If you're considering a kitchen or furniture makeover, one of the most transformative and cost-effective ways to achieve a stunning result is by refinishing and repainting your kitchen cabinets and furniture.
In this blog post, we'll explore how refinishing and repainting can breathe new life into your home, providing a fresh and inviting space for you and your loved ones.
We'll also explore the benefits, process, and design possibilities of a newly refinished and repainted kitchen or furniture from our projects.
The Power of Refinishing: Refinishing your kitchen cabinets and surfaces is a cost-effective way to update your space without the need for a complete remodel. Whether your cabinets are worn, outdated, or just in need of a change, refinishing offers a wealth of options. The process involves removing the existing finish, repairing any damages, and applying a new finish or paint. With a multitude of finishes available, from classic stains to modern paint colors, you have the freedom to choose a style that suits your taste and complements your home's aesthetic.
Choosing the Perfect Color Palette: Repainting your kitchen walls can instantly transform the entire room. When selecting a color palette, consider the mood and atmosphere you want to create. Soft, neutral tones like cream, beige, or pale gray can make a small kitchen feel more spacious and provide a calming backdrop for your culinary adventures. On the other hand, bolder shades such as navy blue, forest green, or even a vibrant accent wall can add personality and make a statement. Don't be afraid to experiment with color to achieve the desired effect.
Enhancing with Accents: Once you've refinished your cabinets and painted the walls, it's time to enhance your newly refreshed kitchen with thoughtful accents. Upgrading your hardware, such as handles and knobs, can make a significant difference in the overall look and feel of your cabinets. Opt for sleek and modern finishes like brushed nickel or go for a timeless look with brass or bronze. Additionally, consider adding open shelving to display your favorite dishes or adding a backsplash that complements your new color scheme. These small touches can elevate the visual appeal of your kitchen and make it feel more personalized.
Lighting and Fixtures: Lighting plays a crucial role in any kitchen, both in terms of functionality and ambiance. Evaluate your current lighting situation and consider upgrading to fixtures that provide ample task lighting for cooking and food preparation. Pendant lights above the kitchen island or a chandelier over the dining area can add a touch of elegance. Don't forget to choose bulbs that emit warm, inviting light to create a cozy atmosphere during meal times.
Embracing Functional Design: A refinished and repainted kitchen offers an excellent opportunity to enhance the functionality of your space. Consider adding clever storage solutions like pull-out drawers, lazy Susans, or built-in spice racks to maximize your cabinet space and keep your kitchen organized. You may also want to upgrade your appliances to energy-efficient models that not only save you money but also contribute to a modern, streamlined look.
Conclusion: Refinishing and repainting your kitchen can revitalize the heart of your home, making it a space that inspires creativity and comfort. From refinishing cabinets to selecting the perfect color palette and adding thoughtful accents, every aspect of your kitchen makeover contributes to the overall transformation. Embrace the process and enjoy the journey as you create a space that reflects your personal style and becomes a favorite gathering spot for family and friends.
Deciding between a DIY approach and hiring professionals for the refinishing process depends on your skill level, time availability, and desired outcome.
Here at Grace on Broadway, we operate on a ten day schedule in our client's home for three-four days (one day to tear down, one day to prep, one day to spray, and one day to install). Prior to our scheduled start date we send our "Preparation checklist" this will help you get ready for our arrival.
Here at Grace on Broadway, we offer high end finishes for our customers. We can pick your pieces from your home and we can then deliver it back to you once we are done.
Pieces can be picked up and delivered
Customize
Refinished to last
We only use high quality materials produced to withstand harsh conditions. We believe in our materials and the companies that we partner with.
Passion for Refinishing
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Step 1 – Paint base color on the parts and let it dry. I used Caviar as my base color.
Step 2 – Align and place the silk screen stencil to your desired area.
Note – The adhesive on the stencil is very strong, if it's your 1st time using it, to lessen the adhesive, you can stick it 1st on a rag or towel before using it on your project.
Step 3 – Paint over your stencil and let it dry. I used Cotton by Dixie Belle Paint Company for the polka dot stencil here on my project.
