NEW BEAUTIFUL PAINTING TECHNIQUES
Take a good look at this beautiful piece of painted wood. No, it’s not old. I painted it a couple of weeks ago. Creating this amazing piece was so much easier than you could ever imagine. I’m here to tell you that EVERYONE that is reading this can create a paint finish this gorgeous! I have so many exciting things to tell you and beautiful finishes to show you! I am thrilled to have worked with Amy Howard from Amy Howard At Home. I learned so so much and I’m anxious to share what I learned with you!
14 bloggers (me included) went to Memphis the beginning of November and spent a few days being treated like royalty, touring and eating (Memphis bbq is the best), meeting Amy and Gene Howard and their delightful staff and spending a day at her amazing workshop learning about Amy Howard paints and her philosophy of painting and so many GORGEOUS painting techniques.
Here’s our class! Gene Howard is the second from the left in the front row. I’m second from the left in the second row and Amy Howard is standing next to me! Peeking from behind me to to left is one of my very best friend’s Anita from Cedar Hill Farmhouse.
After my eye opening visit to Amy’s my goal is to educate and encourage you to save cast off pieces of furniture and give them a new and gorgeous life using the painting techniques I have learned! I know you are up to it! If I can do it… so can you!
Here are the painting finishes we learned… and the ones I want to pass on to you!
The piece below was painted with Amy Howard One Step. One Step is a chalk type paint that you don’t need to sand because it is so smooth. It also does not need a coat of wax over it. It’s really something very special. Amy Howard One Step can now we purchased at Ace Hardware stores.
The top and bottom of this sample board were gold leafed. REAL gold leaf! I am now sorta obsessed with “leafing”. It’s easy and the real deal! And look at the finish…SIGH!
Wouldn’t you love to do this to? I’ll show you how in January! Our first project will use Amy Howard’s One Step Paint.
Here’s a little homework assignment for you… find a piece you would like to paint. It could be something you have or something you find for little money. Maybe a small chair or a mirror or frame? Something that needs a second chance… that needs new life breathed into it!
I’ll be doing a diy post using the ONE STEP method transforming an old bookshelf. So, be looking for a piece you want to do too along with me!
You also might want to choose your paint color and purchase Amy Howard One Step paint from your local Ace Hardware store. The only prep needed is to clean your piece with Simple Green cleaner.
As we finish one piece and master the technique we will move to another technique… like TOSCANA! This finish is absolutely breathtaking!!!! It has a real European antique quality. And yes, that is more gold leafing. Doesn’t it look worn with age?
Look at this swoon-worthy board… Please take an extra few seconds to take in the subtlety of this piece! This is not an old piece. I actually created it… did I mention that?
I’ll be painting my mahogany rice carved bed with an Linen using the Toscana technique. I just can’t wait to teach this technique to you!
The next technique is CRACKED PATINA…
Could you ever guess that this was not a gorgeous, old painted piece? Another technique I’m very excited to teach you! Just think of what you can do with this finish? SIGH!!!!
We are not only going to transform wood. We are going to also transform metal. This gorgeous ZINC looking piece started out as a 22 gauge piece of shiny, galvanized metal. Look what a little zinc solution did to it…
How many years would metal have to sit out in the elements to attain this patina? I created it in about 10 minutes and then let it dry.
For this project I’m planning to find and paint a chest or side table and then have a galvanized metal top made for it. I’ll show you how so you can do it too!
And how about PAINTING FABRIC? This stunning, luminescent fabric was once just a plain piece of ivory cloth. Now it’s a soft cloth imbedded with mica and is spill proof!
I’ll be covering a chair with fabric using this technique. The photo does not do this piece justice. It is so rich and looks so expensive!
I hope you are excited to learn. I know you can do it. I’ll be with you all the way!
Let’s infuse love and new life into the things we have and beauty into our homes! And do it on a budget!
If you have not read PRACTICALLY SPEAKING… LET’S TALK, I hope you will. It’s about loving ourselves, our homes, not comparing and things I learned by meeting the kind, generous and so talented Amy Howard!
Amy is having an AMY HOWARD AT HOME HOLIDAY LIVE WEBINAR on December 3rd. She will show us how to warm up our homes for the holidays. You can register HERE. I’ve registered and can’t wait!
You can follow me on Pinterest and see what I’m pinning daily HERE.
