ROMANTIC & WHITE FLEA MARKET STYLE

 

A crystal lamp, a stack of vintage sheet music, an orchard basket, and a vintage chair with table,

all these things represent romantic flea market style.

 

 

What could be more romantic than a turn of the century white press back chair?

 

The name Press Back actually means exactly that.

The pretty detail in the chair back has been pressed into the wood with an etched metal plate.

The process came about in the late 1800's as a cheap and quick answer for retailers.

Stores like Sears or Larkin could now make decorative furniture to compete with the intricate

carvings of the mid-century.  Now the press back chairs that have survived over the years are quite

 sought after especially for shabby chic decorating.

 

 

I have re-enforced the chair, and I built the table from parts.

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BENCH BUILT FROM A BED

 

 

I spend a great deal of time and labour rebuilding fun and useful furniture from salvaged items

and sometimes the items wouldn't be possible without first being donated for a new purpose.

 

 

 

This amazing red bench originally was a donated headboard and footboard

from Carrie Thachuk owner of The Passionate Home.

 

 

 

It was a dark stained solid oak mission style bed her daughter had used at one time.

With the addition of some more salvaged wood, and several hours of painting and waxing

she is now the perfect entry / hall bench or dining bench as the back side is also finished.

 

I used:

2 seat boards & 4 cross struts for the ends 

base coat ASCP white, 2nd coat flat black spray paint, top color ASCP Emperor's Silk

sanded with 120 grit, waxed and polished with Minwax paste finishing wax

 

 

The Passionate Home is about to celebrate their 7th year with a Birthday Flea Market right inside the store.

FYI, I stopped in for some paint yesterday and saw the amazing treasures being brought out.

This is one sale you do not want to miss,

I started making all sorts of funny noises with each different item I saw the chance to own.

 

Lots of ornate frames, a tall set of lockers, fancy glass wear, candle holders, orchard baskets, cheese box, wash stand cabinet, french provincial dining set with hutch, vintage baking pans, suit cases, local vintage life preserver, old typewriter and table, dental table, iron stone, 2 large vintage gates / doors, shutters, half a dozen shoe stretchers, beautiful china, science beakers, dress mannequin, lamps, antique brass candle sconces, Victorian oil lamps, DIY chairs, guilded mirrors, mason jar, misc silver trays and kitchen wares, tool caddies, antique irons, and more.

 

Congratulations Miss Carrie, not very many small business owners gets to celebrate 7 years.

 

 

 

In the mean time don't forget the new addition to the SHOWROOM page,

this vintage chippy red bench is available with price and dimensions.

 

If you are looking for specific information you might like to:

check out the FAQ page

or

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-type a key word into the search box on the right hand column

TEXAS WEATHERED and RUSTIC FINISH TIPS

 

 

Today I want to do a big shout out to Tina Pinkert of Livingston Texas,

and yes if you are one of my followers get over to her facebook and say HI or Howdy

https://www.facebook.com/TinasTakeOver

 

No blog for Tina.

 

 Not everyone is crazy and writes a blog while maintaining a facebook page,

and successfully rebuilding furniture. Plz note the words *crazy* and *maintaining*

 

https://www.facebook.com/TinasTakeOver

 

Tina is one of many ladies who have reached out to me for help, advice,

or some simple supportive reassurance. Half a year later she is forging her way

through many furniture projects for resale and making a real go of it.

 



https://www.facebook.com/TinasTakeOver



It's time for that big decision of get bigger or go home and I want you all to convince her to

go bigger, after all she is in Texas.

https://www.facebook.com/TinasTakeOver

Over on Tina's Available Items Album I read she likes to keep a dining set or two in stock,

good grief I can barely get one set done and stored safely when the weather is good.

 

And speaking of good weather and Texas sized projects ...

 

I have a big coffee table for you and I hope it's just what one of you have been looking for

because the only place I can fit it to store it safely is in my truck.

So all the pretty pictures you get for now are in the yard. George mowed ... that should count!

 

Please don't drive over this one George.

 

 

I did a rustic weathered finish that looks really cool.

 

 

I painted the base in ASCP French Linen which is a mocha brown grey color

and white washed over that with ASCP Pure White that was watered down.

 

 

NOTE:

 

this step is for experienced painters or those willing to practise patience.

 

The fun / dirty part comes when you apply too much wax over undried watered down white paint.

Think about that for a second ... you get smears, and goops, and missing paint, and as

long as you work with the grain of your wood and you trust the process

you can achieve an amazing rustic finish that looks silvered and weathered.

You can drag a coarse sand (80grit) paper through the mess to achieve more of the wood grain look.

 

FYI:

When you are done you should have a completely silky soft and smooth finish, that's the part that

 takes the time and patience. Fine sand paper, steel wool, and plenty of rags will get you there.

 

This Texas Sized Rustic Weathered Coffee Table is listed on the SHOWROOM page with price and dimensions.

