Shutter Gray Milk Paint Bathroom Project

Soooo....we moved into our new house just before Christmas, as soon as the decs had been taken down we set to work in the bathroom. About the same time I found this cracking little cabinet on eBay, which I just knew would fit perfectly into the space I had in mind for the basin.  I knew I would be using Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint for this project although the colour was yet to be decided.  The first problem I encountered were the numerous coats of paint, which were clogging up the detail on this piece.  So I set to work removing old paint, I had to use paint stripper, I must have gone through 3 different brands in the end, but finally after about 2 weeks I managed to have it ready for painting in the meantime my very dear friend David (Davey Wavey) cut out the centre for the basin, I was too scared to undertake the job just in case I got it wrong!

Once all the old paint was gone the next step - (my favourite part) was to choose which shade to paint it, this was going to determine the colour scheme of the whole bathroom project so I had to think long and hard.  My heart was saying Kitchen Scale but my head was saying Shutter Gray, I must have been having a sensible day as I went with my head and painted it Shutter Gray (promising myself the next project will definitely be Kitchen Scale)

I gave her 2 coats of Shutter Gray, because I had used the paint remover and sanded over the entire piece, the wood was also old and the whole thing was pretty absorbent so I knew I wouldn't get any chipping, so I decided to glaze this piece.  I added Typewriter to the remaining Shutter Gray paint I had and mixed in some Polyvine Scumble to make the glaze, I slapped it all over (one section at a time) and then rubbed it straight off with a dry cloth,  It was the exact look I was after as it stayed in all the crevices, giving it dimension and an aged  feel - gorgeous!

 

I wondered if  was pushing my luck to try and create the same effect on the MDF bath panel the carpenter who fitted my bathroom made for me.... but it worked beautifully and I now have a matching bath panel and vanity unit! I'm so pleased with the end result.  I now need to finish decorating and add all the finishing touches.

Bye for now
CJ

1st Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Project

Its been a long time... and lots has happened - I moved house at the beginning of December * note to self - never move house again in December!.

Also I now have a live website selling Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint, and I am excited as to where my journey will lead.

I have also been on the most amazing course - Preparing to Run Your Own Business, through the Prince's Trust - PRIME - Prince's Initiative for Mature Enterprise. I have learnt so much and have put together a business plan - something I would never have been able to attempt if I hadn't attended the course. I met some amazing people and I'm looking forward to putting all I have learnt into practise!

Anyway, it's long overdue but here is my first Milk paint project, I chose the colour 'Typewriter' after a long time deliberating, my choice was based on the fact I had to keep the wood grain showing on this piece, it is so beautiful I just could not bring myself to paint over it, although I hadn't even noticed it until I had sanded off the old lacquer that was on it - it had started to bubble and crack, this is why I got the sander out, after I sanded it I left it in my dining room for a couple of days and the beautiful wood grain jumped out at me every time I looked at it, so I decided  - it would be Typewriter and Hemp Oil for this project. 

Here she is before:

 

You can see from the pictures, inside there was fake leatherette which I really didn't like and I was a little undecided as to what I would do with it. Anyway in the end I took the plunge and ripped it off! underneath was old glue, so I gently rubbed it back with wire wool and the gorgeous wood grain was inside the 'drop down' front door too.  To add a finishing touch I added some little brass labels on the pigeon holes, which i really like.

The Milk Paint just gave a little bit of 'chippyness' but in the right places and the Hemp Oil really brought the wood grain to life, it really is so smooth and such a gorgeous rich colour. I was really very pleased how it turned out. 

Now working out which Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint colour I will choose for my next project.

Bye for now

CJ

Juniper & Roses Online Paint Shop

Since signing up to become a UK Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Retailer, I have been busy building an online shop to sell the paint, it is now complete and I am so excited as I have now received my stock and I am now officially open for business!

The shop is Juniper & Roses and I have added a link back to my blog as well, where I will be busy posting my own Milk Paint projects, and hopefully sharing projects from my customers as well, I will be encouraging them to send me photos of their MMS Milk Paint projects.

Myself and Debbie McColl from Beautifully Boho will be the only UK & European Retailers but we will be actively looking for new retailers throughout the UK and Europe.

I am currently painting my first piece of furniture in MMS Milk Paint and I can't wait to post the finished piece, the paint is A... M A Z I N G !!! I am so pleased how it is going - and just like everyone else reports it just distresses itself, just a quick rub over and then waxing and you have a completely authentically distressed piece of furniture - love it!

Of course if you are not after a distressed look you just add the bonding agent when mixing the paint, to give a solid colour, but a wonderful finish with a sort of rustic texture.  This really is a superb product, I can't rate it highly enough.

Bye for now

CJ

Another Coffee Table, New Colour, New Graphic

Having used the Cacao Payraud advertisement many times now, I thought I would try something new - so I spent a pleasant hour or so trawling through the Graphics Fairy images and came up with this one.

 

As usual my very clever, steady handed daughter Laura painted on the graphic, whilst I did the painting, staining & waxing.  With this one I thought I would give the top a darker stain as the pine was a very orange colour, which isn't my favorite shade of wood colour! I tried a walnut colour and I am pleased with the result as it does give an 'old' look.

I painted the legs with some 'Old Fashioned Milk Paint' that I had - I mixed Sea Green with Snow White and it came out this gorgeous Duck Egg colour - I then waxed it with clear wax and the finish is very smooth and very tough.  In fact the toughness was tested well and truely when my old french doors I use a a back drop for some of my photos came crashing down straight onto my freshley waxed table legs! to my amazement there was not a mark to be seen!

So looking forward to the Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint arriving, I have projects waiting and I'm itching to get started!

