Next Stop Round Top

The first Sale at the Barn was an overwhelming success and we are so grateful for all who stopped by and took home some Beautiful Things. My favorite part about doing this is visiting with people I don't get to see very often and also meeting new friends. Making a little money while doing something you love isn't too shabby either!

The chalk paint was a hit and several people have agreed to post pictures of their finished pieces. I can't wait to see them! I had a request for a goldy/mustardy color, so I will be working on that.

Next stop, Round Top! We will be in Oldenburg on the highway March 30-31 and April 2. We'll have the Sale at The Barn sign, so spread the word and tell your friends to come see us!

He makes beautiful things,
Yvette

More Preview Pictures

     The Sale at the Barn is Friday and to say I am a little overwhelmed is an understatement.  I have prayed for God to use this time well, so it is what it is!

     I am quite fond of this dresser and its paint color.  Being a grandmother for the first time is an experience that cannot be explained, it just has to be experienced.  Our little grandson, Knox, is a precious blessing straight from heaven and the blue paint's got his name.  The dresser is fnished in "Knox Three Times" with a dark wax over it.

Next is a bookshelf idea straight from Pinterest!  This was shown hung low on a wall in a child's room to hold books.  It is finished in "Vanilla paper" with a dark wax.

Finally, this daybed was sold at the last sale, but I wanted to show a good example of "Fit of Greige".  It also has a coat of dark wax.

     More to come, but hope you are inspired to come see all the beautiful things this Friday! 

     See you at The Barn!

He makes beautiful things,

Yvette





  

It's Almost Here

   What a great weekend it has been to work on pieces for the upcoming sale.  Remember it starts this Friday at 10 am!

    

This morning, I was able to get the last paint color in the palette done  and I am so pleased with the way it turned out. Interestingly enough, it's No.1 and it was daughter number one who helped me get it just right. That's because she has such a good eye for color.  She's going to claim "favorite" after reading this post!

Wrapped Around My Pinky

     A good friend suggested that I explain a little more about chalk paint, not to be confused with chalkboard paint.  This is paint with an additive that makes it chalky and powdery.  It is incredibly durable and sticks to just about anything.  If you think about what chalk is, one of the main ingredients is calcium carbonate, which is lime.  Lime washes and paint have been used as far back as 7 B.C. in Rome.  They were used in frescos and the outside of buildings and homes.  So, my version is a modern day mix of paint, primer, and lime.  I love the way it covers, sands, and dries quickly. When  sealed with a soft wax and buffed it has the look of a fine old finish.

Child's Chair

     The color, "Wrapped Around My Pinky," reminds me of Calamine lotion, which brings back all sorts of memories of summer, and the family farm in the Pineywoods of East Texas.  Calamine was, and still is, a staple for any kind of bite, and we'd be covered in pink dots of dried lotion after a weekend shared with mosquitoes and chiggers! 

     "Orange You Gorgeous" is inspired by a family memory as well.  My grandmother loved this orangey/coral, and at the farm, there were old trunks at the foot of her bed painted this color. Her kitchen set had it as well. 

"Orange You Gorgeous"

     I've got more pieces in the almost finished category and will post pictures over the next couple of days. 

     See you at The Barn!

He makes beautiful things,

Yvette

Happy Paint

      Designer chalk paint...you had me at "Hello!"  What a joy to work with a product that requires no priming, gives a smooth, matte finish, is easy to sand, and holds up beautifully. Honestly, though, my Scottish heritage has had me trying to figure out a thriftier way to achieve the same result.
 
     First off, and there's no real secret here, they make paint with primer included. Next, I researched Pinterest and tried all the recommended duplications.  After testing them all, I am happy to have arrived at what I think is a reasonable facsimile. And it costs about 1/3 as much. It is smooth, sands easily, is durable when waxed or sealed, and covers in two coats. The designer brand claims one coat coverage, but I found it really does take two if you want complete coverage. And since priming is not necessary (doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the primer is already in the paint...) two coats isn't bad.  Being able to make custom colors was also a plus.
      

 Here's the preview piece!  Isn't she adorable?

Paint color: "Sea you at the Beach " with dark wax.

     At the first Sale at the Barn beginning March 2, as well as Round Top preview, which is the last weekend in March, I thought I would offer my palette for those do-it-yourselfers whose projects include pieces of furniture and accessories. I will be selling pints, since most projects don't require a quart and you end up with lots of quarts of paint sitting on shelves that you'll never use again. A pint is plenty for a table, dresser, or smaller piece of furniture, and at $10, will not cause the guilt that ensues after paying $35 for a quart of the designer stuff.

    
     The colors are a result of things I love, matched at the home improvement center, then made into paint. This paint gives a smoother finish than some of the other recommended recipes and it doesn't thicken like the others. After a couple of hours, the methods using joint compound or plaster of Paris, get spongy and thick.

     The paint names are inspired by kids. My real job (the one that actually pays and provides insurance) is being a second grade teacher to some hilarious 7 and 8 year olds.  They take things very literally and make working on vocabulary very entertaining. The names remind me of things they say. Like, " Can I have a piece of Vanilla Paper to draw on?"  The best ever was when I taught contractions and one of my students wrote this sentence using the contraction, we're:

"Every car have a we're end."  

     I think I'm actually a really good teacher, but it's gotta make you wonder sometimes!  I treasure that little piece of paper and the memories of the precious child who wrote it.

    
     These colors are the first ones to be available. Pictures of pieces with each of the colors will be posted before the Sale at the Barn.

Wrapped Around My Pinky

Knox Three Times

A Fit of Greige

Vanilla Paper

Sea You at the Beach

I'm Pond of You

Orange You Gorgeous

See you at the Sale at the Barn, March 2-4 at 601 S. Bynum in Lufkin!

