Gold Leaf DIY Lamp Shades

I have long thought that being a gilder would be a fine way to make a living. It even sounds elegant, doesn’t it? But before I join the Society of Gilders, I want to try this ancient technique with faux …

An Edwardian Child’s Over-Stuffed Arm Chair with Footstool

The beginning of a new project… I planned on doing the upholstery on this child’s Edwardian version of an adult’s over-stuffed chair myself. Then, I saw that the springs needed tying.  I traded the upholstery job for selling a couple of …

Happy August Days ~ Painting and Gardening

I’ve painted and sold a lot of furniture this month.  It looks like I forgot to put the handles on this one before I took the photograph. I was lucky to find this piece with all the original Eastlake handles still …

For the Love of a Midwestern Barn

Last week, my busy and private friend, Margaret Cox and I got together for a day that started with cappuccino at her beautiful home near Rockton, Illinois. Margaret and her husband, Kevin Darrah, own a company, Darrah Barns, that installs barn …

Repair a Wobbly Chair with Loose Rungs

A beginner’s tutorial….. When a great chair comes your way, don’t discount it because it is wobbly or has loose rungs. Even missing rungs can easily be replaced if the part was a simple dowel. I’ll show you how to …

Create a Reusable Stencil for Decorating Vintage Painted Furniture

The Graphics Fairy web site is a free resource of over 4,000 vintage images for any creative work that you can dream up. Block Posters is the go-to spot for free image enlargements. The Graphics Fairy has a dozen tutorials on how …