Fabulous DIY Do-Over with Wood Icing!

Seems not so long ago that I tucked myself behind a big desk five days a week and worked with insurance clients. Lucky for me that soon after I retired, I discovered that I had a hidden ability and penchant for do it yourself projects. Now it is a passion to take something painfully dated.....

to something absolutely fab!

Now working with different products has become a passion I can explore daily! Lucky me....but you can do it as well. This 1950-60s china hutch was a Salvation Army thrift store find. Solid, well built with interior lighting! My first approach was to use a wash effect on the exterior and music, crackle and gold gilding on the interior.

But not all first ideas work out over time. And while customers loved this Pure White with a Coco wash, no one was buying. But I couldn't part with the interior which was old sheet music wallpapered to the interior, then crackled and washed with gilding wax.

But after a couple years, I decided it was the perfect opportunity to show off a couple products. First, Wood Icing to create raised features on the exterior. Wood Icing is a brand that creates texture paste and glazes. The paste is excellent for repairs, such as filling in holes when you want to move hardware, missing veneer and cracks. We have even rebuilt corners of furniture that were chewed off by pets! It dries with a hard yet sandable texture making it perfect for sculpting, stenciling and more! So we pushed it through some selected stencils, sanded smooth then painted the entire china cabinet with Coco.

Then we used Pewter Metallic Foil by Artisan Enhancements to brighten up the old grill over the glass and the Wood Icing embelishments.

I love the final, formal effect of this piece. And all these products are easy to use and allow easy clean up! Just check out some of our workshops at www.tlcvintagecollection.com for upcoming classes and topics that may pique your interest! If I can DO this, so can you!

My Beautiful Haeger Pottery Piece

I remember the day I spotted her early on in my new junking career. She was sitting on a driveway in a north section of the city. I asked the woman what she knew about the grease and dust covered piece. The lady merely shrugged and said, "He left it behind and I'm getting rid of all his stuff." There was a piece of masking tape on her head:  $3. I had three dollars; it wasn't hard for her to go home with me.

There was something about the lines of this piece I couldn't get over. Being a youth of the '60s and '70s, all I could hear playing in my head was "Age of Aquarius." I still think of that song every time I look at her, happily displayed on my mantel though she doesn't really match the style of my room.

She was quite sticky with grime as she was an unglazed piece of ceramic and very porous. Lovingly I cleaned her with a soft toothbrush and baking soda. The grime came off leaving a soft bisque color. On the bottom was a silver Haeger pottery tag, marked 1985 copyright 6039. I google that information and came up pretty short. Plus she really didn't date from the era of the song -- a bit later.

My search came up with little except one untraceable photo of the same form in a standard pink Haeger glaze. But it was a dead-end. Today when I google the information, the first three Google entries lead me to this photo of mine that is on one of my Pinterest boards. But then I found an Ebay entry of  "Art Deco Lady's Head" that sold for $89.99 in 2014. Then another called a "Flying Woman's Head" sold earlier this year for $79.99 in a soft white glaze.

I've owned many smaller pieces of Haeger over the past five years that I've been in the vintage market. None has moved me as much as this piece. I've sold many vases in the soft white glaze: shapes of urns, shells, and animals. But this is the only unglazed piece that I have come across.

Early on, I discovered that the grooves and waves of her hair look amazing after the sun goes down. She sits on my mantle with the two can lights in the ceiling pouring soft light onto her. Her mystic quality entrances me whenever I enter the room at night.

After 145 years, Haeger Pottery in East Dundee, Illinois will close its doors next month. Citing an ungoing recession and a market deluged with inexpensive Asian ceramics, the family owned company will be no more. It has existed longer than my family farm in Iowa and the town I come from. I will think of this every time I turn over a piece of pottery and find the Haeger name. And now, each one of those will find its way to my store or my home. And my Aquarius lady will stay with me.

Funny how you can fall in love with a brand just from a $3 garage sale purchase. 

Exciting April Newsletter at TLC Vintage -- Annie Sloan in Person

You Can Meet Annie Sloan In Person!

We are working our way to the end-of-month visit by our very own  Annie Sloan, inventor of Chalk Paint!  TLC Vintage will host Annie throughout her stay where she will be with us at Junk Jubilee, April 29 and 30! And you can see Annie demo and have her sign one of her books for you. Here’s how!

Junk Jubilee is held in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. We will have a very large Annie Sloan booth #85 where Annie Sloan stockists (retailers) from around the state and as far as far away as California and Virginia will be available to answer your paint and decorating questions.

Our booth will feature our popular "One Can" production of an entire art deco bedroom set and a not-yet-revealed color mixed splash furniture piece!

Annie will hold two demos each of the first two days of the show in a conference room. Reserved seats (no fee except to get into Junk Jubilee) are available by contacting Junk Jubilee or your local stockists. The demo times are 11 am and 1:30 each day. Your name will be on a list to enter at your preferred time and it will be first-come first-served seating in the front half of the room. Plus book signing by Annie before and after in our booth!

We know you will enjoy Annie and her amazing knowledge of color and design as much as we do!