Here's to some happy painting! 

He makes Beautiful Things,

Yvette

Welcome, February

     Happy February! Thank you, God! Now, if you keep reading, I'm just warning you, it goes downhill from here. Surely you will say, "Wow, Debbie Downer! Guess I'll go curl up in the fetal position now." I'll do my best to rebound at the end, but for a few minutes, I just need to get some things off my chest.
     Could we please keep getting on with this 2012 thing? Because I am so ready to move as far away from 2011 as I can. The past year has been kind of surreal. Beating breast cancer was a high and losing my best friend to lung cancer was a low. Questioning why I got off so easily, and her having to endure such pain left me empty. Having our first grand baby boy was a high. Not having that same best friend here to share in the joy of the blessing was a low.

     I don't take lightly that God has blessed our family in so many ways, but parts of this messy life are, well, messy. And sometimes it's not fun, and sometimes it breaks your heart, and sometimes it just sucks.

     Let me get the sucky part off my chest first. I.miss.Lynne. I miss her every day. She was the friend I talked to every day. February marks the month of her birth. She's a leap year baby, so she only got to have 14 real birthdays. Since this was to be her 15th, we considered a Quinceanera. Now that she's at the biggest, best party of all, hanging out with Jesus, anything we would have planned pales in comparison. But a group of us are going on with the Quinceanera theme anyway. If you are not familiar, Google it. Interestingly enough, it's a rite of passage. We're already looking for fabulous dresses and intend to wear tiaras.  I am sure it will be a very strange night, celebrating as we know she would want us to, but missing her so. She was always the life of the party and she and I planned so many together.  Here's a picture of all of us at my oldest daughters wedding.  We pulled off a big one that night!  My daughter described it as perfection.

The Chicks!





We were such a good team. Suck. Suck. Sucky, suck suck. When her husband passed away unexpectedly 5 years ago, "suck" became a choice word for our little group. Sorry to say it so many times, but after awhile it makes you laugh, right? Say Suck, Suck, Sucky, suck suck without laughing. Sucks, doesn't it? Potty mouth.
     Moving on. In the midst of this heartache, my very big God is always there, caring about the details. A friend posted on Facebook this week, "God blesses us every day, it's up to us to notice it." Yep. True words. So it's time to start noticing. I hope my venting didn't scare you off. Just being honest.

     Guess it's time to come out of hibernation and get busy at the barn.         

     Which reminds me- I am having my first Sale at the Barn this month! I have wanted to do this for awhile, and it seems February 24 is when it will happen. I have been collecting so many neat pieces and this time, some smaller accessories, too. I think you'll like the selection and hope you'll come!





Pictures coming soon.

He makes beautiful things,
Yvette

My Beautiful Friend

     Time has been a precious commodity the past few weeks as I have spent every possible moment with my beautiful best friend, Lynne.  As God prepares her for eternity, I have been given such a gift in the hours spent by her side and sharng that time with the people who are so important in her life.

 

     I went to the barn for awhile to have some quiet time and to paint.  It was a little overwhelming to think of the work that has been put aside for more important endeavors, but what I found was that my amazing husband, Clay, had been there painting and sanding for hours on end so that I could be with Lynne.  There are people in your life who pick up the pieces behind you and most of the time they don't get the thanks and appreciation they deserve.  Well, I have one amazing husband and I want the world to know it!
    
     Since he had gotten all the basics done, I got to work on the finish sanding.  This is my favorite part because it is the stage that really gives the piece its character.  Starting with a coffee table, I began to smooth the edges and the paint came off in fine layers.  It was such a delicate finish, easy to work with, and just a little of the original finish showing through. The finished product is so pretty, and very elegant, I think.

     The next was a side table.  As I started to sand, little chips came off here and there.  I had to work a little harder on this one because the paint came off in a different way, giving the piece a unique character.  It's more rough around the edges, and has a rustic finish. 

     I began to think about why one was so much easier than the other and how the paint reacts differently to the sanding process.  I realized that the way the paint sands off all depends on what's underneath it. Each piece is made differently and the base may be solid wood or a veneer that's chipped, patched and glued.
     
     Really?  Can I connect this furniture refinishing thing back to God again?  Well, Jesus was a carpenter, after all. 
   
      As God molds me into who He wants me to be, sometimes He can just smooth away a little on the edges to reveal something inside.  At other times, He has to chip away at the finish a little harder to  achieve His desired outcome.  It all depends on what's underneath, but either way, the finished product is a beautiful thing.
    
     So, I am reflecting on what's underneath this chipped, patched and glued veneer. Am I going to make His work easy today, or am I going to need a bit more sanding? 

See you Thursday- Saturday! 

He makes beautiful things,
Yvette

    

Sneak Peek

     In one week, we will be having our fall sale.  It starts next Thursday, October 20.  Our pieces will once again be upstairs at Blithe Boutique, 112 South First.  Over the weekend, you will also want to visit Hello Holidays at Behannon's Warehouse, Heritage Antiques Vintage Flea Market in their parking lot on Saturday, Standpipe Coffee House and newly opened A Furniture Fetish.

     In an earlier post, I mentioned some wonderful paint that a friend introduced me to. Turns out, it's been around awhile and I can't quite figure out how I missed it! That's kind of how I roll, though.  I tend to embrace trends a year or two after they become trendy.

     It's Annie Sloan chalk paint and I am so in love with it.  The finishes turn out so beautifully.  Here are a couple of pieces that will be in the sale.  The color is French Linen.

Side Table or Night Stand

Small Display Cabinet  24" Tall

More pictures are coming.

See you at the sale !

Thursday through Saturday 10-6 each day.

He makes beautiful things!

Yvette