I’ve been thinking a lot about latex paint lately.? (You know,?I think that first sentence really shows what a?paint nerd I am.? Wish I could say “I’ve been thinking about my upcoming world tour?lately”…but nooooooo.? Latex paint for this chick.)??Here’s the deets.

1) Normally, we use acrylic colors or universal tints to color our glazes — but rarely regular?paint.? I?find that?it?gives a “muddier” look?and?when?a bit off, I used to have to buy a whole other quart and hope that?the new color was a winner.? (That was before I learned how to tint.? Color Theory classes are invaluable and I highly recommend them to anyone who hasn’t taken one.? It saves money and there is a certain joy at being able to create custom colors at will.)??Saying that, I have found and used a color regularly throughout the years and it’s a winner.? The name is Steady Brown and it is Sherwin-Williams 6110 — we used it again recently and it really nice.? A close Benjamin Moore color is Valley Forge Brown (HC-74) but I haven’t tested that one out yet.? Here’s an older sample board?using?the Steady Brown?as a light?overglaze (at a 1:5 ratio).

2) I love Benjamin Moore colors but since I have a Sherwin-Williams super close, I usually?use their colors as base paints.? They have this cool thing called Color To Go and it’s a?satin quart?used to allow?everyone to test their color choices.? The best thing?? $4.99/quart.? It’s not meant to be used to?base a wall professionally but for color testing and sample-making?? Fantastic — especially when a regular quart can set you back $10 – $12!? You can see my growing collection…

3) I purchased a book recently?and with it came a coupon for a free year of Better Homes & Gardens.? Not my first choice for a shelter magazine, but free is free.? My first issue was in September and I found myself enjoying it.? After the second issue, I think I’ve narrowed down my fave bit to the All About Color?monthly column, dedicated to recommending gorgeous paint shades.? I rather like their layouts (…and hmmm…that gray looks familiar).

There you have it — my latest thoughts on latex paint.? I hope you can handle this much excitement, LOL!

A while ago, I referred a good?friend, Debbie Parsons, to a designer that needed a furniture refinisher when we no longer offered those services.? Debbie recently contacted me since the designer wanted a repeat of a chinoiserie design done a long time ago and…would I still have the records???When I (amazingly) found the stencils, it made me a bit sad.? This was from a time when I worked alone and I remember how much time they took me: from dreaming up the design, drawing it, resizing it at Kinko’s and then painstakingly cutting it out of mylar and cleaning it up with an exacto knife.? Technology has given us faster alternatives, but seeing those precious stencils (now packaged for Debbie) made me think that we’ve lost just a bit of that historic magic that brought our beloved industry about.

That’s why?I’m going to zig instead of zag in our book choice.? This month we are recommending Printing by Hand by Lena Corwin.? I found this book on Amazon while looking?for screenprinting techniques (yum) and took a chance on it.? It teaches how to create handprinted fabrics, papers and artworks.? It’s one of the few handprinting books you will find on the market — and since?recently released,?the most?contemporary one.? She includes?the patterns and the spiral inset makes it easy to bend the book when you are following the recipes.? While I have yet to try them, they are laid out in a clean, elegant,?easy to understand manner.??I am looking forward to playing around with them!

Here are some pics:

In her?introduction, Ms. Corwin writes: “While working as a textile designer?at Jill Stuart…I would design patterns for fabrics that would then be sent to Asia to be produced.? And when those fabrics came back — thousands of yards at a time — they were nearly flawless.? And while they were beautiful, I couldn’t help but feel that something was lost in those perfectly printed textiles.? They were missing the imperfections that I am so drawn to in vintage fabric, wallpaper and stationery, those produced when printing techniques were wonkier…I have always found these imperfections charming and enjoyed how clearly they herald the touch of the human hand.”? These words resonate for me in the describing?of the?beauty?of?decorative painting:?the sheer bliss of having someone come in and — by hand — create?works of art specifically for them, their walls, their lifestyle.? I hope you enjoy?the recommendation…and anything you choose to create by hand today.

The Wall-Nuts is a group of four women (including myself), with various degrees of expertise in the decorative painting field. We get together periodically to test out different books, videos and/or products. You, dear Reader, get to reap the benefits. Although we will not provide the recipes, we will post our results and also talk about them via podcast. (I’m actually quite proud that with the help of my husband, I was able to wrangle Sound Forge, the software used to edit the podcast.)

