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chippy chippy ya

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It seems like I’ve been picking up little foot stools left and right lately.  They’ve come in handy in the milk paint workshop series.

And also for keeping my sanity.

I haven’t had time to dive head first into a big paint project like a dresser lately.  If you haven’t guessed we’re in final crunch mode with wedding projects here but painting is very calming for me.  So producing a quick before and after is quite satisfying.  Let’s take a look!
kitchen scale, linen & lucketts green chippy milk paint

The upholstered stool used to look like this.  stool before

Although I’ve been in a needlepoint place lately, this stool just wasn’t cutting it for me.  Plus the needlepoint violets were super dingy.  Maybe that is not evident in this before photo.

stool before

I applied kitchen scale milk paint – two coats.  I didn’t add the bonding agent so I got some chipping around the top edges.kitchen scale chippy milk paint

The violets got stripped and replaced with reproduction ticking fabric.

kitchen scale chippy milk paint

I never snapped a before picture of the other little stool.  This one was highly varnished so I was sure the milk paint would chip.  Sure enough, it did.  Linen milk paint is painted on top and lucketts green on bottom.  No bonding agent/primer.

kitchen scale chippy milk paint

In areas where the paint did chip, a great crackle formed!  Fun, right?  I love how the chipping and crackle gives such an authentically antiqued finish.

linen & lucketts green chippy milk paint

Well it’s been non-stop around here.  In 24 hours, I made visits to all 3 locations to restock.  Btw milk paint will be completely restocked on Thursday in Doylestown. Plus there are vintage treasures galore at both Serendipity in Doylestown & West End Garage in Cape May.  Our Brick & Mortar will not be open at all in May due to our wedding schedule.

After Thursday, I’m off the Circa Dee clock til I’m a married lady.  At least that’s the plan!  I do have some posts lined up for you but I will be tabling furniture projects and the general running around.  Be sure to check in thgouh.  I’ve got a ton of fun tutorials and projects to share post wedding!  The summer will definitely be busy at Circa Dee!

kitchen scale, linen & lucketts green chippy milk paint

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making an impact

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Celebrate Earth Week at Impact Thrift’s ECOfest Home Show!

On Saturday, April 27, 2013, join Impact Thrift Stores in Feasterville for ECOfest Home Show, a day filled with valuable information, informative and interactive (free!) workshops, and easy ideas you can implement in your home today.

ecofest

My contribution to ECOfest is this…

pink sideboard

I started this project way back at the Philly Home Show.  Impact sponsored our craft room which allowed us the opportunity to show different paint techniques as well as to upcycle and repurpose items on the fly.  I completed the drawers then and finished up the rest of the piece just last week right in Impact’s processing warehouse which is a playground for someone like me…between all of the treasures plus the ample painting workspace!

Linen milk paint over Henrietta chalk paint

It will be available for sale at ECOfest and will benefit Impact Thrift Store’s charities.  For those readers visiting from Impact who are new to painting, here’s the 411 on the products used…

The pink base color is called Henrietta by Annie Sloan chalk paint.  I applied 2 coats of this.  Chalk paint was sponsored by our friends at  Phantastic Phinds and is available for sale at their shop in Erdenehim, PA.  No priming or prepping necessary.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Henrietta

The drawers had such great details to highlight so I chose to paint a coat of Miss Mustard Seed’s milk paint in Linen (available here).  It did what milk paint does best and produced some subtle crackling around the details.  I added antiquing wax to highlight it.

Linen milk paint over Henrietta chalk paint

I also distressed the lines of the drawers to further highlight the details.

For the inside, I chose to use a wash of Ironstone milk paint to highlight the real wood grain.  This piece was a combination of real wood and veneer.  The top was super shiny veneer actually.

Ironstone milk paint drawers

I used Miss Mustard Seed’s furniture wax on the entire piece.  I love how that wax smells.

wax

I never took a true before pic but this was a classic 1970s dining room buffet.

before

I had a vision of repurposing it into a changing table/dresser in a nursery.  This piece has some serious storage that would accommodate a nursery just right and it is extremely sturdy!

pink sideboard

How have you made an impact this Earth Day?

