Merry Christmas...

From My Home To Yours.. Wishing You And Yours A Very Merry Christmas...

Brown Paper Packages..

A table piled high with my favorite things..white and brown craft paper...ribbon... rubber stamps...

I enjoy making the bows myself.. I collect all kinds of ribbon..new, vintage,linen,velvet..i can never have too much ribbon..

white craft paper with French script and a velvet ribbon ... my favorite

A Christmas Mantel

Decorating the workshop and gallery this year I decided to go with a snowman theme...a winter wonderland of snowmen, lots of snow and twinkle lights...

Transforming An Old Metal Trunk

An old metal trunk can be very handy. They serve a duel purpose, being  both decorative and  wonderful for added storage . In bedrooms ,family rooms or hallways you can always find a use for them.

For this trunk I started with ASCP in Old White, then started adding a cute graphic...

I love working with paint pens.you can find them in water base or oil...I use both.

 now it's time to sand..i use a 220 sandpaper

after sanding it's time to age the piece..i use a clear wax to set the piece first, then to age it i use dark wax, dust of ages and gilders paste in black..

The end result is a lovely trunk ready to grace any room in your home...

From Trash To Family Heirloom

This piece has been a challenge ..but in the end it was worth it..starting out in one direction and ending with something breathtaking..

It all started with bleed through..which changed everything...after taking the piece down to bare wood and removing some things that had been added over the years I fell in love with what was underneath..

so I decided to keep it light..

I stained the top "summer Oak"

painted the base old white.. added  2 graphics...a French letter..and a lovely crown..

distressed ,waxed and aged her.. gave her a little extra bling with new knobs.. and I must say I am in love...she will be at the Lucketts holiday market on Nov. 8-10...

The Dreaded Bleed Through

Each piece I work on is different..I never know how it will turn out..So many things can affect the outcome...none more bothersome than Bleed through..you prep the piece, and put on a few coats of paint and after awhile this ugly stain comes peeking through...at that point I have to decide...do I work with it, or change direction..

 for this piece I decided to change direction..so I took it down to the bare wood...

 stained the top..and  i'm going with old white..i think this is the direction she wanted to go in all along...

The Making Of The Haunted Manor

Simple enough, it all started with a poem.

I wanted something different..it had to be special

So I allowed my artistic abilities to run wild

It was going to be over the top..

every detail..

real lights sit atop the columns

each brick was hand carved...and hand painted..

Halloween at our house is a huge production and I would not have it any other way..I've been told the Manor has become a destination on Halloween night,Families out together..grandparents taking pictures...how wonderful..