Shabby Chic Furniture Makeovers.

Hello again, another week already gone by. Another trip to the hospital, this was not what I was wanting to happen, but I have got an infection in the ears, so we have a very handy drop in clinic which runs from 7am till 11pm and I'm on antibiotics now.

Enough of illness I'm fed up with it, so you all must be too.

In between the Shabby Chic mode continues. This was a set of plain "Oak Effect" coffee tables, stained on top through years of use.

They have been painted with Annie Sloan French Linen, then washed over with a thin coat of cream.

Next stage is to decoupage the top with advertising pages from Echo de La Mode 1901.

 The cream paint is mixed with water to a very thin consistency and brushed onto the paper then wiped off quickly. A two stage crackleure glaze, again Annie Sloan, is then put on the top of the paper and paint.

 I am at the experimenting stage so have gone for it on these, with areas of thick and thin crackleure to see what effect I like best.

Dark wax is then rubbed into the cracks. If it becomes too dark you use some clear wax to wipe the dark off. Two coats of wax on top with a polish between each.

 The middle table top

 The smallest table top.

The finished waxing, dark, clear and the paints both showing. I have yet to polish this set up as its very damp today and the wax has not cured yet.

A lot of stages to these but as I am working on about eight pieces at a time, I can swap from one to the other whilst drying goes on. 

Next is a plain old Commode, I have the bucket to go in this. It is a heavy china, light grey colour glazed one with a patterned lid. Pictures of it when I have finished.

 Because of the use as a commode I have covered all the inside with a 1900 hymn book pages. These are fab to use as they are yellowed and the paper is really thin. So a lot of cutting and pasting. I used Winsor & Newton Matt Medium from the more expensive range with black lids. Usually I use Heavy texture gel from the Galeria range but the shop was out of that.

 Again I have used French Linen, but here you can see it with no wax on. Once the paper is dry I mix French Linen paint with Matt Medium and some water then brush onto the paper and wipe off until I am happy with the result. More drying time, many cups of tea later.

I have used the paper napkins again from Ikea. I love the way you can still see the music through the rose.

 Some not so well stuck paper but by the time the crackleure goes on you wont notice :-)

The inside of the lid, really pleased with this. I used one of the title pages and placed roses all around.

So that is as far as I have got this week. I am waiting on a delivery of more crackleure glaze and have treated myself to a Liberon Polishing Brush for my drill. This will be used on the wood parts only as I fear it would shred the paper.

Working on these pieces I am using my collage skill and acrylic painting techniques combined with the Annie Sloan paint. I should have got more done but I have to keep stopping because of temperature and still a bit under the weather.

Tonight I am going to have a nice cuppa and skip on over to Handmade Harbour to see what everyone else has been up to this week.

Happy Easter!!!

So happy to report that I have been in hospital, had my operation and it was a complete success. Not only that I was very lucky in that there was no cancer, it was a cyst, blocking my sphenoid sinus. The operation was a lot less invasive, only one night in hospital due to anesthetic overload. Op on Thursday, 17th, Home 18th, Family day at my friends and overnight there. Several weedy days at home. Nearly back to normal today 21st.

Today I have managed to get back to the Annie Sloan painting of my furniture.

Lots of WIP's three stack of coffee tables, commode, two garden chairs, dressing table stool and some picture frames. + Two secret items that can not be shown yet.

One finished magazine rack, distressed and decoupaged using???

This also has some crackleure glaze. My first attempt using Annie Sloan stuff. I guess you can see I liked the effect as I've painted loads of items ready to go onto waxing. The wax really transforms the paint finish.

Did you guess I used flowers from Ikea paper napkins. 

Thank you so much to all my friends who have helped me out with dog duties, nursing me, sending flowers , FB messages and cards or telephoning. You all have made such a real difference in my life. I now know how ill I felt, coming round from the anesthetic and feeling NO Dizziness, Headache or Brain and Eye Pressure was just like a miracle. 

Thank you God!