I am sharing this post along with some friends for a Spring Time Celebrations Blog Hop. A very special shout out to Carol from Bluesky At Home who is hosting our hop today. Carol is so gracious in organizing these events so that we can all share our holiday love. If you are hopping over from Annemarie’s blog, Make Every Day An Event, welcome! I know you enjoyed all of the fabulous inspiration before you arrived here.

Let’s Get to the Succulents

One of the best things about succulents is that they propagate quickly.  Mine have even doubled in number over one season.  In most cases, you just break of a piece and tuck it into some dirt.  Shortly you will see new growth.  Grab those new babies and expand your collection of succulent planters!

Our succulent shoes were hands down the most commented upon displays at our store!  Who doesn’t love shoes and who doesn’t love succulents??!!!

Creative Planters for Succulents

I love to plant in all sorts of odd containers…the rustier, the better!  Here is a collection of my favorite succulent planters from years past at The Blue Building!

Years later, I’m still using that same vintage bicycle to hold my succulents. But she does look a little different now!

Succulents are the perfect plant for beginning gardeners because, well quite frankly, they are difficult to kill.  Water them sparingly and they will thrive.  Here in Alabama, they multiply quickly as well.

Tips for Planting Succulents

EASY STEPS TO PLANTING SUCCULENTS:

• Select a vessel or container (or pot or shoe or can or vase).
• Make a hole for proper drainage (it’s critical that the water does not pool)
• Put some soil in your container.
• Fill the container with succulents.
• Water and allow to dry between watering.
• Enjoy your succulents!

Here is a link to a post where I give you step by step instructions in detail.

You can buy succulents online if your local garden center does not have them in stock.  I am including affiliate links below.  However, most garden centers, including Lowe’s and Walmart will stock up on these in spring.

Check your Walmart now! I found these last weekend and they do not replenish once this spring supply is gone…

Grab some succulents and get going!  Spring is just around the corner!

As promised, here are all of the spring projects from my talented friends. Be sure to comment on which is your favorite! I’m having trouble selecting just one!

The post Spring succulent planters appeared first on Shop at Blu.

First Things First

Although I do have a bunch of wood at my store, The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment, I was curious as to the price of plywood.  I plan on making more signs soon.  So I bought a sheet of basic plywood at The Home Depot for $19.  The standard size is 8 feet x 4 feet.  This will make 8 signs at 12 inches x 48 inches.  I used my Kreg Rip Cut Jig to cut these 8 equally sized boards.  I can’t say enough about this jig!  It makes cutting straight lines so incredibly easy!

Painting

I used my Homeright paint sprayer to easily and QUICKLY paint my 8 boards.  I painted all 8 because I know I will be making more signs.  When painting raw wood, always use a primer first.  Finish up with one coat of your color of choice.  I selected white for my sign.

If you are looking to save time when painting, I highly recommend the Homeright Finish Max paint sprayer.  It is easy to use, maintain, and will save you soooo much time!  

Making Stencils

Next I grabbed by Silhouette Cameo and made the stencils for my sign.  I used basic Time New Roman font.  If you don’t have a Silhouette, you can trace letters or freehand!

The next step was stenciling!  I centered the stencils and used black paint to make my letters.

 I used paint from Plaid Enterprises.  They make all kinds of wonderful craft supplies including stencils and Folk Art paint.  I love Plaid!  They provided all of the paint for a Make It Take It session that I taught earlier this year at The Philly Home Show .  You can read about the fabulous farmhouse decor clocks that we made HERE.

Where to get these tools!

Here are my affiliate links for the Homeright Finish Max,the Kreg rip cut  jig, the Silhouette Cameo and Plaid’s Folk Art Acrylic Paint:

 

Voila!  My Farmhouse Porch Welcome Sign!

And here is my sign!

It really was that easy my friends!  

This post is part of a sign making challenge with Gina Luker from The Shabby Creek Cottage.  Gina is a wonderful mentor to thousands of bloggers and she sponsors these challenges several time a year.  She is constantly providing guidance and inspiration to so many new and seasoned bloggers.  And besides being an incredible mentor, she is just a sweet fun person…with cool aqua hair!  You must browse through her blog!

