Just because it's small doesn't mean it's easier to Paint

Wow, it's been awhile. I've been busy painting, among other things. Remember this:

Well look at her now........

This was incredibly labor-intensive, due to my perfectionist 
need to paint almost every nook and cranny.

The only areas not painted 

are the bottom of the chest, 

and the backs of each drawer.

I used 2 of my favorite Annie Sloan

chalk paint colors - Provence blue and Versailles.

I thought they'd marry well to the bright

retro gold drawer lining.

So many details on this piece,

to paint, sand, and wax.

I even painted the tiny pulls. Oy.

I finished off the details with hints of gold wax, 
just to highlight the contours.

I painted 2 small accent tables in the time

it took me to paint this piece.


I really love how this turned out,
and I've listed it in my Etsy shop.

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@MagiaMiaEtsy

Wicked Wishes!

Photo Courtesy Warner Bros


Double Double Toil and Trouble
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble
Something Wicked This Way Comes!


Wishing you a Witchy and Ghostly All Hallows' Eve!

Lucy, you got some paintin' to do....

Some goodies I've acquired recently, 

and I will be waving my magic paint brush

 over all of them with a little chalk paint. 

How stinkin' cute is this? 

It's a jewelry chest, 

and looks very much like those

large retro consoles all the

hep cats have right now.

Not sure how I wanna paint this.

It might be cute if I only paint the outside,

leaving the wood bare on the inside.

I do like that you can hang it,

stand it on a tabletop,

or lay it flat for tiny supplies.

Charming bones on this beautiful

Old World primitive magazine holder.

I think it would double nicely

for storing kindling.

Oh the color possibilities are endless.

What to do, what to do.......

Join me on Saturday, November 19th, 

at the Plucky Maidens show,

to see how these lovelies turned out!

Buried Under Stars

I've been M.I.A. as of late, but I have a good excuse. My one-woman atelier has been very busy with a custom order of 30 Christmas tree ornaments.

While 30 ornaments may not seem like much,

I am a stickler for details.

I first began selling this burlap star design 

a couple years ago on Etsy. 

I had a box of antique ink pen nibs 

that I hadn't yet found a use for.

Once I combined them with old bingo cards and burlap,

there was no stopping me.

Finishing touches of German glass glittered stars,

Lametta silver tinsel, and just the right gunmetal chain,

make for a perfect mix of rustic elegance 

and Steampunk industrial

The glass glitter and Lametta tinsel 

will both tarnish over time,

bringing harmony to all the components.

This is a newer version, 

using a Dresden star with an Amber rhinestone,

making this less rustic, and more Steampunk.

Never satisfied with just one design, as I get bored easily,

I created a version of this map design last year.

This time, I stamped the direction letters,

making it look more like a compass rose.

The backing star is decoupaged in

wrinkled tissue paper, giving it the look

of Old World leather or parchment.

My newest design for this custom order 

is the use of old dictionary paper.

At a glance, this collection of stars may look like simple crafting, with some cutting and gluing. While that's technically true, these are surprisingly labor-intensive, with lots of cutting, adhering pen nibs one at a time, 3 different types of glue, 3 different layers of alcohol ink, attaching connector tags and chains, lots of varnish, etcetera, etcetera.......

While I am happy with these creations, 

I can safely say that.......

I was not built for mass-production.

I am an Idea girl, 

and my hands cannot keep up with 

the daily inspiration swirling in my head!

Join Me on Instagram

@MagiaMiaEtsy

Linking To:

In Memoriam

We've become so accustomed to technology, 

that few take the time to 

appreciate and acknowledge 

the genius that conceived a new idea. 

To witness a Leonardo da Vinci in our lifetime

 is a rare gift.

To the Creative ones, 

the Inventors, 

the Nonconformists, 

the Visionaries, 

the Pioneers..

You Inspire Me.

RIP Steve Jobs.....Gone too soon.

Halloween Homage

This may sound blasphemous to all the Christmas lovers out there, but Autumn and Halloween are my favorite season and holiday. Perhaps part of the reason is that I live in Oregon, where our Fall scenery is so conducive to the blustery day, mystical mood of the season. I'm not saying I don't enjoy the Christmas season, but October holds a special magic for me. Time for scary movies, changing leaves, foggy mornings, Halloween candy, and costume parties. What's not to love? 

Every year, in honor of my love for Halloween, I hand-paint a bowl for display or to hold Trick-or-Treat candy. This year I decided to go with an understated look for 

my favorite day of the year.

This was one of those vintage salad bowls made in Japan. 

Blonde wood, with an uniremarkable grain.

It had some stains inside, and no amount of sanding

would remove it. So I had no choice but to paint the inside,

then glaze in several layers to color-match

the outside, and to add faux wood grain throughout, 

for more visual interest.

I painted a large 31 inside, with smaller numerals around the outside rim. I alternated 3's and 1's, so that you can read them as 31's or 13's, just to play with superstition.

 Definitely a sophisticated bit of whimsy for 

my Halloween fix.

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@MagiaMiaEtsy

Sometimes More IS Better

Well, it's been almost 2 months since I started using Annie Sloan's chalk paint. Although I've only tackled small projects, I've come to really appreciate how well it covers, and its ease of distressing. I haven't mixed any custom colors yet, because I'm still enjoying the merit of Annie's original colors. 

As I peruse sites showing Old World European interiors and furnishings, I have discovered the great authenticity in Annie's color potions. Although each shade is fabulous on its own, the real magic, when morphing a run-of-the-mill piece into a time-worn treasure, comes when you layer the colors. I've used one, then two, and now 3 colors on one piece.....Magical......

Before, the finish of this wood shelf was a dark red-brown, so it made a great base color for the 3 paint color choices. 

I started with Arles, then Olive, and finally Provence.

The really time-consuming part was painting and distressing all the inner scrolled surfaces, but it was so worth the effort. I love the color combo so much that I only used clear wax, so as not to alter the shades. 

You can't conjure this magic with spray paint!

I can't wait to use these colors on a piece of furniture, though I may have trouble letting go of it, I'm quite sure......

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@MagiaMiaEtsy