Sharing with:

 

http://www.commonground-do.com/

If you are looking for specific information you might like to:

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PHOTO FUN - shabby chic frames

 

 

 

My collection of second hand ornate frames has been getting bigger lately

so this past weekend I started painted, photographing, and uploaded them on my

SHABBY CHIC ACCESSORIES page.

 

When I'm photographing smaller things, NOT FURNITURE, I can have a lot more fun playing around with props and set ups.

 

These are some of the fun photos I took that didn't make the advertising page.

And all the props you see are things I have around me everyday in my own home.

Great examples of second hand finds.

 

I have no formal education in photography but my best tip for getting good pictures

is NATURAL LIGHT. Do not mistake that with direct sunlight.

 

 

The SHABBY CHIC ACCESSORIES page is getting a bit of a new look while I'm

uploading the new frame photos ... stop in for a look see and let me know what you think

http://4theloveofwood.blogspot.ca/p/mirror-for-sale.html

 

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MAKING THE PERFECT GIFT WITH CHINA - sis's birthday

For Birthdays and Special occasions I like giving hand made gifts.

Sometimes it's a candle that George made, sometimes it's something I made.

For my sister's Birthday this year I made her a gift using vintage china.

 

My sister's birthday runs very close to Mother's day so we celebrated

with everyone over a lovely dinner at her home.

 

 

My sister's name is Holly and she does read my blog so everyone plz say HI!

That's her below with Scooby, aka my bro in law.

 

 

She likes Halloween as much as I do and she also enjoys being creative with her baking.

 

She especially enjoys making cupcakes, so I chose to make her a cupcake display platter.

 

 

I used a gorgeous vintage pink floral plate made in England and a modern glass pillar candle holder.

Both purchased second hand. I adhered the two together with a 2 part epoxy.

 The same kind of glue worked for the plate on plates I display in my kitchen.

 

 

Sometimes I love the design on the edge of a plate but the center is too plain, too scratched up, or simply too boring to use on the wall so I find a smaller complementary plate and glue it in the middle.

 

 

Neat huh! Yard Saling is my favorite place to find single pieces of beautiful china

and a lot of other great finds.

 

Last weeks garage sales brought this little table and ornate frame to me to be repaired and painted.

 

 

If you are looking for specific information you might like to:

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MAKING AN OPEN AIR DISPLAY CABINET - farmhouse grey china cabinet

 

I'll take it ...

 

 

I was excited when I found this cabinet because of the size. Most of the time I must turn away

from overly large beautiful pieces because I'm not physically capable to work on them alone or they won't fit in my home to be worked on. This was one of those larger pieces I could consider because it wasn't too large and it was 2 pieces.

 

I'll get straight to the before pictures so you can understand my vision with this project.

 

 

Mid 70's china cabinet with glass panels everywhere in the upper portion.

The glass just had to go ...

 

Below you can see the upper cabinet completely stripped down, no glass, no backing.

I prefer to work on cabinets from the open back, especially to get a good paint job inside.

 

 

The original backer was a piece of cardboard with a picture of wood on it.

I redid the back with thin tongue and groove bead board. Every now and then I find

a package or 2 while yard saling, just enough to complete some of my projects.

 

 

I seriously wanted this cabinet to look like it was from an old farm house. I painted it with an ASCP

light grey mix, distressed it, sealed the Chalk Paint with Minwax Natural, then got the final look with

 Annie Sloan's Dark Wax. The dark wax does such a great job of simulating age.

 

The hardest part on this project by far was installing *CHICKEN WIRE* in the upper cabinet

but it looks absolutely perfect on this piece and there is no doubt it's from a farmhouse now.

Chicken wire is also known as hex wire, keep that in mind if you are in

the hardware store about to ask for it.  When working with it you MUST have patience,

you SHOULD wear gloves, and the right stapler and cutters might help calm the process a little.

Once again my roll was found at a yard sale.

 

Inside the lower cabinet is open storage with a cutlery drawer front and center.

I added the perfect rustic old handle to the door.

 

 

 

This FARMHOUSE grey cabinet is listed on the SHOWROOM page with price and dimesions.

 

DON'T FORGET this coming Saturday May 18 2013 I have scheduled a furniture workshop

from 10:00am until 3:00pm here in South Langley.

We'll be working on basic furniture fixing including drawer repairs
Furniture brush and spray painting with everyone having a hands on try with a paint sprayer.
Hardware, Appliques, and Waxing tips and tricks and the easy way to strip a wood surface.

We will be outside the entire time so sunscreen may be needed and lunch will be served.

Give us a call if you have any questions, 604 790 3865

$169 payable by interac email transfer to: driftwoodesign@shaw.ca

 

If you are looking for specific information you might like to:

check out the FAQ page

or

-skim through the topics list at the bottom of this page

-type a key word into the search box on the right hand column