New Pinterest Boards: One for Each Shabby Paints Color!!

Whew!!  I've been hard at work!  But what FUN work it's been!  Imagine doing PINTEREST all day as part of your job!!! That's what I've been getting to do!  And I've loved every minute of it!

So what have I been up to?  Well, let me ask you this.  Have you ever had a piece of furniture to paint and you just stare and stare at it but you have NO inspiration?  Have you ever thought that Pitbull Pink and Lillian Gray would be a GORGEOUS combo but you'd like to see it first?  Do you just like looking at what other people are doing?  Or love a particular color and want to see what other colors or finishes would look great with it?

Introducing...a Pinterest board for each and every Shabby Paints Chalk Acrylic Paint color!  I am SO excited about this!!!  Want to see lots of examples of Betsy Ross Red without having to sift through lots of other stuff?  Check it out!



Or Dynasty Blue!


Currently I only have one for each Chalk Acrylic Paint color but I hope to add one for each shimmer as well as each finish - the Vax, ReVax etc.

Now, I know that some people have trouble with Pinterest. Some people don't "get" it or don't understand how to create boards or pin pictures. I have made a video tutorial to help you with that!!



I hope it helps you!

I need help building up these boards!!  Some colors have tons of pictures while others only have a few because I couldn't find any!!  If you have pictures of pieces you've done that you'd like me to put on my Pinterest board, please post them to my Facebook page along with a description of the Shabby Paints colors and finishes you used along with a link to your website or Facebook business page if you'd like it to be linked back to you.  Or, if you're on Pinterest, you can "send" pictures that you have pinned to other Pinterest users.  Maybe that will be my next tutorial video!

I hope you enjoy! Please let me know how you like it!

New How To Videos!

Do you LOVE watching how to videos?  I do!!  Some of our stylists are doing some wonderful how to videos and every time I watch them I find out a new technique to try or have an aha moment of something I've been doing wrong or could do in an easier way.  There are several new ones that have just come out from a couple of my favorite people and I want to share them with you!!

When I was trying to decide whether or not I wanted to become a Shabby Paints stylist, I asked if I could talk to some current ones.  I was given the name and number for Kristi who owns a shop called Pieces of Time (now there are 2 of them!) out in California.  I gave her a call and enjoyed a delightful conversation with a very passionate, and I later learned, EXTREMELY talented lady! 

She has now come out with some wonderful how to instructional videos that I want to share with you!  The first set shows you how to paint with the prep the piece, use the chalk acrylic paint, distress, and then finish with Vax and ReVax.

The second set of videos also includes Scotty, our Shabby Paints Director of Operations, who is awesome too!  Her knowledge of paint, furniture, finishes, and just business in general astounds me!!

Head over to my website to watch them!!  


I hope you enjoy watching them as much as I have! I've watched them several times now!!

Shopping For Christmas? Let Wheelbarrow Cottage Help!

Check out the Wheelbarrow Cottage booth at the Antique Gallery of Mesquite to help you out with your Christmas list?

Got a creative crafter or furniture painter?  Then, of course, get them some Shabby Paints products!  Or a Cling On! Paintbrush!  Or a wonderful stencil!  I just put some new stencils out for sale such as the following:

 

 I am carrying the one on the right that says HoHoHo

There is also a lot of furniture, frames, and knick knacks!

Ask for booth #0622.  The Antique Gallery is open from 10-6 Monday-Saturday and 12-6 on Sunday!  It's at 3330 N. Galloway, Mesquite, TX 75150.

RePurposed Headboard Bench - How To!!

I almost forgot HOW to blog!  Just kidding.  This time of year is CRAY CRAY around here...even more than normal because in the middle of all of the regular holiday events, activities and busyness...every person in our family except for me has a birthday!  Two in November and two in December - 3 of them kid birthdays.  So there are parties and presents and spending TONS of money that we don't have!  Fun times.

For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to volunteer to be on the committee that was running our elementary school auction on top of all of that!  Was I smoking crack that day?  It was a LOT of fun but it was also a LOT of work and it meant that I threw a 9 year old girl birthday party and helped put on an auction for 155 people on the same weekend.  If I wasn't smoking crack before, I might be starting now.

I also decided I should donate a big piece of painted furniture to the auction...you know to get exposure for my business ...I mean, help the kids.

I've had a desk in my both for EVAH and a day and figured I'd donate it.  But then, of course, it sold.  Haha!

