so I painted my sofa...

Hey girls... I know it's a weird time to do a tutorial, but this girl has some projects to knock out before next year, so I just jumped in on this one.

BTW the studio is pretty much ALL DONE!  Yep you heard me!!!!  I'll show pics soon:)

I posted on Instagram I was going to paint our nasty cream colored couch and alot of you had questions.  Originally I was going to spray paint it with fabric spray paint.  Yes there is such a thing!!  Amazing I know:)  But the color selection was limited, so I was at Joann Fabrics the other day and Tamara said she'd read that you can mix up your own and paint it on with a paint brush.  Five seconds later she had sent me those links.  That's my girl.  So resourceful and pretty...I think I'll keep her;)

Proof it was gross;)

Here is the link I used for step by step instructions.  I'll tell you what I did too:)

Vacuum off the dust and lint.

Put down tarp...very messy.

Mix one part interior latex paint (I used maybe 1/2 a quart total) and one part fabric medium (I purchased five 6 ounce bottles at Joann Fabric to cover the sofa)...it should be very thin and go on like a glaze.  This is your base or primer step.  I used a plastic cup to mix it and paint from.

Use a spray bottle and dampen the fabric with water before you paint!

I applied two coats, letting dry between coats:)

Next step...mix one part acrylic paint (I used maybe 2 1/2 big bottles) and one part fabric medium and paint on your color.  I think it's wise to stay close to the original color.  It would be a nightmare to try to go from white to black or pink to blue.  Just sayin' save yourself some grief;)  And a patterned sofa or chair would be tricky to cover as well.

I only applied one final coat.  The tutorial says to sand between coats.  I didn't.  The fabric is a little stiffer than it was before.  But I really don't care.  It just needed it cleaned up and brighter.   

The footrest will probably get a make-over later.  For now it's just a vintage curtain with the ends tied up with rubber bands.  I'm so fancy!!;)

I didn't paint the cushions, because I love the mix matchy look of different fabrics.  The bottom cushion is just a duvet cover from Ikea tucked in with a vintage afghan thrown on top.  I have a thing for afghans:)  I added casters, so I could move it anywhere I want in my studio and voila!!!


*I can tell from this pic I didn't go all the way underneath the sofa with my paint. Crud.  It's not noticable unless you're on the floor snapping pics...so whatevs;)

I'm in love.  It really looks a million times better than before.  So there you have it.
Go paint a sofa!

Be a blessing.

fabric medium
projects getting DONE finally
really warm weather that allows me to spray paint outside;)
color COLOR color!!!
Christmas break:))

yellow piano BLISS

Well hello there my sweet sweet friends.  I'm finally crawling out from under the Etsy craziness.  I really was a little nervous about cutting down my hours and going occasional, but God had other things in store, and He showed up in a big way.  You showed up in a BIG way!  Thank you for blessing my shop...my family!  My hands are aching from all the cuffs I made in the last ten days:)  I really can't say thank you enough!!! 


So with that said...I've been dying to show you my painted piano finally.  I've got most of the room pulled together.  It was a labor of love, and by love I mean L.O.V.E!  Here's how it went down.

Sometimes I wonder if I don't have a little bit of that bipolar thing going on.  There are days where I walk through life in a depressive fog...lethargic...floundering and then there are the sublime moments when a ray of sun shines down from above and the angels sing and I swear I can move mountains.  I walk through my house paintbrush in hand and I conquer.  YES CONQUER just about anything that has been bugging me.  Any unfinished project comes under my will and determination and that's where I was a couple of weeks ago.  You have to take advantage when it happens;)

My piano room was fine. No big problems there, but it was just blah! The red, white and black was a little lifeless and the piano (which I painted years before) just blended into the space like a big black hole. So I got an itch to repaint and then I instagrammed that I wanted to repaint, and then I HAD to repaint! You know how that goes.

If anything, instagram is one giant accountability partner...you gotta love that. Everyone voted their favorite color and it was a split big time between turquoise and bright funky yellow.  However the bright funky yellow was calling my name. 

IMMEDIATELY I ran out and bought the paint because that's how I rolled that week. And I was off to take down that black hole of a piano. After the first coat I excitedly texted a couple of friends and one said ooooh that's gonna be a challenge because you didn't prime. And I was like whatev...it'll be fine. :0

I had a reason for not priming. I was going to distress and I wanted the black to pop, BUT holy cow four coats in and I was starting to panic. It was not looking good. I had drips everywhere. I couldn't cover the black for the life of me. 

This always happens when I paint. There is that midway point when I want to curl up into a ball and cry in the corner...sucking my thumb. Well it came and then it went because once I got my palm sander out that piano started to SING!! If you don't have a palm sander run right now and go GET ONE! Best thing ever. It makes your mistakes look intentional. It takes a disaster and makes it look like magic:) 

So here are the steps for those of you wanting to try this at home. And just to clarify here I'm not a pro. This is probably not the proper way of doing it.

 

Obviously take it apart and tape off the areas you want to protect.

1.) If it's not painted already prime it. If it is, gently sand it to rough it up a bit and wipe it down.