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the dresser in the window

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Oh heey! By now you may have caught a glimpse my latest dresser on instagram or facebook. I snatched this image from my friend Denise at The Painted Home. She is a fellow vendor at the new Serendipity Shops of Doylestown.

6257ead698ad11e29b7122000a1f9a64_7

The dresser is in my window display at Serendipity.  I am very excited about windowscaping.  I imagine that windowscaping will take on a life of its own much like my seasonal (or monthly) mantelscaping has at home!  I just have to figure out the best way to capture a photo of the windowscape without the glare of the window.  More about that later but for now let’s talk about the dresser, shall we?

Kitchen Scale & Linen French Dresser by Circa Dee

Here she is in all her kitchen scale and linen glory!  Both colors are from Miss Mustard Seed’s milk paint line.

Kitchen Scale & Linen French Dresser by Circa Dee

Bonding agent was mixed into the milk paint solution for the first coat of each color.  The bonder encouraged adhesion on the French dresser since it had a shiny finish before.  However, I chose to slightly distress by hand in a few areas.  I didn’t want the all over chippy look for this piece – just slightly aged.

Kitchen Scale & Linen French Dresser by Circa Dee

On the linen drawers, I applied a teeny bit of antiquing wax in addition to furniture wax as a top coat.

Kitchen Scale & Linen French Dresser by Circa Dee

How fab is that hardware?

Kitchen Scale & Linen French Dresser by Circa Dee

Another milk painted dresser.  This was the last of a long line of French pieces that I painted early this year.  It is for sale at Serendipity.

It is so fun to mix and match the colors and finishes with milk paint.  Want to learn how?  Our spring workshop series begins next Thursday!

Kitchen Scale & Linen French Dresser by Circa Dee

It’s funny to look at my current catalog of furniture for sale because I realized that there has clearly been a trend in the pieces I’ve worked on lately.  Everything is blue and neutral with pops of bold yellow.  I am going to head in a different direction with my next furniture project, just not sure where yet.  Are there any colors you’d like to see?

Linking to: Miss Mustard Seed

wedding

guest post: a shower fit for a bridesmaid

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I’ve got a little treat for you today.  Something different anyway.  Last week I posted about my bridal shower, specifically the handmade gifts and details that went into it.  Well, today my MOH is here to rehash the behind the scenes DIY details that went into the event. Take it away Leigh…

As you may know from Dana’s blogging history, she’s been to a lot of weddings. Beyond just being your standard wedding guest, Dana takes what makes Circa Dee amazing and translates those talents into the fabulous, thoughtful events for her friends and family. A 10-time bridesmaid, 3-time reader, toast-giver, bachelorette party-planner, bouquet mastermind, you name it – she’s done it. So imagine the pressure when Dana asks you to be her Maid of Honor, which means planning an event for her!I jest. (A little.)In all seriousness, helping to plan Dana’s shower meant putting some of her favorite things, ideas, and people into one room. Here are a few aspects of the shower to highlight how we did that.The Theme – As a nod to Dana’s role in so many weddings, we went loosely with a 27 Dresses theme.  We incorporated dress and bridesmaid details throughout the day.
The Invitation – Designed by the lovely Poppies and Petals, we crafted a newspaper-inspired invite. Here, we asked that ladies wear a bridesmaid dress. (While I didn’t remember discussing this much in the past, Dana admitted that she checked her closet the morning of the shower to see if her bridesmaid dresses were still there! Without borrowing any of Dana’s dresses, we still had about a dozen ladies join in the fun of dressing up.)
27 dresses themed bridal shower
27 dresses themed bridal shower
27 dresses themed bridal shower