Step 4 – Align and place your 3D Stencil.
Step 5 – To thicken the paint I used White Dixie Belle Mud and I mixed it with Peony by Dixie Belle to get a light pink colored paint.
Note - You can mix and match all sorts of colors using this method.
Step 6 – Spackle the mixed paint over the 3D stencil and let it dry.
Finish product
This method can also be applied to any kind of project, so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
Watch the full video tutorial for this project here
Matching the kind of picture frame can be a hassle for some, but it’s quite easy if you’re up for the challenge. Let me teach you how you can match and refresh your old picture frame with the help of your imagination and a jar of paint.
Let's turn your imagination into furniture art!
The Products that I used are as follows:
Step 1 – Remove all of the parts from the picture frame.
Step 2 – Paint base color on the parts and let it dry. I used Hurricane Gray as my base color on the picture frame and used French linen on the inner parts.
Part 3 - Paint Metallic Paint over the picture frame and let it dry. I basically did a drybrush, but maybe a little heavier than a typical drybrush.
Part 4 (optional) – Use a transfer on the picture frame glass.
Before
After
This method can also be applied to any kinds of project so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
Watch the full video tutorial for this project here
You'll learn everything you need from applying découpage to adding an antique touch to your design through this tutorial using a photo that's printed on regular paper using a laser jet copy machine.
Note: If you use an ink jet printer, the ink will bleed.
The Products that I used are as follows:
Step 1 – Prepare and cut your design.
Step 2 - Apply base paint on your project and let it dry. I layered Pine Cone and Kudzu for my base color because it complements the color of the design that I am going to use.
Step 3 – After the base paint is dry, apply a fair amount of topcoat on the portion with base paint on. I used Clear Coat Satin by Dixie Belle in this project.
Step 4 –Place the découpage around your project and cut any excess paper.
Note – If there are portions on your découpage that’s not adhering, just add topcoat below those portions and continue scraping the bubbles and wrinkles out.
Step 5 – Remove excess bubbles using your fingertips, foam, or even your Surf Prep rad pad.
Step 6 – Use Surf Prep Rad Pad or sanding grit to sand around the edges of the decoupage so that it appears to be the paper has been there all the time.
Note - It’s okay if the edges turn white after sanding because of the paper, the next step will fix those areas.
Step 7 – Apply a thin layer of Brown Wax around the edges where you sanded. I used Best Dang Wax by Dixie Belle.
Step 8 – Apply a layer of topcoat above the découpage to permanently seal it.
This method can also be applied to any kind of project, so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
Watch the full video tutorial for this project here
For starters, look at what I did in this Paper Mache Dress Form and grab all the ideas, or you can copy all that I did for your very own masterpiece! Just remember that its okay if it’s not perfect, trust me, nobody’s going to notice those imperfections.
Just enjoy the process!
The Products that I used are as follows:
Step 1 - Apply base paint on your project and let it dry. I used Peacock as my base color because it complements the color of the decoupage that I am going to use. This base color is also our guide to where we are going to place the decoupage later on.
Note - 1 coat is enough to the portion where you want to put a découpage on.
Step 2 – Prepare your Wood-U-Bend by painting over it and then pre heating it on a hot pan.
Step 3 – After the base paint is dry, apply a fair amount of topcoat on the portion with base paint on. I used Luster Protective Topcoat in this project.
Step 4 – Wrap the découpage around your project and cut any excess paper.
Note – If there are portions on your découpage that’s not adhering, just add topcoat below those portions and continue scraping the bubbles and wrinkles out.
Step 5 – Apply Wood Glue on the portion where you want to put the Wood-U-Bend or the Lace on.
Step 6 – Place the Wood-U-Bend and Lace carefully.
Note – You can use a heat gun to soften the Wood-U-Bend in case it will harden while you are placing it over your project. The heat gun will also help strengthen the bond of the wood glue and the Wood-U-Bend.
This method can also be applied to any kind of project, so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
Watch the full video tutorial for this project here
The Products that I used are as follows:
Step 1 – Cut the découpage using a razor blade for each glass panel. I used Sincere Vision Grace on Design Découpage in this project. It doesn’t have to be perfect but make sure it fits each panel. Its also a good idea to add a little bit of extra decoupage for each panel than not enough.
