This week's lessons...

What a week it's been.  My new

life with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is

keeping me on my toes.  I'm working towards

hosting a mini-workshop on July 9th teaching

3 techniques.  Email me if you are interested.

The cost is $125 and includes all materials

and paint.  Just bring yourself!

Did you know that there is a Pastured

Egg and Chicken farm in Vacaville?

Check them out here...Soul Food Farm

and here on Facebook...give them a like

and tell them I sent you!

Soul Food Farm on Facebook

My task this week...to create a new roadside sign

for this fascinating farm.

A little about Soul Food Farm:

"Our methods have been recognized with the

Animal Welfare Approved seal, the first

broiler chicken operation in California - and

only the second in the nation - to meet these

stringent third party-verified standards."  

How can you not love this operation?

Here is the sign, in the making...

drying...

And now onto this week's lessons.

Things I've learned.

1. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can help whip out 

a sign in 3 days due to it's fast drying time.

2. Polyurethane on top of Annie Sloan Chalk

Paint goes on smoothly, no bleeding.

3. You can leave your brush overnight

saturated with chalk paint and I swear 

it will still wash right out.

4. Drops of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

on your clothes rinse right out.  This

means you can look hot while painting. (giggle)

5.  If you accidentally leave the lid

off of your pot (ahem...not me, of course, 

I'm talking about YOU!)...since Annie Sloan

Chalk Paint contains absolutely

no plastic whatsoever, it will just thicken

and you can add water to get it back

to exactly where it was before you forgot

and left it to the air.  

GOTTA LOVE IT!

I'm meeting with the owner of one of my 

favorite shops in greater Sacramento on Friday

and looking forward to a possible new venture.

Stay tuned!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is here...it's time to start the "upcycle!"

Wow, what a week it's been.  I feel like I'm in a wind tunnel, perhaps a tornado, but instead of devastation, there is beautification!!  I am pleased to welcome Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to my business!  This week Vickie from The Studio at 3 Oaks came my way as I joined the Northern California Annie Sloan Chalk Paint team.  It was quite a successful week for Patina Decorative Finishes.  Not only did I supply the "love" to some chalk paint addicts, I found a new "junquing" buddy, Carol.  I look forward to you taking me up on that "junquing" offer, we can fill up my SUV until it bursts.  Let's start at the Alameda Flea Market!!

I could just eat up all these fabulous colors and can't seem to get enough myself!  And, I'm moving towards a date in July to host my first workshop teaching the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint techniques!

Today, I'm going to the farm, Soul Food Farm that is, for a second meeting with Alexis, we're talking ORANGE today, for a bit of sprucing up of her roadside sign.  What her family does on their farm fascinates me!

And...my reveal...remember that hideous buffet I stole, uh, found at the Davis SPCA for $10?  It had some great bones, was super smelly (ewwww) on the inside, but thanks to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, the odor is gone!

the best part?  No sanding or priming!

A little Paris Grey, some Provence, Louis Blue and

Old White.  I used four different techniques on this beauty

and heavy on the dark wax, I love wax.

and now...are you drooling?....

and, yes, they are in alphabetic order.  Don't judge.

New logo...so much fun!

Drum roll, please...

I had so much fun doing this today

with "Chicago," my SIL!

Handpainted metal letters

and some fun paint and a little

time on our hands on the 

LAST day of school (California

school year goes TOOOOOO long!)

Tell me what you think of it.

Playing with Paint

Sometimes when I mess around with

color, I never know what I'm going

to end up with in the end.  In 2006, I did 

a bathroom cabinet remodel for a client.  

When you are glazing or antiquing a 

piece, you have to choose your

base color appropriately, especially 

if you are using dark wax.  I'll never 

forget the panicked call I got from my

client about the base color when she 

came home and it was drying!  I reassured

her it was all going to be exactly as

we discussed and reminded her to be

patient that it will change drastically

once it is antiqued and finished.

I love how this little Henredon castaway

turned out!

Old Doors...

I scrounged for this door at 

Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley

a few years ago.  It grew legs

and became a headboard for 

my California King Bed for 

a few years.  Recently, on a

trip there, I found this amazing

door knob to complete it.

Now, it serves as a message 

board in the entry of our house.

With two teenagers and their 

friends coming and going, 

you never know what you are

going to find on it!

on Thrift Stores...

The Yolo County SPCA Thrift Store is one of

my all time favorite thrift stores. Not only

are you getting GOOD deals, but also helping

out the furry critters. It's located at 920 3rd Street

in Davis. BE CAREFUL for the bikers and

pedestrians because driving in Davis can be tricky!

This is my find there. I'm still deciding

where to go with it colorwise. $10. And top it off

with a $1 tip to each of the two college students that

loaded this puppy in the back of my SUV.

I am planning on building new shelves for it and

replacing the back panel. I'm going to seal

up the holes from the handle poles that were

dreadful and clearly must have ruined it's

chances of finding an owner. I am thinking it will

end up a faint grey and may sand down the

top to the bare wood and age wash the wood

and cover with wax to seal it in.

I'm grateful that I have a teenager that likes

to treasure hunt with me. Thrifting isn't for everyone,

but once you start, it's addicting!

This was discovered at Opportunity House

in Vacaville. It's truly one of my favorite

finds EVER. The embroidering and the

price tag ($2.50) took my breath away.

It's previous owner clearly smoked,

so I'm googling how to get the discoloration

out, it looks much better than it did in the

store. The colors are really amazing.

another find from Yolo SPCA:

we couldn't wait to figure out why it was so heavy...

and discovered an entire lunchpail of nails.

My hydrangeas will love them!

and, last but not least, my $2 table

that got a few swipes of my sander

and the hose and it's nestled it's way

under my favorite Hibiscus and Bacopa!