  

HELP FOR YOUR FAVORITE COMMUNITY CENTER – ACT NOW!

Project 25 is Annie Sloan’s initiative to transform a community rooms for neighborhoods or city centers around the world. In May, Annie will choose 25 projects where local stockists will help revamp a room using Annie’s donation of her materials – paint, floor lacquer, brushes and more! This is Annie’s way of giving back to communities where people have helped her success over the 25 year history of Chalk Paint®, which she developed in 1990 and expanded to US production and distribution in 2010. Call us to help you apply for an award! I have yet to hear from anyone locally that they have applied. Check out this link!

https://www.anniesloan.com/25project

What’s New at TLC Vintage?

Floor cloths – Did you know we sell material for floor cloths? Yep, we do! These are great to paint to your own style and colors, then seal with Annie Sloan’s Floor Lacquer. Uses? Anywhere you need to clean up often: in front of kitchen sink, inside a deck sliding door, under your pet’s dishes. Ask and we will show you how!

In-store Color Charts – We are retiring that old four-panel screen we used to use in the showroom and at events. Many of you have said how much you love the new 3’X8’ wall Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® color chart, plus boxes of color samples of each with dark wax. Now we are adding a display in the workshop to view during classes – made from a variety of silver and metal serving platters! And don't forget to ask to look at the 900+ colors we created by mixing each of the 32 colors 50-50 with all 31 other colors!

Chandeliers – We are known for our one-of-a-kind lighting in the shop. Remember all our chandeliers are for sale!

Shannon Martin Greeting Cards – We have some new versions of these cards that will continue to delight you! Plus magnets and sticky notes! That special little quirky item for a special friend on a birthday or just because…..

Tip of the Month

Spring has Sprung! My scheduled day off each week is Monday since we are open six days a week. How wonderful was this past Monday when I spent five hours raking, weeding and tidying up my flower garden! Some muscles have paid for it ever since! LOL. But it made me think that there are so many uses for Chalk Paint® outdoors! When you are cleaning out those used flower pots , why not refresh them with a brilliant color to pep up your deck? The key is to not use wax outdoors. Just paint and let age. You can paint terra cotta and resin pots – and I have even painted plastic. How about white washing some stones to border your flower beds with Old White? Be sure to power wash dirt and grime away first! Some people have power washed their decks then used any number of colors of Chalk Paint® to paint. Feel you need to seal that deck or picnic table? Consider using our Clear Topcoat Sealer by Artisan Enhancements. It works brilliantly over the paint and if you time it so that it does not get wet for two days, it becomes water proof. Even dye that fading sun umbrella with our paint – we can teach you how! Just ask!

Shared from Dini & Co, stockists in Ontario Canada

Workshop Schedule

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® 101 Plus!

Seven popular paint techniques plus clear and dark wax methods! $85 in advance.  Saturdays Noon to 3 pm. Everything provided plus refreshments.

Apr 2       May 7      Jun 4         Jul 2      Aug 6

Sep 10     Oct 1       Nov 5        Dec 3

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® 102 Extra!

Stencil, crackle and decoupage projects! Leave with three items you can use or gift! $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3 pm. Everything provided plus refreshments.

Apr 16               Jul 23             Oct 15

Chalk Paint® Kitchen Cabinets & Built-Ins! How to renew dated cabinets at a fraction of the cost without replacing them! We help you create your own prototype and style. $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3-4 pm. Everything provided plus refreshments

 May 14       Jul 16        Oct 8

Paint Your Own Piece!

Back by popular demand, bring a pre-approved furniture or décor piece that can easily be carried by you. We will help you carry out your ideas! $85 in advance includes paint/wax, brushes used in the workshop. Saturdays Noon to 3 pm

Apr 23        Jun 11        Sep 17

Wood Icing

Ice wood like you would ice a cake. Texture paste to add dimension to any surface! No one else is offering this product or class in Iowa. Two projects to take home. $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3-4 pm.

May 28            Aug 20            Oct 22

Artisan Enhancements Special Effects!

Make magic happen with special products that will razzle/dazzle. Two to 3 projects to take home. $85 in advance, Satudays Noon to 3-4 pm

 Jun 25            Sep 24

Rust & Patina
Choose a five letter word in advance for us to order the supplies. FAITH is popular. Or initial of family members. Learn five different techniques for iron, bronze and copper finishes. If you want letters other than FAITH,  you must book 2 weeks in advance so we can acquire materials. $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3 pm
Apr 9         Jun 18       Oct 29

Introduction to Milk Paint
A variety of applications for the use of Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint. Wax distress, layering, staining and more! $85 in advance Saturdays Noon to 3 pm.
May 21        Aug 27

Girls Night Out! Wine, Cheese, Paint Therapy!

Put together a group and spend 3 hours in the studio painting! Organize your group. Book it for $360 minimum for your group up to 8 people. Upcharges depending on materials. You bring the wine, we provide the cheese and paint!