Step 2 - Apply topcoat on the glass surface. This will act like a glue for your decoupage. I used Clear Coat Satin by Eye Love Hue. Make sure to apply just enough clear coat on the surface because applying too much will make your decoupage soaked and fragile and might end up breaking.
Step 3 – Place the decoupage with the image facing forward on the glass surface with topcoat on and you can use your fingers, your Rad Pad's foam part or even the abrasive part, or your blue tool to smoothen the decoupage out and remove all the wrinkles and bubbles.
Note – If there are portions on your decoupage that’s not adhering, just add topcoat below those portions and continue scraping the bubbles and wrinkles out.
Just repeat the process for all of the glass panel and enjoy your new Stained Glass Window.
Finish Product
This method can also be applied to any kind of project, so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
Watch the full video tutorial for this project here
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The Products that I used are as follows:
Step 1 – Apply base color on your project and let it dry. I used Savannah Mist as my base color on my project.
Note - 1 coat is enough to the portion where you want to put the découpage on.
Step 2 – To achieve stripes in your project, you need a surface delicate tape to space out your secondary paint.
Step 3 – Paint another layer of base paint to the portion that you want to stripe and let it dry. This will make our lines super crisp because any paint that is going to bleed through is our base paint.
Step 4 – Paint your secondary color on the lines and let it dry before ripping the tape off. In my case, I used Rebel Yellow as my secondary color.
Step 5 - Even out the surface where you want to découpage using a surf prep rad pad or sanding paper. This will smoothen and even out the surface to avoid bubbles on your decoupage.
Note – Surf Prep Rad Pad is an abrasive with foam in the back which can be used to remove bubbles when applying découpage.
Step 6 – Apply topcoat on the portion where you want to place your découpage. This will act like a glue for your découpage. I used Clear Coat Satin by Dixie Belle. Make sure to apply just enough clear coat on the surface because applying too much will make your découpage too wet and fragile and might end up breaking.
Step 7 – Place the découpage on the surface with topcoat on and you can use your fingers, your Rad Pad's foam part or even the abrasive part, or your blue tool to smoothen the découpage out and remove all the wrinkles and bubbles.
Note – If there are portions on your découpage that’s not adhering, just add topcoat below those portions and continue scraping out the bubbles and wrinkles.
Step 8 – After the topcoat below the découpage is dry, apply a layer of topcoat above the découpage to permanently seal it.
Bonus Step – If you want to add metallic paint on your project, just sand the portion where you want to paint the metallics and you can use a tiny art brush or just your fingertip to paint them to your project. I prefer using my fingertip because it’s easier.
Finish Product
This method can also be applied to any kind of project, so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
Watch the full video tutorial for this project here
In today’s project, you’ll learn how to turn your everyday item into a beautiful Home Décor with the help of découpage! I’m going to use a cutting board for this project, and we are going to use the “iron on” method on a tissue or 10-pound découpage paper.
The reason why we use the “iron on” method for this découpage is because, a tissue or 10-pound paper is very thin, very fragile, and easy to crumple. If we use our traditional method, which is just flattening it with our hand or tool, there’s a chance that it will break.
The Products that I used are as follows:
Step 1 – Apply a single coat of paint in your project with a color that suits your découpage and let it dry. In my case I used “Drop Cloth” as my base color.
Step 2 – Sand your project using abrasive. I use Surf Prep Rad Pad on any project that needed sanding because its super convenient and easy to use.
Step 3 – Apply Topcoat. I used Clear Coat Satin for this project.
Step 4 – Let it dry or use a Heat gun to dry the topcoat quickly. In my case I used heat gun since I am recording live.
Step 5 – Place the découpage and put parchment paper at the top of the découpage to protect it from the iron.
Step 6 – Iron above the parchment paper. You can use the same mini iron that I used or you can use a regular non-steam iron in this step. The heat will reactivate the topcoat and it will bond with the découpage. My Iron is set to 3 – 4, which is 280 – 327 degrees or about 300 degrees.