2.) Paint. Paint. Paint. Paint again. It took me four coats. That really sucked. Sorry, but it did.

3.) Use that palm sander I told you to buy and sand the heck out of all the edges...any drips and place you want it to look old and aged. You really can't mess this up. Just be careful not to leave the sander in one place too long or you can eat the wood up a bit.

4.) Wipe it down and if you want rub on a little black coffee Martha Stewart metallic glaze. Especially on any areas you may have taken down to the bare wood. Rub on and off with a cloth.

5.) Then take a clean white rag and apply a very thin coat of paste wax. This will give it a hard top coat and protect it and kind of finish and shine it up. Then after it dries...about 20 minutes buff it off in small circles with another clean rag. And VOILA gorgeousness!!!!! Seriously you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't do it years before.

I wasn't really feeling the stark black piano bench, so I went hunting and found this sweet little industrial stool at a local antique store and voila...instant make-over...

 

MAGIC! 

 

Promise you won't covet my sewing skills;)

 

 

I displayed one of my vintage toy trucks, painted my brass lamp a funky turquoise and added my clock collection.  And all of a sudden it was bliss...pure decorating bliss.  All my favorite little things in one spot;)

 

 

I finally hung my BE tree (which had been sitting in a corner for two years) and added a new piece I'd been working on...dare to stand alone;)  Funny when I started that yellow farmhouse it was before I even knew about my yellow piano.  I didn't plan to put it in there.  I really didn't have a plan at all...but it looks perfect!

 

 

After it was all done I needed to revamp the room a bit, so I ran to Joann's IMMEDIATELY and bought some fabric to make pillows to tie it all together.  Cause that's how I roll remember;)  However my machine was not cooperating AT ALL...so I only got one made and I just pulled the rest from around the house.  Love the look though.  That one pillow made it;)

I have to say seeing that yellow piano makes me almost giddy.  The room glows.  It does!  It's happy and funky and suits me just perfectly. 

 I still have a little area I'm working on.  I'm thinking that lamp shade needs a redo, and the table needs a fresh coat of paint to pop...maybe turquoise;)??  I love pittering around the house.  It truly brings me joy changing things up.  Making them personal and mine. 

I promise I haven't forgotten about showing you the basement.  I have something I want to sew, and a thing I need to hang... It just takes time.

Be a blessing.

 

my shop is closed!!
seven weeks off;)
sales that made my heart explode
a yellow piano that glows
decorating bliss

pride, projects and WHITE walls!

Hello friends...It's almost been a week since I posted last!!!  Seriously that's like a record for me.  I feel like nothing is going on, but yet everything is going on all at once.  I haven't picked up my big girl camera in forever.  I don't really know how to use it with that new lens anyway;)  So instead of not posting anything I figured a few Instagram pics would do.  Is that okay??  I just assume you all have it, but I know that's not true.   If you don't sign up!  So FUN...my name...farmgirlpaints:)



We have been making progress on all the holiday stuff and got our gifts wrapped over the weekend.  I feel like maybe I'm the only person in blogland who does not enjoy wrapping gifts.  You are all posting gorgeous packages all tied up with string, and stamps and homemade cards and seriously I'm just thrilled if they get paper all the way around and don't rip before Christmas.  Is anybody with me??  Maybe it's the extreme agony of sitting on the floor for that long.  The achy joints and back pain that accompany gift wrapping.  Maybe I'm getting too old;)  OR I need a gift wrapping station!  HA!!  That would be a luxury.  Anyhoo I don't enjoy it.  Not even a little tiny bit...but my honey did make it fun...wink...wink;)

So I'm still taking orders.  The countdown is on.  My shop closes on the 15th and will stay closed until February....EEEEEKKK!!!  If you need something, want something, wish for something...tell me or have a loved one tell me.  I've got a couple of coupons out for 20% off...here and here.


Oh and that first pic is how I normally look when I create.  Nasty huh?  It's hard work being a Christmas elf...it just is;)  I know plenty of other Etsy women who look just like that.  I DO!  Now stop judgin'!!

Okay so I had a proud moment for my girlie this week.  She entered a PTA sponsored program at school with photography as one of the entries, and at the breakfast this week they announced she WON!  YAY Big chick!!!!  If you don't follow HER on Instagram you should.  My girl has a gift, and I'm not just saying this cause I'm her momma.  Go check her out and you'll know.  Her name is bigchick7. 

And last but not least...in the midst of cuff makin' madness I took a break.  GASP!  I know!!!  But we had two days in the mid-70's!!!  That's unheard of in DECEMBER!!!!!  Anyhoo I was outside in the flash of an eye with some projects that I thought would be a nightmare because I was going to have to handbrush them.  Turns out spay painting can also be a nightmare.  An entire swarm of gnats landed on my wet dresser.  We are talking around 200 mummified gnats glued to my dresser!!!!  Had a little panic moment but they came off and you just wait.  I'll show the end result soon enough.  It turned out gorgeous!!! 



