I KNOW, I KNOW...

YOU WANT A STENCIL, TOO!

Guess what?

Royal Design Studio is awesome...

so awesome, in fact,

 that they are sponsoring a give-away!

A stencil of your choosing, up to $50!

Wanna win?

OF COURSE YOU DO!

Here is what you need to do:

(each counts for one entry!)

1. Pay a visit to Royal Design Studio's website and leave ME 

a post about which stencil you would choose

2."Like" RDS on Facebook then come back here and let me know

3. Follow Royal Design Studio on Twitter then let me know you did

4. Check out Royal Design Studio on Pinterest then let me know you did

Easy Peasy, right??

We'll be selecting a winner on Thursday evening

May 31st

GOOD LUCK!

Colette Dining Set

Something finally possessed me...

and I decided to get moving

on this HUGE dining set

I don't love painting chairs

I don't love stripping table tops

(especially painted ones!)

But in the end, it's always worth it!

Light-to-moderate distressing

gives this set a time-loved look

Big deal, you say...

doesn't look so HUGE to me...

Yeah, well...

Does it look HUGE now?

That's right...it has THREE leaves!

And a buffet!

Did I mention it also has a CHINA HUTCH

that isn't *quite* finished?

I'm typically NOT a huge fan of stencils...

boy, has Royal Design Studio

changed my mind!

For this project, I used their 

Small Ribbon Damask Stencil

If you've used their products before

you know they are fabulous

This is our fifth project 

with Royal Design Studio Stencils

and I've yet to be disappointed! 

Super cool designs

(nothing frumpy or boring here!)

and they are much more durable

 than stencils I've used in the past

I also LOVE how they make it so 

easy to do repeating patterns

by incorporating little "markers"

to help you on your way

The stencil portion of this project

was a breeze, and it saved me

from having to strip the leaves

I think the shot of color and pattern

helps break up what 

was a LOOONNGGGG

expanse of table!

Would you love to try a Royal Design Studio stencil?

STAY TUNED FOR A GREAT GIVEAWAY!

Want to purchase this set?

You can find it in our Etsy Shop

We never did hear from our first winner, 

so we had to draw again...

Congrats to

Sandy A

Here's what she plans to do with the loot:

"We have so many projects planned to start and to finish. 

The knobs would be perfect on a buffet we are painting, 

and I have lots of ideas for what to do with the rest."

Please email me your shipping details!

Stiltskinstudios@gmail.com
 

Drum Roll, Please!

The winner of our very first give-away is...

Sheila

Of "HEY YOU"

How will Sheila use the items?

"That is Easy! 
i'm in the middle of a kitchen redo & they would happily find their way into it i'm Sure ... 
Especially since i have a "collection" of Beautiful knobs & pulls that are happening in there
 AND i'm lining the backs of my cabinets with Beautiful paper!!! 
how could these vintage inspired Beauties NOT find their way into My kitchen?!? ;)"

Congrats, Sheila!

Please message me with your shipping info :0) 

It's party time!

 In honor of reaching

(and totally surpassing!)

1000 "LIKES"

on FaceBook...

We're having a little GIVEAWAY!

 This giveaway *might* include

a pot of Gilding Wax

 As well as TEN sheets

of fabulous decorative paper

(not the one shown, sorry, but I promise, they are AWESOME!)

Plenty to line drawers or do a few 

decoupage projects!

And a pair of super fancy knobs...

Perfect pieces to inspire a fabulous project...

Oh, and a $75 GC to our Etsy Store

A special THANK YOU

To Robyn Story Designs

for participating with us!

What do you have to do to enter?

1. Like us FB

2. Like Robyn Story Designs on FB

3. Follow Robyn's blog 

4. Leave me a comment here telling me what you'll do with the goodies...oh, and if you don't already, follow our BLOG!

Winner will be randomly chosen on Sunday, 5/13

Have fun, be inspired, and good luck!

Here's the second piece

from our

Versailles Collection...

