Gilding Wax with Annie Sloan Paints

This weekend I decided to shop the small business owners along the the Jersey beach communities....They have been through so much since super storm sandy hit...

 One of my favorite spots is in Point Pleasant Beach Magnolia Lane Designs 

I really wasn't in need of any additional paints...but I can always find something that I can use....

I decided to buy a jar of Silver Gilding wax for the latest project that I am working on.... The gilding comes in Silver, Gold and Bronze.....I can't wait to experiment with the gilding wax...I will keep you posted!

Follow the link from Maison Decor for some great examples of their gilding projects!

 Visit Shore Chicy Designs  

or call us at 917-699-1262 

Happy Holidays!!

Tiffany Side Table

I picked up this table at a garage sale in Island Heights New Jersey prior to Sandy hitting the area....I loved the look of her... however she sat in the garage since September....I was waiting for motivation....well it finally came....








Here is a sneak preview of what I have started to do with her... two toned; Annie Sloans Provence and Graphite.  I pick up these great knobs at Anthropologie  for a more whimsical look....I still have some work to do on it...but could not wait to show you what Tiffany was looking like.  She will be ready for sale by the weekend if you are looking for a gift (my coffee cup not included)

Priced at $150.00 we do except all major credit cards...

If you have a piece of furniture that you would like to have redone for the holidays....give us a call at
917-699-1262 or if you are looking for a piece, visit our website at www.shorechicydesigns.com 

After Sandy Project

Well, its has been tough mentally to try to get motivated after the Super Storm Sandy....as I await for various workers to show up at the house to repair various flood damaged issues .....

When we purchased this home this piece of furniture was upstairs.  It is obviously handmade and lined in cedar ...and ugly as sin..... but very practical... I've used it as a linen closet and most recently changed it to my work cabinet, holding files, paper, supplies all behind closed doors.








I decided to give it a make over while being held captive.  I choose Annie Sloan's Old Ochre for the base.  I then decided to kick it up and add some stripes.....I painted the stripes with Annie Sloan's Coco...

I measured out 2 inches with a pencil and applied painter's tape

Tape Removed

I decided to paint a decorative key hole for where I will  place the new knobs.

I finished it off with a coat of clear wax and a bit of a dark wax .. I still need to sand and buff...along with applying the new knobs....but at least I was productive today....

If you would like to rehab some of the pieces that may have gotten damaged from the storm, or need a face lift, I would be happy to help...visit us at www.shorechicydesigns.com  or our sister company harmonizehomes.com  or call us at 917-699-1262

The monster Sandy produced a lot of treasures on the curb

From our bedroom window the morning after October 30th

This is my first post in weeks....My house sits about 50' from the Barnegat Bay in Toms River, New Jersey - 5 miles outside of the barrier island where Seaside Park, Seaside Heights, Ortley Beach was called home to many vacationers during the summer months.....I'm sure you have seen photo's of the destroyed area...

A neighbor's house

Once the water receded..in our neighbor hood many people started cleaning out...the treasures that were being discarded ....it really was so sad....and what was worst, is that I could not rescue them.....my truck was lost in the flood...so I had no means of hauling  the items back to a safe house...Actually, I don't really think that I could have done that even if I had a truck.....I just  needed a little humor to help me deal with the daily sighting of ones treasures now on a heap of garbage....

Thrift Shops Finds

Since we're about to be hunkered down at home for the next two days, I'm glad I was able to get out to a local thrift shop and find this cute cabinet which is actually three pieces...I have just photographed the top  portion.    I brought it to my house to work in anticipation of Sandy coming ashore..... 

I would recommend you visiting your local hospital thrift shops!  The hospitals benefit from your purchases and so do you...Happy Painting!

Shore Chicy Giveaway Event at the Cottage!!!!

We hope you will all be able to stop by at some point during the weekend!  Don't forget if you bring a nonperishable item for "Your Grandmother's Cupboard" your name will be entered for a raffle drawing for one of Shore Chicy's Designs.

Research on Trends in NYC....yes there is chalk paint

Any time you set foot in NYC it wreaks energy and creativity...Shore Chicy Designs hits the streets walking through Bryant Park

It was early in the work day for many...and I was fortunate to be able to take on the beauty. I then head to Union Square on my way to ABC Home furnishing at 888 Broadway..http://www.abchome.com/ If you have never visited this store it is a destination site for sure....Union square was supporting their green market on Wednesday...which is also worth the trip

The market is filled with fresh vegetables, plants and baked goods...it is fun to see local chefs running around finding the freshest ingredients..

can you believe the size of these radishes??? Okay, off to ABC...up to the 5th floor...the building and architecture is worth the trip...So this is what is hot...

I thought this was a great idea of inserting the wire mesh...the colors that I saw were very similar to Annie Sloan's Chalk - the combo Paris Grey and Old White Paint.

This Red and Green chippy look..can be easily achieve by Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint

This vendor had many lovely items with matching price tags... I even like this company's name tags located on the back of each piece...The company name is Eloquence...

They are a California Based company. You can get some great ideas...from this site... Even Ralph Lauren has a section of painted furniture...he uses the chippy look also

All of his pieces seemed to be rehabbed....but again the price tag is nothing that I could ever afford..After a few hours of wondering around ABC and Union square, I headed to SoHo...for some lunch...found this great restaurant outside dining available ..The name is Isola located on 9 Crosby Street (The Mondrian Soho Hotel)....A must visit...check out the glass shelves above the dinning area..

What an amazing idea!!! And the Chandlers that lined the bar were also amazing..

I have to apologize for the quality of pictures...I only had my I-phone with me....Take the trip and see what others are doing... If you want more details on my journey..in box me (Shore Chicy Designs) and I can provide you with more information....I hope you enjoyed my research...on what is hot in painted furniture...