To read the bios of each member, please click here. For our initial get-together, we all took on a book by Gary Lord entitled “It’s Faux Easy”. He is one of the most prolific faux finishers and has received numerous accolades. It’s Faux Easy has about 30 projects and the corresponding recipes. But do they work? Are they easy to follow? Here’s our take:

Click here to listen to the Wall-Nuts Podcast!

We each wrote our own recap since filming the podcast so that if you cannot access it, you can easily read the results.

Monica Zeuli: University-Trained Muralist
Hoping to Inspire: All fine artists who have an interest in faux finishing
Recipe: Colette’s Classic (Project Eleven)

Book Sample (Left), Monica with her sample (Right)

Monica: Overall, the recipe was easier than it looks. I went by the book with every step and the only thing I can comment on is to make sure your squeegee notches are on the small side so it doesn’t come out too linear. If you want wider lines then go wide with the notch. I used a pre-made squeegee that was wide and I decided to go over the lines a couple of times which made the SofTex leave little knobs which were easy to remove. It really looks like natural bamboo. As a professional artist, I would recommend to my clients painting directly on the wall of a bath or kitchen with a light tan or gold basecoat to get the same effect and bypass the paper. I think that would give me the best durability for my clients. Taping off baseboards and ceilings would be essential. I do love the finish product and I can wait to sell it!

PROS
Super easy, great for either a novice or experienced faux artist.
I liked that you put it on craft paper and apply to the wall. You can have plenty of practice before applying finish product.

CONS
You have to wait at least an hour before applying glaze.
You have to use a lot of the relatively expensive SoftTex.
My squeegee didn’t have the right size knotches like the book had. I had to go over the area a few times to get smaller lines.
I wish I could ask Mr. Lord if his example (using the finished craft paper in a bathroom), would hold up in condensation and would the background show water stain? Would it tear after getting wet? Would a clear coat help?

Debbie Jackson: New Professional Faux Finisher
Hoping to Inspire: Those who are just starting their faux career or looking to start one
Recipe Chosen: Rawhide (Project Twelve)

Book Sample (Left), Debbie with her sample (Right)

Debbie: All things considered, this finish was easy to accomplish and the directions were very easy to follow. It definitely gets a thumbs-up from me.

PROS
Easy directions, anyone could execute this finish and it’s fun to do.

CONS
Paper is a little fragile when wet so you must exercise caution.

Sharon Adelman: The Faux Enthusiast
Hoping to Inspire: All the DIYers out there
Recipe Chosen: Linen Strie (Project Five)

Book Sample (Left), Sharon with her sample (Right)

Sharon: It was quite straighforward once I started painting and getting the hang of it. Initially, I was very nervous wondering if I was making mistakes. Quite fun after a while and this really makes you focus. I actually meditated when I painted. The final result of the Linen Strie was quite nice. I loved it. Very simple, very classy. I like the muted look with the nice contrast on both the horizontal and vertical lines. I guess once I have a more steady hand, I will do this on my walls. I am very happy with this experiment. I am looking forward to more intricate projects.

PROS
The book consists of helpful steps. Very good Pro Tips are found on the start of every recipe. These was very helpful for me since I needed more guidance and Gary Lord laid that out for me.

CONS
The color palette (pg 39) and printed color on Step One (pg 40) was a lot darker and that totally confused me. But in the end, I just played with the colors and went with my gut on which color to use. I will now be braver trying out other colors.

Regina Garay: Ye (Relatively) Olde-Timer
Hoping to Inspire: Like-minded professionals and anyone with an interest in decorative painting as a hobby or business
Recipe Chosen: Parchment (Project Six)

Book Sample (Top), Best pic of Regina’s sample (Bottom)

Regina: I must admit, halfway through the finish I was worried. It didn’t seem right and my results didn’t look like the book’s pictures. However, when the final glaze layer went on, it brought it all together and I liked the finish so much it went right into the portfolio. I’m all for layering and this one is fairly easy to do with great predictable results. (Plus, that final overall glaze recipe? Gorgeous color.)

