Teacups to Tables STEP FOUR FINAL

STEP FOUR FINAL is having me try to find the best pictures.  Layering is a miracle way of painting.  Remember I said do not look at the pattern as a whole, but layer the pattern  with the lightest colors first.  OH JOY!!!  Get excited with me. I am so pleased how this turned out. 

 My teacup and my table now completed.  I am very happy with how this turned out. I took a close up to show how very imperfect this is. Go ahead look very very close at this.  Layering of each color transfers the pattern without even really trying.  I took each color and moved it around the table in about the approximate place it should be.

 Table top, lower shelf, tea cup and paint. Yes I spread my paints out on a white plate.  Makes it easier for me to tone down, mix the right colors and keep my pallet close.

 This is that lower shelf. I am so glad I trimmed in blue and decided to take the time to paint the lower shelf.  It did not take any extra time in that the layering of color was just dabbling.

 Right back where I started.  From a teacup to a table.  I love this!

 Looking down at the table notice my almost perfect blue trim around the table. Really?  Who paints perfection like that? Not me. When my table was complete and I was happy with my pattern, I took a fine white paintbrush.  I then went over the oopsies on the table itself. You know like getting your hand in the way and then getting paint where you did not see it.  I painted  white over all those little imperfections.

What is your next project?  This table took me about three hours to complete from start to finish.  I did not not complete it one sitting. I let the white paint drive over night. Even though the bottle said it would take only 30 minutes to try, there is the risk of a tacky feel, and then every little thumb print is recorded.  Sunday I took the earlier afternoon and stuck to the painting of the pattern.

Next time I am going to do a step by step covering of mirror with some really colorful and fun fabric.  Happy Teacup and Table

Very Much a happy Designer,

Elizabeth Traub

Teacups to Tables STEP THREE

STEP THREE is what I call layering. I think any beginner would think this to be a difficult project.  Do not look at the project as a whole. Look at this project in layers. Starting with the lightest color I find the pattern on the cup of just yellow.

 The little shelf on the bottom of this table will be modeled like the inside of the cup.  It narrows down the pattern for me to easily see the yellow colors first.

 For some, this may be a tedious job of spacing and measuring. I eyeball the distance and do not hold myself to perfection.  I use to be a perfectionist and a project like this would have taken weeks, I would loose my enthusiasm, and the project  would be junked in my garage.  Believe me this is way more fun and becomes your own.

 I also made sure to transfer my first layer of color on the lower shelf too.  Starting with the lightest colors always help "fix" mistakes along the way.  Also keep your "inspiration" piece safe.  I know that if that ironing board gets knocked over I can clean up paints but would be sad to break this teacup. So I kept it on the floor close to the project, or a shelf very close by. 

I layered next with orange. It was kind of a sherbet orange which certainly punches out the yellow.  Once the yellow and orange were layered on I started to add the blue.  Are you ready to see all the colors applied and the finished table?

Teacups to Tables STEP TWO

STEP TWO involved first sanding the table. I have to admit I should have worn a mask, although I was outdoors and did not deliberately breath the stain that was most likely over 50 years old.  It smelled  of my grandma's attic. Then I water cleaned, wiped down and dried off the table.  I then spray painted the table white. I was glad I had my roller handy as it really helped with the areas that wanted to drip.  Once the paint was dry I added blue trim.  Now the teacup had a purple accent, so faint that if you blurred your eyes it looked blue. I wanted to highlight the blue so I trimmed it out with a dark and lighter blue.  Make no mistake, there are few clean lines. I know when I am done I will get out my fine paint brush and touch up all the areas that I over painted in white.  Here is the table now painted and trimmed.  Ready for the next step?

Painted white and trimmed in blue.  I like to paint on my ironing board.  It is a good height and there is lots of hang over for this table, so I can walk around the project, reach under and over without having to move the table.  I even have the teacup under that stand to remind me of what first got me thinking of this table.

Teacups to Tables STEP ONE

It seems pretty easy to get started on such a simple project.  The reality is you have to take inventory of what you will need from start to finish.  Nothing kills the joy of an afternoon project than missing key pieces  to get the project moving.  Taking inventory here of what I need:

In the upper left you will see some sandpaper.  Brushing off the extra bumps, dirt, and loose parts of the finish. I am not a "play by rules" kind of furniture painter.  This you must know up front.  I am a do it as fast, as easy  and if no one is playing with the piece, licking it, or moving it around then a general soft sanding is fine with me.  I have my rollers ready too. These are removable and washable.  Acrylic color samples that will be the colors  for the flowers on the table. One can of white spray paint. (The rollers help smooth out the parts I overspray)  And the inspiration piece is the Teacup. Total cost for spray paint, rollers, and sand paper $14.50.  Misc paint colors on hand and now I am ready to paint this:

This lovely table I picked up a a garage sale for about $8.00. All the screws are tight making this a very stable table to hold a lovely lamp for later.  Now that I have every thing all ready to go. STEP TWO will be well under way in the next hour.  My husband is watching football, the boys are all playing so this is going to be a project I can start and finish in one day.  The only delays will be paint drying. 

In case you did not notice the placement in which I have laid out my supplies and the area rug are pieces from my breakfast area.  Over and over people ask where I got those lovely place-mats? I bought $16.00 of them at Dollar Tree about a year ago. One of my better finds since a local design shop had close to the same bamboo placements for $12.00 each. I was going to buy the more expensive ones because I knew I would get the mileage, use and function out of them. Turns out that bamboo that cost a dollar works just as fine too.  The area rug is by our back door which ties in with the place-mats. Another inexpensive clearance item from Target.  I love when I can find things in random places that work together.

Happy Saturday,
Elizabeth

From Teacups to Tables

I am excited to get started on this weekend's project. Really excited.  I was sitting in my family room chatting with my daughter about our two favorite tea cups. She has hers and I have mine.  Only we have yet to sip tea out of them.  Mine came from a dear friend, and funny thing, hers came from a dear friend too. We have dear friends with fabulous tea cup taste.  They both sit up on a shelf side by side (the teacups, not the friends).  And then it hit me. I am going to transfer these patterns onto  pieces of furniture.  I have  two tired little end tables I picked up at estate sales and for months have been wondering what to do with them. Now I know. I am going to paint each of them.  One to match each teacup.  My next post will be pictures of the process. For now here are pictures of the teacups that will soon have matching tables.  I am so excited for this project.  

 This is Emily's cup.  I love this hue of blue and even more the pattern which I will copy by way of using the copy machine.  Which will give me the design, and then transfer onto the furniture.

 This is the inside of my cup.  Every time I look inside I smile. It's the perfect visual bouquet.

Here is my cup with the little fine flower under the cup handle. I can't wait to see how this will transfer, also making copies on a copy machine to put the pattern together.

This project will take place over three blog posts.  Today is the inspiration, the next will be the process, and the third will be the final. I can't wait to see how this goes.