Step 7 – Use abrasive on the edges to cut the découpage evenly and easily. Surf Prep Rad Pads did the trick easily.
Step 8 – After the reactivated topcoat is dry, apply another layer of topcoat above the découpage.
Finish product
This method can also be applied to any kind of project, so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
The products used for this project are as follows:
• Peacock - Gilding Jewels - Ms. Lillian's Chock Paint
• Southern Junkers Mother Nature - Miss Lillian’s NO WAX Chock Paint
• Malted - Ms. Lillian's Chock Paint
• Havana Roses - Grace on Design Decoupage Pack
• Wood Stain – Black
• Luster Protective Topcoat - Miss. Lillian's Chock Paint
Step 1 - The 1st thing that I did is staining the wooden quilted heart with Black Wood stain. I used black because I wanted each outline of my heart to be dark, you could choose any color that you would want your outline to be. Make sure that your stain is dry before moving on to step Two.
Step 2 - Align and cut the découpage paper using a razor blade so that we don’t have to worry later about wet paint.
Step 3 - Paint the all the strips of your quilt that you want. This can be in any order, or any colors you want. I used Peacock in the middle, Malted in the left strip, and Southern Junkers Mother Nature on the right. I painted carefully trying not to get too much color in the outline areas. However if you do no worries, once it’s dry just take a baby art brush and go over with a touch of black paint and voila all is well in the world!!
Step 4 - Use topcoat on the strip where you want to put the découpage on. You’ll want an even coverage that is just a touch above “thin”. Too much Top Coat will soak the paper and not enough will dry too quickly and won’t grab paper. So think of the three little bears you want that in between “just right”.
5th Step - Place the découpage on the strip with the topcoat on and use the blue flat tool to get the bubbles out as we work our paper down our strip.
Note - Just in case there’s parts of the découpage paper that didn’t stick while placing it, just add more topcoat to the board and keep applying the paper. Apply just as above using your blue tool to smooth out any bubbles.
6th Step - After the découpage is fixed in place and paper edges are dry, use your razor blade to cut the excess papers.
Finish Product
This method can also be applied to any kind of project, so be sure to explore and don’t be afraid to use what you learned here to make your very own furniture art!
Watch the full video tutorial for this project here
]]>#Replay #live #dixiebellepaintco #graceonbroadway
]]>Live! from the Belles and Beau Tour New Jersey Heather from Grace on Broadway gets LIVE with Hannah from SurfPrep Sanders SANDERS FOR EVERY APPLICATION SurfPrep offers both electric & air sanders. Watch this video to see which option is best for you! Keep in mind that we always recommend starting out with a Sanding System Kit if you haven’t use SurfPrep before.
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This piece was created as most of mine are with an amazing customer!! I love working with customers and getting to bring their vision to life!! I mean how cool is THAT!! I needed to find a dresser within specific measurements and nothing in the shop fit the bill... bummer!! Then I remembered my shipping crate has a few bedroom sets in it!! Doesn't everyone have shipping crates full of furniture in their yards???
Now that we have the dresser lets figure out design. "Grey but not grey.. Feminine but not too much.. Something extra but not too crazy.." All of this made total sense to me and help direct me through choices. With Dixie Belle Paint and all the other cool products available there's lots of choices! Let's start the process and see how this unfolds...
*** Disclosure***
I have added links to all of the products that I use and love to make it easier for you to duplicate the process. I do however get a small commission and/or retail some of the items. This keeps me in business producing and teaching and I am super grateful!!
Step One
This is ALWAYS step ONE. You must, must, must clean your furniture properly. Even if it looks clean.. even if it's from a clean house.. you MUST clean it! You are prepping your surface for paint adhesion. I use Dixie Belle's White Lightning cleaner. This product has some TSP in it and will seriously clean your piece. Pour warm water into your bucket and shake some white lightning mix about. I use a microfiber rag and clean down the piece well. I then use a clear clean water and a clean rag to wipe away any excess. Take off any hardware and give that a good clean also!