Check out all of the incredible signs in this challenge.  And remember, alot of these projects will be as simple as mine!

The post How to Make a Farmhouse Porch Welcome Sign appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Here is today’s transformation with paint project.  It’s a quick project that packs a punch.

This antique mirror has some incredible detail.  You can always spot a true antique mirror by the sheer weight of the mirrored glass.  They simply don’t make them like they used to! Normally, I would never paint a true antique but you can see the damage along the edges where the decorative trim has chipped away.  Paint will help hide this.   Antique mirrors are super heavy.  The detail on the frame is usually very ornate and made of plaster, sometimes wood.  Today’s mirror frames are usually made of plastic or resin. 

A little bit of paint really makes a dated piece pop.  Talk about transformation with paint!   I usually use 2 -3 different colors of paint.  This helps add dimension to the final project.  With this mirror, the original gold paint is my third color.  I used teal as the main base color and dry brushed with some white.

If you follow my blog you will recognize this teal color.  I must admit it is my favorite.  Here is another decor project in which I used this same technique to transform some old frames. 

Here are a few more of my projects in which a little bit of paint went a long way!

Extra Seating

Headboard

Set of Nightstands

Bench and Side Table

Console

Antique Sideboard

Chests

I’ve joined a group of my talents friends in this month’s Inspired Makers Paint Changes Everything Challenge.  

Join us the last day of each month for a different Inspired Makers Challenge
Follow with #InspiredMakers and #InspiredMakersChallenge to see more amazing projects each month!
August Challenge: Paint Changes Everything, with your hosts:

Lisa @ The Purple Hydrangea | Sarah @ 1915 House | Kim @ Farmhouse Made
Ann @ Duct Tape and Denim | Kimm @ Reinvented | Janice @ Sawdust Sisters
Denise @ My Thrifty House | Suzanne @ Shop at Blu | Susie @ The Chelsea Project | Susanne @ Pearl Street Designs | Toni @ Small Home Soul | Anika @ Anika’s DIY Life

Check out the phenomenal projects below…these gals are so very talented!

The post Blu Upcycle Project #4 Transformation with Paint appeared first on Shop at Blu.

In Alabama the sun is brutally hot and terrifyingly strong at times.  We don’t even walk on the deck in the daytime during July and August because the sun is so stifling hot that you will burn the bottom of your feet.  But for the rest of the year, the deck can be a breezy and beautiful place to wake up to or to unwind.  Especially in the evenings, there is usually a slight breeze as the day cools down.  With the birds chirping and the crepe myrtles in full bloom, our deck is a peaceful place to relax!  My back deck was in dire need of a makeover on a budget!

It has been a while since I have really spruced up the deck.  Every year I buy beautiful annuals that seem to thrive through the most of the summer.  I arrange them in planters around the deck so that the beautiful colors are visible from my kitchen windows.  In the spring, I refill the planters and scatter them around the deck for some color.   Lately that has been the extent of my deck decorating.  

My Tired Neglected Deck

We used to dine on the deck once a month or so.  We had a large dining table out there but we haven’t used it in about 4 years.

My poor deck has been so neglected.   There were so many old items just sitting around.  Like galvanized tubs for projects that never get completed.  And wonderful shabby lanterns longing to hold candles.  It was time for this deck to shine again.

First Things First

Note:  This post contains affiliate links.

I started by pressure washing the deck with my Ryobi pressure washer.  After the deck dried, I applied some Thompson’s Water Seal in a beautiful cedar color.  The wonderful folks at Thompson’s Water Seal sent me quite a bit of product a few years back after attending The Haven Conference.  I brushed the product onto the deck liberally.  We have been in our house for 15 years.  The last time that we sealed our deck was probably during year 2 or 3 so it was long overdue for some TLC.  One of my favorite companies, HomeRight, has the perfect tool for painting or sealing a deck.  They have a Stain Stick Applicator with a Gap Wheel.  The gap wheel slides between the slats in the floor of the deck to ensure full coverage.  You don’t have to pounce and drip into the openings between boards with this great tool!  My decision to stain the deck was a spur of the moment project so I just grabbed the bucket of deck stain and a brush.  Next time I will use Homeright’s Stain Stick.

