Hi & Welcome!

Sorry it took so long to get another post up here, things have been a whirlwind lately, which is a good thing! I’ve been busy preparing my new retail space at The Shops at Suite Pieces for a grand opening in October, & I’ve learned that time management is not one of my strong suits.

I would like to tell you about my first furniture makeover using chalk paint.

Back in 2012 while out on K9 patrol I spotted a cedar hope chest made by the “Lane Co.” sitting out by the curb, it looked just like the one my sister Debi had which she refinished with a green antiquing glaze technique way back in the 70’s. Does any one remember that “glaze craze?” I was sure the chest would be gone by the time my shift ended, so I used the “phone a friend option” thankfully my sweet neighbors went & picked it up for me. Yay!

a little scratched up with some paint splatter but definitely Not Trash!

complete with “Moth Insurance” paperwork still attached inside & mfg date of 1939 stamped on bottom

I instantly knew what I was going to do with this awesome chest. It will be a gift for my niece/Godchild (Debi’s Daughter) Debi & her husband had moved to Hawaii in 2004 and sadly in 2005, we lost Debi to lung cancer. My niece mentioned to me she wished she had her mom’s green hope chest, now that she has a family and a home of her own, but knew shipping it back from Hawaii would be tremendously expensive & didn’t really want to take it away from her dad.

So I wanted to give this awesome curb find a trash to treasure overhaul. I had recently fell in love with some painted furniture pieces by Miss Mustard Seed I saw at Lucketts Spring Market. I watched all her tutorials online along with Shaunna’s over at Perfectly Imperfect, But I was still nervous to start. Self doubt settled in, this was a important gift. What if I messed it up? Then I discovered a new shop called “Suite Pieces”  which offered “Intro to Chalk Paint” workshops. I quickly signed up!

Amanda was a wonderfully encouraging instructor!  I met some lovely ladies, it was such a fun afternoon. I was instantly hooked on Chalk paint!

I chose Annie Sloan Antibes Green and then added a coat of clear wax 

followed by some dark wax  to tone down the green a little, & distressed with some fine grit sandpaper to give it more of time worn aged look

I completed the entire chest at the workshop. I thought it would be a week long project for me. Boy, I don’t know what I was thinking. I bought a outdoor cushion on clearance at Home depot to put on top, just in case she needed it to double as a bench

I just wish I had a picture of my sister’s hope chest to show you & compare the two side by side. it’s looks pretty similar.

To me this DIY project inspired by my own sister’s DIY project is much more than a wooden box, it’s a “Hope” Chest in the very traditional sense which contains the Love, Hope and Dreams parents (& Godparents) have for their child (Godchild). My heart was filled with joy when my niece told me she loved it!

Nowadays, hope chests have been replaced by in store & online bridal registries.  Does anyone still have a traditional hope chest which will be passed down to the next generation?   I certainly HOPE so 🙂

Oops! I almost forgot to put some paws in this post! This is Dixie 😉

Have A Good Day! 🙂

Diane