Step Two
Now you're clean and ready to paint!! This dresser had very little grit or grab so it was a perfect candidate for Dixie Belle's Slick Stick. This creates a surface for the paint to grab onto when the surface is naturally slick. It is not needed all the time, however it's a huge help in these situations!! Slick Stick is white and for this project that was ok, my plan was to sand down and see some of the white peaking through. To apply slick stick I just painted two thin coats. I use a cheaper brush for these products just out of habit to keep my good brushes for paint.
Step Three
Paint Time!!! I used my Dixie Belle Mini brush this one is my favorite. I painted the dresser with two coats of Savannah Mist. I choose to paint two coats because I wanted the Savannah mist to be more of a solid color on this piece.
Step Four
Time to Stencil!! I used the natural lines of the dresser to dictate my stencil placement and design. I choose Tea Rose Garden by ReDesign with Prima. These stencils stick to your piece and are SUPER simple for beginners. I made sure that my stencil was straight. I then stuck the stencil to the area that I wanted the design to be and rubbed it to make sure properly adhered. I use a premium chip brush from Dixie Belle when i stencil on larger stencils and pieces. I wanted the stencil color to compliment but also coordinate with the base color (Savannah Mist) so I chose Haint Blue.
To stencil put some of your paint on a paper plate. You need only a small amount of paint as the less you use the better your stencil will be. Put a touch of paint on your brush then dab brush on a clean space on the plate. This will take away a touch more paint and you'll be ready to stencil. Dab your brush on the stencil until then entire design is complete. You may choose to go over your stencil a few times with thin coats.
Once that strip was stenciled I then lined up the top of my next stencil strip with the bottom of my last to create the next section. I repeated this process until that entire section of dresser was complete. For the bottom drawers I choose to just use one strip down the center. You can see in this picture I thought about adding metallic buuuttttt I didn't like it so I sanded it off!! :)
Step Five
Time to sand!! I sand EVERY piece prior to sealing it. I find that this creates a smoother surface for whatever sealant I choose and a smoother more finished final product. My go to sanding products are always by Surfprep Sanding. I am thrilled that they now offer an option for hand sanding!! I use their R.A.D. Pads and they're amazing!! Flexible, Foam Backed, the abrasive is top notch and lasts FOREVER! The price point is a deal also especially since they will last longer, and work better than regular old sand paper. I know this paragraph sounds a bit extra but I genuinely LOVE this new product!!
Sand over the entire piece!! Yep even over the stencil. I used Super Fine R.A.D. pads. This softened the look of the stencil (and helped correct goof spots.. they became distressed spots!) It brought up the white from the slick stick and the natural wood to add dimension.
Step Six
Sealing.. Now Dixie Belle does not need to be sealed but I usually do. For this piece I used White Wax. I love that wax creates a soft smooth feeling (I am not so secretly obsessed with soft things) White wax also tends to soften the colors used as the white sticks in all the grains and a a bit on the surface. I use a t-shirt rag and get a bit of the wax on my rag and rub on. I also buff as I go and grab more wax as needed. Make sure to buff well when you're done.
Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax in White
Final Step!!!
Hardware is the final step but VERY important!! Think of hardware as your furniture's jewelry!! This piece had the original hardware was both pretty and odd spacing so saving them was crucial!! They needed updating for sure so I used Dixie Belle's Steel Magnolias Metallic paint. I cleaned hardware with White Lightning and then painted. Once Dry put the hardware back on!! Easy Peasy!!!
Congratulations You're Done with your project!!!
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In 2012, I was going through a divorce and I would become a single mother. Leaving the situation I was in was more necessary than it was a choice. I was scared out of my mind but resolute in that this is what must happen. It was time to go, time to leave and time for a better life. The task seemed beyond daunting, however I knew that I was far from the only single mom on the planet, if those ladies could handle it, then so could I!! The family that owned the house next door to my grandmother was getting ready to rent it out because Reuben had just passed away. I had been helping to do his grocery shopping and knew his son well. I called and explained my situation and said that I had no money but I would clean out the house, paint the walls and such in leau of security deposit and first months rent. He allowed me to move in and even let me keep and use whatever was left in the home. What a blessing this was, I had a safe home next to family.