We had a few miss matched pieces of metal deck furniture including a bistro set, a few extra chairs, a metal chaise lounge and a side chair.   I removed the large dining table and scattered the chairs and lounge around the deck creating several seating areas.

Adding a Focal Point to my Back Deck Makeover on a Budget

Our deck was built along the back wall of our house.  My youngest son’s bedroom window looks out on the deck.  He has his computer right by the window so he always has the curtains closed.  He loves the dark.  So, since this window isn’t really functional, and since it breaks up the only large wall on the deck, I decided to cover it.  I used some antique sheet metal that was given to me by my sweet blogger friend Gina Luker at The Shabby Creek Cottage.  You can read about the history of this metal HERE.  After allowing the floors to dry, I grabbed an old mantle that I had at my store The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment.  I had been holding this beauty for the right project.  With the sheet metal behind it, the mantle is certainly the focal point of my deck!  

Flowers as Decor

I use alot of potted flowers out in front of my store, The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment.  So I brought a few home!  At the end of the season, I gather the seeds from the zinnias and other perennials, and some annuals.  These are the first seeds I plant in the spring.  Great tip for having beautiful flowers at no cost!  

Zinnias make great cut flowers and beautiful bouquets as well!  These are from my garden.

Add Furniture

I had a sweet little bistro set sitting in the driveway so I cleaned it up and brought it up onto the deck.  I splurged an bought 2 seat cushions from Old Time Pottery…they were only $6.99 each.  Old Time Pottery had sturdy fabric remnants at wonderful prices.  I grabbed a few colorful yards of fabric for a steal and sewed some covers for existing cushions to give them a new look.  I was tired of seeing the same chevrons and ikats on pillows so I chose something different.  I was drawn to some purples, pinks and greens…the colors of my zinnias!

This lounge chair came from my parents’ house in Philadelphia.  I remember sitting on the front porch in this chaise with my books from Penn scattered around.  My favorite place to study was in this chaise on that porch in Philly!  We brought it to Alabama 15 years ago and threw an old cushion on it.  With the brighter fabric covering the cushions, this is now a favorite place for daughter (IV) to soak up some sun.  Along with the chartreuse green fabric that now covers our black metal chair’s cushion, this makes a nice seating area to enjoy up the sun or dry off after a jump in the pool.

Add Some New Decor Items from Clearance

I found some silver lanterns at Home Depot on clearance for $12.  I added a few older lanterns that I had picked up at yard sales or bought from dealers in my store.

These cute little shoes filled with succulents were a hit at my store.  Every year I revamp them and add more.  I buy the shoes at the thrift store for $1.99 per pair.  Read about that process HERE.

I updated these tired and worn cushions with paint!  RustoleumRustoleum now makes a spray paint for outdoor fabric!  

I figure I can switch out the fabric from year to year and get a totally different look on the deck.  For now though, I’m sticking with the colorful zinnias and their complimentary colors.  I think it works!  

I had already edited and posted the following pic when I noticed my little buddy beneath the flowers.  Say hello to Mia!  She’s a mes

Summer Outdoor Living Blog Hop

This post is part of a wonderful little blog hop, Summer Outdoor Living.  My blogger friends and I are sharing a great variety of tips and makeovers and upcycles for you to enjoy! Perhaps you will find some great ideas, fantastic tips, incredible color schemes, or just simply some eye candy to enjoy with your morning coffee.  Welcome and enjoy the hop…I know you will be thrilled with the talent in this group!  Happy Summer Outdoor Living!

Anika | Anika’s DIY Life

Barbara | French Ethereal

Jeannee | Shepherds and Chardonnay

Kellie | Gratefully Vintage

Kim | Exquisitely Unremarkable

Leanna | Faeries and Fauna

Lisa | The Purple Hydrangea

Nancy | Cobani Bleu

Patricia | Old Things New

Sam | Raggedy Bits

Sherry | Savvy Apron

Susanne | Pearl Street Designs

Suzanne | Shop at Blu

Toni | Small Home Soul

Jordan | Jordan’s Easy Entertaining

Debbie | Chatham Hill on the Lake

Kristy | Steeplchase Manor

The post Back Deck Makeover on a Budget appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I selected Ruby (2 panels) and a Pipa kit (4 pieces).  They are much more substantial than I had expected.  They actually resemble a trellis or actual piece of wall art!  Oh the possibilities!

