Finishes with Amy Howard Home

 My head is spinning, in the best of ways............
First the Design Blogger Conference in Atlanta where many of today's design stars imparted their wisdom freely. The leading professionals on business strategies, social media, photography (has not helped yet) and so much more inspired us to think beyond our comfort zones. 
Much to my husbands dismay, I have arrived home with a gazillion ideas and I can see in his eyes and sinking shoulders as he thinks how much will this cost?

From Atlanta onwards to Memphis for more inspiration at AMY HOWARDS master class for her retailers. Can one's head actually explode?

The creative process begins the moment you step inside

When the goal is replicating patinas with the look of history, allow yourself the time to study original finishes via museums, books, antique shops and the internet. The beauty of the imperfections, wear and style can guide us in recreating these finishes of age. Amy Howard has provided the tools.

 What joy and wonder lies ahead with the goodie basket before us!

Let's move on to all the techniques learned

 A new gild, a water marked copper, is applied to a surface with a stencil over it in a darker finish to great effect

Excellent patterns are becoming available

A stencil with two colors from the line, over wood or fabric and mounted as a piece of art

 Just arrived is the 2D embossing cream. Excellent on furniture for dimension and depth of interest


The relief is gilded in gold

Pitted Italian Silver

Real sterling and gold leaf is aged with her Zinc and Antique Mirror Solution. Interesting on the top of a small chest, on door inserts or framing a mirror

STUNNING!! This technique of creating Tiger Stone is ridiculously easy and fool proof! Am dying to try this on a small chest


New techniques with her Toscano Powder Paint. So much easier. The Toscano powder paint is the one utilized for a gesso aged finish with pits and cracks.

 Still loving the effect of Liming Wax over rough grained/heavily textured wood. Would love to re-do my kitchen floor in this

Malachite, a beautiful stone long replicated in furniture and objects. A classic. Some of my artisan friends painstakingly create this look by hand with carefully crafted brush strokes and patterns. As you can imagine this is very expensive........until now

During

After

With very simple techniques you too can create this look. As in the Tiger Eye finish, this is so easy and foolproof. 

Watch for our class list as I cannot wait to teach these techniques. To be added to our workshop list, email me here

And if this was not enough, my next post will be on another process Amy taught, authentic Venetian Plaster, oh my, oh my!

Lastly, that's me (see my hand?) with you know who. The photo was snapped after we shared a funny story. I look like a freak, hence, this version.

Have a great week, the sun is shining here!

Debra