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Studio Time

Some of you may be wondering what I’ve been up to for the past couple of months.  I’m wondering where all that time went!

I’ve been busily working in my studio in the evenings and helping a fellow painter out during the day.  As you may have noticed, I’ve been really caught up with the decorative concrete overlays lately.  Nothing has changed in the past couple of months!  I have had the opportunity to help a fellow faux finisher install a countertop overlay.  Terri was nice enough to let me delve right into each stage of the process.  I now have a much better idea of the whole process as well as many tips and tricks for all those details that are so important.

Back in my studio, you’ll find a large drying rack holding 14+ samples in various stages of completion, a 5 gallon bucket of concrete and drill laying out for daily use, and a generously sized table papered off where all of the work happens.

Here are a couple photos of my studio in full “concrete overlay” mode:

My two new favorite samples from my efforts:

I have a couple of concrete overlay projects coming up that I am excited about. One of them will be at the restaurant Rusty Taco.  This will be a silver metallic finish that will go really well with their men’s garage theme.  The second project coming up is an island for a family whose original countertops have cracked.  We are going to match the original counters to keep the look of the original kitchen intact.

I’m excited to write a post after they are completed to share the process!

The walls above.

Knowing that this is a tough topic for most homeowners, I’ve asked Sarah Bernardy-Broman of Sarah Bernardy Design to help us feel a little more comfortable with addressing our ceilings.  Read below to hear what Sarah is saying about painting your ceilings.

During a color consult for my clients the other day we had made our selections for all the wall colors on the main level, when the wife asked, “now what color for the ceiling? Can we do something other than white?” An instant smile stretched across my face, not only because she was first in suggesting we put color on the ceiling, a controversial topic in most households, but they have the coveted flat ceilings, not popcorn or knock-down! Can you feel my smile? I view the open space immediately looking for the starting and stopping points per room. We select a nice soft yellow called, Cottage Cream from Sherwin Williams that compliments all of our color selection, but is much warmer than the existing primer white.

When did color on the walls above become a subject that’s hard to address? I’m not saying you need Sistine Chapel glory on your ceilings; I’m talking a color other than white. Painting your ceilings the same color or even a shade or two lighter then the walls in your room or home is not rocket science, but it may take a color expert to get you to the right shade suited for your space and level of comfort.

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Guest blogging

I had the honor of guest blogging on Sarah Bernardy Design’s blog this week.

I wrote a feature post on using iCoat to add curb appeal to the walkways and front steps of your home.  It is a great product and great time of year to complete a job outside as you’ll have the long summer to enjoy it!

Check it out here.

Portraits by Michael Shapcott

Reblogged from Say Hello:

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Connecticut-based artist Michael Shapcott creates wonderfully colored portraits by starting with graphite underdrawings that are then painted with washes in oil and acrylic. He currently has work at Thinkspace in Culver City through March 24th, and you can buy prints at Society6.

The stunning work of Michael Shapcott. I hope you like them as much as I do!

iCoat Concrete Countertop/Flooring Seminar – Part 2

Our iCoat concrete countertop/flooring seminar is done.  Sad, I know.

We came away with nine sample boards.  Three samples each of countertops, concrete flooring, and metallic illusions epoxy flooring.  My head is full of ideas for new samples so prepare yourself for more to come!

As I mentioned in my last post, my first project will be my bathroom’s countertops that currently has green swirl laminate.

It should be a great before and after project!

Take a look at my haul:

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iCoat Concrete Countertop/Flooring Seminar – Post 1

It has been two fun days of learning and playing with the my newly found product line called iCoat.  Bear with me as I tend to get very excited about new product lines and let my geeky art side shine strong.

I wrote a short post after signing up for the seminar which you can find right here.  This product line has a countertop and flooring/wall portion with unlimited options of texture and color combinations.

I’ve been in class for two days now and made nine sample boards – yay!

The first day we covered how to create countertops – truly one of the most fun products that I have ever used.  It definitely has the wow factor when applying the colorants and even more so when the epoxy coating goes on and all the colors pop once again.

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New Stencil Works by Street Artist C215

Reblogged from Say Hello:

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French artist Christian Guémy aka C215 has been an active street artist for over 20 years, his first stencils going up around 2006 and according to Street Art London his daughter is now following in his footsteps making her own 2 layer stencils. See much more on Flickr.

I couldn't resist reblogging this amazing post from Say Hello that is all about the street artist C215. There are some truly fantastic pieces featured. I think my new dream is to become a street artist!

Ladybug Themed Room (Furnished)

It’s always fun for me to have the opportunity to see the spaces I’ve worked in with the decorations and furniture back in their places.  They always have that finished look that an empty room just can’t deliver!

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TGI Fridays Mural

Working a few late nights and some odd hours yielded this urban-feeling black and white mural for a local TGI Fridays.

I had the honor of painting this mural at the MSP Airport.  So, next time you are heading out of the Twin Cities on a flight to somewhere warm and beautiful you’ll have to stop by the TGI Fridays at Gate C to check out my work.  You’ll be able to see my mural from the walkway although after working and eating at TGI Fridays for a few days I can vouch for the staff and for the food so you might just want to stay awhile.

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Monkey Pirate Playroom – Final Photos

This unique playroom has been a fun adventure from start to finish.  We began with the inspiration of the cute wall decals featured in my previous post.  We then added more of Elise’s favorites from the zoo and movies.  These include Nemo, pirate monkeys, a treasure chest, a baby sea turtle, and what child could live without a cute shark?

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