My original thought was to reinvigorate a small waterfall chest.  I envisioned the designs on the drawers.  But when the product arrived, my vision switched to wonderful mirrors behind the designs.  Or how about dressing up a plain jane dresser?

I  decided to go with a super simple piece of furniture.  I searched through my store, The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment, for the plainest and most boring item in the store.  Here is what I found:

This super boring legal filing cabinet would be great for added storage in any room.  All she needs is a little bling, some TLC…and some overlays!

I decided to go bold and use a bright coral to really make this baby special.  Since the filing cabinet is made of metal I selected Rustoleum as my paint of choice.  Two quick coats of spray paint and I was ready for the overlays.  I opted to leave the overlays white to ensure a nice contrast with the bright coral.

 I was anxious to use my overlays but was not sure about a pattern.  So I played around with a few.  Practice makes perfect, right??!

Which is your favorite?  Mine is below.  

What is wonderful about O’verlays is that they cut easily with a sharp blade.  I used a standard razor knife and a straight ruler as a guide.  After scoring the piece I needed to trim, it snapped cleanly apart.  I used a piece of fine sandpaper to sand the edges.  I was able to piece the overlay into a custom fit for my file cabinet.

Next step is to install the overlays.  Per manufacturer’s instructions, the best adhesive to use is either Liquid Nails or Loctite.  I chose Loctite since I had some on hand.  I mixed the epoxy per instructions and used a toothpick to apply a small amount.  I carefully placed the overlays in place and waited 10 minutes for it to dry.

I decided that she needed to be framed in white to make the piece more appealing.  Here she is:

I had a lot of fun staging this beauty.  I’m really loving this color!

These overlays were so very easy to use…from cutting them to fit to applying them.  The most difficult part was selecting one design from their vast array of choices!  I can’t wait to use the other overlays that they sent to me!  Stay tuned for that project.

I received these products from O’verlays as a participant in The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest for April.  O’verlays sent me these fabulous products for free to use in this contest.  Contest winners will receive a prize package compliments of O’verlays.  

The Fab Furniture Flippin’ Contest is a monthly contest in which 20-30 bloggers each transforms a piece of furniture using products provided by that month’s sponsor.  The sponsor provides a prize package for the winner.  

This month’s theme is “Cut n Paste with O’verlays”!  Our host is Scottie from Saved by Scottie.  Hop on over to her blog to see the fabulous piece she created using O’verlays.

If you are a blogger and are interested in participating in this contest, contact info@fabfurnitureflippincontest.com.  I can’t tell you how much fun this monthly contest is…from trying new products and networking with sponsors to forging friendships with blogger buddies.  

The post Using Overlays to Transform Furniture appeared first on Shop at Blu.

You can read the details on how I tranformed it HERE.

I love its curves and it’s patina.   Below is a link to the paint that I used…my favorite!  Those bright colors and the patina on the sign coupled with those vibrantly colored baskets had me locked down into garden mode.  

And so I decided on an herb garden!

Fabricating a base for the Thrift Store Swap baskets

The baskets were a little flimsy and the sign is solid metal.  The combination would be rather heavy especially after adding soil and plants.  

So I grabbed some old wood and fabricated a solid base onto which the sign and baskets could be secured…a simple pallet wood base.

I centered and secured the sign to the pallet wall with screws.  Then I folded the baskets in half and backed one flat side against the pallet board.  I used my Ryobi Airstrike cordless stapler to secure the baskets to the wood.  

Assembling a hanging garden

I lined the baskets with coconut grass liners,  added soil, and a fresh selection of herbs.

Boy, did Home Depot have some beautifully fragrant and robust herbs!  I selected German Thyme, Curled Parsley, Garden Sage, Italian Oregano, Rosemary, and Tuscan Blue Rosemary.  My van smelled like a fragrant bouquet! 

