Tuesday, November 12, 2013

more winter wishes and some chalk paint...

It's ELF season and tonight I just finished watching it and got in the holiday mood. The dusting of snow that we got on{ yesterday}monday is still frozen on the grass and my deck...Thanksgiving is still not here yet!
I have been coloring and coloring and keeping busy at my kitchen table. I have plenty of Purple Onion Designs to share and soon, some Mo Manning too. You know what had me sitting in that coloring chair for so long...watching the series 'Orange is the NEW Black', 3 seasons of 'Downton Abbey' and now starting season 2 of 'Game of Thrones'. Yep, kinda like the old days holed up in my craft room. lol

Tonight I am going to share 2 more of my Purple Onion/Stacey Yacula cards. This is Stacey's second winter collection called "Winter Wishes', over at Purple Onion Designs. Here is what I did with my 'Snowy Trio'...
I have noticed that my Christmas cards this year have got LOTS of white in them. I used a little kraft colored paper for card bases, but mostly white. I guess it's mainly because my small holiday paper stash has a white base. But, this isn't an issue...I am lovin' what I've come up with.
My singing trio is colored with my pencils, blended with gamsol and plenty of glitter splashed about.
With these guys I think the snowy hills makes the colors POP. To make the white snowmen different from the snowy hills, I added more pale grey and some soft yellows {where the sun would hit the fellas}.  I kept my brightest blue up at the top, near the trees.
For this years cards, I also pulled out my 'Stamp-a-ma-Jig' to line up the sentiment right on the card. It can be a little scary, you wanna use a gentle, even touch. If ya make a mistake, just make sure that it's thought out and you can add a tag. I have had to use this 'save', plenty of times myself. 
Then, here my one layer card that is alllllmost my favorite! The white just makes the colors come to life.
It's about as simple as you can get and I am in love with this owl, 'Snowy'. I will warn you now...he is the lead in LOTS of this years cards.  *wink*
Make the card base and stamp off the 'Winter Bough' branch randomly...use your favorite green to color in the branches and lots of bright colors for the berries and voila! Christmas lights. Snowy cuts out really easy and I glued him on separately. Use a stamp-a-ma-jig to add your favorite sentiment.
You could make these up pretty quickly.

Ok, I said that next time I showed up, I would tell you what else I have been doing. Painting furniture.
I found some refinishing site on Pinterest and 'pinned' them. I collected some small pieces to play with, while on the Worlds Longest Yard Sale in Aug. Then I had a few small tables gathered this summer, waiting to be made over.  Then I get a dresser from a guy at work, he was gonna sell it at a garage sale for $5.00. I told him to take some pics and I picked one of the two he had. After working some saturdays, I finally decided the time was here and I would start the sanding process. This dresser was a really dark walnut color, alligator skin crackled varnish. I spend a saturday afternoon sanding this dresser and then very early sunday morning, I open up my Pinterest board to look at my refinishing pins. You will never guess that I sanded for NOTHING. I went to this blog, called Hueology and the only paint she uses is by someone called Annie Sloan chalk paint. More 5 a.m. research turned up that there are 4 places in Michigan that sell this paint. Long story short, I had one store close to me and I drove there as soon as they opened. I am now in LOVE with Annie Sloan chalk paint and here is my dresser.
I painted the outside a pale grey, called Paris Grey and the inside is called Florence. 
I lightened up the top photo and this one is a non-flash photo. I antiqued this dresser with waxes that you put on over the paint. A soft clear wax and then a dark wax. You have the control over how much or how little you want the piece to be antiqued. I did not antique the inside of the drawers, those got only the soft clear wax. The paint and brushes are not cheap, but I knew this was something I needed to try out and I am SO happy I did. I have plans to redo my kitchen island and my bathroom cabinet. 
But first, we gotta finish up the Christmas cards!!
There are more to come. thanks for dropping by!!

3 comments:

sueincanada said...

Wow Paula, you are so busy. Glad you have time to post. Love your cards and look forward to seeing more.
The dresser looks great.

sueincanada said...

Wow Paula, you are so busy. Glad you have time to post. Love your cards and look forward to seeing more.
The dresser looks great.

Meahni Pieterse said...

Love the new white based look! That is exactly what I have in mind when I eventually do make a card. It's my favourite new thing.
That little owl is too cute, I want him, a real one, and the snowmen are gorgeous.
Love love that dresser, you did a stunning job! Will you come visit and revamp some of my boring old funiture too!