Painting Furniture in Shades Of Color – Grey Black

Ombré    (“shaded” in French)

gradual blending of one color hue to another, shading from light to dark

I had a white and black piece in mind to share, I couldn’t find the photos.

Instead, I found myself looking at photos of previous ombres I’d painted and shared,  and then  I FOUND THE PHOTOS OF THE ORIGINAL PIECE I WAS LOOKING FOR!

You know what else I found?   Bakers are amazingly creative!

OH my Lord, this is just heavenly!

This was a piece I finished more recently –

I’m often posed the question, “Which of your paints is your favorite?”    I honestly respond that the products I carry all have a purpose, and I favor them all (otherwise I wouldn’t sell them!).   When I want to lose myself in creating a new piece, like all of the pieces in this post,  I reach for my natural chalk and clay base American Paints –

When you have all the colors in the deck on hand, its easy to grab more than one color – two – three-  even four,  to create the perfect fade.  For someone with less paint on hand,  know you can create a white to black ombre with just white and black.

A cake fade prelude –

I stripped the top with the orange Citristrip, and restained with my Wood Topper stains.    I carried those instore,  never got around to adding them online.  It’s on my get-it-done list…   (if you’re local, and need a color,  shoot an email to support at fabfinisher.com and I can add it to your order)

This is one of my favorite styles of furniture …  so romantic.

I actually held onto this piece …

When the store was winding down, all the big stuff on the floor had to be quick sale’d  – I didn’t’ have a large storage area to house the overflow of finished pieces, but I wasn’t marking this Regal Gentleman down – he’s one of a kind

Once I feel like everything is back in place, paperwork in order, taxes done (ugggh), then I’ll take these few pieces and list them online –

If they don’t sell, I’ll save them for that   ‘some day spare room when the kids move ‘

No better way to wrap this post, than to share a few more beauties!

This one is definitely my inspiration for a future OMBRE,  I’ve always wanted to do these colors-

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+  LOVE them all  + 

Wonder if they taste as good as they look ? 

Have a Blessed Week!

 

 

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Updating Old Wroght Iron Glass Table and Chairs

Perfect timing,  outdoors in Michigan –  instant 90 plus degree heat!  Boy, did we miss the pool scene this holiday weekend…

We were away last week on a much needed family sneak-away

prior to our trip the weather was blech mode, a cold wet Spring.  I swear we came back and everything was lush and green,  and seemed like everyone had their  flowers in the ground!

It was nice being back for a week, only to roll into a sweet holiday weekend.  I made a valiant attempt to get the yard in order –  I planted flowers, and got the hubby to hang that cool Moroccan tin light fixture that I used to have hanging in my store

The nice thing about having paints and such on hand?   It doesn’t matter WHAT color bracket your man comes home with!   It wasn’t white for long  🙂

One of the DIY Videos I made with Shelby TV was transforming a wrought iron table/chair set from my childhood

It had made its rounds with my siblings, eventually no one had a need for  it, so my mom gave it to me.  It was looking it’s age, but my mom knew I could breathe new live into it, and find a new owner….

Which brings us to Episode 10 of the Shelby DIY Videos 🙂   As awkward as these videos were for me to tape, I look at them now and am very thankful for them!

Mom changed the fabric on the seat pads many times, I think the frame itself may even have been painted various shades of color.   I wanted to give it more of a darker bronze finish.   I started with Texture Basecoat by Caromal Colours as the first coat – an amazing paint I’ve used enough to know –  it bonds to metal no problemo!

Watch the video,  if this is something that interests you –

I used that same  Textured Basecoat (Peppercorn)  and bladed it through a stencil (Cherry Blossoms) .  Using the thicker paint created an embossed stencil on the glass, and again, I’d used this paint enough times on glass to know it would hold up to wear and tear.  Using thicker mediums requires adequate dry time, so after each stencil pass I had to wait hours before I could continue on with it’s allover pattern  (patience is a virtue…)

The Textured Basecoat was the first coat, a metallic over that, a light sanding to pop some texture,  then glaze and sealer….  the chair pads were boosted and recovered

and the allover design on the glass top was accented with various Decorative Foils  , and easy process and oh so pretty  –

This set was around when I was a kid, growing up in Riverview.   It was the perfect size for the four seasons room off the back off our house.   If I had a room like that present day, I’d have kept this set – instead it went to a lovely home that, no lie,  had a four seasons room off their back!  (I know because we delivered it to her!!)

We are online,  24 / 7 , to fill your paint desires –  finishes, tools, stencils, foils, sealers, papers –  if you can’t find something, let me know!    fabfinisher.com

God Bless Those That Serve!  God Bless America!

 

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!

 

 

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!