Ouch! Negative Comments Can Sting!

I had a very kind follower offer me this amazing compliment about this wardrobe.

"Hands down - the best makeover yet ( in my opinion ). Your pieces of furniture art evoke certain feelings, moods, even memories. That may sound flaky, but it's true, none the less. This piece feels like a stormy sea meeting the shore. Better yet, well worn blue jeans over a pair of much loved boots." 

I also received this one...

"I can't! I truly can't say anything...I'm speechless! I can see this piece in a beautiful ranch home in Wyoming. This piece is SPECTACULAR!"

This was beautiful to me. Many more sweet and encouraging comments were written to me about this wardrobe. Then, this happened...

"It used to be gorgeous. Now it looks like it was fished out of a swamp. So Sad!"

"It WAS beautiful! How could she?"

"VOMIT. You ruined a great piece."

Etc... Etc...

Well, those last few DID NOT feel well! I'll be honest.  I've never had that happen, not to that extreme. I've heard, "That piece looked better before", or "You ruined a nice piece of furniture", but not that my work made someone want to vomit. OUCH!

Once I let it settle in and gather my thoughts, I started to reflect on all of the pieces I "didn't buy". The pieces that sat for months in an antique shop...solid wood and perfect. Yes, we've all seen them and admired them and walked away from them. Either they weren't what we were looking for, weren't in our price range or were NOT going to benefit from being painted. Do I know the difference? I've always thought so...and I still believe I do. 

Take this wardrobe for example.  It sat in a thrift shop ( yes, thrift shop ) forever. NOBODY wanted it in it's current condition.  I walked past it as I do pieces of furniture all the time. I say to myself, "If it's still here in a month, I will buy and paint it". 

Now, most of us understand that just because a piece of furniture is painted doesn't mean it's permanent ( enter paint stripper ). Some folks think that by painting furniture, we create a cardinal sin...committed a unforgivable crime.  

Seriously?!??! I adore furniture of all styles and design, unpainted as well as painted. 

I think the difference is this...

I see myself as an artist and we all know that an artist's work will be interpreted differently.  That's the beauty of art, isn't it?

However, these negative comments were more about me being "one of those furniture painters that keep ruining furniture". I know you all have heard similar comments or objections to painting furniture. I don't think they were necessarily hating my paint techniques.  Surely they can appreciate my originality, my unique style I'm creating and my blending of colours to create texture and depth.  I'm a person eager to please but on a personal level, I'll have to grow thicker skin and realize my art is not for everyone to love or appreciate but for me, and me only.  

Lastly, this is my professional business, my career.  I search for unwanted furniture and try to create something new from something that lost it's luster, it's desirability. That can't be a crime. It can't be so bad or I, like so many of you, wouldn't still be at this rough and tumble profession of painting furniture. We love it, don't we? 

So, I'm taking the good with the bad because I choose to. I choose to take their negative comments and throw them in the trash.  I have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to regret. 

Oh, and I have haters now!! I hear that means I'm doing something right. 

I want to thank those of you who came to my defense today...I love having your support. 

This wardrobe is available to purchase on my site, www.theturquoiseiris.com.
This base colour is Feathered Nest from the Heirloom Traditions Paint company.  I also used Steamer Trunk from Vintiques and the Aurora Staining Gels in the shades of Goldilocks, Snow White and Island Paradise. If you haven't tried these gels, you really should.  

If you liked this makeover, you may also like THIS ONE or THIS ONE.

Have a wonderful day!

Dionne

They Called My Work Messy - Wait Til They See This Otomi Print Paired with Klein Blue & Persimmon

Being a part of social media automatically sets yourself up for criticism, whether in positive or negative forms. Your vulnerability shows up, like it or not.  

So, I posted my last piece ( with the blue and white Otomi print ) and someone made a comment in a language I didn't understand.  Now, this happens all the time and I usually click "see translation" even though I sometimes worry that I will read something negative. This person had a lot to say about my work, things like,  "I have inspired her to use more color, and she plans to hold a few paint workshops using paper as well." She wrote three paragraphs, all which made me smile...and then I read the word, "messy." Messy? Hmmm...isn't that typically a negative word?!?!  Wouldn't you agree? Now, in the past, only a few people can get away with calling me messy - like my mom or my husband...that's about it.

So, I pondered on that word awhile.  I have posted "paint outside the lines" and "I've made a huge mess today while working on this piece" so why in the world am I stuck on this? Isn't it weird the way our minds work when we feel under attack?

I put my thoughts back in the right place, the place of an artist ( start to immediately feel better ). Have you EVER seen an artist's studio that wasn't messy? One that didn't have paint all over the floor or more colours than you can imagine on one single brush handle?  Neither have I. So, there you go and there I go.  I convinced myself being called "messy" was an absolute HUGE compliment. I get that that follower appreciates my blending, my distressing, my dripping and my painting "outside the lines" and I'm no longer stuck on it.  She wasn't criticizing my work...she loves it, actually. So, call me messy all day long, no problem here!

These two pieces will be roomies for life.  Both are going to the same house.  The same house where two of my pieces already live.  That feels so good. ( and I bet her house isn't even "messy" ) Ha!

I'm obsessed with this Klein Blue from General Finishes. I've paired it with Persimmon once again and added this Otomi print gift wrap from Spoonflower.  The coverage is amazing, also.

Thanks for all of your sweet sweet support and encouragement! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. If you enjoy this makeover, check out This One, also. 

Blessings, 

Dionne

A Match Made in Heaven - Windsor Blue & Destin Gulf Green Accented with Carolina Sun Yellow

"Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living."

