Chalk Paint has Changed My Life

So I took a two nite course at the local antique mall on chalk painting techniques.  I had read about chalk paint for a couple years now, and had even made my own w/ a DIY recipe I found on the 'net.  But when I saw the opportunity to really learn the detail of it, I jumped.

I will never look back!

So the first nite we just painted the object we brought in.  Most brought in an actual piece of furniture (the largest being a DESK).  I brought in two boards.  One is a cabinet door I got at Restore, and another was some ugly wall hanging that was a nice size to make into a "welcome" sign or something.  I was just mostly taking SOMETHING to practice on.

So Nite #1 was uneventful.  I have painted boards b/4 ... no biggie.  Paint goes on lovely, and while many on the 'net say you don't need two coats ... they are liars. LOL LOL  The 2nd coat gets rid of the brush streaks from the first coat (now i did have darker wood underneath, so maybe if you're doing a light wood it's only one coat).

I got done in like 20 minutes and just looked at everyone for the rest of the class.  <sigh>

But LAST NITE ... that was the finishing nite and I was giddy!  It was the whole reason I took the class ... I can paint a board all day long and twice on Sundays, but I wanted to learn about waxes and glazes, etc.   Pete showed me how to use a dark wax in the crevices just to 'grunge' it up a bit, wipe w/ a rag and then apply the glaze (tinted brown) over the top for a GREAT aged finish.  

(I had a pic off my phone and i have no idea how to load it ... <sigh>)

So good thing I "got paid" from LW yesterday for my flea market sales.  I have a grocery list of products I want to get at Lowes!  800grit Sandpaper, Rustoleum Decorative Glaze, Valspar Cracking Glaze ... and I'm going back to Pete's store to get the dark wax I used last nite.

Now sidebar on the cracking glaze.  I love using plain ol' Elmers Glue for my usual cracking projects, but i needed a clear cracking medium to go over images I have decopauged (then you rub a stain over it and it works into the cracks for that OLD look).  Elmer's only works if you're going over it w/ a paint.  I'm NOT going to spend $$$ on the Tim Holtz Rock Candy stuff (even though I do love him -- he's just too expensive), Annie Sloan, VanGogh, etc  and I hear the Martha Stewart stuff doesn't work.  Pete had a bottle of the Valspar stuff and I thought "score!"

And of course NOW I need more shelving in my studio.  I can see my husband shaking his head already ... but he's a good sport thru it all .... love love love that man!

Okay so I am Blog Challenged!!

So after screwing around w/ this crazy blog in IE, I finally found out it works BETTER in FireFox.  Who knew?  Certainly not me.  <sigh>

So now that I have this under control .... I have posted what sold in January, and now I"ll post a couple of what sold in February.

Altered Bottle $8

Altered Wooden Box $12

Shabby Chic Dresser Tray $7

Today when i went to LW's to pick up my $$ from her, she gave me a laundry basket of "new" old stuff for me to work on, and told me people are coming back to her booth to see what I have added!  WOW! 

This is just so amazing to me.  People like what I am making ... they are BUYING ... I am making money off something I love doing!  No I'm not getting nearly what my labor is, but that's ok ... I recoup the supplies, and have a little extra $$ to put back into the business.  No plans of getting rich ... just have an itch that needs to be scratched in my creative life.

However, this is really "growing" on me ... and I'd love to quit my real job, but alas, the husband said no.  LOL ... we've grown accustom to a certain lifestyle ...and this just isn't going to cover MY paycheck I currently bring in!  <sigh>

But oh how much fun this is .......... <insert happy dance>

What Sold - Part 2

More items from January Flea Market. 

Bottle picture holder $6

Repurposed Jewelry Box $20

What Sold?

Thought I should add a post that shows some of the things that sold at the Flea Market for January. Evidently I am limited in how many pics i put in a post, so i'll separate into two posts. This first one shows the two trays I made ...

Shabby French Ad Tray $12

Clock Tray $15

Off To The Races

When I started setting this blog up (yeah 6 mos ago) ... I wasn’t sure where I was headed w/ my business. I love to make things, to create art from discarded treasures of the past, and try new techniques. BUT you can only give out as gifts so many of those kinds of things before the lives of friends and family are saturated. (and a lot of them don’t decorate in my particular ‘style’ anyway) Everyone was encouraging me -- "you could sell your stuff."

So I thought “antique booth” … until I researched the cost, time involved to “fluff” the merchandise weekly, time involved in making sure assorted inventory (antique and crafted) is kept up, and the mixed sale results of those I had talked to at the ‘malls’ I was considering. So no.

Then I thought “craft shows” and almost immediately discarded that idea due to time away from my husband. We are an empty nest and no “MOSS” is growing on these grandparents. We are both still employed full time, so evenings and weekends are precious to us. And while he supports this dream of mine … he doesn’t want to drag a trailer behind the SUV and travel cross country setting up and tearing down every weekend of the year. (and frankly me neither)

So then I thought “Etsy”. Got a little further w/ that idea … got a storefront, took 347 pics of my creations, detailed descriptions, etc etc etc … and just couldn’t make the jump to light speed. I didn’t want the hassle of shipments, etc., and just didn’t have the confidence needed to take on that endeavor.

And THEN …. A chance conversation w/ one of my SIL’s resulted in her telling me “just put your stuff in a box and I’ll take it to my booth at the Nashville Flea Market and we’ll see what happens.”

Well ok then – I boxed up all my precious creations (it was like boxing up my kids!), gave her a detailed inventory and pricing sheet, and dropped 3 boxes off at her house.

She called me the last day of the flea market and said “you made $95 and your stuff was well received! Can I keep what didn’t sell and put it in the booth again next month?”

...... uh yeah ........

So $95 was about ½ of the stuff I had sent her … turns out the more expensive things are the ones that sold … I priced stuff well below what I thought the going rate would be so good deals were to be had!!!

I was thrilled, and said to my husband “someone loves my stuff!!!” He smiled. He’s always believed in me, and loved my stuff …. He’s happy I found an outlet!

I went to LW’s (my SIL) to collect my $$ cauz she also wanted me to look at some of the things she had in her stash (she goes to auctions and gets the last boxes that no one wants, and repurposes also) and see if I wanted to use anything she had. I came away from HER house w/ 3 boxes of assorted items to repurpose, update, and beautify in general.

But more importantly I came away from there w/ ENERGY and EXCITEMENT in my new endeavor. She and I struck a deal – and since she’s going down there every month anyway she’ll take my stuff along, and I’ll give her 10% of my sales AND give her a couple of the items I have cleaned up and repurposed from HER stash to sell as compensation for taking her inventory. Since I have no need to ‘get rich’ from this anyway … I thought that was a pretty good deal!

And thus truly begins Moss Creek Lane! Named for my grandfather and dedicated to my mother who’s no longer here to inspire and encourage me, but is living on in my heart … I know she’d be very proud.

The Beginning

For You, Mom