New Artwork at the Etsy Shop & Art Giveaway!

I'm excited to announce that Patina & Purl Etsy shop is up and running again for the new year. After the new year, I temporarily placed the shop in vacation mode to catch up on some custom orders and work on the shop's overall look. One of my main goals was to improve shop images and shop sections. 

Additionally, the shop sections now include Original Art, Unique Crafts, and Sale Items. All my oil and acrylic artwork is, as you can imagine, included under the art section while handmade goods such as my knitted scarves and gloves are included under the crafts section. I decided to add a "Sale Items" section for artwork that's available at a lower, clearance price. 

Curious for more? You can visit my Etsy shop Patina & Purl to see more. Also, don't forget to follow along on Instagram @patina_and_purl to stay abreast of shop updates, coupon codes, and giveaway opportunities! In fact, I'm having a giveaway right now-- so don't miss out! The giveaway runs until 8pm TONIGHT with the winner being announced Friday!

Etsy Update // End of the Year Sale

Well the holidays are over. Did it feel like Christmas to anyone else? Personally, I felt like my family had all conspired to pretend that it was Christmas... when in reality it was summertime. As I stood outside in shorts, barefeet, and a Tshirt, I remarked to my mom that we should be hiding Easter eggs not unwrapping gifts! In Georgia, the warm weather has created quite the confused landscape: birds tweet, thrift blooms, and cherry trees bud. Meanwhile, I'm thinking "no! slow down! stop!" -- Will we even have a spring this year? Especially once winter really does arrive and kills all the little confused blooms? 

Oh well-- the new year and winter will come whether we like it or not! 

In honor of the upcoming new year, the Etsy shop is offering a HUGE sale. All my original art-- yes, ALL of it-- is on sale. Prices have been slashed across the shop: large and small, abstract and still life, oil and acrylic. So if you've had your eye on one of my original pieces, now is the time to purchase. 

These two beauties have both been reduced by $100. Can you believe that? "Effervescent," pictured first, is now only $250, while the triptych is just $450. Yes, that's three 24x36 canvases for just $450. 
Both pieces are very large. "Effervescent" is 30 x 40 while "Icefloe" measures 72 x 36 if hung as one piece. Both are mixed media acrylic abstracts painted with palette knives in an impasto style. Texture and soothing color! 

Or, if you're not into abstracts, you can go with something like these pieces. Personally, these two paintings may be my favorites in the shop. I love the bright pop of green in the pear still life. Painted with oils, both paintings have a tranquil color palette that's easy on the eyes. 
Lily pad painting: $145 Pear still life: $75

You can also choose from my collection of florals. 
Hydrangeas, that quintessential Southern flower, are one of my favorite subjects to paint. My great-grandmother grew blue and purple hydrangeas around her front porch. Their fluffy heads would sometimes be as big and round as dinner plates. So, I guess these flowers are just ingrained in my psyche. They're just a part of who I am as a person and so reflect in my artwork. 
Pricing clockwise from top right: Hydrangea $55, Pink flower $80, Pink Hydrangea $55, and Floral Vase $60


Click on the button above to be directed to my Etsy shop. Sale expires Monday, January 4, 2016-- so don't miss out! 
Oh, and pssst... Blog readers can receive an additional discount. Use code BLOG5 at checkout to receive an additional 5% off. 

Birch Tree Statement Wall

Today, I wanted to share the birch tree mural in our dining room. I've been blown away by the amount of praise and sweet compliments we've received on social media regarding this project! Thanks so much to everyone for your kind words. Here's a look at the story behind this endeavor and some tips for painting one yourself. 
For a few weeks, my husband and I had a blank wall in the dining room. I had recently redecorated our house, resulting in a big empty beige wall.  I couldn't decide what I wanted-- an architectural feature? A large painting? A gallery wall? Nothing? I mulled and mulled the issue... and then one day, it hit me:
A birch tree statement wall. It was perfect! It would serve as art without actually taking up any space-- a win, win for a small space like ours. (I may or may not have been watching ABC's Once Upon a Time on Netflix at the time. If you're a fan of the show, you'll understand. There's a profusion of birch tree wallpaper, and I want it all.)  
Oh man, I thought. Mark will never go for this. Shame on me for assuming, because he was all for it, much to my surprise! Of course, he's always said he could live in the woods. So I guess now he does-- minus the cold, the bugs, and the brambles. 
Here's a look at how we created this one-of-a-kind statement wall without using stencils or decals. Yep, we handpainted this beast!