Today I am taking another moment...because it's killing me and I'm painting my dark dungeon like basement WHITE!  I never in a million years thought I'd do that.  I'm a color girl.  It almost makes my heart hurt to do it.  Will I even see a difference as I paint the walls??  All that work and no immediate satisfaction:(  AAAAAARRRRRGGGGG!  Deep breaths.  It's gonna be great.  I have to keep telling myself that.  I have to do it.  The basement is so dark it needs me to do it.  So I will...I must!  Wish me luck:)




**OH and please continue to lift my Grandma and mom up in prayer.  She's lost 17 pounds since my mom and dad were out there a few weeks ago.  She's just stopped eating.  The staff says they usually do that in the end and maybe she has a week left.  My mom is doing pretty good, but the thought of her not hearing her mom's voice tell her she loves her or that she's praying for her hurts.  I can only imagine!!  Doesn't really matter how old they are does it.  Thank you for praying.  Praying helps SO much!

Have a blessed day. 

Love you girls...miss ya!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

900.  a homecoming waiting for my Grandma

901.  grace and peace that is waiting for my momma

902.  strength to get some to-do's done

903.  glorious weather

904.  talented children

905.  a honey that makes my heart skip a beat

906.  friends that make life better! 

 

 

 

farmy retreat & FMFF

Okay so remember back to when we had the house painted?  I screwed up big time in one room, and had it painted almost the identical color it already was.  Uh yeah...oops!  Kind of figured that out when I came in to check on the progress, and I couldn't tell where they had been.  Oh and the snickers and laughing in the corner was a tell too.  Finger pointing and remarks in Spanish that I couldn't translate made me fully aware they thought I was a goof.  And I was.  But it's hard to pick out colors for an entire house.  Girls I was in over my head!

Needless to say the spare bedroom was never my favorite room.  It was kind of thrown together and never really looked like me.  The walls were beige.  Beige!  So since I've been pinning black walls forever on Pinterest I decided to go bold and just go for it.   This color is called Gravel Grey by Benjamin Moore and it actually looks like a really dark navy versus grey.

Other than a wall color idea I really didn't have a game plan.  I had seen a yellow dresser at my sweet friend Alicia's house and kind of knew I wanted a bold yellow somewhere.  So a seed was planted and an old black dresser got a redo;)

I spray painted that bad boy bright yellow...scuffed the heck out of it with a palm sander, added some numbers and new knobs and now it's the BOMB.  I LOVE IT!  It just looks happy. 

I was also on the hunt for a long tall dresser.  Something to sit the TV on and display some pretties.  My friend Kim recommended a great antique store and told me to go asap.  I had been there before and had completely forgotten about it, but that's where I ended up finding this sweet piece. 

The next day I ran into Kim and told her about my find.  She starts telling me about the piece she had fallen in love with too.  Low and behold she whips out her phone and I had bought the exact piece she had her eye on.  I about died!  Seriously out of hundreds of pieces of furniture I picked the exact same piece.   

I felt bad painting it.  Knowing I was altering her beloved piece too.  The pressure was really on.  What if I screwed it up?  I ended up spray painting it and I usually never do that.  It was so much harder than I thought.  For some reason it started bubbling and dripping.  I guess I should stick to brushes;)   

In the end I glazed it with a metallic finish and painted the knobs silver. I love it. 
REALLY love it.

Usually when you start a room you have a plan....a jumping off point.  For me it's almost always bedding.  This time it was a piece of artwork.  I had a funky rooster painting that I seriously loved and wanted to incorporate turquoise, red, yellow, navy and white.  Good luck finding bedding that will fit into that color scheme.  I about fell over when I saw this duvet at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  It was happy dance time:)  It blends in beautifully and looks like I had it custom made.

It screams BECKY now.  I go in there and never want to leave.  Oh and I raised the bed too.  Made a world of difference.  It's my giddy, make me want to jump up and down room.  Gotta have one of those right?;)

******************************************************

So on to Feed My Family FRIDAY!!!  On vacation I had THE most amazing sandwich.  We are talking best sandwich I've ever EVER tasted.  We went to the Hotel Coronado on Coronado and ate at the Sheerwater Restaurant. This bad boy was $22.  Best money spent.  There had to be about that much crab meat there right?  Holy cow!!  Anyway it inspired me to find a good/healthy crab cake recipe.  On Pinterest I found one here.  I've changed it quite a bit, but it was my jumping off point.

You need:

16 ounces of lump crab meat.  I bought mine in a can.

1/2 cup of planko bread crumbs.  I used Ritz crackers instead.  I love Ritz.

1/4 cup chopped parsley.  I used chopped green onion instead.

1 egg

1/4 cup lite mayo

1/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning.  I used some crab leg seasoning I got on vacay in Gulf Shores, Alabama years ago.  Same difference.

Mix all the ingredients together.  Using an ice cream scoop make crab cakes and place on cookie sheet.  If preparing the same day refrigerate for at least an hour.  Heat a small amount of olive oil  in a large skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned.  SO GOOD...not quite as good as the Sheerwater but a winner:)





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Okay girls you know the drill.  Grab my button, link to your recipe URL, and let's feed our families:)

Have a blessed weekend.

546.  busch gardens today with my big chick

547.  honey's birthday weekend

548.  my book club girlies

549.  cupcakes in my near future

550.  crab cakes:)