I have a little table on top of my backyard deck. It's a favorite spot to sit and enjoy the yard, but I also enjoy decorating it for the seasons with something simple.

This year it's a clay jack-o-lantern all dressed up with a new coat of paint. It used to be a bronze color, but it became chipped and definitely needed a makeover. I used the same process I use on much of my furniture, a quick sanding on the rough spots, a coat of primer and some ivory paint with tobacco glaze to shab it up a bit. A coat of satin polyurethane should help this new finish withstand the weather.


It's just a simple addition to brighten up my view from the kitchen for Halloween. Do you ever decorate in the back yard?





As usual, Marley is wary of any newcomers, including clay pumpkins!



Linking this post to:

I used Chalk Paint to transform this pretty thrifted deer from it's original brass finish. I bought this piece from a thrift store on one of my golden retriever rescue trips. I've seen a bit of an antler trend in interior design over the last year and thought this would be a fun way to bring this element into my home.

In the past, it would have been an item to use spray paint on, but since I was testing out the chalk paint on my vintage suitcases, I figured I would give it a try on something metal.


I did absolutely no preparatory steps on this before painting. It was pretty clean and I simply brushed on the paint with a bristle brush. The paint went on really nicely. Many times when painting small decorative pieces I find I use too heavy of a hand with the spray paint and get drips here and there. The chalk paint went on very smooth and did not build up in the details at all. It definitely did require two coats of the paint though. I have yet to use this paint and be pleased with one coat coverage. I tried this paint on vintage suitcases and also needed two coats. Check out that post for more information on using this paint.


The finish is a very flat. It's almost like looking at a piece of chalk--that's the final look you'll get. I decided not to add any wax or poly finish to this; I like the smooth matte look. For painting brass, I'd have to give the Annie Sloane Chalk Paint two thumbs up! I'll let you know how the plain chalk finish stands up to time.


Just for grins, here's a picture of another brass piece I painted previously with spray paint next to the deer with the chalk paint. Click here for the full post on this tri-level piece.  I like both finishes, but sometimes I get tired of waiting for the perfect spray painting weather (most definitely too hot and humid for that today!) and the resulting fumes and smell. You can see how the spray paint piece is much smoother--no brush marks.

Before we get started on this week's link up, I'd love to spotlight a few links from the last party.

The first shout-out goes to the first link up! I love vintage furniture, and this makeover by Mr & Mrs. Frugal Face is truly beautiful! I love the way she restored the hardware and the gorgeous color and glaze!


This beautiful kitchen below from Tenth Avenue South caught my eye as well. The whole effect is subdued, elegant and pristine. I love the counter tops and that faucet {definitely visit her blog and check out the closeup of it's detail}.... talk about fabulous design! The only items on the counters are functional or truly beautiful. I love the tray of Pellegrino and flowers--what a nice touch! There's even a recipe as framed art in a great looking wall display! I love beautiful, well-designed details... and this kitchen is full of them!


 Liz over at Brambleberry Cottage brought her beautiful photography to the party {really the post looks like a professional stylist!}. This sweet drink is served in fabulous style and wait until you see the other photos of this post featuring her cherry picking adventures. Bright red cherries in vintage this and that... it's delicious!


One more pretty post to spotlight... who could resist this beautiful pergola! A Few Pennies has the perfect spot to sit with a cool drink or a good book. She has the furniture and potted plants placed just so... this really is a beautiful outdoor space. The construction of this pretty garden element doesn't look too difficult to copy either! Click on over and visit her to get the full effect.


Let's get this week's party started! I'm looking forward to seeing what you all have been up to. Thanks to all of you who linked up last time. I can't wait to see what fabulous projects and ideas this week will bring.

Two easy requests...

• Please link just one specific post you want to feature, not your whole blog (to do this, click on the title of the post you want to link and it will open on it's own page, then copy that url
• Please link back to my blog with either the party button or a text link. 

Linking this post to...
Tater Tots & Jello
My Romantic Home
Wicked Awesome Wednesday
Transformation Thursday at Shabby Chic Cottage
Twice Owned Tuesday
Blue Cricket Design
Nifty Thirfty Tuesdays at Coastal Charm
Faded Charm White Wednesday

Welcome to the party... I'm so glad you came!

Finding fabulous furniture at the thrift store always gives me a thrill. Check out this cute table with a price tag of $12.21. 

Many times just the bargain price on a piece of real wood furniture (as opposed to veneer) will make me take a second look.  With this table, it was the details that made me lift it up into my cart.


I like the tiny legs with the little twist to them and curvy shape... the chips in the finish don't bother me at all.


The table is has a lower shelf, which I love for storing all my favorite magazines and the tons of decorating and cookbooks I bring home from the library. But when I walked around and saw the front of the table, I knew this table was coming home with me. Even if I didn't know where I was going to use it yet!


There's a pretty medallion on the front center and another on each of the front legs. The medallions were highlighted with a touch of gold paint... which I really love.

I've finished painting my set of vintage suitcases and testing out the Annie Sloane chalk Paint. I like the new color (you can see what they looked like originally here)--the cases can now go anywhere in my home for extra storage. What follows is my experience in working with this paint. Let me preface the review by saying
I am most definitely not a professional painter, so take this review with that in perspective. I paint furniture and vintage smalls for my own use and have worked out my own preferred paint method through that experience. This review is simply my experience as a consumer and hobbyist with the product.