What You'll Need: pencil assorted paint brushes white Satin finish paint black paint grey paint paper towels
What You'll Do: 1. Determine your design. I started by drawing the design on the wall using a charcoal pencil. I like using charcoal because it blends with paint. I drew the entire design onto the wall. But you can tape it off with blue painters tape if you would prefer.
2. Paint the white trunks. This was the most time-consuming part of the project. 
3. Create a three-dimensional look by shading with your grey paint. Mix the grey and white paint together and apply to the trunks. This will keep them from looking too stark and give a bit of shape to them.

4. Use the black paint to create the peeling birch bark and branches. Get creative. Look up images of birch trees to guide your design.
5. Allow to dry, and you're all done!
I am absolutely in love with the end result. Mark and I have renovated every bit of this house on our own. Some projects have been frustrating and others rewarding... but this DIY by far was the most fun. I love how it turns the wall into a piece of art. The vertical white tree trunks elevated the ceiling, so our dining room even seems taller, while the black branches make our black iron chandelier really pop. I'm so glad I took the risk and did it!

Love this? Want it in your home? Contact me for information about how I may be able to create a unique piece of art for your home too! 

Fall Crafts // Wooden Autumn Blessings Sign

Sunday I sat down to edit and schedule this week's blog posts... only to discover that I had lost my laptop charger! Ack! Thankfully, I finally found it--left behind when I left work last weekend. Poor innocent little charger, left abandoned to its own devices all weekend. (Pun intended.)  I'm so glad I found it! But hence the lack of posts this week so far. Thankfully, we're all plugged in and back on track now! 

Today I thought I'd share this little "Autumn Blessings" sign I made a few weeks ago. It's relatively simple and fun. If you ask me, SIMPLE and FUN are two major necessities of any craft or DIY. I can paint, but when it comes to power tools or complex procedures... I'm lost. If you fit into this category too, then this DIY is for you. 

Last month, I completed a commissioned art project for a local couple. They wanted some cutesy wooden signs for their Harpers Ferry cottage. When finished with their project, I had some left over scrap wood. Rather than let it go to waste, I thought "Why not make a cute fall sign?" I got out my chalkpaint, brushes, and sandpaper and got to work. 

What You'll Need:

- Scrap wood, sanded (mine measured 18x6, cut to size by the hubs)

- chalkpaint (I used FolkArt chalky paint)

- acrylic paint

- assorted brushes

- paint markers

- sand paper or sanding block

- paper towels

What You'll Do:

- Cut the wood to size. 

Because this was a scrap piece of wood, I went with the size it already was. It measures about 18 inches by 6 inches. Mark did the cutting for me since I have a silly fear of saws and blades!

- Prep the wood. 

I bought pre-sanded wood when I made the commissioned signs. It's easier to paint and saves you the trouble of sanding down the entire piece. However, I did have to sand the edges after Mark cut the wood to size. You don't have to do this step, but I think it makes the end result look a little nicer.

- Apply your background color. 

I used two FolkArt chalky home decor paints: Sage and Savannah. First, I applied the Savannah color, a dusky tan. I let it dry almost completely. Then, I applied a second coat of paint in the pale turquoise Sage color. I intentionally applied it when the base coat was still slightly tacky, resulting in a somewhat streaky, blended color. I just liked the shabby-chic look it gave the piece. 

Note: If you're using treated wood, you should only paint one side. Treated wood needs to "breathe." 

- Once the base coats are dry, use the paint markers to write your quotation. I chose the phrase "Autumn Blessings" because it seemed like it would continue to be applicable into the Thanksgiving holiday season. 

- Add decorative touches. I went with two shabby-chic style pumpkins. I drew the design with the paint markers and then filled them in with acrylic paint from my studio stash. 

These final two steps are optional. 

- Seal the sign using a spray lacquer or polyacrylic.

