Saturday 27 October 2012

Thursday 11 October 2012

Introducing Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint....


Kitchen Scale and Linen!!!!!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE KITCHEN SCALE!!!


The more I work with this paint, the more I love it!  You can create so many looks and finishes!  I am so excited to be a retailer of these paints and am eagerly awaiting my shipment which I was told was being shipped out this week!

Here is a before shot of a gorgeous, but very neglected buffet.  The woman I purchased it from said it was her great grandfathers.  It definitely had some flaws and really wasn't worth refinishing from a staining point of view, although if it had been I would have seriously considered it!  I knew that some paint however would give it new life.

When I took my first photo of it, I got a bit of a scare!  There were orbs surrounding it and I remember saying to my husband that I thought there may be some spirits that came with it!  Seeing how I watch Long Island Medium, I decided it best to talk to the piece and tell it that I would take good care of it and make it beautiful again!!!!  Yes, I really did that!!  My daughter even went as far as asking for only good spirits to surround it!!!



When choosing colours for it, I wanted to try one of Miss Mustard Seed's that I hadn't used yet.  Kitchen scale caught my eye and I didn't look back!  I love how the finish turned out.  I wanted a very shabby look to it, with the wood grain showing through, I also painted it Linen first so that it would come through also.  Here are some close ups of the piece as I went along:

With the paint on unsanded...





A close up of it once I started sanding it...





And....Here is the end result...


The chair pictured with it was finished in ASCP Duck Egg Blue.  They seem to go well together.  The top of the piece was finished in a dark bronze metallic.  I love the metallics and the dark bronze looks a lot like wood stain, so I am very happy with the results.  I am not quite finished.  The inside of the drawers need some refinishing, and I have some fabrics I purchased today that I will be using and will post photos of them when I am done.

Friday 14 September 2012

Hello!  Well, with it being a rainy day and all, I thought that I would take the time to share a buffet and hutch that I refinished, along with photos of it's new home!!

I found this buffet and hutch at a local store that I frequent, and decided that it was due for a makeover!

Here are some before shots...  I loved the rounded front and detailing around the drawers.  I knew this piece would look great lightened up!





Here we go!!  










Well, this piece found it's new home!  I love it when one older piece can fit in with many newer pieces and help to bring a room together.





Visit us on our website at www.anchique.com or like us on facebook to see even more...

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Armoire Upcycle

I have been so busy recently that I haven't had a chance to post any of my recent projects, so here are a few before and after photos:

China Cabinet





Armoire:





I recently got my hands on a solid oak bedroom set that was certainly looking outdated and drab.  I decided this would be my chance to try out my Miss Mustard Seed milk paint samples that I had recently received.  The armoire pictured is finished in "Typewriter".  I mixed up a small portion of my milk paint and started painting the armoire and realized that I still had tons left to keep going, so I have now painted the dresser and 2 end tables the same.  Pictures of them to follow.

I wanted to lighten this piece up a bit around the doors and drawers, so I decided to go with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint for them.  They are finished in Old Ochre and then clear wax and dark wax over that to give them some definition.

Below are some more before and afters I wanted to share with you!

Before
 After

Before
 After




Before/After Dresser



Before


 After








Friday 7 September 2012

Here she is!!!  I was so thrilled to get this lovely Vintage Andrew Malcolm dresser and mirror completed yesterday!  My previous blog shows some photos of it in progress as well as what I used to get this look... now here are some finished shots.








Thursday 6 September 2012

Silly me!!  I sometimes get so excited about starting a refinishing project that I forget to take a before shot!  I have recently been working on a vintage Andrew Malcolm dresser with mirror and I decided I wanted to make something that would go nicely in a girls room.  For this project, I went with ASCP Old White and Scandanavian Pink.  I ended up mixing the Old White and Pink together to tone down the pink a little and have started doing a dry brush of Old White over it as well.  

Here are some photos.  I will upload the finished piece later today when I am finished!


As you can see, I get a little ahead of myself when working on a project...I already have one piece of hardware sprayed metallic nickel (one of my favs).  This photo was taken after I put a 2nd coat of Old White on the top of the dresser.  I love the hardware on this piece, they look like hearts which is why I decided to make this more for a young girl.  Who knows though, I'm sure there are plenty of women out there that would love this for their rooms too!



Friday 31 August 2012

I recently got my hands on an old rustic farmhouse desk and chair and was looking forward to giving it a facelift.  Here is a photo of it when I first got it into my workshop...





As with any project, I hummed and hawed about how I would refinish it.  I decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to use my Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paints that I had received to try out prior to getting my shipment which should arrive within the next few weeks btw!!

