I Went LIVE On Facebook and Revealed This Coral and Teal Makeover!

I WENT LIVE on FACEBOOK!!!

Dear Reader,

Let me tell you how awesome you really are! 

In regards to my last post about negative comments, my fantastic readers came to my defense like a mom hearing her child was getting bullied! You all stood up for me, defended me and gave me so much love and encouragement. Honestly, your response here and on social media blew me away and made me feel very special. One of my kind followers sent me this quote below.

A few more had this to say... (leaving out names)

I'm also a painter of furniture. Since I've come across your pieces it has given me a new zeal. I LOVE what you do. It is beautiful. I do so much of just the everyday ho-hum it's nice to see a new perspective. Thanks for renewing my inspiration to take my creativity to a new level. You are to be congratulated and admired. Forget the nay-Sayers. They're just jealous

Your style is very unique and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just like an abstract painting will evoke different feelings to everyone, your art pieces do to. It is what makes you stand out from the crowd (and I am part of that crowd lol) and what makes you inimitable. Own it!!!

This is ABSURD! People can be awful, like children in a school yard! What you do creates in me what Picasso or Warhol creates in other art lovers. Its innovative and sparks feelings THROUGH FURNITURE! Amazing! You transform these pieces...these lonely, sad, "left to sit at Goodwill or in someone's garage" pitiful pieces. It's totally fine to not appreciate your work, not everyone has the ability to see talent and amazing creativity! But building an otherwise bottomed out self-esteem by trolling behind a computer screen is outrageous. 

Kate with Heir and Space wrote...

I've admired your work for a long time and just wanted to pop over and give you a bit of encouragement. As a professional furniture painter, I get the hateful comments too from time to time, and was spurned to write a similar blog post on my website this past winter -http://heirandspace.blogspot.com/2016/01/on-painting-furniture.html
I agree with you fully. The pieces that we snap up to reinvent are orphans, are unloved, and through the refinishing process, they are re-born. I suspect you draw more fire than most because you don't toe the line of "farmhouse chic". 
Sometimes scrolling through instagram I feel like I've seen every possible way to upcycle a serpentine front sideboard, and then I see your version, and it stops me dead. Your work is art; it's brilliant and challenging and fascinating. It doesn't just reinvent the piece of furniture, it changes the way we look at it entirely. You are, in my extremely qualified opinion, the best furniture painter in the country, and I don't say that lightly. Keep going, screw those jerks that judge, they're welcome to buy ikea furniture and live mundane lives. You're doing everything right, and then some. Thank you for being the amazing artist you are, and providing so much inspiration for our community.

Allison with Refunk my Junk wrote...

Dionne, you are amazing and you are evoking an emotion in people. Good or bad your work is thought provoking. You are a rockstar!

Those were just 5% of the encouraging words and comments left for me to absorb and left me feeling all warm and understood. Now, please don't misunderstand, I did not post those negative comments to get your pitty.  I wanted to show the rest of you furniture painters/ artists that you are not alone.  There is a HUGE community here of amazing talent that are willing to build you up and give you a fist bump when needed.  I for one, am humbled by the kindness I've received. 

People are GOOD, really GOOD.  That's what I want you all to know, what I know for sure. It makes me feel wonderful to know I have a huge circle of "cyber friends" here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

Now, on to the good stuff.  

I went LIVE!!! I get so nervous every time I press the "Go Live" button on my phone.  I just sit back and laugh at myself afterwards. My friend, Jennifer Allwood from The Magic Brush is the master of using Facebook to build your business.  She is a huge influence in the painting industry and has encouraged all of her readers to use Facebook Live. Jennifer is a natural behind the camera.  She's sweet, authentic and very helpful.  All of which comes through in her voice and discussion.  Simply put, I LOVE her! She speaks to my soul, She says things I want to say but have no idea how to pull the words out of my jumbled creative mind. 

This is the first piece in my newest series titled, Summer Sunsets.

I shared it live on my Facebook page. Click the link if you want to see my fumble all over my words. I showed the before and the after photos using paint products from CeCe Caldwell's paints and also mentioned all of the colors I used for this makeover. 

I wanted a warm coral so I custom mixed Las Vegas Fuchsia, Sedona Red and Middleton Mustard. I accented with Thomasville Teal and Sante Fe Turquoise. I sealed with Walnut Grove top coat and last but definitely  not least,  I used the metallic wax in Canyon Copper! This was exactly the product I needed to take this armoire to the "sunset" idea I was planning.  

My hat off to all of you momprenuers, small business owners, stay at home moms, workaholics, etc., etc., 

All of us are doing the best we can. We make mistakes but we also work hard at being the best we can be.  I support you - know that! 

I'll sign off with this little quote I want to read over and over again. 

from Pinterest

Blessings for a wonderful weekend and holiday!

~~Dionne