My boys were One and Three at the time. Ty my three year old was going through some medical stuff and I had to continue to be a stay at home mom. Well this is where it got complicated for me... How on EARTH was I going to pay my bills and stay at home. I should mention that I had NO job and ONE month of the bills paid so, basically had 30 days to figure this out.
Weeks before I left I figured out that I could go to local auction houses and purchase items cheap and resell them!! Who knew!! This is where I managed to scrape together that first month of bills. Well now that I was on my own it was time to step it up!! I felt free, brave, strong, and absolutely terrified. I had never been a single mom, I had never been a business owner, and now I was both. I decided that day that I would work for myself from home it HAD to work. This way I could continue to be available to my boys and pay the bills.
I worked 7 days a week and at LEAST 10 hour days. I went to every auction, garage sale, estate sale started leaving cards and taking out ads letting people know I buy things. I would load up my grandfather and his landscape trailer on the weekends and hit local flea markets to sell my finds. During the week I would list everything I could on eBay. I would list items until the early hours of the mornings while my kids slept. I had zeroed in on Vintage clothes and had clothing racks and mannequins all over my tiny house!! Pretty soon my small car was not big enough and I need a mini van so that I didn't need to keep borrowing my grandfathers or forcing him to come with me to flea markets. I had also taken a space in a local Co-op to sell my vintage clothing and accessories it was doing well!! I was paying my bills!! On my own!! While working for myself from home just like I wanted! This was not easy and it required so much work but I was so very proud of myself . I was not going to be a statistic.
During this time I started dating this great guy named Eddie . He's great, funny, strong, and knows all the things about "stuff". Ed has a daughter and understood how hard it was to be a single parent. Eddie owned (and we still own) a clean out company he goes into home and helps families remove everything. I met him at one of my frequented auction houses. I often tell him I am the most expensive thing he got there! About year and a half into our relationship I was almost exclusively selling vintage clothes on eBay and he was selling his "stuff" from cleanouts to the auction houses. I had a GREAT idea!! Now most people have learned my ideas often aren't little. Let's get a store and we can both sell our stuff!! The boys are a bit older and I can do more. Truth be told I had already found the perfect store I just hadn't told him yet. Well Ed was not as excited as I was, not even a little bit. "Store's take work, and time, and money" Ugh..... Well I kept on him and he told me if you can get the rent down to $800 I'm in. So I should have been excited except the store I wanted was listed at $1200!!!! How was I ever going to get them to $800!! I'm stubborn. I called the realtor at least 2 or 3 times a month for months. One day while I was driving out of state headed to vacation with my boys (now 2 and 4) and my grandparents in the car I got a phone call. It was the realtor the owners of the property would like to talk. They may be interested in my offer!! I remember hanging up the phone and looking at my Nanny (Grace) in the passenger seat and around the car at my boys and Pop-Pop and I knew my life had just changed. I could feel it with every fiber of my being.
Well we met with the owners, we told them who we were, what our goals were and they agreed that we were worth the chance. Ed and I were thrilled, over the moon excited! This was a big step and it felt in every way like what we were meant to be doing. So within that month we opened our first shop called His & Hers.
I put the boys in daycare where they could learn and make friends (I could afford it!!) Half of the store was all my vintage clothes and accessories and the other was all of the items that Ed got with his cleanout company. Furniture, collectibles, nick-nacks you name it we had it!! I ran the store and had a few employees to help out. (Can you believe it I had employees!!)
I kept staring at all this boring brown wood furniture that Ed would bring in by the droves. It was solid and made well but it was UGLY!! Who is going to buy it?!?!? Why would they want it?? Half of my store was a sea of brown and it drove me crazy!!
That's right this is where I had another Great Idea!! I would paint some of the furniture! I had never done this before but Nanny had and how hard could it be?? I rounded up a few friends and a few small pieces of furniture on Nanny's back deck with a chalk paint that I found at a local hobby store . We were going to paint the day away and teach ourselves how to do this!! Well our creations were not wonderful and we hated the paint but it was a start!!
