My Most Popular Image on Instagram - Two Blue Or Too Blue Makeovers

Hello, Everyone. Dionne here.

I've had so much fun styling my photos this month.  I AM a fan of mums although I'm not much in to fall 

( as I mentioned in a previous post here )

Mums provide my images with a bold pop of color, extra 

texture and an all over "happy feeling". 

See in these images below I've used the mums in baskets 

and hung them on the wall. 

This image below would've been my most popular to date, thanks to Jennifer Allwood from The Magic Brush. 

She featured this piece on her Facebook page...love her!

Many of you have asked about those huge hooks on the wall. 

 Have you figured out what they are yet?

I often find old dressers with damaged or busted mirrors. 

These pieces were once the sides to these mirrors,

 holding them on with large bolts or hardware. I started using them to flank our small windows in our own home.  One set goes above our kitchen window and the smaller set hangs in our master bath window,

 almost like a valance but on the walls. 

Recycle, re-use, re-create, right? Always.

Blue Montana Sky, Thomasville Teal, Windsor Blue and Enchanted Lilac
All from CeCe Caldwell's
www.cececaldwells.com

So, have you figured out my most popular image on Instagram to date?

Nope, it's not that one either.  

Ha Ha, of course not!

That's just me busting out my favorite pink hat that I never 

have the courage to wear. 

It's this one.

 I had no idea the response I'd receive on this antique dresser. The attention was immediate so I started wondering what is it about this image or piece. Is it the colors, the mums again, the paintings on the wall or maybe it's just all of the components together?

I think it's because this image is "so me", maybe.

The colors are my favorite. They are soft but when combined and layered, they are bold. I love organic elements like the pine cones, the white corals and the coral hanging on the wall.  Fresh bright flowers are a must around our home, inside and out.  Two of the beach paintings are mine, an attempt to teach myself through trial and error. 

Key West Blue, Midnight Blue and Persimmon
All from www.GeneralFinishes.com

What are your favorite color combinations? Are you a fan of warm or cool tones? I'd love to hear from you.

You can always shop here on my site, www.theturquoiseiris.com The paintings are also now available.

I hope you all enjoy a little trick or treating tonight, whether you are the treater or the tricker!

Happy Monday!

Dionne

How To Merge Work & Play ~ A Bold Furniture Makeover

 Hello Friends, 

Dionne here.

Let's talk work and play and how they often merge, if we "let" them.

I've been thinking this past week about a conversation I had with my mom ( while we had our daily treadmill meeting ).

I told her I had worked on a piece of furniture one evening until 8:30. Now, she knows that is unusual for me. I'm usually completely done by 3:00 or so since I pick up my oldest son from high school.  Once we get back home, my younger son comes rolling in on his bike and homework, dinner prep and evening plans begin.  But, this evening was different. I had a really fun project going on and just. could. not. stop. 

Enter exhibit A.

Between this bold otomi paper, this primitive cabinet and the fun colors in the makeover, I just didn't want to stop "working".

Obviously, I'm using this working term very lightly.

My play and my work are definitely merging, becoming one. As my business grows and my wings spread, painting has become more of a way of life rather than a job. I'm starting to identify myself as an artist and not only a mom and wife hustling to earn an income. 

I'm having fun. I'm playing with paint and that's really what I feel it is, simply put.

So, how did this happen? How did my job become play?

Think about a time you successfully created something from scratch. 

Did you create a flower garden in your back yard or a salsa vegetable garden? Did you find a new recipe and make your husband a new favorite dessert? Did you hang wallpaper in your powder bath and totally upgrade that room from boring to glam? You may have even used an old sewing machine to create the cutest summer dress for your daughter.  Did it trigger an idea in you? Did you think, "maybe this could be more"? Maybe you were on to something?

That's what happened to me. I tried it, built a business upon an idea and my passion grew from there. Many ideas went in, many went out and are still running through my mind, but this is where the merging exists. When I go to bed at night, I'm planning the next makeover.  When I wake up, I'm counting the hours before I get the paint brush in my hand.  I never really turn off my creativity because that's play to me and that's okay.  I'm letting it happen this way. 

                           I love close-ups. That's the good stuff.

For this bold furniture makeover, I used all products from General Finishes. The colors you see here are Klein Blue, Patina Green, Somerset Gold and Persimmon. This cabinet is No. 7 in my series, Perfectly Imperfect. She sold already and has found her new home in Amarillo...makes my heart very happy.

On a different note, I sold my first painted canvas and shipped it to it's new owner last week.  I'm so very excited to stretch myself this way, too. I can't explain how that first sale felt. 

I hope I never forget either. 

We are enjoying gorgeous weather here in Oklahoma and mild temps. I hope you all have a wonderfully productive week.

