Looks like someone has a new favorite spot.
Freshly painted fabric, smart boy.
I have had this sofa/settee for about 7 years. I lent it to an artist friend when he was here, then it went into storage. Then it came to a shed. Then it went into the gallery.
And now, it's gotten a makeover.
You see, I love old fabric, and often gasp when people paint their fabric. But in person, the fabric below just seemed dingy and out of place in all my rooms...
The wood was super dry, and it really needed an overhaul.
I didn't want to have it re-upholstered.
So, on the 4th of July I decided that very soon, I was going to paint it.
I did it in a couple of hours last Thursday.
I have painted fabric chairs and such many times, so I wasn't afraid to just slather paint on this piece.
The after, looks like this...
I wasn't careful, or proper or cautious.
I wasn't going for a particular look. I just was simply sick of the old fabric.
I am pleasantly surprised at the painted fabric.
Here is an up-close photo below.
It is firm, but in a good way.
When you sit on it, it feels good and pliable.
And, bonus, it wipes up paw prints with windex and a paper towel.
It sort of feels like, leather or pleather or oil cloth.
But more leather than plastic.
(It was so hard for me not to doodle and sketch on the fresh white)
Once (18 years ago), I painted a bunch of kitchen seats in fabric paint. It worked great, and when I got sick of that look, I used plain old acrylic.
So, I tried it again on the sofa.
I covered the wood in blue tape first.
Then -
I took a paint brush and #987 Wicker White acrylic paint by Folk Art, and squirted it all over the sofa fabric. Then I just slathered it all around with my brush.
Once that had dried, I used my go to house paint for a second coat. I only did this because I was out of the Folk Art paint, and didn't feel like going out to buy more.
The latex house paint worked great.
This is the same paint that is on my floors and walls all over the country house.
It is Benjamin Moore Regal, in Super White, N310 02.
I use it in my house in satin or pearl on the walls, and glossy on the floors.
It worked great as a second coat on the sofa.
I used the little gold tube of #707 Rich Gold hue by Daler-Rowney on the wood.
I didn't fully cover the wood with gold, but instead brushed a thin coat all over. This took away the dry wood feel.
So, that's that.
We are happy :)
Keep in mind...
There are lots of tips all over the internet for painting fabric, including using Delta Ceramcoat Textile medium, which I have used before. It allows for a softer feel, and dries flexible.
Here is a wonderful example online, you must see. Although, I sorta love the fabric before, in that delicious sea foam green. But it does look great painted too. The gal did an amazing job.
So, that's the topic of painted fabric for the day.
As for garden chatter...
The dahlia flowers are waking up.
Last year I planted one tuber and loved it all summer.
So this year, I ordered 8 more tubers from Holland, and planted them in very early spring.
This week, they are blooming.
The super tall one in the photo below is last year's gal. I protected the ground where she was planted over winter by putting a metal ring around where the tuber was planted, and then put foil over that, which stayed in place all winter.
It worked, the tallest dinner-plate dahlia is back with a vengeance, hooray!
And, it has a bevy of new friends too.
Below is the one I planted last year, today.
The blooms get a little bigger over summer.
Just amazing isn't it?
Plant, water, voila...
I put them in bottles and gave them to my neighbor.
What's the point in growing them if you don't share them, I say.
We have also had some delicious fresh eats the last few days.
More pesto.
Green beans...
A little olive oil, garlic, beans, heat, balsamic, salt, cook, eat - yumm!
The good news, I have crawled in tomato vines, and no horrid relapse.
(I also ate some garden parsley, nada, fine as can be, hooray!)
I am extra enjoying the garden, and have taken back all my garden chores over the last couple weeks, so Lovee can do other things.
The tiny tomatoes are so delicious.
I was always a tomato hater.
Hated tomato sauce, tomato everything.
That is until a few years ago I started growing my own tomatoes.
The flavor floored me.
These below taste like tomato soup.
I collect a few for dinner every night.
A little basil, a little arugula...
Pesto and french bread, and fresh tomatoes off the vine, oh my!
I also made an experimental dish below, which is now a fave.
I never use recipes, just a dash of this and that.
Using a dutch on the stove, I put in olive oil, chopped raw chicken, and sweet onions.
If you put in garlic and onions before your chicken or vegetables you get a heavier smokier taste, I find at least.
So, in this case, pop your onions and chicken in at the same time, for a lighter flavor.
After the chicken was half-way cooked, I put in some chopped mushrooms.
(And of course, season to your liking)
While the chicken was cooking, I made farfalle pasta, a coated it with pesto after it was cooked and drained.
Once the chicken was cooked, I put in chopped arugula from the garden, tossed and turned off the flame, and closed the lid.
As I served each plate I first put in the pesto pasta, then some chicken mixture on top, and sprinkled fresh cherry tomatoes (halved, on that).
And, there you have it.
Experimental cooking with me.
It was sooooo ridiculously good, and I don't usually like pasta.
Okay, have so much to do.
Monday.
Do you love Monday?
I am not sure how I feel about Monday.
:)
Looove, V
ps: For pointless fun, we should try to name all the songs that have the word Monday in them...