I was then on a mission.. I wanted to find a paint that was made in the USA, priced reasonable, with good sizes, fun colors and worked well. (tall order I know) I was going to find it and carry it in our store so people could buy furniture and paint and take home to paint themselves. I had zero interest in doing that painting thing again!! One afternoon I found myself calling a company in Florida called Dixie Belle the owner of the company got on the phone and we talked for what seemed like forever. I ordered her entire line that day and knew that this was the next big moment in our story. Little did I know how much this moment was going to change the entire course of my life but I knew it was big!!
We got our paint in and people wanted to know how to use it!! Sooo I had friends help me teach classes and paint furniture because I knew I could never paint furniture that people would want to buy!! I knew that I was not creative or artistic or good. All those terribly sad voices of self doubt kept echoing in my ear. The voices that tell you you should quit, that you're not good as others (I hadn't learned how to mute them yet) One day I was bored it was a sunny beautiful day and I picked up a brush. I painted a cute little table and even put a stencil on it and guess what it SOLD while i was painting it!!
So then I picked another piece and another and before I knew it I was painting almost every day. We also expanded that store into the store next door and kept growing our paint stock as Dixie Belle grew. We had regular customers and kept that store for 3 years. Then as life does things change..
It was time to all move in together!! We purchased Ed's childhood home in Pennsylvania. Our first year here we still had our NJ store but I kept driving by this shop... and I had another great idea!! I wanted to close the NJ store and open one in our downtown. I wanted to be close to the kids, I wanted to focus on the refinished furniture. Ed was hesitant but agreed and we sold all of our NJ inventory. I sold all my vintage clothes to two women who were single moms and looking for a start and as fitting as that full circle was man i cried. Those clothes were my freedom, they were the blood, sweat and tears that I built a life for my kids upon. It was time to close that chapter and open a new one no matter how bittersweet. A new life was waiting for us and a new store!!
This store was different and needed a new name. For all of these years (and many more in my life) my grandmother was the one who made sure that we were always ok. She helped in any way that she could, she watched the boys, she came over and helped me clean, she created projects with us. She was and is my rock, my safe place. So I knew that the store would bear her name Grace. The shop is on Broadway so it became Grace on Broadway.
Nanny is thrilled to have the store named after her and often visits and creates items for the shop. The store just as Nanny is has become my happy place (as I no longer need a safe one). Grace has become a place where many can come to paint, chat and just buy something pretty. It is where I go to create and reflect.
I have had the shop for 3 years now. I have grown in so many ways in this process. I am married now, this time very happily! Our Family is whole we have three kids Brandi, Tyler and Travis and a chocolate lab named Bruno.
My primary focus is paint and teaching in the industry and I absolutely adore it. I have a paint conference tour that I created with a wonderful group of people. These people were once online mentors who had no idea who I was. Now they're my family.
I have an online group created just to teach basics and fundamentals. I teach in workshops, online tutorials, in our shop one on one or in groups. I teach through private messages and facebook pages... I just teach and I LOVE it.
My whole story isn't alll here and there's things that probably could still be explained. Why did I pick my building... What work do I do in my community.. How did we come up with a vintage market .. How did the Belles and Beaus start... We will save those stories for another day.
I have grown to a point where I want to help other women who want to do what I did succeed. I want to empower, teach and help women grow. Everyone of us is capable of incredible things we just have to believe. We just have to have great ideas and reach for them with everything we have. Step by step if you work hard you will get there. You need just enough Grace for today.
]]>How my piece Maleficent came to be and how I created her. When I saw her I knew I had to have her.. Has that ever happened to you? I remember the moment clearly it was as if fate brought us together.
]]>Once she was delivered it was the end of the day and I had to wait to decide what to do. Sometimes that's best anyway as my imagination has time to wander!! I decided I wanted this piece to be darker than my normal work, almost moody but elegant. Aubergine a deep purple by Dixie Belle Paint Company fit the bill. Now I had a vision time to get started!!
I have included the products that I used with links. These are affiliate links and will not cost you any extra money. The small bit of commission that I get will help me to continue to create, write and teach.
