I need a bigger house.

One of the major pitfalls of creating the exquisite furniture I love, is that I really, really want to keep it all!

The problem is twofold.  Firstly I am making these beautiful pieces to sell.  To earn a crust and bring lovely things into the lives of other furniture lovers.  Secondly I live in a little, 250 year old cottage.  There just isn't the room.  So I have made a deal with myself.

Love the pieces and treat them as much loved guests.  Welcome them, adore them, cosset them.  Then look forward to the day they leave.

So it's goodbye old friend, hello friend not yet met!

Can I keep this one though?

Oak Bureau finished in Annie Sloan Old White & Louis Blue

Yummy Louis Blue against that gorgeous wood!

Apparently not!  Appearing for sale shortly once photographed properly!

à bientôt
Marie x

Shhhh...don't tell my husband but I'm in love with a handsome tallboy!

Mondays are always welcome in my house.  Mondays mean painting days and that makes me very happy.  I'm not in the least bit obsessed.  Not at all.  Definitely don't spend every waking hour thinking furniture. No Sir. Not Me. Well, not much!

So today I finally got to finish off my beautiful tallboy - in the fantastic Aubusson Blue by Annie Sloan, finished in clear wax and buffed to a soft, touchable sheen.  Oh, I really am in love with this one and selling him will kill me - but as the lovely Jackie over at The Barristers Horse told me it's impossible not to fall in love with each piece.  So I'm going to love him for a little while but not forever.  He is my Mr Right Now.

You can see from the sneaky picture how very handsome he is.

Things took a bizarre turn later on this afternoon - I went a bit bonkers with an old nursing chair that has been nursing itself in the back of a shed for too long.

Having heard the rumors that it could be done, I decided to take the plunge and try ASCP on fabric...oh my!

So do you think it works?  Am I insane?  Well I didn't have the guts to try it on my sofa put it that way, but you know what, I think I might!  I'm fancying painting the sofas in my lounge in grey.  French or Country or should I go all out for a mad colour?  I think I'll leave that thought sizzling for a week or two.

Want to see some pics of my painted fabric chair?  I'll post some tomorrow.

Marie xx

Fabric Magic with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

What can I say.  I conducted an experiment with the gorgeous Aubusson Blue from Annie Sloan.

Taking an old, not very pretty, nursing chair in sore need of re-upholstery, I took my paint and I applied it directly to the draylon. Why not?  I had nothing to lose. 

Then I waited.  I waited for it to disappear.  I waited for it to soak in.  I waited for it to float on top. But nothing happened.  The paint stayed its lovely colour.  The fabric didn't go crusty. It dried in 24 hours.  It does need a second coat.  But wowzers!  I'm excited.

The conclusion?

I am entirely confident that ASCP would work wonderfully on all sorts of projects where fabric is in good nick, but just not very pretty.

Imagine it stenciled on a plain seat cover?  Or used to create pattern with blocking?  Or for block printing?  

I feel a calico purchase coming on.

jusqu'à la prochaine fois

Marie x

Pass the Meths...

Sometimes a girl is driven to spirits and today was my day!

The beautiful Oak Blanket Box I was so excited about giving an Annie Sloan makeover to was duly prepped and readied for painting this morning.  She was looking good.  Her lines are clean and the carving she has is delicate and beautiful. But something was off.

See that lovely carving? And the nice flat surface. It was not happy.

As I began to slide her underwear on something odd started to happen.  Her beautiful skin started to peel and flake.  Not a good look, even on this lovely old girl.

Desperate measures had to be taken.  Time to bring out the big guns.  Or in this case hard spirits.  I reached for the Meths!  And by golly it worked.  A bit like having a top notch chemical peel at your favorite beauty salon, she was restored to her former smooth lustre.

Now there is a bit of work to be done before she is able to pass muster, but goodness me does she look better.  Sneaky close up peek here.  Can you guess the colour combination?  No prize, its just for fun!

Jusqu'à demain.

Marie x

Today I will mostly be experimenting...

Well, it's Monday morning and I have a plan.  Weather permitting  will be finishing off my very handsome Tallboy, but I will also be conducting a little experiment in fabric painting with Annie Sloan...Oh my!

Update on progress later today!

Marie xxx

Just an old Biddy!

I love the weekend.  Plenty of family time and this one seems to have been a non-stop party.  I will have to be rolled into the stable on Monday morning the amount of food that has been consumed!

The weekend got off to a great start.  Friday afternoon saw me taking a nice trip with my friend to view auction stock.  And  very good it was too!  I saw about 25 items that I know would look amazing with a bit of TLC.  Unfortunately my storage options at the moment are a little limited...as you can see.

I have plenty to keep me busy, but with Abigales Vintage Fayre coming up on 10th December I need some smaller items to display and, (cross fingers), sell.  

So with great excitement I dragged the entire family off to the Auction on Saturday morning, (the bribe was that the kids were going to get measured for their Christmas bikes!).

I love the Auction.  The kids, not so much.  I love the smell, the cold and the coffee in polystyrene cups.  Not that keen on some of the pushers and shovers, but they come with the territory.

So I get my list, see whats what, have a quick scoot around, quickly remove about half of my potentials, get back to the action and just in time, bid on a lovely, well it will be once I'm done with it, oak bureau.  

That's when they adrenalin kicks in.  I love it.  The excitement of getting something for less than you expected - or as happens more often than not, having to bow out when the bids go over the limit you have set.  I am very strict with myself.  If I wasn't it would be a disaster.  So a few aborted bids later and I secured the ugliest oak blanket chest on legs.  Oh, she is a beauty! 

Can't wait to get them tomorrow!

à bientôt!

Marie xx

I 

Welcome to my world...

Hello lovely visitor.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

This is my petite blog all about my exploits in the world of fanciful furniture.

To explain what I do, I take a piece of furniture, sometimes it has been unloved, perhaps it is ugly and in need of a new dress or maybe it simply needs a little tweak to make it bright and beautiful.  I give it the once over and decide what I would like it to be.

I am not exaggerating when I say my furniture speaks to me.  So fanciful is probably a good word.

Taking inspiration from my French roots and love of colour and form, I bring you Marie Debell - Fanciful Furniture.

Enjoy!

Just to get us started here is a little project I just finished.  It's available to buy - email fiona@debell.me for information.

 

Lady FiFi's Sewing box...in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Emperors Silk with Dark Wax.