Pressing the Pause Button

So here's where I am. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I've had to reach out via this blog. But to be totally honest, I don't have even the faintest idea as to whether I've written about some of these pieces, or even the time to double check and possibly consider writing about them in depth today. Have you seen this beauty before? If not, it was finished in General Finishes Coastal Blue Milk Paint and Antique Walnut Gel Stain, I absolutely adore it, and I totally meant to blog about it. Someday.

So I have started to see these accumulate in the folder that contains pieces I'd *like* to blog about, but haven't had the time.

And now I'm realizing, and accepting, that that "free time" I had before I had kids, and a small business, and sometimes even my own life (insert rolling on the floor laughing and winky face emojis here, as well as laughing while crying and sometimes just straight up crying emojis - no judgement :) ) So today I am pressing the pause button. 

I am giving myself permission to do less, so that I can do more. I wrote about this on FB and Instagram, if you'd like the full read, but the TL;DR version is that I'm going to focus on the things that my heart truly desires. My faith, my family, my yoga practice, my friendships, teaching, loving, and being still. Noticing. Experiencing. Painting. 

If you'd like to be along for the journey, I would love to have you. Please follow me on Facebook and Instagram. In the meantime, if you'd like to look at some furniture eye candy, there is more after the jump! 

With Gratitude,

Becky

Tutorial : Vintage Drexel Desk / Vanity with World Map Detail

Do you ever have ideas that pop into your head and then just can't be quieted until you *finally* give them a try? Meet my Drexel desk. Funny story - this one was the very first piece I ever purchased from my now friend / furniture picker.... about two years ago. For two years it has quietly called to me, offering ideas, transforming in my mind into just about every shade of gray and blue possible, and asking for a map. A map? What am I thinking?? But y'all. With General Finishes Queenstown Gray Milk Paint and Modern Masters Matte Metallics in Gold Rush, this piece really came alive. 

 

Talk about fabulous! I am so beyond excited about the final look on this beauty, and because I love y'all, I even broke it down step by step for a full tutorial. Click below to keep reading!

Before and After : 9 Drawer Bassett French Provincial Dresser in Louis Blue

This one is definitely one of my favorites!! When I first tried Annie Sloan's Louis Blue Chalk Paint, I had a hard time waxing it without leaving a smudgy appearance, and eventually solved that by mixing some of the paint into the wax to create a tinted wax. For this piece, I sealed with General Finishes High Performance Top Coat, and it was a breeze! We sanded the top of this one all the way back to the raw wood, stained the top with General Finishes Antique Walnut gel stain, and painted the body Louis Blue. A little light distressing and this one was an absolute showstopper!!

I may be a little biased because I adore color, but I totally think blue is a neutral. Look how it even goes with this deep, bright red! *Swoon* . What is your favorite unexpected color combination? I'd love to give it a try!

Before and After : Layered Blue Farmhouse Style Dresser - with Tutorial

I realized I have a TON of Before and Afters ahead of me, so I will keep these next few posts a little more brief! For this layered look shabby chic or modern farmhouse style dresser, I knew that I wanted to try out blending, layering, and distressing several different colors, especially ones I hadn't used in a while! I ended up selecting Annie Sloan Chalk Paints in Olive, Country Grey, Cream, Old Ochre, and Provence. I knew that I wanted to have an overall impact of a fairly solid overall color, so Provence was the main body color.

Read on to see how we got this look!

Before and After : Ornate Vintage Jacobean Style Chest of Drawers

Full disclosure : I realize I am *super* far behind on sharing my projects! But, here's a Before and After of an absolutely fabulous piece that I can't wait to share with y'all! This set was so beautiful in the original oak, but just check out how the chest of drawers looks in Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Paint!!It gave an utterly fabulous shabby chic / distressed look!

The details are rich and vibrant, and a little distressing adds the perfect amount of character to the beautiful texture of the oak. The ornate hardware is oh-so-stunning, and paired gorgeously with the carvings! More eye candy with close ups after the jump!

It's 2017, Y'all! Adventures Await!

It has been an amazing year. And I'm not one of those people that set New Year's Resolutions, because the truth is that a new year can start any day, any moment. Each breath is the opportunity to begin again. But I will set a new intention - to live more fully in the present, and to appreciate each moment a little more. Reflecting on last year, I started to dig into photos and review some of the projects I'd worked on. I was blown away!!

 

My husband always tells me I'm doing plenty, even when I feel like I'm two steps behind schedule. And I sometimes believe him ;) . But looking back, I can't even believe the number of pieces I had the opportunity to work on, and the amazing clients that I was able to collaborate with! I am so honored and humbled. The pieces above aren't even all the refinishes we did last year - they wouldn't all fit in the picture! Plus, we are finally starting to make updates to our own home - hip, hip, hooray!

So this year I *might* get caught up on my Before and Afters. I *might* get to that amazing lift-top vintage desk I've been planning to paint gray with a gold map silhouette. I *might* even teach a few classes! But I *will* appreciate each moment, treasure every memory, build tiny clay dragons for my son, go to Girl Scout camp with my daughter, and laugh with my husband. 2017 is here, y'all! Adventures await!

Lots of love,

Becky