Cancellation and No-show Policy: We maintain the right to refund your money or arrange for a different date if we do not have the 3-4 people  to make a class viable. If you are ill or weather prevents travel, you may reschedule to another date within six months. If your plans change, we need a two-week notice before the class date if you want to be rescheduled. Under two week,s there is no refund but if your spot is filled we will allow you to reschedule, otherwise your fee is forfeited.  Check website for schedule changes. www.tlcvintagecollection.com

TLC Vintage Newsletter -- March

Annie Sloan is Coming to Des Moines!

Our big news this today is that Annie Sloan, inventor of Chalk Paint® is coming to Des Moines! TLC Vintage will host Annie throughout her stay where she will be with us at Junk Jubilee, April 29 and 30!

Junk Jubilee is held in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. We will have a very large Annie Sloan booth #85 where Annie Sloan stockists (retailers) from around the state and as far as 200 miles from Des Moines will be available to answer your paint and decorating questions.

Annie will hold two demos each of the first two days of the show in a conference room. Reserved seats (no fee except to get into Junk Jubilee) are available by contacting Junk Jubilee or your local stockists. The demo times are 11 am and 1:30 each day. Your name will be on a list to enter at your preferred time.

We know you will enjoy Annie and her amazing knowledge of color and design as much as we do!

TLC Vintage at the new Des Moines Home and Outdoor Living Show

This week, TLC Vintage heads downtown for the all new Des Moines Home and Outdoor Living Show at the Iowa Events Center. Come and see HGTV’s The Property Brothers as well! Drew and Jonathan Scott are the show’s feature! We will be on the main aisle #120 and demo-ing paint almost all day everyday, March 11-13, Friday through Sunday. We will be selling Annie Sloan products at the show as well. Come see our displays of kitchen cabinet doors and our feature: The Bottomless Can of Paint! We have taken one can of Graphite to see how far it will go. As of today, we have painted a dresser, vanity and headboard with just a half a can of paint!

Tip of the Month

Save money and have a better looking piece of furniture! While working on this feature – The Bottomless Can of Paint – I realized why most people have trouble with Graphite looking streaky after applying wax. I think people are applying too much paint! Obviously, when demo-ing how far the paint will go, I have been using as little as possible. What I have found is that even we at the shop – even though we paint every day – are using more paint than we need to! My first coat is quick and thin, which dries quickly. For my second coat, I dip my brush into a little water then into the paint. It is more than enough and goes further and seems to have a more consistent thickness across the piece of furniture. The wax then looks perfectly consistent when applied!

ALL New Workshop Schedule

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® 101 Plus!

Seven popular paint techniques plus clear and dark wax methods! $85 in advance.  Saturdays Noon to 3 pm. Everything provided plus refreshments.

Apr 2       May 7      Jun 4         Jul 2      Aug 6

Sep 10     Oct 1       Nov 5        Dec 3

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® 102 Extra!

Stencil, crackle and decoupage projects! Leave with three items you can use or gift! $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3 pm. Everything provided plus refreshments.

Apr 16               Jul 23             Oct 15

Chalk Paint® Kitchen Cabinets & Built-Ins! How to renew dated cabinets at a fraction of the cost without replacing them! We help you create your own prototype and style. $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3-4 pm. Everything provided plus refreshments

Mar 19       May 14       Jul 16        Oct 8

Paint Your Own Piece!

Back by popular demand, bring a pre-approved furniture or décor piece that can easily be carried by you. We will help you carry out your ideas! $85 in advance includes paint/wax, brushes used in the workshop. Saturdays Noon to 3 pm

Apr 23        Jun 11        Sep 17

Wood Icing

Ice wood like you would ice a cake. Texture paste to add dimension to any surface! No one else is offering this product or class in Iowa. Two projects to take home. $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3-4 pm.

May 28            Aug 20            Oct 22

Artisan Enhancements Special Effects!

Make magic happen with special products that will razzle/dazzle. Two to 3 projects to take home. $85 in advance, Satudays Noon to 3-4 pm

Mar 26           Jun 25            Sep 24

Rust & Patina
Choose a five letter word in advance for us to order the supplies. FAITH is popular. Or initial of family members. Learn five different techniques for iron, bronze and copper finishes. $85 in advance. Saturdays Noon to 3 pm
Apr 9         Jun 18       Oct 29

Introduction to Milk Paint
A variety of applications for the use of Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint. Wax distress, layering, staining and more! $85 in advance Saturdays Noon to 3 pm.
May 21        Aug 27

Girls Night Out! Wine, Cheese, Paint Therapy!

Put together a group and spend 3 hours in the studio painting! Organize your group. Book it for $360 minimum for your group up to 8 people. Upcharges depending on materials. You bring the wine, we provide the cheese and paint!

Cancellation and No-show Policy: We maintain the right to refund your money or arrange for a different date if we do not have the 3-4 people  to make a class viable. If you are ill or weather prevents travel, you may reschedule to another date within six months. If your plans change, we need a two-week notice before the class date if you want to be rescheduled. Under two week,s there is no refund but if your spot is filled we will allow you to reschedule, otherwise your fee is forfeited.  Check website for schedule changes. www.tlcvintagecollection.com