The last step was to attach some picture wire to the back to hang the garden.  It was important to secure the wire adequately since the finished garden was quite heavy.

And here she is:

She is a beautiful addition to the front entryway at my store!

I would love to see some photos of the thrift store items YOU have transformed!  Share them on our facebook page!

Here are my affiliate links for some of the products used in this project.  Should you purchase them through these links, I will receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. 

 

Below are the links to the other blogger projects for this Thrift Store Swap #5.  We’d love you to check out all of the projects.  And thanks for stopping by!

The post How to Create a Hanging Herb Garden appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I love to use natural elements like pinecones to decorate around my home and my store, The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment.  The pinecone is a great accessory to any decor.  They bring a rustic and natural beauty and warm up the atmosphere.

And the best thing about a pinecone?  You can usually get them for free.  Once I decided to write this post, I started noticing pinecones everywhere!  Different shapes and so many sizes!  Literally everywhere!

Here are some examples of how I use the pinecone in my decor!

Fill a lantern or terrarium or cloche with some pinecones to add some character to these items.

Build a pinecone tree!  Here is the tutorial for one that I built.  Pinecone Tree Tutorial.

Arrange some pinecones on a mirror or around a cloche to create a wonderful centerpiece for your table or sideboard or entry way.

Add some pinecones to a dough bowl or serving bowl to add some texture to a room or a display.  Vary the sizes of your pinecones for dramatic effect.

Scatter some pinecones around larger decorative items.  Use different sizes to attain a different effect.  

I use pinecones to add dimension to a display or to a photo.  Pinecones are great to use as fillers for empty spaces or to provide an appealing balance. 

I use pinecones for every post summer holiday or decorating event including Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!

And again, one of my favorite uses of pinecones is as fillers to create charm and depth to a display.

How do you use pinecones to decorate?  

The post How to Use the Pinecone in Your Decor appeared first on Shop at Blu.

You can click on the picture or the text to proceed to Amazon for more info.  First up…

Homeright Finish Max Paint Sprayer.  

This is Homeright’s smallest and most affordable model.  I absolutely love this tool!  It is easy to prepare, easy to use, and easy to clean.  Read my post HERE about how wonderful this tool is!

                                                                          

Kreg Rip Cut Jig

This tool is used with a circular saw to cut straight pieces of wood.  Let me just say that it makes cutting long pieces of wood like sheets of paneling or plywood super easy!  This is especially great for folks without a steady hand.  It makes cuts so much easier!  An it is soooo much less expensive than a table saw!

Kreg Rip Cut Jig, Pocket Hole Jig and Shelf Hole Jig

The Rip Cut is also offered in a package deal along with a mini Pocket Hole Jig and a Shelf Pin Jig.  These are also wonderful tools for basic woodworking.  Use the Pocket hole jig to conjoin wood for signs, drawers, etc.

Ryobi Airstrike Cordless Nailer

Next up on my list of favorite DIY tools is the Ryobi Airstrike nailer.  This baby uses many different sizes of nail and is…CORDLESS!!!  You can purchase it with or without the battery charger but you will definitely need a charger.  Ryobi has package deals where you can buy several tools at a reduced price.  

Ryobi Airstrike Nailer

Ryobi Airstrike Cordless Stapler

Once you have cordless nailer, you will need a Ryobi Airstrike Stapler.  This is also sold with or without the battery and charger.

Ryobi Combo Pack:  Nailer and Stapler

Or you can buy these two beauties in a bundle!  I have extra batteries just in case!

                                                                       
 

Silhouette Cameo

Last Christmas, my middle son, III, gave me a Silhouette Cameo for Christmas.  Let me just say that I LOVE THIS MACHINE!  This baby really brings the creativity to my favorite DIY tools!  My goal is to get my weekly schedule so organized that I can set aside one day just to create with the Cameo!  So far I have made signs for my business, signs to sell, signs to decorate with, decals for my daughter’s, IV, rear Xterra window, mugs, and shirts.  But the sky is the limit!

                                                                               

Cling On Paint Brushes

My go to paint brush was given to me compliments of my fabulous friend and Haven roomie Wendy of Front Porch Mercantile.  Wendy is the US and Canadian distributor for Cling On brushes.  Once you try one, you will never stray!  They come in many sizes and shapes but this is my favorite!  They also make a super cool bent brush for hard to reach spots in places like china cabinets and bookshelves.

