Gold Cross Updates

Another Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Project. I'm really becoming obsessed with this product! But you really couldn't tell, could you? ;^)

I bought these three crosses in Sedona during a girls weekend a few years back. I was leaning toward reds and maroons and golds for my living room decor. And of course the fleur de lis pattern caught my eye. I love a fleur de lis! 

So they'd been packed away for several years, never really finding a place in my house, until I'd pulled them out recently and realized they were in dire need of a new color. I decided to play with two colors for these crosses, Emperors Silk and Old White.

Being the new blogger I am, I forgot to take good before pics, so here is a pic of the side to give you an idea of the gold colors.

So I started on the largest of the three with Old White. I could tell much of the detail was being lost by painting only one color so I dry brushed with Emperors Silk.

I then moved on to the smaller two crosses. The first was done similar to the large cross.

The second started as the opposite, a full dose of Emperors Silk for the base. I let that dry and then dry brushed with Old white. The red on top of gold gave it a deep rusty red appearance.

Here they are side by side. It's amazing how vibrant the red is on one and muted on the other. Such a contrast.

Although I'm pleased with the finished product, I'm itching to paint them again. Perhaps the pale muted pink of Antoinette over Old White? I don't want them to be matchy-matchy, and would be open to splitting them up...  any suggestions?


<3 Sasha

Scandinavian Pink and Old Violet Picture Frame Re-do

Here's another picture frame makeover.

Finished Product <3

 I found this icky frame at Hobby Lobby for $10, marked down from $49 because it's in bad shape. The corners were very chipped and the the attachment to make it stand up was missing. 

Before Picture - Icky!!!

After I got it home I also noticed a large crack in the wood, but for $10 I don't really mind. I love the detail in the frame and knew it was just screaming for some help from ASCP. ;)  

Loved the viney pattern. 

Having just taken the Beginning Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshop at Green Table Gifts yesterday, I decided to do a color wash first. This was to preserve the detailed pattern. With the first picture frame I did, the Emperor's Silk Re-do, I realized how quickly the detail can be lost when using the paint full strength.That in mind, I started with my base color, Scandinavian Pink. 

Color Wash of  Scandinavian  Pink 

I did two coats of Pink, then moved on to one full strength coat of Old Violet.  Where the viney detail is, I decided to use a stippling technique (also learned in yesterday's class. Thank you Patty!), to preserve some of the pink color in the base of the scrolls. I also very lightly brushed from side to side on the top of the detail to only impart some color. I didn't want to go overboard here. 

Old Violet - almost finished!

 The next step was to take some fine grit sandpaper and gently remove some of the Old Violet to allow the Scandinavian Pink to peek through. 

Peek-a-boo Pink

When that was all done to my liking, I finished with the Clear Wax and buffed it to a shine.  I used a shoe polish brush and loved the result because it really got into all the little grooves to polish is up nicely.

I have to admit these two colors together are a bit out of my comfort zone, but thanks to the excellent advice from Patty, the teacher of yesterday's class and owner of Green Table Gifts,  about the combo, and her tip about the shoe polish brush, this picture frame now has a new lease on life. :)  


<3 Sasha