Merchant Square - Summer of Dressers

There are very few things I want in life - a house on the beach, the counselor home ALL THE TIME, and for quite some time now, I've wanted to get into Merchant Square.  Merchant Square, in Chandler is the largest antique boutique in Phoenix.  It's absolutely glorious.

I never realized how competitive this whole re-sale/furniture up-do has become; with so many people who are so good at it!  Do you realize how much trash has been saved because so many of us re-purpose, reclaim and restore!  Amazing.  Well, after 1 1/2 years  of being on the waiting list at Merchant Square, I was finally selected.

Here's a peak at my portfolio I submitted with my application.  I had found this old opera bill play - Carmen by Georges Bizet.  I used the colorful and dramatic pages to showcase my furniture re-do's.  Here's a few of the pages.  

  

In all, I had about 25 pages of trash turned treasure!

Payson was with me on move-in day, and so was Waffle Love. YUM!

Everything was moved in, booth 73.

Here are a few others I've painted since move-in day.  I think I should get bonus points for painting when it's monsoon in Arizona.  110 degree and let me tell you, it's NOT a dry heat for the next few months.

Every time I run down there, I have another kid join me.  It's a mom/kid date thing! :)

Things are moving pretty fast.

I'm still blessed to be in Mesa at Antique Plaza, booth 52 which has been great.
Antique Plaza was voted "Best of the East Valley" in 2010 and is the oldest antique mall in Mesa.  It's pretty cool to be the oldest at anything is you sell antiques.  One thing will compliment the other.

Matching head board.

Ha!  I actually took one down to the shop I didn't paint.

So far, I've loved being at both locations.  

My goal is to keep both spaces stocked.  Wish me luck.

I also wanted to post my new favorite song - makes me happy.  Do Life Big by Jamie Grace.  Be ready to start dancing.



Linking up to:

Help painting a French Provincial dresser.

Painting furniture has turned into a passion of mine.  I used to purchase art paper and watercolor sea life and mermaids.  Here are a few of my favorites.

The more children I had, the less I painted.

But know, I've found furniture and it's my new expression.

Sometimes I paint white (this dresser was going in the dumpster when I rescued it)

or black.

Red and gray turned out cool.

Baby blue?

Mint.

My personal favorite is always turquoise because the blue reminds me of the ocean.

But, this piece French provincial dresser, 81 inches long, I need your help.

Gorgeous, but I have had no interest in it at it's current 1970's colors.

What color should I paint it?  White?  Black? Something bolder?

Help!

The Perfect Dresser

Ugly dresser 

turned super hip with a little help.

Black paint never ceases to amaze me.
This dresser is already sold.

Old desk 

painted to look new again.

This desk sold in a flash.
This dresser I found this weekend needs nothing done to it.

No paint, no touch up, no make-over.

Because it's perfect as-is.

She's an antique, 80 inches long and weighs a ton!

I found this beauty at a garage sale in an old part of town.  I've never seen a more beautiful piece of furniture.

I paid a small fortune for it, but I think a small fortune can be made from selling it too.

Perfect dresser, I'd like you to meet craigslist.com.

Let's see what happens.
Linking up to:

Something’s were meant to be white

Something’s have to be white, like:

A white Snowmen, or should I say snow person, I do want to be politically correct.

White Marshmallows, but not always.

White Paper, for printing off a resume or research paper.

If a white shirt isn’t crisp white, I don’t want it anymore.  Nothing’s worse then a dingy white shirt.

A White wedding dress.

An angel's White wings.

What about this beautiful Armoire with the French curvy legs?

I love it.

I listed it on craigslist as-is, but not a single call.

The moment I first laid eyes on it at the thrift store, I new it was meant to be white.  I could see it in my mind.  I would be the one to bring this piece of trash to its potential, to make it shine and reach its glory.

I used an heirloom white (Kelly's favorite), a creamy white with a hint of ivory.

A bit of distressing and I loved how it turned out.

I’ve re-listed it on craigslist and I’m curious to see if it sells now that it's painted white.

Now, this amazing retro credenza is such a funky piece of furniture, but is it meant to be white?

A client of mine wanted to purchase it and she requested I paint it a white.

A few days later, she changed her mind and no longer wanted it because she didn’t have the room, but I still thought I’d paint it white and use it in my living room.  

It seemed like a great idea.
White paint makes everything look better, right?

Mid-century furniture does not look good painted white.

No, no, no.
Mid-century furniture does not look good when it's distressed and stained.

I'm not sure what it is, but the white seems to wash it out.  It's no longer funky, it's calming and that's not the direction I wanted to go with this.
This credenza begs for a color that's loud and in your face.
What do you think?

I’m a bit worn-out to re-do it.

My mother-in-law came over and looked at it.  I asked her advice.  She told me furniture was not white in the 1950's because the 1950's were about rock n' roll.
What color is rock n' roll anyway?  I wonder.

Maybe next year I’ll paint it some funky mint green or a jazzy blue.

So, what about this antique wood cabinet?

What color should I paint it?