new milk paint display

November 4, 2014November 4, 2014 | circadee

Recently I completed one of my largest milk paint projects to date. This armoire is an oldie but goodie. It dates back to the 1800’s and was built to be easily taken apart for moving purposes.

It was love at first sight!

It is a real stunner composed of beautiful wood. Fortunately the inside wood was in great shape with minimal damage. However the exterior finish was faded and worn.

I painted 2 coats of shutter gray and the door insets were painted in 2 coats of ironstone. It led to the most authentic chipping paint which fits this particular old piece very well. It seems like this armoire would be right at home in a centuries old farmhouse.

Quite reminiscent of chipping lead paint…a look I love so much but one that can be pretty dangerous. This paint has zero VOCs!

The interior raw wood was brought back to life with all natural hemp oil.

MMS milk paint’s newest topcoat option is tough coat which proved to be the best choice for such a textured and chipping piece. Tough Coat locks in the chipping paint so it doesn’t continue to flake off. It leaves a nice durable finish with a little luster. Tough coat is now available.

One of the original brass drawer pulls was damaged. I looked for a replacement at the flea market but that was basically like searching for a needle in a hay stack. Ultimately, the drawer pulls were updated with clear glass handles. They are also available for sale at both Circa Dee locations.

The size of this armoire works perfectly as a display for our milk paint at The West End Garage. Come check it out in person!

So what do you think? Is this much chipping paint a look you love or loathe? You know where I stand already!

just another manic monday

October 15, 2012October 16, 2012 | circadee

After a fabulously gorgeous weekend in PA, it is a cold and rainy Monday. And that is A-ok with me. It is forcing me to stay in and catch up on some work. However, last week was pretty great for sourcing and selling vintage finds.

First let me tell you, yesterday was Clover Market…ahhmazing. As always. We had a fabulous crowd! Sunny skies and fun neighboring vendors too. My first customers of the day were from Massachusetts. (Hi girls!) They traveled to Philly all the way from Mass just to visit us at Clover. How cool is that? If you are considering making the trip, November 4th is the last Clover of the season! I guarantee you’ll find some unique holiday gifts and a few gems for yourself.

Prior to my frantic day-before-Clover prep, I took some time to shop and work on a room in my own house. It is no where near ready for a reveal but let me show you a few treasures that will be in the room.

I seriously fell in love with this needlepoint old man. Isn’t he sweet? When I first found him, I thought that I would sell him. (I’ve been on a vintage needlepoint kick lately.)

Then the more I looked at him, I knew he was a keeper. Now call me crazy but he totally looks like an old man Ryan. And my mom agrees. So call her crazy too. I mean seriously, I think this is what my fiance, Ryan, is going to age to look like. I’m pretty sure he even has that hat already. Ryan currently has a shorter, darker beard and the same blue eyes. We’ll check back with him in another 35 years.

So old man Ryan stays.

Next up is a corner hutch in fabulous aqua blue. We moved this guy right into the beach house living room to serve as a bar area. It took the place of an oversized dark bookshelf. The change really opened up the corner visually and invoked a little beach cottage whimsy with the color.

Funny thing is that the guy I bought this from kept telling me how I could refinish the paint but I thought that was the best part! I suppose I will fix the cabinet pull though.

I love scouting antique scales. This particular one is a fudge scale. The flat marble base is a great area for displaying books and things. I can’t keep everything though so I will probably sell this one.

I picked up this enamel top cabinet a few weeks back. It is pretty beat but I hope to revitalize it with Miss Mustard Seed milk paint soon.

So what did you do this weekend? Find any good vintage treasures?

I’ll be spending the rest of the week gearing up for our monthly sale this weekend at the Brick & Mortar. We’ll be rolling out the Miss Mustard Seed milk paint line. If you are a local DIYer, you must stop by Saturday or Sunday to see all of the wonderful colors and products! I may even have Miss Mustard Seed’s new book in stock too! I’ll keep you posted.

Linking to Mod Vintage Life, Apron Thrift Girl

on the road

October 28, 2011November 8, 2011 | circadee

So I’ve got this little nook in our navy blue guest room that used to be quite bare except for plain white shelves and other riff raff that would collect there.

Awhile back I hung vintage scarves to serve as a valance in the space. I like that look but it still needed more!

Back to the hideous white shelves. They are made of particle board and were left by the previous owners. They are definitely functional but not pretty. Either is the hole left by their cable cord.

I decided to jump on the old book page bandwagon and recover the shelves with them. Since the antique furniture in the room is already the color of old book pages, I thought the shelves needed a little umph. Enter this big old atlas that I got for about 3 bucks at a thrift store. I tore a few pages of blue, green and yellow maps out to mingle with the book pages.

I haphazardly applied the pages to the shelves using spray adhesive (while dinner was cooking). This is a quick task.

After that dried, I applied a layer of mod podge using a sponge applicator.

Then I moved in some pretty shabby items

Yes, I applied pages to the under side of the shelves too.

I like the yellowing book pages and blueish atlas pages much better than the stark white particle board, don’t you? Would you believe that Ryan never noticed the shelves before they received this little “wallpaper” treatment? He asked if I hung the shelves too. Ha! They’ve been there all along.

Loving the tarnished silver compote filled with old wooden spools. Someone’s trash is my treasure.

Across from the shelves, I moved in the vanity that matches the rest of the French Provincial bedroom set that belonged to my grandmother.

My favorite part is the antique vanity stool. I was going to have it recovered but I am starting to find the worn in upholstery endearing. It doesn’t look half bad in its new home. Should it be re-upholstered? What’s your vote?