Tours and Tutorials

…white-washing

May 1, 2013 By christen 5 Comments

Some achievements just come from necessity, don’t they? I found these amazing, vintage blue shutters. I knew I wanted them and I also knew that they were not “my” blue hue.

I got them home and DH helped me hang them in my family room.

No easy task, but he typically does not get many easy ones from his Dear Wifey Don’t worry about him, though, he’s always up for a challenge.

Love them, but see what I mean about the blue. Beautiful, but sky blue is not really what I relate to. I lived with them for about a week and stared & stared at them. Then I knew I had to do something to change them. Patience is not my virtue. So instead of waiting for DH to get home and take them off the walls again (which I knew he would not be thrilled about), I decided to alter them where they were. I know, I know.

Soooo, once upon a time I had read on Annie Sloan’s website something about white-washing or diluting your paint. I really had never tried it and honestly I wasn’t terribly excited to try it. I didn’t want to ruin the blue on the shutters or take of any of that chippy paint – that was the best part. I just wanted to alter the color a bit. So, I experimented.

I went out to my garage and poured a bit of my Duck Egg Blue and a bit of old white. I went back into the kitchen and added some water and stirred. It was a very, very watery consistency which is what I was trying to acheive. Again, I didn’t want to comepletely cover the sky blue, I just wanted a bit more green in it similar to my beloved Duck Egg color.

I threw a tarp over the couch and set to work. Keep in mind that I really would not try this at home unless you are in an outdoor space.

I brushed on the thinned-out paint. It was not thick so all the beautiful crackled paint stayed as it was. It was instead like a tinted stain treatment that I was doing. The color started to change and dried quickly. Yipee! I applied one more coat for a deeper color, cleaned up the dripped paint on the floor and removed the tarp. Voila! Be aware that since it is a watery consistency that the paint is much harder to control and will drip!

I’m super happy with the results. I plan on doing a tutorial once I find a piece that suits the technique.

Filed Under: Tours and Tutorials, Uncategorized

…helen norman photography

April 29, 2013 By christen 3 Comments

Helen was the amazing photographer that did The Cottage Style Magazine photoshoot for Blue Egg Brown Nest Interiors. She had just come off a shoot for Forbes and after our shoot was doing Southern Living. She’s so fantastic and we hit it off right away! We are even in talks about having a barn sale at her real, live organic farm with red wood barn!

To sing her praises even more, she is generously letting me use the photos that she took at Blue Egg! Wow! A few of the shots were not included in the article so I’m excited to show you all of them in full. Also a HUGE thank you to Charlotte for her amazing styling & article!

I kinda can’t believe I get to live here. Thanks again, Helen!

Filed Under: building a room, building vintage style, Tours and Tutorials, Uncategorized

…weathered wood look & tutorial.

April 22, 2013 By christen 7 Comments

I think I’ve said this before, but the creative process, like anything else in life, is a roller coaster. Sometimes you are going along at a lovely pace, other times more frantic and then sometimes there is a surprise discovery! Need I mention I hate rollercoasters? This weekend was a fun part of ride as I discovered a new technique offered by Annie Sloan herself in her new book Color Recipes!

Annie was kind enough to send me a copy after we were both featured in The Examiner article together. She is such a lovely, talented lady & a super support to Blue Egg Brown Nest.

Color Recipes is a really inspiring book with loads of ideas. I was so excited to see one technique that I did not know how to achieve. I had purchased pieces from Restoration Hardware with the weathered wood, but had no idea how to do it.

There are a few things you need to achieve this weathered wood look. First, and most importantly, you need Oak wood. This means a wood with texture and grain. It will not work with a completely smooth surface.

Second, you need Old White and a good, soft rag.

Process:

Step 1: Apply your Old White with your oval Annie Sloan paint brush lightly in small sections

Step 2. Wait 1 minute (depending on your preference for coverage), take your rag and wipe off paint. Apply pressure based on the coverage that you prefer

Step 3. Dampen your rag and go over the places on your piece that you would like to take off more paint

Step 4. Clear wax

What is important to note is that this is a process and involves really playing as you go. Take moments to step back and see your progress and what is happening with your piece. I even went back after the table sat overnight with my wet cloth to take off paint in places (this was BEFORE I waxed). I would recommend not waxing the piece until you are certain you are happy with the result.

If there are scratches or marks in your pieces as there were in mine, that is OK! It adds to the weathered look and someone who gets it, will get it.

I think the best way to explain this technique is my showing you! Here is a new video on The Weather Wood look! (BTW, don’t judge me, I have no make up on and my hair is wet after a very long week with a husband & his man-cold)