Ribbon Girl DT - Lighting Transformation!

I have another renovation project to share today.  A light fitting I have customised using some of the leftover paint from my shoe cabinet makeover!

 Here is what it looked like before the makeover.  Not my style at all but unfortunately our house has very low ceilings, especially upstairs, and sadly it really limits our choice of light fittings.

 Here it is mid way through the transformation after I had sprayed it with gold spray paint!  I was tempted to leave it there as it looked better than the black already but wasn't quite distressed enough for me!

 I used Annie Sloane Chalk Paint in "Pure" and dry brushed it on to get a very distressed look.

Here and there I have added a touch of bronze with some Lustre Rub On paste.

Then came the fun part - sparkling it up!!  While hubby patiently held the light upright for me I added some gorgeous strands of pretty pink crystal hearts from The Ribbon Girl.

The gorgeous crystal strings are also from The Ribbon Girl.

 I hope you like it and thanks for looking! x

Shabby Shoe Cabinet

 I have something totally different to show you today!  I recently got myself some Annie Sloane chalk paint as I have been wanting to alter some of my unloved items of furniture for a long time and just haven't got around to it.  The shoe cabinet in our porch being one of these unloved items.  It was the only cabinet that would fit in the space and I was just not loving the faux pine at all!  I was so excited to get started on this project that I didn't even take a before photo lol.  If you want to see how it looked before the transformation it is this cabinet from Ikea.  I knew I wanted to put some sort of french script on the top compartment and finally found one I loved at The Graphics Fairy!!

 After reading up on some tutorials about how to transfer an image onto furniture I finally decided I'd try my luck with the quickest sounding one - i.e. one without me having to spend hours hand painting all the lettering!!  I used this tutorial here.  The photo above is when I'd just nervously peeled the backing off.  Oh my word all the paint and the transfer started lifting right off the cabinet!!  I managed to pat it back into place but as you can see it tore the transfer and the paint with it in various places - but I LOVE that it did that!!!!  It looks so distressed like someone has started to use a blow torch to remove the old paint!!  I sealed over the top of it and now it is held in position perfectly underneath the final two wax coats.

In fact, my favourite bit on the whole cabinet is where there is the great tear right through the word "Manufacture"!!!  This is only my second altered furniture project and already I'm hooked!!  The first one was a little bedside drawer unit but I put too much wax on and it needs to be redone.  I'm so pleased with how this turned out though seeing as it is only the second piece I've altered!  Watch this space as I'm now painting everything in sight!!  Thanks for looking! x