I know my thoughts are turning to fall when I buy stuff to make soup and warm colors creep into our neutral palette!

I did dry brush the cupboard this morning with both paint and glaze. I am not sure I added anything by doing those two additional steps. I did lighten it up a bit-but I think I liked it more looking a little more dirty-so probably another dry coat of glaze is in my near future. I took a few pictures of some of the goodies going into the Monticello front window on Tuesday. We are doing more of a "whole room look" which will be fun and a bit different for us [although not for Donna, as in her past life in L.A.-she was a very successful interior designer]. I will debut the final cupboard effort when we get it staged at Monticello.  Untill then-it's off to gather, clean and price the goodies leaving on the truck on Tuesday.

AGING THE CABINET

Okay-I put the first coat of RL tobacco glaze on the cupboard! After a few trial and errors, I figured out the technique I wanted to use. I have done this aging on small pieces that I have painted, but not one that is as large as this cabinet. After using a brush, damp rag and dry rag to smooth out the glaze, I ultimately decided to just use the brush. I found both the damp rag and dry rag took off too much glaze and effected the texture of the paint. So, I put the glaze on with the brush and let it set for a few minutes and then I went back over with a dry brush and used both vertical and horizontal strokes to work the glaze into the nooks and crannies of the cabinet. [Good thing I did not strip the paint down to the bare wood or I would not have gotten so much texture to the cupboard]. I am letting it dry then I plan to put a dry brush coat of straw over the glaze and then probably one more dry brush coat of stain. This is where I can get into trouble-and get a bit manic about how the aging looks. The good news is that it has to be done and dry and ready to go to Monticello this Tuesday-so not much more time to futz around. I do love the tobacco glaze and the next trip to Home Depot-I will bring home a quart of the sun bleached, teatime and smoke glazes to have ready to use on other projects!

THE DREADED PAINTED CUPBOARD

Okay-I have two coats of paint on the cupboard andI love the color. It's called straw basket. I used the new Behr paint with  primer built into it. I don't think it helped much as it is hard to cover a dark color with a lighter color with out at least three coats of paint. If I had used a primer and then painted-I still think I would be in for three coats of paint. If my Dad is looking down at me-he would probably say, "not a bad job". Then he would have said,"why didn't you sand the old paint down to the bare wood"? and I would say "because Dad-I didn't think I had to strip it down so close to the wood"! I think the dark red/brown paint hid more of the flaws from the previous paint jobs and the lighter color magnifies them. Bummer!!!! So I am off to walk the dogs,[procrastinate a little longer], sand and apply the third coat and go in search of a nicotine color glaze to finish the cupboard. I think Ralph Laren has that glaze-wish me luck!  

OH MY GOSH-SHE'S GOING TO PAINT

I can not believe I am about to embark on painting this old cupboard! Did your parents ever tell you if you could not do a job well-don't do the job at all. That's why I hate to paint. It is not in my nature to be a perfect painter and it stretches my patience to the limit trying to make my painting look good. Why did I not think about switching out the white chippy cabinet in my house for the barn yard red one before I put four samples of paint on it? That's me-always a day late and a dollar short in my thinking! We are doing the window at Monticello for the month of September and this red/brown cupboard would not have worked with the newly painted brown walls-so I said to myself-you can paint this girl-just remember what your Dad taught you to do and then do it the right way-not the fast way. So I am off to the garage to embark on the monumental task. I know all of you out there who love to paint are laughing out loud at my misery-I just hope the paint fairies are on my side to day! YIKES-I have to sand first-that is like fingernails on chalkboards-oh well - quit bemoaning your fate and go to work!! PS I have sanded and used steel wool #3 on the cabinet I have rubbed the cabinet down with a towel and then a tack cloth and finished one coat [I am thinking at least 3 coats] of paint. For now I am letting the paint cure until this evening and then I am going to use fine steel wool on the cabinet before putting on the next coat of paint.

A FABULOUS, WONDERFUL PARTY AT TARTE LAND

What a day we had on Saturday! The sun was out and the best and greatest customers [really friends] came to shop and spend time with us at Tarte Land. We had a blast and hope you did too! Thank you to all who came out to help to make this a special event. The BH boys and Natalie were of course there to give time and support. Natalie's vanilla cake was to die for-I had two pieces from a second cake she made on Friday. Erin's flowers and greenery helped make the barn and yard open and inviting. I never got any of the great muffins and scones she brought with her homemade jam as they flew off the trays- but I did eat her blueberry pie for breakfast and lunch on Saturday. What a jewel Erin is to have at the Land of Tarte. Carrie and Katherine came with two big baskets full of goodies to share with all of our friends-thank you so much for your thoughtfulness! Cindy, the Queen, Barry, the King and Kylie their darling daughter [the Princess of Tarte], again turned the barn and yard into a magical place to be. Linda and Ludmil from Willow Nest brought their special touch to the barn and yard as well. I loved Ludmil's wire sunflowers and metal art and I got from Linda, the most wonderful Christmas present for Donna. My hope is that I will to be able to keep it until Xmas-because I usually can't wait that long to give her something that I know she will love and cherish! Thank you all again-I can hardly wait until the September show!!!!

ANNIE, FANNIE AND ABIGAIL AT LAND OF TARTE-SNEAK PEAK

LAND OF TARTE BARN SALE

ANNIE, FANNIE AND ABIGAIL SALE

AT THE LAND OF TARTE BARN

20131 SOUTH END ROAD, OREGON CITY

SATRUDAY, AUGUST 22, 2009

9-2:00 PM

TIME GOT AWAY!

Well-time just got away from me before we headed out of town last week! I worked at the barn getting ready for the show this Saturday and did not take time out to blog and let you know that both Donna and I went out of town. Donna is in Yosemite until this Saturday and the Wizard and I flew to Chicago for our annual summer trip to see his family and to go to a CUBS game. We also ate our way through Chicago with deep dish pizza and the best Chicago dawgs-I could have rolled home instead of flying home. OINK! I see a lot of vegetables in my future.

WHERE DONNA CREATES PART 3

I am not sure what I love the most in Donna's studio-all of the shelves filled to the brim with small wonders or all of her boxes and containers that hold treasures and one of a kind objects. I think the boxes win out! There is nothing like digging through an old box to find that perfect little gem of a treasure to add to a special collection!