I prefer the spray kind because it doesn't streak like the other kind. Just follow the directions on the spray can. I bought mine from Home Depot. 

-Add hanging hardware to the back of the finished sign if you plan to display it somewhere. 

See? Simple and fun, just like I promised. The whole project took me about 30 minutes. I plan to display the little sign in our dining room until it sells from my Etsy shop. 

Happy painting! 

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Fall Crafts // Painted Pumpkins (Kid Friendly!)

Pumpkins and mums-- they're fall staples that I just can't imagine not including on the front porch. Each year, picking out the perfect, round pumpkins and the fluffiest mums gives me those happy tummy bubbles. The same ones that come with the first sip of cider and the first crunch of leaves underfoot.

When I was a little girl, I loved picking out the perfect jack'o'lantern pumpkin with my dad. We always went for one with that unique, squatty shape. Perfect for carving a goofy grin. Mark and I don't have kids of our own yet, but picking out pumpkins with my two little nephews proved how special this little childhood act really is. It's a great way to spend a fall weekend with your kiddos: roving through the pumpkin patch or wandering through your local farmers market. There's just something about the way their little faces light up about something so simple. It really just warms your own heart, and you can't help but smile too. It's nice when the biggest worry of the day is whether this fat pumpkin or that funny long one is better suited for a jack o'lantern.

But maybe you don't want your littles playing with knives? No worries. Have them paint their pumpkin instead. In fact, you can pick the smaller "pumpkin pie" pumpkins especially for this purpose. After all, what kid doesn't love getting their hands good and dirty with paint?

Get as creative as you want! You can use finger paint, puffy paint, or even glittery paint. Try out interesting designs with stencils, lace, or doilies to create unique effects. You can collaborate on a pumpkin as a family or give your kids their own little project. Best of all, this project gives your kids the opportunity to be completely creative, to just unleash whatever their little minds have imagined.

 I mean, how often do we get the chance to get good and messy?

And this project isn't exclusively for kids. It's a fun project for a ladies (or guys!) craft night. One of my favorite fall memories is painting pumpkins with my good friend Amber. I had this random idea to use pumpkins in my and Mark's October wedding, but didn't like the fact that bright orange would clash with our color scheme. So, I painted them white and added decorative swirls in puffy paint matching our wedding colors of plum and champagne. Check out our wedding post series to see how my "wedding pumpkins" turned out.

The best part of this fall craft? It's so brainlessly easy. All you need is paint and a pumpkin. You can't really go wrong. The finished product will add a little whimsy to your front porch decor, and your kiddos will be proud of their little contribution. Don't you just love the crazy-green pumpkin my nephew and I painted? Also, I'm pretty impressed with our collaborative effort on this one:

I know, I know. He's a little baby genius. I mean, I may be biased but come on... how could you not just be head over heels for that adorable grin and those grey-blue peepers? We had so much fun! Definitely give this a try.

Some themes to get you started:

- show your team spirit with football themed pumpkins

- use glitter spray paint and lace to get a glam effect

- paint your house numbers on them

- stencil your initials

- go crazy with pattern like these found on Pinterest

Comment below or tag me on Instagram with pics of your painted pumpkins! I'd love to see how they turn out!

Happy punkin pickin'!

Console Table Makeover

Happy Monday, everyone!

How was your Fourth of July celebration? Did you come through the other side, retaining all your fingers and toes? I hope so! Mark and I kept it simple this year. We stayed in Frederick to enjoy a cookout with friends and fireworks in the Baker Park. Which, by the way, if you're a local Marylander, you should definitely make the trip to Frederick for our Fourth celebration. This little town can put on a lightshow. Complete with a rousing soundtrack of patriotic songs, the firework show dazzles you with light and color before concluding with the national anthem played on the park's belltower. I shared a few images on my Instagram which you can find here.

Of course, holiday weekends always end, and Monday inevitably returns. Today at the Frederick shop, I've been working on a console table makeover. This piece is not vintage, but even newer pieces can benefit from an Annie Sloan chalkpaint makeover.

Originally, the piece was a butternut yellow color. Not bad-- but again, not great. Slightly one-dimensional. Here's a look at what the piece looked like beforehand.

