My Dresser Had A Baby...

YES you read that right.....My Vintage Postal Dresser had a baby!

I bought this cute little cabinet off of kijiji, it's solid Walnut! GAWD I LUV vintage furniture!

 I had a couple come into my shoppe and ask if I could make this little cutie look EXACTLY like this dresser of mine...

 Of course I can...

I painted it in Van Gogh Chalk Paint Confidence Blue **Stunning color alert** and distressed right back to the natural walnut. I did the exact postcard that I got from the ever fantastic Graphics Fairy on the front BUT....

I never do two pieces the same so for this one I added the postage mark on the top right corner!

For the pure fun of it.....here is the official Birth Announcement...

I hope you enjoyed this little post!

Keep It Sweet Parakeet!

Jenny

xox

Mothers Day Project at My Son's School

Happy ~a lil late~ Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mothers out there!

My son's grade 2 teacher at his school had come across my website....this site.....and asked me if I had any ideas for a Mothers Day gift.....YAHOOOO a school open to new ideas....YIPEEEE and I can help....I was over the moon excited to be a part of it!

They had the same gift for the past 6 years......GASP! 

As all you mom's know we adore any and all gifts our children make....but why not make is EXTRAORDINARY?!! I had ideas...

I met with my son's teacher and the other grade 2 teachers, and in about 10minutes we had a plan!

Myself along with 5 parent volunteers went to the school one Friday morning. We circulated 72 students in 3 separate classes and put them in groups of 5-6 per table. They painted one side of their plaque Van Gogh Chalk Paint Compassion Pink and then went and read books for a timed 15 minutes.

 

After 15 minutes the paint was completely DRY! OHYA, I said COMPLETELY dry!! This paint is THAT good!

I then had 72 circa 1900 images of a tea cup full of pansies that I got from Graphics Fairy Website. We Mod Podged the images onto the plaques and the kids each wrote Mom, Mommy, Mama or Mother on their plaques.

AWWWWWW...

Here are 72 of them fully drying after we Mod Podged...

Here is the heart warming final project in my arms and in my heart on Mothers Day Morning...

The kids also wrote a poem for their Mom on the back of the plaque and the teacher stapled a pretty ribbon on top so we can hang it!

~A HUGE THANK YOU to Thee Kathy Van Gogh of Van Gogh Chalk Paint Collection for generously donating the cans of paint to the school, my son's teacher for being so open to change and creativity, the moms who volunteered their time, Graphics Fairy for always having new images to play with, and of course to all the kids that so happily and lovingly created these gifts for their Mothers!~

I'm full of love & gratitude for being a part of this project. 

I'm always eager and willing to go into other schools to help get some new projects on the go! Send me an email for more info. info@avablakecreations.com

SUPER LOVE

Jenny

xox

Antique Bed TO Bench Fabulous-ness

Hello Everyone!

SOOOO, these Bed to Benches are popping up all over the Internet and Pinterest! 

I wanted to try it.....

I intervened a truck load of furniture on its way to the dump..I LOVE my friends!!! Good thing they thought..."maybe Jenny could do something with all this?" HELLLLLO, yes indeed!

Here is the headboard of the Antique Bed that was part of the truck load. The foot board is exactly the same.

Basically I handed it over to my husband and said I need this to be made into a bench! I'm blessed with a handy husband!! 

Here is how he started...

He cut the foot board exactly in half.

Here is how it look a little while later.

I cannot even give you a detailed description as to how and what he did with certain wood pieces, but it looks fabulous to me!!

 

and here is the first plank of the seat put on....

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...

 TA DA.....I painted it Van Gogh Chalk Paint Chivalry Grey and did a Chalk White Wash Over the entire piece. 

~Heart racing happiness~

A closer view of the paint job! Perfectly stone washed!

If you follow me and this blog you will know that I LOVE LOVE LOVE taking my newly created pieces out to the back roads, fields and ditches to take their showcase photos. Something about it amongst the natural landscapes for me, in essence captures a part of their journey and just makes for an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G photo! Seriously just look at that picture!!!!!

~Jumping Up & Down Clapping Hands~

and yes...I loaded this in my truck and was stopped on the side of a back road setting up in a field and taking the pictures. I only got strange looks once I started jumping up and down and clapping with excitement!!

A closer view of the stunning craftsmanship and paint job!

and the final shot for now...

I ADORE the final product. I want more antique beds now.....

What do you think?

Super Love,

Jenny

xoxo
I  linked this post up to the  The Funky Junk Interiors #186 Party

Corset Vanity

GOOOOOD Morning everyone,

THANK YOU to Scarlett for this beautiful Vintage Waterfall Vanity. From the moment I laid eyes on it I knew it was going to be gorgeous!

