A painted headboard...

Hi Everyone!  I've been busy getting ready for a mini-open house at the Studio.  The business contact I made at the Fair this Spring is coming tomorrow afternoon to take a look at some of the things I've made, hopefully she will find something she likes.  But tonight I thought I'd show you what I did with one of the headboards my Aunt Barb gave me last year that I hadn't done anything with yet.

 It was nice enough the way it was, but I thought it needed a little sprucing up.

 I painted it in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Paris Grey and then I sanded it.  I haven't waxed it yet.

 I thought I had better get pictures taken before the sunlight goes down too far.

 I really like this color.  I painted a dresser in it too that I'll show you soon.

And these feet are wonderful.  It still has the original casters on it...only one of the wooden wheels is split.  I was going to turn this into a bench, and I still might, but for now, it will be on display in my Studio.  Thanks for stopping by.

Linking to:
http://startathome.blogspot.com/2013/07/paint-party-6.html

Studio Open House Review...

Hi Everyone!  This weekend was the Grand Opening of Full Circle Creations Studio.  The Open House was a huge success.  I was so overwhelmed by the people that came out to the farm.  A big thank you to all the customers, friends and family that stopped in to see what I had been up to.   And to my parents for all their hard work in helping me get the studio and and house ready for this, both inside and outside, I couldn't have done it without you.  (Word of warning, it's a long post and picture heavy).

 This is the outside of my house.  The front porch/door opens directly into the studio.

 A few things were placed on the porch to welcome customers....the chair sold.

 This bench couldn't have fit better in than space..it was like it was made for it...and it is still there.  When we were cleaning the porch we decided to paint it...it had been a pretty yellow but I thought the light blue would look better..(sorry, no before pictures as it was a last minute decision).

 This ladder was my mom's idea so I turned it over to her to paint...I added the small crates to the steps to hold some of the smalls.  You can also see the dresser behind the ladder...it went to a nice lady that happened to stop because she saw the signs my mom had made and my dad and I placed on the highway pointing the way to the farm.

 This dresser is my favorite and will get to enjoy it for a while longer.  It's painted in ASCP in Old White and Paris Grey.

 The faux doors I shared with you earlier...I was originally going to paint them white and age them, but decided I wanted them to fade into the background instead of to stand out so I painted them a shade lighter than the wall color.  The cream bench with blue striped fabric and the antique chair are both still here.

 The green bench with storage, the green stool and the window behind the white stool all sold.  And can you believe that the grey bench with the bird is still here...I thought for sure it would sell this time.

 This is the pay counter with a look into the working part of the studio.  I raffled away the Amazing Grace sign....the winner of that is Vickie P. ...Congratulations!  (I will be contacting you shortly).  And I have to point out the aqua wooden chandelier.  I just love it.

 My mother made this floral arrangement for me to celebrate the Open House...and she put it in a container made from yard sticks.  (I'll take some close up pictures and post them.)

 The refreshment table.  My friend, neighbor and Boss Pam made most of the treats and they were incredible!  My mom provided some cookies and amazing cupcakes and all the napkins, cups, coffee and lemonade as well as the trays.  Thanks Pam and Mom!

 The plan was to set some of these bigger items outside on the patio but it rained Saturday morning and was cloudy and looked like it could rain again so we decided to keep everything inside....so it was a little crowded.

 Mom made the curtain for this table to hide away some of my supplies.  The table contains mostly supplies...as do the shelves...we decided people would rather see that it is a working studio as well as a  place to shop.

 One of the bead board frames sold.

 The mirrored window is also still here...but I did sell five of the lawn faucet flowers.

And the drawer coffee table sold.  I could have sold several others....good thing there are three more of the drawers this size.

The trio of dancers sold to my boss's daughter who is a dancer....she saw them and just had to have them.  

 A footstool and hand painted sign on my desk and center work table. 

And this bench that I love but hasn't sold yet.  I took it to one fair without the saying painted on the back and it didn't sell..then I painted the saying and it still didn't sale...maybe I should change the cushion to something else....What do you think?

I aIso sold a bunch of other items that we didn't get any pictures of...and I didn't get pictures taken of them after I made them.  So I'll be sure to share them with you once I remake them.  It was a truly great weekend and I'll definitely be doing it again...sooner rather than later.  Thanks again to everyone for their support, whether they came to shop, look around, or helped out.  I couldn't do it without all of you!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!  And thanks to you for reading this and commenting and encouraging me, I appreciate all the encouragement I get from all of you...and as always, thanks for stopping by!

The big reveal...

Hi Everyone!  Well, it's time for the big reveal.  My parents came out to the farm for a visit yesterday.  It's so good to have them home!  And I shared with them what I've been doing since they left for Florida.  It has been so hard to not share it with you sooner, but I wanted them to be the first to see it.

Welcome to Full Circle Creations Studio and Shop

It all started last July when I changed my living room from the addition to the original living room of the farmhouse and created my studio.  I shared a little of it with you but I never shared an after picture.  By the time I finished it I was busy getting ready for fair season so I went directly into production mode without ever taking an after picture. When I shared it with my parents, it was the same weekend my brother, his family and my Marine nephew and his fiance were here.  But I was never happy with the fact that the front door opened directly into the living room and then you had to walk into the studio.  And my mom and I had talked about having open houses in the studio.

Looking from the front door, through the store and into the studio.

Fast forward to December when I was thinking about transforming the detached garage into a store.  It's directly in front of the big red barn so it would be like having a barn sale without moving out all the hay or equipment.  I started cleaning out the garage which was built in 1939 and has a small loft in it.  And as I was cleaning it out, I took a good look around and there was more work to do to it than I was anticipating.  I still plan on transforming it but it will take a while.  So the push to try to get it done by spring is gone...I can take my time. 

The Studio as it was today.  There's some organizing that needs to be done!

So in the mean time, what to do.  After a day of thinking....I decided why not transform the living room (or what my grandparents called the front room) into shop space.  This farmhouse was built in the 1880's and had an open concept floor plan.  In the original house there are three archways.  Two that are smaller and one that spans the length of the small room that the front room and kitchen are connected to and that leads to the bathroom which was added in the mid 60's.  I moved the living room to that small room and closed off two of those archways. 

Archway doors that lead to the kitchen.

 I built doors that open in the small archway into the kitchen and faux doors (although I still have a little work to do on them) in the long archway that won't actually open.  Nothing is permanent so they can all come down when and if I want them down.  But this way, I have separated the spaces into business and living space.  I can close the doors to the business and walk away from it when I'm finished.

Faux doors.  The living room is on the other side.

 I moved the kitchen island I installed a year ago and cut down the top I built and have installed it in between the studio and the store.  I have extra storage for supplies and a place designated as a sales counter space, a long with a space for tissue paper and bags.

Sales Counter with doors and drawers on the other side.

 I have more to share with you, but this post is already super long and I'm afraid I've probably lost you.  I will show you some before pictures and share some additional things I've done and what I have left to do. But I will tell you that my parents were really happy with what I've done so far and had some really great ideas on things to do next.  And I've enlisted help from my mom in the store and my dad on the outside of the house.  Thanks folks!  I wouldn't be able to do this without your help and support.  So that's what I've been up to.  And as always, thanks for stopping by.