I did wipe the suitcases with a wet rag and let them dry to remove the dust and dirt. One of the advantages I have read about with this brand of paint is that no prep work is necessary to the surface before painting.  The first coat of paint went on really nice. One coat was not enough to hide the olive green color.


I was originally going around all the silver hardware and then when I was just about through with the first suitcase I decided I didn't like the look of the silver hardware so I painted everything... lock, hinges and all. It's all still fully functional, and I like the cleaner look.

I painted the second coat the next day, and this coat didn't glide as easily. I think it has to do with the texture  and finish of the paint.  It's a flat, rough chalk finish. It makes sense that the second coat, brushing onto the rough finish, as opposed to the slick plastic surface of the bare suitcase, would be a little slower.


 I was a little worried when the paint was scraping off the bottom when I began to apply a clear wax finish. I didn't have the Annie Sloane Wax--I used Briwax. I didn't want to invest in the cost of the brand's wax... $25 was rather high and I wanted to check out the products bit by bit. After all, if I didn't like the the paint there was no need for the wax. The sides of the suitcases were fine--no chipping there.


The paint was a little chippy around the metal edging and the plastic suitcase handle... and I was definitely starting to get nervous about the time and money I had invested in this paint so far.  I contemplated covering the suitcases with one of my usual latex paints or even adding a coat of poly, but in the end I decided to finish the project as I had started out and embrace the chippy shabby look.


After finishing the wax coat, I noticed that it did change the color slightly--just a slight tint of yellow. The wax also seemed to make the paint a bit more transparent. Keep in mind I did not use the brand's own wax; perhaps this makes a difference in the performance of wax on the paint. The wax did give the finish a bit of a sheen and some protection as well. Hopefully it will keep the paint from chipping any more.


I have one more suitcase to paint... a little one that isn't part of the set, but the style is the same. I can't decide if I'll use the Annie Sloane Chalk Paint on this one, just to make a matched set, or revert to my old standby of American Accents latex.

I painted a few other pieces at the same time and I wish I would have slowed down a bit. One of them is a really cute end table that I believe I will add a coat of latex and poly to. Currently it has two coats of the Chalk Paint on it. The other item was a small brass decorative piece that I'll leave as is with the chalk paint--I kind of like the velvety finish on it and we'll see how it stands up over time. I am not going to put a coat of wax or anything on it. I'll share both of these items in a future post.

I don't think I'll be painting any more furniture with the paint. It's about $35 a quart, plus shipping, and I am hesitant regarding the durability of the finish and I am not going to make an additional purchase of the brand's wax to see if that would make a difference. It was fun to try, but I don't think it really saved me much time. I do have my favorite latex colors for painting furniture and I think I will stick to them. I didn't do any distressing to the finish of the cases; this was another advantage posted by other bloggers--how nice the paint distresses. The suitcases were distressing themselves with no help from me in the areas where there was metal!

I still have about a half a can of paint left and I do love that the brush remains pliable even after sitting for a week or so with paint on it. When I finally did clean the brush the paint came off very easily. I always purchase quality paint brushes and it's nice to be able to keep them clean.

Here's my pros & cons for this paint...

I like...

• that the paint did not need to be mixed; there was no settling of the product
• that the paint-coated brush stays pliable even when sitting out for a week and cleans up easily
• how smooth the first coat went on
• the velvet-chalk finish of the paint.... for decorative items
• that you can dilute the paint with water if it becomes too thick
• that you can use it on a chalkboard... I think a white chalkboard would be a great look and I will be using the paint to change an old pottery barn chalkboard I have.

I didn't like...

• that the paint did not seal certain stained areas of a small table I painted it with. Even after two coats the stain came to the surface. I ended up going over these spots with some Kilz to seal the stain.
• the cost; $35 on average plus shipping
• that I had read that one coat was sufficient for most items and all three things I painted needed two.
• that the paint chipped off the metal surfaces on my suitcases when it says it will work on this type of surface

Make up your own mind, there are lots of blogs out there singing the praises of this paint... and many of them certainly paint a lot more furniture that I do! I was intrigued enough by their reviews to give it a go and this post is simply my opinion. Please comment with your own experiences with the paint and let me know what you think and include ways that I might have improved the resulting finish.


Linking this post to...




DIY by Design
Mod Vintage Life
Time Travel Thursday at Brambleberry Cottage
Vintage Thingy Thursday at Coloradolady
My Romantic Home

I picked up these suitcases several months ago at the thrift store. I use suitcases to store craft supplies, filing, fabric and tablecloths... whatever I need to put under wraps to keep things looking neat.

This pair is quite a bit newer than many of the suitcases I own, but the idea was the same and at just a few dollars each, the price couldn't be beat. Although the olive green isn't too bad, I've been thinking about giving them a coat of paint.... white paint.


Not just any white paint either. These suitcases are going to be introduced to Annie Sloane Chalk Paint. One of the touted advantages of this paint is that no special surface preparation is necessary before painting. We'll see how that works out on these vintage beauties. Check back for their transformation next week!