So I kept thinking SOMETHING would turn up...but it never did.  About two weeks ago it hit me!  I had a twin sized headboard and foot-board that had been sitting in the garage for a while that I had always wanted to turn into a bench.  I know - it's been done a lot - but I never had so I wanted to try it.  I thought it would be the perfect thing because it wasn't too big and would be an item that would probably appeal to a lot of people.

My hubby was on board to try it.  Remember this guy who helped me make the coffee table (and who likes to play with superman apparently)?

He is so handy to have around - think I'll keep him!

We started with this - I think I had painted it two or three different colors by this point because I've started and stopped this project several times and always had a different vision for it.

My husband had always wanted to buy a tool called a Kreg Jointer - this was a perfect excuse to run out and get it! It allows you to make a strong solid 90 degree joint so that the screw is hidden.

Here is what the holes look like with this tool...

So professional looking, yes?  Next he added a board below the main headboard for the actual seat part of the bench.

Next he added wood to the sides for the depth of the seat and to attach the foot-board which is the front of the bench.  He added wood glue to the joints so the clamps are holding it together while it dries.

The standard height for a bench is about 18-20 inches and the foot-board was only about 15 inches so he added a piece of wood to the top of the foot-board to create the right seat height.

Last he added three pieces of wood to make the actual seat! And VOILA!!  You have a bench!

Now the fun part...painting it!  I used Betsy Ross Red Chalk Acrylic Paint, then Savannah Shimmer Paint and finished it off with Black ReVax for protection and an aged look.

Thank God for a husband who can do woodworking and a mom who can make cushions and pillows or I couldn't have pulled this beautiful project off!!

A Tale of Two Vax Image Transfer Projects

I recently teased on my Facebook page that I was working on two Shabby Paints Vax image transfer projects.

I had followed this video that Shabby Paints owner Shannon had posted showing how to transfer an image using Vax as the transfer medium.  ANOTHER amazing thing about Vax!  Find more here
and here and here.

Seems easy enough!  The hardest part is waiting the 24 hours after applying to rub off the paper! Or so I thought...

I'm not really sure where I went wrong...on BOTH projects!  I think maybe I either didn't apply enough Vax or I didn't rub the paper down well enough when I placed it down.  I have done this transfer before successfully.  SORT OF.

See???  Perfect transfer...just slightly off center.  <SIGH>

So I painted over it and tried again...

Centered this time...just didn't quite get the transfer done perfectly.  A bunch of it rubbed off.

Here was my other project that I was attempting at the same time.

Excuse the scratches - I had started sanding before remembering that I needed to take pictures of my failed attempt.  Admittedly, this one was a whole lot better than the other one.  This will help...

Again, I think that maybe when I laid the paper with the Vax down on the furniture, I just didn't rub it on enough?  That's the only thing I can think of since most of the image transferred and it was just bits and pieces that rubbed off easily.

So, how did I fix these problems?

Well...with the jewelry box, I essentially gave up on the idea of the transfer!  I will blog about this jewelry box at some point  - if I EVER FINISH IT.  I've been working on this stinking thing for EVER.  I think it's cursed - for reals.  I can't get it done.  But, for the sake of this post, all you need to know is that it will remain image-less. 

The orange table is a different story.  I felt like the image was still overall in tact and that the furniture was just trying to tell me that it wanted a more distressed look to it!  So I went with it!  I got out the sanding paper and distressed it all around the edges.  Then I got the Hazelnut ReVax and went to town!!  None of this Vaxing first stuff.  Just straight up Hazelnut ReVax!  All over...and lots of it. 

This table turned out NOTHING like I originally thought it would.  I don't have a before  - just imagine your average mid century mod split level table brown.  I painted it with Volunteer Orange - gorgeous color but it just felt boring to me to leave it alone.

So I added Brown Bronze Shimmer Glaze to the edges and detailed areas.

It still didn't look right to me.  So I decided on the image transfer...which you know about.  And that brings us to the finished product!

I'm pretty happy with it!  I used to get really upset and down on myself when a project like these didn't go right.  But I finally figured out that sometimes the look I want and the look the furniture wants...not always the same!  In furniture painting, you sometimes have to abandon yourself to the piece and go with the flow!!

Both of my images were found at the Graphics Fairy blog.  She has THE BEST stuff!!

That's my tale of two Vax image transfer projects. I'd love to hear about a time you had to go with the flow!! 

Hoping For Boring

What a crazy few days it's been around here!! The kind of crazy that leaves you hoping for some boring in your life!

First we have the very first Ebola patient housed at the hospital 4 miles from my house! It's our go to ER location!  YIKES!  That freaked me out!   I KNOW we aren't in danger at this point...it's just SO CLOSE! Then we get a call that a few kids may have been exposed at a school right down the street!!  Where my neighbor works and her son goes!  It just seemed like I couldn't tear myself away from the news last week because you just never knew what might happen next!

