Red Door Signage

Honestly, sometimes it's hard to function when you are inspired. If you're anything like me, it takes over your life. You can't sleep. You can't focus. All you can think about is how you are going to channel this inspiration into something incredibly awesome. Then you make lists of all the awesome things you will accomplish. It's really quite distracting.

My recent inspiration is really a journey...

Inspiration Timeline

Last Week

I attended a conference and trade show for my "real" job. While I was excited to represent my org. and meet some new people, I was really looking forward to one exhibitor in particular: Annie Sloan Unfolded. I am completely blaming them for my recent restless nights and endless lists.

I eased into things slowly...taking a walk over to the display and checking out the samples.

Annie Sloan Unfolded Display

Before I knew it, I was signed up for a hands-on (hour long!) demo. I have the Paris Grey Chalk Paint...and I quickly learned that I've been misusing the paint and waxes incorrectly. I fell in love with the newest color, Provence.

Hands-on Painting Class

As you can see, I took it very seriously.

LOOOVE the new color: Provence.
This was achieved by letting the Chalk Paint dry and then wiping off with a damp cloth.

Monday

I walked away from the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint demos with a looong list of painting projects and a bag full of Chalk Paint samples. I immediately ran to the St. Louis stockist for a new brush and AS soft wax.
 

August 2011

It's hard to believe that we've been meaning to start Red Door Furniture Co. for nearly a year before we officially made the leap this spring. Here's a shot of Jeff with a door we found last year. He sanded off the old finish and stained it a dark brown. While the color looks beautiful, we bought this door not paying attention to how thin the main panel was.  Originally, we wanted to put glass only on the panel, but we were afraid it wasn't sturdy enough to support it. So, we dragged it down to the basement...

Today

One of the items on our to-do list is festival/fair signage. And, of course, we wanted a door! Since this guy won't make a great table and has been sitting in our basement for nearly a year, we knew it would be perfect.

I painted it with a couple layers of chalkboard paint (I also used the spray paint chalkboard paint, which I didn't really like). Then I put on a couple layers of Emperor's Silk by Annie Sloan.

Once it was dry, I used a couple of distressing techniques. From the on-hand demos, I learned that it is best to apply the clear wax before sanding. However, the STL stockist was out of the clear and I was impatient...so, I distressed with some 220 grit sandpaper. I also used a damp paper towel (which I liked best for this piece). Then, I applied a coat of the dark soft wax. The door feels like butter!

I absolutely love how it turned out. We are hoping to be vending at different festivals and fairs in the area, so having a chalkboard sign is going to let us personalize what we say for each venue.

Linking to Serenity Now, The Dedicated House, Domestically Speaking, Sweet Little Gals, 36th Avenue, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Shades of Amber

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