Step One: Take everything out of drawers! There was A LOT in them. We found several well made cotton blankets, some pretty hair clips and 34 cents!! Score!! The drawers also had a liner that we made sure to remove.
Step Two: Clean with White Lightning by Dixie Belle. You will need two buckets of hot water and a tablespoon of white lightning cleaner. The cleaner is in powder form and will dissolve once mixed. I use a microfiber cloth to clean furniture as I think it grabs all the yucky stuff better. The water in your bucket will turn dark brown, the grosser the better!! That means you got all that ick off your furniture, It is super important to get your furniture as clean as possible for proper adhesion. Once you're satisfied that you have all the grime off the dresser you can take another microfiber rag and do a clean clear water wipe. This will get any additional dirt off as well as any of the remaining cleaner. Congratulations the boring part is done!!
Step Three: Finally time for paint to go on!! I did 2 full coats of Aubergine by Dixie Belle Paint. I use Dixie Belle synthetic brushes they're amazing and well worth the money! Aubergine went on really well with the first coat almost full coverage. I wanted to make sure that when I sanded back there was enough paint applied so it didn't distress with every swipe of the sandpaper, so I applied 2 full coats.
Step Four: I used my brand new Surfprep Sander to sand the top down. I hooked my sander to my shop vac and was able to sand IN MY STORE!!! This was an amazing moment for me!! Game changing.. No dust..no need to drag outside.. just sand!! Who knew!! This sander also has a foam pad that allows you to sand in raised and recessed area's with absolute ease! You can save 10% off your surfprep order using our code!! Next up I need a bigger shop vac and a longer hose, I attached links for the ones I am ordering.
www.surfprepsanding.com Code BELLES10
Step Five: Stain top with No Pain Gel Stain in Espresso by Dixie Belle Paint. It's a gorgeous dark brown almost black... remember she's moody!! Gel stain is oil based so make sure you're wearing gloves. I don't often follow the rules but with oil stain I tend to follow the wear gloves rule. If for nothing else I don't want to walk around with stained hands. I find that it is completely worth it to get the good disposable gloves. They won't break and they're not terrible to wear, once you're done BOOM straight in the garbage! No clean up!! I use a T-shirt Rag to wipe on the stain and another cleaner T-shirt rag to wipe it back.
Step Six: Time to sand!! I like to sand all of my work regardless of if I want a distressed look or not. This time I sanded by hand using 220 grit sand paper. I didn't want to come down to the wood tones so this is where that second coat of paint really came in handy. Thinking ahead can save you time later in the process. I find that pieces that are sanded soft feel more finished.
Step Seven: Use Best dang wax in black for the front, sides and mirror. I used a tshirt rag and wiped on as I buffed. You will not need a lot of the wax as it's one of those products where a little goes a long way!!
Step Seven: I was pondering what to do next. I loved that most of the piece was dark and moody however it needed something. I didn't want to add florals or decoupage as I was sitting on the floor pondering what to do next in comes Fed Ex. I was as excited as a kid on Christmas because I knew what was in the box!! It was all of Dixie Belle Paint Company's new products!! I used Howdy Do Hemp Oil for the top!! It was so easy peasy just a wipe on with a T-shirt rag and wipe back off with a clean one. Now that the top was nice and shiny what should I add to the front. Margaret and I stared at the five new metallic colors and settled on Steel Magnolias metallic for the accent areas and hardware!! Check out the difference between the original finish and the hardware painted with Steel Magnolias.
Once the hardware is back on She's done!! How do you know when it's done... You just do!! It's when you can sit back and smile all the way deep in your heart. You just know it's complete. When there is nothing else that can be added without taking away.
As I looked at her I also knew her name would be Maleficent!! With her colors and her curves she was fated to be created. " Don't let anyone steal your wings" Maleficent
Total Products used:
Dixie Belle White Lightning
Dixie Belle Aubergine
Dixie Belle Moonlight Metallic's Steel Magnolia
Dixie Belle No Pain Gel stain Espresso
Dixie Belle Howdy Do Hemp Oil
T-shirt rags
220 Sandpaper
Surfprep Sander
Dixie Belle Synthetic Paint Brushes
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