The Centerpieces – I fully admit to stalking Pinterest for this idea, but adding our own flare. We took a page from Dana’s vintage, rustic style, and used mini galvanized buckets as our base. We then added floral foam, some moss, and a few rocks to weight down the piece. Then, we added everyday kitchen skewers (hello, re-purposing!), stuck into the floral foam. Between the skewers, we strung a piece of yarn and a few mini-bunting flags. (We even borrowed Dana’s punch for this step, under the guise of Poppies and Petals custom card order.) We chose paper in sea-glass and vintage inspired tones, with a hint of pink because, come on, this is a bridal shower! Then, my favorite part, we found a template for mini dresses and cut them out on the Big Shot. Some twine was strung around the waist of the dresses for some extra detail and attached with a too-cute-for-words mini clothespin. I really love how quickly this project came together!

27 dresses themed bridal shower

Decorations – The room at the restaurant where we hosted the event didn’t need much adorning, but we added balloons in sea-glass colors. I also stalked Dana’s Facebook, blog, and emailed ladies who had included Dana in their wedding to find pictures. I had a  blast reliving all these amazing events, and Dana’s various haircuts over the years. Some photos for framed, and others were displayed out on tables. We also asked our guests to leave a wish for Dana and Ryan. These notecards and pens were displayed in a vintage planter I found at a local vintage shop.  I’m hoping to turn these photos and notes into a little book for Dana at some point.

The Favors – Dana already showcase the Ball Jar cookies, which she’d been dreaming of having. We also gave away little tokens to the ladies that wore bridesmaid dresses, of even-more-mini galvanized buckets, filled with candy, and adorned with another little dress.

ball mason jar cookie favors

The Food – No shower is complete without a great spread. Dana’s mom selected a variety of Italian dishes that included Dana’s favorite – Caprese Salad! While Dana unwrapped her mountain of gifts, we enjoyed homemade cookies baked by family and friends. Then, at the end of the party,we enjoyed not one but two cakes – one Tiramisu flavored and one from Alice Bakery (two more things Dana loves!)

bridal shower spread

Thanks for taking time to read about how to put on a party for Dana! I think we met this immense challenge in style and made a great day happen for our beautiful bride!

Thanks Leigh!  I have to admit that it felt totally bizarre showing up to a shower empty handed.  And you should also know that it took everything in me not to bring my camera and snap pictures or instagram the whole event.  After years of bridesmaiding (yes it is a verb), it was a blast to be on the other side!  I just wanted to live in the moment without social media…shocking.  And I bet you didn’t know that my blogging originally began in the wedding world, did ya?

musing

spring milk paint workshop series

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Just a reminder friends!  I am currently registering folks for the spring milk paint workshop series.  We have a few spaces still available.  I hope you’ll join us.  All of the details are below.  Simply email me or leave a comment to sign up!  I will respond with a paypal link to complete registration.  Also, feel free to provide feedback on days and times that you’d like to see future workshops scheduled!

Milk Paint 4 week workshop series this spring…

Gain the skills you need to tackle projects with Miss Mustard Seed’s milk paint around your home with confidence!

milk paint banner

Throughout the hands-on 4 week series, we’ll cover each product in Miss Mustard Seed’s milk paint line and how they interact with one another. You’ll complete a make and take in each workshop. Plus, enjoy 10% off all milk paint purchases the day of the workshop.

Attend the entire 4 week series and receive a quart of milk paint & bonding agent in the color of your choice FREE!

Now what? Select the workshops you’d like to attend and register by emailing me! You can either pay buy pay pal, credit card over the phone or in the shop. Each workshop is $50. Payment in full reserves your class space. Class sizes are limited. First come, first served.

All classes are located at 1814 Valley Forge Road, Worcester, PA

IMG_8658Introduction to Milk Paint $50

Thursday, April 11th 10am-12pm

What exactly is milk paint?

Learn how to mix milk paint
Learn to apply milk paint as a stain
Learn when to apply hemp oil as a topcoat

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint TricycleAnti-aging with Milk Paint $50

Thursday, April 18th 10am-12pm

How do you get a new, cohesive finish with milk paint?

