No rest for the wicked!

I just finished a kitchen re-do today and I am exhausted!  It took me the best part of a week as I had to cart every door home to my house as my client had the painters in and there was no room for me to work.  How I squashed them into my little Aveo is beyond me but my trusty little car did a fine job.  In fact she has been known to bring home half a flea market in her without a word of complaint.  I love my car.

Anywhoo...back to the kitchen.  It started life as a run-of-the-mill oak finish and has now been transformed into a very sleek and sophisticated kitchen with style.  I used a new product by Benjamin Moore (I work for them part time as a colour consultant) called Advance.  It is an alkyd but is water based which means clean up is a breeze and drying time is cut in half.  Oh the miracle of science!  I still had to do a LOT of coats to get the finish I wanted but it was well worth it.

 Before

After

I also managed to take part in an arts and crafts market on Saturday called Fenton Street Market in Maryland.  Good fun but sales where nothing to write home about.  I don't think anyone is really buying this time of year.  Still, it was great to meet a whole new group of like minded people.  I will definitely take part again nearer Christmas and probably try my hand at a few other venues.

I got up bright and early on Sunday morning (4.45 a.m. ~ mad!!) so I could catch the sunrise on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah.  How amazing that was. Butterflies and dragonflies were everywhere and the mist sat quietly on the mountains. And how often can you say you saw a bear crossing the road?  Well, I managed to see two, yes two, in the space of an hour!  I really feel blessed to have all this beauty around me in Virginia, and right on my doorstep.

Well tomorrow brings yet another project - this time a kitchen, living room and hallway.  Best get myself geared up for a loonnnggg week!
Hope you have a good one!

...and another...

 I'm sure by now you are all a bit sick of seeing the work I have been doing over the last few months but just one more - maybe!!  
I loved doing this one.  Faux finishing is something I have done for years but it never bores me.  I love to see how some simple glazing can turn a plain space into a thing of beauty and interest.  This 'column' is in fact a toilet!  Still not sure why the builder placed it right in the middle of the kitchen/dining/living room but there you have it!  The owner and I decided it was best to make it a focal point rather than try and blend it into it's surroundings and I think it worked out just fine.  Below are pictures of all the steps it took to acheive this finish.  I'm not really sure if there is a posh name for it or not - I just call it gorgeous!  It eventually took four layers of glazing over the base coat but it was well worth the time as I think it gives it so much depth.

 I 

I hope you all had a great Fourth of July holiday.  It was scorching here in northern Virginia but at least it didn't rain.  I managed to get out and see the fireworks display at  Great Meadow and it was spectacular.  I'll definitely do it again next year.

Hoping you all have a great week ahead!

...and another...

The next project I got my hands on was a redo of a living room.  I was lucky in the fact that I pretty much had free reign of the design but was really limited budget wise.  There was little money for new furniture or any large items so I had to try and make do with 'stealing' things from the rest of the house.

Below are pictures of the before and after room make over.  I still find it hard to believe that this is the same room!  It's now fresh and calming, a room for all seasons.  It is a very dark room so I started by adding a central ceiling light.  This made a huge difference right from the get go and made it so much easier to see what I was painting!  I painted the ceiling in Benjamin Moore Linen White, the walls Soft Fern and all the crown molding and trim in BM White Dove.  I made a window seat cushion, valance and cushions for the sofa from fabric I picked up at Hancock fabrics, all on sale.  The cushion is a beautiful linen with cabbage roses in muted colours in it.  I wish they had more as I would have done MY whole house in it!

I purchased the mirror from Home Goods and hung it above the sofa to add more light and depth to the room.  I also did a lot of de-cluttering and a HUGE amount of furniture rearranging.  Gone is the original rug (to another room in the house) and in it's place one with light, airy colours.  I borrowed the chairs from my clients  sun room and thankfully she is leaving them right where I plonked them!!!  There are still a few more things to add to the room (new lampshades, artwork, coffee table) but we are on hold for a bit or until that money tree in the back yard starts growing again!

I am extremely proud of this particular make over.  It was so labour intensive (my poor arms ached for days after all that painting and sewing!) and really hard to accomplish on a restricted budget but I think it turned out beautifully.  I would love to know what you think?  Comments and criticisms greatly appreciated!

 More projects to come in the next few days....

And as always - hoping your week ahead is full of joy and happiness and a bit of fun thrown in the mix!

Anji

Click on images for a larger view - they look so much better that way!

Before

Before

Before

After (and yes - this is the same room!)

After

 

After

MIA - again!

Its been forever since I last did a post, I know, but I spend so much time reading and commenting on everyone elses blogs I don't have the enthusiasm to do my own! I will back track now to the end of March when I took on so much work I thought I would collapse! I am so fortunate to have such good friends who are willing to employ me, keep me fed and watered and put up with my complaining - you are such kindred spirits and you know who you are!  So, I will start with the bathroom renovation...
This was a major undertaking but well worth the effort. My dear friend Nena bought this house 10 years ago but had never lived in it due to traveling the world with her husband and family. A great investment but in dire need of some updates. So we chose to start with the master bathroom. Out came walls, vanities, toilets, laundry shoot and the like and in less than a month --- a bathroom fit for a king!! (or queen for that matter).

Below are the before and after shots.

 

 View from bathroom to master bedroom (no door!)

Progress!

 We added a larger window to give more natural light to the room

We picked this up at ReStore (habitat for humanity) for a mere $80!

 A huge shower in place of the closet

 At last - a door!

 And a soaking tub - what more could you ask for?

 We purchased the double vanity with marble top from Craig's List for a song!  I striped the oak finish base and stained it in a mocha/coffee color then added new handles

 Separate thrown room!

 Seamless glass shower door - yummy! 

 We got the mirror from a thrift store.  It has beautiful carved oak leaves around the frame.  I sanded it and stained it to match the vanity.

I don't think these pictures do it justice as it is now such a beautiful room.  It has heated flooring, double headed shower, ambient lighting and faux finished walls.  But I hope you get the idea.

Nearly everything was purchased on the cheap.  Wall and floor tiles from Home Depot, light fixtures ,faucets, towel rails, shelving from Lowes, and most of the accessories from thrift stores!

It was an absolute pleasure working with Nena - she is the sweetest person in the world!  And she kept me fed and watered throughout this whole renovation!

Lots more of my other 'projects' to follow soon.

Hoping you have a wonderful fun filled week

Anji

Gone in a flash!

We were lucky enough to have Spring for 4 days here in Virginia - then it disappeared again! I did manage to get some photos of my rapidly fading tulips and thought it would be nice to share them with you just so we can all remember what Spring might look like again next year!

Hoping you all have a great week ahead...

Art Is Hard!

It's been a busy week of ceiling painting, faux finishing and commuting and alas, not much time to do anything really creative. But I did manage to squeeze this artwork in this morning before going to work. You know, art really can be hard when you have no ideas running through your head and the weather is just blah and you are simply exhausted! I did have a wonderful weekend away with the 'girls' though last weekend and as soon as I get a chance to sort through my photos I will fill you in with some of the frolicking we got up to!



Enjoy the rest of your week!

More Freebies

As promised - more vintage photos for you to use in your artwork.

Hope you are enjoying your day!