Then we had a crazy storm that lasted about 5 minutes but 80mph straight line winds took out the electricity all over the city!  We were without power for about 18 hours. The kids couldn't even go to school on Friday because the school had no power. Yikes!!

Oh yea, in between all of that, I had one kid sick withe a fever and congestion and one with a stomach virus!

Needless to say, I haven't gotten a lot of work done lately.  I've just been trying to keep up!

I did want to share the newly redone Shabby Paints website!  I looks awesome!  I love the big paint splash when you first open it up.  There is SO much great information on that page!  Check it out!

Hoping for a bit calmer week this week.  Actually...I really just want BORING!  Hoping for boring in your life too!

FAQ Friday: What is Vax / ReVax?

I think one of the most frequently asked questions I run into pertain to Vax and ReVax.  These products are unique to the Shabby Paints line.  In fact, the first time I ever heard of Shabby Paints was when a stylist was describing Vax and I knew immediately that I HAD to try it!  I started looking into Shabby Paints and the rest, as they say, is history.

From the Shabby Paints website:

Shabby Paints Zero VOC VAX Top Coat is not a wax. It’s a combination of high quality Varnish and Acrylic resin that applies easily with a damp brush or damp applicator sponge for a durable matte finish. VAX dries to a wax like matte finish with all the depth and beauty you are looking for minus the buffing, toxic fumes, need to reapply and damage to our environment.  It protects your piece against heat, scratches, ultraviolet rays and harmful pollutants.

Vax is a sheer - or clear - finish while ReVax comes in different colors...hazelnut, black, pearl, white and glitter.  Often people think it is less able to protect the furniture and that they need a topcoat of Vax but this is not the case.  ReVax is just as good a finish as Vax. 

Vanity with Sheer Vax

Both can be applied with a regular paintbrush OR a Vax / ReVax applicator sponge.  The applicator sponges are sold by your local stylist. 

There is a learning curve to using both.  I suggest practicing on a sample board first.  Although, I'll admit I never did that - too impatient!  Haha! 

Here are some tips:

*Whether you use the Vax applicator or a brush, make sure it is damp.  Not soaking wet - dip it water and then squeeze out or dry on a towel.  As you apply and you feel it start to drag a bit, re-wet.

*Work quickly if you're working on a large surface. 

*If your first coat of Vax is streaky, don't panic!  Let it dry completely to the touch and then reapply and it should fill in the spots where it looks like it didn't reach.

Side tables with Hazelnut ReVax

*ReVax - especially black - can be trickier.  There are two different things you can do for this.  One is to apply a coat of Vax (or our Varnish which is a shinier finish), and then apply your ReVax.  This way, if it goes on too dark, you can use a Magic Eraser to take some off without messing up the paint.  The second way is to mix Vax and ReVax together - about 3 parts Vax to one part ReVax - to cut down on how dark it is and give you a little more control.

*Use very thin coats

*Only do 2 coats in a 24 hour period

Last...watch some videos about application first before trying it yourself.  My website has a ton of great videos made by several different talented stylists that you can watch!

Hope this helps clear up a little of the mystery of Vax / ReVax!  It is a wonderful product to use!

New Painting Accessory For Sale...Scrubby Soap!!

We're talking cleanliness today.  It is next to Godliness right?  So the saying goes!

Anyone who has used Vax and or ReVax knows how hard it can be to get off of your hands...and mostly your fingernails!  I have washed hands, showered, scrubbed...and still had it on my nails days later!!  I PROMISE I DO SHOWER!  Haha!

How about getting those brushes clean?  I admit, since I've used Cling On! brushes this is not nearly the challenge it used to be in the past.  They are just so easy to clean!  But...I am very ADHD and forget to drop my brush in water and leave it out too long and even my Cling On! can get dried paint on it from time to time.

And then there's my husband! No, he's not dirty - usually. But his hobby can create some dirty, greasy hands from time to time. He builds and flies Control Line airplanes (think Radio Control airplanes but...very different at the same time).  His hands get greasy and dirty and caked with all kinds of glues and products when he's building a new plane or after being out at the field flying his plane.

Scrubby Soap to the rescue!  Have you heard of this soap?  It's all the rage right now in the painting world but it has so many more uses!!  It's an all natural, soap infused scrubber that works magic on dirty hands and paintbrushes.  It works on paint, grease, oil...and it smells AMAZING!!

