Maison Blanche - La Craie

Just a quick post while I'm wrapped up

in my electric blanket on this frigid night in the Northwest.

Source

I have been getting ready for an upcoming event at the antique mall, 

Faded Elegance, 

where I have my dealer space.

My once semi-organized, marginally clean 

garage is quickly filling up with antique furniture and

accessories.

(I'm not complaining, I promise!)

As most of you can probably guess from my posts, 

I love painted furniture!  I have tried quite a few

different paint brands out there.

Recently, I've tried out the paint that Faded Elegance now carries:

Maison Blanche La Craie.

Here are my thoughts...

Loving the wax!

It is hands down the best out there.  A little goes 

a long way.

The paint is unique in that it will take longer 

to dry, allowing you to 'play' with it a bit once it is on your item you are painting.

This is helpful when dealing with antiques and pieces that need

a little more TLC.

Another difference with the paint is that it dries harder, 

which is an obvious benefit.   When you are taking 

the time to paint a piece of furniture, you also want it to be 

functional and able to withstand the wear and tear of everyday use.

After the paint dries completely, it is difficult to

'scratch', even before the wax has been applied.

Here's a before pic of a solid maple antique dresser I picked up.

Lovin' the new look...

Here's to another great tool out on the market to help us

breathe new life into old pieces that might

otherwise be forgotten.

Cheers to 

Maison Blanche La Craie

available at

Faded Elegance!

Have a great week!

Cheree

Why Do I Love Antiques?

This is the first week in over six years that I didn't start off my work week

at Nest Home & Gifts.  It's a big change, but one that I needed to make.

  I will always continue to love, support, shop 

and enjoy Nest, but I am eager to pour all my 

creative energy into With A Twist.

I love the antique industry and am learning new things

everyday.

The more I am around it, the more I learn to 

appreciate it.  All of it!

I had a dear friend come into Faded Elegance one day and

this is how she described it, "It's like walking through my childhood!"

That was such a sweet statement!

And so true!

Part of why I adore this business is the emotion

that is felt when an item brings up a memory from the past.  For example,

I saw a blue-green fabric suitcase on Monday and I stopped to take a close look.

I sent the pic to my sister asking if she recognized it.

Then a flood of emotion came over me...it was my barbie case from

when I was five-years-old.

I think it originally was an Avon case of some sort, but I, 

back in 1976, used it to carry my childhood treasures. The items

in the suitcase were actually  my mom and aunt's barbies and barbie clothes

from their childhood.

I could go on and on with similar experiences I have had 

over the past few years, but you get the gist.

Do you share my love of antiques?

If so, why?

I went into Faded this week with new resolve,

fresh eyes and was ready to create warmer, softer displays.

It's cold, wet and harsh outdoors and the contrast indoors is so

inviting...

My space took on a feminine flair when I rearranged

the silver/burlap painted white wood chairs,

added additional sheer panels, more crystal and silver bar ware

and strategically placed lamps to warm it up a bit.

I'm so in love with the new Maison Blanche chalk paint

that Kimberly is carrying at Faded Elegance.

I painted this buffet in Franciscan Grey.

I'm currently working on a dresser and chose a new color...

'Magnolia'.

It's a beautiful soft white.

Pics to come!

I spent this very rainy day cleaning and restocking.

It was so warm and cozy by the time I was done,

I didn't want to leave.

Playing with all of the silver and

crystal, makes me think of who enjoyed entertaining

with these pieces.  Do you ever think of that when

you are searching through antiques?  


I do! 

I am certain that this buffet will

find a good home soon!

I marked it down so I can bring in new stuff,

so the price is a steal!

I found this darling pink and white quilt, with

a white knit throw to soften up the dark

brass bed.  It would make for a sweet little girl's room.

When decorating with vintage and antique accessories,

bringing in a modern look like this boxwood topiary

works just fine.  Mix and match your favorites and

surround yourself with what you love. 

I just brought in this cool antique garden/tool box.

The possibilities are endless with this beauty!

Still available are a few of my upcycled fence wood

frames, word boxes and vintage doorknob hangers.

I also have a set of five chairs, and a few single

chairs kickin' around (graphite, ochre

and a really rustic white/light blue). 

To make my day even sweeter, I got to chat it up
with another dealer that is also upstairs at Faded,


Katie of Inspired By Ellee.

She can always brighten up my day :) 

 Hope you are inspired to do what you love!

Cheers!

Cheree

New Year, New Chalk Paint : Maison Blanche La Craie

Happy 2013!

A New Year to me means new beginnings,

a clean slate, and a chance

to renew.

Speaking of which, I've been working with a new product that

will help you re-new old furniture.

Introducing...

Maison Blanche La Craie Furniture Paint. 

This is a fairly new chalk paint line out on the market 

and can be found at

Faded Elegance, in Snohomish, Washington.

Here's the piece before... 

And, after...

 There is no prep work, so no worries

about sanding down imperfections before you paint.

If you choose to sand in between coats,

it is healthier for you than other brands out there (the dust

from some brands can be very unhealthy for you).

I even sanded inside and had very little clean up, which is nice

since its way too cold to be working outside.

This piece is now available at Faded Elegance!

The Maison Blanche wax is lovely!

It went on perfectly smooth and a little goes a long way. 

The paint and wax comes in a variety of colors, making it easy

to transform any piece of furniture.

I do believe....

I am a FAN!

If you are interested in purchasing Maison Blanche La Craie, 

you can do so by contacting Faded Elegance.

Happy Painting!

Cheree