The Transition of Fabulous Finishes Store – Updated Rollout Schedule

In my last post (you can find it here) I let the cat out of the bag, that I had decided to close my brick and mortar store on Van Dyke and move it back home.

Since then, we’ve been discounting/marking down all the showroom items – the remaining custom painted pieces I’ve refinished, wall art, home décor, trinkets – all the fun, colorful stuff….

It’s like your house – when you first move in you feel like you have so much space,  years later every inch  is stuffed….  looking around and trying to realize how it will all pack up is a brain kill to say the least.

The best way I’ve found  to avoid finding myself standing in a corner, sucking my thumb, is to write everything down.  Every thought waking me at night, write them all down, then organize them into a timeline –

We’ve been busy at work handing out hand made color charts to our regular customers, and letting everyone know that all of their favorite paints/paint related items will remain available during store hours until the end of February, when they will be moved to the home studio/online store.

After February 24th you can continue to shop, but instead of driving to the store, you’ll surf the web to find my online store –  http://fabfinisher.com .   As an fyi, we pack our orders with suckers, and always try to add a personal touch as well.   Be sure to check this BLOG link periodically, as that will be where you can find highlighted projects, how to’s etc…   There is a wealth of information already in place, but once the dust settles I will be regularly adding new material.

More changes, for me that is.  I start a new job Monday so this, technically, is my last week of working in my Van Dyke store.  Of course I’ll be here working all the Saturdays that remain,  so if you need to find me make it a Saturday.   The new job?  No, not retail or artsy…. well, kind of in a tiny way…    I’m diving back into my old world of logistics/operations.   The tiny artsy part?  One of my accounts creates decorative, colorful cupcakes that ship all over the US!  Perfect right?  (Thank you Lord.)

So why a real job?   Financial stability.  Defined, not continuous 24/7 mind drain.  Weekdays not weekends.

So why did I not hand over my business, Fabulous Finishes,  to another? Because its my baby. I birthed it, I’ve nurtured it for 15 years,  it’s in my blood, it keeps me alive.  It’s that simple.  I started from home, and along the way its molded into various shapes – I look at this next transition as another mold , and I hope to bring many of you along with me.

So…..  on to the most important part:

OUR HOURS OF OPERATION CHANGE AFTER THIS WEEK.

HOURS FOR WEEK OF  01/22/18 – 01/27/18:

• MONDAY            CLOSED
• TUESDAY           12PM – 5PM
• WEDNESDAY   12PM  – 5PM
• THURSDAY       12PM  – 5PM
• FRIDAY               12PM – 5PM
• SATURDAY        10AM – 3PM

HOURS FOR WEEK OF  01/29/18 – 02/03/18:

• MONDAY            CLOSED
• TUESDAY           12PM – 5PM
• WEDNESDAY   12PM  – 5PM
• THURSDAY       12PM  – 5PM
• FRIDAY               12PM – 5PM
• SATURDAY        10AM – 3PM

REMAINING HOURS FOR FEBRUARY 2018:

• SATURDAY  FEB 10       10AM – 5PM

• SATURDAY  FEB 17       10AM – 5PM

• SATURDAY  FEB 24       10AM – 5PM

 

I can’t be thinking about that…. it’s been a good run,  great things are to come…. tears are just a part of it – means we’re alive.

So take note of the new hours, pass them to folks you know that might be interested.  If you know anyone looking for nicely painted great quality furniture have them check us out, the prices are crazy low and crazy good!

 

 

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Life Cycle of Fabulous Finishes, an Artsy Paint Store…

I find my mind wondering WHY I don’t make a better effort to post weekly.

Posting about projects grabs attention from those I want to reach as a retailer, and when I don’t post,  the pictures of  projects/workshops/etc  grows and grows…    over 200 folders of pictures

 

It’s not about the lack of blogging, that’s just a side effect of something much bigger.

I should backup to 2011, when I transitioned my home based business to a retail storefront.   I was running a small finishing business from home, working  around my young kids in school.  Life was pretty much by the book comfortable, with no real ‘upsets’.  Never saw a job loss on the horizon…

Now I look back at that time in our lives –  husband seeking employment, wife opening  a retail store  (zero knowledge of how-to),  smack in the middle of a depressed economy – and realize HOW massive a life experience it was.

God was HUGE at that time.

If your faith is in the good Lord, you can carry ANTHING life throws at you, and come out in a better place.  My parents preached that to us kids, but I never REALLY understood until it was put into action.