This is my first gift guide and I selected these items because I use at least one of these items EVERY SINGLE DAY my store.  Plain and simple fact…I love these items and you will too!  

So if you are looking for a gift for a DIY’er,  you will surely hit a home run with one of these fabulous tools!

Thanks for stopping by!  If you have a favorite gadget or tool, please share the love with a comment.  I am always looking for new tools that will save me time and labor!

This post is being shared in a link up of my Bloggertunities buddies.  While my list is rather simple, y’all will find some absolutely incredible gift guides in this link-up!  Let me tell you that these incredible bloggers work to hard to share their creativity and talents!  Why not do some shopping via these links this Christmas???  Share the love my friends…and keep some fabulous bloggers cranking out the good stuff!

The post This DIY’ers Favorite DIY Tools appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Wow!  What a crazy few weeks!  The Market on Chapel Hill 2016 was on Saturday, October 1.  It was a crazy exciting week before the market.  Pop and I had planned to fly to Philadelphia for a wedding.  Just 2 days before we left, my godmother passed away.  As fate would have it, her funeral was the day before the wedding and at the same church.  We are so very grateful that we could attend this beautiful celebration of a wonderful life.  And we are immeasurably grateful for my cousins for inviting us!  Had we not received the wedding invitation, we most likely would not have been able to attend the funeral.  I am always amazed at how The Big Guy takes care of our hearts!

This market was my first in 15 years so I was excited and nervous!  And it was a big one-by invite only!  How exciting is that!!!!  Right??!!  You can read about the history of this vintage market in this article I wrote for a local paper.  I had done shows when we lived in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia.  But those shows were on a small scale and more like local neighborhood festivals.  The Market on Chapel Hill is an upscale vintage market.  Don’t get me wrong, we have lots of beautiful antiques and vintage items at The Blue Building.  But, to be participating in a vintage market with the likes of Olde Tyme Marketplace, Savy City Farmer, Thistlewood Farms, Farmhouse Frocks, Coastal Charm, The Little Golden Fox, Susie Harris, just to name a few…well, that is rather intimidating so my heart was aflutter!

Getting Ready

One of The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment dealers, Kelly, agreed to do the market with me.  So for the 2 months prior to the market, we were tucking away treasures for this show.  I did a little preview post on items we put aside for the market.  You can read about them HERE.  My store is 8,000 square feet of what we call “Elegant Clutter”.  But if you stop by, on any given day, you will find tons of items waiting to be processed for sale and logged for consignment.  Every nook and cranny is filled with items.  There just isn’t alot of space for storage.  So about a week before the market, I started staging items for the show in one area of the store.  Well, darn if those items didn’t start selling!  Yes, it’s a good thing, but we had to continue picking for the show right up until the day before!

Vendors set up on the Friday before the market.  On Thursday, I picked up a rental truck.  Originally I reserved a 16 foot truck with a small lift gate.  My experience in moving large furniture, but mostly MY AGE, told me a lift gate is critical!  I upgraded to a 26 foot truck after my friends KariAnne of Thistlewood Farms and Lucy from Lucy Inspired asked me to bring them some tables and display pieces for the space they would be sharing at the market.  

Kelly and I started loading our large pieces of furniture.  We started at 10 AM and continued until about 6:30 PM.  One piece and one box at a time were loaded.  We alternated waiting on customers and we chatted about our set up plan for the next day.  By 6:30 PM we were exhausted.  So we went home to rest!  Our plan was to meet at 7:30 AM the next morning.  We would finish loading and depart for Montgomery AL by 8:30 AM.

On Our Way!

Well, we pulled out at 10:15 AM and arrived at The Waters at 11:15 AM.  It took a little maneuvering and some waiting our turn to unload but by 1:30 PM, Kelly and I were filling our sweet space at The Market on Chapel Hill!

Help Arrives!

Around 2:00, my friend Nancy, who blogs at Cobani Bleu, arrived from Nashville to help.  Nancy shops The Market on Chapel Hill every year so she was excited to help us in our debut!  By 3:30, fellow Blu dealer Tammy had arrived, our final team member!

