Before

This Antique Chest was in need of a fresh start, so We Altar’d this dresser for Janice in our pale Aqua distressed finish. 

The light aqua makes the details really pop on this leggy lady. <3

   I give all of the glory to God for the talent He’s given me.  I enjoy helping other women create too, so I wrote an ebook on How to Paint Furniture to help women across the country figure out how to paint their own furniture too, and 80 pages of info is only $10.  I teach workshops here where I help people who are visual like me, learn to paint their own furniture.  Anyone who knows me well would tell you that I am a very giving person.  Most people don’t know this, but every workshop I’ve held, I’ve given a “scholarship” to one student and allowed them to come for free because they couldn’t afford the tuition.  I’m not saying this so you’ll think I’m so great, I’m saying this so you understand better what I’m about to say.

   Here’s the thing about creating…. Each  piece is unique.  When I come up with a new finish- through trial and error or happy accident- it’s something I’ve created- with my 2 hands.  Everything I know about painting furniture I learned the hard way- by doing it wrong over, and over, and over again until I got it right.  I didn’t have an ebook, or someone that went before me and pointed the way.  I’ve worked very late into the night many nights, missed out on life a little more than I wanted to, but I’ve built a business that finally makes an income that I can use to pay for Karate classes for my sons, and Dance lessons for my daughter, and to pay some of the bills for our family.  This is my job.  It’s not just for fun, although I do LOVE it.  That’s great, right?  Yes! Yes, it’s fantastic!  Here’s the rub.  I get asked all the time “Where do you find your furniture?” and I’ve been asked so many times that it really doesn’t bother me anymore.  But, do you realize that if I tell everyone my sources for furniture that I won’t have those sources anymore?  I risk my livelihood if I tell people where I buy furniture.  So, I’m forced to tell a half-truth, like “I love estate sales”.   It’s kinda like asking a local baker what their secret ingredient is.  They would be insane to tell you, right?

   The next often asked question is the offensive one to me.  There, I said it.  It’s offensive.  And, part of me says “You need to get your undies out of a wad over this!” But, I can’t!  I get emails, facebook messages, blog comments, and sometimes even phone calls from people who expect me to tell them the exact name and brand of the paint I used on a piece of furniture, or give them step by step details on how I created one of my finishes.  It’s the sense of entitlement that these people have that that just flat out irks me.  I’m a HARD WORKER.  I always have been.  I can lay on the couch for about 10 minutes before I am up fixing something, creating something, or rearranging furniture.  I dislike it when someone comes along and expects an easy button to life.

  I’ve already shared to the extent that I feel comfortable- with a step by step ebook, and workshops, and an occasional tutorial on something like my Chevron Curtains.  But, when I create a cool new finish and immediately have people expecting me to detail it out to them, or produce a tutorial for them, I get offended.  And, I try really, really hard to think of a nice way to tell them that they are not entitled to ask me to tell them how to copy my art.  It’s not so much the question that offends me- it’s the attitude behind it.  I do not make money blogging.  I run a furniture painting business in Houston, TX.  I paint 6-14 pieces per week, and I work HARD.  Much harder than I ever did when I had a desk and a paycheck.  I’m SO grateful to the wonderful clients and friends I’ve been able to work with for the past 3 years.  I’m SO thankful for the group of super creative and talented painter friends I’ve made all over the country- who work SO HARD each day because they LOVE what they do, just like me.  They create stunning custom work, and they try to be nice when these questions bombard them too.  Please hear my heart here when I say that I am SO flattered that people would want to recreate something that I’ve created, but please also understand that asking an Artist or Creative to tell you the recipe for what they’ve created is just plain rude.  This is hard, hard work and each artist should be able to create without the pressure to post a tutorial, or paint name, or the exact materials used.  I give this information to each client who purchases the piece of furniture, but no one else has the right to know.

Hate me if you need to, but I have to stand up for myself and my Artist friends who are working their tails off to create unique painted furniture all over the country.  We LOVE what we do.  And, we risk so much by stepping out of corporate America to create for a living.  And we shouldn’t have to share all of our secrets. The End. 

 {Stepping off my soap box now} Mmmmkay, Thanks!

BEFORE

 Annnnnnd, Wahla!  Here is the same china cabinet, after is was Altar’d.