At first, I didn't want to touch the chair, it was such a unique piece, but once I got working on the desk, it just didn't look like it belonged with it anymore, so I decided to chique it up!!

Here it is finished in Typewriter and Linen... I used a dark wax over the linen to give it a bit of definition.  I clear waxed it first though.



I have to show you a photo of the top of the desk..when I say it's rustic, this photo will show you what I mean.  I used the typewriter and also the linen as a whitewash basically to tie it in with the rest of the desk.  


Here are some more photos of it.  I should mention that working with the milk paints is so simple and I love the finish!  Can hardly wait for my next project to be completed...








Friday 24 August 2012

I have to admit that running a business like this and finding time to post on my blog sure is difficult!  I thought I would take this short opportunity that I have found to post some of my latest projects!

Here are some before and after photos:










This solid oak Armoire is finished in Miss Mustard Seed's Tricycle Milk Paint and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Old Ochre...a little bit of 2 great paints!!!






Thursday 5 July 2012

I know my posts have been few and far between but I had to come on this evening to post some exciting news!!!

Anchique has been chosen as one of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Retailers!!!

Stay Tuned...more details to follow!!


Saturday 9 June 2012

My wonderful husband gave me the day off!!  Well, if you call a day off painting in your workshop!!

I have a number of projects on the go and thought I would share some of them with you today...

Here's a before and after of a queen anne dresser I refinished.

Below is a better photo of the dresser refinished.  I used Annie Sloan "Old White" and then glazed it with a metallic Platinum.  I finished the top and the handles in a metallic Dark Bronze.  I absolutely love the metallic paints!!



Another project I am just about finished is a country buffet and hutch.  Here are some before shots of it... I can't seem to find one of the hutch...but you get the drift...chunky and outdated...





And, here she is in all of her upcycled and refreshed glory!!!!!



Again, Annie Sloan Old White and some Aubusson Blue.

I have to run to Rona to get myself some more metallic paints, last time there they were having a sale on all of them and I'm hoping there is still some left!!  Will post some other projects as soon as I get the chance.  In the meantime, you can see all of Anchique's pieces at http://www.anchique.com

Have a great Saturday!!!  Hope the sun comes out at some point today!!











Friday 8 June 2012

Homestead House Milk Paint - Deacons Bench Redo

Here is a before and after of the Deacon's bench I finished in Homestead House Milk Paints!  The colour is Fort York Red, and under that I used an espresso paint which I then distressed the milk paint to let the espresso show through.  Absolutely loved working with the milk paint as well as the hemp oil that was used to finish it.


Deacons Bench finished in Homestead House Milk Paint

Here is an after photo of the deacon's bench finished in Fort York Red Milk Paint from Homestead House in Toronto, On.


French Provincial Buffet and Hutch with Fabric Back

Happy Friday everyone!!  I never did get a chance to post photos of the buffet and hutch finished with the fabric back so I will do that now!

Friday 20 April 2012

Good Morning!!  I used to be one of those TGIF people, that was until I opened a retail store and started working weekends again!  I feel like my week is just starting!  Now I'm a TGIM (Monday) person!!

My last post discussed a buffet and hutch that I was working on and yes, I'm still working on it, but happy to say I have now gotten the back off and have my fabric glued on!!  I ended up going with a different piece of fabric...it's very unique and will certainly be a conversation piece!

Here's a photo of it..


Will update once I reattach the back onto the hutch and do some finishing work...

Until then, have a great weekend!!!

Monday 16 April 2012

Well, I've decided to take the plunge into posting my own blog for Anchique!  


For those not familiar with Anchique, we are located in Barrie, Ontario Canada and our store just opened a couple months ago.  Here's a link to our website where you can view our work!  http://www.anchique.com


Monday's are my day to get things done, so after I post this I am headed to my workshop to continue working on a buffet and hutch that I am upcycling.  


Here is a before shot of the piece...






And, below are photos of where I am at with this project.  I got my inspiration for this piece from http://theshabbiestchick.blogspot.ca/.  Thank you so much, I love your work!! 





I'm so excited, I found the fabric I want to use for the back of the hutch and am hoping to find the time to head down to Toronto to pick it up!  The gold on the glass will be removed.  Here's a sample of it...


Can hardly wait to get this done!!!!!!  Just so you know, this piece has been finished in Annie Sloan Chalk Paints, Old White and Chateau Grey....

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a workshop in the city for Homestead Milk Paints.  I will be finishing a piece over the next few days for a client and have decided to use Fort York Red and will post photos as I get going on it.  Here is a before photo of the piece....


Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope to keep you updated with new projects as I go along!  Have a great day!!!!