Artistic Finishes

As an artist in decorative finishes I'm always looking for that next color thats going to hit the mark.

For the next year....what trends are going to roll in...whats everyone looking for...

what do we HAVE to Have for that wall in the living room or that nook in the study.

How about this .... an amazing finish for the cabinets ....and even further...the panels to blend that fridge in...

Fabulous yes!?

And I LOVE this Chinoiserie treatment here....the color is wonderful...exciting but relaxing. 

I can see that this years color trend for finishes on furniture pieces and cabinets will lean between these fabulous shades of robins egg blues, true turquoise, fresh spring greens and soft sages.

A lovely relaxing natural palette of freshness.

I cant wait to find some antique pieces to work some finish magic on!

Happy Thursday Afternoon!

Quietly Pondering more Shades of Green, Blue and Turquoise

Loving serene pale shades of turquoise and blue with pops of fresh green botanicals.

Daydreaming in Shades of Emerald and Teal

Simply loving these shades of Teal and Emerald...some misty....some vibrant...all mesmerizing!

LOVE the artistic detail on the jeans....image via Glamorous Chic Life

NAILS! ....love everything about this icy shade matching the sweater... and that clutch...SWOON!
image via Glamorous Chic Life

Luxe Gorgeousness!  image via Glamorous Chic Life

image via Giselle Ottonello

Hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday!

Happy Holiday Planning!

Free Motion Machine Quilting Tutorial

I'm Sharing this lovely quilt tutorial for a project that has been troubling me for years...perfecting a machine quilting technique.  If any of you quilt and have taken your quilt top and backing to the local quilt shop to be finished {quilted} then you know how expensive it can be and that it can take literally months to get back.  I've found a wonderful site, 'Oh Fransson!'  by Elizabeth Hartman, that has lots and lots of quilting tutorials and more.  Hope you all enjoy it and learn some new techniques!

Free-Motion Quilting Basics

 

I prepare my machine as follows:

• Fit machine with darning/free-motion foot.
• Set stitch length to zero.
• Lower feed dogs.
• Fit machine with a new needle (90/14 Universal or 90/14 Machine Quilting).  Free-motion quilting puts a lot of stress on your needle, so using a stronger one is often a good idea.

I've read about lots of ways that people whose machines don't have stitch length controls or lower-able feed dogs work around this.  If you're one of those people and want to discuss how you prep your machine, or if you need tips, check out this thread in the Flickr pool. 

  

For this quilt, I used Gutermann cotton thread in a light warm tan to match the natural Essex cotton/linen I used for sashing.

Serene Palette

I'm Loving this color choice....pale icy blue walls, creamy white cabinets and trim and a white washed floor!

Notice how the planks of the wood floor are laid on diagonal ....it opens up the space so much.

Fab Home Office Space no?

Hope everyone has a lovely Thursday!