Craft Show

The Shore Chicy Design crew started at 6:00AM on Saturday Morning ....a cup of coffee was poured and off to the work shop and cottage to pick up some pieces. The weather was beautiful...a bit of crispness to the air on the first day of autumn.

Allaire Historical State Park in Wall New Jersey Once the truck and car was packed the excitement of the day began...we really didn't know what to expect as it was our first show...we brought a few pieces leaving the larger ones behind.

We had ordered these great leather tags(from cocosheaven)for our pieces which I thought just added an additional individual look to each of the pieces... (etsy.com/shop/cocosheaven)

We put up our sign and we were in business....almost all of out chalk boards went....and some many people had so many different ideas on the uses of these boards...which was fun to hear.

I worked on a few pieces during the show...and this piece really was a hit...it left the show just as i finished sanding.. here it is just painted at the cottage...

This piece was the most fun....as far as the interaction...the wife liked it the husband just walked away, there were a few others that were very interested in it...but just were not sure, then someone took it as I finished the sanding...I hadn't even replaced the mirror...so I would have to say that it was the most talked about piece.. I would like to give a shout out to Nicole Romano who purchased one of my favorite versatile pieces

Nicole was so sweet, thank you for commenting on Shore Chicy's Blog page...

I will be in Island Heights this weekend with a few remaining pieces...They will be having a town wide garage sale...I will be located on 113 Central Avenue...so stop on by....

So Many Vases So Little Time...

As you may remember from yesterday's posting, I was so excited about the beautiful vases...So yesterday I began my journey to several thrift shores,,,$12.00 later I had all of these vases at my workshop...along with the jewels.....It was a great way to finish up the tiny bits of paint that are left at the bottom of the cans...I added some distilled water and painted away...  I thought they would be a great addition to a show that I will be doing at Allaire Village in Wall New Jersey - See link below... http://www.allairevillage.org/events/description/Crafters.html It will be my first show there, and I'm very excited... I hope you will enjoy the pictures...let me know what you think...

Some many uses for chalk paint

This morning while I was looking through some of the posts of the day, I came across this one by:www.facebook.com/pages/DisNdatVINTAGE/18600666476852 - It was so beautiful I had to share it with all of you....Now how cleaver is this....We all have vases that we have received from FTD, 1-800-flowers....that we have saved...why not paint the outside with your fav color and use them. Thank You DisNatVINTAGE from Butler PA. Shore Chicy Designs will be turning some vases into works of art...

Rubbish Rack Rehabbed

I found this rack where la petite table was found ...just around the corner from my house....Wasn't sure if I could save this one...but I went for it...

unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of what this poor rack looked like prior....to starting the painting process....She was painted in a spring egg blue....black markings...with a sad looking heart carved out of the top...I glued a wooden carved medallion over the heart for a totally different look. I used Annie Sloan Cream colored paint and dark wax.... This refurbish rack is just looking for a new home...I will be selling her and other pieces at the Island Heights Sail Feast on September 8th...Stop by and say hello..

la petite desk

As promised I have finished the little desk we will call Claudette.....She is pretty in pink....Actually it is a dressing table.  She will not make it to market as my grand daughter Mia has claimed her as her new desk.  I tried some new techniques with Annie Sloan's Chalk paint and really did like the results....Annie's paints are so forgiving...you really can do no wrong....First I used....1 part Scandinavian Pink and 2 parts Old White 

Old Whit

Scandinavia Pink

Which created this color which is a nice soft pink...  I then rubbed on some old white with a rag along with some french linen

French Linen

The results were amazing... I finished it off with an additional coat of clear wax....hand rubbed until it was smooth as silk... I had so much fun completing this project.

Chalk Paint Crackle Project

My works shop has become a haven for mosquito's...  I had to relocate to my back yard in order to work on the pieces that I will be needing for my first show on September 8th......so I am using a spare bedroom for storage....

Having so much fun working with Annie Sloan's paint .....Most of the frame's will become chalk boards....which can be used in the kitchen, offices and bedrooms....One of my favorite effect was creating crackle....this can simply be done by applying one coat and letting it dry....then applying a second heavy coat making sure that you apply in one direction and assuring that you do not go over those stokes but once..the molecules in the paint are not to be disturbed.....immediately afterwards hitting it up with a hair dryer.  The crackle comes out beautiful after applying the dark wax... This paint is all about having fun !!!

There is nothing wrong with garbage picking

Part of the fun of using chalk paint is finding new items to paint.....While on my way back from my studio....I came across this piece on the side of the road... I was so excited, as you can imagine....  I had actually just made a trip to Magnolia Lane Designs in Point Pleasant New Jersey to purchase some supplies....I love the color of Scandinavian Pink by Annie Sloan  which I was going to use on another piece...I think it will be perfect...Since the piece was in great condition I started painting immediately...  I mixed it with 2 parts Old White and one part Scandinavian Pink....

Here is the beginning of the painting process....I will blog on the process of the dressing table named Claudette....

Le Petite Charlotte Table

I saw this table at a local Estate Sale its a Mahogany Turned Spindle Parlor Table......I couldn't pass it up, it was just too cute...I decided to paint it a french linen.  I then transported it to my studio where I inadvertently started to paint it a Paris Grey.

 I so need to get some better light in there or start reading the can's...What is amazing about Annie Sloan's paint is that no matter what you do,it comes out great...Yes it was a mistake, but I went with it....I then decided to use a dark wax, removing most of it....I sanded the top to reveal some of the French Linen.  I sanded some parts to show a tiny bit of the Mahogany....

I hand polished the top and legs with the clear wax...the results were stunning....the top feels like silk...

The important thing to remember when working with Annie Sloan Paints is to have fun, relax and just go with the results....Its a one of a kind piece...