~A little fabric, a little metal, a little paint and a new brush ~

Happy Wednesday my friends!

I spent the last few days painting some smaller items for the shop.

Here is just a little preview.

I bought these metal pieces a while back with the intention of adding 

some shabby chic loveliness to them.

I found this very simple wooden stool at the rummage sale I mentioned in a previous post.

The cushion was pretty ugly and the wood scraped and dark, but the stool was a good height and size and in very sturdy shape.

Also the price was VERY right!

A coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ in Country Grey, which has become a favorite neutral hue.

A vintage looking French Linen remnant fabric on the cushion and she is a new gal.

Pretty

The linen has a background color of a very soft plaster pink with sage green leaves

and very large chrysanthemums. 

Linen has such a lovely texture.

I love the combo...quiet, but pretty.

I also changed up two metal pieces I found at a thrift shop.

This metal planter was all that dark reddish brown that you can still see at the base.

I painted it with Duck Egg Blue and dry brushed the ornate handles and the sides with Old White.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ works wonders on metal pieces.

Want to know a little secret?

You know how you can never get the clear wax out of the crevices..nooks and crannies of an ornate piece of furniture or home decor item like my planter or fancy picture frame?

You apply it beautifully with a waxing brush or a lint free cloth, but getting it out of those deep areas is imposible.

I hate seeing clumps of wax stuck in those areas 

so I went on a hunt for something to use on those spots.

I found the perfect tool.

These photos are via Wallartistrystudio.com

Debra, an Annie Sloan Stockist and owner of Wallartistrystudio.com, is one of two great retailers who supply me with my brushes.

I noticed on Debra's website that she was offering a Wax Polishing Brush for guess what....

getting into those crevises!!!!

Say What!!!!

So I now own one and I used it on my planter.

Bam...she hits it out of the park!!!!

Worked like a charm, was very easy to hold and is very affordable.

FYI...I had already purchased a shoe polishing brush, but it was way too soft and did more brushing over the relief design than into it..Mr. Secret Agent now has a new shoe brush.

I noticed on Debra's site that she offers another brush for buffing furniture...

might need to try that one also. 

If I do I will let you know how I like it.

I used my new brush on the curlicues also

I really love this sweet vintage looking birdcage. Again it was originally a dark metal, which I changed.

I very loosely dry brushed it Old White and then added a hit & miss dry brush of Duck Egg Blue.

Instant French heritage!

Ha! Have you noticed how my African Violet gets around...thats my idea of staging.

I don't know why Shaunna and Miss Mustard Seed need to make it look so hard and complicated.

Just buy an African Violet and stick in every blog photo!

You guys know I'm kidding....right???

For a really great video tutorial on dry brushing, check out Shaunna's Perfectly Imperfect blog

here.

So that's it for today...I am currently painting a really pretty rocking chair and will share that very soon.

I will be getting myself gussied up Thursday,

Mr. Secret Agent is taking me out to dinner for our 37th wedding Anniversary.

My question for all of you is this.....

how many of you think my two sons will remember?

Hmmmmmm.....

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.