That first store was a learning curve, everything moved forward and business was a success.    These statements, below, ring true to that time in my life…

Sixteen months later I was busting at the seams and eager to expand.  We found the perfect location, a mere 1/2 mile up the road, and in February 2013 we celebrated a grand opening.  Pictures remind me of its bare bones

Wow, my third child has grown up!

Time flies when you’re having fun, and this was fun for me.  Taking that passion for creating, and living it every day at work.   How blessed was I?  Honestly, when I ponder my life a few years ago, I see a big monster blob, rolling and wig wagging in all directions, bouncing off walls, ideas and creativity trapped inside that wanted to come out.

Creative hearts will understand.  Your brain doesn’t shut down.  It keeps talking to you,  new things to try, new ideas to market, change this, update that,  on and on…  Can’t tell you how many times new ideas and color combinations would wake me at night – I’d jot them down for later,  those seemed to be my best ideas 🙂

When you work for yourself,  there are no limits, unless YOU put them into place and enforce them.   I’ll admit, a limit setter I was not.

Maybe, it was that voice in my head

I’ll never quit. I’ll never fail. 

that drove me.

Maybe it was easy 

because the kids grew up and out, entering college a year apart

 to let work take over my life.

Maybe daily work life became life 

obligations became 24/7

because that’s what owning a business requires.

Regardless, over time, it can suck the life out of your days, and I got to admit, this last year I’ve been feeling that suck…

The thing is,  I love so much about what I’ve been able to do.   The power to inspire others,  the relationships I’ve experienced, the “GOD” moments, so many I can’t count…  For me, I really believe that’s what carried me. Sounds corny, and I’ll lose many of you at this point,  but honestly,  as I’ve grown in my Godwalk I believe He has a purpose for us, and where He puts us is where He has a use for us.

If doing what I do was just the creating and inspiring, I could remain in heaven on earth.  But business ownership brings the ugly requirements like accounting, marketing, purchasing, advertising, social media…

It’s those facets of ownership that….. sucked for me.    If money was no object I’d hire all that out, regardless of the negative impact on a bottom line.   But I couldn’t, so I didn’t.

daily work life became life 

obligations became 24/7

  Earlier this year I took the steps to update my resume.  I’m not ‘retiring’ from the workplace,  but I yearn for more focus, more structure,  less retail.

 It’s been a REAL change year for me, my personal relationships, my family life….  I’m feeling older, wiser, and I yearn for balance.  I want to spend quality time with my loved ones….

I’ve decided to slow roll my business to an end.   I’ve been working diligently to refinish the pieces I’ve had in inventory – it’s always been a goal of mine, and I’m closing in on it.    The furniture I’ve completed on the floor, and pieces remaining in back will be the last I offer.   I do have commissioned pieces I owe, which will not be affected.

Yup, feeling that…   But,  you never know, someone may reach out with interest in creating their own version of  a ‘Artsy Paint Store’ at our awesome location, which could allow a good portion of our paint lines to carry forward for our dedicated customers.    I’m not going to sweat the details,  God’s got a way of working things out in the end

Given the unknowns ( will some of the business transition to another owner, or will it be a ‘store closing’ sale)  I can’t yet offer specifics, but thinking by Spring there will be change.

Let me list a few things to clarify –

• Paints will be available – I’m still ordering and restocking as needed.
• Remaining Paint a Piece Workshops for 2017 are booked.
• I will not be posting a 2018 Workshop schedule, though depending on timing I may add one or two if its workable.
• I will still offer a couple Saturday dates in Jan, maybe Feb, for the Basic Painting Cabinet/ Glazing Cabinet Workshop , if you  have been considering a cabinet project.
• I’ve decided it’s best to NOT offer gift certificates for holiday purchasing this year.
• Our online store   fabfinisher.com    will remain.  We have had known issues the last couple months with the hosting company BlueHost, I swear there were a couple times it was down more than it was up.  It is presently being moved over to GoDaddy, with hopes that the disruptions will seize.
• As always, if you have any questions,  give us a call or email us at    support  (at sign)  fabfinisher.com

WE HAVE NEW WINTER HOURS

STARTING DECEMBER 1ST:

MONDAYS  10 AM – 2 PM

TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY  10 AM – 5 PM

THURSDAY  12 PM – 5 PM

SATURDAY 10 AM – 3 PM

Yes, it will be both.   And, hey, to bring it back full circle,  I may get to finally blog those photo files after all!

 

 

Back From the Land of StickYourHeadInAHole

Gads, I don’t even want to look at the date of my last post – I get it, I’m way overdue.  What can I say?