Here is how I received it....

It came with it's original huge circle mirror as well.
Divine right!?

I've been dying to use the Van Gogh Chalk Paint Chivalry Grey and this was going be a perfect match!

 I hadn't started it yet when I got an email from a woman looking for a vanity, and she wanted it grey to boot! I LOVE it when everything falls into place just perfectly!

Here is what I did....
OH MY WORD....don't mind the terrible garage view in the mirror!

I did paint the entire piece in Van Gogh Chalk Paint Chivalry Grey and then did a Chalk White wash over it.

Honestly it's like it just fell out of the arms of an angel!

My client had bought a white leather corset seat just to match this vanity. So I added what appears as a Antique French Corset Ad BUT it's actually an ad for "casement bolts for window hinge" from Graphics Fairy. It looks perfect anyways!

 

Another view...

I did a small detail over the knobs on the front. It's just so pretty as is!

What do you think?

Keep On Creating

Super Love
Jenny
xox

Wrapping Paper Bench

Hello Ava Blakers!

I've been benching a lot lately!! Get it....HAHAHA! Seriously I mean I've redone 4 benches recently! 

Here is one of them....I scooped this bench up off of kijiji! WHAT a score don't you think? I had already started the undercoat for distressing in this picture.

BLAMMO.....

I painted the bench Van Gogh Chalk Paint Mascara Black in certain spots then covered the entire bench in Chalk White. I distressed it back to the black in some spots and right to the wood in others. To finish I used the French Caffeine Beeswax and sealed it all in!!

~Air Kisses~

 I then Mod Podge glued this stunning wrapping paper....YES wrapping paper! I bought this one at Christmas time. It is Antique French Handwriting on worn brown paper.

I like how the Mod Podge makes it come a bit wrinkly....it only adds to the character of it all!

~SIGH in DELIGHT~

Here is the before & after picture....

Click to see it larger!

 I REALLY love how this one turned out....and now it's in my entrance! 

What do you think?

I LOVE hearing your comments.

Much Love,

Jenny

xox

I Linked this post up to the Funky Junk Linky party 185

Doll Emporium Hutch

Hello Hello Everyone!

This was a custom piece and I was overjoyed to work on it!

 Like most people this couple bought this when they got married and now after so many years married and homes changing it just didn't fit with the tastes anymore but they couldn't just throw it away and in Alberta it's hard to sell these even for $150.00!

It was classic 1980's ish! Just look at those brass handles!!!

Enter jumping up and down excited Ava Blake Creations!

To start....I painted a light layer of Van Gogh Chalk Paint Balsamic Brown and then covered the entire hutch in Cashmere, then I distressed it.

This paint distresses so easily that my kids, 18 & 12 yrs old helped me do it all....AND, with eager smiles on their faces!!!

The more I looked at it, the more the mirrors kept it in the 80's...

SO...I Mod Podged this pocket watch wrapping paper over the mirrors....YES wrapping paper!

Much Better!

Wrapping paper is such a light weight paper, it makes it so easy to work with! Go try it...

I also painted the inside Balsamic Brown.

My client's Father was in the navy when she was a child and had collected dolls from around the world for her. She wanted to have them displayed in this cabinet. I found the Doll Emporium Graphic and added it just to warm her heart!

I also used the Van Gogh Antiquing Glaze for that time worn feel and waxed the entire Hutch! I bought a bag full of Antique handles at a thrift store for $1.00, can you believe it ONE DOLLAR?? You can't even buy a chocolate bar for that!! I HAD to replace the handles to bring it right up to date!

My client was Completely Elated with how this turned out, as was I!

Please always try to renew your old pieces......most of the time they turn out better then anything you can buy these days!

Here is your picture to share with your friends and to pin to your Pinterest Boards.

Have a fantastic day and THANK YOU for tuning in!

Super Love,
Jenny

Postcard Nesting Tables

GOOOOD Morning Everyone!

I bought these oak nesting tables off of my local sway/buy website, pretty plain looking right?

 You know how I love the plain pieces...they make for such great graphics!

I painted these tables Van Gogh Chalk Paint Chivalry Grey....seriously amazing color!

I picked these 3 postcards from Graphics Fairy Website and painted them in a Revenge Black on the 3 tables. How spectacular would these be in any room?

 Here are the close-ups of the 3 tables. I'm such a sucker for Vintage Postage!

These are REAL postcards pre 1930!!

 

The handwriting alone is to die for!

LOVE LOVE LOVE how they turned out!

Have a wonderful day and as always, THANK you for tuning in!

Super Love,

Jenny

xox