In Love with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!

Once I purchased this Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I feel like 'Oh, My goodness, I can redecorate my whole house!' I had a few projects that I tackled this weekend-trying to play around with what all you can do with the paint. I still have not mastered AT ALL the dark wax. I know there is a technique and it seems so simple: wax on-wax off. But, it's not that easy to get the perfect look. I will be very excited once I take a class at the end of this month.

 

This is the before picture of a lamp that Blake has had since we got married. I thought it needed a little updating and a quick dust!

After!

A picture frame that I  painted using the Annie Sloan Provence color. I did use some of the dark wax on this frame.

This is a little table I had in Cooper's room for his night stand. But, I've rearranged his room and really didn't need it anymore. I painted this with the Annie Sloan Old White. If you only apply one coat of paint, you can sand it with a wet rag (which is way less messy) rather than using a sand tool.

Again, Love Love this paint! I will say, it seems pricey for these little cans, but it goes a LONG way! I purchased the Annie Sloan Old White, and Provence. The Old White I love, you can really do a lot with the color.

Free Artwork Printables

I found on this fabulous blog I follow, that she was able to print free artwork from New Yorks Art Gallery. She had found some art work for her new family room, which was completely FREE! Very good Idea. I love the Elephant picture above with her baby to go in our "Alabama Room".

Don't have anywhere to put this, but I loved this picture of the white horse!

My Mother-in-Law would like this picture of the bear, for her cabin in the mountains.

Just some fun ideas, if you were looking for some new art prints.

Welcome to this World!

This is baby Charlie MacLain Martin. He is going to be called Mac! Isn't he precious! 7lbs and 10oz. One of my best friends, Kelly, just had him on Wednesday. Bless her heart she was TWO days over due and very ready to, 'Get this show on the road,' as Kelly said. He's PERFECT. Mommy and baby doing very well and they are coming home from hospital some time today.

This is Mac's big sis, Kate. She's just as adorable with that beautiful curly hair.

Kitchen Table and Chair Redo

My kitchen chairs have needed an update on paint, stain, or something for a while now. They were given to me from my mother and with the help of my dear friend Tamsyn, we recovered them. That was about 3years ago. I do however love the fabric we found, so I chose to keep the fabric on the chairs. The kitchen table was not working, at all! It was glass top, which with kids is a nightmare to keep clean. But, that's what I wanted a few years back to go on top of the pedestal's my mom gave me with the chairs.  The glass was also not child friendly! It was really a safety hazard. If you leaned on the table, one side of the glass would come up. So, I found a cheap farmers table that just needed some paint. When I started researching the best way to stain, antique, distress furniture-I ran across several blogs talked about Chalk Paint. I've never heard of it, and it sounded amazing, and the easiest way to go. I tried to find where to buy Chalk Paint and found out that someone just opened a store, Here In Birmingham! So, I drove to Pelham and picked out my colors and began my next project! The best thing about Chalk Paint is that you can paint on ANYTHING! That's right! ANYTHING! Metal, mirror, brass, wood, floors, etc and there is no priming or sanding necessary! Sounds too good to be true. But, I am now obsessed with this paint! It is the best paint on the market. After applying the Chalk Paint you have to put a wax over the paint. She sales a clear wax and a dark wax. I also talked my Mom into taking a Painting class on how to restore furniture done at the store in Pelham. It's a 3 hr class, and you come home with 3 to 4 different projects. Check out Kelli's Blog and she demonstrates a great video about the waxing techniques.

This is the chair before.

Yikes, this is the kids bench before.

The Farm table was white when I bought it, I spray painted it chocolate brown. Then Painted Provence Chalk Paint, then Old White Chalk Paint, then applied the clear wax. After the clear wax dried good, I sanded the edges and gave it the nice antique look with the blue showing through.

A Little Mud on the Tires

James and Melissa

Never a dull moment on this trip! This was the boys trying to jump start a battery.

Me, Melissa, and Jami

Not the best picture, but we were trying to get a group shot of everyone!

I was trying to show all the dirt, all over my legs! Ahh!

OMG! This cracks me up! Pic of Jami and Chris. Jami will love this one.

Blake and I went to ride four wheelers with some friends. Blake's Parents watched the kids for us for the day. We had a great time! I think I got the muddiest out of anyone! Blake said I looked like I had on really dark makeup. Got to spend some time with the hubby and enjoyed some sweet girl time as well.  

Happy 4th of July

On Sunday, our family went to watch the fireworks at Hoover. Hoover puts on fireworks every year. They are just as good as going to watch them at the Vulcan! If not better. It's always a fantastic show. We are literally right there under the fireworks. They launch them on the range and everyone brings blankets and their kids to see the show. Cooper thought it was, "awesome" and Tristan was scared. She covered her ears and went to watch them inside with Mimi. Next year, she will love them, Last year she loved them? Who knows with her. Anyhoo, great food and entertainment! HAPPY 4th of JULY!

Visiting Baby Graham

Kelly holding baby Graham

Graham sleeping so peacefully. Not a worry in the world.

My friend Kelly and I took dinner to our friend Kim and her family who just had their second child. A sweet, precious, little boy named Graham. I posted his picture last week when he first arrived into this world. Mommy and Baby are doing fantastic. We were talking about the difference in having your second versus your first baby. With the second baby you don't freak out as much about the little things. That you worried so much about with your first as a newborn and as a baby. I'm sure that applies as well, the more kids you have. But, I think Tristan is the kaboose. Now we are waiting on Kelly to have her little boy any day now...