I love getting out and about to look at home decor stores, and quirky little creative cafes and spaces. This is something I want to do more this year, so I'm about to set myself a mission to scout out as many of these little spaces as I can. A couple of months ago we had a day out in Waihi Beach, which is just 40 minutes from our home. The Secret Garden is a quaint little cafe with gorgeous gifts that are truly inspiring. THE SECRET GARDEN CAFE, WAIHI BEACH, NZ
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The three things I wanted to achieve with Upcycled & Co. was that any product or service I offer is QUICK, EASY + AFFORDABLE. A few months ago I had an idea that started with this thought: I wonder if I can create the same waxed (dark, black, white and other colours) look, using only paint? With that thought in mind, I set to work experimenting and testing my idea. I knew what I was going to try, I tested it... and it worked! Using only paint, I was able to recreate the look of an aged waxed piece. I was over-the-moon. This meant that I would be able to bring my customers processes that were QUICK, EASY + AFFORDABLE as there would be no need for wax. This table is an example of a waxed look, using only paint. And, Upcycled & Co. Furniture Paint takes only 7 days to fully cure, and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Painted with Upcycled & Co. Furniture Paint in Vanilla with Chocolate Discover this and my other proven processes at one of my furniture painting workshops today.
And... I look forward to seeing your finished pieces in my FREE Facebook group. Happy painting! Kathryn x This was a very quick, easy and satisfying project that only took about an hour all up. For this particular project I used an old oak headboard, however you could use any type of wood at all for this. You will get a different, but equally beautiful look, depending on the colour and grain of the wood you choose. Take a look around your home for something you could upcycle, or take a trip to your local hardware store for some new or timber off-cuts. Here's what I did (or should I say we did): 1. Asked my husband to cut an old damaged oak headboard into squares for me (lucky me!). 2. Mixed up my 50/50 Upcycled & Co. Furniture Paint and water wash as in my FREE Online Paint Workshop. 3. Applied the paint to one side and the edges of each square. 4. Left them to dry. 5. Painted the other side of each. 6. Left these to dry. And that... was it! So quick... so easy! I'd love to see your table mats. Come on over to my FREE Facebook group and share your photographs.
Enjoy! Kathryn x Something I love to do is gather ideas for future projects. So, this afternoon was one of those afternoons where I sat down with my pile of magazines, my scissors and my four scrapbooks - Kitchens & Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Lounge & Living Room, and Exterior & Outdoors. With a cup of tea, a couple of cookies and our cat Cleo beside me for company (totally her choice of course, she is a cat after all) I set about cutting and pasting my favourite images from old house and garden magazines I seem to have always collected. A couple of years ago a friend from the UK gave me an enormous pile of House Beautiful magazines so those came out today too. GATHERING HOME DECOR PROJECT IDEAS IS BOTH INSPIRATIONAL AND FUN! This is something I find very relaxing, and inspiring too. MAKE AN AFTERNOON OF IT If you like the idea of gathering home decor project ideas, get yourself some scrap books and start your collection. Kathryn x I absolutely love what I do, and my business is expanding and growing right now, so taking time out is not really something I want to do. It is however, something I need to do. Often I find myself thinking that I just want to get things done, tick more off my list, and keep working, but there is this voice telling me that I need to slow down and get some space between the doing. And, I know this is important. Being driven is a wonderful thing, and so often I get people commenting on how much I achieve, and how well I've done. But really, what use is all of that if I'm going to end up unwell. It's absolutely no use at all. FIND THE BALANCE Lately I seem to be thinking a lot about about getting my life back into balance. With my recent product launch, taking my workshops on the road, and the fact that my business is only a little over 12 months old, there has been a lot to do. And, at times, it feels as though life is a bit out of control. PUT SPACE BETWEEN DOING A few years ago I was really good at putting space between activity. Whether it was coming home from an outing to sit with a cup of tea and ponder my thoughts, time to meditate, or time to sit with a book, I really enjoyed the space I created. Over the last couple of years I've not been practising this, and I now realise that I have gotten into the habit of always doing, doing, doing, and I don't like it. Realising this, I'm now on a mission to create space once more. SWITCH OFF One thing that has been helpful lately for me is switching off. I find myself constantly looking at my phone or computer, and with social media, there are always new notifications coming through from my Facebook page, Facebook group, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter. So, what I have been doing over the last couple of weeks, is having a few hours at a time when I don't look at my devices. Doing just this gives me a feeling of having some time out. DELEGATE WHERE POSSIBLE In a start-up business, which mine is, I need to be careful with expenses. Before I can outsource too much I need the income to support that. I'm very fortunate to have an awesome Virtual Assistant who has just this week taken over a number of administrative tasks. It feels wonderful to have her help, that's for sure. Next on my list is to look at what I can delegate at home. With being so focused on my business, there is little time or energy for housework or gardening. And, of course these things just keep piling up, they don't do themselves do they! MAKE TIME FOR FRIENDS & OUTINGS I've always been good with keeping in regular contact with friends, and I continue to do this when I can. Catching up with a friend for morning tea or a glass of wine to have a good laugh and share what's been going on is something I really, really enjoy. Getting out and about to events and community goings on is not something I'm particularly good at, but I'd like to be. Yesterday, Craig and I, took the day off to head into the annual Tauranga Jazz Festival held here each year. It was such a lovely day out, wandering around without rushing, having lunch in the park, and listening to the music. I guess we are all in 'life school' aren't we? If you're finding it challenging to get balance in your life I hope you've found some of these thoughts helpful. And remember, there are many of us in the same position, so talk to others, and start thinking about how you can ease up on yourself a little. Have a wonderful Easter. Kathryn x It's been an incredibly busy, and exciting few months as I've prepared to launch Upcycled & Co. Furniture Paint. Some months ago, I had and idea... If I could create the same waxed, aged, distressed, and rustic looks ONLY using paint, it would be way more affordable for people, way more! So, I set off on a journey of talking to paint manufacturers, testing ideas (with some failures too!) until I came up with a product, and processes, that achieved the outcome I wanted. I'm absolutely delighted to be able to offer a QUICK, EASY + AFFORDABLE for way people to be able to enjoy the creative process of furniture painting, and to make their homes beautiful. Both my studio and office have over the last few weeks become a 'factory' and 'warehouse' with boxes of paint cans, and a production line of canning and labelling taking place to bring the brand to the market... It's been challenging, fun and busy! In the last week since launching the paint I've been overwhelmed with the positive response, support, and sales that have come in. Right now, I'm in the middle of another small project for myself; a brown wooden bookshelf for my office which I'm painting white. It's nice to have a paintbrush back in my hand. And, I'll be sure to show you the end result when I'm done. You will find all of the information you need to know about Upcycled & Co. Furniture Paint here, and if you're interested in learning furniture painting techniques, then check out my Furniture Painting Workshops (online, my Tauranga studio or other New Zealand towns and cities). If inspiration is what you're after, come on over and join my FREE Facebook Group! Have a great Easter Weekend! Kathryn x p.s. If you're in New Zealand, stay safe in the wrath of Cyclone Cook that is lashing us right now. |
AuthorHi I'm Kathryn,
You're going to love how QUICK, EASY + AFFORDABLE it is to transform your furniture. With Upcycled & Co. Furniture Paint, a 3-in-1 that primes, paints and seals (it's not chalk paint) you won't need to sand, prime, wax or seal - just paint and you're done. I'm super-passionate about sharing what I know about furniture painting to make it easy for you. If you'd love to start a creative business I can help with that too, simply click here. Enjoy! |