Blue Opaline Karma

  How did I end up with two blue opaline chandeliers?

It was karma~

Do you believe in karma? 

I had been to Betsy Speert's house and she had this beautiful blue chandy

hanging in her dining room! I snapped this pic that day and then wrote about

it on the blog....one day I got a package in the mail and inside was a 

collection of blue opaline parts~enough to create the chandelier of my dreams!

 It came as a gift from "the other Betsy"~a blog reader who

 follows Maison Decor and we had become friendly through 

email as we shared many similar likes~she had TWO blue opaline chandies as well

as sconces that she was not using and she wanted to GIVE me the opaline parts!! 

Yes, Betsy gave them to me~she wrapped them all up and 

sent them to my house with a pretty Christmas card too.

 The next morning in my PJs I set to making my blue chandelier~

 It was so thrilling! I loved it!! I was beyond happy~

it felt like Santa Claus did exist in our grown up world afterall.....

and then a month or so later I got an email from someone looking 

to sell their antique blue opaline chandelier that was their mothers~

she had died and they were settling her estate.  Was I interested?  

Oh my!!  Of course I was interested~so I gave them

 my best offer and it was a sealed and signed deal!

 The chandelier arrived in a big brown box haphazardly packed....

They let their furniture movers pack this baby up!! Eee Gads! 

 I was hoping there was no breakage.  But there was~ 

one broken prism, and a cracked bobeche.  

 Still it was lighter than air and on a frame that looked like 

Cinderella's carriage. And not only did I 'buy the chandelier....

 Their mother had loved blue opaline too and had amassed a 

collection of glassware and other bits as well as a 

matching pair of sconces! Woo hoo!!

 It was the Blue Opaline Motherload! 

And it was all mine!!

 Mr. Maison Decor hung the chandy with care and his wife was in heaven~!

 Many photo ops ensued~I was totally digging the pale aquamarine glass.

 It looked good with white and it looked pretty with pink~

 My living room chandy now had a big sister~

and you could see them from one room looking into

 the next.  It is so pretty and I was feeling very 

grateful for how these two chandeliers came into my possession.

I would soon paint my Mora to match in pale blue~

 I bought aquamarine candlesticks to match~

 This was my idea of heaven.....

so when I got an email yesterday from a lady, 

asking me if she knew where she could get a prism 

as she had suffered a broken one~well I knew her pain.

 She got this antique blue opaline chandy in France 

and was told it was from the late 1800s.  

She had her electrician go to install it and he BROKE 

one of the prisms!!! ARGH!!!! They don't make 

these anymore...or at least if they do 

I haven't found a vendor...and they aren't 150 years old either.

 I asked her if she had the measurements and a photo...

so she sent me these.  Well the other Betsy had

 given me enough drops so that I had 3 extras. 

 I used one for my broken prism, 

and I had two spares left in my coveted stash.   

So as karma dictates one of my prisms from Betsy 

will go to Tricia now so her chandelier can be complete.

Don't you just love karma?

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Antiqued, Pink and Gilded=Gorgeous

 We had a fun time in Sunday's Annie Sloan Introductory Workshop.

I had ten ladies join me for the class and this is one of the things

I taught them all~how to create an antiqued molding using Chalk Paint™

decorative paint and French Gilding Wax.  

 We started by using the Crackle technique on the molding board~see all
the cracks in the wood?  The fancy picture frame molding was the inspiration for this simpler piece of molding~but it yielded the same stunning results.

 After I taught them the Crackle Technique, I had them apply Annie Sloan™ Clear Wax followed by her Dark Wax to give it an aged look and to highlight
all the cracks and lines on the sample.  But we weren't finished yet....

We used our fingertips and added King Gold gilding wax to the edges of the molding to created a pretty antique feminine french look.  Just imagine doing this to a large wood frame around a chalk board, picture frame or on cabinets and doors!

Another sample board we created was showing how to make

a rustic effect using irregular brush strokes and then applying the 

Dark Wax for exposing the texture.  The class used Old Ochre Chalk Paint™ 

followed by Dark Wax straight up~it looked like leather.

We played with Gilder's Paste in Antique Gold which has a coppery

look to it~we rubbed it into areas of  the leathery Rustic Technique sample board.  This would make an awesome furniture finish!

By adding an extra step using metallics you are able to enhance

your furniture and cabinetry projects with ease.

There were other techniques taught during the Introductory Workshop too.

But as you can see~Introductory doesn't mean Basic, Simple or Beginner...

You learn some awesome tricks using Annie Sloan's techniques

that she has taught all of us Stockists!  So find a Stockist near you by 

visiting AnnieSloanUnfolded.com to take a workshop if you would

like to learn this kind of stuff.  