~Dr. Seuss

What is it about blue that just "gets me?" They say blue should evoke a sense calm and relaxation.  Is that it? Is my mind and body in such chaos that I actually "need" blue in my life to create, to dream, to fantasize? There is the old adage that says, "Are you feeling blue?" As if feeling blue means your sad or lonely. I don't get that. Do you? It energizes me and calms me all at once. I'm thankful for blue.

I used CeCe Caldwell's Paint in the colors Destin Gulf Green, Windsor Blue and Carolina Sun Yellow. I think these colors compliment one another so beautifully. 

This client was very trusting of me with this one.  She basically told me to run with it and do what I think is best.  So fun, right?  So, I did, thank you very much!

While this piece has reached over 10,000 people on my Facebook page, The Turquoise Iris and blowing up my feed, I've been scheduling shipments. This piece left for Texas last night. Two more are headed to Phoenix and then two are going to Pennsylvania.  I can't explain how wonderful it is to finally found a delivery person that is honest, dependable and easily accessible. 

If you liked this makeover, please check out my other similar makeovers HERE, HERE, and HERE.

Coming up next...

Blessings to all of you,

Dionne 

Before & After Mexican Otomi Print Buffet & A Wall of Flowers

Is anyone else suffering from empty house syndrome today?!?!

My boys went back to school today. My oldest started high school at the same one my husband and I went to and my youngest is in sixth grade. On this day, every year, my memory takes me back to the many "first days of school" and coordinating outfits, worrying about getting lost and whether I'd have any friends in my classes.  I have to say, these two boys of mine handled their first day much better than I remember it going for me.  My nerves always kept me up late and my stomach was always a mess. I'm looking forward to them having a great year and watching them grow is more fun than I imagined. 

I. Am. So. Proud. 

I hope you and yours are all adjusting well and have a fun school year!

Now, back to business... 

This is the third piece my client has purchased from me and I'm doing one more for her next week.  It will also be in the Otomi print but multi colored...I am so excited!

This is the second piece I've painted using this fab paper from Spoonflower. Check out the before photo below. 

I used the Aurora Staining Gel in Boy Blue from Heirloom Traditions Paint to create this drip technique.  This product is exactly what I needed, made my job so easy. They have more colors to choose from including metallics. 

Am I the only person crazy enough to hang flowers on the wall using painters tape? Don't answer that, actually. My son had a friend over while I created this staging wall. He walked by, stopped and stared. He asked, "Is that tape supposed to be on the wall?" I laughed, and said, "Absolutely, you just wait. It's going to look amazing!" I was hoping, at least. 

Etsy offers all kinds of business advice that I love to read and absorb.  One of the latest posts was about creating conversation about your shop, get people talking. They said one way to do this is to share comments and questions posted on social media to you or about your shop. I love reading the comments my amazing followers post and always feel so energized by their kind words. Let me share a few of my favorites and you'll see what I mean. I wouldn't be where I am right now without my clients and followers who graciously share my work with friends and family.

Patty writes, " Stop it...No, really stop it.  This is G O R G E O U S! This is a show stopper. I love seeing your pieces. Your client is going to cry. I can't wait to see what's next."

Kathryn says, "Is there any item you complete that I don't like? I don't think so. I watched your blog and now your Facebook page, you amaze me. Plus, your staging is so unique, instantly recognized."

Patricia writes, "That's it...I GIVE UP...I LOVE YOU!"

Susanne says, "you are so talented...each one of your pieces has a unique vibe. Love them all."

Ashley writes, " If I could marry a piece of furniture, this would be it!"

Barb says, "I think you've outdone yourself! Just when I think I love a piece the most, you paint one better than ever! This should be one happy client!"

Chris writes, "SWEET MAMA LOVE!! Ahhh dying here - Am I right everyone?"

Carmen says, "Incredibly talented, Chica! You make blue scotch taped flowers on the wall look good, I mean, who else can get away with that?"

Carissa writes, "I swear, it looks like you blow those colors on with kisses!!! Such skill!!!"

Well, you can see why I have the 

BEST followers, right?

If you enjoy this makeover, click HERE to see a similar piece. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and cheers to a empty house, but, I'm still counting down the hours until I see their sweet faces today! #truth

~~Dionne

FOUR COLORS?!?!? On One Piece of Furniture?!?! Oh Yes, Absolutely! Klein Blue Hutch Furniture Makeover - It Doesn't Get Any Better

After a much needed and greatly anticipated vacation to Chicago, I'm back in my shop slapping paint and making messes everywhere. 

Why Chicago you ask? My boys and husband have a dream of visiting every MLB stadium in the U.S. So, we hit three in six days. It was a great learning experience and so fun to see the look on their faces during the ball games. I will always prefer the beach, any beach, for a vacation, but it was well worth the quality time we shared. Seriously, why is vacation NEVER long enough?!?!

So, back to this makeover... my client saw this piece I posted two weeks ago and fell in love with the colors. She plans to fill this hutch full of her Fiestaware and these colors will compliment her collection perfectly.

So, we recreated this look on her own hutch.  I used paint products by General Finishes in colors, Klein Blue, Persimmon, Patina Green and Sommerset Gold. 

Below is the fabric that my client will be coordinating with this hutch. We really had endless options to choose from as you can see the birds are covered in all of these colors. Her Fiestaware will look amazing in this hutch, don't you think? 

This little gem was a free gift from Drew with http://www.drewnoelmarin.com/ I actually won it on her Instagram account when she offered it to the person who could help her with a title. I called it, Beach Bound, and she chose that as her title. Yay for me!! So much quality in this piece. 

Hope you enjoy this makeover! 

My client just sent me a text that said, "Oh my gosh, I think this is my favorite piece to date. Tears are pouring." 

Well, my day is made.

Blessings,

Dionne