Bye for now

CJ

 

Vintage Finds in France

I'm way overdue posting on my blog, after a disastrous trip to our 'petite maison' in France. It was our first visit this year, we usually go earlier in the year - March/April time, but this year we had a new puppy - 'Alfie' and we didn't want to leave him until he was a little older - so July was our 1st trip this year.  We were aware January 2012 had been extremely cold with temperatures at minus 28 degrees!

Anyway we had a broken water meter and lots of burst pipes! so things were a little tough - finding plumbers etc.  I was determined it wouldn't stop my annual visit to the local Brocante! and I was blessed with the best finds I've had to date, and such great prices! Which made up for the lack of hot water, although I don't think my hubby thought so.

First thing I spotted was this cute little typewriter, (10€) it has some of the fabric missing off the wooden cover and the base, but I'm going to use some Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint to give it a face lift and the colour I will use is suitably named 'Typewriter' as that's the name of her soft black shade in her new paint line (more about that in a minute)

Then on the very next stall I spotted this old 'bakerlite' telephone (10€) complete with the bell, I love that it has the French names and emergency numbers printed on the old fashioned dial.

I then spotted this coffee grinder - I was attracted firstly by the colour as its almost the same colour I have painted a large unit in my kitchen and secondly I love the way the paint has chipped, plus the guy selling it was so funny - he was a French Rugby player with a real twinkle in his eye! although he was very stubborn about his prices and this one cost (15€) but coffee grinders are very collectible in Europe & UK so I was happy with the price, and it is fully functional as well.

This solid wooden vintage 'stamp' is amazing and caught my eye as it was so pretty - I will try this on a furniture project very soon  as I think it will be very effective - maybe on a drawer front?

Lastly this great earthenware storage pot - I just love the soft grey colour, and best of all the number '12' is stamped into it, think I may use this in the garden for growing herbs.

So all in all a very successful trip.

Anyway back to Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint... I am going to be a UK/European Retailer - I am so EXCITED and I have been beavering away building an 'On-Line' shop where I will be selling it.  This has been very time consuming and challenging as I have no experience at this sort of thing, but determination and the passion I have for painting and refurbishing furniture has driven me on - I'm in the final stages (I think!) and on target for having it live for the release date of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in early September!

I will post more updates when i have more info and when my on-line shop goes live.

Bye for now

CJ
Linking to:
My entry into Nifty Thrifty Tuesday Party is sponsored by Appliances Online and the Best Range Cooker.

Coffee Table with French Graphic

This is the 4th time I have done this graphic on a coffee table, it is just so perfect for a chunky wooden table.  This time I have painted the underneath section and legs in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - Old Ochre, which is a lovely warm cream.  As I was going for the cream theme I asked Laura to paint the graphic in brown rather than black like she has before, I thought it would make a change and make the graphic more subtle. The graphic can be found over at the Graphics Fairy

Well I have to admit it may be the 4th time we have done it - but its definitely my favourite! I forgot to take a before pic, basically it was just a pine coffee table, very solid and in very good condition, it had a lot of wax on it though so I had to scrub it down with sugar soap, when it was dry I sanded it really well, starting with coarse grade and ending up with fine grade sanding discs on my orbital sander.  It was then ready for the graphic, once Laura had finished the graphic I stained the top with a mixture of light oak and Jacobean walnut, afterwards I used Danish oil, I gave it about 3 layers to make it resistant to water or any potential marks from coffee cups etc.  I waxed over the Old Ochre painted legs with clear wax.

I am off to France for a week on Wednesday, whilst I'm there I will be looking for some opportunities to find some inspiration for my blog, so hopefully I will have some interesting things to show when I get back. I also have some great projects lined up for when I get back as well and will be sharing some exciting news too!

Bye for now 

CJ

Liebster Award Nomination

 

I was so surprised to receive 2 nominations for the Liebster Award this week, 1st from Jeannine at The Concrete Cottage and then from StaceyAnne at Renditon Road  - 2 very talented ladies with the most wonderful Blogs. - Thank you Ladies.  

I have had a lovely time reading lots of 'Liebster Nominated' blogs to see how others have gone about it, there are many different variations, but my understanding is to tell you a bit about me and follow the rules at the same time.

Award Description:

The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning; Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

1. Post about your win on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who presented you with the award and follow their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award button to your blog (you can right-click on the Liebster label from my page, save it to your computer, then save to your blog).
4. Present The Liebster Award to 5 blogs that have fewer than 200 followers that you think deserve to be recognised.
5. Let them know by leaving them a comment on their blog.

So...... My name is Carol, although I prefer CJ (Carol Jayne) as I have never liked the name Carol (sorry to all Carol's out there - and sorry Mum!) 

I am 54 years old, but have never acted my age and inside still feel like an 18 year old!

I have a beautiful daughter  Laura who is 27 she is a 'Visual Display Manager' for a large department store, and she paints all the graphics on my furniture as she has a steadier hand than I do.  She is just as 'nuttie' as me, here she is:

I have a gorgeous husband Mike (husband no. 2) who is very supportive of my weakness (furniture painting) and is very tolerant of the amount of furniture stored in the house, the garage & the shed! 

I work full time for a Tour Operator, my dream is to give up work and spend my time renovating and painting furniture.

We live in Surrey in the South East of England and we also have a tiny house in the Limousin in France, in a very rural location, we love to go there to escape and enjoy the 'French way of life' 

Here are my nominations:

Danielle at Silver Pennies

Cyndi at Blue Star Antiques

Stacey @ Flickerwhips

Debbie at Twice Nice

Leanne at Apple Box Boutique