They are made of natural biodegradable oils.   Here is the list of what it cleans from their website:

WHO IS A SCRUBBY FOR?

You! Everyone! If you're not getting dirty,greasy, oily, or painting... you're just not living!

Mechanics - removes dirt, grease, & oil
Artists & Painters - removes paint from your body,

cleans and conditions paint brushes
Gardeners - removes dirt & sap
Kitchens - removes tough grease from pots & pans
Fishing - removes fish oil & odor from hands

 Sounds great huh?  I used the scrubber the other day to get my hands and paintbrushes clean after working on a project and I couldn't believe it!  Now, admittedly, we haven't put it to the husband dirty, greasy hands test yet.  I couldn't wait any longer to tell you I'd be carrying these soaps and he hasn't done any dirty work since then.  But I'll be sure to share with you when he does!

As soon as I get over this stomach bug / sinus crud I'll get them delivered to my locations!  You can also order them directly from Scrubby Soaps at www.scrubbysoap.com. 
In the meantime, watch this video that this adorable lady Angela from did!  I couldn't do it any better!!

Coffee Table Make Over

I envy people who can buy a piece of furniture, instantly have a vision for it, come home and immediately get to work on it!  I usually buy a piece of furniture, know it has potential, bring it home and think and think and think and think about it...and then days, weeks or maybe months later...get to work on it!

Which are you?  If you're #1 - yay for you.  Haha.

This is what happened with this coffee table I found at a thrift store for a STEAL because it was missing one panel of glass.

I immediately knew I wanted it to be a turquoise color - not sure why.  That was just it's color.  But I had NO idea what to do with the top.  NO CLUE.  I had a million ideas but never could settle on anything.  Until I found this post from Honey Bear Lane about replacing a glass table top with wood planks.  This table is so cute!

Unfortunately, I'm not the wood worker or handy-woman.  So I had to bring in reinforcements!

Can you tell how excited he is?  He'd rather be playing with my son's super man that he's holding.  Haha - just kidding.  He was actually very sweet because a project that I thought would be SUPER easy ended up taking up a lot of his day.  Not that it was hard, it just took him a while to figure out each step and how to do it. If he were to do another one, it would be quick and easy.

So, he cut the wood panels and nailed them together.  I got some Shabby Paints Hazelnut ReVax and went about staining the wood.  Then I went over it again with some Shabby Paints Black ReVax.

It turned out so pretty!  Next I mixed up some Shabby Paints to make a teal color that another stylist created.  Her recipe is this: Peacock, Marine and Antique Verde. 3 parts,2 parts, 1 part

I didn't have Peacock but I had Jewel so I substituted that and then some So Serene...and I honestly have NO idea what the final recipe I ended up with was exactly.  But I LOVE IT!!

Here's the final product.

I think it turned out gorgeous!  About to put it on some sites for sale and see how it does!

Booth Make Over

My booth at the Antique Gallery of Mesquite got a make over this past weekend!!  I can take NO credit for it though.  My amazing mom had the vision and she and my amazing dad executed that vision! 

This came about, in part, due to an exciting announcement that I have to make!  I currently carry about half of the chalk-acrylic paint colors that Shabby Paints offers, two of the ReVaxs, and a few shimmers.  In about a week or so, Wheelbarrow Cottage will be growing to add ALL of the chalk-acrylic paints, ALL of the shimmers, and ALL of the ReVax colors with the exception of glitter.  I will also be carrying the texture (used in stenciling and other projects) which I can't wait to play with and share with all of you.  Isn't this exciting news??  

So...I needed more room for all of this product!!  How about a tour of the new digs?

First order of business was to replace the carpets.  Remember this fiasco?  I went out there one day to put some paint out and dropped one!! It spilled everywhere!

Worse than that though, all 3 of my little spaces had different colored carpet!  So, all of the carpet was replaced.

Doesn't it look great?

Next order of business was to paint!  My mom and dad painted the entire booth with Lillian Gray! 

So pretty!  Lillian Gray is one of my favorite colors!  I'm painting my kitchen cabinets in it!!!  Maybe one day I'll finish that project so I can show you!  It's taking me FOREVER!!

Last order of business was to put up shelves for all of the new paint!

 They look a little bare right now but will soon be stocked full!!  I can't wait to see all of those gorgeous colors!

And the sponges are there now along with the Cling On! paint brushes!

We'll have introducing some other new painting related products soon as well!  I can't wait!


I cannot thank my mom and dad enough for all of their hard work!!  I was home taking care of a little one who had tonsils out.  No fun!  I would have much rather have been painting my lovely new space! 

Hope you like it as much as I do!