If you loved this makeover, click this link to see a similar one.

~~Dionne

Layers Upon Layers Upon Layers and Vulnerability

Dionne here. I'm sharing a couple of custom orders I finished last week.  I've been so busy doing customs and adding new pieces 

to my shop that blogging has been on 

my "get to it when I can" list. As I'm enjoying game 6, Cubs vs Dodgers, I thought I'd show you all these makeovers.

I used all products from CeCe Caldwell's for this cabinet. Sante Fe Turquoise stole the show, though. 

Layers.

Layers often happen naturally, in life or in art. In life, they happen without our control.  In art, we create them one at a time. It's ironic that as we get older and experience more, we peel our own layers back, one at a time. Personally, I have opened myself up to being vulnerable but with my art, I'm learning to add layers, gracefully and intentionally. Within both of these aspects, 

I am finding more of my true self. 

The only thing I have to say about this cabinet is I never tire of turquoise. I hope to goodness I never do. 

These colors are my favorite - always.

Thanks to Tori for trusting me. 

Now, prepare to be stunned by this amazing chair.

My client brought it to me and said she's had it for a very long time.  The best part was she let me choose the colors to use. She was tired of the original finish and well, I added layers upon layers.
I created this color combination using Tuscan Red from 
General Finishes as my base color. 

You can see the original finish in the photo above. I love it peeking out among all of these paint layers. 

What about you? Do you see how social media makes us all feel vulnerable at times? Actually, more than not, someone behind the screen is making judgement about what we post, what we say or what we are doing. It's up to us how we receive that judgement.  Do we care and if so, how much? I think we are all on a learning curve, doing the best we can.

I am so grateful to be able to do what I love for a living and share my passion with you. Every piece I paint gets a stamp on it that says, "handmade by The Turquoise Iris" with two little hearts. I mean that. Each time I grab a brush, you get my love, sweat and vulnerability. Thank you for this, thank you so much.

~Dionne

Less Is Best? This Time, Yes.

Gray. 

Um...Ok.

White.

Sure...I guess.

Coral.

Absolutely!

These colors together create a visually soft experience on this dresser. I am not usually a "gray" or "white" kind of painter, I know. I actually sat down to paint this dresser and chose a blue. But, then I sat there staring at the details of this piece. Aren't they amazing? 

I jumped up and grabbed my favorite gray, Steamer Trunk from Vintiques. I told myself, "less is best" - with this piece, "yes".

I distressed it heavily and really let the wood grain show through.  The coral is a perfect compliment to the gray and the white softens the entire finish perfectly. 

I know this post is short, and sweet and simple but I think I'll keep in theme, "Less is Best". I sold this dresser from just the little sneak peek clip on Facebook and Instagram so I decided to do another, very similar.  You can expect to see that one this week, as well.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

~~Dionne

Confession - The Fall Season and I Are Not Friendly and This Navy & Teal Furniture Makeover

     Sorry to be the odd ball here, but I don't like Fall.  This season does NOT make me happy.  Impending doom and gloom...that's all I think.  Fall means it's almost WINTER - Nooooo!!! I despise Winter. The plants die, the flowers die, and the leaves fall off the trees leaving them vulnerable and sad looking. Plus, the cold wind here in Oklahoma hurts my face, makes my ears hurt and eventually just freezes me, to the bone. I'll be freezing December through March. The older I get the more I'm affected by the weather. 

     I can't help it...I love the sunlight, the warmth, the green trees and gorgeous flowers that fill the Spring and Summer months. Yes, after the temperature has been 100 degrees and 80 percent humidity, it's a welcomed drop when it dips below 80 degrees here but it never stays long.  Soon, we will be shivering all the time and running to our cars and adding clothing layers and layers to our bodies. What is so great about all that, anyway?

     Now that you are all thinking I'm a big weirdo, I will admit, Fall does mean brightly colored mums and pansies. Oh, and I also love pumpkin spice lattes from Panera Bread ( without whipped cream ). On the bright side, the mums make staging my photos a whole lot of fun, too. I actually hung that huge basket on the wall for these photos. 

     You should have seen me trying to catch a grasshopper that rode in with that yellow mum...hilarious.  It hopped out right on to my arm and took off hopping. I then had to challenge it to a dual...sad ending for that little guy ( I have a Doberman Pincher ). 

     Have any of you ever seen a piece of furniture like this? Check out the design. It was love at first sight for me.  The navy and teal layered really well on this piece and the yellow, well, yellow is always happy to me. 

I used all products from CeCe Caldwell's Paints for this furniture makeover. This is available on my shop, The Turquoise Iris. I adore this piece and my mom wants it for Christmas so if you want it, you better hurry! Haha!

I'm signing off and already looking forward to SPRING, Lol.

~~Dionne