I love ASCP {Annie Sloan Chalk Paint}.  I love how it can be used on any surface.   And her waxes.  The dark wax is fast becoming my fav too!  Once I got over my uncertainty about using it.  Now I have to restrain myself from using it on everything in sight 😉

Over the True Woman Conference I attended recently I decided that my husband and I really needed to plan WEEKLY date nights.  I had also read this post just before I went to the conference, so it was already on my mind.  And though marriage wasn’t really the topic I listened to any over the weekend there were things that always brought me back to my marriage and my job as a mother.  So I decided we needed weekly date nights.  Hubby wasn’t quite so sure but I assured him that I was not intending for him to take me to expensive restaurants every week!  And that by planning on weekly we might actually get a couple a month!

Wednesday night we went to Arby’s for dinner then shopped at Goodwill and Lowes.  I think Travis was kind of regretting taking me to Goodwill.  You just never know – sometimes I find nothing.  This was not one of those times 😉  I found 2 HUGE pictures for just $6.99 each.  I debated.  I waffled.  Hubby was no help of course.  It was up to me.  The frames were wood.  They would be cool just for the frames.  Should I or shouldn’t I?  $6.99 each.  I should.  I did.  And I am so glad!

The Teenager was surprised when I said I was using this picture.  “It’s neat,” she said, “but it does NOT look like you.”  Might be that it consists of several colors that are not on the white end of the spectrum?!

Here is another ‘before’ shot – the lighting in my dining room isn’t the best for photos at night but this one shows the color a little better.

Here is a close-up of the frame.  Great detail but that gold stuff is not the kind of gold I like.

I started out with ASCP in paris grey on the main part of the frame.   I knew that wouldn’t look great with the picture, and I planned to put dark wax over it and if I still didn’t like it with the picture I planned to just use it as an empty frame.The smaller inner part of the frame I painted old white and left it to dry.  I did all this with the picture still in the frame, but decided for waxing I would need to separate the picture and the frame.  I took the empty frame outside to give it a good sanding – I wanted some of the wood to show so I would get some good texture from the different colors the dark wax would give it.  And discovered that the ugly stripes on the center pf the frame were paper and could be scraped off.  Nice I discovered that AFTER painting it!  Actually I think the paint is what made it start to come off.  I stripped and scraped and picked and – used a metal scratcher from the kitchen to get it all off.  Underneath was the original gold paint that I love.  I just dark waxed over the whole thing, after sanding the edges heavily.  It buffed out to a satiny smooth beautiful finish.  And the picture looks wonderful in it!

This picture is going to get a place of honor on my living room shelf this fall.  In a couple of months when the Christmas decor makes its appearance this might end up in the ‘to sell’ pile, but till then I plan to enjoy it.  As for the other picture I have plans for it too!

Here is the before.  The frame got its transformation today.  Pics and a full reveal of the other picture coming soon.  This picture is going to get turned into a chalkboard and I am so excited to get at it.  Might have to get out and get some paint tomorrow!

Today I visited the home where the wedding I’m helping photograph will be held.  The wedding is a week from tomorrow.  I can’t wait!  I think the bride feels the same way!

This old farmhouse has undergone some awesome restoration over the past 2 years.  It will be an awesome backdrop for a wedding.  There is still a lot to do to get it all finished but DIY projects are just like that.  I love the restored stairway and hardwood floors.  There is a fireplace in the downstairs sitting room and a darling small one  in an upstairs bedroom.  I will get more pics next week – for now I was just practicing to see what settings I wanted to use.

I’ve also worked on a dress for a friend this week.  Tomorrow I plan to make some more camera straps and hopefully finish that dress and start on a dress for another friend.  And I have a chair and ottoman that was just dropped off this week that are now waiting on their slip cover makeovers.  And I’m uploading some key chains to etsy.  The key chains have sat here patiently waiting for weeks now.  Did I ever tell you I can be the worlds biggest procrastinator?  Yeah, that would be me!

What did you do this week?

Sew a Fine Seam

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