Can't let myself be too busy to post and Union Jack is here!

Well, it's been a hot minute since I first posted hasn't it? Well, I do apologize! I have to say that it is quite the challenge to be a full time Soldier, wife and mother, paint furniture to my hearts desire and update my facebook page! On top of it all, there is a tiny (well, not so tiny-pretty big lately) voice in the back of my head saying "Hey! Hey, crazy...YOU STARTED A BLOG...UPDATE IT!"  I got tired of listening to it and ignoring my reader(s?).

SO...here I am! I am back with my latest completed project! This is my version of the ever-popular Union Jack emblazoned furniture piece...in my case, a coffee table! Now, this coffee table was a project the hubs and I completed ages ago when I FIRST started refinishing furniture. This one was sanded down completely and re-stained. Well, time and a seven year old happened so the top had some nice indented circles and scribble...not cute. About a week ago I announced that the table "absolutely HAD to be refinished!" Really...it didn't, but where's the fun in that? I have been itching to try the good ole Union Jack on something for the longest and this table seemed to be perfect for it. I used this link here for instructions on "how to draw the Union Jack accurately"...of course, I didn't quite live up to that. I sure did give it a try though! While far from perfect, it is a labor of love. My father in law was brought over at the age of five from England and the hubs is quite proud of his heritage. So, when initially this was set to sell, once he saw it turning out he decided he wanted us to keep it. At least for now!

(the multi-surface green frog tape is actually the last part of the tape I removed since I was going over it with the red and white layers and still wanted the stained top border to show all the way around)

How did I do this y'all ask?! Well! Aside from the fine directions I listed in the link earlier, I used Annie Sloan's famous Chalk Paint in Old White, Emperors Silk and Aubusson Blue. I also used Annie Sloan's Clear and Dark Wax for protection and the aging effect. Aside from the beautiful colors, the MOST IMPORTANT supply I had was my Frog Tape! I first used the Multi-Surface green tape for the Aubusson blue base so I could have that stain top border showing through, and then used the Delicate Surface yellow frog tape for the following layers of white and red since I was working pretty quickly and certainly wasn't about to wait three days plus for the paint to cure properly! It is the stuff of legends, I tell you. After I got the base blue and then the white stripes down, though, I kind of just let loose...if you can't already tell! I decided to just free hand the red stripes and make 'em messy and defiant. I dig it. The distressing always hurts my heart a little, and terrifies me. I do love the way it looks in the end though! Tell me, what do you think???

(P.S. By the way, don't you love my dog's paws? He manages to fit himself into nearly EVERY SINGLE furniture before and after shot that I do...I think he is working in glamour shots in the hopes to be famous one day. Furry schemer!

P.P.S...pay no attention to the messy carpet that needs to be stretched back out, I've tripped on it twice already! )

I've linked to the fabulous ReDoux Interiors!