Hi
This is exciting! Did you mean simple green cleaner? Or is there also a ” Simply green”. Thank you. For the clarification!
Simple Green. sorry! Thanks for letting me know the correct name.
Can’t wait to learn. I’ve got some volunteers just waiting for some pizazz!
You’ve hooked me! I adore the finish and the gold leaf. I am ready to tackle a poor, tired wooden piece and make it beautiful again. Thanks for giving us a chance to find our item to paint! Looking forward to your posts Yvonne. Have a happy, meaningful time with your family next week!
Fun Post! I’ve been wanting to know about painting fabric. I can never find purses that are interesting and artsy enough. If you can paint upholstery and it’s durable, I would think you could add some pizzaz to a boring purse. Thanks!
What a fabulous idea, Janie!
Interesting post for all those wanna be crafters……cant wait to see more. You have soon many talents, wish we were neighbors 🙂
I love Stone Gable website! Your pics and dĂ©cor are SO Classy! They have a timeless and Expensive look (although that is the great thing-they don’t Have to cost a lot of $$). As an older lady who knows what elegant and classy looks like-I feel right at home on your website—-even though I Know you all are much younger;;;;hahaha…
I enjoy learning about your and some of you commenters’ ideas and thoughts!! Have a great day everyone!
So happy you are enjoying StoneGable! And age is a matter of the mind… much of the time.
Love Amy Howard’s paints. Does our local Ace have it yet I wonder? I have a mirror waiting to be transformed. Happy Thanksgiving! Linda
This will be so exciting!! Can’t wait! Thank you for sharing!
Yvonne, would this be a formidable paint to use on my kitchen cabinets that are golden oak at the present moment?
I love the looks of this. I have a mirror to start small, but would this be something I could use on my china hutch?
I just enjoy your blog and your stories so much they usually make me smile! I can not wait to see & use this new paint always looking for something a little better with less work. Count me in and keep the good ideas flowing. Thank You!
Love your blog! So many beautiful ideas. Where did you find the snowflakes on the stands? I see them is many of your photos and absolutely love them!
these little snowflakes have become very popular! They come from a local shop called OLD CANDLE BARN. Here is there site: Â http://www.oldcandlebarn.com/. You can probably call them and have them send some if they have them in stock. Hope this helps.
A couple of weeks ago I found a vintage wooden high chair. It was the kind where the tray lifts up and over the child. But the tray was not attached and would need some work to attach and get working again. So it was a great price like 3 cups of pumpkin latte price. It still has some paint left on it, a soft yellow. So I bought it then headed to my ACE and bought my first AH chalk paint in Natural. This will be my new project. Anxious to work with it.
Sounds fabulous!
It was a great class and I had so much fun hanging out with you.
Right back at you!
BEAUTIFUL Finishes!!! Love them all, and I can not wait to see what you do! They are all very lovely, Yvonne!
Looks like some cool techniques. Tried to sign up for the Webinar but I couldn’t without a store number and none of the Ace Hardware stores in my area, that I could find in the store locator, gave numbers. Problematic hitch.
Call a store and ask for their store number.
I’ve been wanting to paint my 35 year old cherry highboy and now I think this will inspire me. Especially since you are painting a mahogany rice bed!
The first project I’m doing is for something small. Let’s save your cherry highboy for the next project, when I introduce Toscana!
So excited to plan for this project. Thank you for such innovative, as well as good sense plan s of action. Blessings on this Thanksgiving Day.
Looking forward to it!!
Aarhus post was awesome! So looking forward to the other post using these painting techniques.
Your samples were awesome.. Florida1 sounds so fun and cute??
Have a blessed day.
Dear Yvonne, it was such a pleasure to get to know you a bit during our Memphis trip – I just wish we could have all hung out for at least a week!
I have loved your blog since I found it and am so inspired by it. I wish I could figure out how to post every day like you 🙂
My first Amy Howard products are on the way, and I can’t wait to paint our green cupboard.
Keep up the wonderful work, my friend!
Dagmar ~ Dagmar’s Home
So beautiful!!! Where do you find molding like the one you used for your samples? I would love to purchase some of that or somethin similar to it for a bed frame in our master bedroom. But none of the Hardware stores near me carry that wide wonderful molding! Any suggestions on where I might find 8′ to 16′ pieces??? Any info would be welcome!
You might look on line!