With Love from Europe

Time is passing quickly and August is fast approaching. In August I will be teaching German faux finishers in Hannover and five other locations.

During l my recent 4 month visit to Germany, beside being involved in an bomb alarm and getting into a riot,

I was invited to teach and demonstrate American faux finishes. I must eat humble pie!! American faux finish artists are the avant garde to faux painting.. Even simple techniques, like tissue paper, packing paper and joint compound textures received the obligatory, "Amazing!" and "How did you do this?" remarks.

Due to the unexpected invitation to teach, I was not prepared. Consequently I had to search 'painfully' all over town for mediums I could teach with. Even tissue paper was not available due to the "Green" craze taking over Europe. I finally begged a store for some sheets and as a thank you I gave them the sample board of this fun technique.

After that I proceeded to "OBI" the German Home Depot to look for mediums I could use. My presence rummaging through the paint and other departments arose so much interest that I again was invited to demonstrate these selected mediums. It was so much fun. From Vinegar to lime paint and Moltofill I used everything I could get my hands on.

Here are some of the finishes I came up with:

Chinatown, done with Lime paint

Louis Vuitton Leather, everyone loved this one!

Old World Plaster à la Germany

Faux Venetian Plaster

Zen - Rust à la Heidi

Germany was very good to me and I am looking forward to teach there again in the near future.

Blessings,

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The painted house

I worked in this home for almost a year. My clients  bought this  home and needed help to add  their personal taste to it. It was my job to bring it back to "Beautiful Homes".

The first item which was obvious,  was all that white washed wood work which had a pinkish tint. Someone whitewashed and did not know how to do it. If you white wash red oak, you will get a pinkish tint.

Countless spindles, a wet bar, two bannisters,  fifty six kitchen cabinets and  seventy five drawers later all the wood work had a soft warm wood tone.


If you are tired of your wood work, whitewashed or too dark, here is a sweet and short remedy.

1. Remove all grease and dust with Ammonia.
2. Sand lightly and use a tack cloth to dust off.
3. Mix a have bodied  gel stain and stain your  wood into an elegant luster. 

Kitchen Island Before

Kitchen completed 

Staining:


I used three colors of stain. Using a 4" chip brush,  apply  each of the stain in a design you like. Soften with a clean brush. Now you can take off some more stain with a rag. Lightly soften again. This type of staining is very fast and easy to do. After the stain has dried, apply two coats of varnish. I like Min Wax Acrylic water based varnish in satin sheen.

Good luck and let us know how your staining project turned out. Naturally we are here to help you, if you get stuck.



My next blog will tell how to create a polished stone look on your walls using copy paper. It's easy and it's fast.


Until then....


Blessings, 

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It's time.... give that old dresser a make over

Recently I decided to make over an old library table which  collected dust in my basement and which was bought for a make over. But.. alas... the mind is willing but the hands are not. So, finally I decided to tackle that project.  Maybe you have some old furniture piece, which is in desperate need to get some TLC.  


Here are some ideas which might inspire you.

Library Table - Before

I chose a design depicting a McKenzie Childs rendition, because I always wanted to have some piece out of her collection.

Library Table - After

A client of mine bought this sideboard at a rummage sale.  She ran out of ideas what to do with that piece and hired me  for a make over.

I decided to base coat the piece red, with a faux painted  rust table top and a rust finish on the doors. I painted a trompe l'oeil rendition on the doors and stenciled the side panels. Once finished the trompe l'oeil design was crackled followed by waxing, which made this chest look a hundred years old.

This old writing desk received a glam 1920s look by covering the drawers with black silk fabric. I love this idea. Just imagine the hundreds of possibilities. People are so smart to come up with these ideas. Looks like it's easy to do but the end result is very glamorous.

Courtesy of My Crazy Life 

 I love the fabric on the drawers and see this piece in any room

Courtesy of My Crazy Life 

I absolutely love  this made over Bombay chest.

Curbly Chic

This make over involved  silver leave. Isn't it astounding how elegant it turned out?

Moral of the story, don't be afraid to tackle a make over. And if you do, please share. We all want to know and see.


Until next time....

Blessings,

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The New Business of Faux & Decorative Painting

Is faux painting a business, which can sustain you and your family?
Can you make a comfortable living as a decorative painter?

Of course you can…however, as with most things it requires some work, study and practice! You cannot take one class, hang out your shingle and expect super earnings immediately. Being successful in any business requires preparation, practice, hard work and, of course, opportunity (some call it luck).

I hear the frustration of many finishers today. Work has slowed. The economy is taking a toll! How do I survive?

First, I advise that you find a mentor in our industry and/or attend a good business workshop with someone who has been a working decorative painter for many years.