Altar'd China Cabinet in Steel Blue

The outside is a steel blue finish and the inside is our oatmeal finish. Fabulous new hardware will be added.  Stay tuned for the finished dining room photo!

Steel Blue Altar'd Hutch AFTER

{This Gorgeous finish was created by Rachael of Altar’d}

  Do you have a piece of furniture that is drab, or looking dated?  We can Altar your furniture into a custom painted, one-of-a-kind unique piece for your home.  We offer free quotes, and would love to create a custom design plan for your space.

Rachael@altard.com {Located in League City, TX}

Mandie@altard.com {Located in La Porte, TX}

We’ll be opening up a Warehouse/Shop soon!

{source}

    If you’d like to, you can read my Testimony here, or watch the video below below it.  Last April, I was invited by Shelley Neel of Life Community Church in LaPorte, TX to share my story at a Women’s Event- there were about 300 ladies there, and I was a nervous wreck, but I’m so thankful for the opportunity to share.

Happy Easter to you and your family.  I pray that God’s grace and forgiveness finds you where ever you may be.

  Hello, My name is Crystal and I love to bake!  It is with this passion for baking plus an even greater desire to spend as much time as possible with my “bee”, Izzy (see where the name sprung from), I have cooked up Southern Bee Cupcakes. It is my goal to intensify the flavor or upgrade, if you will, the classic cupcake.  Where else will you see Cherry Coke Float Cupcakes? Nerds, Butterfinger, or Snickers Cupcakes? Have you tried a S’Mores or an Orange Creamsicle Cupcake? Southern Bee Cupcakes blends fun & classic flavors to create unique & tasty treats. Visit the website, www.SouthernBeeCupcakes.com, or “like” us on Facebook to see the complete menu, read about new flavors or promotions, and take a look at a full gallery of delicious cupcakes that will sure get your taste buds drooling.

Crystal of Southern Bee Cupcakes is GIVING 2 Dozen Cupcakes in any flavor to one lucky winner!

How do you Enter to Win??? {You can get up to 3 entries}

1} Leave a Comment here with what flavor you’d love to win!

{Don’t worry if it doesn’t appear right away- sometimes I have to approve comments- wordpress is funny like that}

2} Head over Southern Bee Cupcakes on Facebook and leave a comment there.

3} Fill Out a Contact Form on Southern Bee Cupcake’s Website.

One lucky winner will be announced on 3/20/12!

  I am so honored that Mandie has asked me to be a guest author here to tell my story!  Between you and I, I’ve been “stalking” her work for two years now, and what a talented, precious woman! 

     I started Vintage Charm and Restoration a little over a year ago. I had painted a few pieces of furniture for myself and helped my sister with some pieces in her home – but I didn’t have, what you might call, any ’real’ experience. Around the time I started Vintage Charm, I needed a job in a bad way, so I started testing the waters to see if I could sell my work on Craigslist. Within a few days I’d sold my first piece and was searching Craigslist for my next piece to paint. After just a few weeks I had five or six pieces under my belt and was ready to take on the challenging, but fun world of painted furniture! Those of you who know me know that when I set my mind to something, I go after it with every ounce of my soul! I spent hours that turned into days learning everything I possibly could about furniture, styles, finishes, furniture sources , prepping, design terms, etc. Before long I felt educated enough to name my new adventure and make a business of it. I scribbled down name after name and couldn’t come up with anything that didn’t sound like something I had already heard in “blogland” and finally came up with Vintage Charm and Restoration. I loved what the words meant, so it stuck! The very next day, I started a Facebook page and Blog and never looked back!

    In our first year, we’ve done over 200 pieces and feel so blessed to be able to do this! My husband is a huge help to this company, I really couldn’t do it without him and his muscles. This first year has definitely been one of trials and tribulations, but a lot has been learned. I’ve kicked and cried and threatened, I don’t know how many times, to throw in the towel! But I didn’t quit, after all the kicking and crying, I’m smiling and I have my business to thank for helping me grow and learn more and more every day. I finally feel like I’ve “made it” in this industry, but there is still so much more to learn and experience!

 –

I wanted to share a few of my favorite pieces with you. I hope you enjoy them!

See?  She’s very talented!  I’m hoping Allison will become a regular contributor here at Altar’d and share more of her design genius with us all.  For more eye candy from Allison, check out her Vintage Charm & Restoration Facebook Page!