First time I saw this...it was scary.
And now...it's all lovely and ish. Perfect for a Princess' bedroom. Isn't it gorg?
Antique China Hutch in Annie Sloan Graphite and French Linen
When I found this piece...it looked tragic. It was covered in brown paint with faux wood grain contact paper on the shelves. I bought it because I liked the details and well...I was also looking for a nice piece to use Annie Sloan Graphite on. It is such a rich color that I figured it could be used to make anything look elegant.
When I got it home...I was curious as to what kind of wood it was made out of so I decided to strip it. You don't need to strip paint to use Annie Sloan paint mind you...I just wanted to see it in it's original state. So I did it...and was shocked to find that the beautiful wood underneath the horrible paint was none other than rare mahogany.
Wow.
I honestly sat there and stared at it for a long time and then I moved around a bit just so I could make SURE I was doing the right thing by painting it. Then...I decided that hey...no matter what...I could always strip the paint off again if I wanted to right? RIGHT.
So I took the hardware and door off. Then I collapsed the shelves and got to painting. Since it was such a dark piece anyway...I knew I'd have to do a light color inside of it. The hardware was pretty nice but I wanted it to seriously pop so I used a bit of Antique Gold Rub-N-Buff to make the color really stand out.
I put two coats of paint on it and then let it dry for a full day. Next, I used General Finishes top coat for protection and now I'm sitting here debating whether I should wax it too.
This piece is so lovely to me that yeah...it might already be SOLD too. :)
Spray Painted Vintage Temple-Stuart China Cabinet
MATERIALS USED:
Sandpaper
Rust-Oleum Comfort Grip Spray Paint Handle
Rust-Oleum 2x Red Primer (3 cans)
Rust-Oleum 2x Colonial Red Gloss Spray Paint (5 cans)
Rust-Oleum Hammered Black Metal Spray Paint (I've used one can for three projects so far on hardware.)
General Finishes Pitch Black Glaze
The before and after of this piece makes me super giddy. I knew I wanted to go with a bold color from jump and I also knew that I wanted it to look smooth like a showroom piece at Ethan Allen so I decided to spray paint it!
Steps to get a super smooth finish?
1. Vacuum and wipe down with a bit of dish liquid in a bucket of water. Don't wet it, mind you...but wipe it clean with a well-wrung towel. Use Goo Gone to remove anything sticky, hard or icky. Then...let it dry completely.
2. Take it apart. No...seriously...remove all screws, put hardware by type in Ziploc bags so you don't lose them and keep them together so you can get them ready to be painted too if you're using them. Take the back off carefully using a hammer, pliers and a flat tool. Either paint or add a piece of fabric using a spray adhesive as I did.
3. Use paint cans and spray paint tops to sit pieces on and sand. Wipe down with damp cloth and then prime after it dries. (I used a spray primer for red paint.)
4. One coat of primer on all pieces if you're using the same kind of 2x primer I used.
5. Let dry COMPLETELY. I didn't paint until the next day.
6. Spray paint using the spray paint handle so your finger doesn't get in the way or get tired from depressing that lil' thingy. You should have a good rhythm and method since you spray painted the primer on. Hold the can back far enough where you can do light sprays without paint runs. Just spray evenly and lightly. Follow the directions and apply your second coat when the can says to. LOL!
7. Remove rust with a rust remover, clean, dry and spray paint hardware. Let dry completely.
8. If you're going to add a glaze, as I did, do it the next day after the paint has dried completely and you've corrected any mistakes or paint drips. (Sand, wipe clean, repaint.) Glaze one section at a time so your glaze doesn't dry on you making it too dark in some areas. If you love the super shiny, super bright pop of color...don't glaze. For example...if I were to do a dresser or end table for a little girl's room in a pretty pink or raspberry I wouldn't glaze it. The color would just be so happy to me as is. LOL!
9. Let dry completely and add a coat of polycrylic to any part where you'd sit stuff on like shelves and the top of the bottom piece. This is just an added layer of protection. I actually used the spray polyurethane for the first time on this piece and I adore the satin finish it gave.
10. Put it back together. Add the hardware. Sit back and admire your handiwork with a smug smile knowing that BAAAAAAAAAABY! YOU DID THAT!
Luxe Therapy Scalp Soother
A friend brought this to me from Essence Festival and I opened it while talking and then used it while still talking...
Then I stopped.
OH.MY.GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!
BEST FEELING EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE? WHO KNEW ABOUT THIS AND DIDN'T TELL ME? WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? WHY??????? I NEED MULTIPLES BECAUSE MY SCALP ITCHES SO BADLY I WANT TO SCRATCH IT SO HARD IT BLEEDS!
WHEW! YES.PLEASE!
Anyway...you should consider it. Seriously it's the best thing ever.
Game of Thrones Finale Recap - The Damn Ginas
This preacher/sparrow whatever he is needs to go. He's doing the most. He just carved Loras' head like that in front of people? DAMN GINA! That's that bull. Margaery you should have known you couldn't trust him.
This jacket Cersei is rocking is killing the game. I want two of them. "I choose violence." That is one of the best lines from the season. I'm not a fan of Cersei but I want her to wreak havoc on that religious goon. That dude gives me the heebie geebies.