Life gets in the way sometimes.

So without further ado,  lets share some projects!

I didn’t manage a picture at the very start, but this desk had a typical wood stained, varnished finish on top.  I used the Citristrip stuff to clean off the first layer.   Then I grabbed Caromal’s Textured Basecoats, in the Putty color –

and brushed a thin coat on the base-

While the base was drying, I got out the American Paint Company all natural Antiquing Wax, in a pretinted ‘dark’ color, and scrubbed that on the rawer wood –

This is my favorite wax, by far,  over painted finishes, but I hadn’t really used it in this manner –  O M G…….

How beautiful is that wood turning?   Just scrub it on,  and I mean SCRUB –  don’t daintily paint it on, because you’ll waste a bunch, good for me cuz you’ll come back to buy more, but that’s silly, and wasteful – scrub it on – I prefer a natural bristle brush to get it deep and gritty,  and get your whole surface covered.  Let it seep in for a couple minutes, then wipe off with a soft cloth.

You NEED to wipe that excess off, or your surface will forever feel sticky.  Once the excess is off, let your surface dry out for a few hours, then buff it with another soft cloth.     So easy, and feels amazing.

When the Putty was dry, I took the middle drawer, and a stencil, and the Putty, and stenciled a thicker relief stencil.  No photo, but you can see the stencil in the picture below where I brushed APC Cannonball over the Putty and stencil, let it dry, then sanded to reveal the Putty texture and relief –

I finished covering the base with American Paint Cannonball (you can thin it a little to get it to glide even better)

The APC Chalk/Clay paints dry pretty fast,  once the black was dry I used a 180 sandpaper and gave the whole surface a light sanding .  Twofold,  the sanding breaks through the top color, revealing the dimensional texture below, and it also gives the painted surface a nice soft feel.

I used that same American Paint Vintage Dark Wax, to seal of the paint finish, and buffed it to a pretty sheen when it was dry.

I cleaned and refinished the hardware using the same paints, a sealer, and a few Swarovski crystals, and added some stenciling inside the drawers –

Are you local to the Detroit area and interested in updating your OWN tired furniture or cabinets?   Come visit – we’re located at the corner of 23 Mile and Van Dyke in Shelby Township,  48316.   Check our home page for hours of operation, as they vary per season and holidays.

If you live too far away, that’s ok,  we ship daily,  offering our full lines of paints, sundries and accessories – store.fabfinisher.com.

If you’re interested in a paint project, or need to get out for the evening, check out our Workshop Schedule,  our fall schedule is posted in store and we are in the process of adding the dates online –  register online or stop in and visit.

HAPPY PAINTING!

We Love When Our Customers Share Their Projects!

It’s always fun to see what our customers are doing, how they tackle projects with our products…

Here are some recent pictures-
This kitchen was shared last time around, but the counters and a few other pretties weren’t complete. The proud owner shared a more recent photo of her updated kitchen – the before

and the after,  cabinets painted and glazed by the homeowners themselves

Updated, painted oak cabinets, using Reclaim White with Coffee Glaze.

A pair of fun chairs using several of our chalk and clay paints by American Paint Company.  Using our Fish Fossil Stencil with our Stone Plaster adds a great raised design-

How about this laminate counter update?

Formica Counter before

Formica counter base layer, rolled textured basecoat peppercorn

Formica counter, middle layer/s – the fun part, where you can roll, scrape, stipple, sponge other colors of textured basecoat paints – this was textured basecoat paprika and textured basecoat hazelnut.

Formica counter final steps – light sand to remove any grit, richen up the painted finish using our Toner glaze, and then add several coats of our Fabulous sealers.

A workshop attendee completed this chair frame in one of our Paint a Piece workshops

She used one of our light Cottage Paint colors,  I’m thinking it was Stone with our Less Intense Molasses Glaze

This kitchen update comes all the way from South California 🙂  Suzie’s before

during

and almost put back together – She used our Botanical mineral paint color Willow

Dawn visited her father in Florida, and his several pieces of oak furniture that no longer worked for him.  He wanted a lighter, weathered wood feel, and chose a barnworn finish on the table, and a softer color on the rest.

They used Textured Basecoat colors Putty and Wisteria with our Molasses Glaze.  The remaining pieces were painted with our Cottage Paint Wonder White, and our Less Intense Molasses Glaze.

Hard to see the table detail, but the finish looked like this

Rhonda gave her nightstands a nice makeover, adding decorative legs and then painting with our American Paint Company Freedom Road  

 

Pretty amazing!