We hustled and arranged and coordinated and primped and by 6:30 PM, the space was ready!  We headed out to dinner to relax and chat about the plan for market day!

We were up early and back at our space by 7:30 AM to finalize pricing.  We each grabbed some coffee and enjoyed a few minutes of shopping just before the market opened at 9 AM.

Here are some pictures of our space:

Shopping Highlights

And here are some photos of the some of the other vendors including Old Tyme Marketplace, Coastal Charm, Savy City Farmer and Little Golden Fox.  

Special Guests and Special Customers

What an exciting adventure this was!  Thanks to everyone who came down to see us including Gina Luker from The Shabby Creek Cottage and our loyal customers Katie and Sabrina who stop by every year!  

A great big thank you to the community at The Waters for hosting another top notch show!  To all of the new and old friends of The Blue Building who made the market such an incredible experience for us…we can’t wait ’til next year! 

In the meantime, come visit us in Alabaster!  We are open everyday but Monday!  Stop in any time!

My ANGELS in Blu!

DEDICATION

This post is dedicated to the memory of my wonderful aunt and godmother, Kathleen M. McCloskey.  I love you Aunt Kath!  Behave yourself up there with Mom and the crew!  Until we meet again…Go Lassie Go!

The post The Market on Chapel Hill 2016-Our first vintage Market appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Not a bad looking set brand new.  Here is what mine looked like:

There was some bubbling on the whiteboard and it was in need of a paint uplift.  I pictured this for a little girl’s room. 

Several months ago, Michelle from Serendipity House sent me some L’Essentiel Botanics natural paint to use for a project.  L’Essentiel Botanics, an Austrailia based company,  specializes in all natural vegan paint products (does contain beeswax).   L’Essentiel Botanics furniture paint is all natural containing chalks, clays, minerals, and pigments. Products are sold in biodegradable containers and their wax contains no solvents (i.e. no drying agents).  The all natural clear wax can be used on hands, feet, face, and is often used by farmers.

I love this paint!    You can read all about my first and biggest project upcycling a MCM console here.  Along with the gorgeous white and silky black for that project, Michelle sent me several other samples including Coral, Dove and Vintage Mint.  I revived an old lamp with the green Vintage Mint.  You can read that post HERE.  I was looking for a project for the Coral when I spotted this child’s table and chairs.  So I grabbed the paint and went to town. 

The paint covered nicely and needed 2 coats.  

I decided to update the whiteboard with a chalkboard look.  Since the whiteboard had some bubbling damage, I sanded it really well and sealed the exposed sanded spots.  I sprayed the white board three times with chalkboard paint.  I used Rustoleum spray chalkboard paint.  You can buy it or Krylon at either Lowe’s, Home Depot or Walmart.  Each store carries a brand of spray chalkboard paint.  I’ve used several brands and they are all wonderful.

Always be sure to prime your completed chalkboard surface for use.  To do this, you simply rub chalk all over the surface and wipe away the excess.  This prepares the chalkboard for use and prevents staining of the surface.

Next I stenciled a cute little design onto the chairs to give the set some style.  I love this stencil pattern.  Here is a quick video on how to apply paint to the stencil.  Load your brush, remove some paint, pounce, pounce, pounce!

I touched up the edges and here she is:

This was a simple and quick project that took a newer but unsightly table and chairs and transformed it into a contemporary gem!

Michelle is offering a discount on L’Essentiel Botanics to my readers! Serendipity House is the ONLY distributor for this Australian company here in the US.  Use the code “L’Essentiel20” for a 20% discount on all L’Essentiel Botanics furniture paint and accessories.  Here is the link:  Serendipity House.

Makes me long for grand babies…and my niece keeps popping out baby boys!  Come on Tara!  You need to start wearing dresses everyday and getting those girly genes flowing!  LOL!  I am just joking, of course!  I love my great nephews, all one and 1/2 of them as Baby D is due in January.

So, perhaps there will be many more children’s furniture makeovers in my future…I can only hope!  In the meantime, I have enjoyed playing with this Coral set!  

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