t h e    g r o o m 

I bought this beautiful bow front dresser last weekend. 

My original instinct was to paint it white and grey.

Then I got this crazy idea to paint it black and white to match a shorter buffet that I am painting for a wedding.

This one became The Groom.  I paint the bride next week {she will be in all white}.

The white is Antique White by General Finishes and the black is Black by Benjamin Moore in Aura.

The pulls were spray painted a semi-gloss black.

For added character I decided not to distress the black, only the white.

Today I finished a coffee table and two end tables {only one shown}.

I thought it would be fun to paint the back of the side tables grey, why not?!

The base is painted Snow White by General Finishes and the grey is a mix of a grey sample of Benjamin Moore{darn I don't remember the name} and the Snow White.

I then distressed and sealed with Minwax, pastewax.

All of these beauties are heading to the store this week!

Linking up-
http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/
http://missmustardseed.com/2012/09/furniture-feature-friday-link-party-favorites-5/

i ' m    k e e p i n g   t h i s   o n e

I had my eye on this dresser for months at antique store. It needed a ton of work and it was expensive. Really too expensive for me to fix it, paint it ,and sell it at the shop. 

I kept thinking about it though and one day I just went and bought it. 

I was having a moment of "I need inventory!"  

This happens a lot when I sell some of my higher priced items fast. 

{Don't look at the mess in the baskets shown- we dump everything in them and I forgot to clean them before I took this picture-oops!}

Since my initial investment was high on this piece I knew I needed to use supplies that I already had in my stash. 

It was an easy decision to use pure white milk paint, you know it is my favorite. For the blue detailing I mixed two Benjamin Moore sample paints {Nantucket  Fog} with some of my milk paint. 

Did you know I use color sample paints all of the time? They cost around $3 and it is a great way to not spend a ton of money if you really only want to use the color for one project. 

It took only three coats of paint, slight distressing, then two coats {buffing in between} of wax {I used Minwax, furniture paste}.

The knobs were harder to decide on. Once I figured I had too much money invested this piece to sell at a profit, I decided to keep it.  I switched knobs {purchased from Anthropologie a few years ago} from another piece of mine with knobs for this piece. 

It fits the style of my home perfectly. And you know me, I will find something better for my house down the road and this will eventually end up in the shop.

Speaking of the shop. I didn't paint anything new this week. I took the time this week to enjoy my kids and clean my home. I needed a week like this, I have been working so hard the last few months. 

p e t i t e    d e s k

I don't come across desks like this often and when I do I scoop them up fast. These desks are perfect for   an entry table, sofa table, small desk or even in a bathroom {maybe with a basket under the desk with rolled towels?}. 

I knew when I bought this I wanted to do a two toned black and white.

I went to my studio to get my black milk paint and I couldn't find it-shoot.

I grabbed my black chalkboard paint and decided to see what it would look like as my black.

It covered nicely. For the white part of the legs I used my milk paint in pure white.

Next I distressed only the edges of the piece that were painted in black and I heavily distressed the white painted part. 

I sealed the piece with Minwax furniture paste and then buffed it. Let me just say by looking at the piece you would never know I used chalkboard paint and I was careful to seal it so the finish should hold up.The finishing touches are knobs by Anthropologie.

Pretty cute-patoot! It is coming with me to the store this week.

Linking up
http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/

m y    n e w    c o l l e c t i o n

a n d 

 n e w   i n    t h e   s h o p

I have a new love for antique water jugs. I found one a few months ago on a thrifting adventure and fell in love with it. I didn't dare bring it to the store and have someone buy it from me. Then a month later I found another one! 

Crystal brought one in to the store today and I bought it by the end of the business day. I adore how the light shine through them. 

In the fall I might put willow branches in some of them, but for now they are pretty on their own.

I painted my little patootie {an Alisonism- ask Merri about these} off this week. I felt I needed to. I left the store last Saturday a little down about my space. It was looking bare and I knew I needed to get painting this week and really spiffy it up. This has not been an easy task with the kids at home. 

New lamps, yellow mirror, and several frames.

I bought a chevron rug for me and ordered another one for sale for the store.

Fun new side tables and benches.

Awesome buffet-already sold to my friend Linda.