To give the piece a more French Country feel, we decided to paint it in Annie Sloan Chalkpaint Graphite, the closest shade to black that Annie Sloan carries. Graphite is a really lovely color: a dusky chalkboard black. However, painting and waxing with Graphite can be a little more difficult than with other Annie Sloan colors, solely because the dark shade sometimes betrays any lint or dust that becomes trapped in the wax topcoat. Recently, I found myself in a vicious circle of painting, sanding, waxing, buffing on a custom Graphite bedroom set. The seemingly unending task would definitely be my version of Dante's hell. The problem turned out to be the buffing rags: somehow this ragbag had unreasonable amounts of lint that kept ruining the wax topcoat. Ugh!

Anyway, the console table project turned out to be much easier. No lint escapade anyway!

Materials used:
-Annie Sloan Chalkpaint in Graphite
-Annie Sloan Soft Clear Wax
-brushes
-rags (waxing and buffing)
-paper towels


As with any Annie Sloan project, this was ridiculously simple. We simply painted a few coats of Graphite onto the console table, distressed, and then added a topcoat of Soft Clear Wax. After buffing the topcoat to a nice sheen, we were done!

The end result is a piece that certainly is no longer one-dimensional. The charcoal grey color gives the table a more dramatic flair, while the original pale wood stain still peeks through. It would work well as an entryway table or console table behind a sofa.

If you have any chalkpaint or furniture DIY questions,

please don't hesitate to ask in the comments below!

Repurposed & Refined

217 W Patrick Street

Frederick, MD 

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored, nor did I received any compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are truly my own. I just really love Annie Sloan chalkpaint and think you should try it out too! 

Shabby Table Gets Chalkpaint Refinish

For several months, this little black pedestal endtable sat unused in our Frederick shop. It wasn't particularly ugly. It just wasn't particularly pretty. Tired of seeing its dull black visage every day, I decided last Friday to provide the table with an Annie Sloan chalkpaint makeover.

Here's the "before" picture, along with a glimpse into our back workshop at the Frederick store.

As you can see, the table was quite shabby and boring. It wasn't horrible. It just didn't showcase the full ability of what we do at Repurposed and Refined. So, I threw on a painting smock and got to work. In the South, we love color. So I was immediately drawn to a jar of Antibes Green that hadn't been used in awhile. My sales sense always tells me that white pieces tend to sell more quickly. However, sometimes you just have to get creative.

Materials Used:
-Annie Sloan Chalkpaint Antibes Green
-Annie Sloan Chalkpaint Louis Blue
-Annie Sloan Soft Clear Wax
-Annie Sloan Soft Dark Wax
-chalkpaint brushes
-rags
-paper towels

Refinishing the table to have this distressed French-country appearance was much easier than it seemed. To be surprise, the whole project took less than an hour. I simply began by quickly brushing a thick coat of Antibes Green over the entire table. Once that had mostly dried, I applied a second coat of Louis Blue using an dry-brush technique. (If you've never attempted dry-brushing before, check out this video tutorial. But don't worry, it's not hard.)

Once the paint had dried, I applied the Anine Sloan Soft Clear Wax, using a clean rag. Because the workshop stays warm in the summertime, I was able to immediately go back and buff the table. The warm temperatures caused everything to dry very quickly, which helped speed up the entire project. Finally, I applied a second coat of wax using Annie Sloan Soft Dark Wax. The dark wax gave the table it's old world patina.

Here's a little hint: if you apply clear wax before dark wax, you can more easily control the stain and spread of the dark.

I was so pleased with the way this little table turned out. Rather than looking sad and dull, it now has a unique French-Country flair. The dark wax patina is what really sets it off. It will easily suit a French-country, eclectic, or Southern decor style. By accident, it perfectly matches these pale blue armchairs in the shop. I can't wait to see who this little table goes home with!

If you have any questions about furniture refinishing or chalkpaint, please don't hesitate to contact me or to ask in the comments below.