Learn how to mix milk paint with the bonding agent
Learn about using milk paint for a cohesive finish
Learn about furniture wax as a topcoat

Yellow Mid-century Dresser

Aging with Milk Paint $50

Thursday, April 25th 10am-12pm

How to you get an authentic chippy finish with milk paint?

Learn how to get the highly desired chippy look
Learn when to apply the crackle medium
Learn how to apply antiquing wax as a topcoat

Abusson Blue, Shutter Gray, Ironstone, Egyptian Gold - French sideboardTwo-tone & Distressing with Milk Paint $50

Thursday, May 2nd 10am-12pm

How do you layer milk paint for an authentically aged finish?

Learn tips and tricks for creating two-toned pieces
Even learn how to effectively use milk paint with chalk paint
Learn distressing techniques and how to get a smooth topcoat

wedding

handmade inspiration

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I just want to create things with my hands all day long.  Everyday pretty much.  I want to paint furniture, pick out fabric and turn it into chair seats, select wall paint (although not personally paint the walls), cut ribbon & cardstock to turn into pretty invitations, pretend to be a good baker, plant gardens to admire and eat.

You get the idea.

And if you’ve been following this blog for awhile now, you know that I really, truly love locally handmade as well as vintage.

We were honored to have a glorious bridal shower thrown in our honor over the weekend.  There were so many details made just for Ryan and I, from vintage gifts, to locally purchased and handmade ones.  And of course the registry ones too.  Here we are walking in…

bridal shower

I’m here to share with you a few of the creative, handmade gifts and details from the event.

A group of friends took the time to individually bake cookies for the shower.  They iced, they stamped, they rolled & cut, they bedazzled a ton of delicate cookies to all be combined onto darling trays to be passed around to munch on after lunch while I opened gifts.  I mean who doesn’t love a homemade cookie, really?  Especially ones emblazoned with our wedding date and cute aqua gingerbread men!

homemade cookies

Oh the gifts!

Here’s just a sampling of the handmade ones…

From our engagement session, our “trunk shot” is forever engrained on this wood slab.  This is a perfect addition to our rustic style.

wood photo

And I seriously think our friend who made this needs to open an etsy shop stat, don’t you?

wood photo

A for awesomeness!  A gift basket full of special occasions alcohol commemorating firsts in our married lives complete with poems.  Here’s a an excerpt…When your first year of marriage is done, drink this champagne in honor of anniversaries to come!  So clever!

special occassion alcohol gift basket

Check out the oil painting version of Ryan and I!  This is an image of us headed down to the beach just moments before Ryan proposed.  Wilson is right by our side.  And my pink paint pants are forever documented!  Such a masterpiece.  (If you missed the pink paint pant proposal, click here and scroll down.)

beach proposal oil painting

We also received some locally handmade applique dish, hand & tea towels.  Note the aqua colors.  Holler!

his & hers applique towels

And can you believe the state of New Jersey is on a cutting board with a little heart highlighting Cape May where we’ll be married along with our initials and date?  No, either can I!

NJ state cutting board with wedding date

By the way, I received an unbelievable amount of beautiful cutting boards.  My newest collection/obsession.  I love them all in a totally bizarre way.  Like I want to hug them.  Hopefully, they will help increase my kitchen productivity and cooking prowess.  At the very least, they will look pretty photographed in future vignettes.

Let me tell you about the favor…stop.  No words can describe.

Ball mason jar cookie favors

Yes, that is a life size blue ball jar.  Labor of love is an understatement thanks to my Sis-in-law.  SIL turned out like 60 of these and they taste wonderful too!  (I should know, I ate like 3 of them.)  Amaze-ball!  Get it? Ball? Jar?

Seriously, I can’t thank my family & friends enough for their thoughtfulness and generosity.  Ryan and I are so lucky!  Plus, they all have our style totally pegged which is just icing on the cake…oh the cake!  I can’t wait to share more details of the shower ASAP, just as soon as I seriously process it all.

Excuse me while I go eat another cookie…