So you send old boy to get Cersei WITHOUT AN ARMY????????? She already told yall she chooses violence! She ain't playing bruh! Not with the mountain by her side and them dang children of the corn running around with knives and ish!
Now...yall know I love the kids but seriously...these kids have me side-eyeing all kids. Stuff like this makes me turn my head and even then the sounds are just gross. They messed Pycelle up! DAMN GINA!
Wait...where did that kid jab that dude?
YALL BETTER LISTEN TO MARGAERY!!!!!!!
Dear HBO...your HBO Now app sucks. Seriously. Rewinding is a crazy chore.
Oooooooooh! That green fire stuff Tyrion used that time! DAAAAAAAAAYUM GINA! THEY GOT BLOWED THE HECK UP!
Bye Margaery.
CERSEI.IS.EVERY.SINGLE.THING.RIGHT.NOW.
But wait...why is she wasting the wine though? That's not called for. This faux-nun chick is a goner. This outfit Cersei is rocking is so amazing and she is telling it all!
Oh mercy on Unella's soul. "Shame. Shame. Shame." DAMN GINA!
The little king is next. I hope his mother is gentle with him.
Well...and then there's that. Yet another DAMN GINA!
Jamie wants to be a good guy soooooooooo badly but all his dirt can't get him over the hump. I can't stand the Frey's ever since the Red Wedding. That level of treachery is just...NO. Jamie just put him on notice.
Cersei has lost all of her babies now huh?
HEY SAM! I love Sam. I liked when he snatched his sword off that wall too. That baby is super cute. SUPER.CUTE. Dude couldn't get his butt up an inch?
And here is my reason. Jon Snow. I love him so. That red chick though? No. That time she took off that necklace I was like...DAAAAAAYYYYYUUUUUMMMMM GINA...I need one of those!
Uh oh. Gigs up! Now they know she burned Princess Shireen at the stake. Alive. Davos is gonna kill her azz one day fo' sho' behind that.
I like Jon and Sansa together again but I don't forget how Sansa used to be when she was a girl in King's Landing. She wasn't 'bout that family life and was steadily trying to come up and screwed her family big time. That said...I don't trust her. Wait until Arya shows up. Arya will know her for true.
White raven. Winter is here.
These Dorne women? The Sand Snakes? NO.JOKE. Matter of fact...most of what I love about Game of Thrones is how the women are warriors too. They don't play. I like that. But I also like Lady What's-Her-Face smacking them around with Elder talk too. LOL!
Ooooh! Hey Varys. Gotta wonder what the what when he shows up.
HEY DANY! HEY BOO! Dany my blonde boo. I can't believe she doesn't burn in the desert sun as pale as her skin is. Now look...ya boy better listen and do as Dany says. She doesn't answer to you boo! You ain't going and that's final!
Awwwwwww...I love how Tyrion is so good for her and now? He's the Hand of the Queen!!!!!!!!!!!
But is Tyrion about to cry though? Yall know he's my favorite right? RIGHT. He brings me ALL.THE.JOY.ALL.THE.TIME. In the books he is the most perfect of snarky smartazzes. LOVE.HIM!
Frey is about to die. Right? What the hell???????? They fed him his sons in a pie? ARYA!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN GINA! ARYA FOR THE REVENGE WIN!!!!! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER AND MY MOTHER AND I FED YOU YOUR SONS AND SLIT YOUR THROAT!!!!!! YEAH BOY! You killed her people after you gave them bread and salt and they thought they were protected guests and baaaaaby! She baked a focaccia outta your sons! DAMN GINA! I will never be able to have focaccia again without thinking of Arya Stark!
THE NORTH REMEMBERS!!!!!
Littlefinger BEEN wanting Sansa but how creepy is it that he was once in love with her mother? I mean come on man...Sansa is about to come into her own WITHOUT.A.MAN who gave her to Ramsay.
Uncle Benjie...how you gonna leave Bran in the woods with just a young lady and a tree with blood eye slits?
Jon is NOT Ned's bastard son. He is Ned's nephew and wait...wait...HALF A TARGARYEN????? SO...IS DANY HIS AUNT??????????????????????????? LAWD.TO.DAY! WAIT! LEMME CHECK THIS OUT FURTHER! WHERE IS A FAMILY TREE? THIS MEANS JON CAN TALK TO DRAGONS AND STUFF TOO HUH????????? AND WAIT! WAIT! HE'S AN HEIR TO THE THRONE! DAMN GINA!
GASP.SWOON.FAINT.DAMN.GINA!!!!!!!!!
We finally have the proof of it all. If only Katelyn had known that too.
Sansa doesn't like this Jon being King of the North thing much. Told ya. She ain't 'bout that family life. She wants to be the prize/leader/top dawg. That lil girl...Lady Mormant? She deserves the Iron Throne. Tomorrow. She too fierce for words. LOL! And she has a crush on Jon. LOL!
Cersei is on the throne. That's all she's ever wanted. And she got it. (Queue Hillary in a pants suit.)
I want a dragon. Not three. I don't want to be greedy. Just one. Those ships and dragons look so menacing! I guess they got over that whole crossing water horses can't drink thingy huh?
Wait...that's it? No scary all-White people with zombies? A tree didn't gobble up Bran? Melisandre didn't burn down Westeros? That's it? No more until there is more?
Well shit.
Carry on.