Crazy-Busy-Year 2008!

Wow--what a crazy busy year 2008 was. I moved and I started a new fulltime job--all in 3-1/2 months!!!

My husband & I decided to downsize & sell our house so . . .
April 10 - met with the realtor for the first time and spent the next 4 weeks we spent the next 5 weeks ripping up carpet, cutting quarter round, taking down wallpaper, peel & sticking floors and painting 6 of our rooms
May 18 - the "for sale" sign went up
June 7 - 3 weeks later - Sold the house!
June 16 - signed lease for a cute little house to rent for a year with our 2 dogs and a creative workspace for me
Next 6 weeks - "purge" become my daily mantra
July 21 - Moved!
July 24 - settlement on old house
Whew--all that before the market became so brutal, thank goodness! Oh, and did I mention we had lived in our house for 24 years and I am "keeper of things" ('cause you never know when you need that special thing for a collage or a Halloween costume)!

As if I wasn't busy enough, throw into the mix:
June 11 - I picked up a part-time, temporary job at a senior center (the best job I ever had was my 10 years working at a senior center). One thing led to another and there I was,
July 3 - interviewing for the job of Center Director of Havertown Center.
July 28 - I started! It feels good to be working in the field of aging again. The icing on the cake is that I'm working with several very good friends.

So here it is, January 4, 2009 and I think I've caught my breath.

What does this mean for Bella Luna Studio? I'm still working on the answer to that question. I don't have the time flexibility to take on faux finishing jobs that I've had for the past 4 years. But I may still do smaller jobs. And, when I started Bella Luna Studio, my business plan included making floorcloths. I can still do that. It will be an intersting journey to see where 2009 leads me.

No Excuse!

If you haven't discovered Alyson B. Stanfield's ArtBiz Newsletter and Blog, you are missing out. Alyson gives great advice--clear and simple. She just finished her book, I'd rather be in the studio! The Artist's No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion and, although I haven't read it yet, I can guarantee it is jam packed with useful, practical information.

Alyson is marketing her book in the most creative way--a Blog Book Tour! Christine DeCamp's blog was a recent Blog Tour Stop. Go there and check out their discussion on networking.

Alyson's advice is always right on target. So, no excuse--I'm going to get her book!

Gorgeous Piece of Furniture

This Entertainment Center came out gorgeous (if I do say so myself!). The same client for whom I did the beautiful wet bar also had a huge, unfinished, custom built, entertainment center.



Again, she wanted a unique finish. The Great Room floor is an off-white travertine with a dark chocolate brown carpet inset in the middle. I painted the piece a dark, dark brown. I did a funky, yet sophisticated finish on the cabinet fronts. After painting the insets cream, I applied a crackle, which I pulled through after applying the dark brown paint. I finished with a black glaze. Lots of nooks and crannies in this piece, but it looks gorgeous!

Before It Happens...Part II

Yes, there will be a during and after 'cause it has happened already! Here is the before of a custom built, unfinished wet bar in a new home.

My client wanted something unique and interesting. One of the sample boards I showed was the Valentino board I did at the School of Italian Plasters booth at The Faux Event this past September.
This finish, with Arte`nova® products from Italy, is beautiful, but very pricey for this particular budget. Also at The Faux Event, I had taken a workshop with Ed Mattingly and had the chance to talk to him one-on-one about my business. Ed shared that he was promoting a new product at a Sherwin Williams store not far from where I lived. Of course, I went to his demo of ArmorFaux and Ed sent me a sample kit. ArmorFaux lets you create a simple travertine-style finish easily and quickly. My Sherwin Williams store manager tinted the base and I finished it with a Faux Effects® glaze. I think it worked out great. Here's my sample board:

And here is the completed piece.

The wet bar came out gorgeous and the client loves it.

It Didn't Happen Yet!

OK--It Didn't Happen. At least not yet. No progress has been made on my sister's room and it's on hold for a bit. Maybe I jinxed myself by posting Before It Happens before it actually happened! Hmmm--I think I'll wait until something already happens to post about the before, during and after. Stay tuned...

Before It Happens...

I'm working on sample boards to add a faux finish to my sister's family room. This is the before picture. One thing I must do in 2008 is learn to take good photos with my digital camera. Right now, I just leave it on auto and shoot away. Well, I just uploaded all my pictures from November and December (yes--I need a resolution to upload more frequently!) and none of the pictures I took of the two bathrooms I painted in November do the rooms justice. Lights in the room--on or off? How do you cut the glare on newly glazed walls? Take closeups or step back and use the zoon?

I will use the process of faux finishing my sister's room over the next few weeks as my own Digital Photography 101. Check back and see how the room changes and if I can teach myself to take decent photos.

Does anyone have any tips for me?

Happy 2008!

May this New Year bring lots of walls waiting to become more beautiful, furniture waiting to be transformed and faux finishes everywhere!