Dear Patty

Here are some pictures of my Master Bathroom using your Reclaim Off White and your Molasses Less Intense Glaze.    I’m so thankful to have stumbled upon your website and love all of your inspiration and products!  I only wish I lived nearby to check out your store in person.   Adrienne   Monument, Colorado

Lovely transformation, using Reclaim offwhite and our Less Intense Molasses Glaze, over honey oak cabinets.

This customer updated a pink desk, and an unfinished accompanying chair

using our paints and stencils

How adorable is this?

One of our regular customers online, Katherine from Arkansas, shared this headboard project she completed:

Here’s a before and after – The first is the stripped raw wood with a watered down Reclaim Pebble. You can see half of the head board is done.

The second photo is after the Caromal Colours Toner was brushed on in in direction of the wood grain but not wiped back.  I just brushed until it no longer had streaks.   Toner worked beautifully! Over the weekend I tried different glazes and said to myself ” it just doesn’t have enough bite”  Then I remembered you saying how toner has a great bite to it! Thanks so much! It’s exactly the look I was going for.

LOVE IT!!

Shannon painted this cabinet using a custom teal Cottage Paint color we tinted for her.   This is a great way to accommodate our customers when they have a specific color in mind they they can’t find with our current line of paints.   She used some of our American Paint colors that she had left over from other projects to paint and stencil the inside –

Branko completed his kitchen cabinet project, and what a difference , don’t you agree?  They are thrilled!

Linda shared her project,  a 4′ kitchen cabinet for their cottage in Lexington.  She used our custom tinted Cottage Paint color French Blue, sanded the edges, and finished it with our Durable Satin Sealer –

Another amazing kitchen,  the before

The beginning,  probably for many what seems like ‘The Point of No Return”  or even “Oh Shit, Here We Go!”

You invest the hours – your time and effort,  some even sweat… and then you see finish line ahead

and you are pumped!   You may have started like this

but you end, chanting  OH YA!!!!!!

Awesomeness….   you’re covered here at the Fab – I trust our product lines,  and our sales associates are knowledgeable and here to help you find what you need 🙂

Lynn’s hutch makeover turned out amazing  –  she used our custom tinted Cottage Paint Color ASH and our Molasses Glaze

This hope chest started its transformation in one of our Paint a Piece Workshops.  Our customer brought in the chest, minus the top (otherwise the piece would have been too large to complete) and painted it with our Cottage Paint custom color Vanilla.  Over that she used our American Paint Dark Vintage Wax to add that lovely antiquing effect, and a soft sheen and feel as well.

 

It’s a beautiful chest – she loved it for years in its darker form, but it was time for a lighter version.  I love that she can still appreciate this piece that holds meaning to her.

No before, but here’s the after on this pretty painted table –

The customer used Textured Basecoat Parchment (cream) , Botanical Salvia (soft grey), both by Caromal Colours, and then aged it up using our American Paint Company Vintage Dark Wax 

Here’s a gorgeous piece from one of our lovely customers in Texas – Kaye used a number of our products to customize this hutch, and I absolutely love it’s romantic feel.

Bathroom oak cabinets, updated using a mix of Reclaim Mocha and Linen 

and this bathroom,  both in the same house!

This one was finished with Mocha

Pat brought a couple kitchen cabinet doors to our Painting Cabinet class, and has us walk her through the painting process – she used  a mix of Bright White  and Off White Reclaim.  She brought those same  freshly painted, dried for a week, doors back the following weekend for our Glazing Cabinet class, and glazed them using our Umber Glaze –

A before family piano

an updated family piano, using Reclaim Nantucket Blue and our Black Glaze

Another kitchen 🙂

Erika charmed this cabinet up using our Cottage Paint custom color Tropical with our  Caromal Colours Toner Glaze

Pretty fun!

We love our customers, and look forward to seeing what they do with our products…

Are you local to the Detroit area and interested in possibly updating your OWN tired furniture?  If so,  come visit us – we’re located at the corner of 23 Mile and Van Dyke in Shelby Township,  48316.    Don’t come Sunday or Monday, because we’re not open, but T,W, F  our hours are 10am-5pm  Thursday 10am-6pm and Saturday 10am-3pm.  During holidays our hours do change, you can find updates on our website.

If you live too far away, that’s ok,  we ship daily,  offering our full lines of paints, sundries and accessories – store.fabfinisher.com.

If you’re interested in a paint project, or need to get out for the evening, check out our Workshop Schedule,  our fall schedule is posted in store and we are in the process of adding the dates online –  register online or stop in and visit.