I took a survey of professional decorative painters where I asked, “What is your number one concern about your business?” The answers were overwhelmingly, “Marketing to find more business/clients.” I then asked, “Would you attend a workshop dealing solely with business principles?” and most answered, “No!” They added that they would attend a workshop that combined business and finishes, but felt that it would cost too much to attend a business-only workshop.

This mindset puzzled me. You could have hundreds of techniques to sell but if you don’t have anyone to sell them to, you aren’t going to be in business very long. The vast majority, who make a successful career of decorative painting, take business very seriously. They look at it as a business and operate it as a business and nurture it as a business.

One of the first questions I ask the decorative painters I counsel is, do you have a business or a job? It is vital for you to get clarity on this if you want to be a business owner and have a long, stable career. It is a much different set of rules for running a business owner versus being an employee. The people who don’t get this concept will never make it as a business owner. Neglecting the business side of your business is a sure-fire way to find yourself working for someone else.

Heidi has developed a new 4-Week Hybrid (Online/Onsite) Business Workshop where students will learn everything they need to know to run a successful faux and decorative painting business through online teaching and then create a stunning portfolio in a week-long hands-on class.

Blessings,
Rebecca E. Parsons

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Shimmer Stone

A few days ago,  a client interior designer asked for a sample and proposal, faux finishing a large master bedroom suite. Naturally, time is of essence, because the owners of the home are  taking a vacation. In  the best of two worlds, I would be getting the job and  do the work during the owners are gone.
I asked the interior designer for a description of the home and was told that all the fixtures are brushed nickel, the home is contemporary,  lots of reds, blacks and greys. One accent wall will be wall papered with a black leather look.

Draperies will  be two contrasting fabrics

In addition there is a beautiful brushed nickel mirror which looks like it should be the "jewel" of the room. Furniture is black.

The designer's  vision....  a finish which would not compete with the wall paper and the mirror. Of  course,  it is the luck of the draw, to come up with a finish, accessories etc. unseen. My vision, a metallic soft finish, with lots of movement to depict the mirror. Modern Masters Shimmer Stone and metallics came to mind. Here is the finish I came up with.

In the meantime I have completed this monster of a bed room suite. I am happy to report that the designer, client and I absolutely love the look of this now beautiful bed room suite.

  Until next time. Take care and Happy painting!

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Happy fourth of July!!!!!

To everyone a " Happy Fourth Of July 2011" 
Although soggy weather my  4th of July spirit can not be dampened. Here in  St. Louis we had to contend with lots of rain, last nights fireworks were cancelled, but I have hope for tonight. Thank you St. Louis.

Being from Europe, I was not familiar with the  4th July celebrations. My first exposure was during my first visit to the United States. Family reunion and the obligatory barbeque come to mind.  Then newly wed, I met my now ex-in laws. What fun it was to meet my in-laws and  all 50 nephews and nieces. Oh.... and the food, absolutely delicious. All new discoveries for my European taste buds. I must tell you, that after the first portion of my mother in-law's potato salad I had it every day and gained 21lbs in three weeks. Not so bad... a pound a day. I had my own special bowl in the fridge and potato salad became my breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have never ever tasted  such delicious potato salad ever since.  

Barbeque was also something new to me. So was "corn on the cow" as I used to call it and of course watermelons. I had seven ears of of corn on the cob and I know that  I must have scared my in-laws with my voracious appetite. I certainly scared my now ex. Maybe I should have not eaten so much.LOL, LOL.

Nowadays, my 2 children are strewn all over the world  and are missed very much. So is the family reunion with all it's trimmings. However, I still have the 4th of July spirit and enjoy my gracious friends barbeques and I do reflect on family values and good times, and enjoy the celebration and the fireworks. All in all 

I am blessed and I  hope that you are too.

Happy Fourth of July

 












 
 

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McKenzie Childs - Library Table

Since many years,  this old library table was screaming for help . Overcome by the intricate design, it became obvious to me,  that there was a lot of work involved, thus the ever so familiar thought ... tomorrow, tomorrow lasted for several years. Finally guilt took over and I committed to do something with this sad looking " thing". McKenzie Childs furniture came to mind.


 I love each and every piece of this  truly artistic, handcrafted collection. Every household should have a piece.However, since I want to scale down I decided to use what I have giving new life to my sad looking table. I decided to make this table "happy" and fun.


I have been working for many hours and I finally can see an "end" of this long road to a McKenzie Childs table, and here is a sneak preview of what is to come when finished.  

I am proud to have come this far; once completed I have also an emotional mile stone accomplished. The intricate design forced me focus, be patient and show me how much we can better ourselves and improve our art work. I am blessed.

All my best,

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