It was a rather labor-intensive process

(next time I want to do this to a set with

NINE drawers

remind me I DON'T!)

But in the end, it was well worth it

We've been really, really

REALLY

busy these last few weeks...

I've finally gotten into the habit of working 

out of the studio

instead of dragging stuff home

I'm getting quite a lot accomplished! 

(no internet will have that effect)

We get so many requests

for items to coordinate

with previously purchased items

from our clients...

This got me thinking...

why not do "collections"

where the items all coordinate

and have the same "feel"?

This dresser, mirror, and vanity

did not come together

and are all from 

different manufacturers

(the vanity, it's mirror, and bench are an actual "set")

I'm loving every piece...

All the above photos are of the vanity

We painted all the pieces Paris Grey

with Pure White accents

before applying Craqueleur

( a two step process that 

creates a lovely, fine crack

on the surface of the paint)

to every surface that was painted Pure White

We then applied dark wax

Gilded the edges

as well as all around each drawer

added fancy knobs

(thank you, Robyn Story Designs) 

 

The fabric on the seat is gorgeous, as well...

 

The second piece in the Versailles Collection

will be featured in a separate blog post,

so I don't overwhelm you with photos!

Time Flies

I am pleased to announce

that I avoided FACEBOOK

nearly all day...

and I didn't really miss anything!

 GASP!

Not to say that wonderful things 
were not posted...
just nothing urgent
no "breaking news"
pertaining to me

I figure if I really need to know
someone will tell me

Usually, when I'm painting at our home studio

I find myself wandering in as paint dries

 to check FB

and you know what happens next, right??

Time magically jumps forward

sometimes by HOURS!

But now, I'm at the studio

without my computer

(by choice)

I even stopped looking at my phone!

The amount of work I got done is AMAZING
I mean, seriously amazing...

So it looks like FB will have to do without my company

a bit more frequently :0)

I'm certain it's a good thing, right Martha?

Does mud stain?

You know,

 I was just reading a great blog that was comparing different paints, 

and it sparked my interest in learning more about another paint product. 

I visited a blog for someone having a giveaway for the product, 

thinking I should give it a fair shake. 

People often ask me about this other paint

and I have no response other than

"I don't know, I've never used it"

Maybe it's great, I thought to myself

It might have different properties

 that lends it to certain projects... 

No harm it at least trying...

Heck, I was not an Annie Sloan fan in the beginning!

I was deterred by the price

the drive to get it

and I hated the wax

Boy, things sure do change! 

They educated me.

They wooed me.

They sold me on it.

The proof was in the pudding...

or in the paint, as the case may be 

I started reading the blog...

And just that fast, I changed my mind. 

Not because I don't believe the product is  good quality, 

but because I can NOT stand they way it is being marketed!

 It reminds me so much of political "mud slinging" campaigns.

 It seems short sighted and so negative...

If you don't know, I have a "day job"

I'm the Marketing Director

for a seven doctor practice

I'm not claiming to be the 

Queen of Marketing...

 (I'm just establishing that I have some experience

in the area)

I've learned it's always the "also ran"

that has to talk so much smack...

Sometimes the "also ran's" 

are great candidates

but the negative campaigning always

 lingers in my mind

and sways my vote

Is the "other camp" mud slinging?
If so, shame on them, too...
but I've not seen it
and I don't expect I will

The company that is confident in it's abilities

and truly believes it's products/services are the best

is the company that relies on it's own merits

and feels no need to "sling mud"

I respect this

and it's how I choose to represent

 myself, my company, even my "day job"

I don't have to make you look bad

in an attempt to make myself look better

I invite my "competitors" to lunch...

take them for coffee...

we sometimes end up friends. 

Why? Because there is room for everyone...

enough business to go around

I enjoy seeing others succeed

Their success does not demean or discredit my own.  

Relying on smear tactics

only breeds a hostile environment

and polarizes people 

I want you to tell me why your product is great,

what special properties it has

why your company is special

Educate me. 

Woo me.

Sell me.

Just don't throw mud at me...

 it's dirty.