PROS
Gorgeous layered finish
Colors provided give a nice tone that would work in many home’s designs
Final glaze coloration now one of my faves
The kind of recipe that is versatile enough to handle endless color variations

CONS
Doesn’t really come together until the final layer
Getting an even look with the paint-only softening layer will take a bit of practice for a DIYer

* * *

There you have it, folks. All four of us were unanimous in recommending this book, which is available at your favorite online or local bookstore. I hope you’ve enjoyed the first Wall-nuts installment. We are looking to get together again sometime next year for our next review. (…and if you have any reviews to suggest, by all means please let us know in the comments section.)

I’ve had a few e-mails about the snakeskin misadventure, mostly asking “Was it really that bad?”. Yes and no. I think what set us down the wrong path was that the production stencils (which are stencils that are large and create an overall wall pattern) and the smaller corresponding stencils did not match, pattern-wise. We actually ended up using only the smaller stencils since that design was both stronger and more pleasing. Using the smaller sizes, in addition to making the already-stencilled different patterns match, added to the working time.  I’ve since spoken to Faux Effects and they couldn’t have been more gracious and accommodating about the situation. (Thank you Cat and Scott!) It really is a gorgeous realistic pattern but make sure than when doing the finish, over-order on the delicate stencil since it can come apart after a few uses. Why do I say “when you order”? Because I’m posting the recipe (with courtesies from Faux Effects) for all to try and you may find yourself tackling the finish.

The recipe is a Faux Effects original and consequently, uses all Faux Effects products. I’ve placed links where needed and pics where possible (I forget to photograph some layers sometimes).

1) Start with as smooth and correctly prepped a surface as possible. For the base color, we used Sherwin-Williams’ Millet but you could also use Aquabond Woody Yellow. Let dry.

2) With a Japan scraper, trowel Venetian Gem Finish Coat through vinyl tulle (also called tulle netting) over the entire surface. We bought the tulle by the yard at our local Jo-Ann Fabrics. You can easily cut and reuse the same material piece a few times. The Venetian Gem goes on white and dries clear. This step creates the underlying scales — a key ingredient in making this finish go from just another “oh, how cool” to a solid “you’ve got to see this room!!!”. Let this layer dry completely.

Team Member Monica Arrache demonstrates above.

3) Using Rich Brown and Antique Mahogany Stain & Seal mixed with AquaGlaze, glaze the surface in a vertical motion. You can also use other colors (such as blue, green and irridescent tones) to create a different snakeskin feel. Let this layer dry completely.

4) Stencil FauxCreme Color Black through the Snakeskin Stencil and continue the pattern. There are no registration marks on the stencils but you can easily find where the snakeskin design fits in. I highly recommend using stencil spray for this application to adhere the stencil firmly (but temporarily) to your surface. If on a wall, make sure you use a level at all times. Let dry.

5) Overglaze the entire finish with a Van Dyke Brown aging glaze, which acts as the final step marrying all the layers together. Let dry.

I have to admit that after seeing the final result, I might possibly perhaps maybe consider trying the finish again — on smaller surfaces. Doing an entire room might not be in the cards again…but a cabinet door or under a bar counter? Nice. We’re getting final pics after the interior designers finish doing their magic. I’ll be sure to post them.

These?past?few days have?been a blur of?birthdays, a cool commission, ten-year wedding anniversaries (mine – woohoo!) and a whole lotta incoming info on blogs.? Phew!? This coming weekend has my brother teaching his awesome cabinetry class.? Last month, he had students flying in to take the workshop…pretty cool!? Most cabinet courses focus on teaching different finishes but my brother’s class is a bit different.? We deduced our top two most requested finishes: (1) Distressed and (2) Elegantly Aged — and turned each one into a?full-day class.? The focus is on?proper prepwork, how to dismantle/organize doors?and hardware, how to use an HVLP sprayer (this gives a beautiful factory finish) and what are the best products for?your substrate.? Interested?? Check out the schedule here.? So, shameless plug aside, cabinets are fast becoming one of the most popular areas we are asked to work with.? There are a few books out on the subject, but one I really like is The Painted Kitchen by Henny Donovan.? It has a lot of cool finish ideas and loads of pics.

The book goes into turning flat doors into paneled doors, working with metallics,?matching door styles with paint effects?and has a nice list of preparation requirements for many surfaces you may encounter.

Finishes are catalogued?by color and although only some of the finishes get a step-by-step breakdown, each picture in the book has a description on achieving?the finish.? (Love the?gold leaf one at the bottom since it reminds me of the first pic in our December book recommendation).