Tallboy dresser, two toned blue and white $295. 

Another view of Linda's buffet.

I painted everything this week with General Finishes Milk Paint, I ADORE this paint. When I got in the mail Monday I did a little happy dance.

c h i p b o a r d   b u n t i n g,  v i n t a g e   p a r i s   m a p

a n d 

 m e r r i   h e l p e d  m e   w i t h    m y   c a m e r a 

I have been wanting to do a Modern Cottage Stalks the MLS post for a while but I just haven't found a house worthy, I hope I can find one for you this week.

I had a couple people email me about how I do my paper punting. Basically I get chipboard that is either already cut out into a scallop or I cut chipboard out into a scallop shape. I then trace paper around the chipboard and cut it out. I glue the paper on with rubber cement, cut two holes on top of the bunting and then weave a ribbon through the two holes. Easy, this is the best way I have found to make bunting.

Have you noticed my pictures look better! I know I explained in my last post that my space in the new shop is much darker than the last shop but Merri from Nest did something magical and fixed my camera {thanks friend}

I am working on a ton of stuff to bring to the new store.

Last week I sold some remnants of a vintage Paris map I have, framed in a pretty blue.

I sold all but one of these so I am making 7 more to bring in to sell this week.

Today I finished three small tables, a dresser and a coffee table/bench. They all still need to be waxed but I will have them in the shop by Thursday.

I am also painting a buffet just like the red one shown above, a pretty distressed white {and I might have a buyer for it already}.

I will have pictures of the buffet later this week.

m o d e r n   c o t t a g e  

a t 

p o p p y   a n d   c o .

I wanted to show you some of the new things I brought into my space this week. 

I have to warn you that the lighting in these pictures are not good. I am still figuring out how to photograph furniture in the new store. The light is SO different from my last shop.

I will figure it out, but for now bear with me. It is my photography not the camera. I have a very good camera but I need to read the instructions or take a class.

Basically I am running full speed to finish everything in my life right now, so taking a minute to play with my camera isn't happening.

I brought in this red buffet and side table today.

{the red is more vibrant than shown in this bad picture-darn it}

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I painted seven mirrors and four frames this week.

All new to the store!

Two sweet blue matching side tables.

This is my favorite new table. So ding dang cute!

See the striped mirror? 

More candle holders and frames.

A beautiful armoire I purposely painted grey and white so it wouldn't match my home.

{Then I would have wanted to keep it}

Want to know more about this armoire? Head over to Perfectly Imperfect. I shared the whole process with Shaunna and her readers.

The checkout counter. We have plans to change it seasonally.

I am loving the new store. It is so cozy and when you walk in it feels like a home.

w h a t   a   w e e k

We had such a great turn out this Saturday at the new store. Thank you to all that came by.

Such a great turn out that now I am scrambling to replace sold items.

{a great problem to have}

I set up the slip n slide and pool for the kids in the front yard today and lined my porch with mirrors and frames to paint.

Yesterday I picked two buffets. One is going to be for my sister in laws wedding in August {can't wait for that!} and one I am going to try to paint tomorrow.

The top is a mess, so chipping away at the old veneer won't be fun.

I have plans to paint it cherry red with new knobs.

I promise it will be fabulous when it is done.

i t ' s     g e t t i n g   t h e r e

Moving stores while the kids are home for summer is proving to be an interesting task. I am mostly moved in, but tomorrow I will be putting the finishing touches on my space at Poppy and Co.

Actually, several of us are going to spend the majority of the day down at the shop Friday fixing it up so we can be open this Saturday.

Mine and Devon's space is in the very front  of the store with not much light, so taking good pictures of the space is hard.

 Cooper ditched circus camp and helped me at the store today.

 Merri's space is filling up!

 The front counter is in and I put a coat of black paint on the top today. Tomorrow I will wax it. 

We can't decide what to put behind the counter as a sign. We might do an old door hung sideways, a mirror, or a chalkboard sign.

Speaking of chalkboard signs. I made one for above my store. I couldn't decide what to paint the frame so I just chalkboard painted the whole thing and came back with white chalk around the edges.

I will for sure have more pictures of the store tomorrow as we get ready for our reopening this weekend.

Exciting!