just how much time and work it was going to take when I first began. 

Some of the projects I tackled in the last few weeks:

• painted the entire room and bathroom
• moved loads of stuff two stories down
• built a custom shelf to hold some of my paints
• painted and distressed 7 pieces of furniture (and then Mod Podged 3 of them)
• upholstered 3 chairs
• made curtains
• organized everything 

....hmmm, I'm sure I'm forgetting something!

My goal was to finish before today because my hubby and I will be out of town all week, in KY, then back home for a short time before we head to FL, then CA, then FL again, and finally back home to GA. Whew! And after all of that, I'll be more than ready to pick up my paint brush! My journal will be bursting with ideas by that time, I'm sure :)

Linking up with my friend Jennifer at Studio JRU:

My New Studio: Curtains, Before and After Chair, and more

Yea!! I completed the curtains, all five of them. They are hung, and wow! I'm always amazed at how curtains impact a room by giving it a more finished look. 

I think burlap gives a natural "earthy" feel, and to add color, I used some of my favorite fabrics I had on hand, sewed them together forming a band which I added along the bottom. I left the selvage frayed edge of the burlap raw along the bottom edge. Love it!

And now....

I found this chair at Goodwill for $20.00. I had vision for it the minute I saw it.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out! And it's so comfortable too! Originally, I wanted to create a whimsical look by piecing different colorful fabrics together kinda like a quilt, but, in the end, decided to go with the turquoise. I made the pillow to give it a pop of color. This was one of the seven pieces of furniture I refinished for my new studio. 

This is the little stool I sit on at my work table. Now it has a fresh new seat! I didn't get a before picture of this one, but let me tell you, it wasn't pretty...dingy with paint stains all over it.  Now it matches the other chair I upholstered. 

I acquired this cute little stool over 20 years ago from the landlord of the apartment my hubby and I rented just after we were married. He said if I didn't want it to throw it in the trash. Of course, I kept it! It's been painted twice and it's now on it's third seat. I love it! 

NOW...for the BIG Question about my armoire. Well, after all the wonderful comments, we've dicided to keep it like it is, at least for now. In the future, I might paint the chalkboard paint a different color. I'm actually very happy with it the way it is! When I read the comments to my hubby, this is what he said,....

"I throw in the towel"

It's been fun setting up my new studio with him, but I do wonder about his taste, like where is it?...or actually, he wonders about mine :) No, he really does have good taste, he just doesn't get Vintage Chic! 

Next, look for a post about my new FINISHED Stuido! Whew! After so much hard work, it's about time!

My New Studio: The BIG Question...

Hubby is having a cow over my armoire. Ugh! I really don't see the big deal with the chalkboard paint on the front. But, he does, so, I would love to know your opinion. PLEASE!! (If you would simply leave me a comment after seeing what we are debating :)

Everytime hubby walks into my new art studio he tells me how horrible my black and white armoire looks and says I shoud paint the chalkboard paint on the side instead of the front then paint or Mod Podge something more colorful on the front. Despite all his complaining, we are actually having fun with this....

I know I haven't showed you the final reveal of the room just yet, but I wanted to completely finish before doing so. I am SO close.

My hubby and I found this antique armoire at a local antique shop and I was so excited. You can go here to see what it looked like before. Yea, it was cute, for a baby's room. However, it is now in my new Art Studio! It HAD to be transformed. 

My hubby and I each took a side and wrote out our thoughts...

AND

Ok, what is your honest opinion? We would LOVE to know!

Tomorrow I plan on showing you how my curtains turned out; and the other chairs. I REALLY can't wait to begin using my new space. 

Mod Podge Monday: Recycled Birdhouse

I remember when I was a kid. I loved creating fun projects with whatever I could get my hands on. I only wish I knew about Mod Podge then! Elmers glue is just not the same! Oh, the things I could have made...

If your kids love to make things with their hands, don't deprive them of the magic of Mod Podge! This recycled birdhouse would make a fun summer activity that could be finished in one afternoon. You can find my complete instructions here. 

I designed this recycled project for Plaid and if you missed my Recycled Purse project, you should also check that one out. 

UPDATE ON MY NEW STUDIO: Three chairs upholstered and curtains almost done! I ran out of thread yesterday and need to make a run to JoAnn Fabrics. Also, my hubby and I have very different oppinions about the chalkboard paint on the front doors of the armoire. To ease his mind, I told him I would ask for your honest opinion....Pics coming soon :)

My New Studio: Before and After Chair

 

Well, I didn't cross off everything on my to-do list this week, but here is one of the three chairs I have been working on for my new studio.

This chair was on the side of the road waiting for trash pick-up before I rescued it! And it was UGLY and very dirty, a hideous pink and full of mildew! She waited patiently in our garage for almost as long as the black desk I recently revamped. And yup, hubby threatened to rid of this one too :( 

But, her day came...and she got a lovely make over :) New paint and even a seat. Now she can reside in the house with the rest of us.

I love the pattern in this material and I can't wait to use this chair with my new studio desk.

I've finished two other chairs as well...look for them real soon, also for the curtains that are in progress, Yea!! At least the idea anway. I've decided to use burlap with a band of colorful materials pieced together along the bottom. Will see...execution is tomorrow:) And I'll show you when they're up!

Mod Podge Monday: Decoupaged Fabric Wall Letters

I think wall letters add so much personalized charm to any room! Did you know you could Mod Podge fabric? It's perfect if you're trying to coordinate with bedding or curtains; the grain in the fabric adds nice texture too.

You can personalize certain letters...here, I made a little tag out of felt. Notice the little kites on two of the other letters?

I designed this project for Plaid a while back. 

You can get my complete instructions here.

UPDATE ON MY NEW STUDIO:  LOTS happening! Yea!! It's getting closer to being done. It's been far more work than I had imagined. I'm exhausted, but feeling so blessed to have this new space! This week I'll be working on curtains along with upholstering a few chairs. The bathroom in the room is even getting a redo! I'll give you a peek during the week...stay tuned! :)  I'll continue to share tid bits of the process until it's time for the final reveal of the total room. I can't wait! So Exciting!