Of course if you are nearby, 

I'd love to have you join me~!

Check out our workshop lineup right here at

http://shopmaisondecor.com/collections/paint-workshops

You can also find the Gilding Wax at my online shop.

The Gilding Pastes will be added tomorrow~

Happy Painting!!

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Shabby Chic Chateau Armoire

 Source unknown

This image is all over the internet~I have always loved it

and the elements in it give the room its style.

Imagine the room without the armoire hutch....it wouldn't

be the same.  Some things make a statement, and I have

just added a piece to my shop that fits in that category!

 Chateau Armoire, custom made and done a limed pecky cypress finish.

It towers above the armoire next to it~at 7 1/2 feet tall its quite the beast!

Did you ever wonder how these things end up in shops....take a peek.

 I had to hire a couple of extra guys just to off load it 

from the truck to the shop.  Justin, on the right, came out to 

the Malden shop to help me get this piece in. 

They all listen as Picker Paul gives out instructions

to how they are going to move this massive 350 pound piece. 

 Paul is at the far end while the three guys handle 

the base and slowly slide it off the truck.

 It gets into a standing position and then they have to hustle it into the shop~

Paul is barking out the orders and all seems to be going smoothly.

(Insert grunting noises here)

 Once in the shop some adjustments are made and voila~

 Paul stands next to the piece to try to show the scale of it~he is 6'3.
Paul went to the auction and he tried to tell me this might not be the piece to get
due to its massive size~and the potential damage to his back!  But I am in love
with anything French or Gustavian in nature and this piece just had to come to Maison Decor!  It was custom made and is the highest quality.  Its in excellent
shape and ready to transform a room with it's elegant French country style.

Here you can see the limed wood with the pecky look~yummy!

www.shopmaisondecor.com

Come on down and take a look before its gone~!

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Furniture~when to paint ? The before and afters!

 Sometimes I have a dilemma about whether to paint a piece of furniture.

This is one such case~I would not think twice, normally, but in this case the set 

has this pretty french artwork that was applied to the entire set. A graceful

embellishment of a white rose in a medallion with flourishes~I love this look!

 The gentlemen's wardrobe has the medallions 

on each door and the surface finish is in overall very good condition~

 However the pretty bed with the wrapped style footboard, 

also bearing the medallions on both head and footboard 

has wear marks~so what's a painter girl to do?? 

 I am pondering this set at the moment and next week

 will make a decision~so while I ponder, 

let's take a peek at some painted befores and afters~

 This secretary was the first piece I ever used Chalk Paint™ on and 

although it was a newer piece, I had grown tired of the decorative paint job.

 This is the result of the paint job~

I was very happy I painted this piece!

 Many people have these newer traditional sets done in 

a cherry or mahogany finish. Nothing wrong with the finish at all, 

but a client wanted the Shabby Chic look for her bedroom set.  

 The set is now finished in Old White Chalk Paint™ 

and lightly distressed.  It completely changed the look 

and feel of this from stately and traditional to cottage style.

 My favorite transformation was this medium wood toned 

bedroom set.  It had nice lines and lots of details

 and I just knew this would come out spectacular!

 It was painted in French Linen and finished with a 

dry brush technique to give it a high end look~

no distressing at all.  Just pure gorgeousness!

This is how I imagine the antique bedroom set with the

 medallion artwork looking~all soft and pretty and sophisticated.  

When it comes to painting furniture its up to YOU to decide 

if its best for the piece.  

Although I'll admit, sometimes it is hard to decide!

In the case of damage its easy to make the call~

how could this not be an improvement after all?

 This old oak chest with fabulous hardware just looked old, tired and worn out.

With two coats of Graphite Chalk Paint™ and a light distressing

 it sold in our Boston shop within 48 hours!  

Do you have a piece you are torn about painting? 

 I will be making my mind up on the pretty antique bedroom set~

but I think I know which way I am leaning!  

You can view our new additions to our two stores right here! 

We add vintage furniture pieces weekly at www.shopmaisondecor.com

I am getting a massive Shabby Chic armoire delivered to my 

Malden Store at the end of the day~if you are local and have been

looking for such a statement piece, come by and check it out!

It will be listed by tomorrow with all the particulars,

but as with all my pieces, while authentic and of great quality

I price as low as I can to get it sold.  Just compare my prices,

you will be happy you did.

My helper Damon and I have been busy.....
cause the MILK PAINT has finally arrived and will be
shipped out today and tomorrow!~
Thanks for your patience!

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