Vintage French Postmarks and Furniture

So, I was moseying through blog world the other day when I came across this tutorial.  I usually hand draw all my own lettering but was fascinated by the idea of using stuff I already have on hand to reproduce vintage postmarks (or ANYTHING else) on my furniture.  I had already painted this small table (annie sloan chalk paint - ASCP - chateau gray):

and I was pleased with the results (here's where it started):

but I knew it wasn't finished, YET.  When I read the tut I immediately whipped out a postmark I had saved from the Graphics Fairy a while back.  I opened it in photoshop and got it ready to print as a mirror image.  Meanwhile, I went and got my freezer paper ready to go.  When that was all done and printed (I had to set my printer to iron-on transfer - it wouldn't print otherwise) I got to work burnishing the image to the top of the table.

{LOVE}  I think it's fantastic!  (if I do say so myself!)  I do have to say, it took a LONG time to dry.  I was worried then about waxing over the ink (even if it was dry) for fear that it would smear.  It didn't!  YAY!

So, with that all figured out I went to work on this little chest:

It's fairly small.  About a foot and a half wide and 14 inches deep and only 10 inches tall.  I painted it with a mix of ASCP louis blue, chateau gray, and paris gray.  It's a warm gray with just a hint of blue now:

For the image on the top I found the graphic I wanted to use then enlarged it in photoshop and made it so it would print in multiple pages.  Then I put the graphic on the top (don't mind the REALLY blue tint to the image):

It printed on two pages (using the same freezer paper method) and carefully lining up the image so that it would be seamless.  I printed this one in color, because the postmark on the top right is a teal blue.  It's beautiful!  After it dried I waxed it (and the stain came through the ASCP to make it look distressed without having to use any dark wax) so I just went with it.

I'm working on that Mercury Glass tutorial still!  Be patient - it's just me here with two small boys (and all you moms out there know how that can be!)  I'm doing my best - and want my tutorial to be awesome for everyone!

Have a great Sunday!

Early American dresser

I can't stay long :) I just wanted to share my latest finished dresser. The top of this piece had been almost ruined from something hot being sat on top.  It had actually burned the wood and then something had spilled over on it.  The fantastic chalk paint covered most of it and I distressed it after waxing it to bring out the two toned effect.

Here you go!