I hope you like the pics enough to pic up the book.? For a DIYer, it’s?great?because it has so much info on achieving the looks and for the professional, it’s wonderful because it gives a lot of inspirational ideas as well as overviews on each finish.? We’ll “talk” soon!

Hi, Everyone!? Well, tomorrow (Saturday, 8/16) is The Day!? I’ve talked about?The Fauxtastic Four?before and gave you a preview of what was coming.? Well, we’ve decided to change our moniker and re-christened?ourselves: The Wall-nuts!? (No?offense is intended?to any ceiling or any other surface.? My name is Regina Garay and I approve this message.)?

We are getting together to check out the recipes in Gary Lord‘s book “It’s Faux Easy”.? (Do click on the Fauxtastic Four link above to read a little more in-depth about our plan…it’s been a long day and Momma’s tired.)?

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My husband, Chris, and Sharon Adelman’s husband, Chad, have been working diligently this week to put our podcast tech tools together to ensure that the four Wall-nuts can?talk all?about our first adventure.??Thank you so much, Chris and Chad!? I’ll try to post the entries up as fast as I can.? Not sure the world is ready for us gabbing away (someone is bringing Mimosas, I think) but there it is…

Until then!

I enjoy using stencils in both my business and the workshops I teach.??They are so varied nowadays — from traditional to large graphic prints to thoroughly modern patterns.? The designs?are just an additional beautiful “layer” to use?on a technique.? Here’s what Debbie from Clermont, FL wrote to us:

Hey, Regina!? How’s everything?? Just a quick question for you, where’s the best place to get stencils?? My sister and I?would like to use some for fabrics.? We are going to the UK next week.? Anything there???

From Regina: Why, yes, Debbie — I can totally help with that!? In fact, it’s one of the questions I get asked the most.? Many people think of Michaels as the only place one can get stencils but there are other options as well.??Stencil companies abound on the web but I am going to save you a lot of Google trouble and just give you a list of our perennial favorites.? I’ll also throw in some blogs for you to visit that focus on the art of stencilling.?

Well, if you are going to be in the UK (lucky girl!), you must stop by and see the very chic Helen Morris at The Stencil Library.? Although I’ve never met her, I feel as if I do because of her gorgeous blog.? I pretty much drool over any of her designs but it’s the?latest, the Larger than Life collection, that has me really excited.? Her current catalog encompasses over 3,500 designs and can be shipped world-wide.

Royal Design Studio and Modello Designs – The former is a traditional stencil company and the latter focuses on one-time use decorative masking patterns.? Each company has gorgeous designs to choose from and each site features beautiful showcases for their patterns.? Ms. Royals, an established author,?also has a blog?focusing on all things pattern.

Artistic Painting Studio has?beautiful new designs called the Black & White collection.? The company is owned by Ms. Jennifer Ferguson who is frequently featured on HGTV.? She just recently started her own blog.

Dimensional stenciling is something that has been around for a bit but some are doing really innovating finishes with the style.? My friend, Donna, at the Sarasota School of Faux & Architectural Finishing, exclusively sells a 14mil line by Victoria Larsen that allows you to get a crisper and fuller design.? Nice!

Stencil Planet has some unusual and super cool stencils available online.? Their site is easy to navigate and has an Ideas & Tips section.?

Looking for an allover design to mimic wallpaper?? Wallovers has them!? These types of designs are available by most stencil companies but Wallovers focuses on them exclusively.? They also offer “toppers”, a smaller stencil to fill in gaps.? Trust me, you want one of those!? Mm, loving their new Roundabout design…

I just had the Mad Stencilist print me up a few of their “Say What?” stencils.? They?can custom cut and font any script or quote you’d like to add to your home — even over archways.? Just send them your measurements and voila! Plus, they have such a cool name.?

Finally, their is also a?search site for stencils — appropriately enough called Stencil Search.? They also have a full listing of the stencil companies they cover.?

I hope this has helped!? I’m glad you’re trying out stencilling on fabric — and if you’re washing the fabric, please remember to use specially-designed fabric paint!? Let me know how it all turns out!?? – Regina

I luff mail like that because it just serves to remind me not only the amazing variety of stencils available today but also the?the myriad of versatile surfaces that stencils can be incorporated into.? Now that you have this info…why wait?? Create!