Revitalize Your Old Art Prints

As a painter myself, I take special care when selecting artwork for my home. I don't go home with an item unless it truly speaks to me. Most often, I purchase antique architectural pieces-- like old windows or gates-- to hang around the house, or I just paint my own pieces. When decorating, I much prefer to use quirky vintage items or original artwork over generic store-bought items. Not that anything is wrong with buying cheap art. You can really get some lovely art at great deals, don't get me wrong!  There's absolutely nothing wrong with that route. I personally just prefer items which possess more of a story or a one-of-a-kind quality, items that you may not see in someone else's house.

Over time, my decorating style has certainly evolved. In fact, I feel that it has tremendously evolved even since my wedding day almost 3 years ago now. Previously, I used a lot of crimson and golds when decorating. I tended to gravitate toward carnival-y, baroque-ish pieces. I loved rich, gemstone hues, bling, and texture. Case in point: this large art print from World Market that hung over my bedroom dresser for years. 

Pretty, right? But quite busy and yes, somewhat carnival-esque. This art print was a Christmas gift from my parents when I was about sixteen. While I adored the print back then, I suddenly found that its swirls and kaleidoscope colors no longer jived with my style. I caught myself staring at it every night before bed and thinking... Wow, that thing really sticks out. 

I fantasized about replacing it. But the hefty pricetag attached to large artwork gave me pause, especially in the midst of our recent kitchen renovation. I mentioned my art-woes to Mark one night who shrugged and said "Why don't you just paint over it?"

Ohhhhhh, duh! And thus, a DIY was born.

Supplies:

- an art print you've "fallen out of love with" 

- glossy white paint

- grey acrylic paint

- blue acrylic paint

- gold craft paint, Martha Stewart brand

- a variety of paint brushes

- papertowels

- water for cleaning brushes

My first step was to simply cover the entire canvas with the white glossy paint. To be honest, just this step alone produced a lovely result. The texture of the original print peeked through the white paint. If you're into minimalist design, simply painting a textured art print white would give you a unique piece of art. But we all know I'm no minimalist, right? 

I went on to paint the remainder of the abstract design, sticking to blue, grey, and gold hues. I had so much fun layering the colors and splattering paint every which-away. If you're undertaking your own abstract painting project, the best advice I can offer is to choose coordinating colors that suit your decor style and to be sure to allow time for the individual paint layers to dry.

The end result of this spontaneous project was a piece of modern abstract artwork that not only matched my bedroom color scheme but also was a bit easier on the eyes (aka less busy). The white background illuminates the space and really pops against the charcoal grey wall. Sometimes it pays to just flex your DIY muscles and give new life to a piece rather than going out to buy new. 

Paris Grey Dresser Makeover

Sometimes you just get tired of looking at a certain piece of furniture. There's nothing wrong with it. In fact, when you originally bought the item, you absolutely adored it. It has good lines. The wood is in good shape. Yet somehow, you've grown tired of it. Until one day, you walk into your bedroom and think "that is a big brown piece of furniture."

So what to do when you "fall out of love" with your furniture? You  have two options when this unfortunate event occurs: 1) sell it and buy new, or 2) flex your DIY muscles. Can you guess which route we took? I bet you can. I mean, come on, you're reading this blog for a reason.

To revamp my boring but shapely dresser, I applied two coats of Paris Grey Annie Sloan chalkpaint purchased at the downtown Frederick store Repurposed & Refined. As I've mentioned before, the great thing about chalkpaint is the fact that it doesn't require extensive prep-work. No sanding was needed. I just thoroughly cleaned and dusted the piece before painting.

Once the paint had dried, I added some slight distress marks to allow the original wood color to come through. I had a hunch that the original color of the dresser would look beautiful paired with the Paris Grey. And I was right! I love the way it turned out. The distress marks really accentuate the shape and details of the piece. Finally, I applied a top coat of Annie Sloan Clear Wax to both protect the dresser and give it a nice sheen.

This project was my first time using Paris Grey on a personal project, and I am thrilled with the result. Since our bedroom walls are a deep charcoal color, I initially hesitated to bring in another grey hue. But I'm so glad I did! The milky grey pops against the dark walls and, despite standing out more, simultaneously makes the room seem larger.

Since this project proved successful, I plan to turn to another room this weekend: the kitchen. Curious about what we have planned? Here's a color hint: "Old Violet" or "Napoleonic Blue"? Decisions, decisions. Stay tuned for updates!