Look What THEY Did – Showing off a creative customer

I’m so in awe of my customers and their creative endeavours.

Seriously inspired.

I thought it was time to show off one of my creative customers. I met Sheila 3 years ago when I opened my little shop. She attended a workshop and has been a loyal and regular customers since then. At the time, they were just starting the build process of their beautiful cottage in Waterside NB.  It has been a pleasure watching Sheila and her hubby Mark build and create their beautiful dream cottage and watching all the beautiful creative bits and pieces of painted furniture that has made their cottage so beautiful and relaxing. I love that used and reused pieces they had and found. In every room and corner of this cottage you can see their creative hand.  I’m so inspired by Sheila and her hubby Mark, they are just both so incredibly creative and have built a beautiful family cottage.

Sheila graciously agreed to an interview and Mark who is an amazing photographer took these amazing pictures for us. If you would like to find out more about Marks photography, you can check out his website here. Grab a coffee, put your feet up and be ready to be inspire. This is one amazing space.

“How long have you been using diy paints to paint your own furniture?”

I have used some form of paint for 20+ years for crafts,stencilling, etc, but it wasn’t until 2012 when we were building our cottage and I had to furnish it with a minimal budget that I discovered the world of painted furniture. I started looking around at how to re-purpose furniture. I discovered MMS paint and then found out you had just opened a shop and were going to do a workshop. It was providential.

“What is your favourite piece(s) that you have painted?”

The pieces that I love the most are the ones that have a big transformation when they are painted. I still like the dresser I used as a vanity in the bathroom – it was the 1st piece I did with milk paint. It was a frustrating and learning experience. I almost gave up on it but it turned out nice in the end.

“Were you nervous to start painting or confident about getting going?”

I wasn’t too nervous to start painting since I had tried different mediums and crafts where paint was involved before. I was nervous about ruining a piece and getting the piece ready to paint ( stripping, fixing loose ends ,etc). I know it’s just paint but it was worth money to me too since I was trying to save money by repurposing furniture.

This desk was inspired by a desk Sheila saw in this book by Danielle of Finding Silver Pennies

You can order the whale pillow here

“Where do you get your ideas for your pieces?”

Ideas come from everywhere! Magazines, blogs, catalogues, stores, Pinterest, Front Porch Mercantile :)

 

 “Do you have any projects that you are dying to get to? Whats stopping you?”

I don’t have any projects I’m really dying to get to right now, the cottage is pretty much full. My house was full of everything I was collecting to go in there so we can breathe again in the house. If I had my choice I would still love to have a garage full of furniture to paint! One of the last pieces I did at the cottage had been bugging me since I took it there but needing pictures forced me to do it and the family says it fits in much better now. I just needed the extra incentive to do it.

Stencils used on the fabric are available at Front Porch Mercantile

The blue heron canvas is available here

“What inspires you?”

Generally what inspires me is to make something that is aged or worn into something more becoming. The view I see at the cottage though is what inspired me to do the pieces there.

“How did you pick your colours/pallet?”

I picked colours to reflect the view, we have wild meadow and trees behind us, marshland in front, the Bay of Fundy beyond that and of course big beautiful sky. Lots of coastal and neutral colours. I have a theme in each bedroom so it was fun to pick colours based on that as well.

 

 

“What is your favourite thing about the cottage?”

I think the view is our favourite thing at the cottage. It is very inspiring but it is hard to get any work done some days, We just want to sit and drink in the view. We are very blessed. I am also very proud of all the work we did on the cottage ourselves so knowing that I helped put up drywall and put in insulation makes it more meaningful to us.

Congratulations Sheila and Mark on such a wonderful job building this special place and on your use of your creativity to re love and re purpose your decor, and thank you for letting all have a peek inside! Can’t wait to see what your next project is.

I hope you are all as inspired by this cottage and creative couple as I am. Thanks for popping in!

Cheers,

Wendy