I hope you all are having a great summer!  Of course, after returning from market we were so exciting about our new products we just didn’t know where to start.  April is very busy with her window treatments and I am busy with floral design orders.  So, I wanted to show you something that I did before I went to market.  Unfortunately, for all of you, it sold at our last event, but I promise you, when we find some more pieces like this we’ll bring them to you.

I had been using this bench in the store to display products on, but wanted to do something really great with it. It had been well loved, and was so solid.  I know all of you wood lovers would die if you knew that was maple wood underneath.  Somehow, it just didn’t have the “pop” I wanted it to have.  I have been so infatuated with chalk paint, but the darkest color of chalk paint I could find was a “slate” colored paint.

So after making my own chalk paint, I saw why the chalk paint does not come in black.  The plaster of Paris that is in the black paint gives it a gray look.  I loved the feel of the finish, but I wanted it to be black.  After a little deliberation, I decided to paint it black over the top of the chalk paint.  I loved the feel of it and the smooth look was quite astonishing to me.  It almost felt like velvet. And the black color was more than I had ever dreamed it would be.  From now on, I will use my chalk paint as a primer because of the result I received.

I painted it and distressed the arms and back and a little of the leg.

Then my husband cut a board, put holes in it to attach it to the bench, covered it with a very nice piece of foam, and added the black and cream checkered fabric.

TA-DA (Is that how you write the word for “It’s done and I love it?”)

And just as a side note, I saw this fabric and I fell in love with it.  Right–you guessed it–I loved it on this bench.  It
adds that “Pop” of color we are all wanting after 10 years of monochromatic color schemes.  This fabric is really fun and you’re going to be seeing more and more fabrics like this popping up on furniture everywhere–taking our color schemes to another level.  YAY!

Well, that was fun.  Now we want to invite you to our Warehouse Sale and Open House on July 13 from 9 to 5, and July 14 from 9 to 3.  Note–we are opening an hour earlier for this event.  All wall art will be 25% off as well as other mark downs in the store area.  And, in the warehouse area, everything is 50% off.

By the way, I am trying a new recipe I found on Pinterest for lemonade.  Hope you can come and try our lemon treats.

– Debbie