Surprise!! {Party}

When I first met with my client Jean, we were working on invitations for her husband's 50th birthday surprise party.  The location?  Lark Toys in Kellogg, MN, home of a beautiful carousel and amazing toy museum.  Not to mention the toy store itself that seems never-ending!  

They were even rated one of the top ten toy stores in the world by Canada's Reader's Digest!  

Lark Toys doesn't do many private events such as this, so it was a special treat.  The owners are very friendly and helpful...a couple and their daughter own it and run it with probably more people that I know.  The son-in-law designed their logo which I love.  They use the little wind-up birdie for some awesome branding!

There is such a hip, nostalgic vibe about the place, I didn't want to leave!  

We wanted to work with the style and feel of the venue, so I made a few custom pieces for the birthday celebration- like this fun wine label for birthday "boy."  We chose a color palette of red and aqua that lent itself to a retro look.

She wanted some festive buttons, so we designed some using a childhood photo of her husband and had them made at the wonderful (and local Rochester company) Affordable Buttons.  We put memorable family photos on little tins filled with old-fashioned saltwater taffy and floated red, white and light blue balloons from the handles. 

To keep with the nostalgic feel, we got colorful bottles of Stewart's soda and displayed them in a galvanized drink tub.  We had an amazing array of food including some delectable BBQ ribs from Omar's Kitchen & Catering.  I guess I was too busy devouring the food to take a picture?? 

Cupcakes from Mon Petit Cupcake were on display - but not for long!  With three of their signature flavors, every sweet tooth left happy!  I made little flags for the cupcakes and placed them on a mix of cake stands to bring a more colorful, festive feel to the display.  How, you ask? Colored toothpicks, double-sided tape and scrapbook paper cut to size!

The best part of the evening?  That it truly was a surprise!  Friends and family arrived from out of state and surrounded this sweet family to celebrate a half century of excellence!

Wishing happy parties for you too!
Letecia

The Aqua Crib

Here is the crib I refinished for my baby son's room this spring.

I honest to goodness got this crib for free on the side of the road.  I almost bought it at a garage sale near my home, but decided to keep looking.  The next day I drove by and they had a bunch of furniture sitting on the side of the road.  I was in such a state of disbelief that I knocked on their door to make sure I could take it! YES!!!

I put it together and made sure that it would be safe and secure for my son and then got to work sanding the wood.  I did it by hand because my palm sander is too big to fit in between the rungs, plus I think my brother "borrowed it" so I may never see it again.

I painted it with Olympia Premium paint that I got from Lowe's.  I used "Caruso" in semi-gloss which I like for furniture. The zero VOC and low odor is NO JOKE!!!  I even used it indoors while I was pregnant and let my 4 and 6 year old sons help!  I could hardly smell any paint odor and that is even with pregnant-lady-super-sense-of-smell.  Perhaps I should mention now that I could accurately sniff out a smoker three cars in front of me on the road??

It took two+ coats and on more than one occasion I wished it had flat rungs.  The detail was a pain in the rear to sand and paint (especially since I had a huge belly at the time), but is my favorite part now that it is finished since it gives the crib so much character.

 Here's where the story gets interesting.  I finished painting the crib and set the blanket I crocheted for my son inside.  I hung the counting bird pictures (from Anthropologie circa 2005) and laid out the green and white rug. That night my water broke - a whole MONTH early!!!  I think he must have sensed that I was ready for him...the crib was in place and his room was lookin' good.  Funny thing is he doesn't even sleep in it yet.  It seems too giant of a space for his tiny little body, so for now he sleeps in his bassinet or his little swing.

Hope this can help inspire your own painting projects!

Letecia

Antique Technique

I've been wanting to try out Chalk Paint after finding a post about it online.  It seems that it only comes from one place:  Annie Sloan which is the UK.  And it costs $35.  For a QUART!!!  Being the frugalista that I am, I found a post about making your own chalk paint and thought I would give it a go!


Okay, I started with a lovely little chair from the Salvation Army Thrift Store.  I bought it for a whopping $2.00...the Best Deal Ever. 

I added Plaster of Paris and a bit of water to some off-white latex paint I had laying around to create the "Chalk Paint" for the wood portions of the project.  Now here is the cool part...  I actually painted the fabric with the chalk paint as well.  I found a quart of blue paint on the "oops" shelf at the hardware store, so it was only a dollar.  I mixed it with the plaster of Paris as well and slapped it on.  I figured, what's the worst that could happen?  I could destroy a two dollar chair?  I could have to reupholster it like a normal person?  No prob.

For the wood areas:  I painted two coats and then sanded lightly all over and a little more vigorously along edges to get a worn antiqued look.  After sanding, I used a furniture wax paste and buffed them till squeaky. :)



The second part of this painting adventure was an old craptastic table I bought at a garage sale for $3 around ten years ago. It was sitting behind the amazing chair and since it had the lines that show up so well with antiqued painting, I was suddenly inspired to make these two pieces a dynamic duo.  A little wood glue and paint and it's ready for a second chance at life.

And here is the final result...I think it's kind of French Country Shabby Chic...

I can hardly contain myself, I love it so much.  But it may be linked to what a vast difference between what it looked like when I bought it and now.  


Hope you like it!!!
Letecia


P.S.  It cost me a total of $12 in the end for this lovely pair!